Thank you to everyone for their reviews. I'm really sorry that you have to wait a little longer to see what happens to Guy. I'll be on holiday in July, but you'll get a new chapter in August.
Illusions 13
The castle was buzzing with activity. Venison, boar, partridge, pork and beef were brought into the kitchen and cut up. Cooks prepared pastries and tender roast in delicious sauces. The flavour of bread and cake meandered though the kitchen and the bakehouse. Candles were made and the hall was decorated with cloths and banners. Stable hands combed down the horses and cleaned the stables; soldiers polished their weapons.
She should be exhilarated. Nottingham Castle was a gloomy fortress and could not be compared with the Tower of London. She, a young noblewoman from the country, would attend the King's feast. But Marian could not relish in all this beauty and cheerfulness; she knew what was awaiting her….and if the King refused to fulfil her plea….Only in the garden Marian could breathe freely and she felt as if the burden was lifted a little when she lingered amongst the flowers and bushes.
Who were these people? Marian was positive that she had never seen them before. The huge older man with his spiky hair standing in all directions was obviously a knight, although his shabby garment showed that he was not blessed with worldly goods. He had his arms around a woman, whose face Marian could not see, but she seemed to cry.
Should she, could she help? She approached them slowly and caught the man's helpless glance. "May I help you?" she asked softly. "My chambers are nearby…and if you want to rest…." Grateful, the man gazed at Marian, nodded and followed her, whereas his wife didn't say a word.
Marian directed them towards the hallways towards her chambers and Osgood led his wife to a chair. Up to now, they had not said anything, but Marian felt that this was not a qualm. The old knight seemed to be somehow….shaken and Marian saw how lovingly he treated his wife. "Thank you," he said and bowed his head. "My name is Osgood of Gringstow and this is my wife Anne. We….maybe you've seen a …captive brought here some days ago." He halted and it was a while until he continued. "The man has lived with us for months. We thought he was our nephew; there was an uncanny resemblance…but in truth….The Earl of Huntington has allowed us to see him in the dungeons and…."
Marian was dumbstruck. These were the people Robin had told her about. „You are here to see the hanging," she said in a flat voice. „It's Guy of Gisborne you are talking about and …he is…responsible for your nephew's death…
Anne blinked, bewildered. "No, he is not, but…You know him? Who are you?"
„My name is Marian of Knighton and I….know him well." Marian had expected torrents of hatred about the man who had posed as their nephew. She was not prepared for the glance the couple cast at her – surprise, thoughtfulness, distrust and…hope? Finally Osgood broke the silence. "Guy mentioned the name Marian."
Marian paled. Guy had spoken about her? What had he said? That he had loved her once? She looked at them pleadingly. "Would you tell me what happened?"
Quizzically Osgood gazed at her. What should he tell this woman? Other than the Earl of Huntington she didn't seem to hate Guy and she had looked distraught when she had talked about him.
The arrival of Robin of Locksley and Guy's arrest had hurt Anne and Osgood deeply. At first Osgood had thought that Guy had said and done had been deception, but then he had begun to think about everything, about the way Guy had behaved towards them. The visit in the dungeons had affirmed his doubts. Guy hadn't even tried to make excuses, he hadn't even tried to explain his hatred of King Richard. The assassination had been caused by hatred and not by ambition of greed; this Osgood had been sure of.
Inquiringly, he glanced at Marian and decided to be more open than he had intended to be. "We don't want to see the hanging; we wanted to see Guy for a last time. The time he was with us….we liked…..he was a good boy." Osgood seemed embarrassed, but Anne squeezed his hand and nodded.
Marian blinked and then her lips curled slightly. Osgood frowned and then scowled at her; had he been wrong about her? Hastily Marian said, "I didn't expect anybody to call Guy a good boy….but he is …very important to me and I….I will try to rescue him."
Anne stared at Marian and shook her head, woeful. "This is not possible," she said. "He is a…traitor and there is no possibility to save his life. Even if we beg the King for mercy…."
Marian drew a deep breath. "I….I don't know, but I'll try… It is odd; all these years I have fought against the Sheriff of Nottingham and against Guy…the King promised me a reward. I intend to go to him at the evening of the feast and ask for this reward…..What did Guy….what did he say about me? I know he hates me."
Surprised the older woman looked at Marian. There was more than she had thought at first. She had regained her composure and part of her hope; perhaps Guy would live. "Does he have reason to hate you?" she asked and Marian nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again. "I…" She bit her lips. "He has reason to hate me. I spied on him and I used his …affection form e." she didn't dare to say love. "I'm so sorry!" she sobbed, covering her face with her hands. Now I'm even crying in front of these strangers. Embarrassed, she wiped her tears away and tried to smile.
"Earlier, the Earl of Huntington told us about Guy," Osgood said. "Now I would like to hear from you," Osgood said.
Marian knew she looked good and that she would make an impression on the King in this dress. It was a delicate cloth, as she had never seen one before; her dark hair shone and was adorned with a band of little beads. Jane had been so proud about the King's gift to her mistress that she had told everybody. Marian had known at once how jealous most of the conceited court ladies would be and had felt satisfaction; she had known, however, that the gift was inappropriate.
What was the King aiming to achieve with this dress? Still, she was not able to reckon up King Richard's character. He had always been kind of a guiding light for her, the way everybody had talked about him, the things Robin had told her…But if she was honest – she didn't like hi. The way he had treated her had not been a king's natural authority but the condescending behaviour of a man who thought that women were second-class human beings. Of course she had always known that most man considered women inferior, but the way she had been raised by her father had been exceptional and she had grown up on island of bliss. And how he had looked at her – she hadn't liked it. I'll be on my guard, she murmured.
But perhaps she could take advantage of this situation, perhaps…She felt a lump in her throat. In a few minutes Robin would come and walk her to the hall where the feast would take place. She already knew that everything would change between them, even if the King should deny her request.
Glancing at Marian, Robin raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, his eyes radiant. She had always been beautiful, but now he knew that he would be met with envy by every man at court. Fleetingly he thought of his former friends from Sherwood Forest; they had returned to their life and he had returned to his. He took Marian's hand and felt her trembling slightly. "Believe me, the evening will be a success for you," he said reassuringly and caressed her hand.