Chapter 9
A Bloodbath for Traitors
After Marian had left, Guy looked at the closed door for a long time. His mind was creating many what-if scenarios of what could have been if he had made different choices. Even if he had killed the Sheriff in Acre, Marian would have never married him if she had known that Robin had been alive; even if he had dragged her to the nearest chapel in Acre, she would have found the way out of their marriage. If he had been given a chance, he wouldn't have married to Marian, but he could have found happiness with someone else, perhaps with Meg if she hadn't died.
"Meg," Guy whispered to himself as his mind replayed the image of the feisty young girl who had seen the better side to him and died trying to protect him. "You are in heaven, and we will never meet because I have damned myself and will be burning in the hellfire forever."
Guy refused to have his last meal; instead, he asked to let him see a local priest. Guy had last been in a church in childhood, never in adulthood; now he felt that he needed spiritual nourishment. The guards told Guy that he had only ten minutes for a conversation with a priest because they already needed to collect him for execution, but that was enough for the prisoner.
The guards removed the chain from Guy's neck and unfastened it from the wall; they also unshackled Guy's ankles, though his wrists remained shackled. Then the door opened, and an old man with grizzled hair stepped into the cell. The priest's face with sanguine lips and lambent eyes became dark when he recognized Guy of Gisborne in the prisoner, but he made no comments.
The priest looked at Guy. "My son, how can I help you?"
Guy stared at the priest with scared eyes. "My time approaches. I wish… to make a confession."
The priest took a seat on the chair that the guard had brought for him, looking at Guy with curious eyes. Guy slowly rose to his feet, feeling pain in the stiff muscles of his back from sitting in the same pose for many hours. Then Guy knelt before the priest, his heart hammering harder; he was more nervous from his decision to make a confession than from his approaching death.
"Speak, my son," the priest permitted.
Guy bent his head, submitting his soul to God's judgment. "I, Guy of Gisborne, confess before God that I committed heinous crimes. I destroyed lives of many people to earn power and wealth. But there are two crimes which make me sick of myself."
"Go on," the churchman prompted.
Guy bowed his head lower, and said, with a trembling voice, "I almost killed the only woman I have ever loved. I will never get over the shock of what I did to her, even though she survived. The memory of my brutal attempt on her life haunts me since the day when I plunged my sword into her stomach." He trailed off for a moment. "I will never wash away the blood of my victims from my hands, but the stain of her blood on my hands is blasphemous."
They remained mute for some time; then the priest said, "My son, do you repent of this crime?"
"Yes, I do," Guy assured him. "When I thought that I had murdered her, I believed that I would have willingly suffered many deaths if that had meant that she would have been alive and with her only true love – the man whom I hated almost all my life." He paused. "Then the miracle happened: she survived and returned to her… husband. They love each other and are happy." He shut his eyes. "Her survival gave me a chance to find peace with my conscience, and I'm content."
"What is your second crime that troubles you so much, my son?"
"I sold my sister to her husband," Guy acknowledged. "My sister and I were banished from Locksley. We lived in poverty, and at some point, I lost my hope to survive. Then I met a young rich nobleman who offered me much money for my sister's hand in a marriage." He paused, his cheeks burning with shame. "I accepted his lucrative offer and sold my sister to him. I destroyed her life."
"Why did you ruin her life?"
Guy was so nervous that his palms were sweating and his hands were unsteady. "My sister's life with her husband was a living hell. When I forced her to marry him, I didn't know that he was a calloused beast. Later I didn't meet her for many years." He sighed. "This marriage made her a cruel woman who wanted to kill me to take revenge against me." He swallowed hard. "In childhood, I promised to protect my sister, but I failed to fulfill my brotherly duties."
The priest admired Guy's honesty. Although Guy didn't say the names of the two women, it wasn't difficult to understand that he meant Marian and Isabella. Everyone knew that Isabella was Guy's sister because she had spent enough time in Nottingham after her escape from her husband and until her death in the siege. Also, much gossip had already circulated in Nottinghamshire about the attempted murder of Robin Hood's wife by Guy; the villagers still remembered how Robin had come to Locksley to kill Guy, but in the end, Guy had thrown Robin from the cliff.
