It was Saturday. Today Duke Farnsworth and the rest of the Sheriff's men ventured toward the local market. This was their second visit there. Twas as good a place as any to search for the infant. So far the youngest one they'd seen was a year old. The market was bustling. The day was fair. A perfect reason for the local townspeople to gather buying wares and vegetables, confectioneries, and fruit. Duke Farnsworth and the rest of the men secured their horses and began walking about in groups two throughout the grounds.
"I think we should start venturing out farther than this county." Mordrid said to the Duke.
"Tomorrow. But here's a perfect place to obtain essentials for a baby. Don't you agree?" the Duke said.
"Perhaps."
Together they began to walk about from one stand to the next, observing. Looking for young children, and overly attentive parents. After a time, around an hour, they grew thirsty and found a group of men gathered in an area where they were serving ale. The Duke and Mordrid strolled up to the man distributing it. There were a couple of local men seated there talking next to them. One of them was commenting to his friend that he would be in need of new armour shortly.
"Pardon me, sir." Mordrid interrupted them. The two men looked over at them as they continued to drink.
The Duke continued for them. "You might try to the local blacksmith. He's not far from here."
"Right." The man nodded. "Robert, you mean. He's not there anymore. He and his wife Isabelle packed up and left." He took another sip of his ale and let the froth linger on his moustache.
"The blacksmith? He left?" the Duke asked, puzzled.
"We just saw him a few days ago?" Mordrid added.
"Place must have been getting too small for them." The man said as he took another sip of his ale.
"Indeed." The man's friend added. "Why, last week, Isabelle came into my shop." He looked over at Duke and Mordrid. "My wife and I sell goods and produce a few miles from here. Isabelle bought several skeins of wool. My wife asked why. She said she needed to weave a baby blanket."
The Duke and Mordrid looked at each other, then back over to the men. The first man added: "Indeed James. I knew they wouldn't be here long once a child was on the way."
"Excuse us, gentlemen." Duke Farnsworth said as they both got up to leave.
"I knew he was lying to us." Mordrid spat.
"I didn't." Duke Farnsworth spoke.
"But that day – what you said about him?"
"I believed his story. What I said was that he looked familiar to me." The Duke turned towards his younger comrade. "We mustn't jump to conclusions. We can't stop keeping our eyes open and pin all hopes to these two. She could be with child."
"Then why go to the trouble of announcing that she'd never been able to bear children? To us? Two total strangers?" Mordrid pointed out.
"Hmm. Indeed you are right." The Duke shook his head. "She was trying to divert our attention away from them. Curses!"
"Those two have the Sheriff's infant, Duke." Mordrid said the words quietly. They knew what they must do.
Within a short time they had rejoined the rest of the Sheriff's men and explained what they'd heard, and what they knew from their previous conversation with the blacksmith a few days prior. They decided to travel onwards to search for them. This mission would take some time, since they didn't know which direction the blacksmith and his wife were headed. But at least now, they knew what they were looking for.
Two days later Guy arrived at Nottingham Castle. He was met immediately by one of Nottingham's guards. Guy pointed over to the Fallen Knight.
"This is the man we set out to capture. The Sheriff will be here in a few days hence with his betrothed and he left instructions in the meantime. Restrain this man and put him in the dungeon. Don't lay a hand on him. The Sheriff was adamant about that."
"Very well, Sir Gisborne." The young strapping blond haired guard said as he motioned for another guard to take the prisoner. He turned once more to Gisborne and said "Shall I send the page for the Sheriff's physician?" he asked as he nodded toward Lady Meridwyn.
"Yes. Send him to my quarters when he arrives. In the meantime, send for the witch to come and see to my lady. I've heard from my cousin that she helped work miracles on Lady Rhiannon."
"Very well, Sir." The young guard spoke as he went to carry out the order.
The second guard took the prisoner to escort to the dungeon as Guy bent down to gently lift Lady Meridwyn from the wagon. She hadn't woken at all during their three days of travel.
