Hi, here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy because I had a great time writing it. Also apologize for taking so long to get this to you I hope you accept and forgive my tardiness :o)
Chapter 13,
Reconciliation,
The following morning,
Guy woke earlier than Annie and so he stepped out of bed to get changed, he decided that wearing his doublet was probably not the best idea, as going back to Robin usually meant fighting. He had come in his leather tunic but had left his shoulder armor at camp, because he had lost track of it since his injury, but it was probably under his bunk where he usually stored things.
When he was fully decked in his usual outfit of arm guards, sword, riding boot, spurs, and pants, he walked quietly over to Annie's side of the bed.
He kissed her softly on the cheek, and then she stirred awake,
"Guy…are you leaving?" She asked,
"Yes I've decided that I should make things right as soon as possible." Guy replied, as he began to walk away,
"Guy." Annie called; Guy then returned and gave her one last kiss before he made his way out the door,
He got a stable boy to saddle his horse, and once the boy had finished his task Guy mounted Renatus, and trotted in the direction of Nottingham to clear things with his sister. He knew that he would arrive in Nottingham by nightfall so getting into the castle wasn't the problem, and if he had to knock out a guard or two it wouldn't make much difference.
The ride was lonely and solemn, and it felt strange after he had spent the last twenty-four hours or more in the arms of his lovely wife. The ring he had acquired through his marriage still sat on his left ring finger, there was no way he would even consider taking it off, not until Annie was safe in Nottingham, if he could set things straight with his sister.
Nightfall In Nottingham,
Guy strode his horse silently to the bridge that lead across the dry moat to the castle itself, he dismounted an instructed his horse to stand silently, and as if the horse understood everything Guy said, it obeyed. To his luck the gate had remained open, and the usual guards were nowhere to be found, so he cautiously entered the courtyard.
He hadn't noticed that the moment he had stepped into the castle grounds, a bowman was following close behind him, and because he didn't have a sword he held an arrow in his hand. But almost as soon as the guard was about to stab the arrow into Guy's back, Guy detected movement and so he quickly turned and was caught in the shoulder with the pointed tip.
He moaned quietly, but struck the guard in the face with the opposite hand as hard as he could, as he had tried to stray from killing unless it was completely necessary, another ethic he had managed to pick up from the time he had spent with Robin. To his delight the guard fell to the ground and made no further movement, once he was sure the guard was out, he turned his attention to the arrow that protruded from his left shoulder.
The tip had buried itself deep in his flesh, but the arrow had remained in tact during their scuffle, but to his disappointment as he tried to pull the arrow out the same way it went in, the frail wood snapped. This made him frustrated, he knew he should have put an effort into finding his shoulder armor, but he was in such a hurry to get to Annie, that he hadn't bothered with taking the time.
About an inch of arrow was left sticking out of his shoulder, so there was no hope in being able to pull in out any further, unless one had smaller hands, but his were too big. He decided to continue incase another guard decided to show up, getting into a fight was not something he wanted, because he could feel the tip of the arrow scraping against things that he would rather leave untouched.
Keeping his arm as still as possible, he made his way to the chute that he knew Robin had used many times to get into the castle, he had found this out when Allen had flipped sides and it was going to come in handy now. Only when he arrived at the chute entrance, he was greeted by three metal bars that ran across it, it was then that he remembered Allen had rated Robin out, and told about his secret entrances.
He slammed his good arm against the bars in further frustration, the bars then shifted under his sudden pressure, so he pushed them further and they gave way, Vaisey always was a bit cheap. Pulling himself up he climbed into the chute, sliding along on his stomach, he then slid out and into the rubbish heap that waited on the other side.
Luckily it was fresh rubbish so it hadn't had a chance to obtain that feted odor it usually circulated around this part of the castle, climbing out of the heap, he dusted himself off and began to make his way inside the castle to Isabella's sleeping quarters. Sneaking through the castle wasn't hard at all, because all the guards had dozed off, he couldn't blame them because it was somewhere around midnight, and not even he could stay up that long without doing anything.
Finally he reached Isabella's door, this was going to be the moment of truth, would she change her mind about King Richard and Prince John? Would she accept the apology he was about to throw at her? What would she think period when she found out that he was actually alive? That's why you called it the moment of truth.
He carefully pushed open one side of the massive oak two part door; it creaked silently so Guy paused to see if he could detect an movement from the sleeping form of his sister that lay in the large bed, with a canopy. He quietly strode across the hard wood floor and into the room, his footfalls deadened as he walked on tip toe, or at least tried too.
He turned and closed the door as quietly as he could but he couldn't stop the shaking of the metal ring used as a door knob, from clanking against the door. After making sure Isabella was still asleep he then made his around to the left side of the bed, this was it, it was time for 'the moment of truth'.