"Something else, my son?" They didn't have much time left.
"No," Guy said calmly. Relief poured through him that he had found the courage to speak aloud about the things that were tormenting him the most. "God has taught me how to die, and I'm ready to pay for my crimes if it pleases our King to see me die."
"We cannot discuss the decisions of our gracious King Richard. The King's word is the law."
Guy smirked, his head still bowed. "I know, and I respect the King's decision."
The old man smiled. "It is good to show your resignation and humbleness."
Guy raised his eyes and clutched the priest's hand. "Oh my God, I'm lost – forever lost!" he exclaimed with a piercing cry. "But maybe God can take pity on my lost soul, cannot he?"
The priest put a hand on Guy's shoulder. "My dear son, if you are sincerely repentant and regret your sins, God will have mercy upon you."
"Thank you," Guy said, his face relaxing in a smile.
The door of the cell opened, and the guard paused at the doorway. "It is time," he notified.
The priest blessed the condemned man and then left. The guards walked to Guy, looked at him, then at each other, and smirked at him as they shackled his legs. They told him that wagons for the transportation of the Black Knights to the central courtyard were ready. They forced Guy to stand up, roughly grabbing his shoulders, their faces breaking into broad grins of delight. The guards led Guy through the long corridor; he stumbled twice, but they forced him to continue his way.
Outside the prison, Guy saw five large wagons filled with the Black Knights who had signed the Pact of Nottingham and who had also provided Prince John with money to hire the army of mercenaries to fight against King Richard. He counted at least twenty people, all of them condemned to death. Guy recognized the Earl of Buckingham, the Earl of Durham, the Earl of Spenser, the Earl of Rotherham, and many others from the treacherous inner sanctum. It seemed that King Richard had craved a bloodbath in Nottingham for many of Prince John's supporters, and Guy wasn't destined to survive this bloodbath like he had survived the siege.
At midday, Guy stood near the gallows, watching the executions of the Black Knights. Guy was notified that he would be the last prisoner executed today because the King had changed the method of his execution to hanging. He believed that Robin had asked King to let him die a less painful death; he was grateful to his former enemy. Watching the execution of the Black Knights who were hanged, drawn, and quartered, Guy was relieved that he would die with more dignity.
Guy turned his head and saw Rebecca of Locksley in the crowd; Kate and Maggie, Rebecca's surviving daughters, stood near their mother. Rebecca's gaze locked with Guy's, and her eyes flashed with hatred. Kate didn't send him hateful looks, and Guy could swear that there was compassion in her eyes; they had reached a sort of truce when Kate had been with the outlaws.
"Gisborne, you are a cold-blooded murderer! You are evil, and today you will go to hell!" Rebecca screamed in a hissing voice, from between her gnashed teeth.
"Mother, please stop," Kate pleaded. "Don't be so cruel."
Guy heard Kate's words and smiled at her with gratitude. He was taken aback by the sudden display of Kate's kindness. "Thank you," he said to himself, knowing that she couldn't hear him.
King Richard stood near the gallows on a small platform surrounded by at least twenty guards; he was looking at Guy. He secretly felt cold respect to the prisoner who seemed to be so indifferent to his fate. The King scanned the crowd, relieved that Robin and Marian weren't there. He couldn't see the former outlaws whom he had already pardoned. Obviously, Robin Hood's men, who never killed if they could avoid that, didn't want to witness executions, but it was even for the better.
The King took the parchment to read Guy's sentence. "We, King Richard I of England, hereby proclaim that Sir Guy of Gisborne has been stripped of all his titles and lands. He has been proclaimed a wretched traitor! He has been condemned to death for two regicide attempts on our life and for one regicide attempt on the life of our brother John, for countless attempts on the life of Sir Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon, and for one attempt on the life of Lady Marian of Locksley, Countess of Huntingdon, as well as for the murder of Sir Roger of Stoke." He unrolled another parchment and continued reading the list of charges leveled against Guy.
The crowd of people roared in excitement. Nobody loved Gisborne in Nottingham, and they were delighted that the King had restored justice in the shire. Even a few people, who knew that Guy had joined Robin Hood in his fight against Vaisey and Isabella, didn't feel sympathy to Guy.
