Personal Devils
Marian wrapped the blanket around her father's weary shoulders, pressing the cup of warmed wine into his hands. He did not seem so bad off now that he was fed and set by the fire. The healer had come; Guy at least had heeded her wish. She was a short stout woman who made a large show of bossing Marian and the other servants about. The action grated on Marian's already worn countenance, yet she kept the peace for her Father if nothing else.
In-between the tasks the impudent healer had assigned her, Marian managed to whisper to Edward of her marriage to Guy and how he came to her aid. As she knelt by her father, watching him slowly sip from his goblet she twitched as the short woman commanded, "Fetch some more hot water!"
Stiffly, Marian stood up, "Let one of the servants get it - I'll stay here with my-"
She was cut off, that woman had the cheek to interrupt her! "You'll do as I say, young one."
Marian felt her fists clench tightly, she didn't want to show this woman disrespect, when Father was being tended by her. Nevertheless, Marian didn't want treated like a child, being trampled underfoot when she wasn't wanted. She had a husband to do that now. This was not some stranger's home she was encroaching upon, this was hers and she was Lady of the manor, "I'll stay here with my father. You can have the servants fetch the water." Marian looked back at Edward with a triumphant nod of the head.
Had Marian only known that the healer woman was trying to keep her mind occupied so she was not dwelling on all the horrors that could happen, she might not have been so quick to take offence. However, Marian did not know these things and her temper was in an ire.
Allan rested his head in the crook of his arm, praying all forget him and leave him to sleep off his medicinal aid… That was not to be, for a quick hard hand unexpectedly gripped the back of his neck and he felt yanked to a standing position and shaken forcefully. His first thought was that Guy had found him in his state of debauchery and was giving him his punishment. "Oi! Giz, Giz, I'm sorry. Lemme go would yah?" his knees knocked against his chair when he was brutally turned to face his assailant. Who he saw, shocked him.
Allan could not figure why this unknown man was attacking him! Had he gambled with him and won? That was the only thing that Allan could think of. When he felt his foe's fist connect with his cheek, Allan knew that this was no mere trifling matter.
"Now," the man panted, "Get your sorry carcass back to the castle. The Sheriff wants you."
Rubbing the intensifying red mark on his face, Allan glared, "An' why the devil should I believe you?" He almost shuddered when the man raised his fist again, but held his ground - he didn't want to give this brute any opportunity to hit him again while he cowered.
"You'll believe me if you value your neck. The Sheriff can be mighty callous when it comes to his choice of punishments - but you know that already, don't you? There might be another pit of pitch waiting your arrival."
Allan held back his gulp, so the Sheriff had sent him… Hadn't Guy told him not the cross paths with that odious man just yet? Why didn't Gisborne come and fetch him? Allan pursed his lips together in a thin line - he didn't trust this sardonically smiling man who attacked him and whose eyes were leering at him, daring him to fight back.
It was a brisk walk back to the castle. Allan was angered when his escort shoved him as they were mounting the stairs - there was no reason for that action. Allan could hear the Sheriff before he even laid eyes on him - the man was in an uproar. Allan held back another gulp… Was this on account of him?
He was surprised when the Sheriff pointed at him, "Go fetch the leper!"
Allan held his hands in front of him, a sickly feeling overtaking him, "Oi, I'll do a lot a things but I'm not risken' my neck do'in that." He felt Vaisey's eyes bounce over him, their glare prominent.
"Go! Get! Gisborne's! Woman!"
But she's not a lep- Oh. Allan cringed because he didn't really want to stay and ask his next question, "Should I tell 'er why?"
"Tell her that Guy has been dealt and unfortunate blow. Struck by a venom even more deadly that her own poisonous piety."
Allan was quicker than most would give him credit for, "Poison? How?"
"If I knew that I'd be a bloody physician! Now get out!"
Allan turned and went out the door, turning almost sideways to avoid the short little man cradling a crock full of leaches that came in to take his place. Allan wanted to keep as far away from those squirming little buggars as possible. "Blight!" he heard Vaisey call out. "Good, good. Now go and fix him before he tries to escape - again..." Allan stopped dead in his tracks - was leaving Giz alone a good idea?
