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✣ PARENT HOOD
HORSES STRODE THEIR WAY BACK into Nottingham, Gisborne with a proud smirk on his face; the lady of the castle had gone down to greet them, dressed in a white dress with delicate flowers stitched into the fabric.
"What makes you so happy, Sir Guy?" Her voice was soft, with dark hues looking up to the man as she welcomed him back. The smirk he had only seemed to grow at her question - he seemed far too keen to answer it.
"We have one of Hood's men, marking the horses was an excellent idea." Guy gave her a smile, one that was so rarely seen.
"I am pleased to hear it; have you got any information from him yet?"
"Not yet, but we will - I will." With those final words, the man continued to walk past her - not even sparing her a second glance.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
The maiden walked back inside the castle, into the meeting room so that she could stand waiting by her father's chair. A few nobles had already gathered, Marian mimicking a similar pose as she stood behind her father. The pair shared a friendly glance, offering each other a smile before the Sheriff strode into the room.
"Good news from the village of Clun. No new outbreaks for a fortnight - the pestilence or whatever it was has gone."
"Then we can lift the quarantine, feed the survivors." The old sheriff dared to speak up, with a rather hopeful tone to his voice - however, she had previously heard her father's plan for the village, and she knew that would not be the case.
"No, the people of Clun, they are a grubby people, the great unwashed - low on taxes, high on moaning. The quarantine remains." The Sheriff continued, gaze narrowing at the former man in his position.
"They must be fed, they will die." It was Marian this time that would speak, her features mirroring her friend's. Concern laced her voice, and she knew that both would do something in order to help the people that lived there.
"Oh, sweet. My dear, you have to understand, these are incapable people; they do not look after themselves. We must not - we cannot pity them."
"But how can they look after themselves if we will not allow them to leave their village?"
"I agree, this is a conundrum. Another conundrum is this, whom ... do I tax to pay for the food for the hopeless of Clun? Hm? Do I rob from Peter to pay for Paul? It's simpler to keep the quarantine in place and then after one or two weeks we say that the village has been... been cleansed. I may house my garrison there." Vaisey just grinned, his hands gesturing as he spoke with an all too happy tone.
"You cannot let healthy people die, it is barbaric. If it became known that we have -" Marian protested until she was cut off by her friend's father.
"Interesting, hm? This fire... in your belly, is this reason talking? Or is it frustration? Frustration at being, how old now, and still a maiden?"