"Isabella." He called her name softly, but she didn't move,
"Isabella." He called louder than before, this time he saw her eyes snap open, so he quickly placed his hand over her mouth, he could see that she was frightened,
"Isabella it's alright I'm not going to hurt you…I'm here for a reason." Guy assured, as he sat on the bed his left arm pounding with pain,
"Call your guards and you will never get what I came for." Guy warned as he slowly moved his hand away, she then rose into a sitting position,
"What do you want?" She asked,
"I'm here to beg for forgiveness and beg you to join me." Guy explained,
"I don't understand."
"You're right Isabella I have been to at peace with myself…I didn't care what others thought about me even you, and I want to change that…that is why I am here to tell you how sorry I am for condemning you to a life of misery." Guy said sincerely, through the grimacing that threatened,
"I knew what kind of a man he was but I sold you anyway…it was wrong and I can only hope that you find it in your heart to forgive the wrong." He added,
"All I ever wanted to here from you was a plea for forgiveness…I never thought you would say it at your own accord." Isabella admitted,
Guy tilted his head slightly in agreement, before he rose from the bed to stand by the room's window with his back to her, Isabella wasn't sure if he was trying to hide true feelings, but she wanted to comfort him. She drew back the covers and stepped out of the bed, she then walked over to Guy and placed a hand on his left shoulder, she was startled when he flinched at her touch. But when she saw that blood lined the hand she had used to comfort Guy with she knew why he had drawn away from her so fast.
"Brother you're hurt." She said,
Isabella wiped her hand a towel, before she lit the candles in the room, this allowed her to see things clearly, including the stub of wood that was sticking out of Guy's left shoulder.
"What happened?" She asked,
"Nothing it's just a splinter." Guy lied,
"Unless you picked up a splinter while playing with an arrow in Robin's camp you've been shot." Isabella pointed out, "Now sit down." She added, as she pointed to a chair, Guy willingly obeyed,
"You'll need to take off your shirt." She said,
Guy began unbuckling his tunic, carefully he slipped it off his shoulders, then he loosened the drawstrings on his under shirt and slowly pulled it over his head. When he had removed it Isabella could see that the arrow head was buried deep in his skin, she also saw the extent of the injuries she had inflicted on him.
She tried not to look upset with what she had done to him, but Guy caught her fixed on the scars on his stomach, when she noticed Guy was watching her she quickly made out like she hadn't noticed.
"The arrow head is buried deep, but I have an ointment kit with me in the castle…guards!" She called quickly,
Isabella reassuringly told her brother that she had no wish to have him locked up, and so the sound of clanking guards was heard outside before a few of them burst through the door.
"Yes milady?" They asked,
"Fetch the medicine kit from the kitchen." She ordered,
"At once milady." They acknowledged as they clattered out of the room again,
"You could have turned me in back there but you didn't…why?" Guy asked,
"Because I've finally realized how much of a fool I've been…to try and kill my own brother." She replied,
"You may not be aware of it but you have two more brothers." Guy said,
He was cut off as the guards clanked in again carrying what Isabella requested, after handing her the box they clanked out again, she placed the box on the table and opened the lid. There were ointment bottles, herbs, cloth, a sharp needle and enough thread to sew a forty foot quilt, but in times like these one couldn't be too cautious with their medical supplies.
She took the cloth and poured some scented ointment onto it, she then sponged the area around the wound with the cloth, she knew it stung from experience, but Guy didn't even seem to bat and eye.
"What was it you said before you were interrupted?" Isabella asked,
"Whether you know it or not…you have two more brothers." Guy repeated,
"That can't be you were my only brother." Isabella protested,
"Their name is Archer...and Robin Hood" Guy said, "They are our half brothers."
"I don't understand."
"Our mother and Robin's father had a child out of wedlock…they sent him away when he was born and they never saw him again, Robin and I went to York to save him because he was to be executed…Malcolm was still alive and he told us everything." Guy explained,
"So let me see if I understand this you're saying that Archer was born out of wedlock, by Ghislaine and Malcolm, but they sent him away and never heard of him again, and years later he was going to be executed in York so Malcolm found you both together and told you what had happened?" Isabella asked,
"Sort of…but Robin is your half brother." Guy replied,
"Does he know?"
"Yes he knows…even Archer knows, he turned us in at York to save himself but it didn't work." Guy answered,
"Sounds like a brother you would want around doesn't he?" Isabella joked,
"Yeah well he never had a father to bring him up." Guy reasoned, as Isabella returned her attention to Guy's arm,
"The ointment should have set in now; it will stop most of the pain when I pull the arrow out." She explained,
"Isabella please work with me and Robin I don't want to see what happens to you when the King returns." Guy reasoned,
"How are you going to get me in favor with Robin?" She asked,
"I will take you to our camp where you can plead your case to Robin…I can only hope that after everything you've done he'll find it in his heart to forgive you." Guy replied,
"This might hurt I'm not making any promises." Isabella said, as she grabbed a hold of the arrow,
"I'm ready."
