Chapter Eight
Thanks to the outlaws skill at forest living, they managed to avoid the larger roads for most of their journey. Finally they made it to Venice without incident and bought passage on a ship home. They were still travelling incognito, posing as merchants.
King Richard shared his cabin with Augustus so he could act as the Kings guard, Robin shared with Guy, Tuck with Much and Lou got her own cabin, though she swore she was fine sharing with someone if the king wanted his own space.
Guy welcomed the opportunity to rest and even though the others hadn't been wounded, they were grateful for a rest as well since it had been a long and at times arduous trip, with much travelling through the night to help avoid detection.
On the third day on board, Guy finally made the decision he'd been toying with ever since the ship set sail, and he headed to the King's cabin. He felt slightly queasy as he approached and knocked, but he supposed that considering what he was about to do, that was probably to be expected.
He entered when told to and found the king playing chess with Augustus.
Augustus didn't see Guy as a threat since he had helped rescue the King, so when Guy asked for some privacy he was happy to leave them alone together.
"So, what brings you here, with what appears to be a rather heavy heart." Richard asked as he reset the playing pieces.
"I have a confession to make to you, My Lord."
"Oh?" Richard leaned forward.
"Sire..." Guy really had no idea how you should go about confessing you had tried to kill someone. He felt the sweat break out on his forehead and to his surprise, he shivered. This was it. In a few minutes he could be dead.
Finally Guy decided he should start at the beginning. "I'm not sure how much Robin has told you, but you should know that until recently I was in the employ of Sheriff Vaisey of Nottingham and under his orders, I have twice tried to kill you."
The King nodded.
"You knew?" Guy sounded shocked.
"I suspected. Your hair is longer but I thought I remembered seeing you in the Holy Land."
"You were right, though I am curious as to why you didn't say anything sooner?"
"Why rock the boat? I trust Robin more than almost anyone. If he trusted you, I felt I owed it to him to do the same."
Guy bowed his head. Was this what shame felt like, he wondered.
"So, why are you telling me this now?" Richard asked.
"Because the immediate danger to you has passed and you no longer need me as a bodyguard. Not that I've been in any fit state to protect you recently."
"You were injured rescuing me, so I think I can overlook that."
"Thank you, my Lord."
"I have to ask you, what exactly do you expect me to do with this knowledge?"
"Treason of this magnitude can only be punished by death, Sire."
King Richard was throughly intrigued by the man who stood before him.
"Tell me, Sir Guy, how is it that you changed from my brothers side to mine?"
"I was... lost for many years."
"And now you're found?"
"In a manner of speaking."
"So why are you here?"
"I am here to throw myself on your mercy and ask one final thing."
"You want me to pardon you?" the King sounded incredulous.
"No, Sire. I will offer you a full confession and spare you the need for a trial. All I ask in return is that you wait until we are back in England to carry out my sentence."
"That's an odd request."
"I promised someone I would do my best to return to her and I would like to keep that promise. I would like the chance to say goodbye to her."
"Then again, this could be a ploy so that you can escape on our journey home."
"It is rather difficult to escape from a boat and I am quite willing to be shackled for the rest of our journey."
"Who is this woman you want to say goodbye to?"
"Her name is Meg. She reawakened my conscience and... she is everything to me."
"So it is because of her that you felt the need to rescue me and confess."
"The irony is not lost on me, my Lord, believe me. Now that I finally have something to live for, I must die for my past crimes."
Guy was beginning to feel light headed. He wondered what was happening, he hadn't felt like this even when Isabella was about to kill him.
"Sir Guy, are you quite all right?"
"I..." A wave of dizziness passed over him and he stumbled. "I believe I am feeling sea sick, Sire."
"Sea sick?"
Guy didn't know how else to explain it but as the dizziness intensified he fell to his knees and then onto his side. He saw the King standing over him as the edges of his vision began to grow dark. Within seconds he was unconscious.
III
Guy awoke to find himself in his bed at the castle. He was confused and for a moment he wondered if he'd dreamed becoming an outlaw and teaming up with Hood.
"Finally," he turned his head and saw Meg sitting in a chair beside his bed.
She poured a cup of water from a jug and held it to his lips. He didn't realise how thirsty he was until he had his first taste.
"Sip it," she said gently. "Or you'll make yourself ill."
