Hey….sorry its been soo long since I've written anything. Now that its summer I'll try to write more than I've been writing. Please tell me what you think of this installment…that is if its still interesting. I'd love for your suggestions and ideas of improvement or changes…you can tell me even if you think it sucks even…

Chapter Six Dreams, Schemes

Guy woke up gasping for breath. He had just awoken himself from a nightmare. Sweat was pouring down his face. The dream, rather the nightmare, had been about his love, his life, Marian. In the dream Marian had stayed in Nottingham while he had ran away from the town's downfall. He had just abandoned her and left her to die. She had been screaming out his name, "Guy! Guy? Where are you?"

Guy slowly turned to his wife sleeping beside him to assure himself that she was still there—that she was still his. But to his shock she was not there.

Where is she?!

Guy's heart raced. He practically leapt from the bed, ran out of the bedroom, and raced down the staircase.

"Marian?" His call was desperate and nearly heartbroken. "Marian?"

He searched the entire house for her but she was nowhere to be found. What had happened her? What the hell had happened to her? As he checked every room for his lady he continued calling for her. Then he ran outside and called out loudly, "MARIAN!"

From behind him rang a small voice, "Guy?"

He turned around quickly and his hair twirled as he did. But his face cracked into a small smile as he looked at Marian. She was sitting on the grassy floor leaning herself up against the manor and looking out at the rising sun in front of her.

Marian had come outside so early in the morning to contemplate her current situation. It had been a month and a half since she had been Lady Gisborne. It had been a month and a half since she had been married to Guy. Her first thought as she stared at the golden sun was that it had been a month and a half too long. Her heart was breaking for Robin, who she knew would never come. Her heart still bled.

But she had to admit Guy was not always so terrible. He had been kinder to her lately. He was not so rough. He was not so…Guy of Gisborne. So when he came running outside flushed with fear and anger she looked up at him with fear and a small amount of tenderness. Had it been Robin standing there looking down at her wordlessly she would have stood up and asked him what was wrong flat out. She would have encircled her arms around his neck and kissed his desirable lips in earnest.

Robin I miss you.

But instead Guy looked at her and screamed, "Marian! What are you doing out here? God. Women! Running around like…like…"

"Like what Guy?" asked Marian raising her eyebrow. She no longer had an overwhelming fear of Guy's wrath. She had already experienced the worst of that.

"…children." There, Guy had finished. But he did not feel satisfied yelling at his wife in such a manner. It was wrong. It would not make him a better person, or a better husband.

"I was under the impression that I'm a grown woman. Forgive me if I was misguided in thinking I have freedom." The sarcasm was thick with every one of Marian's words.

Guy bit his lip. Should he tell her? Should he explain himself?

She'd laugh at me. She'd only laugh at me for my fears.

Guy did not reply but crossed his arms and looked at the ground meekly. He kicked at the grass and still remained silent. But then when he was brave enough to look into her eyes again he saw that she was still looking at him for an answer.

Well Guy, if you don't answer you'll look weak. If you do answer you'll look weak. Make up your mind.

"Iwasworriedaboutyou," Guy said quickly and mumbled it under his breath.

Marian stood up now slowly. She had not been feeling so well lately. "What was that exactly?"

Guy sighed. "I was…worried about…you."

Marian was silent so Guy continued, "I had this dream about the day we got married. You…you didn't want to marry me at all. You said that you would rather remain behind with the people and die with the town."

Marian nodded and pulled a strand of hair from her face to see Guy better. "What else happened?"

Guy turned away from her and shuttered. "I left you. I just rode off on my horse and left you to die with the rest of them. And you were calling to me. You were calling for my help. I just left you Marian."

Very slowly Marian put her hand on Guy's shoulder. He was not wearing his usual black leather. Instead he wore no shirt at all, only long black pants. "Guy, look at me."

Guy faced Marian. He would rather have done anything else in the world than face her at that moment.

"You didn't leave me." Marian smiled. "You could have just left me to die, but you didn't. I'll never forget your kindness Guy."

Marian's words did not have the exact affect on Guy that she predicted. She thought that he would smile and thank her. Instead he put his large arms around her and pressed her to his chest. True, her words had meant a lot to Guy but he heard the words come not from someone who loved him as a friend but someone who loved him…as a wife.

