Tom let them nearly drag her before the Sheriff and her husband. The guards had addressed her as "Lady Gisborne" (albeit rather snidely) which meant the wedding had been carried out by proxy. Probably by Prince John himself, in order to cement this alliance. She had given it some thought, on the way back toward the castle, and finally she thought she understood why there had been such a fuss over the marriage, the alliance. It extended Gisborne's hold around Locksley to several other villages including Bonchurch and gave him control of the neighboring territory of Treeton. It was a very large piece of land that the Sheriff and Prince John would then have loyal to them. It was a shrewd move.

"Well, well, it seems your wife has either come to her senses or been scared silly out on her own," Vaizey drawled insultingly as he looked her up and down. "A little the worse for wear, isn't she? Why don't you see to her comfort, I'm sure she's had quite an ordeal." But there was dark humor behind the words. "And there's the little matter of her stabbing you that I think you might want to address, hm?" He flicked a hand dismissively.

Gisborne rose and moved to stand before her. She had to raise her face to see him clearly, and then dropped her eyes in a hurry at the fury in his. Oh, this was not good. The celebration wouldn't start for a couple of hours yet, and if he was taking her to their rooms... good thing she had a dagger hidden in her sleeve. He wasn't going to touch her, not again. "Come with me," he snapped, and yet he held out his arm for her. Keeping up appearances, she thought irreverently, and she declined it. But she did stay in step with him, thought it was a bit difficult. His legs were longer than hers.

Once in their rooms, he locked the door and she fought down a shiver of fear. "You are without a doubt the most infuriating woman I have ever met, and that is not a compliment," he snarled as he grabbed her to bring her close to him. "You're worse than Marian. At least all she did was lie to me. You tried to kill me!" He shook her so hard her teeth rattled and her fear deepened. Abruptly he set her back and continued to glare at her. "Take off your clothes."

"What? No!" He'd find the dagger. She couldn't let him find her only protection. She wasn't going to let him touch her.

"You're filthy. You can't bathe with your clothes on so take them off." He stepped forward and she stood her ground, suddenly angry.

"No. Not in front of you."

"Either you take them off, or I'll take them off you," he growled and she fought the shiver. One of his gloved hands moved suddenly, grabbing her hair and he drew her close again, painfully so. "You are my wife, Thomasina. You will do as I say, or you will be punished. Now take them off."

She managed to get her hand up and raked her nails across his face. He staggered back, releasing her, and she let the dagger drop into her hand. "You will not touch me again, not unless you want to bleed," she snarled. He merely smirked at her and advanced again, and she fell back a step.

"Keep fighting," he said conversationally as he forced her back, step by step, until she had her back to the wall. The dagger remained between them. "It amuses me." A sudden lunge and he had her wrist trapped in his big hand, fingers digging into the tendons there, numbing her hand and forcing her to drop the knife. He brought her in close again, his face mere inches from hers. "I would treat you well," he said softly.

"Until Vaizey demanded otherwise," she spat furiously. She tried to kick him and he stiffened with a growl. "Let go of me!"

"You leave me no choice." The only thing she was going to heed was a firm hand and he slapped her. Her hand went to her cheek, her eyes wide, all the fight gone from her in a rush. "Better," he sneered. "Now that I have your attention – you will bathe, you will dress in the gown that has been generously provided for you, and you will return to the hall. You will behave in a civil manner until such time as I decide it is time to retire, and then you will return here with me and you WILL perform your duties without question or you will be punished. Do you understand?"

A reprieve. He wasn't going to demand his rights that instant. She nodded, tears glittering unshed in her eyes. One of his leather-clad hands dropped to caress her hair. "Much better," he said softly as he pressed a kiss atop her head. She wanted to cringe away but the wall was at her back and she had nowhere to go. He stepped back, watching her closely, before leaving her standing alone by the wall and leaving the room. She heard the lock click into place and groaned. So much for that part of her plan; she couldn't very well lead him a merry chase around the castle and away from Robin if she was locked in. She'd have to improvise.

