This story is not intended to infringe upon the rights of the copyright holders of Robin of Sherwood. I am making no profit off this.
For Estepheia who planted the idea.
The story is set after the end of the third series.
Brothers
By Christine Ethier
Gisburne slammed his mailed fist into Robin Hood's face. The blonde man's head jerked back from the force of the blow. The under sheriff drew back his arm in an uncontrollable desire to bruise the aristocratic features of the chained man in front of him. Suddenly, he found himself pausing. Those blue-grey eyes bored into his. Challenging, defiant eyes tinged with a small amount of worry, or perhaps pity.
His brother.
The fist wavered.
His brother feeling pity.
The fist crashed home, "You dare to pity me?" Gisburne roared. "How dare you! You who had everything!" Again the strong fist attacked the outlaw's face.
Gisburne yanked his brother to his feet. He drew the younger man as close as the chains would allow. "You had what should have been mine," the outlaw closed his eyes to Gisburne's spittle, "And you dare to pity me".
Robin stared back at Gisburne, "I do not pity you."
Gisburne glowered unbelieving.
"I feel sorrow," the outlaw continued slowly and intently, "that I will never know you as a brother. I sorrow for what might have been."
Gisburne shook his head. "You lie," he spat.
Robin shook his head as much as his injuries allowed, "You know I'm not. You must feel it too."
There was a mute appeal in those eyes; a desire, perhaps, for shared understanding. Gisburne inwardly revolted at the sight. His mother had looked at him the same way when she told him the sordid story of his parentage. On the day she had died, begging for his forgiveness for what the pain she caused, the look had been present as well.
Guy let the man go and backed away. "You want me to feel what . . . some sort of perverted brotherhood. Warm feelings for a younger sibling." A harsh mirthless laugh echoed throughout the room. The under sheriff's face contorted into an expression of rage, "More likely to feel a kinship so I will let you go."
Robin's head drooped onto his chest.
Guy studied the figure on the stone floor before him. He want to give the outlaw the pain that he carried with him. To inflict similar wounds to the ones that still scarred his own soul.
Running a hand lightly down the crack in the wall, Gisburne asked, "Should I tell our father do you think?"
His brother's head snapped up and the eyes starred at Gisburne intently.
"What do you think he would say?" Gisburne stalked in front of the outlaw leader, ignoring the man's gaze as best as he could. "What do you think he would do? Do you think he would welcome me with open arms?"
The gaze never wavered.
"Speechless are you?" Guy continued still disregarding the eyes. "What reward should I give him as payment for seducing my mother?" Guy paused in his pacing and acted as if he were pondering his own question. "Do you think the shock would kill him? No, of course not. I lack proof. My mother died and left me nothing. I cannot prove my claim to what is mine by right of blood."
"Get to the point, Gisburne" Robin growled.
"Shouldn't that be brother?" Guy countered maliciously.
His half brother stared at him. Daring him almost and yet with something indefinable in his eye. Guy felt something with him soften. The melting shocked him. But worse, it made him feel weak. Weak like his step-father had accused him of always being. Womanly. With disgust and self-loathing, Gisburne pushed the feeling away, buried it deep within himself. He glanced scornfully at the chained man. What should he do with the prisoner?
It seemed only fitting that the man who had taken his rightful inheritance should, in some way, be the means of his fame and fortune. The means of his advancement.
Only fitting.
Gisburne leaned down on his lanky haunches, staring at the prisoner face to face. "You will insure my advancement," he coldly said. Then he rose, called the guards who stood outside the cell and had the outlaw leader taken away. The under-sheriff would deliver the man to the King before the Sheriff returned and stole the credit. Of course, before the journey to court, the outlaw would meet with the full power of the law.