He did as she said and then collapsed back down on the bed.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"As weak as a kitten," he said, surprised to hear how horse he sounded.
"You've been through a lot," she said. "I'll bring you up some soup."
She got up and headed towards the door.
"No, stay, please."
"You need food," she said. "I won't be a moment."
But she was much longer than a moment so Guy took the time to peace together what had happened. He remembered speaking with the King and feeling unwell. He remembered Tuck talking to him and later Lou bathing his face. He remembered Marion smiling at him, but he couldn't remember why.
"Good, you're awake," Robin said as he came in.
Guy really wasn't in the mood for a verbal sparring match so he prayed this was a friendly visit.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Your wound became infected and you were very ill for a while. We thought on a few occasions that you were a gonner."
Guy managed a smile. Trust him to survive a deadly infection only to be beheaded or hanged.
"How do you feel?" Robin asked.
"Not even you ever managed to make me feel this bad." Slowly he eased himself up the bed so his back was against the headboard. "Is the King safe?"
"Safe and well. He's staying in Nottingham until he can assess which Sheriffs and nobels are loyal and which aren't."
Guy nodded. "I might be able to help with that."
"I suggested that to him," Robin confessed. "And I want you to know, I'm proud of you."
"What for?" Guy asked.
"Confessing."
"I'm beginning to think it was rather foolish," Guy said with a smile, though it quickly faded. "Has he said anything about when my sentence is to be carried out?"
Robin shook his head. "Officially you haven't confessed yet, so he can't sentence you without a trial and for a trial you would need to be awake to defend yourself."
"He's a fair man," Guy acknowledged, knowing full well that he could legally be convicted in his absence.
"He is."
"But I am a prisoner?"
Robin nodded. "There are two guards outside your door."
"At least I'm not in the dungeon this time."
Just then Meg returned with a bowl of soup and bread. Robin stood up to go.
"I'll leave you two alone," he said.
Meg placed the tray on his lap and filled another mug of water for him. Guy watched her as she worked and noticed that despite her smile, she looked unhappy. She wouldn't look directly at him.
"Eat it slowly," she said. "You haven't eaten solid food in a while."
"Meg-"
"Eat now, we'll talk later." Her voice was clipped.
Guy did as she said. The soup was good but he found he couldn't finish the bowl. Meg removed the tray when he was done and placed it on a table beside the door.
"Meg, please look at me."
Slowly Meg turned around and faced him. Somehow she managed to look angry, hurt and happy at the same time.
"I know you had to do it," she said. "Robin told me the King recognised you anyway so even if you hadn't said anything..." she didn't want to finish that thought. Her eyes stung with tears which she hastily wiped away.
"Come here." Guy opened his arms to her and she came and laid down beside him, resting her head on his chest.
"What am I going to do without you?" she asked.
"Find someone who is worthy of you." Guy answered. It seemed obvious to him.
"You make it sound simple. Most men are half-wits, and that's putting it kindly."
"You will find someone who deserves you," he said. Robin immediately sprang to his mind as the kind of man who deserved her. And he certainly deserved better than Kate. The idea of them together wasn't exactly appealing but if Guy couldn't have her, then she could do a lot worse than Hood.
Meg neither agreed nor disagreed and they lay in silence until Guy fell asleep again.
When he awoke he felt slightly better and Meg changed his dressings then got him some stew from the kitchen. After that Robin came in with a scribe. Guy asked Meg to leave while he spoke to the scribe. It wasn't that she didn't know what he had done but by giving this confession he was signing his own death warrant and that was something that he knew would upset her.
Before he began, Robin reminded Guy that he didn't have to do this, that Robin wouldn't stop him if he decided to head to France and even if he did stay here, he might still win at trial.
Guy thanked him but proceeded with his confession anyway.
When they were finished Robin sent Meg back in. Shortly after, Lou came to visit, then Allan and Tuck checked in on him. By the time they left it was dark and Guy was tired again. Meg got back into bed and lay in his arms as she told him all about what he had missed in Nottingham until he drifted off to sleep.
The next morning they were awoken by someone knocking on the door. Rather reluctantly, Meg got up to answer it.
Robin stepped in, apologising for waking them.
Guy waved his appology away. He'd slept quite enough recently and he was ready to rejoin the living.
"I just wanted you to know that the king has made a decision. He'll be by to speak to you in an hour."
"Thank you."
