The following morning the Sheriff was riding back towards the north of the country, the same route he took home recently, with a few of his men and Officer Curran. He could not linger saying goodbye to Lady Rhiannon. He was loathed to leave her but he knew he must. By staying with her in Nottingham the extra day he decided to make up some time in his travels. It was worth it. Now all he could do was focus on the task at hand.
The weather was fair though a fog had settled in the early morning light. As the scenery moved past him and he picked up the pace, his thoughts raced like the scenery flying past him in a blur. Fragmented images appearing in flashes of 3D memory. The day he saw Rhiannon, the kiss in the rain, the sultry way she looked at him with her light green eyes. Her touch. He was suddenly lost in them. He knew this journey well, could ride it in the dark with a blindfold. It worked in his favour at the moment, because he was at ease to let his mind wander briefly. Memories flooded in flashes of images that seemed near and felt real.
She was real. Everything about her was more real to him than any other woman he'd ever known. She was meant for him. He knew it, could feel it. And though he'd never entertained the notion of fatherhood, he was willing to assume the responsibility. Whatever it took. He was suddenly protective of them both. And wanted them to be near him. He could never leave her now. Lady Rhiannon was utter perfection. Sometimes he felt as if she'd been created just for him. They had only met months prior to now, yet she knew him better than anyone in some ways. Knew exactly how to handle him. He was completely amazed. She always seemed to know the right things to say to him. The right things to do to him. He shivered thinking of it and smiled to himself. It was a shame there was so much distance yet to cover. He was going to drive himself mad thinking of her. Knowing he would have to wait to see her again, and hold her close to him.
For now there was the matter at hand. Rescue the child. Then mercilessly kill the loathsome insect. With so much distance yet to cover, time could be better spent contemplating the various means of torture for the Fallen Knight.
By nightfall they'd covered a great distance. The Sheriff and his men chose a secluded place out of the way to camp for the night.
The Fallen Knight had ventured outside in back of the abandoned castle towards the well to gather water. The baby was asleep inside the castle. In some ways he wish he hadn't left the maiden behind waiting in the prison cell. If he had kept her he could've used her to sustain the infant with her milk. Instead he now had an extra cursed mouth to feed until the Sheriff arrived with the gold.
He lifted the wooden bucket full of water and started back towards the castle. There was a wind that kicked up, causing his hood to lash about his neck.
It's too simple, he thought. I've made this entirely too simple. Deciding then the plan wasn't good enough to further taunt the Sheriff, he went inside to mull things over as he set about concocting a thin gruel to feed the infant.
He grabbed some dry ingredients from a shelf, mixed them together and measured some of the water and some goats milk in a cast iron cauldron. The Sheriff would be on his way to him now. If he valued the life of his child, which the Fallen Knight highly doubted, then he would be en route. It's still too easy. The Fallen Knight wasn't finished with the Sheriff. This would not conclude what he had in mind for him. He had a number of ideas floating in his head for the Sheriff but he needed some of it to come together independent of his doing first, with a little of the Sheriff's cooperation. He considered all of them. He decided to wait. Wait on the Sheriff. He'd take his gold, that would not change. But whether or not he'd give the child back right then, he still was undecided. He wanted the Sheriff to suffer as much as possible before he exacted the revenge due to him, for killing his brother, and his father.
He was certain he knew what happened, after he spotted from a distance the lady running mad past the clearing from where their tents were set up. The good Sheriff found his maid, and most likely would take her back to Nottingham. The man was too predictable. He knew the Sheriff well enough to know the man had never been in love. He could also tell how much the Sheriff valued the Nottingham maid. It was almost humourous. That I would wait to seek my revenge on him now….when he finally has a woman he loves. This is too perfectly timed! He thought. It was poetic justice. Then it came to him.
"That's it!" he exclaimed out loud. He was so amused with himself, for the plan that had just taken form in a flash, he began to laugh. He started humming to himself and dancing as he stirred the thin gruel in the cauldron over the open fire. He tested it, then spooned a little into a stoneware bowl, and took it over to the baby.