Allan A Dale banged loudly on Locksley door; he rested against the frame, fidgeting with his hand inside his pocket - twiddling with his chain. His head felt light and airy, almost like he was floating - Saints above! That sounded eerily like witchcraft… He stood to attention when Thornton answered his knock glaring down at him. Allan felt abashed, his thoughts drifted from the ungodly practice of magic to the question of: did Thornton viewed him as a traitor also?
"Lady Marian tells me the master is looking for you," Thornton said, disapproval showing on his face. Though he would candidly admit that he greatly favored Master Robin over Sir Guy, the aged caretaker did not approve of indolent behavior to either man. They were their Lords and deserved treated as such. In addition, there was the fact - the less that Sir Guy's questionable temper was aggravated the better for those in his employ.
"I've jus' come from the castle. I'm to see Marian - Guy's been poisoned," Allan shifted off the frame, standing before Thornton. Though he knew that he was not being as respectful to his elders as he should, Allan couldn't rid himself of the defiance his mother had tried to whip out of him. If this man chose to look down on him, then so be it - but he wasn't going to fawn on his boots.
Thornton felt his mouth fall and his stomach clench. Blessed Mother! If Guy of Gisborne died, who then would the Sheriff place in his stead? Sir Guy was far from a Saint but he was better then other lords that graced Nottingham. Better the devil you do than the devil you don't…
Stepping aside, Thornton allowed Allan to pass through. The latter kept his posture slouched to make it appear that he didn't care. Allan stopped mid-step - the terrible thing was that he did care… He didn't bloody well know why, but he did - far too much. Straightening up, Allan walked further in the manor and came upon Marian.
He knew that as soon as her eyes locked onto his frame that she was not pleased. "Did you know that Guy has been here? Looking for you?" Allan rubbed the back of his neck, how the devil was he supposed to tell her this? He attempted to console himself with the knowledge that Marian would not feel any great amount of love lost - right? She didn't really love Guy; she loved Robin and that was it. It was strange that what seemed like common knowledge to him should make him feel saddened. Guy had given him the second chance that Robin hadn't… But wasn't Guy also the cause of his betrayal to Robin? If he hadn't listened to Gisborne, in the first place, he wouldn't have needed that second chance.
Edward was sitting there, healthier looking than Allan would have expected - that gave him some hope, Marian would take the news better since her father wasn't on his death bed - only her husband. Allan gestured to Edward, "Your father doin' alright?" When Marian gave him a snappish answer, Allan ground his heels into the floor trying to keep calm and rational - he didn't want to come off as an unfeeling curd. "Marian," Allan said, "I've got some bad news for yah."
Marian stopped dead. Dear lord, no! She gulped, remembering the way his lips had felt against hers, the way she told him to go, how much she had loathed him for the past few days when he had been injured himself... Marian held her composure, standing behind Edward's chair and staring at Allan. Her words came out barely above a whisper, "No, I just saw - what happened?"
She looked so torn down and distressed that Allan couldn't meet her eyes, "He was poisoned." He watched Marian half mouth the words back to herself.
"How?" She said, her breath hitching before she asked, making her question have a higher pitch than what she would have cared for.
"I'm only guessen' from his stab wound," Allan said, his heart went out to her as she stood there stiff and blinking at him her eyes just catching a glistening of moisture.
Marian felt her heart stop - she shouldn't have sent him away! If only she had gone with him like he'd asked, if only she had been kinder to him… Now - now he could be on the brink of death and it was her callous actions that had sent him there. "Who stabbed him?"
It was Allan's turn to blink incredulously at Marian. He furrowed his brow, "Are you al'right? Why don't yah sit down?" He approached and gently took her forearm between his hands - attempting to guide her to the nearest chair. It was startling to Allan when she pulled away. "Take it easy, now," he said, "Just think back a little, al'right? Remember Winchester?"
"Of course I remember him!" Marian said, twisting away from his oncoming hands yet again.
Allan cringed, the only way he could describe her tone was that of a bark. "Then you remember that he stabbed Guy!" Allan winced, catching the hateful way his words sounded.
"Guy? Who are you talking about?"
Allan spread his arms for added impact, "Guy! Who do you think I'm talkin' about?"
