Outcasts

Chapter 44 - Be the Torch

Isabella sighed looking at her brother, and she gently nudged his side.
"Come on, Guy, don't be so stiff, it's a party, they're not going to hang you."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that. Remember last time?" Guy answered, in a nervous whisper, and Isabella laughed.
"Oh, shut up, silly. This time it won't happen and everyone will have fun. This was your idea, you shouldn't be so nervous about it!"
"I know, but..."
"Just relax. I can understand you, I'm always afraid too, but for once let's try to have a nice day."
Guy nodded, with a grateful smile.
"Probably you are right."
"I am right. See? Sometimes you can be sensible too."
"Am I sensible only when I agree with you?"
"Of course!"
Gisborne laughed, and he leaned his back on the chair, a little more relaxed now.
He felt out of place sitting at the head of the table, in the seat that belonged to Robin, but the rightful lord of Locksley wouldn't show up at the party, so Guy had to take his place.
He glanced at the hall, perfectly clean and decorated for the party, and he appreciated the efforts of Thornton and the servants. All the unnecessary furniture had been moved to the other rooms, leaving all the space for a big table laden with food. The chairs around it were for the nobles, but all the villagers were allowed to come in to get as much food and wine as they wished for, and to get warm in front of the fireplace.
Thornton was standing in front of Robin's room, to guard the door and avoid that anyone could try to see Robin and upset him.
Isabella glanced at the closed door.
"I tried to persuade him to come in the hall at least, but he said he couldn't stand it."
"I can understand him. I'd like to go hiding in that room with him too, at the moment," Guy said, gloomily, and Isabella laughed, lifting her head to kiss him on the cheek.
"You'll do perfectly fine." She smiled, tenderly. "I had forgotten how shy you can be, brother."
"I'm not shy!"
"Yes, you are!" She said, teasingly, in the same chanting tone she used when they were little.
Guy couldn't help chuckling.
"You're terrible, Iz," he said, intentionally using the nickname Allan had invented for her.
"Don't call me that!" Isabella yelled, outraged.
"You told me that I should try to have fun."
"To have fun, yes. To make fun of me, no!"
Guy's grin faded when a servant came running inside to say that the sheriff was coming.
He stood up and went to the door, trying to hide his agitation. Isabella followed him and she waited at his side to welcome the guests.
She wasn't the lady of the manor, but Robin hadn't a wife that could claim that position, so Isabella, just like her brother, had to take that place, but she didn't find it as difficult as Guy did. Actually, she rather enjoyed it, and she smiled to the sheriff and his family, welcoming them to Locksley.
In her own house, she never had the chance to act as the lady of the manor, because her husband despised that kind of entertainment and never held parties or celebrations in his home. If he wanted to have fun, he searched it out of the house, and Isabella was never included in it. Her only option was to stay at home and obey his every whim, being harshly punished whenever she wasn't good enough according to his judgement, and this happened very often.
She never had the chance of having some fun or to spend a pleasant day, so she was determined to have it all now that she was free.
She glanced at the closed door of Robin's room and her cheeks became a little flushed while she remembered his touch and his kisses. That unexpected passion had been deeply upsetting for both of them and Isabella couldn't help thinking that she had betrayed her wedding vows, that now she was an unfaithful wife and that Thornton would have every right to punish her. The most surprising thing was that she didn't care at all, she had no regrets for what she did with Robin: her husband had punished her for years for inexistent faults, now he deserved to be betrayed.
She was worried for Robin, instead. He was still so hurt and broken, that she feared to have upset him deeply, that he could regret it.
She wished that he would show up, that he could find the strength to join the celebration, so she could see that he was all right.
Isabella turned back to look at her brother, stifling a little amused smile. Guy was still nervous, but he was hiding it well enough as he talked to the sheriff and welcomed his wife and his sisters to the manor.
The ladies nodded their approval as they entered the room and took their seats, but Isabella saw Guy freezing as three young ladies entered the room just after the older ones. She inwardly grinned because she knew perfectly well why he was so nervous now: the daughters of the sheriff were very pretty, but Isabella knew that now Guy had eyes only for lady Marian, who had come into the manor with them.
Oh, brother, do you really think you could hide your feelings for her?
Isabella looked at Marian, who had stopped on the threshold, staring at Guy with the same expression of her brother.
And if you think that she doesn't care for you, you're blinder than Allan.
Isabella smiled to the guests, showing them their seats and breaking the spell between Marian and Guy before they both revealed themselves for the love-sick fools they actually were.
Marian sat at her place, staring at the table with her cheeks pink, and Isabella glanced at Guy, equally flushed. Meanwhile, the villagers had followed the nobles inside, and they had gathered in the hall, waiting.
All those people looked as nervous as Guy was.
Isabella put a hand on her brother's arm, and she gave him a reassuring smile.
"I think you should say something," she whispered.
"What?" He whispered back, anxiously.
"Something to start the celebrations. I think they are waiting a word from the lord of the manor. You, in this case."