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

Chapter 35 - For Nottingham

Sheriff Vaisey impatiently looked at the portcullis. He never liked to wait and he would make things difficult for Blackthorn when he would decide to arrive.
One of the castle guards approached him and Vaisey gave him a withering look.
"What do you want? Who gave you the permission to disturb me?" He asked rudely and the guard smiled with an insolent expression.
"Soon, no one will disturb you any more, my lord." He said, pulling out a knife.
The sheriff drew a dagger too and he prepared to defend himself from the attacker, not noticing that two other guards were approaching him from behind.
He parried the blow of the man who had rushed at him and he struck him in the chest with the knife, then he winced when a few arrows almost grazed him. He whirled and he saw two men with knives clutched in their hands fall to the ground, pierced in the chest and the throat. Two more arrows instead had missed the mark and passed dangerously close to the sheriff, ripping the sleeve of his jacket.
Vaisey looked around to see who was the archer who had saved his life, but he saw only two other soldiers who were running toward him, armed with swords.
He prepared to defend himself, even though the fight was unequal, but a moment before being reached by those traitors, a man dressed in black stepped between him and the attackers.
He hit one by surprise, stabbing him with the sword, then he swung around to hit the other one and Vaisey saw his face.
"Gisborne!"
Guy struck the second opponent, but he saw other soldiers who were coming to kill the sheriff.
"We have to protect us, we are too exposed here!" He shouted and he made way for the sheriff to the inside of the castle. He brought him into an empty room and barred the door behind them.
"Weren't you dead?!" The sheriff asked, then he pointed a finger at him, menacingly. "You have dared to blackmail me!"
"I've just saved your life!"
The sheriff saw the bow that Guy had on his shoulders and he pointed to the tear on the sleeve of his jacket.
"And your bad aim did this. It is fortunate that you didn't hit me, incompetent fool."
Guy looked at him incredulously, he had just saved his life and the sheriff complained about a ruined jacket.
"If you prefer, next time I'll let those murderers kill you."
"Stop saying nonsense, Gisborne, and explain what the hell is going on."
"You have chosen my successor very badly. Barrett wants to kill you to take your place."
"Roger of Barrett?"
"He tried to kill me and now he wants to get rid of you."
"Apparently he is an incompetent too, since you're still alive. I wonder why everyone who works for me has to be a total inept."
Guy gave him a look of disgust.
"You know, I've nally come to the conclusion that I don't like you."
"But you've defended me. Don't you wonder why you did it, Gizzy?"
"For Nottingham. I don't want it to be destroyed."
"Oh, how heroic! What do you think are you going to obtain for this? Don't think that I can forget the trick of your will."
"You didn't even come to my funeral!"
"Apparently I was right, as you're not dead!" The sheriff shouted.
His words were followed by a series of blows to the door.
"Come! They are here!" Said a voice from the hallway and Guy threw an exasperated look at the sheriff.
"They heard you!"
"You were shouting more than I did!"
"Well, now keep your breath to fight, that door will not hold up for a very long time."
The sheriff stared at him.
"Gisborne, once you were not so insulting. I don't like this at all."
"Get over it. Whether you like it or not, for the time being I am the only person willing to defend your life."
"Oh, then I am in such good hands. I feel so lucky."

Marian leaned forward in his saddle, urging the horse to go faster.
She had to reach Nottingham as soon as possible, every second of delay could make the difference between the life and death of Guy.
She felt the tears streaming down her face, unstoppable. She was more afraid than she had felt when she was locked in the dungeons of the castle at the mercy of Barret.
What would she do if Guy had already been killed? How could she bear to lose him before she could understand what she really felt for him?
She heard the clatter of the hooves of many horses behind her and she turned to look: Robin Hood, Allan and the other outlaws were riding to Nottingham with her.
Robin joined her and gave her an encouraging smile. Marian replied, smiling faintly through her tears: she realized that despite everything Robin was ready to help Gisborne.

Cedric glanced toward the gate, wondering how he could send away the soldiers to open it.
The dagger that Gisborne gave to him was heavy in his hand and it seemed to burn his skin. He had been one of the guards of Nottingham, but he never had the opportunity to kill an enemy before and after the ambush he hadn't been able to fight anymore.
Maybe he would have to attack the guards, to hurt them or to kill them if it was the only way to raise the portcullis and the thought terrified him.
He had never killed before, and certainly not in cold blood, and he wondered if he would be able to do it.
Yet, if it were necessary, he should do it.
Sir Guy counted on his help and if he couldn't let Robin Hood to enter the castle, the black knight would have to fight alone against all the soldiers of Roger of Barrett.
Cedric saw that the gate was opened to let Barret in. The man had arrived at a gallop with a look of pure anger printed on his face. The boy had been careful to keep hidden, but he didn't take his eyes away from the knight.
All that time Cedric had trembled in front of every man for fear that it could be the bandit who had severed his finger, but now that he knew who his assailant was, he no longer felt so scared.
He hated Roger Barrett and wanted him to pay for what he had done, but he wasn't a monster without a name anymore.
He kept watching and he heard that Barret ordered the soldiers to search for Guy of Gisborne and the Sheriff and to kill them on the spot, without losing time to take them prisoner.
Unknowingly, Roger Barrett had facilitated the task of Cedric, leaving the gate unguarded.
Cedric approached the mechanism that allowed to lift the gate and he waited to see the gang of Robin Hood.

Robin watched Marian galloping only a few meters ahead of him and he remembered with sadness the carefree rides when they were younger, when their greatest concern was to contend for the victory of a race, galloping along the streets of Locksley or Knighton.
He looked at the delicate profile of Marian, no longer hidden by the mass of dark curls and he admired her determined expression: since he had known her, Marian had never pulled back at nothing if she was convinced she was doing the right thing, and it didn't matter how difficult it could be or how afraid she was.
And now here she was, terrified, weary because of the imprisonment and maltreatment from Barret, yet ready to defend Nottingham without hesitation.
Proud and indomitable as ever.
And she wasn't his betrothed anymore.
The thought hurt, he could not deny it, but less than it would have hurt just a few months earlier.
Once he would have tried to take revenge on Gisborne, he would be mad at him for trying to seduce Marian, but now, if he wanted to be honest, he could not blame the black knight for nothing but being genuinely in love with Marian.
Maybe she still didn't even realize it, but he could see clearly that in the end of Guy of Gisborne's feelings would be reciprocated.
His opponent had won without even fighting and Robin couldn't do anything but accepting it.
He put that thought aside for the moment, there were too many lives in danger and he couldn't be distracted because of his troubled feelings. After all, they could all die in the attempt of defending the town, and then nothing would have mattered anymore.
They arrived in the town and galloped towards the castle. Robin wondered how they were going to get inside. They would have to check all the old passages that they used to enter and exit the castle, but probably Barret had closed them.
Robin was afraid that they would lose a lot of time before they could find a way to enter, but his fears proved unfounded because, when they arrived, the gate was opened to let them pass.
Standing by the door, a boy watched them gallop, and his face lit up with joy and pride as he waved at them with a mutilated hand.
Cedric was happy: he had managed to carry out the orders of Sir Guy and now perhaps the town would be saved, and it would happen thanks to him too.