A World That Will Not Turn to Ash (English)(From Ashes Vol.1)

Chapter 14 - Close Your Eyes

Guy reached for the nose of the black stallion and he smiled when the horse gently grabbed the apple that he had on his hand, starting to chew it noisily.
He watched him eat for a few seconds then he took an apple himself, sat down on a bale of hay and bit it without peeling it.
The horse came near him snorting, interested in the fruit and Guy offered him another one.
"So this is where you have been hiding." Marian said, entering the stable and Guy looked at her.
"The cook keeps looking at me like I was a demon from hell and the other servants are always very careful never to be alone with me in the same room. At least the horses are a more pleasant company."
She took an apple from the basket and sat next to Guy on the hay bale, smiling sympathetically.
"At least they don't go around gossiping. They are too afraid of you to risk of causing your anger. They will keep the secret."
"How much longer?" Guy asked, sighing. "I don't know what to do, Marian. If the sheriff were to find out that I'm alive, he would take Locksley back and he would force me to destroy my confession. The only alternative would be to deliver it to the king, even though it would mean the end for me. That document accuses the sheriff of treason, but it also condemns me."
"The king could grant you a pardon..."
"I doubt it. I tried to kill him, it is not one of those things that you are inclined to forgive. At best he could choose to spare my life, but then I would end up rotting in the dungeons of a castle. Apart from you and your father, I doubt that someone else would move a finger to intercede for me and, excuse me for saying so, you're not exactly influential between the other nobles."
Marian looked at him, worried, and she wondered how he could be so calm when talking about a future so dark.
"All this to help us..."
Guy gave her a wry smile.
"If I was really dead, I had not much to lose, I certainly didn't expect to survive the reading of my will."
Marian touched his hand.
"We will find a solution."
Gisborne finished the apple with a last bite and he allowed the horse to take its core from his hand.
"If only I could be able to think more clearly... I always feel so tired and confused..."
The girl looked at him anxiously: she thought that he was too pale and she noticed he had dark circles under his eyes.
"You don't sleep enough, right?"
"It seems that I can't do anything else than sleeping, but when I wake up I'm feeling worse than before."
"Because of the nightmares?"
Guy nodded.
"They get more and more horrible every night and now I also fear that I could hurt someone without realizing it..."
Marian raised a hand to touch his face, then she pulled him gently against her, letting him rest his head on her shoulder.
"Close your eyes." She whispered. "I'll take care to keep bad dreams away."
"No. I don't want it to happen again, like last night. I can't risk to hurt you."
"It will not happen. I'll wake you right away, I promise. Trust me, Guy."
Gisborne leaned against her with a sigh.
"I've always trusted you, do you know?"
Marian gently stroked his hair and she was glad that Guy had closed his eyes and he couldn't see the blush that had colored her cheeks.
It was true, he had trusted her too much and she often had taken advantage of it, deceiving and betraying him to help Robin Hood.
It wouldn't happen anymore, she had decided it the night after the siege of Nottingham, and now she was even more determined to keep that promise.
She listened while Guy's breathing become deeper and even as he slid into sleep and she wondered when exactly her feelings had changed so much and why she became so protective of the black knight.
The night before she had kissed him and she didn't know what had prompted her to do so. After all she was still in love with Robin Hood, wasn't she? Although things between them didn't work well lately, Marian was still betrothed to him, they never broke their engagement. Yet to think of the outlaw didn't fill her with the naive joy she once felt, but with an indefinite sense of guilt for both Robin and Guy.
Sooner or later she would have to make clarity in her feelings, she had to really understand how she felt about each of the two men, but for the moment she did not have the courage to do it.
The situation was still too confusing and risky to reflect calmly and Marian cowardly decided that she would wait for a quieter time to think about what she felt.
For now, things were fine like they were, she decided, looking tenderly at Gisborne who was peacefully asleep, confidently leaning on her shoulder.

Allan spurred his horse, throwing him into a gallop to distance the group of Knights of Nottingham who he had passed on the way to Locksley. He didn't know the blond man who commanded the group of soldiers, but the defiant and arrogant attitude with which he rode had left a bad feeling to Allan.
He hoped that the squad of soldiers wasn't directed at Locksley, but he was intimately convinced otherwise and he wanted to arrive well in advance to alert Marian, Gisborne and Sir Edward.
He rode faster than he ever had in his life and he was happy that Gisborne had chosen fast and strong horses for the stables of Locksley.
When he reached his destination he turned to look back and he estimated he had a few minutes before the arrival of the riders. He brought the horse in the barn and he was surprised to find Guy and Marian there, embraced on a bale of hay.
The girl looked at him with a start, surprised by his hasty arrival, while Gisborne did not move until Marian shook him gently to wake him.
Guy opened his eyes and looked around, still groggy from sleep.
"Allan is here." Marian whispered. "He looks pretty nervous."
"What's up?" Guy asked, now completely awake.
Allan gave them a curious look, then decided it wasn't the right time to make improper questions.
"Soldiers of Nottingham headed in this direction. Maybe they're not coming here, but if they do, you'd better not show your face." He said, turning to Gisborne.
Marian gave him a worried look.
"I have to warn my father."
"I'll stay here." Guy said. "If I'll have to, I can flee on a horse."
Allan took off the cloak he was wearing and gave it to Gisborne.
"Put it on. The stable is dimly lit, but the gloom may not be enough to hide you. If someone should enter, pull up the hood."
Marian looked at them anxiously, then she hurried toward the house.
Allan hesitated, unsure whether to follow Marian or whether to stay with Gisborne.
"Go with her." Guy whispered. "Protect her."
"You are unarmed."
"It doesn't matter. No one will notice my presence."
Allan nodded and started to leave the barn, but the arrival of the soldiers stopped him at the door and forced him to go back to not attract attention.
"Too late..." He whispered to Gisborne, then they both went into hiding near the door, in a dark corner. In that place, Allan noticed, a crack between the boards allowed them to peek outside without being seen, and he had the feeling that Guy had deliberately chosen that corner to hide.
Allan glued his eye to the crack and he saw that from there they could see the front door of Locksley. Perhaps, if they remained in perfect silence, they could hear even the talk of the soldiers.
The young man glanced anxiously at Guy, but Gisborne didn't notice, as he was tense and concentrated at looking through the crack too.