His quarters were in the opposite wing to the Sheriff's. The castle was so vast that it never felt like they lived in the same one. He carried lady Meridwyn through the gates, inside the castle walls, then up the stairs and to the right. Down a very long corridor that lead into his private chambers. Once inside he lay her on the bed. He lit some torches then sat beside her. He leaned down to her and spoke "My dear Meridwyn. My lady, we are home."
He covered her in a warm blanket after he removed her cape. Within a short time Mortianna's presence was announced by the Scribe. Guy opened the door and motioned her inside. She looked at Guy, and Lady Meridwyn on the bed.
"Madam, my cousin tells me you were helpful in restoring Lady Rhiannon. This is probably much different, but I need someone to look at her. Would you?" he implored.
"Very well, Sir Gisborne. And where is my Lord Sheriff and his Lady?" she asked as she glided in her silver and black robes toward the bed.
"Delayed, Madam. By a few days."
"I see." She said as she bent down to closely inspect Lady Meridwyn. Then she turned towards Guy. "Who can tell us then, what happened to Lady Meridwyn? Before she entered into her sleep?"
"Well, I should think Lady Rhiannon. Hopefully she is with my cousin now. I do not know for sure if she saw what happened, but she's my best guess." He mused.
"There was nobody else present?"
"The prisoner might know. He may have caused this. If I could get him to talk." Guy ruminated.
"It's worth the effort, my child. It would give us somewhere to begin."
As Mortianna began a cursory examination of Lady Meridwyn, Guy headed down towards the dungeon and entered therin looking for the prisoner. He found him in an area of isolation. He addressed the guard.
"I need to speak with the prisoner alone."
The guard nodded an agreement and walked away.
"What do you want?" the Fallen Knight spat.
"Well, now's as good as time as any to begin interrogation." A beat. "State your name."
"The Fallen Knight." The prisoner replied with a knowing smirk.
"Your Christian name!" Guy bellowed.
"No. No. No. I'm saving that one for the Sheriff."
"Were you present when the Lady became ill? Do you know what happened?" Guy asked changing the subject.
The Fallen Knight knew exactly what happened but he didn't care. These people did not deserve his cooperation.
"No. I didn't see anything. She was in that state when I found those two lovely wenches."
"Keep up this routine of yours, and I should think you'd find it difficult to continue your riddles with a sword in your gullet!" Guy barked.
Nearby, the young blond haired guard in the Sheriff's employ, who met Guy when he arrived, was staying close to observe the scene. He remembered his orders that no one was to harm the prisoner. He wanted to make certain the Sheriff's Deputy remembered that.
The Fallen Knight wasn't fazed. "Ah, but you heard the Sheriff's orders. Nobody is permitted to touch me, until he returns."
Guy paced a bit, then turned on his heel to the prisoner. "Then a little of your cooperation might do well to serve you." He hissed. "Again! Do you know what happened to my Lady? Were you present when she fell ill?"
"She was already on the ground, unconscious when I found them. The uh, lovely intoxicating wenches." The Fallen Knight said.
Guy squinted his dark eyes and reached across to grab the neck of the prisoner.
"You were not her first, you know." The prisoner whispered.
Guy widened his eyes and released his grasp. He stepped back shaking his head. His long dark brown hair glowed by the light of the myriad torches placed about the dungeon.
"I beg your pardon?" he said slowly.
"She used to be mine. I let her go you know. So I tried to capture her almost a year ago. She got away. She thought she beat me, but I let her win. Because I knew I'd find her again." The prisoner recited in a monotone.
Guy was still shaking his head.
"What? Back up, you bastard! What did you say?" he barked.
"I said: You were not her first."
Guy stared at him, his jaw set.
"She used to be mine." The prisoner whispered with a grin.
"You're lying!" Guy shouted as he began to charge towards the prisoner. He forgot his orders. He wanted to rip the man's heart out with his bare hands. Finally he got his hands on him.
"Sir Gisborne! Enough!" The young guard shouted as he ran towards him and pulled him off of the prisoner.