Her hand rubbed at the rising bruise on her cheek. She had no illusions. If she remained here, if Robin didn't come, she would die. Guy had already proven he wouldn't hesitate to beat her, and she knew that when she refused him, he would simply take what he wanted. He needed an heir, after all. But she couldn't get out. Unless... no. Robin was coming. She had to stick to the plan.

So. Deep breath. She'd do as ordered, for the time being.

The lock clicked open behind her and a soft voice came to her. It startled her and she whirled, one hand going to the now empty sheathe on her forearm. "Djaq! You scared me to death!" She moved forward quickly, trying to keep the injured side of her face away from the girl.

She didn't manage it. Djaq merely raised an eyebrow at it. "They are at the armory now. The Sheriff knows nothing, as yet. The guards are stupid and easily fooled. It won't be long."

"Go on, then. Keep them safe. I'll be all right until you can come get me." Tom shrugged out of her clothes and washed quickly, then got into the dress her husband – damn him – had provided. "I'll be in the hall with them, surely he'll do nothing too bad in front of witnesses." But she was shaking. It was a vain hope, and she knew it. These men were ruthless and they weren't afraid to cut out tongues in front of others in a show of force, beatings, hangings, no, being in public wouldn't stop those things. But she had placed her faith in Robin and she'd hold to it. And at least if Gisborne killed her she wouldn't have to let him touch her. He made her skin crawl.

Djaq touched her hand and went to the door, asking the guard to let her out, and Tom smiled slightly. It had been nothing more than kindness that had brought the Saracen girl to her, to try and reassure her. Then she drew herself up, stiffened her spine and straightened her shoulders, and went to the door. The guards let her out, but two of them fell in step with her, obviously there to make sure she went to the hall and nowhere else. She resisted the urge to growl at them.

She allowed them to take her to her husband, and she gave Gisborne a tight smile. "Does this suit, my lord?" she asked softly. She had to make him think she was totally cowed in order to keep his attention away from the armory – and Robin. So she played a dangerous game, not quite flirting with him, but still allowing him to think his attentions weren't quite so unwelcome. At least she didn't try to stab him when his hand came to rest on hers and she forced a small smile.

Had they succeeded? No alarm had been raised. Then Guy was bringing her to her feet and they were leaving the hall. He'd decided to dispense with the traditional maids to prepare her for her wedding night, and she shivered again. "I much prefer you this way," he said softly as they walked toward his rooms. His. Never hers. "Much more pleasant when I don't have to remind you of your place." He opened he door and ushered her in, one hand resting possessively in the small of her back. "There is still, however, the small matter of you attacking me to deal with."

His voice was pleasant but there was an undertone that caused her heart to race in fear. She couldn't look at him. "You must be punished for such a thing. The Sheriff would see you hang, but that wouldn't further our aims. So, I will think on an appropriate action." He was removing his leather as he spoke, mostly not even watching her. She couldn't go far if she ran; there were guards posted in the hall. Then he turned to her once more, one eyebrow raised, a mocking smile on his face. "You must bear me a son for me to completely control your lands, Thomasina, and I intend to be most thorough in bringing that about. You have a choice." He drew near, one hand caressing the cheek he'd bruised earlier, his voice low and seductive. "You can become my wife in fact, enjoy my touch, the pleasure I can bring you. Or," and he drew back, watching her, his face forbidding and threatening. "Or you can fight me and I will still have what I want. You are no match for me. I would rather this wasn't rape, it's not to my taste, but I WILL have what I need from you."

She stepped back, one hand going behind her in search of a weapon, any weapon. Her fingers closed about the fireplace poker and she gripped it firmly. "It will have to be rape, then, HUSBAND," she sneered. "I will never give myself up to you. I loathe you. I loathe everything you and Vaizey stand for. You destroy the very people you are supposed to protect. I will never let you have me, not willingly." She gripped the poker harder, ready to use it.

Sounds from without alerted them and he stiffened, turning to the window to listen. Cries of alarm were being raised. Robin and the others, then. They must have succeeded or there wouldn't be so much hue and cry going on. And they were coming for her. They had promised.

