Lady Sybille de Lusignan, known far and wide as the beautiful "Melusine," stood admiring herself in the looking glass in her private chambers in Nottingham Castle. Her lover, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, had just left her, and her cheeks wore an attractive flush from their violent love making.
Lady Sybille had thrown an elegant robe over her exquisite body, and was just about to summon her ladies to dress her for the party already taking place in the Great Hall, when she reeled back, completely stunned by the presence of a man in her chamber.
"How did you get in here? Remove yourself from my chambers before I scream and have you removed by force, knave!"
The brown clad "knave" chuckled lightly, and stepped forward to reveal himself as none other than Robin of Locksley.
"Sorry to alarm you, milady," he replied. "I would have had myself announced, but I'm not a great favorite with the guards."
Lady Sybille smiled. "Robin of Locksley," she cooed, pleased at the sight of an 'almost lover.' "I was hoping we might cross paths again. So, I hear you are causing all sorts of trouble in Nottingham. I hope you are not here to rob me, for I warn you, I will not hesitate to scream and have you arrested. And I know very well several gentlemen who cannot wait to watch you die."
Robin chuckled again, and stepped forward to take the lady's hand and press it to his lips. Gazing at her with twinkling mischievious eyes, he charmingly said, "It's 'Robin Hood' now, milady, but I wouldn't think of robbing such a good friend as yourself. I assure you, you are perfectly safe with me."
The beautiful "Melusine" lifted her eyebrows and gave him a knowing smile. "Ah, that is your great mistake, Robin. A lady such as myself may not wish to feel herself safe with such a man as you."
"So, does Gisbourne leave you unsatisfied?" Robin looked extremely pleased and amused, but his amusement angered the lady.
"Hardly. He is the most exciting man I have ever known. But tell me," she softened, "what brings you to my chambers? Whatever it is you desire must be of momentous importance for you to risk so much, just to come see me. If my husband found you here, he would kill you."
"And your lover as well."
"You seem fascinated by my lover. Can it be that you are jealous? What do you know of him?"
Lady Sybille had no idea of the degree of Robin's jealousy toward Gisbourne, but it had absolutely nothing to do with her. Robin grew serious, his jealousy hardening his face and voice.
"I know that his greatest wish is to see me dead. I know that he lives in my house and brutalizes my people. I know that he longs to steal my greatest treasure and make her his wife. And," he added, changing his manner to once again charm the vain Lady Sybille, "I know that he had the pleasure of winning your affections, when I failed to please."
Lady Sybille looked pleased. "Pretty words, Robin, to match your pretty face. But you forget, you were on the verge of success, when you grew fevered and fainted dead away. You grieviously disappointed me, you know."
"Apologies, milady. The anticipation of a night in your arms completely overpowered me. Trust me, I have never forgiven myself for what I lost that night in Cyprus."
"You ought to have been man enough to master your fever. Sir Guy has no such qualms." Lady Sybille studied him, wondering how best she might use him for her own devices. "So," she mused, "your 'greatest treasure.' That would be the Lady Marian, I presume."
Robin didn't answer, perturbed he had revealed his secret desire to a potential enemy.
Lady Sybille circled him slowly, taking in every inch of him with her glinting eyes. "You are jealous of Sir Guy on two counts, then."
Knowing it wise to flatter and charm her, Robin agreed. "Does he not have what every man desires?"
She laughed lightly. "You will fail with Lady Marian, just as you failed with me. She will be unable to resist all he offers. You have no chance."
Her words stung Robin. It took all his power to control his anger.
"I wouldn't be so sure, if I were you."
"No? Who better than me to judge the truth? You are no match for Sir Guy. He has everything, and what have you? A pretty face, undeniable charm, stength, and daring. That is all. Young virgins and old women might sigh themselves to sleep over you at night, but real women favor a man such as Gisbourne. I know! Your Lady Marian may still fall into the 'virgin' category, but it won't be long before she succumbs to Sir Guy. And then, Robin, my sweet faced boy, you will be done for. Besides, what woman in her right mind would choose to live an outlaw's existence, when she can be 'Lady Locksley?' Isn't that why she allied herself with you before you lost everything?" She sighed. "Ahh, poor poor Robin!"
Robin glared into her coyly smiling face. "You know nothing of Marian," he snarled.
She considered. "I'll help you, however, if you think there's even a glimmer of hope."
Robin looked at her questioningly, and she responded to his look, "Oh, yes! I have no desire for Guy to insult me by imagining I am your precious 'treasure' while we reap the delights of passion. For that's what he's doing! I can tell! Do I not employ the same deception when I lie with my husband? Luckily for me, my husband shares my lover's name, and so, when I'm imagining he's Gisbourne, I need not stifle my cries of 'Guy!' "
Robin tried to hide his displeasure, but his face still winced at her words. He privately thanked God for the fever which had saved him from a romantic encounter with such a woman. Preferring not to ally himself with her, he still needed her help to attend the party undetected. "You say you can help me?" he asked, more coldly than he intended.
"What help do you seek?"
Robin took a deep breath before answering. "I want to enter the party tonight undetected. I thought I might go as one of your servants."
Lady Sybille laughed. "You had better change the way you move then! You have the most distinguishing way of moving, Robin! You need to be more clumsey...more ordinary. But yes, I can see how our servants' livery might suit. Those gowns my husband favors, and those bonnets! So hideous! Yet so disguising! One can barely make out our servants' faces, the way the bonnets shadow them."
She stared at Robin again, then enjoyed playing Lady Bountiful. "I freely give you the loan of a costume, Robin. You shall wear Lusignan livery tonight! And good luck with your wooing. It is my suggestion you take the lady's 'flower' before Sir Guy does, for once he gets it, you will have no hope at all."
Never having harmed a woman in his life, Robin nonetheless found it difficult to fight back his urge to hurt her. "You know nothing of Marian," he uttered.
"She is a woman. All women are the same, once we taste the delights of the flesh."
"You are not a fish," Robin began, but stopped himself from comparing her to a serpent.
"Am I not? Only a handful of men know for certain. You might have been one of the lucky few. But alas! Your fever struck! Perhaps if you added more meat to your bones, you would not succumb to a mere fever. Perhaps, it might even help you win your Marian...at least to an illicit bed, if not to the marriage one."
"Where's the livery?" Robin asked, not wanting to hear "Melusine" mention Marian's name one more time.
"Take it," Lady Sybille replied, tossing it at him. "Now, go, and put it on. I wish to summon my ladies. I need them to make me even more beautiful for the party tonight."