"Get off of me! What do you think you're doing, boy?" Guy yelled at him.
"Obeying the Sheriff's orders. The one which you conveyed to the Guards of this castle. I met you in the courtyard. And you told me that the Sheriff adamantly instructed that nobody was to lay a hand on this prisoner." He pointed out as he gestured toward the Fallen Knight.
"Yes. Right." Guy replied as he clenched his fists in frustration. He could've had him. "Fine." He sighed in resignation. "What is your name, boy?"
"Hector." The young guard replied, puzzled.
"I shall give you due praise, later in my discussions with my cousin." Guy said.
"And what about me?" the Fallen Knight asked. Guy and Hector glanced over at him curiously. "Oh. I'm sorry to interrupt." The prisoner said. "But you see dear Deputy, I did cooperate. Your answer to the question of your lady. I told you what I saw. Will you tell that to the Good Sheriff of Nottingham as well?"
"Don't push me, you bastard." Guy hissed.
"Fine." The prisoner replied. As Guy was getting ready to leave he stopped him. "Oh and if you need to ask me anything else…" Guy turned back and looked at him as the prisoner continued. " - You may take your liberty."
"And what would that be?" Guy rolled his eyes.
"Pertaining to Lady Meridwyn." The prisoner said straight faced without blinking in a hushed voice. Guy shot him a wide eyed stare. "What will you do, Sir Gisborne? Now that you know she was mine once? Will you even help her now?"
Guy shook his head slowly as he contemplated kicking this bastard. He decided the best response was none. He gave the guard, Hector, a knowing glance to keep his eyes on the prisoner and he retreated. Surely the prisoner was lying. Yet, he knew her name? Guy thought about this for a minute as he was walking back to his quarters. Then a smile slowly spread across his face. He realized he was being foolish. Of course! Lady Rhiannon must have called Meridwyn by name in front of the prisoner when they were held captive in the cabin. Moments later when he had his hand on the door the doubts crept in. Did Lady Rhiannon in fact give away Meridwyn's name to the prisoner? What if she never breathed a word? That bastard! He knew her name!
Inside the door he found Lady Meridwyn lying supine covered up to her waist in a down coverlet. She was wearing a whisper light white gown with thin straps over her shoulders. There was grey powder on her forehead in the shape of a cross, and Mortianna was sitting on the bed beside her. Guy advanced closer. Mortianna picked up a cup beside the bed on a table, gently lifted Lady Meridwyn and brought the cup to her lips.
"What is that you're giving her?" Guy asked.
"Batwing tea." Mortianna answered without turning around. She knew he had come in. "When was the last time she drank?" she asked him.
"I do not know. I tried to offer her some water the first few days but she wouldn't drink. Wouldn't respond to me!" Guy exclaimed.
"She is now, thank the Gods!" Mortianna said as she paused to look at Guy. "We must keep giving her liquids. She'll never recover otherwise. I'm sure Thomas will have some sound advice to offer as well."
Guy nodded. Thomas was the Sheriff's personal physician. A wise, tall, grey haired man who was very good in his occupation. He was beginning to feel a little more relaxed that he finally had his Lady home being tended to, but still he knew he'd feel better when the wise physician arrived. He looked down upon Lady Meridwyn. Her fiery long curls framed her lily white face and draped down over her shoulders. She was so quiet. He wasn't used to seeing her like this. She was always lively, animated, oft times spirited. He tried to quiet the panic inside of him. He bent down and kissed Meridwyn's cheek. Then he nodded for Mortianna to continue before he turned and headed out the door. He couldn't stay. Not just now. She hadn't waken, except now to sip some batwing tea. The longer he must look upon her like that, the harder it would be to face. The possibility of losing her. Will he ever find out the truth? Was Lady Meridwyn indeed acquainted with the prisoner being held in the dungeon at the moment? That bastard who calls himself the Fallen Knight?! Was she the lady he referred to in the document the Sheriff showed him a fortnight ago?