Marian felt relief. Thank God, it wasn't Robin - her conscience could be at ease, relieved that she hadn't sent him to an early grave. Then Allan's words seemed to slap her from a different perspective - Guy was the one poisoned. Her prior thoughts about loving Robin after Guy passed, lashed out at her. The other man who loved her, her husband, was in danger and all she had offered him for his wound had been a fresh wrapping. She felt sick with herself - how could she try to redeem him when all she did was dangle kindness out to him like a treat and then snatch it away? "Take me to the castle," Marian said, kissing her father farewell and striding out the door.
Allan shook his head; would he ever understand that woman? At least he didn't have to be married to her - nice legs or not!
As she opened the door to Guy's chamber, the first thing Marian noticed was the Sheriff's physician, Blight. Marian was disgusted to see a swarm of black ugly creatures adorning Guy's shoulder - leeches. Blight himself was vigorously mixing a bowl of something - a white foaming liquid that made Marian's innards clench on the spot. Without even a proper greeting Marian demanded, "What is that for?"
Blight looked up from his stirring, "For his stomach, he's babbling about it paining him - this will help him empty its contents and ease the sickness."
"How is he?" Marian asked - trying hard to ignore the sick feeling Blight's words had given her, her dread growing as she looked at Guy's pale face.
"Well, he's fevered, dizzy, confused, and sick to his stomach. Other than that, he's quite well," Blight looked smugly at Marian, basking in the superior knowledge that he alone possessed.
Marian did not appreciate being looked down upon - neither did she approve of his dark treatments, shouldn't he be preventing Guy from being sick? "If that's all that is left, I'll give it to him," Marian said gesturing to Blight's project. She entered the room and sat down at the stool by Guy's bed - why the devil didn't he have chair in here? As Blight passed, she unceremoniously took the mug out of his hands, "I'd like to be alone with my husband."
Blight shook his head, "But I have yet to finish my treatment."
Allan was outside the door observing the entire scene play out, "Come on mate. Let er' have some time with him. Let the two love birds alone for a bit, eh?" He couldn't help but grin as his last comment earned him a glare from Marian's direction.
Blight muttered several things under his breath - none of which she would want to repeat. However, he did leave and Allan gestured after him - silently telling Marian that he was going to follow him. Once alone, Marian sat on the stool - Guy's face was so pale and his lips were moving though Marian couldn't make out what he was trying to say. Why was it always left up to her to fix everything? She couldn't possibly figure out how she felt when she was conveyed upon to sort out other's problems!
Determined to assess what that odious physician was trying to give him, Marian dipped a finger into the foaming white soup. She grimaced as she pulled it out and looked upon it - swallowing hard before she placed it on her tongue. Almost overturning the bowl as she clamped her hand over her mouth, Marian gagged on the few drops that she had tasted; how was Guy supposed to survive drinking the whole thing?
Quickly getting up, Marian scooted the chamber pot out from under Guy's cot and dumped the mug inside. That is where it belongs! She jumped and instinctively grabbed hold of the stool when she heard the door handle move. Only when Allan A Dale entered the room did Marian place the stool back on the floor.
Allan's face was stormy and concerned. "That little fellow," Allan leveled his hand to his hip in excessive exaggeration of Blight's stature - an attempt at gallows humor, "He says that it's wolf bane. Nothin' yah can do for him but keep him still and try to break the fever." Allan paused and looked at the pale figure adorning the cot, "How long's he been sick?"
"I don't know," Marian said, wringing a cloth that was taken from a bowl of water, and dragging it over Guy's forehead. "Have you noticed anything?"
"Me? No. You've been a lot closer to 'im than I have - if you catch my meaning."
"Not now, Allan," Marian's teeth were clenched as she eyed Guy's man - and Robin's former comrade. Marian was appreciative of his kindness, when he was not being an arse but she still didn't understand how he could be so fickle - he had been on the better side before, now it only seemed he was on the winning one…
"Not bein' funny, don't you find it odd?" Allan said, shuddering as he poked one of the leeches attached to Guy's skin.
"Find what odd, Allan?" she examined the leeches herself, figuring the best way to rid her husband of his suckers. This method was positively medieval…
Allan sat on the stool that had almost been used to knock him senseless, "Yah know, Guy's crest? It's a wolf - right?"