Meg changed Guy's dressing again then helped him get dressed.
After that there wasn't a lot to do. He felt like there was an anvil poised over his head and couldn't settle to anything, he paced for a while, but his muscles were weak and achy so after a while so he sat back down but doing nothing was almost impossible and he soon resumed pacing.
Thankfully he was soon put out of his misery by an ominous knock on the door.
"Come in," Guy called.
King Richard entered and Guy bowed, wincing only slightly in pain.
"Lady Meg, how good to see you again."
Meg curtseyed to him. "And you, my Lord."
"Would you leave us for a moment. I feel my discussions with Sir Guy should be held in private."
Meg nodded and left them to it.
Guy stayed standing until Richard took a seat and gestured for Guy to take the one opposite.
"You have presented me with quite the dilemma," he said to Guy, his tone slightly chiding. "First you try to kill me, and now I owe you my life."
"Sire, I have no wish to plead for clemency or mercy. My only request was to see Meg again and you have already granted that."
"You may not ask for clemency but it is still my right to give it!" the King snapped.
"Of course, Sire, I apologise." Guy bowed his head.
"After you fell ill I had long talks with both Robin and Tuck. Both gentlemen now seem to hold you in high esteem, which is saying a lot, especially given that you murdered Robins wife. Tuck in particular believes that you could be a real force for good in this world if you continue to apply yourself, while Robin talks of you as one might a brother. And indeed I now understand that you very nearly were brothers."
Guy didn't know what to say to that.
"I had no idea what to do with you, then finally it seemed that choice was to be taken away from me when your condition worsened. After talking it over at length with Tuck, I finally agreed to leave your fate up to God, with one caveat. If He felt you deserved to die, He would take you during your fever but if He felt you deserved a second chance, He would allow you to live."
"And the caveat?"
"That if you did recover, you still offered a full confession. I have known many a man who seems to repent, only to change his mind when faced with the consequences."
Guy froze, almost afraid to acknowledge what he'd just been told.
"It seems God was rather indecisive himself, your condition improved and worsened a few times during our voyage but finally you recovered. I wasn't sure if you would still confess to the scribe I sent to you, but I have to say I actually felt a little relieved when you did. "
Guy swallowed.
"Well, have you nothing to say, man?"
"You're going to let me live?" Guy asked.
"I am. For duties to your king and country, I offer you a full pardon."
Guy looked up into the kings eyes.
"My Lord..." He didn't know what else to say. Thank you seemed so inadequate.
Richard actually smiled.
"Rarely have I ever seen someone truly change and I don't believe for a second that you have changed, Sir Guy. Robin told me what you were like as a child and I have to agree with him that your life could have been very different had the world not made you and your sister pay for other peoples sins. I now believe that what you said to me in my cabin was true; you were lost for a time."
"Thank you." It still sounded inadequate but what else was he to say?
Richard got up and went to the door and a moment later one of the guards came in with a carafe of wine and two goblets. He poured them both a drink them handed one to Guy.
"It's not poisoned," Richard smiled seeing Guys stunned look.
"No, I didn't think... I am slightly confused by this turn of events and it's a little hard for me to comprehend right now."
Richard smiled, raised his glass in a silent toast and they drank. Guy finished his rather quickly in the hopes that it might help slow his racing mind.
"Don't tell Meg," Guy asked as he gestured to his goblet. "I'm sure she'll think wine is bad for my recovery."
"Yes, she is a little firecracker that one, isn't she? She also pleaded your case for you," he said, smiling at the memory as he topped their wine up. "Wouldn't take no for an answer and sat outside my room for nearly twelve hours until I agreed to speak with her."
"She is strong willed but she means well." Guy was worried she'd offended the King.
"Indeed. Of course, even with your pardon, you don't have an awful lot to offer her now."
Guy hadn't thought about that.
"I'm still stuck on being allowed to live," he admitted.
"Of course, I understand. However I do have another proposition for you, if you feel up to hearing it."
Even though he didn't, Guy didn't want to refuse him.
"Of course, my Lord."
"I understand that your family once owned part of the Locksley estate."
Guy didn't understand the significance of the question but he answered anyway.
"Indeed. My father was given the land for his services to your father in the Holy Land."
"And that land should rightly have passed to you on his death. You should have been Lord of Gisborne village," Richard said.
Guy didn't know how to answer that.