But when the arrow was torn out of his arm he couldn't help but moan quietly, Isabella then sponged the wound again with the same ointment she had used before.
"How did it happen?" She asked,
"One of your guards jumped me in the courtyard." Guy replied,
When Guy waved his hand in dismissal that was the first time Isabella saw the wedding ring on his finger, Guy noticed that she had noticed it.
"You're married?" Isabella asked,
"Yes." Guy replied in a mumble,
"When?"
"When I went to London to see Annie…she is the mother of my child Seth." Guy answered,
"Why isn't she here?" Isabella pried,
"Because years ago…I tried to kill her and my son I didn't realize what it was that I threw away, so after a week of recovery in Robin's camp, he told me where she was, we were married yesterday." Guy explained, Isabella took that to mean it was then that he had cut his hair,
"I told her that when I had straightened things out with you I would send for her…I want to know if you will let her live in the castle?" Guy asked,
"Of course…I will send word tomorrow with one of my messengers telling her that it is safe to return to Nottingham." Isabella agreed,
"She's at St. Mary's Cathedral." Guy added,
"Then I will send a messenger to St. Mary's Cathedral letting her know she can return to Nottingham." Isabella corrected, now adding Annie's location,
She then drew the mile long thread spool out of the kit and cut a length off by biting in with her teeth, she then threaded it through the eye of the needle. Carefully she pierced the flesh around the arrow wound with the tip of the sharp needle, because most of the pain was taken away, all Guy could feel was a mild pinch in his skin.
Guy looked down at his shoulder, as he watched his sister sewing the wound together with small and very neat stitches, but it always was a women's uncanny ability to form those neat stitches in anything they sewed. It gave Guy a good feeling when he saw that his sister was happy with him again, of course he didn't know if she still hated him, but this was good enough for the moment.
"It's my turn to apologize for not realizing what it was that I had and was throwing away, the day I tried to take your life in compensation for your apology." Isabella began,
"I forgive you Isabella…but I can never ask you to forgive what I have done to you." Guy said,
"You really have changed haven't you brother?" Isabella asked,
"What do you mean?" Guy asked in return,
"You've changed from the cold hard man of steel with the little black heart that I used to know, into the man that actually cares about others and what they think of you." She answered, as she tied off her stitching,
"Living with Robin has opened my eyes." Guy explained,
"You were right." Isabella said with a forceful tone that made Guy jump at her sudden vocal adjustment,
"About what?" Guy questioned,
"Prince John is a pretender, a fake, a fraud, and if he ever became King he would destroy England." She replied, almost gritting her teeth,
"Then tomorrow come with me and join our cause in the battle against Prince John." Guy reasoned,
"I will and the sooner the better…but tonight it's time you got some sleep." She agreed, as she handed Guy his shirt and tunic when he rose,
"I'll just take the room down the hall." He said, as he secretly placed a velvet drawstring bag on the table, "By the way can you get someone to bring my horse into the stable, he's just outside the castle gate?" Guy asked,
"Of course…sleep well Guy." Isabella said, Guy simply nodded appreciatedly as he walked out of the room closing the door quietly behind him,
Isabella then turned her attention to the medicine kit that was still opened on the table, but when she went to close it she saw the bag that sat beside it. She was hesitant for a moment before she scooped it up and loosened the drawstrings; she tipped whatever was inside into the palm of her hand.
It was a lovely pearl and ruby necklace, the rubies decorated with dark gold trimming made to look like lace, there was a group of four pearls before a gold trimmed ruby was added to the sequence. On every ruby there was a single pearl that hung from the trimming, and in the center of the necklace there was the largest ruby, decorated in gold trimming that resembled a stubby squashed cross. Only this time the pearl was in the form of a drop of water. A pair of matching earrings also fell from the bag and like the center piece on the necklace the pearls were made in the same manner, and the rubies matched those in the sequence that were decorated like flowers.
She was surprised that her brother cared so much now like he had showed, to even go through all the trouble of obtaining such stunning pieces of jewelry. Tomorrow when she went to see Robin she would wear this with pride, as it signified the new love for each other that had sparked that night.
Will Robin want to help Isabella after everything she's already done? Is this a trap to capture Robin? Has Isabella changed at all or is a rouse? What will Guy do if he finds out? Find out in the final chapter! And please do not forget to (Review!)