"Hey kid." The Fallen Angel spoke. The baby was alert and looking at him.
"Your black hearted father, by my calculations, is on his way. But I have a surprise in store for him." He began to chortle. "Oh yes, we're going to have a merry time with this!"
Lady Rhiannon was sitting on a chair in the Sheriff's private chambers absently brushing her hair, and fighting melancholy as she thought of her dark prince. She missed him already, but knew his task was important. Only because Meridwyn had briefly confided what the task was. If he was setting about to make the country a little safer by catching a 'very bad man', then so be it.
There was a light tapping on her door. She invited her guest to enter. Meridwyn opened the door and came toward her smiling.
"Milady, I thought you might enjoy some company." She said as she stepped toward her and clasped her hands. Rhiannon smiled back, and squeezed her palms in return.
"How do you do it? How do you keep yourself from running mad the times you're apart?"
"It's difficult but somehow you grow accustomed to it. You find other things to occupy your mind. And if you receive word from a messenger he's on his way back to you, then you can allow yourself to think of him. That's what I do." Meridwyn replied as she sat on the bed. Rhiannon joined her. Meridwyn added "Because I like to be ready."
"Ready?" Rhiannon asked slightly perplexed.
"Yes. Sometimes Guy is tired from his travels. However, most of the time – he's insatiable. You know….." Meridwyn blushed slightly. "That first night after being apart for so long."
"Oh" Rhiannon felt her cheeks turn hot, and cupped her palm over her mouth in astonishment. After a moment she added thoughtfully "I wonder what my man will be like when he returns?"
"I should say his senses will awaken when he sees you, my dear. He'll no doubt be insatiable, just like Guy!" A beat "He holds you very dear. He loves you, I can sense it."
"That's what he told me. I have no reason to believe his words were not genuine." Rhiannon commented.
"I don't think anyone has ever known him to love a maid."
"Yes, he said that too."
"He told you?" Meridwyn asked.
"Yes. He did."
"Oh my dear, he does love you. I believe you've had much to do with the changes in our Sheriff of Nottingham. He was on his way before met you. But you! Why, you single handedly changed him!" she exclaimed.
"Well I don't really know about that…" Rhiannon said as she arose from the bed and headed towards the window looking into the distance. How she missed her dark prince. She wondered where he was now?
"You had a large part in it." Meridwyn offered as she got up to join Rhiannon. They stood together by the window, and spotted some guards below. A chill breeze came though. Both women shuddered. Meridwyn turned towards Rhiannon. Changing the topic she began "Rhiannon, do you ever feel like….well, that you're being watched?"
"Well yes. All of the time." Rhiannon answered. "You know - Mortianna the witch, Lady Margaret, the Scribe, the Guards…." She was cut off.
"No. I don't mean by people your Sheriff trusts and assigned to watch over you. I mean – watched by a stranger spying on you. Yet, you cannot see him."
"That sounds frighteningly ominous." Rhiannon remarked.
"Sometimes I do. I go looking, but find no one. Maybe I'm imagining it. Or maybe…"
"Maybe you're simply longing for Gisborne." Rhiannon attempted to reassure her.
"Perhaps milady." She agreed. Meridwyn realized it was best to discontinue this line of discussion. Lady Rhiannon had already endured quite an ordeal. Notwithstanding, Meridwyn couldn't shake a disturbing sense of foreboding. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she felt it. She felt the danger was directed towards her alone, and not her friend. She didn't want to further worry Rhiannon so she let it go. Yet this frightened her. This sense that a malevolent force, someone with ill intentions was lurking. Maybe they weren't watching her yet, maybe this was a glimpse into what was yet to take place. She shuddered, and attempted to conceal it by drawing her cape about her. Rhiannon was perceptive.
"Meridwyn, you must make a vow you will tell someone about your escape from that monster. What about one of the Guards?"
Meridwyn looked up, clearly shaken, yet determined. "Our lovers will capture him. I shall be fine." she was absolute.
