Back from my holiday and excited about all your kind comments on my story! A great thank you to everyone, who took the time to review; this is very important for me. As before a friend translated for me; I'm very glad, since I really want to finish the story and my schedule is rather tight. It's odd, now that there are only a few chapters to go, I'm a bit sad. Anyway, enjoy!
Illusions 42
Rhobert opened the door and frowned when he saw the old servant sitting on the stool next to Guy's bed. The old man rose respectfully. "The English lady had me fetched earlier. She had…" he cleared his throat embarrassedly. "I think she had cried… No, no…", he added hastily when he saw Rhobert's distraught expression. "Everything is fine; otherwise I would have informed you immediately."
Rhobert's face lit up and he stepped beside his friend's bed. Guy did not move and was very pale, but his chest heaved with regular breathing. The dressing was soaked in blood, but it did not seem to be fresh blood. Gwyneth now stood next to Rhobert. She bent over the bed and lightly touched Guy's forehead. Hi stirred briefly and then lay still again.
Gwyneth nodded relieved. "He does not have a fever. He has probably slept all night, which is good. The bleeding has stopped. I will order hot water and a fresh cloth for the bandage", she said in a low voice, nodded to Rhobert and went away. "You can go now, I will stay with my friend. Go to the kitchen and let them give you something to eat", Rhobert said to the old servant in a friendly tone.
The old man closed the door behind him, and Rhobert sat down on the stool which he pulled close to the bed. He mutely looked down on his friend. Was it out of the ordinary that he was asleep for such a long time? Maybe Gwyneth had been wrong after all, maybe… Dear God, please let him live, he prayed silently.
Guy heard some noise and tried to open his eyes, …voices... the door…something else… Damn it, why was it so difficult? He blinked and grimaced. His head hurt, and his shoulder…
"Guy!", he could hear a muffled voice say. He opened his eyes only for a fraction and saw Rhobert sitting next to his bed. His friend had watched at his bedside, and he had mistaken him for Marian in his dream. Now he opened his eyes properly and looked at Rhobert; involuntarily he had to laugh, even though his head hurt in doing so.
"You definitely seem to be much better if you start laughing as soon as you see me."
"I am …" He wanted to say "fine", but the word died on his lips as he tried to sit up with the help of one hand. Aaargh!Damn it, that hurt! …and his head!Moaning, he sank back on his pillow.
"You shouldn't try and sit up. Gwyneth will be back in a moment… She said that your injuries are not…", Rhobert broke off as the door was opened and Gwyneth and a young maid stepped into the room. The young woman put a basin with hot water on the table and laid fresh linen next to it. Gwyneth nodded to her in a friendly way and dismissed her while she put a bowl with hot broth and a pot with a dark tincture on the table. For a brief moment, her hand caressingly stroked Rhobert's arm before she turned to Guy. Her gaze was friendly and kind. "Rhobert, please help me propping Guy up so that I can change the bandage."
With Rhobert's help Guy managed to sit up, and Gwyneth took off the blood-soaked dressing. She inspected the wound and nodded contentedly. "I think the injury was only skin-deep. I know it will hurt, but can you try and move your arm?"
Guy raised his arm and flexed his fingers. He grimaced but didn't say a word. Gwyneth rinsed the wound, soaked a small cloth in the dark tincture, placed it on the wound and then dressed his shoulder again. Leaning against the pillow, Guy ate the broth that Gwyneth made him eat.
"Can you remember what happened?", Rhobert asked, who really looked relieved by now.
"Morgan…", Guy replied with a hoarse voice. "Why am I still alive?"
"Lady Marian obviously noticed the attack and returned, which drowe him away. He probably thought you were already dead, anyway. It seems that you have banged your head on a rock, and if he had succeeded in running the knife into you again… When I saw her kneeling beside you, I thought at first that she had…", Rhobert swallowed. "If it hadn't been for Bran, we would have hung an innocent woman. But he had seen everything… Rhys has already ordered that Morgan will be hanged from the castle's pinnacles. Nothing will save him… and no one has tried to do so."