"I have a lot of enemies," Richard continued. "My brother is a very persuasive man when he wants to be and I have no way of knowing who he turned and who he didn't. It would be very helpful to me if I knew who those enemies were."
"I will gladly tell you all I know, Sire."
"And would you testify against my enemies at trial, Sir Guy?"
"I would."
"Then for services to me, I will award you the village that used to be known as Gisborne."
"You're giving me my lands back?" Guy sounded confused. "But I already gave you most of the names in my confession."
"True, but I don't expect them to be quite as upstanding as you, Sir Guy. Your testimony at trial will likely be needed, for which you deserve compensation."
"Have you spoken to Robin of this?" Guy asked.
"I have and he is in agreement. Though it is probably only fair to tell you that the lands and title are subject to a probationary period of five years. Should you renege on our agreement, commit any further acts of treason or prove to be an unfit master, your lands and title will be forfeit."
"Sire, believe me when I say that all I look forward to now is a simple life."
Richard smiled and raised his goblet. "To a simple life."
Guy raised his drink too and took a long sip.
"There is something else I would like to speak to you about, Sire."
"Yes?" King Richard looked up, confused.
"My sister."
III
"Robin, have you seen Guy?" Meg asked as she almost collided with him on the stairs.
"No, why?"
"King Richard came to talk to him and when I went back to bring him lunch, Guy was gone. You don't think-"
"No." Robin cut her off before she could finish that thought. "The king pardoned him. I promise you, Guy is safe,"
"Then where is he?"
Earlier Robin thought he'd seen Guy heading to the East Tower and now Robin put two and two together and thought he had a pretty good idea of where Guy might be.
"Meg, calm down. Guy's just had a shock and he probably needs some time alone. Go back to your room and I'll send him to you once I've found him."
Meg nodded and turned back the way she'd come, which was the way to Guy's room. Robin had meant for her to go to her own room but Kate had informed him that Meg had adopted Guy's rooms as her own while they were away. Clearly she was heading back there now.
Robin headed towards the East Tower and what used to be Marion's quarters.
Robin had purposely avoided this area of the castle and now he was glad because Marion's rooms were exactly as she had left them. His breath caught in his throat as he remembered all the times he had visited her in here.
Guy was sitting on the side of her bed, his back to the door.
"I locked the room as soon as I got back from the Holy Land," Guy said without turning around. "I couldn't stand the though of anything being changed."
Robin understood that. It was strange being back here, if he didn't know better he could almost believe that Marion had just stepped out for a moment and would be back soon. Slowly he made his way around the bed and sat down beside Guy, whose cheeks were wet with tears.
"What are you doing up here?" Robin asked.
"I don't know," Guy answered honestly.
"It couldn't be anything to do with Meg, could it?"
Guy didn't answer.
"Suddenly you have a future again and you're questioning things. Am I right?"
Guy nodded. Robin didn't ask anything else but waited for Guy to speak. After a few more minutes he did.
"I never questioned what was happening, never wondered if it was the right thing because I needed someone to care about me and she was there. I tried not to think about how hurt she'd be when I was gone. I've misled her and I don't deserve her," he said. "She deserves someone good, as good as she is."
"Maybe you didn't deserve her," Robin admitted. "But I think that now you do."
"The age difference-"
"Is nothing. She has the spirit you need, you have the strength she can respect."
"But I... I don't..." Guy took a deep breath; this was a difficult confession. "I don't love her like I did Marion."
"Good."
Guy turned to Robin, surprised at that answer.
"Guy, the love you felt for Marion was very real, I'll give you that, but it wasn't healthy. It was obsessive love, the kind of love that devours you, that makes you loose all sense of reason, of self. It's the kind of love that can turn to hate in a heart beat."
Guy looked away, ashamed.
"Real love strengthens you, makes you a better man. Real love doesn't want to own or possess someone, but rather cherish them. Real love dies to protect, it doesn't kill. Maybe what you feel for Meg isn't as strong as what you felt for Marion, but from that I've seen of the two of you, it's more real than anything you could have had with Marion."
Guy silently absorbed those words for a few moments before he said, "I thought I saw her, you know, while I was delirious from the fever."
"What did she say?"
"I can't remember much of it, but I think she said that she was proud of me."
"I'm sure she is."
They sat there silently for a little while longer.