Marian felt like ignoring him, punishment for his cocky attitude, but knew that if she did he would keep on - she didn't feel like having this conversation right now, though. She nodded her head, hoping that he understood the gravity of the situation at hand and not make any more jests.
"So he's been poisoned by wolf bane - the bane of the wolf. As in Guy's the wolf and -"
"I understand, Allan," but while she acted disinterested, Marian gritted her teeth at the thought that Winchester might have planned this whole thing, minus his own death, in some sick little game. Surely, he couldn't have known that Guy would come for her - of course…
Allan sighed as he stood, "Just keep him calm - that's the best thing. Want me to get that healer that's hold up at Locksley?" With Marian's consent, he left the room and the castle to see if that aggravating woman could attend Sir Guy. How Marian wished that Matilda hadn't fled the shire! Truth be told, if the stories that she had heard were right, she doubted that Matilda would be willing to even look at Guy - let alone treat him.
Marian dropped down by her husband's side when he said her name. She hated to see him like this; contemptible as he sometimes was, Marian didn't think that even God on his most vengeful day could make him die such a death. He was very pale and his wound was a sickly sort of color, she feared the worst - she knew that he would die... Marian was worried that there was no power in heaven or on earth that would ease his passing. If he had indeed been poisoned by Winchester's blade, the wound had had ample time to fester and sully his blood.
Marian smoothed Guy's hair when he took to mumbling her name intermittently - at least she knew that she was as much on his mind, right now, as he was on hers. With heart rendering abruptness, Marian stopped her ministrations - the act of running fingers through someone's hair was meant for lovers, something that she was still adamantly against. Though she couldn't push the previous night from her mind, Marian was determined not to allow her emotions to carry her away again. She would stay aloof to his affection and crass to his caress - how could she allow herself to be intimate with a man whom she did not love? She closed her eyes in pain; she wouldn't have to worry about that soon…
It was about this time that Guy started to move. His motions were sloppy as he strained to sit up and Marian tried to push him back down on the cot, prepared for him to fight back. What Marian wasn't prepared for was for Guy to suddenly retch, he looked on dismayed and pathetic - embarrassed that he should do something as vile as that. That was something that young children did, not grown men. He muttered apologies as though they were part of a prayer - seeking Marian's forgiveness for the mess he had caused, penitent for his inexcusable wrongs.
As she watched Guy, with his quivering lips and discolored face, Marian decided that she needed to remove the leeches - maybe that would help his constitution. She grabbed the first thing that came to her mind - the bedside candle. Carefully she held it above Guy's shoulder, eyeing the black dots that adorned his flesh. She was about to touch one of them with the flame when a noise startled her and she jerked her hand, sending a splash of hot melted wax onto Guy's skin.
As Guy hissed in pain, Marian whirled around to see what, or who, had made the sound. There, before her, stood Robin. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Marian," he said, taking several steps forward and peering down at her husband.
"I was not frightened," Marian argued. She glared at the open window - hadn't this happened earlier today? Though by now it seemed like another life. He was too brazen, coming into the castle like this. If he were to be caught… She didn't dare dwell on the prospects - she was worried enough about Guy. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see the invalid. There's a rumor about Nottingham saying that he's poisoned. Is it true?"
Marian was angered that news had spread so fast - just after she had sent Allan to Locksley… Though she did not take Allan as a man who would sally off and tell this story, Marian needed someone to blame. "It's true. He's bad off," Marian felt her face fall when she saw Robin step toward her. She wanted to go into his comforting embrace, have him tell her that it didn't matter that he would be there and everything would alright. But she held back - Guy was still breathing and as long as he was, she would not give into her feelings.
"Marian, don't you see that this is good news?"
"Guy has been poisoned - I don't see how that is good. Not even for you - you know that the Sheriff will replace him with someone far worse." She felt her throat tighten at the word 'replace' - it made Guy's death seem that much closer, that much more final.
"Not if he would be more like Joderic - he tried to help the people!"
Marian cringed at the surrounding circumstances involving Joderic and Joe Lacey's deaths. "You don't know that, they could be the devil in disguise." Was she referring to the lesson she learned about Lacey? She did not know.
Robin shook his head, "Marian, if Gisborne dies you're free. We - we can be together."
