Robin's desire to get into the Strong Room wasn't a coincidence, as it turned out. Count Frederick, from Bavaria, was coming to pay a visit. The Sheriff knew that the Count loved gambling, and had decided to put a rigged casino in place. The Count's losses would add to the funds needed to carry out the plans against King Richard -- in fact, they would probably get the Sheriff to his goal and give him a little extra spending money. If Robin could pull off the Strong Room heist, all that money would go to people who really needed it, and the Sheriff wouldn't be able to further his plans just yet.
I was still a little uneasy, but I did trust Guy to do what he could to help Robin succeed. The trick was to keep the Sheriff from finding out that he was helping. It didn't seem too difficult to pull off, however, because the Sheriff was too busy talking about how great he was to notice what anyone else was doing. I could tell Guy was a little stressed, and did my best to help him stay relaxed. It was the least I could do with the way he was putting everything on the line for me. I was happy to do it, and he was definitely happy to oblige me. Especially when my stress relieving attempts turned into activity of a different sort.
While Robin and his gang were busy learning how to beat the Strong Room's booby traps from Stephen, the Sheriff and Guy were busy getting ready for Count Frederick's arrival. They had to make sure the games were rigged in their favor. A few days before his arrival, the Sheriff filled me in on my duties, which included anything -- here I glanced at Guy, prompting the Sheriff to repeat it -- anything the Count required to make his stay more pleasant and comfortable. The Sheriff's leer was unmistakable, and I shuddered in response.
"I am a married woman, Sheriff," I started, and he shushed me. I crossed my arms over my chest and gave him a steely look.
"And as such, you understand what needs a man has, and can tend to them," was his amused response. Guy bristled at his words and my jaw dropped. What audacity! Guy spoke in a deceptively soft voice, but I could feel the anger behind it.
"You will not whore out my wife. Choose a girl from Nottingham." The Sheriff shook his head with a smile.
"That will not do, Gisborne. He is royalty and, as such, he gets nothing but the best." His eyes raked over my body. "And given your state of mind since wedding -- and bedding -- her, I think it's safe to say she is." At Guy's further protests he held up his hand. "You are both here in my service, to carry out my commands. That's the end of it." With that he dismissed us. Guy stalked out of the room, and I quickly followed him to our room. Once there, he took me in his arms.
"I am sorry for what he said. I shouldn't have married you if it meant the Sheriff would give you to any man he wanted." As he got to the end, his words were coming out in a growl, his anger evident.
"He might have done so even if we didn't marry," I responded, trying to calm him down. "I wouldn't want some poor girl to have to do that, so perhaps it's for the best that I be the one. I will try my best to avoid it, though." He gave me a look full of chagrin. I raised my hand to his face, and added softly, "Should I have to do anything, I will only be thinking of you." He sighed and pressed his forehead to mine. "Besides," I added wryly, "at least he doesn't want to test me first, and trusts your...judgment." He scowled at that last part.
"I do not like this at all," he stated flatly. I agreed, but what could we do? I also had a suspicion that the Sheriff was doing this not just because of the reasons he gave, but also to try to drive a wedge between Guy and me. I wasn't going to let that happen, though, if I had anything to say about it. I tried to ease the worried furrow out of his brow with a kiss, but was only partly successful.
He suggested I leave and go back home, but I shook my head. That would just anger the Sheriff, and he was just as likely to take out his anger on Guy as me. No, I had to do this. I had to repay Guy for all the times he had stood between me and the Sheriff. This time I would do what I could for him. He held me tightly and sighed with frustration.
"I have been around the Sheriff enough to know how to handle myself," I started, and he shook his head, but I persisted. "I cannot run away, much as we would both like me to. I'll be alright. I will find a way to be." I framed his face with my hands. I had faced my wedding, an event that I had felt impending doom over, and survived it. I could face this.
"I have been around him longer, Marian. This is just the opening of the door. He will open it wider each time. Once you let him in, he will never leave." I started to realize what Guy had been through all those years as he followed the Sheriff. He had endured ridicule from the man he had started out looking to almost as a father figure. Now his eyes were pleading with me to understand, and I did. I caressed his face softly, my heart breaking for his younger self.
