"Sir Guy's Atonement" (Book 3) by Gratiana Lovelace, 2015 (a Wattys2015 Nominee)

Ch. 16 (PG-13, D): Life and Death

"Sir Guy's Atonement” (Book 3), Ch. 16 (PG-13, D):  Life and Death,   March 16, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #719)

[An Original Fan Fiction adaptation of the characters from the BBC’s Robin Hood; 

& a Sequel to “Sir Guy’s Dilemma” (Book 2) by Gratiana Lovelace]  (All Rights Reserved; No copyright infringement intended)  [(1) story logo, top right] 

[From time to time, I will illustrate my story with my dream cast of:  Richard Armitage as Sir Guy of Gisborne, Clive Standen as Lord Archer of Locksley, Emma Watson as Lady Roseanna Gisborne, Tommy Bastow as the young Seth Gisborne, Lucy Griffiths as the spectre of Lady Marian, James McAvoy as Lord George Middleton, Toby Stephens as Prince John, Dakota Fanning as Lady Caroline Havorford,  Chris Hemsworth as Sir Roderick Merton, Tamsin Egerton as Lady Rebecca Oxbridge, Lee Ross as Sir Jasper, etc.]

Author’s Mature Content Note:  “Sir Guy’s Atonement” is a story of romance and intrigue set amidst Medieval times.  As such there will be some passages in this story involving heartfelt love scenes (S) and some passages involving highly dramatic moments (D), or foul language (L).  I will label the maturity rating of those chapters accordingly.  Otherwise, the general rating for this story is PG or PG-13 due to some mature situations and topics.  If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read the chapters with those labels.  This is my disclaimer. 

Nota Bene:  And though I might refer to some historical timelines, events, and personages, I reconfigure them somewhat for this storyline--and they should not be taken as literal historical fact.    The citation links are provided for you to find out what really happened historically.  And medical incidences represented in the story--such as the crisis child birth sequence--are pure conjecture on my part.

Author’s Recap from the previous installment:  After a family meeting with Prince John to tell him they know of his plot and then to tell him of the plot to assassinate him, the extended Gisborne-Middleton-Locksley-Oxbridge family discusses what to do. Sir Guy and his brother Lord Archer share a look of resignation.  Their pasts of infamy that they long thought they had to put to rest, must resurface if they are to save their families’ lives.  They have each done in the past what they needed to survive--including murder.  And though they had vowed to themselves and to their spouses never to seek violent solutions--in their mind, there is no other choice with their present predicament of two assassination plots brewing against them.  Either Sir Jasper, the other conspirators’ and their expert bowmen must die--or Sir Guy, Lord Archer, and maybe Seth will die.  And neither Sir Guy nor Lord Archer will let any danger befall their children.  If their saving their families lives through murder be a sin, then so be it, thinks Sir Guy.  He can live with that--he hopes.

And so the Gisborne brothers’ day of manly pursuits of hunting  and such planned for tomorrow on Monday, April 1st will see more than boar and deer being hunted.  And though life and death will hang in the balance scales, would be assassins will not be the only ones at risk.

"Sir Guy's Atonement” (Book 3), Ch. 16 (PG-31, D): Life and Death

As the men leave for their Monday April 1st hunt at dawn--including Sir Guy, Lord Archer, and even Lord George whom his very pregnant wife insisted he go to stop fussing over her--Sir Roderick stays behind to watch over the families, including his love Lady Leicester, Lady Becca.

At first, Gordon Castle’s usual Monday morning routine seems to be in evidence--Monday morning prayers, then breaking their fast, then the garrison drilling while Lady Leicester and her family’s ladies and children who are visiting take advantage of the lovely weather in the beautiful gardens.  However, this morning will be anything but usual.