Guy lowered his eyes, feeling disgusted with himself. He knew that he deserved the hatred of all these people because he had caused them too much harm which couldn't be undone. Guy cast a short glance at the King of England, thinking that Richard the Lionheart had indeed justified his reputation of the ruthless, practical, and vengeful King. He pulled his gaze away from the King, fearing that their eyes could meet.
King Richard was about to proceed to the final part of Guy's sentence. "We hereby declare that Guy of Gisborne deserves a death sentence for murdering countless innocents during his service to Lord Vaisey, the former Sheriff of Nottingham and a traitor to England, and for numerous acts of oppression he committed in Nottinghamshire." He looked around at the crowd. "Criminals like Gisborne are enemies of the people. They will never be given power as long as we rule in England."
The nobles smiled at their sovereign and shook their heads approvingly; some lords, whom the King had pardoned for treason, had the decency to look away, ashamed that they were alive while Guy was doomed to die. The crowd exploded in cheerful cries because the King said what the people wanted to hear: Guy was sentenced to death for tyranny and oppression of the populace.
"Long live King Richard!" the people cried out together. "God bless our King!"
Richard smiled with satisfaction. He got exactly what he wanted: he reinforced his image of the fair and just King Richard and intimidated the nobles. The executions of the Black Knights and especially of Guy of Gisborne sent a signal to the nobles that everyone who would conspire with Prince John again would pay with their lives for treason and wouldn't be pardoned. The King knew that the nobles would remember the bloodbath in Nottingham for a long time.
The townspeople almost danced around the gallows with arms high in the air claiming a victory of the good over the evil, if it could be called a victory. Everyone wanted to spill the blood of oppressors. Only a few people were silent and solemn, and Kate of Locksley was among them.
The corpses of the Black Knights lay everywhere around the gallows, blood gushing everywhere. Guy almost vomited when the heads of the executed Black Knights were impaled on spikes; then he heard the King's order to hang other parts of their bodies on each gate of Nottingham. Richard nodded at one of his men, signaling that it was Guy's turn to die. The guards surrounded Guy and roughly grabbed his shoulders, dragging him to the gallows. Guy didn't resist, resigned to his fate.
Next moment, Guy heard a familiar male voice – Robin's voice. He turned his head and saw Robin and Archer who were making their way through the crowd, heading to the gallows. Guy was close to tears, grateful to Robin and Archer for their last desperate attempt to save him.
"My liege, please don't execute Guy!" Robin shouted desperately. "I beseech you to spare him!" He feared the King's wrath, but in the end, he decided to try to save Guy again. He had grown to like Guy, despite all the pain the condemned man had brought to Marian and him.
Richard's face twisted into a grimace of displeasure. "Detain the Earl of Huntingdon and his half-brother," he commanded. "Don't harm them. We will release them after the execution."
At least fifteen guards surrounded Robin and Archer, who unsheathed their swords and started fighting. Robin was appealing to the King's mercy over and over again, while Archer released a sequence of vulgar curses which he had picked up in taverns while traveling in the East. Robin and Archer fought bravely against the King's men, trying not to harm them in any way, but they were outnumbered. Soon they were disarmed, and their weapons were taken from them.
Guy stood on the stool, and the hangman appeared near him. He looked at Robin and Archer who were being dragged away from the square; he feared that they would have to face the King's wrath soon. He was relieved that at least Marian didn't come to the courtyard as he couldn't bear to think that she could have been detained together with Robin and Archer in her delicate condition.
The King gave a nod, and a chair was removed from beneath Guy's legs. The ground disappeared underneath Guy, and he found himself hanging in the air. He felt that he couldn't breathe. Blood rushed to his temples and his heart pounded harder for a brief moment before his heartbeat slowed and finally his heart stopped beating. Guy shut his eyes forever – he was dead.
When Guy opened his eyes, he saw Meg in the rays of the bright light as she met him near the gates to heaven. Guy smiled, understanding that he wasn't going to hell after his death. He took Meg's hand in his and hugged her, pressing her close to himself. He kissed her hungrily on her lips, and then pulled away, smiling fondly at her. She laughed at him, and he laughed back. Then Meg led Guy to heaven; their most interesting adventure was only beginning.
