Illusions 15
„I'll spare his life, but he will be banished. He will save no more than his skin," King Richard said softly and looked at Marian, his gaze scrutinizing her.
Her heart was still in her mouth and she realised that she had held her breath. Guy would be saved, but she would never see him again. She didn't know what she had expected. After all, Guy had tried to kill the king and this was one of the most horrible crimes anyone could think of, but…."I'm very grateful, your majesty," she said, hardly recognizing her own voice.
Richard smiled. How grateful? his gaze said. The king was prudent enough not to put pressure on her now. She would only hate him and he didn't want a woman, who'd rather put a dagger at his throat than sleep with him. I can wait and I know she will be mine. "You may adjourn to your chambers now. You will probably want to tell Robin yourself. I take it that he doesn't know yet?... I will announce it then that Gisborne will be pardoned."
Marian nodded but didn't say anything; she bowed and left the room. She knew how lucky she had been but she also knew that she was in for a rough time with Robin.
King Richard remained, bemused. The evening had not quite turned out as he had expected, but if he played his cards well… His lips curled in a smirk. The image of a cards-game…it was a game and he liked to play. For Gisborne's pardon he would stage a spectacle; this would entertain the courtiers and mollify Robin. And Marian, who had made eyes at him to save her former lover, would be his. Obviously, she had underestimated him.
Guy raised his head; again, he heard footfall and then the latches at the door were pushed back. He stared into space; this time, there wouldn't be a reprieve like some days ago when Anne and Osgood had visited him. Guy was almost too weak to even think of struggle against this fate. The few sips of water that Anne had given him had revived him for only a short time. The guards didn't even bother to bring him fresh water and all he could do was licking the moisture from the walls of the dungeon. His lips were split and his neck and throat were sore and burned where the jougs cut in his flesh.
The door squeaked in its hinges and in the shimmer of a torch Guy saw three men coming down the steps. Three men to fetch him? This was hardly necessary; he was so weak that they could have sent the scullion. Guy closed his eyes again and didn't move until the sound of the boots came near and the men halted in front of him. There were two soldiers and another man in the background. One of the soldiers grasped the chain and pulled Guy roughly to his feet; Guy groaned; he stumbled and then he felt that the jougs were opened.
The third man came out of the shadow – Locksley! His face was contorted with hatred and, stepping near, he punched Guy in the ribcage at full tilt, hurling him to the ground. For a moment, Guy lay on the ground, dazed; then he tried to get up. "Locksley….you…rob yourself of the fun, if you kill me now," he groaned and laughed softly. His ribs, one of them was broken for sure. A hard kick against his head, he fell to the floor again, and then was pulled up brutally.
Blood trickled from a wound at Guy's head and he blinked. Locksley's dreams had come true; he would see his worst enemy hang. Why did he need beating him up now? Abruptly, Robin released him and he collapsed. Everything went black and he hit the ground with his head, hard.
Light, blazing light….his head felt as if breaking into a thousand pieces. He raised his arm and touched his temple….a bandage….Slowly he began to feel his body again and moved his head, looking around. He was lying on a bed of straw; the room was primitive and the colour flaked off the walls. Beside him a jug was standing on the floor next to a small loaf of bread. With effort, he sat up and felt a sharp pain in his chest. It didn't matter; he was used to pain…..Water! Greedily, he gulped the liquid and reached for the bread. It was hard and he poured the rest of the water over it to soften it.
Everything had remained silent and the room was empty save for the straw bed he was sitting on. Where was he and why had he been brought her? Then he began to laugh. He was as dumb as he had told Locksley to be. They would give him something to eat and would tend to his injuries and then execute him. There was no fun in hanging a man, who was half dead.
The door was opened and an elderly plump maid servant came in, carrying a small water basin and a cloth, behind her Robin of Locksley, was standing in the door with his legs apart, and eying Guy with hatred.
"What do you want, Locksley? Making sure that I get enough to eat and live to see the day of the execution?" He laughed and then snorted derisively. The maid servant halted, unsure what to do now. "Go!" Robin snubbed. „Come back later on!" The woman hurried to leave the room and Robin slammed the door behind her.
"I didn't want to believe it and she has not admitted it either, but….How have you succeeded in ensnaring her? She has always detested you."
Guy looked at Robin without understanding.
"Don't act the fool! Marian!" Robin shouted.
"Marian?" Guy didn't trust his ears. "You're talking nonsense…She spied on my – for you – and she only ridiculed me," he said in a flat voice, stony-faced. Only for a short moment, the hurt had flickered in his eyes, but it was long enough for Robin to notice. Gisborne is not a good actor. There was nothing between them. Can it bet hat….?
„What does it matter anyway?" Guy added. „You've achieved everything you wanted and Marian of Locksley will sit on the gallery with you and applaud my execution."
But instead of the scornful laughter Guy had expected, Robin's eyes only blazed and he looked at Guy grimly, clenching his teeth. Then he left the room without saying another word.
Early in the morning, Marian had come to him and he had been glad that she had come, had wanted to banter with her and asked what she had chosen as a reward. But her nervousness and the way she had paced had told him at once that something was wrong.
"Robin, there is something I have to tell you…please, don't interrupt me, even if…..From the time when I was a small child, father always told me that it is important to choose between right or wrong, good or bad, that it does not matter whether I like someone or not….He taught me to be grateful and that it is a sin to be ungrateful…."
Robin looked at her, confused. "Marian, what are you up to?"
Marian drew a deep breath. "I….perhaps…..Guy of Gisborne saved my life, not only once, but several times. ….I cannot…..I have begged the King to spare his life…"
As pale as death she stood in front of Robin and Robin stared at her without understanding. 'It couldn't be; he had misheard. Gisborne was their enemy, the worst traitor he could imagine…it couldn't be!'
But when he gazed at her, he knew that he had not misheard, that she had indeed asked the King for Gisborne's life. "This is what you chose as your reward – his life?" he heard himself say, his voice more a croak than his normal voice. "And I am to believe that there was nothing between you and Gisborne?" he shouted abruptly. "You've carried on with Gisborne, you…." His voice cracked.
Marian looked at him as if he had slapped her, but then she straightened and glared at him. "I didn't feel good knowing what I would have to say you. But you are making it easy for me, Robin. No, aside from the kiss at Nottingham Castle, when I wanted to prevent him from detecting you, there was nothing between us. And I don't care whether you believe me or not."
With these words she left him standing there and left the room, not even bothering to look back, while he was staring behind her, still stunned. Slowly, he regained his composure; he would talk to King Richard. This could not be happening!
His footfall reverberated on the floor when Robin headed towards the King's chambers. Angrily, he pushed a servant aside, who was hurrying through the halls and had not jumped aside in time. The guard at the door hastened to announce the Earl of Huntington to the King, when he saw the grim mien of the usually good humoured nobleman and only a few minutes later Robin entered the King's chambers.
The King was sitting in his usual chair. "Come and sit down, Robin; I have expected you." He pointed at a chair at his side. "I know what you want to ask me, Robin. Well, you were present when I promised Lady Marian a reward, a reward she could choose. It is important that everyone can rely on the King not to break his word, even without a sworn oath." He smiled. "She has only asked for his life. I promise you that he will be banished and he won't forget the public humiliation I intend for him."
Robin breathed deeply when he left King Richard's chambers. The King was one of the people he could trust, whereas Marian had betrayed him. Gisborne….he would make him talk, although he had to hold back. Robin knew that he was likely to kill Gisborne, if he lost his composure; he had to be careful. The King had given his word and this was the only thing that was important.