"The healer is coming," Marian said - she wished that she could feel as confident as she sounded, "He will not die."
Robin laid a hand over hers, "You don't have to do this. You can let him die and no one would blame you - I wouldn't blame you."
Marian's 'No' choked in her throat when she heard his words.
"You can't be expected to stay with someone you don't love! Please, Marian - listen to reason."
"No. I can't let him die." Marian stopped and swallowed, "He doesn't deserve to die." What surprised Marian was the conviction that she heard in her own voice as she said those fatal words. She looked away at Robin's darkened expression - she couldn't imagine how he was feeling, being rejected twice by her in one day.
With not another word, Robin turned back to the window, disconsolate. Marian couldn't let him leave without another word - couldn't leave the blackness between them. She knew Robin thought she hated him - to choose his enemy over him and discard his feelings was more than enough evidence. She had to say something, she wouldn't burn the only bridge that she had left, "Robin, I care for you."
Robin turned around to look at her; his face was downcast. How badly he wanted tell her that she didn't, that she never had, that he was better without her distracting him. He didn't. Robin only forced a sad smile and said, "Remember Marian, if you ever need me, I'll protect you." With that, he was gone again, out the window like a shadow - as fictitious as air, and Marian was left to tend to her husband. Her husband.
Marian's patience had worn thin by the time Allan arrived with the healer. She had abandoned the act of burning the leeches and had managed to scrape them off with the blade of Guy's curved dagger, which she had discovered on his person. When she saw Allan enter the room, she was furious.
"Where were you?" She approached quickly and stopped as soon when she saw a large overlapping cloak was hiding the healer.
"Sorry!" Allan said the sarcasm evident in his voice, pointing down the hall, "But that short little mite acts his size - like a bawling kid. Threw a tantrum when I brought 'er. Crying, 'No, not again!' I had to sneak her in through the kitchens, by God."
The herbalist approached, discarding the cloth behind her, flipping her hand for Marian to pick it up. She took a quick look at Guy, studying him intently. "Wolf bane, huh?" she asked Allan.
Allan nodded, "That's what I said."
She shook her finger in Guy's face, "Well there's only one thing that will save him. Poison."
Allan blinked at her in surprise, "I don't think you understand - he's already been poisoned, that's what we're trying to fix."
Allan jerked away as he was swatted at. The healer lifted Guy's eyelids and let them snap shut, "I know that. I need you to get something - the only thing that will save him." She pointed at Allan and the latter backed up.
"Yeah, you said that already. I'll get whatever you need. What is it?"
Allan almost ran out of the room when she told him that she needed a mandrake. "I'm not going after one of those! I'm not going to kill myself!" The passion in his voice, as well as the fear, was enough to make anyone re-assess their command - but not this woman, this healer.
She shrugged her shoulders, "Then I can't do anything more for him." She turned and started to walk away.
Marian glared at Allan, "Do as she says."
Allan didn't know if he should be more afraid of what the mandrakes would do to him or the growling Marian. "Easy for you to say," he muttered, "You're not the one riskin' your neck." He frowned at the person who held Guy's life in their hands, why didn't they bloody well go and get the possessed refuse themselves? "Where do I find them?" he sighed, resigned to his fate. But where was he supposed to get a white dog… At this hour?
Allan shuddered as he crept through the woods. He was certain that this area was darker than the rest. How in the name of God - he changed that, for God had nothing to do with this - how in the devil was he to find a gallows tree?
He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a noise - though that could possibly have stemmed the pounding in his aching head. After looking around, Allan continued on his quest, he was as anxious as he had ever been. He was almost positive that spooks roamed and slithered about this dark nook of the forest… It didn't take long for him to spot the telltale purple flowers that marked the mandrake. Allan gulped, he really longed for a dog to take his place, to pull out the root and die in his stead. Allan wished that didn't sound so callous but that was how the gathering of mandrakes took place. For when the demons inhabiting the root screamed, anyone who heard their cry would die - that meant him…
Allan stood over the plant, he looked to the heavens, "God, I know that I bothered yah just a couple of days ago but if you can hear me, I'm beggen you - please don't hold this against me." He knelt down next to the mandrake and held back another swallow. Looking to the sky again Allan continued, "An' when I die, here, will yah let Giz know that I gave my life for his? I'd really 'priciate it - let 'em all know I did somethin' good before I croaked…"
Heaving a sigh Allan reached down and grasped the plant. He paused for a moment, taking time for a last look around earth. It was a disgruntling thought to know that he was going to die by a gallows tree - where wretches had dangled - surely, despite all his past actions, he deserved better than this sort of demise? He tried to push the thoughts away, best not to dwell too much on the inevitable. With a strong tug, Allan yanked the mandrake out of the dirt.
