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How long, he wondered. How long did each cell of his brain have to endure the crushing weight of Vesey before he could rise above his private cloud of hell? Guy had spent half of his drawn out life under the Sheriff's thumb, squirming for recognition, leaping through hoops of physical and emotional anguish, all for the shards and scraps of hope for success. What was success? Feeling that his leader was proud; knowing that upon his death, Gisborne would rule Nottingham himself. There were many times he felt the tug in his stomach that he had gone to far, given up too much, released so much of himself to Vesey that Guy was but a shell. Here, though, he drew the line. And yet Gisborne watched himself perform the dance moves on cue, finding his breakfast spent with none other than his bride to be.
Liana, too, found herself drowned in thought but with a much less readable expression. She felt written in as a character to some sick and twisted play with England as its stage, plot lined out by an unseen man, the consequences effecting no one but her. She delicately placed slices of apple into her mouth with eyes dead set on the table. The man in black shifted his feet, reclined in his chair, and watched her from across the meal. Liana drifted up to stare back. His jaw was strong and shaded in an incoming beard, his striking blue eyes cradled in a soft bed of wrinkles. Giuliana was hesitant to admit that these minute crow's feet were magnetically attracting to her. She had no doubt he was a handsome man; her heart tried to break free from its steady trot at his physique. And yet he acted so frozen, so apathetic, so stern. Liana feared she would be stuck to a man with no words.
"So, Sir Guy. I suppose we are to become acquainted this afternoon."
"If you wish." he cocked his head a bit. Underneath the shell of armor and hardened hide resided a soft and molten center; this sweet middle created a twinge that evolved into mild guilt for his cold shoulder. His day could be much worse, after all, than having to chat with a beautiful girl.
"So then, why don't we go see what Nottingham is all about?" Liana stood and went over to him, tracing her fingers across his back as she glided towards the exit. Once her petite body reached the door frame she leaned onto it with a modeling pose and enticing smirk. Her fiery desire to stir up some trouble drew Gisborne from his seat and over to her, escorting the guest out to the courtyard.
As the pair approached the large wooden doors to the exit their skin felt the breath of slowly chilling air seeping through the edges. Outside, the rush of crisp autumn flushed up with the sounds of the city. Fall had just begun, and so did Giuliana. She proceeded down the time worn steps a beat ahead of her betrothed with a youthful skip she hoped would wake Guy up. As she strutted beneath the gate and into Nottingham, though, he couldn't help but be weighed down by a scent that this would be a bit like babysitting.
Through the swirling scents and sounds of market day hung fabrics for sale, food at the cost of a pence, and merchants in a vocal duel for attention. Liana beamed a grin at everyone and ran her hands over everything she could. The fabrics and the rings put a lull in her progression before she continued along. Many of the booth workers kept themselves low and quiet; seeing Gisborne hovering left them with little to say. As he and Liana swept through streets voices would hush and conversations would freeze. Sometimes it was even as if the wind paused for his scowl. Sir Guy, of course, felt a thrill from the surge of power he drew out of it all. His Italian visitor, however, brushed it off completely.
They soon wound up at the fringes of the city where towering stone sealed all around Nottingham. Through the entrance lay fields that stretch into woods, which Guy could care less about. He was clearly expected to follow Giuliana, though, as she kept her pace out of the city line with no word.
"Where do you think you are headed?" Guy inquired with an edge of impatience. They had just crossed the short wooden bridge of Nottingham over into a golden field lined by coloring trees and shrubs. Giuliana whipped around quickly and dipped her head to the side for a moment.
"I thought England was supposed to be beautiful," she explained with a thoughtful expression, "Inside there it's all stone and straw, beggars and sellers. Where's the grass? The air? You can't tell me you don't just like to while away an afternoon in a field of flowers, Guy."
"No," he raised his eyebrows, "I don't. Some of us are busy and important people."
"I'm too busy enjoying my life to be busy." she answered before extending her hand. Her round cheeks perked up for a shy smile as Gisborne remained still, "Ugh, men." Liana rolled her eyes and proceeded out into the amber scene. The leather man glanced back almost regretfully to the city. The things she had said and, of course her headstrong attitude, commanded his brain to open the box of all of his memories with Marian. Her love for nature, the independence. Maybe they would be quite alike enough for him to care for her. Giuliana certainly lent more smiles to him in the past day than he had see on Lady Knighton in their whole relationship. He shook his head at the thought that he could even refer to it as a relationship. A sweep of wind carried the smell of tumbling red leaves that revived Guy from his epiphany.
A full kilometer ahead, Liana slid her small feet softly into a wide patch of flowers that swayed in the breeze. Carefully she sat herself down and gingerly leaned back until she lay completely still in the field. Gisborne trudged to her and stood, weight shifted to his left hip, and folded his arms.
"So this is what you consider bonding then?" he icily remarked. Liana did not bother to open her eyes, but she rolled her head so that her face pointed to him.
"Sit down you grouch." she answered. Several seconds later he gave in and crouched beside the girl in blue. Around her petite body stood dozens upon dozens of white catchflies that nestled vibrant purple autumn crocuses and boasted their fresh scent. Guy considered that this would be a breathtaking scene for a painting.
"This is how you spend your afternoons?"
"Did you grow up here, Guy?"
"Locksley," he gave after a long breath was let out into the atmosphere, "but still Nottinghamshire, yes."
"I was raised in Venezia. Gorgeous city, but too many straight laced blokes."
"You must have had suitors, you're…" Guy caught himself before complimenting her beauty, "old enough by now."
"Not after I told them what I think of them!"
"Oh? So what do you think of me, then?" he shifted his weight as her emerald eyes opened up to grin at him.
"I think you're handsome and intelligent. I think you are ambitious, but far too cautious. I think you need to let you enjoy yourself."
"Please, you've only known me a day."
"Well, we will just see if I'm wrong then." She shut her eyes as he scoffed. Silence drifted through the field.
"You understand we are to be wed two months from today. You must know that I expect you to live up to the duties of a wife."
"And I expect you to be a good husband, too, you know."
"For example, a good wife knows to hold her tongue." he bit.
"A good husband values his wife's opinion." She suddenly stared into him, budging only as much as a boulder, meeting his tone. A cheeky grin flashed on her face before she laughed. "I want to know you, Guy. I don't care about what a town has to see or what a job title looks like, I want to see you. I want to know you and who you want to be. Let's drop all this rubbish." He swallowed hard and focused again on the shooting towers of the castle on the skyline. Perhaps he was being too closed off to her. After all, they would have to be together, why not make it as little dreadful as possible.
Later that afternoon Giuliana and Guy moseyed back through Nottingham to return home, repeating their dirt marked steps through the market square. She slowed yet again to visually drink in all the merchandise when Gisborne stopped altogether.
"You like something?" he inquired. Liana felt her eyes draw directly to a silver ring that had been stationed among many other precious stones.
"I'm a sucker for sapphires." she chuckled, feeling a push of forced guilt for stopping him over only wishful thinking. Next to the jewelry, Guy laid down a small pile of gold. The seller, of course, was hesitant to take it. Gisborne immediately took up the ring, admiring the deep navy stone that gleamed along its rounded sides, before looking into Giuliana's stare.
"A good husband has duties, too. I think an engagement ring is one of them." For the first time he reached his gloved hand and touched her palm, raising her hand. Like a pair of schoolchildren they beamed at each other as he slipped the adornment onto her slender finger. For the rest of the march to the castle, he did not let her hand out of his own.