In the cool of the even, he felt it lash at his face as he tightened the reigns on the horse to slow it to a cantor. Spring rain was beginning. It was time for the dusk briefing. Each day at high noon and dusk, the troops lead by the Sheriff and Guy in two teams, met back at the clearing wherever camp was set up to discuss any findings. From there they would travel again at night, advancing further in their quest. He arrived at the clearing. It was at dusk on this night in May, he had news.
"We found an abandoned castle." Guy spoke for his group. "It was by chance we found it. It is well concealed by trees."
"Sounds suspicious enough to me." The Sheriff said. "Do you think it's worth a try?"
"I think it's worth further investigation, yes." Recommended Gisborne.
A few hours later inside the dark abandoned castle, the Sheriff, Guy, and Duke Farnsworth entered into the attic after thoroughly covering the top floors, while another team covered the main floor and sub level. It was cold and dark. Guy suggested leading them, in an effort to shield his cousin from the worst outcome if need be. He didn't mention the reason to the Sheriff. He squinted to adjust his vision in the dark, which seemed heightened in the attic. Thirty feet away by the window he saw a figure on a small bed. They proceeded slowly. Soon he saw it. Blood. There was so much blood! He turned around to face the Sheriff.
"It appears this room is empty, My Lord." He said.
The Sheriff knew right away he was lying. He pushed him aside. At first he didn't know what he was seeing. He walked slowly closer to the bed. Duke Farnsworth cast a glance at Guy. Guy met his eyes, then shook his head in regret. The Sheriff stopped after a few steps when suddenly, the horror. There his lady lay, in blood! In a lot of blood. He was filled with rage. He shall not live, the Sheriff thought. That sick. Loathsome. Animal.
"GAH!!" he groaned, his mouth agape. He turned and cast his gaze downward. Duke Farnsworth advanced closer to the Sheriff, and Guy advanced toward the scene.
"I knew it!" the Sheriff cried out. "Even I couldn't save her. We were too …." He was cut off.
"She Breathes!" Guy shouted abruptly, startling them both. They turned to look at him.
"She's very ill, my Lord. I do not know why the blood. I see bruises. No cuts, yet she bleeds." He spoke rather puzzled.
"Get out of the way!" the Sheriff barked. For once, sounding like the person he was so many months ago. He pushed Guy aside. He stood a moment and looked down upon his lovely Rhiannon. Her skin was palid as the ghastly blood stained snow white sheet that covered her. The laces from her gown were missing, oddly. Her hair lay damp next to her face and neck, and her skin was damp to touch. Her lips had all but lost their colour. She looked to be in a deep sleep, and almost as if not breathing. He removed his glove and held his palm over her mouth. He felt warm air touch his skin, lightly, in a whisper. Her energy. It breathed life into him.
"I found you." He whispered as he dropped to his knees beside her. "Live….my beautiful lady. Live for me." He picked her up and held her to him, kissing the top of her head. She was limp as a rag doll. He turned to toward Guy, Duke Farnsworth, and the rest of the men who were now gathered there in the attic.
"Well don't just stand there!" he barked.
He pointed to Duke Farnsworth. "You! Select your best men and sweep the castle now. I want the exits sealed immediately. Bring me this hooded viper!"
"You!" he turned to Guy. "I need supplies for my lady. I need rags for this blood. Blankets to warm her. Hot brandy to offer her. Now!"
The men scattered after nodding understanding of their assigned tasks. The Sheriff chose not to move. He sat on the bed, holding Rhiannon to him and rocking her.
"Oh my lady…..Rhiannon." he whispered. "You endured for me." He lay her back down on the bed, and began to undress her. Her skin was damp, he needed to warm her. Using torn up sheets and the water he found in a basin on a washstand he proceeded to wash her skin. He found a small blanket nearby to dry her. Quickly, he removed his heavy cloak. Large enough to completely cover her, and warm enough it would be like a blanket. Gently, he wrapped her in it, then rubbed her to keep her warm. He kept feeling a warm liquid seep through it. He knew she was bleeding. It must have been some strange poison. He found no visible wounds that would cause it, save for bruises.
"Live for me, my brave lady." He begged her softly. "You shall be my Lady Nottingham."