King Richard returned to Locksley after the end of executions. He knew that he would have a difficult conversation with Robin, whom the guards had delivered to Locksley Manor at his order. Richard dismounted and one of the guards had taken the reins from his arms. Richard was told that Robin and Archer had been knocked out because they had struggled with the soldiers so fiercely that it had been impossible to stop them without causing them at least some harm.
In the master bedroom, Robin lay on the bed, propped on the pillows; his hands were bound in the front. He regained his conscience half an hour ago and found himself in the bedroom alone; then the guards told him that the King had ordered to isolate him and Archer until his return. Robin busied himself with watching life in the estate that again belonged to him. Through the window, Robin could see the villagers who had already begun celebrating the King's return and the return of their rightful lord; he himself had permitted to organize this feast.
A loud knock sounded at the door, pulling Robin out of his thoughts. Robin sat on the bed, and the blanket dropped to his lap. He blanched and trembled as his eyes met the King's eyes.
The King was going to behave very informally. He settled on the edge of the bed, next to scared Robin. "Stop shaking with fright, Robin. I'm not going to punish you for what you did."
Robin shivered slightly, his expression lost. "Why did you come to me, sire?"
Richard stood up and came to the window. He closed the shutter, so noises didn't distract them; soon he already sat on the bed facing his most loyal subject. "Don't think that your life is even in some danger. If you think that I can order your execution like I did in Acre, then you are mistaken."
"Really?" Robin asked with a scoff.
"Yes," the monarch responded with a sigh. "I will never do anything that can cause even some harm to you or any honest man who followed Robin Hood."
"But Guy of Gisborne became one of my men, and I failed to protect him."
The King nodded slowly. "Yes, he is dead."
As Richard looked at the younger man, he realized that something was broken between them at the moment when Guy had drawn his last breath. When Robin had served in the Holy Land, they had been connected by bonds of the most sincere friendship, but now everything changed. There was not the least doubt in the King's mind that it would take Robin much time to reconcile himself with the thought that his King had betrayed his hopes again, if it was possible at all.
"Where is he now? Did you…?" The words barely came out of Robin's mouth.
"As I promised, Gisborne was only hanged. I didn't order to quarter his corpse. Instead, I asked my men to deliver his body to Locksley, so you can bury him where you want."
Robin gazed down, on the blanket that covered his lap, and a lump formed in his throat. He was grateful to the King for a small act of mercy: Guy was considered a traitor to the Crown, so it would have been normal if his body had been emasculated, disemboweled, beheaded, and cut into four pieces. At least they would give Guy a proper Christian burial in Locksley, Robin mused.
"Thank you, milord."
The King placed his hand on Robin's arm. "I know that you are angry with me."
Robin glanced into the King's eyes. "It is difficult to find words expressing how I feel."
"You have to understand me, Robin."
Trembling with fear, Robin began to speak about what mattered most to him. "My liege, you know that I always care for those who fight for you and for me," he began. "Guy wasn't my friend, but he became one of us when I accepted him into my gang." He paused, hesitating; becoming braver, he went on. "Did it ever occur to you that I would never forgive myself for not saving him?"
Taking his hand away from Robin, the King glanced away. "It is complicated, Robin," he said quietly. "The people suffered too much in my absence, and England bled out to raise funds for my ransom." He sighed. "I'm not only your friend. I'm also the King of England who must guarantee peace in England, which can be achieved only with a right balance of bloodshed and mercy."
The King didn't like the conversation. He had never discussed his actions with his subjects as he was trying to explain everything to Robin. He spoke to Robin as though his favorite had been a small child who needed explanations about how people lived and the world existed, but Robin was too important to him, and he didn't want to destroy the bonds that still existed between them.
"You had to execute traitors to intimidate your subjects," Robin uttered, his heart beating so hard in his chest that he feared the King could hear it. "So you decided to take Guy's life too."
"Gisborne was a traitor to John and to me."
"I know."
"That's why I executed him. I had to set a precedent, so my subjects know that if someone tries to kill me and then switches sides, hoping to get my pardon, their sentence will still be death."