No one has tried to do so… They had taken the side of an Englishman and turned against one of their fellow countrymen. Guy leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He realised how exhausted he still was and could barely hear Gwyneth's voice while the sleep was threatening to overcome him again.
"It will be the best for him if he sleeps. The wound looks good, but he might still catch a fever, and I will stay with him... I have seen Lady Marian. She asked me how he was. I think I have misjudged her character. She obviously loves him."
"I know, but it cannot be helped and she will leave Wales tomorrow. She told me herself that he can neither forgive her nor does he want to. But I am sure that he loves her as well", Guy heard Rhobert reply.
"It is sad that two people who love one another cannot… I do not understand why he cannot forgive her…"
He slept.Marian's face… if I fall on my knees before you… cannot forgive …not forgive… you don't want… a ship…Waves….he swam and called out but the ship departed… nobody saw him, and then the waves were breaking over his head…
Guy awoke with a hoarse cry.
"Guy! What...?" Gwyneth's hand touched his forehead. No, he did not have a fever.
"Nothing!", Guy moaned. "Nothing, it was just a dream…"
"Here, drink something." She helped him to sit up, and he drank with greedy gulps from the mug that she held to his lips.
"How long have I been asleep?", Guy asked.
"Only for a few hours... but I can tell by looking in your eyes that you are better… Can I leave you alone for a while? I can send you a servant later who will stay with you."
"You are welcome to…", Guy interrupted himself when he suddenly became aware that the attempted murder had taken place on the evening of Gwyneth's und Rhobert's wedding, and that right now she should be in bed with her husband. And it seemed that Rhobert had been watching at his bedside. "Gwyneth, I really feel better. You can leave me alone now. It's enough as it is that Rhobert was here all night."
Gwyneth smiled at him. "It wasn't Rhobert, who stayed with you, Guy, it was Lady Marian. She had stayed with you… Rhobert…", she blushed. "I will order some food to be brought to you."
With these words she left Guy alone. Marian…so it had not been a dream. She had not only been sitting at his bed, he now clearly remembered seeing her face close to his.
She will leave tomorrow… Didn't Rhobert say something like that? And didn't he say something else? He does not want to forgive… the dream from a little while ago… Marian had been right, he did not want to forgive, he had twisted everything in his favour so that the evidence was against Marian and he did not have to forgive her. He shuddered. If what she had said was correct, then she had fallen in love with him – against her own better judgement – that long time ago in Nottingham. She had risked Robin's and the King's anger and begged for his life, and she had paid dearly for it. She had come here because she hoped he had forgiven her, and he had pushed her away. What a self-righteous hypocrite he was! And nevertheless she had sat beside his bed. He had to prevent her from leaving him forever! He would go to her…
Guy pushed the furs that were covering him aside and rose carefully. His legs were rather wobbly. Damn it, why was he so sluggish? After all, he had sustained sword and stab wounds before without him shaking like a sissy. He opened the door and slowly walked down the hallway. He nearly had to laugh; it was almost like being a small boy again when he tiptoed from his chamber and hoped that nobody would notice him. If Rhobert or Gwyneth saw him, they would kindly but surely make him to return to his bed. But he was lucky, the hallway remained empty.
She did not have much to pack and there was nothing else for her to do. Marian lay on her bed and stared through the little window. The sky was blue and she could hear the singing of birds – but she felt like crying. Suddenly, she could hear a sound outside her door, and then it was opened. Guy! It was Guy, standing in the door, white as a sheet and drenched in sweat. "Marian", he spluttered. "Don't go, stay with me!" Then he collapsed.
With a single leap Marian was with Guy, and only seconds later she loudly called for help in the hallway.
He was still unconscious when two servants carried him back to his chamber. The wound in his shoulder had opened again, and the bandage was red with blood. Petrified, Marian stood behind Gwyneth who carefully lifted the cloth, but just at this moment, Guy opened his eyes and looked at her. He said nothing and exhaustedly fell asleep shortly afterwards, so she sat down beside his bed and waited.