He cringed, stumbling backwards from the force of the pull and the knowledge that he was about to expire. Allan opened his eyes when nothing happened. He hadn't fallen over dead, choked upon his own blood, or foamed at the mouth… Strange… As a matter of fact, Allan hadn't heard anything…
He could feel the sweat trickle down his brow and he swiped at it. He was alive and he had the mandrake. Thanks be to God - He had heard him!
Allan proclaimed to Marian and the healer, who Allan was suspecting to be of a slightly more dubious nature, that God had plugged his ears to prevent him from hearing the mandrake scream - and that, mates, was the only reason that he was alive.
He watched as some of the root was crushed and dumped, unceremoniously, down Guy's throat. "You think that's wise?" he asked Marian.
"She knows what she's doing," Marian said, but her eyes gave way to a flicker of worry as she looked on.
The healer came back and, brushing off her hands, said, "This will do quite nicely. Yes, indeed."
Marian expressed her thanks, still glancing worriedly at Guy. "Would you escort her back to Locksley, Allan? I don't wish to leave my father alone for long."
Allan nodded and tossed the cloak up and over the healer's head - more to hide her from his sight than anything. Why, hadn't he almost become devil's fodder on account of her? He was startled to hear her hiss from under the thick cloth and Allan wondered if he would live through this next trip…
It was not long before Marian was running the wet cloth back over Guy's brow. As she deftly moved her hands, she was startled when Guy latched onto her wrist with a strength that frightened her.
Guy had his eyes open and was trying to look upon her. He blinked, attempting to focus. "Please," Guy said, the word almost garbled, "Please stand - stand - still."
Though his vision seemed off, his sentence was coherent unlike his mutterings earlier - the mandrake must be working! Marian came closer and smoothed his hair, "I'm here. What do you need?"
He gave a hollow choked laugh, "Need? You were the only thing I needed. And now - now - I won't even have a chance," he coughed and chuckled again, "But maybe I got fortunate." His smile was lecherous. He was delirious…
It frightened Marian that he should get this way so quickly - no warning, no sign - just delirium. She quickly placed a hand on his head as he attempted to move and kiss her arm. Marian tried to recall if he was this warm last night. Her cheeks reddened as she recalled the answer to that query. "How might you be fortunate?" she asked, trying to avoid the improper gleam in his eyes. It made her skin crawl; it was the same look Winchester had given her…
Guy let her arm go and placed his hand, roughly and disjointedly, on her abdomen, "By making an heir. A child to carry the Gisborne name. Our child - not Winchester's - ours!" He looked out of breath as he shouted the dead's name, Guy gulped for air.
Marian placed a hand over his mouth at his yell. Her command was harsh when she spoke next, "Shh, keep your voice down." She looked to the heavens for guidance when Guy looked hurt at her words.
"Don't you want a babe? Every woman wants a child," his face was expectant and when he didn't get the 'yes' he was desiring he continued to yell, "That's why I gave you the damn horse! - to show you that I could father good children!" He stopped abruptly, furrowing his brow, causing dark lines to form on his forehead and his eyes to narrow in confusion, "No. Wait, that's not it…"
Despite the fact that Marian was furious with his temper, his puzzled expression amused her. He shook his head and winced at the action, "It'll come to me - don't worry." He took his hand away from her and pushed himself up to a sitting position on the bed, "I have to get up. The Sheriff, he's bloody pissed as it is - oh sorry Marian." He sighed at his own inappropriate language; Marian bit her tongue and covered her mouth - yet she was angered with herself; this was in no way amusing, Guy's life was in danger. She couldn't figure why he was behaving this way… "I need to gather some taxes - that'll please him," Guy said, struggling to untangle the sheets about his legs and roll out of bed.