She struck while he was distracted but she hadn't the strength to render him unconscious. The blow from her makeshift weapon knocked him aside, cursing soundly, and she headed for the door. Surely the guards would be joining their brethren in search of the outlaws and she'd be able to escape.

He grabbed her around the waist and flung her back inside and she collided heavily with the bed frame, wringing a cry of pain from her. Then the battle was truly joined. She had found her poker once more and he feinted toward her, winning a clumsy blow on his forearm which enraged him further. He threw a light punch and she went down in a heap, screaming as he dropped on her and held her down. "I warned you," he snarled as he struggled to hold onto the squirming, screaming wildcat beneath him. "I WILL have what I need."

Pain and terror lent her scream extra volume as he gripped both her hands in one of his and used the other to tear her gown from neck to waist, baring her breasts to him and he nuzzled at her neck, ignoring her pleas for him to stop, to not hurt her.

There was a roar from the hall and the door flew inward, torn from its hinges by a powerful assault. Armed men and one woman stormed into the room, weapons raised. "Let her go!" Robin thundered as John simply grabbed Gisborne and threw him backward to land in a heap against the wall. Then he grabbed the shirt the knight had discarded and gave it to Tom, turning his eyes away until she was covered. He nodded simply then and passed her the short sword she'd worn when they met.

"More guards!" Much called from the doorway as he backed into the room. Robin went for the window, bow raised, already aiming. The arrow flew true, embedding itself into the woodwork of the gates. "Come on!" he ordered as his people began to grab at the rope attached to it. John tied it off tightly on one of the bedposts and Robin hooked his bow across it, sliding down easily. The others followed suit, using pieces of the bed linens when they had nothing else to shield their hands from the burn of the rope. Gisborne still hadn't stirred when Tom took hold of the piece of sheet, and she frowned when John urged her to hurry.

"Is he dead?" she asked softly. She wanted him dead, but it would make things worse. Gisborne was a known evil; anyone else the Sheriff could bring in might be, probably would be, worse.

"No." John put his hands on her to lift her to the sill and she stiffened. He forced his hands away and let her clamber up on her own. He'd not hurt her, but right now, she was afraid of everything. The thought infuriated him.

She simply nodded and slid down, where Djaq steadied her onto her feet. John followed a heartbeat behind and then they were running again, headed for the portcullis and beyond, headed for safety.

Gisborne sat up quick and then put both hands to his aching head, then lurched to his feet and leaned out the window. There they were, in the distance, retreating from him, Hood and his ragged band of outlaws and that insufferable little wench he was married to. She had thrown in with them of all people.

He grabbed a bow from one of the guards that had flooded the room and took aim, but they were well beyond range and he snarled for the guards to pursue; those that weren't already.

He was still muttering curses and drawing on his armor when the Sheriff made an appearance. "You lost her again?" he raged as he stormed into the room while Guy finished armoring up.

"They won't get far." Gisborne's voice was heavy with rage. "There are guards on all the roads and approaches. There's a picket line strung across from the western border to the east. They'll never get through it." He stalked out of the room, leaving Vaizey storming after him. "They should be in chains by now."

Vaizey blinked slightly as they got their horses and headed north, across country, to meet with the pickets. "That was actually a sound plan, Gisborne. You're getting better at this." He snorted. "It's about time, too. I want an end to that bloody outlaw once and for all!"

At the picket line, however, they discovered a serious flaw in Gisborne's plan. "You let them through?" he raged as he lashed out at the sergeant. The man was flung to the dirt, his nose bleeding and the right side of his face already swelling. "You let Robin Hood just walk through a picket line designed to stop him? ARE YOU MAD or just STUPID?"

"Lady Gisborne was with him, my lord, she ordered us to give way, I was only following orders, sir!" But he knew he was doomed from the look on Vaizey's face.

"Hang him. Maybe that will teach him not to THINK!" he roared. "You, the rest of you. That – woman – has no authority here. None. She's as much an outlaw as Hood, do you hear me? Now straighten these lines. NO ONE gets through without word from myself or Gisborne. NO ONE."

He reined around, headed back for the castle, and Gisborne followed. His own heart was full of rage and his mind of things he would do to that little menace when he got his hands on her.