Guy of Gisborne - This Changing Life

This Changing Life - Chapter 1- Prologue

1191 AD

This was a perfect summer. Ten year old Kes was sitting on a small bridge across a brook on the Palace Manor Estate with her two friends, Robin and Guy. Robin of Locksley was two years younger than Kes. He was full of himself, and unable to sit still. Robin was funny, and made her laugh often, but was also annoying with his immaturity and constant demands for her attention. He was shorter than she was, with a shock of light brown hair, blue eyes, and what would eventually become a charming smile. Guy of Gisborne was several years older than both of them, and much more mature than Robin. He was tall, with dark hair and icy blue eyes. He was quiet, and moved with grace and strength. He tolerated the younger boy, although he had to put up with a great deal of torment and teasing from him. Kes thought Guy was perfect.  

Guy often had his younger Sister Isabella with him. She followed him like a puppy. Isabella was a spoiled baby girl, in Kes's opinion, and she wished mightily she and Robin were not here today. Watching as Isabella and Robin wandered to the stream to catch tadpoles,  Kes decided to ask Guy something she had been wanting to know for some time.  

"Guy, have you ever kissed anyone?" she queried boldly. He looked at her, surprise on his face, and said, "Of course. My Mother."

"That doesn't count silly," she explained, rolling her eyes at him, "I mean a girl."  

The young boy laughed and said, "Wouldn't you like to know! And what kind of question is that for a proper young lady to ask?"

Kes decided not to pay attention to his response, and quickly leaned into him and kissed him, bumping noses. He pulled back, startled, then smiled, took her face into his hand, and gently kissed her back. She forgot to close her eyes, watching as he closed his. He had long lashes that dropped onto his cheek, his skin fair and soft. When the kiss was over, she reached out and touched his cheek, which is exactly when Robin shouted an indignant "Hey! What are you two doing?!" He had seen the whole thing. 

"Oh hush, Robin," Kes said angrily. "We are just practicing. For later, you know, when we grow up."  

Embarrassed at being caught, Guy quickly got up and called to Isabella, who was watching with wide eyes. He took her hand and said "Come little one, we need to go home. " After he left, Kes admonished Robin for butting into her business. She angrily told him if he was that big of a baby to go home, she was tired of him. Robin did just that, but with a scowl and the smart remark of "I'm telling!" He was jealous of the attention Kes always paid to Guy. Robin had a 10 year old's crush on her. 'Let her worry, he thought. I won't tell, but she doesn't know that.'

Kes wandered back to the Manor, thinking of how much she had liked those two kisses, quick though they had been. Her older brother John cornered her, asking where she had been. "You look like a ragamuffin, girl." "Go wash, you embarrass me." John was ten years older than Kes. She didn't like him. He had a cruel streak, with no real feelings for anyone. He was jealous of their older brother, Richard, and treated Kes like a red headed step child. He of course, thought everybody loved him.  

 After spending some time cleaning herself for dinner, Kes looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was small, with dark hair that was full of red highlights. A few freckles from riding her pony every day without a bonnet or shawl. She sighed. She had so much growing to do and it was taking so long. 

Kes found her brother Richard working alone in the drawing room, busy going over maps and working on his grand plan. He paused when he noticed her, and beckoned her to come to him. He treated her more like a father than an older brother, which was why John was jealous of the child. He smiled softly as she approached. Her clothing was askew, showing she had been quite active this afternoon, and he thought her charming.  She curtseyed quickly, almost as an afterthought, then looked into his soft green eyes. He was a big man, at least 6 feet tall, with broad chest and muscled arms. Not exactly handsome, but good looking. His bearing was that of a king, and he was in fact, the true king of England. Richard the Lionheart, men called him. Many a man was humbled to be in his presence, but not Kes. She took his hand and settled into his lap.  He smiled again and stroked her hair back out of her eyes.