1 | master of arms [gisborne]

Forty-six

"Go on without me," he said.

Archer made the arm of the man go around his shoulders so he could pull him along. "Come on, you old codger. I'm not leaving you behind."

He pulled the old man along, and thankfully Linda dropped in the back to help out. Archer thanked her and ran up with his brothers in the front, Genevieve sticking close to Robin. Guy was at the head, leading everyone through the castle halls. Archer took this time to bug him now that Linda was in the back.

"So you're a noble who's now an outlaw with no money," he mused.

Guy stopped at an intersection, checking both ways, his sword out just in case. "Yep," he answered, popping the P.

"Can you explain the point of that?" Archer asked as they carefully sneaked through the hall, more amused than anything.

But he really couldn't, not when there was a guard turning and charging right at him. Guy reacted just in time to duck and clash his sword with the other guard's sword, groaning when he saw another rushing toward them. But Archer decided to help by using his fancy footwork. Guy avoided the sword, his hair flying in his face. Before the guard could do anything, Archer grabbed his arm, twisted it, made the sword stab the guard in the two, and then used the hilt to pop him in the chin. Guy stared at him in shock, and Robin let out a low whistle.

"Where'd you learn that? The Orient?" he asked, leaning on a pillar.

"Nah." He spun the sword that he got from the guard and tossed it in his other hand. "That's pure English." Archer looked back and forth and slightly leaned forward. "He doesn't by any chance have any money, does he?"

"No, I don't," Robin answered, annoyed now. Guy just shrugged and nodded his head Robin's way. "I gave up all my family's wealth to help the poor."

"Of course you did." Archer spun around, pointing to a door. "Pull their bodies in there."

A few men did what he asked. Linda and the man finally made it to the front, confused when they saw the bodies. Guy just shook his head and held out his hand, putting it on her shoulder and carefully guiding her forward as they kept moving through the halls. Archer shook his head with a chuckle as they rounded a corner.

"You both are mad," Archer told the two men. "I know what poor is. I grew up that way. Neither of you had." He stood up straighter and glanced at them. "There is no honor in being poor, and there is no shame in it." They stopped in the middle of the hall, Archer looking Guy dead in the eye. "If you'd grown up with nothing, then you'd know that. And you wouldn't apologize for wanting to have a little money, for dreaming of something better than you've got."

Guy felt himself snap, and he pushed Archer up against the nearest wall, a knife at his throat. "You know nothing about my life, and what I've endured!" he shouted dangerously.

Linda ran to his side. "Guy, put it down."

Guy ignored her, and he let the tip of the dagger touch Archer's skin. Linda put a hand on his shoulder, using her voice to calm his nerves. "Please."

Guy barely drew back, put he still had Archer's collar in his fist. "I envy you," he said. "Better no family, rich or poor, than a leper father and a mother—" He paused, not wanting to say any more.

Archer glanced between Robin and Guy, frowning. "My mother what?"

Linda gently pulled Guy away so he could turn around and be alone, stepping in front of Archer. "Your mother was killed in a fire," she answered softly, not meeting his eyes.

Guy ran a palm down his face, the memory coming back to haunt him.

Archer blinked, stunned. He looked away and nodded. "What was her name?"