"Are you satisfied with your spectacle, my liege?" Robin snapped.
Richard frowned. "Robin, stop talking nonsense," he stated harshly. "You are a dreamer, and you fail to understand how dark this world is." He lowered his voice, his expression softened. "Kings have to execute and show mercy in equal measure to rule their kingdoms and protect their thrones. At times, you have to make sacrifices."
"And so you sacrificed Guy's life to achieve your goals."
"Yes. It is better to execute one more traitor and ensure peace in England than to lose many of my men in the future if someone of these lords again tries to kill me and my men have to save me."
Robin turned his head and stared at the closed shutter. "Milord, I'm not as naïve as I once was," he responded in a voice that was thick and rough. "I understand that Kings cannot be always merciful. But I thought that you would spare Guy's life for me."
The King of England leaped to his feet. "Robin, I don't know whether we can ever be as close as we were before, but I want you to know that I will always consider you my friend," he said sincerely. "I love you most of all among all my knights, and my attitude to you will never change."
Robin was deeply touched by the King's words and he still loved his King, but he couldn't speak about their friendship after Richard had executed Guy, at least not now. Yet, there was part of him that understood the King's reasoning, perhaps because he wasn't as idealistic as before.
"I'm sorry," Robin murmured, his expression vulnerable. "I cannot say anything else now."
The vulnerable look on Robin's face was even more hurtful to the King than some mocking and angry words Robin had uttered earlier. He loved Robin too much. "I'm sorry too, Robin," he said.
Richard then left the chamber. He ordered the soldier outside to untie the Earl of Huntingdon and not to guard him again. The guard obviously felt uncomfortable that he had to deal with his former Captain as a prisoner, although the King ordered to treat Robin respectfully. Robin thanked the young man and asked to leave him alone; the guard apologized and went out of the room.
Robin lay on the bed for a long time, his mind reeling. He was dreadfully shocked with today's events, his heart overwhelmed with grief. His head was pounding in pain as he had been rendered unconscious by one of his captors. He had an idea to go downstairs and find Marian, Much, and his other friends, but he didn't want to see King Richard who surely presided over the feast when the lord of the manor wasn't there to play the role of a host. He didn't want anyone's company tonight.
He heard voices in the corridor, and an involuntary gasp escaped his lips at the thought that he would be disturbed. But then he smiled as one of the voices definitely sounded like Marian. The door flung opened and Marian entered the room, her face concerned as she stared at Robin.
Marian eyed him. "How are you, Robin?" She automatically placed her hand on her stomach.
Robin smiled at the sight of his love and at the thought that soon she would give him someone who would join their lives forever. But then he remembered that Guy was dead, and his heart dropped. "Come to me, my love. I need you so much," he said in a hushed voice.
Marian took a step forward to the bed. The urgency in Robin's voice alarmed her. As she moved towards him, she felt her face heating up as she admired his handsome face. She stopped near the bed and seated herself there, and he shifted to her, encouraging her to move under the large blanket that covered him. Then Robin gathered her into his arms.
"Did you talk to the King?" she inquired as she let him press her to himself.
"I did," he said briefly.
"What did he say? Was it the same drivel he sang in the morning?"
Robin stared at her flushed face. "Almost the same," he answered. "He also said that he still considers me his friend and that it will never change even if I probably don't want to be his friend."
"That's what I thought."
"What do you think about that, Marian?"
Marian was silent as she thought about the situation. "I don't like what the King did to Guy and I think that it is unfair, but I can understand his motives." She sighed wearily. "It is not easy for Richard and for you, Robin."
He nodded hesitantly. "Maybe I will be able to forgive Richard over time."
She could see Robin's distress. "Handsome, don't torment yourself. It is not your fault."
"Allan also died because of me," Robin accused himself, his voice hollow. "I should have believed Allan when he said that he didn't betray us. But instead, I behaved like King Richard did in Acre: I believed in Allan's betrayal because of Isabella's fake announcement, without enough proof."
"Allan's death is not your fault. It is Isabella's fault and Vaisey's fault."
"Maybe."
"Definitely, Robin."
Robin leaned down and kissed her softly. "Marian, I promise that I will never choose my duty to the King over my love for you again," he said with a reverent note in his tone, his expression absolutely unguarded. "I swear I will never disappoint you again, my love."