Later, back at camp, the Sheriff was in his tent with Lady Rhiannon. He would not leave her. He hadn't eaten or taken a drop of water since their return. A thorough sweep of the castle and the grounds turned up nothing but a few bloodstained ribbons from Lady Rhiannon's white gown, and a fairly dull dinner knife, which was strangely discovered under the bed. Guy came in to check on Lady Rhiannon and offer sustenance to his cousin.
"Cousin, please drink. I've brought you some bread and cheese as well." He said as he placed a tray on a table.
"There is so much blood." The Sheriff replied, as if not hearing Guy's words. "Why is there so much blood, cousin? What insidious poison was forced upon my Lady?"
"I don't know for certain, but, maybe there's a way I can find out."
The Sheriff picked up a goblet of ale and sipped it slowly. He stroked Rhiannon's face with a cool damp cloth and rubbed her skin trying desperately to wake her.
"Come back to me, my Lady." He whispered to her. He rested on the bed leaning against pillows and held her close to him. He bent down and kissed her hair. Even after the long months of being held in that cold dark room she smelled almost like she did the first time he was this close to her. As sick as she was, bleeding, maybe dying, she still smelled intoxicating.
She fluttered her lashes, and moved her eyes around trying to focus. Where am I? Her vision was blurred. It was dark. Sometimes it was hard to discern night from day. As her vision adjusted she could see a glow from a lamp. Why is there light? The cold realization dawned on her. She stiffened. He must be getting ready to kill me! She tried to say something, but was unable to get the words out. Oh why did I wake? He's going to kill me!
The Sheriff felt her muscles go taut. It was the first since he'd found her she wasn't completely limp. He sat forward and repositioned her to see her face. Her eyes were open!
The mask was off. Why couldn't she see? All she could make out was the shape of a face, and a glow behind it. He had curly locks, she saw the silhouette of waves against the glow behind him. Then, despite her critically weakened state, again her defenses kicked in. In a sheer adrenaline state of self preservation, she found her voice. Finally, the words came….
"Get. Off. Me." She hissed in a low gravelly voice that sounded completely foreign to him. Before he could react, she brought it up a notch.
"OFF ME!" She suddenly shrieked as she shook free. "Get away from me!" She then screamed in a piercing cry. Amazingly, she stood abruptly then dashed to a corner, almost knocking the oil lamp. Her eyes were wild, darting. She shivered, and stood frozen in the corner. She never made eye contact, or acknowledged him.
"My lady…" he began to say as he walked toward her, a stunned look on his face.
Why couldn't she see this animal's face? She would not let him do to her, what he did to her before. Although she didn't remember any of it, she knew what he did. She felt it, right before she got sick and fainted.
"Nooooo!" she screamed and started to run past him obviously heading out of the tent. The Sheriff ran to catch her. She kicked him and then proceeded to run out of the tent. Running into the dark. She didn't care.
The Sheriff ran after her. She was wild. He couldn't help but wonder, just what had he done to her? What had that loathsome animal done to his lady? Finally he caught her. They collapsed to the ground. He hushed her and wouldn't stop holding her though she screamed and cried for several minutes.
"My lady. My beautiful lady Rhiannon. I'm here." He said.
Finally, a realization.
"My lord?" she said softly as she broke free to look at him. She touched his face. She was just starting to finally see his face when she stiffened. Though she was overjoyed, she couldn't help withdrawing. He must never know. Must never know….
"You're awake. At last!" He spoke. "Come, my lady. You're still unwell." He moved toward her to grasp and lift her. Sensing another situation where'd she'd lose control again, she backed away, then stood up. She stood, staring at him a few moments when that panic arose once again. When she felt that odd familiar warmth rush through her again. Her head felt light, and she couldn't tell if her feet were on the ground or not. The colour drained from her, and she fell to the ground. Another pool of blood spread under her.
He picked her up and carried her past the confused faces of his men, back into the tent. Gently he placed her upon the bed and covered her. She fluttered her lids open.
"You came for me." She whispered. Her eyelids still fluttering.
"Yes my lady." He replied with a smile as he stroked her hair.
"It will be alright now." She said. She looked in his eyes yet the Sheriff was keenly aware her attention was somewhere else.
"My Love, hush. You must rest." He said as he brought the blankets about her. "You're safe now, my lady. I assure you."
She looked at him. For perhaps the first time since she awakened in this brief moment. And then:
"It's too late, my Lord." And with that she fell back into a very deep sleep. A slumber that ended up lasting weeks. Those five words never failed to haunt him henceforth.
