"To Be Worthy" (Guy/Marian- Historical Romance- PG 13): Chapter V
SUMMARY: Betrayed by his latest master and mocked by the cruel hand of destiny, Sir Guy of Gisborne returns to Nottingham twenty years after his banishment determined to reclaim the life which should have been his.
A/N: Set in an alternate Series 1 where Guy has never met Vasey before his arrival in Nottingham, this fic will explore what impact an earlier acquaintance with Marian might have had on Guy's life and ultimate fate.
AUTHOR: lexie aka lillianschild
RATING: PG-13/R (probably in later chapters)
PAIRING: Guy/Marian
GENRE: Romance
DISCLAIMER: Tiger Aspect Productions and the BBC are free to claim whatever they own of this piece, except Guy's thoughts and and my words, which are ours to keep. lol
A/N 2: Sorry for the long delay in updating but I was bed-ridden for a fortnight and had very little energy during my recovery to pick up things where I'd left them.
READ THE BEGINNING HERE
READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER HERE
CHAPTER V
"I see you're one of those who'd rather suffer stoically than accept he's a mere mortal," snapped Friar Tuck, approaching Sir Guy.
"I didn't think my injury was so grave as to demand being carried in a stretcher," replied the knight as the monk examined his shoulder and checked his grip.
Lady Marian didn't believe for a moment that had been the real reason. Gisborne was just too proud a man to leave the field any other way but on his feet.
"I mixed him a draft to ease the pain before putting the shoulder back," she told Tuck, focusing on the friar's large crucifix to keep her eyes from straying to the knight's half-naked body.
"You've done a great job, My Lady," smiled the black man. "Has your shoulder ever popped before?"
"Once," replied Sir Guy, feeling somewhat nauseous.
"You know what should be done then. We must wrap it in order to immobilise it for a few days. If you hastened the treatment, you'd end up either weakening the joint or wearing it altogether. You'd live in constant pain."
"I'm a warrior. I can't afford losing the use of one arm. I'll do as you say."
"Good, good. My Lady, would you mind giving me a hand with these?"
"Certainly," smiled Marian, taking the bandages from the religious man's hands.
"Please, lie back, Sir Guy," he instructed the queasy knight. "Let the potion work its magic while we prepare the wrappings. Lady Marian, here, use this salve on the bandages. It'll help reduce the swelling and keep the pain under control. You've become quite a legend in the tournament circuit, Sir Guy."
"Is that so?" murmured the patient with a smug smile.
"You've got a beautiful destrier."
"Have you had it long?" intervened Marian, who'd also admired his mount the night before while checking on her pregnant mare.
"Two years."
"I've only seen the like in the Holy Land. Saracen war horses have a very distinct quality," added Tuck, spreading salve on another bandage.
"You've got a keen eye. Stormbringer was a present from a caliph," explained Guy with a grimace as he tried to find a more comfortable position on the bed.
"An infidel?" asked Meg overcome by curiosity.
"It's funny that such a term could be used to refer both to Christians and Muslims, isn't it? Jehovah, God, Allah... Aren't they different names to worship the same Supreme Being who created us all?" replied Tuck soberly.
"A man of the 't you afraid of being excommunicated or charged with treason for voicing your opinions?"
"No more than a knight who's pledged to defend the were on crusade with King Richard, weren't you, Sir Guy?"
"Yes."
Marian observed the exchange with renewed interest and noticed the shadow that crossed Gisborne's visage before he covered his face with his right arm.
Most men of arms admired the Lionheart, Robin had always sung his praises- he'd even left her to follow his King to the end of the world- so she found it puzzling that a man who'd served by Richard's side did not.
"Brother, this man is in need of immediate attention," blurted out a footman, walking into the tent accompanying a gravely injured knight.
"My lady, would you mind seeing to the wrapping?"
"No, of course not. Go and tend to the young man. He seems to be in a lot of pain."
"Shall I give you a hand. Marian?" offered Meg, struggling to keep her queasy stomach under control by focusing on something other than the patient Tuck was helping a few feet away.
"No, thanks, Meg. I can manage. Why don't you go and join Father? I'll be with you as soon as I'm done here."