Marian was speechless. She didn't expect that Robin would ever tell her something like that, even after Richard's refusal to pardon Guy. Robin was a man of duty, who had gone to the Holy Land and had sacrificed their happiness to do his duty. Marian had been jealous to King Richard, thinking that Robin's loyalty to the man could have been stronger than his loyalty to her. Robin Hood's cause had been of highly political nature because the Sheriff's political plots they had thwarted had been against the King.
Marian gave him a suspicious glance. "Are you kidding me, Robin?" she asked, forcing herself not to hope that she had become more important to him than his duty to the King. "You placed me below your loyalty to England so often."
He looked ashamed. "I know," he breathed softly.
She arched a brow. "And?"
Robin's chest heaved with emotions. "Many years ago, I abandoned you because I thought and felt that it was my duty to help King Richard reclaim Jerusalem from the infidels," he said, looking into her eyes. "But I quickly realized that I made a great mistake when I threw away a chance to be with you." He sighed. "I regretted going to the war after the first battle in the Holy Land."
"So quickly?"
"Yes. I was a fool to leave you. But I won't choose my duty over my love for you ever again."
"My Robin," she whispered with a brilliant smile on her face.
"My Marian," Robin murmured, his eyes sparkling. He kissed her tenderly, and then gazed into her eyes. "I'm sorry that I left you, my love. I'm sorry that you had to struggle for the poor alone. I'm sorry that I wasn't here, by your side, when you needed me."
Marian stared into his blue eyes. Robin didn't wear a mask: she could look into his soul, and she believed him implicitly, feeling confident for the first time in her life that he would never choose the King over his love for her again. She felt that now she loved him even more because she felt safer in her marriage, which was very important to her, even if she didn't dare tell Robin about that. It seemed that now they had sorted out all their differences.
After their reunion, Robin had begun to open up to Marian: he had shared with her his fears and insecurities. She had enjoyed their frank conversations and his trust in her ability to understand his intricate mind, even his unusual believes in the equal status and rights of Christians, Jews, and Saracens. She had also shared with him many things that had happened to her in his absence, and she had seen that Robin had felt truly guilty of leaving her. She rejoiced that their relationship had deepened so much, feeling happy and secure.
"I forgave you a long time ago," Marian replied truthfully. "It happened when I saw the scar on your side when I was tending to your arrow wound in Clun."
"Really?" He looked amazed.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Why?"
"When I asked you about the scar, I saw a brief flicker of pain in your eyes before you again began to tease me. I began to realize how difficult the five years of your absence were for you."
"Then you did a perfect job of hiding your feelings while treating me so coldly." He skimmed his fingers over the tresses of her hair, his other hand wrapped around her waist. "But I cannot say that I didn't enjoy a challenge to charm you and to win your heart back."
"You succeeded in winning me back."
Robin smiled. "You lied that my charms ceased to work on you more than five years ago."
"And my little note really sent you over the edge."
"I didn't believe you, my love."
Marian grinned. "Did it wound your ego?"
"Oh, no, it was fun for me! I knew that you were affected by my return!"
"Perhaps, you have improved your charms after practicing on so many women."
There was a mocking gleam in his eyes. "Please, don't shame me again by telling me about my foolish love affairs. I will not survive a new assault."
"Oh, poor Robin! This time I will take a pity on you!"
"Thank you, my love. I will not forget your today's compassion."
Robin's mood improved after his talk with Marian. They came to Archer's bedroom to check how he was doing after Guy's execution and their temporary arrest by the King's men. Marian and Robin were astonished to find Archer sitting on the bed with Kate on his lap as they quietly conversed. They watched Archer gently take Kate's hand and lightly kiss it.
Robin cleared his throat. "I suppose you should stop displaying your indiscretions to us."
Kate jumped to her feet and wanted to run away, but Archer didn't let her go. He got to his feet and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Kate, you will stay here," he told the frightened girl.
"As you wish," Kate answered simply.
"What does that mean?" Robin wanted to know.
Archer glanced at Robin. "I'm mourning the loss of Guy. I cannot be alone."