We spent the night enjoying each other, trying not to think of what would come in a few days and just be in the moment. It was going to be a long three days as we both waited for the Count to appear. I was determined to stay optimistic and hope that the Count was an honorable man. Guy was reluctant, but I finally persuaded him to at least not assume the Count was going to whisk me straight off to his bedchamber. He found it hard to believe that the Count wouldn't, because Guy had wanted to the first time he saw me. I blushed when he said that, and he chuckled.
"Are you surprised to hear that?" he asked, and I thought about it, then shook my head. Not really, not any more. At first I had been surprised, but now that I knew he had so many more layers than the one-dimensional man I had thought of him before, I understood. I had thought he just wanted to get back at Robin, but it had always been much more than that. It had to have been. I looked up at him and gasped softly at the adoration in his gaze. There was no way I couldn't see it now. I cupped his face with my hand and brought his lips to mine. I moved my lips to his ear and whispered into it.
"I must admit," I started, and his hand found my breast, caressing it lightly. I gasped again and continued, "that I felt myself drawn to you, even as I hated what you and the Sheriff were doing." He growled softly. "I was torn, especially when I thought I loved Robin. Torn between my physical awareness of you and my frustration with your actions." As his caresses increased, I lost my train of thought, and surrendered to the sensations. I was no longer torn, it seemed.
The Count arrived three days later, and I was standing at the castle steps waiting for him, Guy behind me and the Sheriff at my side, holding me in place next to him. The Sheriff had picked out my dress, choosing one that best showed off my "assets," in his estimation. I felt liike a hired lady. The introductions were made, and I was handed over to Frederick, who gave me an appraising look. I heard Guy's intake of breath, and cleared my throat to cover the sound, smiling invitingly.
"Welcome to Nottingham, Count Frederick. I am here to make your stay as pleasant as possible, so please let me know if there is anything you require." He replied that he would, and bent to kiss my hand, keeping his eyes on my face. I led him into the main hall, Guy a short distance behind. I could feel the scowl he was wearing emanating off him, but kept my smile plastered on. I showed the Count all the casino tables, and he showed me which one was his favorite game.
Continuing on, I showed him to his room, which was a few doors down from the one I shared with Guy. I asked him if he required anything, and when he said no, I told him I'd return for him in an hour. He noticed Guy standing behind me, and looked between the two of us, seeming to catch my uncomfortableness and Guy's dark mood. After a moment, his look of confusion changed to one of understanding. He bent toward me and asked me in a low voice, "Is he your husband?"
"Yes, he is," I responded softly, and he nodded in understanding. He beckoned to Guy, who came forward reluctantly, and nodded curtly. "Sir Guy, I heartily apologize that the Sheriff seems to have mistakenly offered me the services of your wife. Although I would love for her to accompany me in the casino, I shall have no other need of her during my stay." Guy let out the breath he had been holding, and nodded his head with a small crooked smile.
"By all means, Count, she will be happy to accompany you." He held out his arm, which I laid my hand on, and we started back to our room, but I turned back to thank him.
"It is nothing, Lady Gisborne. I have no desire to bed other men's wives. I look forward to seeing you again in an hour." I nodded my acquiescence and smiled; this time it was a real smile. He smiled back and entered his room. Guy and I continued to ours, his relief evident. I was relieved, too, and laid my head on his shoulder as we walked. His arm came around my waist, pulling me close, and I sighed contentedly.
Back in our room, I thought about the Count's behavior. Guy had hung up his sword, and now stood watching me, an inscrutable look on his face. I walked up to him and put my arms around him, and he did the same to me. I put my cheek on his chest and leaned into him, letting his strength surround me. We stood like that for a while, just happy to be with each other. Eventually our holds on each other loosened and I leaned back a little to look up at him.
"I wonder if he would help us," I said tentatively, and his silence encouraged me to continue. "He seems trustworthy, and he might appreciate it if I told him that the casino is rigged." He pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"He might, but I would tread delicately if I were you," he warned.
"Of course," I responded, and turned my face up so he could kiss my lips instead, which he did almost immediately. He pressed more kisses along the length of my jaw and I sighed softly. Then I decided to take a chance.
"It's a pity the Count doesn't bed other men's wives. I was looking forward to comparing him to you." I said playfully, and he growled in response. Picking me up, he brought me to the bed and dropped me unceremoniously on it, his eyes flashing. I felt the familiar ache of desire deep within, and looked up at him invitingly. He made short work of his clothes, my eyes following his every move. I licked my lips as he joined me on the bed and began relieving me of my clothes.