Rhobert und Gwyneth quietly left the room. Gwyneth leaned her head on Rhobert's shoulder "I shouldn't have left him alone, but how could I have anticipated…", she broke off and he caressed her tenderly. "Don't blame yourself", he said quietly but determinedly. "The way I see it, it was for the best. And look at the result! I am absolutely sure now that he will recover and that…" He held her face in both hands and smiled at her, and then he took her hand and led her outside.
Marian looked at the sleeping Guy and felt something like panic rising in her. Actually, she still did not know Guy very well, and maybe she was misjudging him again just as she had earlier. Maybe she had only idealized him because she had been lonely and disappointed. If a man like Rhobert was his friend, it would probably mean a lot – and he wanted her to stay, but… Was she about to make a terrible mistake? She hadn't thought long before she followed Rhobert to Wales and…
"Marian!" Guy's rough voice hit her ears and startled her. She had stared into space and not noticed that Guy had regained consciousness. He was looking at her intensely, and she could see the question in his eyes – would she stay? He stretched his hand out towards her and she knew what he wanted. She put her hand in his, and his fingers closed tightly around hers. He hadn't said anything, yet, he just looked at her. Somehow it seemed as if they were looking at each other properly for the first time. He had such gorgeous eyes, blue with a little bit of grey – depending on how the light fell into them –, and he had lovely long lashes. Guy was still very pale but obviously he was on the mend. A little smile appeared on his lips, and she thought about the few times she had seen him smile. He was still holding – or rather clasping – her hand, and then she lightly pressed her lips on his hand. She heard him holding his breath and looked at him, but she didn't dare to say anything either. Marian knew that this could only be a start, there were still too many things unsaid and she hoped that she could trust not only Guy but herself as well.
It was quite some time before she left the room and an old maidservant took her place beside the bed.
Guy leaned back on his pillow. He was aware that he had to remain in his bed and could not risk getting up too early, but he already hated this cramped chamber. When would she return? But then he realised that only a few minutes could have passed since she had left. He had read it in her eyes that she would stay, and then she had kissed his hand. Yes, she would stay, but for how long? What did she expect of him? He wasn't a good person, and he would never be. How long would it take until he disappointed her or until she found someone else who could offer her more?
When Rhobert entered the room and immediately noticed Guy's serious and almost dispairing expression, he frowned. He knew that Lady Marian wouldn't leave Wales, and surely there had been no argument between them.
"You do not quite look as I hoped you would", he said lightly, and sat down as the maid quietly closed the door behind her. When Guy didn't respond, he added more seriously: "I assumed that the things between you and Lady Marian were rectified."
Guy swallowed. "I will disappoint her, I can never live up to her expectations. I can't offer her anything. It…"
"How do you know what she expects? Have you asked her?"
How did he… "I have never asked her, but she has a right for a different life than the one that I have to offer. Lord Rhys once said that he will reward me, but I don't know whether she can and wants to wait… and you know my violent temper, Rhobert."
Rhobert laughed, and Guy looked at him with tightened brows.
"You know that I would never laugh at you, Guy. Yes, I know your temper, but the fact alone that you recognise it tells me that you have changed more than you know. As for the life that you want to offer her – have you ever asked her and yourself whether it is important to her at all? She is here, Guy, and you have the chance for a new start if you trust her. Do you?"
There was a little pause, and eventually Guy nodded. "Yes, I trust her."
"Good!", Rhobert replied and rose. "I trust you, too. Meaning, that I can rely on you not trying to get up again. You no longer need someone to watch over you, do you?"
Guy smiled. "I think I have learned my lesson."
When Rhobert had left, Guy stayed behind meditatively and was glad that he had a chance to collect his thoughts. Maybe he really had a second chance.
For a while, Rhobert stood in the hallway, lost in thoughts. He had known that there was still a lot that remained unsaid between Guy and Marian, and he only hoped that they would manage to get over it.