A/N: My undying gratitude goes to LadyGisborne15 for her continuos support, and I would like to thank contentiousprincess as well for leaving a review. This chapter hasn't been edited yet, so I bet you'd face a bunch of humps on the way! But I do hope the grammar won't be that bad.
"Oh, God." Roberta sighed, "Master Guy has been in his yet worst temper ever!"
"Aha..." Trudy nodded, "The mood around the manor has been dull ever since that lass disappeared. It has been weeks."
"It's not only Gisborne. Look at Gytha. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel sorry for her." Roberta remarked with utmost ingenuity.
Trudy nodded once again as she looked at the middle-aged woman, who was staring out the window with a distant look.
"I'm not being funny here, but you got to listen to me, Guy." Allan argued, "We have to capture this person before the Sheriff decides to have our heads instead!"
"Yes, Gisbrone." A menacing voice echoed through the hallway, "Your little squire here is making a good point."
"Sheriff." Guy nodded grimly, "This person is no threat. We should focus on Hood only."
"Oh, Gisborne. Did I ask for your opinion, hm? A clue, NO!" The Sheriff shouted, "If this little pest was no threat, then do explain to me why am I missing seven of my sorry excuse of soldiers!"
"I will handle it right away, Sir." Guy reassured the Sheriff.
"You better do!" The Sheriff spat before taking his leave.
"Will you now?" Allan asked mockingly, "I really don't want to lose my head for someone who uses the Sheriff's soldiers as a punching sac."
"Then I suggest you go find that someone." Guy stated impassively.
"So this is what you meant by handling it." Allan scoffed, "What's happening to you, Guy? You haven't been yourself lately. Missing your little birdy?"
The black knight gave Allan's remark absolutely no regard, leaving him with quite a shock.
"Not even a glare!" Allan exclaimed, "What's going on through his mind?"
Later that evening,
"Master Guy, you haven't touched your dinner." Gytha stressed, "You should have some. You have been eating almost to nothing lately."
"I could tell the same thing to you." Guy retorted.
"You're hurting yourself." Gytha insisted. She then hesitated a little, but continued, "It has been weeks. She might never come back."
"Really?" Guy sneered, "And by 'she' who do you mean exactly?"
"You know perfectly who am I talking about!" Gytha scolded sternly, "You can't ignore it anymore. She changed you. Malak changed us."
"Speak for yourself." Guy scoffed, "You thought you could finally be a mother. You were just delusional."
At the remark, with every ounce in her power, Gytha tried to suppress her tears. Yet, she couldn't stop herself from slapping her Master across the cheek as hard as she could.
"Suit yourself." Gytha replied while trying so hard to keep on a stern look, "No wonder everyone keeps leaving you."
With that, Gytha grabbed her shawl and left behind her an equally hurt Guy. None of them acknowledged how close they got to Malak until she suddenly disappeared from their lives.
Gytha was old enough to understand that the lass might have had her reasons. But Guy, on the other hand, felt betrayed. Even though he practically forced the lass to stay, he honestly did believe in her.
"So far, we still have no clue on who this hooded person is." Allan reported with a frown, "He suddenly appears, beats the hell out of one or two of the soldiers, and then disappears into thin air. And it's all random, there's no pattern."
Guy just nodded in acknowledgment. He showed no interest in the subject, that's until he had to listen to what Allan had to say next.
"As much as it was embarrassing to admit, some of the soldier could swear that the culprit is a she." Allan continued.
With that, Allan was able to capture every fiber of Guy's attention, "Was anyone able to describe her?"
"Now you are interested?" Allan sighed, "Just a petite body, no one was able to see her face. Why, do you have someone in mind?"
"No." Guy replied absentmindedly, and left with a million thoughts racing in his mind.
Was this culprit Malak? The lass disappeared three weeks ago, while the attacks had started just a week or so. If it was she, was it somehow related to her sudden disappearance?
Saying that the black knight had mixed feelings would be an understatement; his thoughts were waging a war. If it was Malak, then her disappearance might have had an explanation, but that would mean that the Sheriff would have her head as well. And if it wasn't, well, she betrayed him, period. It was as simple as that.
Gisborne had been wondering around Nottingham when Allan A' Dale interrupted his thoughts, "Oi, Gis! The Sheriff is calling for you!"
Guy was about to respond when he heard the sound of men shouting somewhere near. He tried to focus his hearing on the direction the shouts came from. However, Allan had much keener ears and was already heading in the right direction, followed by Guy.
The shouts came from an alley, and by the time the two men arrived one soldier was left unconscious on the ground while the other was fending off the hooded girl.
Guy of Gisborne didn't need to see her face; her moves had said it all. The hooded girl was Malak.
As the second soldier went down, Allan exclaimed, "I'm not being funny, but the lass can seriously kick some bums!"
The lass was to immersed that she hadn't noticed the arrival of the two men until Allan spoke. She spun around, ready to fight whomever it was. However, as soon as she saw the pair of leather trouser her eyes unconsciously darted upwards toward their owner.
All the while, the black knight was praying that his eyes were misleading him. And that those moves were nothing like Malak's. Unfortunately, his eyes didn't deceive him. He could no more deny it, for these endearing, hazel eyes that met his belonged to no one but Malak.
"You..." Guy whispered with anger seething down the pit of his stomach, which, however, was short lived.
The hazel eyes held incredible amount of pain. He should know, for he had the same exact look ever since that fateful day, the day he lost his parents as well as his home.
"You do know her, don't you Gis?" Allan asked curiously as he stared at the lass.
Consequently, and before Guy was able to say anything, Malak skillfully jumped between the sidewalls of the alley and reached the roof in mere seconds.
"She's good. Too good actually. Even Robin can't do that." Allan remarked.
"Just shut it!" Guy growled. For some reason he found himself blaming Allan and his temper getting worse.
"No one has to know." Allan reassured, "You know we can follow her."
Guy looked at Allan, and shook his head slightly as he mumbled, "No."
As much as he felt relieved, the black knight was still mad at the lass's sudden disappearance. He still felt betrayed by her, and even more by himself. For so long he had promised himself not to trust anyone, yet he did. Twice to be precise: once with Marian, and now Malak. How more naive could he get?
Guy of Gisborne was standing right in front of the fireplace, at his manor in Locksley. Annoyance was written all over his face. Not a single moment had passed without Malak invading his thoughts. And the heavy rain that had been pouring down continuously for the past two days didn't make it any better. He would have rather spent his days with the presence of the Sheriff than being stuck here with his thoughts.
Nonetheless, his thoughts were interrupted by a prompt knock on the door. As he walked toward the door he wondered who was foolish enough to come at such time and weather. Gytha, perhaps? Even though they hadn't spoke to one another ever since their heated argument.
"Who is it?" Guy demanded as he opened the door.
And as soon as he did, a drenched figure barely stepped in before crashing right in front of him.
Fortunately, Guy was quick enough to hold the body before meeting with the wooden floor.
"Mas...ter..." The figure mumbled through strained breaths.
"Malak..." Guy whispered in shock once he removed the drenched hood that covered her face.