The prisoner was getting restless. He desperately wanted to wash his face, put on his hood, and take a drink. Damn that bitch for wounding him! He should've searched her when he captured her, but he didn't think she was clever enough to prepare for danger. As miserable as it was to stand chained to this wall he still enjoyed toying with Gisborne however. Let him think on that for awhile!
He'd made some mistakes the last few days. Curses! Why so careless? The storm, the abandoned cabin. As soon as the storm settled he should've continued on. He knew the Sheriff was on his way back to Nottingham. He didn't doubt that after he penned the second scroll. He was always one step ahead of the Sheriff. Not this time. A hint of realization presented briefly but he dismissed it. He couldn't have become careless because his former Maid Meridwyn was with him? He could not have gotten careless and landed in this loathed position because of a woman! So was it the Sheriff or a woman that drove him to madness? He shook his head. He had to figure a way out of here. He was starting to lose sight of his mission. In the meantime he could sugar coat his words to the guards to try to obtain his hood back. As well as devise some ways to further drive Sir Gisborne to madness. It would give him something amusing to do whilst he bided his time awaiting the Sheriff. He was only just warming up for that one. He had plenty of mind boggling, heart altering matters to discuss with him. None of which could be disputed since – miracle of miracles, the Sheriff's wench remembered nothing! Once he discovered that fact back at the cabin, he began to think of ways to use it to his advantage. He may be restrained in the Sheriff's dungeon but he could still act on part of his mission – to send the Sheriff insane. He still had a few party favours in store for the Good Sheriff of Nottingham. I might be chained to this cursed wall, but I still have a tongue and my wits about me, he thought. There is always a way…
Later that night the wise elder physician, Thomas, had just finished examining Lady Meridwyn in the Deputy's private chambers. He stepped outside the door to speak with Guy.
Guy walked over to him to greet him. "About my lady – you've seen her. What is your opinion?" Guy asked him.
"What had she been doing?" Thomas asked.
"That's just it – I do not know. When we found her she was like that."
"Do you know how she arrived at that cabin?" the physician probed.
"Yes. Well, they were captured. But prior to that, it seems she and the Sheriff's Lady stole two of his horses."
"So she was riding then?"
"Yes. I suppose she was." Guy sighed.
"That would explain a few things." Thomas began.
"Do you think she fell from the horse?"
"It's entirely possible. She is badly bruised in several places and has some sprains. Nothing appears broken however."
"Will she wake?" Guy asked nervously.
"It's hard to tell. She did respond to some things, so I dare say she may."
"Like what?" Guy asked.
"Pain. When I found she'd sprained her ankle she responded to that. That's a good sign. She needs close observation, fluids, and send for me when she wakes. I need to examine her at that time."
"Very well." Guy agreed. Thomas left and Guy entered into the chamber. He dismissed the witch and took her place in the chair next to the bed where his lady lay. He hoped she would awaken soon.
The Sheriff had just finished setting up camp for the night. This time his horse was nearby, it was easier than the first night he found Rhiannon to get to his supplies. She was a slight distance away offering water to his horse. He walked over to her.
"Come, my lady. You must be tired. We've been riding since dawn." He smiled at her as he extended his arm to her.
"Yes. I am a little tired, my Lord." She took his arm and he lead her over to camp, then into the tent.
"This is cozy." She commented.
He chuckled. "It's the same as last night, just a different location."
"Yes, but I didn't notice much last night. I don't even remember putting my head down."
"You were tired, my love. You have been a lot lately. You are still recovering." He said in a more serious tone.
"Yes." She whispered.
"You never should've ventured out to find me, Rhiannon. Even if you were well." He said as he sat on the cot. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to sit beside him.
"Forgive me." She said.
"What were you thinking?" he asked her shaking his head. Clearly, he was having difficulty understanding her lately.
"My Lord, I just wanted to be where you were." She said quietly.
He put his hand on her cheek and leaned in close. "My Lady, you must know that I was missing you too. But that is how it must be sometimes. That is no reason for you to go off on your own on a fortnight's journey to find me!"
