"Guy's Rose" (Book 1), by Gratiana Lovelace, 2012

"Guy's Rose", Ch. 25--Sir Guy's and Lady Rose's Last Night Before his Mission

 "Guy's Rose", Ch. 25:  Sir Guy's and Lady Roseanna's Last Night Before his Mission Occurs All Too Soon, 10/14/12 Gratiana Lovelace  

An Original Fan Fiction Script Story Adaptation of the BBC's "Robin Hood, Series 3"

(no copyright infringement is intended; all rights reserved)

[(1abc) "Guy's Rose" story graphic]

Over the next five weeks, Sir Guy and Lady Roseanna's lives settle into a predictable pattern of domesticity and intrigue. Their love and loyalty to one another grows daily.   Their mornings are spent with Sir Guy slipping back into his bed chamber after their nights of love when Bessie is convinced to leave them alone. They have their morning ride to the forest where they often make love again before returning to the palace for breakfast and their daily routines.  Whilst Lady Roseanna busies herself with wedding preparations and trousseau fittings, Sir Guy trains Prince John's elite palace guard for their mission to [hunt] down and kill Robin Hood. Lady Roseanna tempts Sir Guy with new and delicious foods at their mid day meal as promised for her wedding present to him.   Then their evenings are spent dining with Prince John and slowly acquainting themselves with which nobles might be allies of theirs, versus who might be firmly sycophantic to Prince John.  It is a delicate business trying to appear to further Prince John's agenda while all the time attempting to undermine it. 

And, Sir Guy and Lady Roseanna have not been able to persuade Prince John to let either of them leave the palace--ostensibly to visit her estate in Leicester--because they secretly want to bring Sir Guy's son Seth to the palace.  So, they have a letter couriered to the black smith's family caring for 3 year old Seth via their trusted family confidante Fr. Bale.  Their plan is to have Fr. Bale collect Seth and bring him to the palace.  They just hope that Fr. Bale will return to the palace in time for Sir Guy to see his son before he must leave to go to Nottingham and carry out his mission to kill Robin Hood--just two weeks before Sir Guy's and Lady Roseanna's planned formal wedding.

So, their last night together is a poignant one as they ready for the evening's feast.  They have made their preparations for Sir Guy's leave taking.  His elite palace guard are well trained--with a secret weapon.  And he has packed his necessary garments and battle gear for his triumphant journey back to Nottingham as the Prince's lieutenant--and not Sheriff Vasey's.  For her part, Lady Roseanna has tried to be supportive of her secret husband--seeming to be cheerful for his sake, while all the while dreading his leaving.  And her feeling poorly of late has not helped her mood.   But, Sir Guy and Lady Roseanna are forgetting something.  Or, perhaps it is more correct to say, they have missed something.  Lady Roseanna's servant Bessie is the one who reminds her as she helps her mistress dress for their last evening together.

Bessie:  "You look very beautiful in your pink velvet gown, Milady."  She stands back and admires her mistress.

Lady Roseanna:  "Thank you Bessie." Lady Roseanna [(2) right] smiles at her reflection in the mirror.   "Perhaps, I wear this gown too often, but it is my h... my betrothed, Sir Guy's, favorite." She catches herself before she slips and says my husband.

Bessie:  "Have you told Sir Guy, Milady?"  She asks delicately as she finishes arranging Lady Roseanna's hair.

Lady Roseanna:  "Told Sir Guy what, Bessie?" She asks absentmindedly as she puts her rings on her fingers.

Bessie:  Bessie looks at her mistress, wondering if she does not know since Lady Roseanna is so young.  "Your courses have not come in some time, My Lady."

Lady Roseanna:  "Haven't they?"  She looks up at Bessie, with a look of surprise on her face.

Bessie:  "It is alright My Lady.  You and Sir Guy will be wed soon and none will be the wiser."