Gently, Marian pushed on his good shoulder, sending him back down to the bed, "You need to stay there until I-" She was cut off when he pulled her closer and tried to kiss her. Marian drew backwards from him - he needed to stop.
"Marian?" Guy said, his voice almost a whine. The peevish expression he bore was enough to make Marian sigh. Again there was that sting of feeling - hadn't she just resolved to treat him better? She hated to think that he would die believing that she thought ill of him - be it death from the gallows or this sudden sickness. Guy stared at her, before brushing her cheek with his hand, "But it doesn't matter now. I won't live till tomorrow…"
His voice, so sure and sad, made Marian feel sick. "You won't die," but she heard in her own tone that she couldn't convince an addlepated jester, herself or Guy of this matter. Therefore, she changed her wording - something a little more influential, "You can not die. You owe me."
He guffawed, "Owe you? What? I'm not the one who played tricks on your heart, let you believe lies, and pretends to sit at your deathbed only waiting for your last breath to catch." He blinked, befuddled, "I apologize; I hadn't meant to say that…"
Marian was too angry to slap him and too hurt to care. He wasn't the master of his words right now but it upset her to know he thought that. The only thing that brought her out of her reverie was the fact that Guy sighed and said, his voice more considerate, "What do I owe you?"
She made eye contact, hers were blazing, hot and fierce, "You owe me the protection of your name. You changed my life, now you'll make good on what your vows entail." It was easier to be angry with him, the worry was pushed back and resentment took its place.
"I changed your life!" Guy spat the words. "If you had told me the truth, I wouldn't have married you!"
"We made our choices, Guy. We both have to accept them."
He sighed again, "I accepted my choice but you never accepted me…"
Hands on her hips Marian stared down at him, her expression softening, "What?"
"I said you never accepted me!"
Marian was startled when she saw his chest heaving, she was supposed to be keeping him calm - not fighting with him. "What do you mean?"
"You don't love me - you can't. You're afraid if you do, you'll get hurt - again. I've accepted that." Guy looked into Marian's wide distressed eyes, "Don't think I didn't know." He turned his head away, "You can leave. You don't need to stay."
"I'm not going anywhere." She watched as Guy forced a smile, her own chest felt tight and constricted when she thought of all that he knew. She had a gnawing knowledge that Guy wasn't quite as dull-witted as she had taken him for. Had he known the entire time that she was only toying with him? Or were his words spoken from the sickness that he was facing? Unproven assumptions?
Marian avoided the thought and settled down on the stool next to the bed, content to remain there should she be needed. She admired her husband's loyalty, faulty as it was, and decided that she would show him that two could play at that game. After a few more trifling incidents - with Marian coming out victorious - he finally succumbed to sleep and Marian felt her eyes grow heavy while Guy rested. She could only pray that he wasn't as entertaining, when he woke, as he was earlier…
A/N I am so very veryvery sorry for the long wait! I have been exceedingly busy and have hardly had any time. However, this is the longest chapter that I have written so far, so hopefully that makes up for it… I hope…
I pray that everyone (especially Marian and Robin *gulp*) was in character… Remember, Marian is married to Guy and is trying to be somewhat nice...
I would like to give a big thanks to Traveller for the idea of the wolf bane symbolism! THANKS! :D
And a big thanks to the anonymous reviewers! ;)
Now, I know that I took a few liberties with the wolf bane - he would have gotten sick sooner in reality. But I can't help it - it had to be done. As far as why Guy suddenly acted goofy - the mandrake. That funny little plant is a hallucinogen and it is also responsible for his sudden sleep - but it really is part of the family of poisonous plants that can cure Guy (yep, Little John was right).
Let us hope, while Guy is in lullaby land, that he is able to count a few hundred sheep and get well rested by the time he has to wake up and deal with the Sheriff and Sir Spencer - of course. Oh, and let us not forget a rather worried and angry Marian. Guy will be out for a bit - enough time for Marian to really think about and take a good look at the man that she married.
Upon rereading some of this chapter, I had to wonder who spiked my iced coffee… Hopefully that is fixed now…
Just a warning - the whole story will not take place within just a couple of weeks. I will eventually be skipping ahead some to allow more room for the plot. Right now, we are just trying to keep Guy and Marian from killing each other and seeking an annulment afterwards…