Marian shook her head disapprovingly. "Archer, you shouldn't behave so. It is–"
Archer interrupted Marian. "It is not what you think." He looked at the married couple, then turned his gaze to Kate. "I proposed to Kate because I'm in love with her. She can be here with me."
Kate smiled. "I also love Archer, and I agreed to marry him."
Archer had tried to woo Kate in the outlaws' camp, but she had always rejected him. When Kate had returned home, she had spent much time thinking about her feelings for Robin Hood. She had finally realized that she had been only infatuated with Robin and had been seduced by the idea to be the hero's sweetheart. Knowing that Robin and the outlaws had gone to Aquitaine, she had waited for their return in Locksley, and she had noticed that she had missed Archer more than the others. After the return of the outlaws, Archer had started secretly courting Kate, and she had quickly fallen for him.
Robin and Marian were really at a loss for words. They came to talk about Guy's funeral, not to learn about Archer's plans to marry the girl who had once been in love with Robin.
It took Robin several heartbeats to make up a suitable response. "The timing is not perfect."
A frown creased Archer's forehead. "So I cannot let myself have some joy, even if I'm in mourning after one of my brothers was killed by King Richard?"
"I didn't mean that." Robin's voice was weak. "We wanted to talk about Guy's burial."
The stillness was absolute. Nobody dared speak, as if they were giving tribute to Guy.
"Poor Gisborne," Kate whispered at last. "I didn't want him dead. I have forgiven him."
"Damn King Richard," Archer hissed.
A grave silence ensued. Their minds were swirling with images of Guy: Guy stabbing Marian in a jealous rage in Acre, Guy killing Matthew in the courtyard, Guy saving Archer's life in the tunnel during the fight with Vaisey and Isabella, Guy mourning near the seemingly dead Robin Hood, Guy arrested by the King's men, and, eventually, Guy standing on the gallows. Now Guy was dead.
"Guy has been taken to the stables," Robin informed in a small voice. "Now the King and nobles are feasting downstairs, and we couldn't take him into the manor."
Marian lightly touched her husband's arm. "We should bury Guy," she murmured.
"Yes," Robin said in half a whisper.
"We should go," Archer whispered softly.
Kate shook her head. "Naturally."
Outside the manor, Marian, Robin, Archer, and Kate were met by the lavish celebration. The peasants were feasting, laughing merrily; it was a long time since they had been given such delicious food and good wine. On the way to the stables, they passed by a large group of armed soldiers who were patrolling Locksley for security reasons. Life was going on as though nothing had nothing happened in Nottingham today, although Guy of Gisborne was dead. Only Marian, Robin, and Archer were mourning the loss of the man who meant a lot to them.
This is the last chapter in this story. Only the epilogue is left.
I'm sorry that Guy is dead. I didn't plan to kill off him in the beginning, but there were several people who wanted Robin dead so much that I received many private messages that egotistical Robin must die and Marian should be with Guy. I have to confess that I was enraged, so I killed off Guy. And you have to agree with me that it is very likely that King Richard wouldn't have pardoned Guy after his return, so I just explored this possibility in this AU.
I know that you didn't expect that I would kill off Guy. I hope that you don't hate me because I did give Guy a decent end. Guy made peace with Robin and Marian. He repented of all his crimes and even gave his last confession. Guy met his death bravely and died free from his demons. Meg came to him and took him to heaven; he will not be alone in the afterlife.
King Richard acted practically because he needed Guy dead for political reasons. It is a difficult thing for Robin to accept that his influence on the King is limited and that he failed to save Guy.
Marian and Robin sorted out all their differences. They also had another moment of frankness when Robin assured her that he would never choose the King over his love for her again. Robin was obsessively loyal to the King in the series, and I felt that Marian feared Robin could abandon her again after the King's return. But Marian and Robin had almost lost each other, but they were reunited. Now they treasure what they have, so Robin cannot choose his duty over his love.
I shipped Archer and Kate. There was the foreshadowing of this shipment in the previous chapters when Archer tried to woo Kate and advised her not to waste her time on a married man – on Robin.
Now Robin, Marian, and Archer are mourning the loss of Guy. Kate also regrets that Guy is dead.
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