"I'll give you an experience you cannot easily compare," he muttered, and I moaned with anticipation.
"You must know that I could not compare any other experience with the ones I have with you," I responded between breaths.
"I should hope not," he retorted, his hand caressing a breast. I reached up and pulled him down for a kiss. We spent most of the hour until I went to meet the Count creating one of those incomparable experiences, and the rest of it recuperating. Giving him one last lingering kiss, I moved to start dressing.
"Will you be in the casino too?" I asked, knowing that with the Count's assurances Guy would be a lot more relaxed this evening.
"Unless the Sheriff has other plans for me," he responded, and I felt his fingers caress my hip and continue up my side. I trembled slightly, and he chuckled softly. "You were taking quite a chance, teasing me about comparing the Count to me," he continued.
"Yes, I did take a chance. I thought perhaps you'd punish me by tying me up." I looked over my shoulder to see his eyes heat up at the thought.
"Perhaps I will do that when we retire for the evening," he said, pretending to be thoughtful. "We shall see how well you behave between now and then."
"Well, then, I shall try my best to misbehave," I responded jauntily, and was rewarded with another growl. I bent down for one last kiss, and then went to collect the Count.
He was ready for me, and I asked if we could have a moment before going down to dinner. He held open his door and I entered his room. I looked at him for a moment, trying to decide how much to tell him. Taking a deep breath, I started.
"Thank you for what you did earlier." He held up his hand.
"It was nothing. I meant what I said, and I am disgusted that the Sheriff would think I would behave any other way."
"The Sheriff only thinks of himself, and how he would behave. I want to repay you for your consideration by telling you something, but you must understand that I put my life in danger by telling you this." He nodded his understanding. "The casino games are all rigged. He intends to make a great deal of money off of you." His eyes narrowed.
"Thank you for telling me."
"There is one other thing. The money he makes from you will go into a Strong Room, which a friend of ours is planning to raid tonight. I am not asking you to give money to our cause, and we will gladly give any back that you lose."
"That will not be necessary. I have plenty of money, and helping you out will be worthwhile. I would not feel the same way about helping the Sheriff."
"Thank you, Count Frederick. Shall we go to dinner?" He held our this arm and I took it.
"By all means. Let the games begin!" I smiled, and we walked out his door and down to the dining hall.
Dinner was much more entertaining than usual. The Sheriff had pulled out all the stops to dazzle the Count, and he whispered to me that he would have been had I not told him the truth. I sat between him and Guy, and although he had said he wasn't interested in me, Guy still put an arm posessively around my waist as we ate. I smiled at Guy, and the Sheriff narrowed his eyes at us. He gestured at me to pay more attention to the Count, and I turned to Frederick obediently, asking him questions about his life.
I did enjoy conversing with him, and it went better with Guy relaxed than if he had been dreading my leaving with Count Frederick. I was free to talk with him without worrying whether Guy would erupt over some little thing. If he had been on edge it wouldn't have taken much. Perhaps that was what the Sheriff was trying to do. I wouldn't put it past him, especially knowing how he had taunted Guy when I was with Robin on the Sheriff's orders. I didn't like Guy working for a man who belittled him at every chance. At least I was there now to counterbalance it, which seemed to be working.
I asked Frederick if he had a lady waiting back home, and he shrugged. Yes, he did, an arranged marriage. This was his last travel abroad before the wedding. He had met her a few times, and she seemed pleasant. She was also quite beautiful, he added with a smile, although not as beautiful as me. I blushed, and he chuckled.
"I may not be interested in bedding you, but I do enjoy that becoming tint to you cheeks." Guy's hand tensed slightly on my waist, and then relaxed again.
"You may be pleasantly surprised after your marriage, Count." I responded. "I didn't choose my husband, but I have come to love him deeply. If I had to do it over again, I'd marry him in a heartbeat." The Count smiled at me and told me how lucky I was, and I agreed wholeheartedly. I was glad that Guy was so very different from how I had thought he was. His hand caressed my waist and hip, and I turned briefly to look at him.
I gasped at the raw emotion in his eyes...emotion the he usually only showed me in our bedchamber. Smiling, I leaned in for a tender kiss and some whispered endearments before turning back to Frederick. The rest of the meal was filled with jesters and musicians, and not much time for talking.