"You and Kate?" Guy finally asked. Maybe if he knew Robin was happy with Kate it would make things a little easier.
"Me and Kate," Robin said. "I don't know. She's special but... maybe things will be different now we're no longer outlaws."
"The king pardoned you all?" Guy had expected no less.
"He has. Truthfully, I don't know if there's a future for us, I only know that she's very special and I care a great deal for her."
"You and Isabella would have been a good match," Guy said. "Maybe you could have done for her what Marion and Meg did for me."
"Maybe, but I doubt it. I remember when we were children, she wasn't so different. One day she was a friend-"
"The next your worst enemy," Guy smiled sadly. As a child it had been cute, as an adult it was much less so. "I remember."
"She used people to get what she wanted, even then."
"But she had a good heart," Guy argued.
"Maybe," Robin hadn't seen a lot of that himself. "I used to envy you, you know."
"Me? Why?"
"You were always so strong. Everyone in the village looked to you when your father left, you were the man of the house, respected. And you were brave. Even when they were about to hang you, you didn't look frightened. I wanted to be like you."
"And I like you," Guy admitted. "You and your father were always so close but I hadn't seen my father in years. I envied you that."
"Do you think we could have been happy as brothers?" Robin asked.
"Maybe, but I'm not sure I could have gotten over what your father did to mine. And you were a huge brat."
Robin smiled at the good natured jibe.
"I was."
"So what happens now?" Guy asked.
"The next few months will probably be busy rounding up traitors, then there'll be the trials," Robin said. "But for now, there's a girl waiting in your room who's been worried sick about you."
Guy nodded and they stood up to leave. They both paused at the door and looked back into the room.
"I don't think I ever said," Guy turned to look at Robin. "I'm sorry."
No, he had never said the words but by the time Robin might have accepted an apology, he hadn't needed one. The guilt and grief Guy felt was clear to see.
"I know, but Marion's in a better place now."
"Do you really believe that?"
"I have to," Robin said softly.
Guy took one last look around then handed the key to Robin. Marion had been his wife and the memories stored in this room rightfully belonged to him.
"Thank you." Robin said quietly. "You'd better go and find Meg, she's worried sick about you." He stepped back into the room.
Guy didn't want to leave him alone in his grief.
"Will you-"
"I'll be fine," Robin assured him. It didn't do to dwell on the past and he would leave soon, just not yet. He turned to look at Guy. "Go and make an honest woman of Meg. I think it's what Marion would have wanted."
III
Guy opened the door to his room but his path was quickly blocked by Meg.
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you? Who do you think you are that you can just go wandering off without telling anyone? Anything could have happened to you and..."
Guy watched her as she continued yelling at him but he drowned the words out. She did talk a lot. And she didn't seem to have a filter between her mind and mouth. And she could be really annoying when she wouldn't let something go. She could also be immature and childish.
Guy smiled as he realised he didn't care.
"What are you grinning at?" she asked. "Do you think worrying me is funny? Having a good laugh at my expense are you?"
"No." He reached out and cupped her cheek. "I just realised something."
"What?" she asked, her anger fading slightly.
"I love you."
Meg looked stunned.
"You... You can't just say that and expect it to make everything all right! First you run off to Austria and won't take me with you, then you nearly die, then you start playing hide and seek-"
Guy bent down and kissed her. She responded but when he pulled away she punched him in the arm.
"That's cheating!"
"Feel free to carry on," Guy smiled. "But when you've finished, there was something rather important that I wanted to ask you."
"What?" she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Marry me."
Meg clearly wanted to stay mad at him but after a moments hesitation she grinned and threw her arms around him.
"Do you mean that?" she asked, pulling back to look into his eyes.
"I mean every word. You are the most suborn, wilful, exasperating woman I've ever met and you have hardly any sense of decorum or manners."
"You're asking me to marry you by listing my worst qualities?" she sounded hurt.
"No, I'm listing some of the things I love about you."
Meg looked confused for a moment. Her whole life she had been told that no one would ever love her if she didn't behave, keep quiet and play nice. Now Guy was telling her that the very qualities her father had said would keep her from marriage were the things he loved about her.
She smiled.
"In that case, yes, I will marry you."
Guy swept her off her feet as he pulled her into his arms and held her close. He closed his eyes and remembered how he had tried to commit the feel of her to his memory before he left for Austria and he silently vowed that he would never willingly leave her again.