The potion she had administered to Sir Guy was a strong one and it wasn't unusual for a patient in his circumstances to reveal the most inconvenient of things when drugged. In addition, Meg had always been a very observant girl and Marian knew that it'd be very hard not to blush or tremble as she had the previous night when her skin grazed his. She could still remember the feelings that touching him invoked.
Left alone with Sir Guy, Friar Tuck and his moaning patient, Marian approached the knight and aided him to sit up despite his initial reticence to accept any help.
Struggling to focus on the task at hand and deal with her patient in as impersonal a way as she could, she used the salved bandages to wrap his shoulder and chest in order to keep his left arm as immobile as possible.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly when he suddenly sucked in his breath.
"I'm not complaining. It isn't every day that my wounds are tended by a beautiful woman," he slurred, his northern accent becoming more pronounced.
Marian tried to fight the flame that leapt to life when he smiled and caressed her cheek with warm and gentle fingers. Entranced, she bent closer to his lips as if pulled by some preternatural force.
"You should lie down and rest," she urged him in a shaky voice she hardly recognised as her own.
"I should have kissed you last night," he whispered, tracing her lips with his thumb.
"Sir Guy..." she panted, nervously glancing at Tuck over the knight's shoulder to make sure the monk was still busy with his other patient.
"Your skin's so soft, just at I imagined it'd feel like when I saw you walk into the hall to capture my heart."
His deep, chocolatey voice rendered huskier by the numbing effect of the potion, enveloped her in a sensual cocoon from which she didn't want to wake up. The mysterious knight had awoken needs and feelings in Marian she hadn't known resided in her and, although common sense and duty demanded she nip them in the bud, the allure to taste passion just once before shackling her life to a man she didn't love was fast becoming too strong to resist.
"I always thought him a knave..." he mumbled
"Shh...," she hushed him, darting a glance at Friar Tuck,"lie down."
"To barter the promise of a lifetime waking up next to a fair lady such as you... for the ephemeral dream of glory... What a... fool!"
The slurred words touched Marian and also puzzled her. "Sir Guy?"
"Mm?" he replied weakly, his mesmerising blue-grey eyes partially hidden by sooty eyelashes as he studied her lovely mouth with hazy concentration.
"Who... who's a fool?" she asked with a thoughtful frown, wondering if her former betrothed and Gisborne had crossed paths. It'd be the only explanation possible... unless he'd heard the servants gossiping about their broken engagement.
"What?"
"Nothing. Save your strength. Tuck's almost finished with the other patient," she replied with a soothing smile. He obviously had no control over what came out of his mouth and urging him to keep talking was a double-edged weapon.
"My Lady... would you promise me something?" he asked all of a sudden, taking her hand in his warm grasp.
"What is it?" she whispered, bending down to hear his fainting voice.
"He's no gentleman... Right to despise him... Tell him I know he had my equipment fixed... Tell him he's going to pay," he said in a raspy voice before closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.
There was no need for him to make names. There was one man she despised with all her heart and last night she had let her mask slip for an unguarded moment, time enough for the observant knight to read her innermost thoughts when their eyes met and held across the crowded room for a brief but meaningful spell.
She loathed Winchester. He disgusted her and Gisborne was privy to her secret. And now the handsome knight was clearly accusing the earl of foul play- in other words, he was charging a very powerful man... her future husband... with attempted murder.
Had Winchester really tried to kill Sir Guy? She knew her late mother's old suitor was capable of acting out of malice and using every means at his disposal to get what he wanted. But why Gisborne? What threat did the younger man pose to him? Unless... Was it possible he considered Sir Guy a rival for her affections? No, it couldn't be. And yet... what if someone had witnessed their meeting in the garden? She hadn't noticed anyone. Maybe somebody had watched them from the shadows, misconstrued the innocent encounter and then reported it to Winchester. Was a short conversation and a featherlike kiss on her knuckles reason enough to try to kill a man? Or was there another reason, one that had nothing to do with her and Winchester's plans to bind her to him for life?
"Ah, here you are!" exclaimed Lord Winchester, marching into the tent and approaching Marian with a proprietary look in his reptilian eyes. "He's not dead, is he?" he added, glancing over at Gisborne.