"Still, I should feel better knowing you may be granted additional surveillance."
"Only if they'd do the same for you, my dear." Meridwyn replied as she gazed out of the window and looked to the distance. "Because you see, we both escaped." She said absently. In a moment she knew. She looked towards Rhiannon. Suddenly they realized the enormity of the truth that Meridwyn had just spoke. They locked eyes. Mirror images of wide open clarity and fear. They clasped hands, then embraced briefly. Yet they didn't exchange another word about it for quite some time.
Lady Margaret let herself into the den outside of the Sheriff's private chambers. She had come to check on Lady Rhiannon, not expecting to find her here. As of late she'd been disobeying Lady Margaret's instructions. At the last minute she decided to seek out Mortianna's recommendations in consult over the continuing plan for recuperation before looking to see if the Lady was resting as per instructions in the Sheriff's private chambers. She took the other door that lead down towards Mortianna's lair. She'd never ventured there before and opened the door with trepidation. She partly closed it and headed down the depths of the stone staircase. She was startled when the witch appeared midway on the circular staircase.
"Milady, I am honoured you came. Surprised somewhat, but flattered all the same." The witch remarked.
"I came to seek your opinion." Lady Margaret began.
"What troubles you Lady Margaret?" Mortianna asked.
"The lady is disregarding my instructions for rest. She really should be resting. She's lost a good deal of blood. I worry the infection may return."
"Her mind is weaker than her body, Lady Margaret. The torment must have caused her to erase everything. Even the Sheriff's baby." Mortianna confided.
"I can't imagine the tribulations she endured. I don't believe she's completely out of danger. I'd prefer her take more time to rest." Lady Margaret suggested. "But how? She will not listen!" They heard a noise above them just then, and paused to look towards the doorway leading to the Sheriff's den a moment. Then it was gone.
Mortianna continued their discussion. "My Lord did ask we take utmost care of her." She thought a moment. " I have some herbs at my disposal that work well to relax the body, without putting one to sleep. That way she'll at least be less inclined to venture far off or engage in harmful activities. I make a tea with it."
"Perhaps. But we mustn't overdo it. I want her to quiet her activities, not fall into a deep sleep again."
Mortianna nodded.
"Madam, one more thing." Lady Margaret said quietly
"Yes Lady Margaret, what is it?"
"Why do you suppose Lady Rhiannon does not remember the baby? I cannot fathom why not. What would cause a maid not to remember delivering a child in a prison cell?"
"You just answered the question you posed." Mortianna said. "It is inside those walls where the Lady Nottingham hides her secret. She does not wish to remember that time. Or anything associated with it."
"Lady Nottingham. That's interesting. Not the maid of Nottingham." Lady Margaret pondered.
"I have no doubt my Lady, that my Lord Sheriff will ask for her hand, if he hasn't done so already. He is very much in love with her, and true to her."
Lady Meridwyn left the Sheriff's chambers where her friend, Lady Rhiannon was recuperating. She was planning to take a stroll in the courtyard. She thought she heard voices and stopped to turn towards them. The other oak door in the den was ajar. She crept slowly toward it, and moved in close to the open door to listen. It was somewhat difficult to make out each word. It sounded like Mortianna and Lady Margaret.
"……she's lost a good deal of blood. I worry……..may return."
Then Mortianna's voice " The torment must have caused her to erase everything. Even the Sheriff's….."
Then she heard the voice of Lady Margaret again. " I can't imagine…..she endured…..out of danger…..She will not listen!"
Just then Meridwyn shifted and caused a creaking noise with the door. She paused, nearly holding her breath. Listening for the sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs. Instead the women resumed their conversation, and Meridwyn used the opportunity to make a quiet exit.
Outside the door of the quarters leading into the private chambers she felt that familiar chill again. Her fears were confirmed. She truly hoped the guards of Nottingham Castle would be enough to protect she and Lady Rhiannon from the evil man whom once tried to capture her.