"Why not?" she asked. He was obviously shocked.
"What do you mean – why not?" he asked abruptly.
She turned completely to face him. She sighed then looked at him before she began.
"I was feeling stifled. We both were – Meridwyn and I." she paused to look for his reaction. He just raised his eyebrow at her. She tried to ignore it, because it was the one thing he did without thinking that sent tingles down her spine. "You don't know what it's like when you're not there. I'm accustomed to freedom. Oh! – this is not making sense." She stammered.
"Say it my Lady. Continue." He encouraged her. There was warmth in his hazel eyes as he looked at her. She was beginning to relax.
"I thought I'd go mad, my Lord."
"You won't make a habit of it, though, I presume?" he paused a moment before continuing. "You'd do well to listen to me, some of the time." He smiled.
"No. I won't take leave again." She agreed quietly then asked. "How near are we now?"
"We're about two days from home now, my love. Are you anxious to return?" the Sheriff asked.
"Yes and no. Yes because I'm eager to find out about Lady Meridwyn. I'm worried about her. And, I'm looking forward to meeting your cousin. I've heard all about him from Meridwyn. But, I don't mind this." She said as her green eyes danced by the glow from the lamp.
"It is a bit like a get away isn't it?" he smiled back. "I must say, it's the first time my travels have been so – interesting."
She placed her arm about his neck and touched his wavy raven coloured hair. "So therefore, you are glad I am here?" she asked playfully.
"I am glad you are with me, yes. But that's because you did not meet with danger – this time."
"My Lord…" she began. He cut her off.
"If you were to try that again" he continued "We might not be so lucky." He added. "We wouldn't be doing this."
He could see she was disappointed. "My Lady." He whispered as he lifted her chin up to meet his gaze. " I'm only pointing this out because I was very worried I wouldn't find you when you left that cabin so abruptly. But, I am very glad you're here with me now. Taking a rest from riding has never been this – enjoyable." He smiled.
She remembered what it was that made her leave the cabin. She wished she could remember other things as easily.
"I was angry at you." She said.
"When?" he asked. He had forgotten all about Meridwyn's surprising kiss.
"I saw you kissing Lady Meridwyn. I know about you and she. She told me about it. Told me it couldn't work between you, and then she met Guy. Through you. Very convenient. Maybe, there's more than meets the eye." She looked away.
"Rhiannon…"
"You kissed her. Was it too dark for you in there? Did you think she was I? Or were you aware who it was you were being so intimate with?" she whispered.
"She did not know me, my Lady. I'm certain of it. I wasn't aware what was going to happen until it did."
"And how was it?"
"What?" he asked incredulous.
"How was the kiss? She used to be your maid." She said tentatively. She needed to know.
The Sheriff tried to suppress his anger. This was the first time she'd challenged him. He knew his answer though, and didn't hesitate responding.
"I was shocked by it. Unprepared for it. It wasn't anything." A beat. "I wished it was you." He said.
"I do too." She cleared her throat. She wanted to believe him, so she slightly changed the subject. "My Lord, did she say anything?" she asked.
"Who?"
"Meridwyn. Did she say anything to you?"
"Rhiannon, drop this."
"No this is important, my Lord."
He sighed. Where she was going with this he had no idea but he gave in. "Three words. All she said was three words: Oh, it's you."
"She spoke…" Rhiannon whispered.
"Yes?" He was shaking his head. Clearly confused.
"That must have been the first time she awakened. I tried to wake her several times but she wouldn't respond. She never moved or spoke."
"She is at the castle now, I'm certain of it. No doubt my cousin has sent for my trusted physician, Thomas. Everything is going to be back to normal very soon, my Lady. The outlaw is awaiting my judgement in the dungeon as well. We shall be home, and soon this will all be over." He reassured.
"You're certain?"
"Yes. It IS over. Now come here, and let me warm you a little, you're beginning to shiver." He smiled as he put his arms around her.
