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

Ch. 22 (PG-13, D): Forgiveness is an Illusory Dream, Part 2

In Baron Guy’s dream set in the Holy Land of seven years ago, he is  Sir Guy and  Lady Marian is standing between him and King Richard lying on the ground after his shoulder was pierced by Sir Guy’s arrow.  She is shielding the King with her body.  However Sir Guy is intent upon killing King Richard and he warns Lady Marian to move out of his way [(3) right].  

Dream Sir Guy:  “Out of the way Marian.  I must kill King Richard.  Then I will have untold power and wealth.  And then, you and I can finally be married.”

Dream Lady Marian: “I will not let you kill King Richard and harm England.”  Lady Marian holds her arms out as a barrier--and she, steps back and steps forward, back and forward, her challengingly pivoting on the balls of her feet.   “And I will never be yours, Guy of Gisborne.”  She hisses.

Dream Sir Guy:  “No!”  He chokes out hoarsely from the arid desert air. “Marian, you lie!  You will be mine--for I love no other.  I will never love another.”

Trying to waken her husband by gently shaking his shoulder--hoping to dislodge his hellish nightmare from his thoughts--Lady Roseanna has tears streaming down her cheeks for hearing her husband’s words of loving another.  Lady Rose knows that she was not her husband’s first love--and knows now that maybe she is not his greatest love--even though her Baron Guy is both for her.  However Baron Guy does not awaken, and he continues to toss and turn and to thrash about in their bed.    Baby Lady Diana gurgles  fussily at the noise of her Papa’s loudness and her Mama Lady Roseanna quickly moves her crib further away from the bed.

Then Lady Roseanna returns to her husband and sits on the edge of their bed, feeling helpless to rouse Baron Guy from what tonight is his hell on Earth.

Dream Lady Marian: “No Guy!   I could never love you.   I love Robin Hood.  I am going to marry Robin Hood.”  The defiant Marian smiles blissfully [(4) right]  in fully understanding her own heart after wavering between the two men for so long. 

Lady Marian does not intend to taunt Sir Guy, but he takes it as such.

Sir Guy:  “No! You will marry me!  I love you with all of my heart, Marian!”  At the end of his tether, Sir Guy snaps and rushes toward Lady Marian--to try to shake some sense into her--so that she will be his.

But in Sir Guy’s rage--in his hurt at Lady Marian’s rejection--he forgets that in his hand is a lethal weapon as he lifts his arms toward her.   Lady Marian is on a forward pivot before she realizes that Sir Guy’s sword is directly in front of her.  And with both of them moving toward each other, the finely sharpened blade of Sir Guy’s sword pierces Lady Marian’s left side below her lung.

Sir Guy does not immediately know what he has done, as the startled look upon Lady Marian’s face also registers her shock and disbelief.    And the searing pain renders her speechless.

Sir Guy: “Marian!”  Sir Guy cries out in gripping fear and despair at realizing that he has stabbed her--for he knows that he has dealt Lady Marian a fatal wound this time--having only injured her when he wrestled with her in her Night Watchman costume the previous year. 

But harming Lady Marian was never Sir Guy’s intention, nor his wish.  Sir Guy loves Lady Marian like he loves no other.  He gently lowers her to the ground, his sword still sticking out of her for fear of removing it causing her to bleed uncontrollably from ruptured veins and organs.

Dream Lady Marian: “Guy?” She whispers chokingly in confusion and agonizing pain.  However, she is bleeding only marginally at the moment since the sword piercing her side closes off the blood flow.  Her white gown is not yet stained with her blood.