"I'm not going to leave you again." This was his promise. "No matter what happens, I'm not leaving you." There was truth and sincerity in his words. The promise was sealed then with a kiss. Guy pressed his lips onto Marian's lips and sank into it like a deliriously happy man.

The kiss would surely have continued but Marian broke from him collapsed to the grass and threw up. Guy nearly jumped back, so jolted and confused by what was going on. He knelt beside her and tried not to look at the contents of his wife's stomach. "Are you feeling alright?"

She shook her head. "Not really lately." Then Marian closed her eyes and clutched at her knees so she looked like a ball. Guy did not know what to do. He did what he had seen his grandfather do for his grandmother when she would get sick. He wrapped his hands around her waist and let her head, rest on his shoulder.

There sat the one time murderer Guy of Gisborne on the grass in France rocking his wife Marian. What neither Marian nor Guy knew was that inside Marian was something that was about to change their lives forever.

*****************************************************

Little did they know Vasey was planning a scheme of his own that would also change their lives forever. At moment Vasey was, as Robin had previous done, "negotiating" one of Sarah's ships. Though negotiating had many different meanings as Sarah had found out. One minute she was arguing prices with the sheriff. The next minute she was dead on the docks and blood was flowing from a fatal wound. Her father had once thrown her out of the house with no intention of letting her go back home. She had hated him more than life itself. But as a sword was thrust in and out of her small stomach her last thoughts in this life were of her dear father who only wanted the best for his daughter.

Vasey did not look back to admire his work. He had bigger and better things to worry himself about. Vasey commandeered a ship and a crew who, after "negotiations" were willing to sail Vasey wherever he wanted. At this moment Vasey had his eyes glued onto the horizon of the sea. He was impatient but excited at the certainty of fulfilling all his dreams. He could picture the slaughter of all of his enemies. Guy would take care of all of that messy work. Then, the sheriff sighed with pleasure, Guy would return to England with him and they would continue ruling the people with a firm grip.

But a voice behind him jerked him back to reality. "My Lord sheriff?"
Vasey closed his eyes. "Do I look like I want to be interrupted? A clue: NO!" Still Vasey turned around to look into the terrified face of one of his soldiers. The soldier coughed.

"One of the crew wishes to speak with you."

Vasey rolled his eyes. "Bring him."

The soldier turned around and motioned for the crewmember to step forward. Then the soldier left the two men alone. The crewmember walked right up to the sheriff so that he was standing face to face with the evil sheriff of Nottingham. But there was no fear in the man's eyes, Vasey could see that. That was odd. That rattled the sheriff.

"Who are you?" asked the sheriff trying to fain irritation.

"Edward Mann my lord sheriff."

"I won't remember that," said the sheriff.

"I don't care what you do or do not remember about me. I have come to ask you a favor."

"I don't do favors."

"Anyway," continued Edward as if he did not hear the sheriff, "when you land in Northern France, I want to come with you. I want to be your right hand man."

"Why?" asked the sheriff with slight interest.

"Guy killed my father last year. He starved my brothers while they were held in the dungeons in Nottingham. I have no love for him. And I have overheard you talking of your plans to kill the outlaws and bring Guy back. But I am here to offer you a second suggestion."

"Go on with it!"

"Let me kill Guy your grace, and when we return to England make me your lieutenant. I will oversee Guy's lands and his duties. Guy does not respect you my lord. I have all the respect in world for you. He does not worship you for the great evil villain that you are. I do. I am far better with a sword than he is. I have been training for a year to make myself better, stronger, and faster than Guy. What do you say?"

The sheriff was intrigued. But the sheriff needed to test it. Without a word the sheriff took out his sword and aimed it for Edward's chest. But Edward, true genius with a sword that he was, was prepared and blocked the sheriff's potential strike.

Vasey was extremely intrigued. He smiled. He cackled. Who needed Guy when he had this slave? Now the sheriff was contented. He could force Guy to kill the outlaws then when it looked like he would forgive Guy for abandoning him, Edward would kill Guy before he could protest.

This is a good day.

"You're hired."

This is a very good day.

So…is the sheriff too evil??? Guy too good??? Tell me what you think please. I hope I have met expectations and….left everyone with questions and hopes for a next installment.