Marian put on her best fake smile and struggled to keep her rebellious tongue in check. Although she was more than inclined to believe Sir Guy, accusing the earl without concrete proof would only earn the knight the enmity of a merciless man with close connections with Prince John, who was just as ruthlessly devious.
"No, he's resting. He was seriously wounded, though. He won't be able to travel for a couple of weeks at least."
Winchester frowned. "Friar Tuck seems to have everything under control here. Come. Let's take a walk."
"You've inherited your father's generous heart, Lady Marian. Unfortunately, this world is full of unscrupulous people and one can never be too careful when offering hospitality to complete strangers; they may end up stabbing you in the back. That Northerner, for example. It'd be better for him to be on his way."
Marian felt suddenly tense. Would this be the moment when he revealed he knew about her tête-à-tête with Gisborne?
"Why's that?"
"The man's no true knight. He's no gentleman. King Richard himself cast him out of his retinue. That should be proof of he's not being honourable enough to sleep under your roof."
"On what grounds was he cast out?"
"He had a quarrel with the Lionheart. Knowing Our Majesty's reputation, Gisborne should count himself lucky to still have his head attached to the rest of his body."
"Where did you learn this? There was nothing amiss when his licence was read before the tournament. Maybe the decision to leave the king's side was Sir Guy's."
"Do you doubt me?" frowned Winchester.
"No, of course not," she tried to placate him with a fake smile."But, considering Gisborne's reputation in the field and the youth of most of the participants, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the most envious contenders decided to cast aspersions on him to get an edge. In any case, I would hate to see my father judged as an ungracious host by refusing to allow a wounded knight to stay over until he's mended. "
"Sometimes your intelligence makes me forget how little you know about the ways of the world, Marian," he replied with a lustful look in his eyes. "It isn't just the Sheriff's good name I'm worried about..."
Marian cringed inwardly when he brushed her cheek and she wished she could tell him in his face exactly how repulsive she found his touch and how little she trusted him. However, she had to think of Meg and her father's security.
"Please, My Lord, forgive me if my words were taken as an insult. I assure you it's never been my intention to anger you."
"How could I ever be angry with a beautiful lady such as you?" he murmured hungrily into her ear, tugging her closer to him.
"My Lord..." she said with a slight tremor in her voice as she splayed her hands on Winchester's chest to try to extricate herself from his embrace,"we shouldn't be so indiscreet."
"Are you afraid someone might see us? I find the idea quite exciting, " he chuckled, lowering his head intent on kissing her only to meet her cheek. "You're trying my patience, My Lady," he glared at her."I've given you sufficient time to get used to the idea of becoming Lady Winchester. Or do you simply enjoy making me mad with jealousy?"
Marian experienced a sudden oppression in her chest. Were his words the confirmation she'd been dreading- that her meeting with Sir Guy had been witnessed? If so, Winchester would not only be capable of making she and her blood suffer; there were Sir Guy and anybody close to him.
Making use of her best acting tools, Marian took a step forward and- wounding her arms around the earl's neck- fluttered her eyelashes and purred, "A lady needs to make sure she's duly appreciated."
"You're full of surprises, Marian," he replied, tightening his arms around her in a possessive hold that reflected the carnal craving in his eyes.
She'd known the time would come when she would no longer be able to keep Winchester waiting. Sir Edward was getting weaker each passing day and soon the earl might approach Prince John to inform him that her father was no longer fit to be a Sheriff and that someone-some man-must be put in charge of Knighton since its lord was too frail to look after the property and the villagers. And who better than Lord Winchester himself to fill in the role?
There was only one way to keep close watch on her late mother's old suitor and aid those who couldn't help themselves. For a moment she wished herself miles away at Kirklee's Abbey; had she taken the veil when Robin left for the Holy Land she wouldn't have been standing here cornered by an asp. And yet, her being a wife of Christ probably wouldn't have stopped the earl from scheming to have Sir Edward removed and seize all his property and also his position as the Sheriff of Nottingham.
"I have an answer to your request of marriage, My Lord."
"And what is your answer?"
"I'll be honoured to be your wife."
GO TO CHAPTER VI