The Journey To Acre

Chapter 3

It has to be said that being an object of humiliation is an unusual way of endearing yourself to another. Little did Guy know that this was one of the only ways in which he did endear himself to Marian.

For all the bravado, posturing, displays of wealth and giving of gifts, it was his vulnerability that got to her. Be it trying to hide his upset after a particularly cruel jibe from Vaisey, nursing a blow to his ego after another rebuff from her, or struggling to get to grips with a wild cat in a clumsy attempt to offer her a companion, it was always when unwittingly showing his weaker side that he managed to get under her skin.

She told herself these moments stuck out because she was merely looking for opportunities to better her situation and he was more open to suggestion when at his most vulnerable, but if she was honest, when he was like this, it did something to her she could not explain.

She didn't like it. Not one bit. She was determined to keep a clear head where he was concerned, but the longer she found herself under his protection the more difficult it became. Upon first meeting him, it had been so easy to peg him as an unthinking automaton, to let his unpleasant demeanour overshadow all else he could be, but at some point he'd begun to surprise her and the surprises never stopped coming.

A case in point was what happened the day after his painful altercation with the cat. Just as on the previous day, Marian woke to the sound of Guy yelling and groaned in exasperation.

Another day in paradise...

Her mind was busy conjuring images of how badly he was going to come out of the skirmish this time, when the door to the hold opened and he enters the room. To her amazement, he's neither angry nor injured. She was about to ask him what was going on but the impish curl of his lips renders her speechless. He says nothing, only gestures to the doorway, through which the cat trots in as if he owns the place. Marian cannot help but smile.

After giving the room and its occupants a once over, Archie makes his way towards them and butts his head against Guy's legs. The knight scowls and tries to shoo him off, gesturing that he should go to Marian, who is watching the scene with barely disguised laughter.

"I see you've made peace with one another," she comments, but all conversation stops as Archie finally deigns to give her some attention, meowing in greeting and nuzzling his head against her outstretched hand.

Marian is enchanted. Her face a picture of joy. All worry and hardship melt away and for a moment, it is as if their troublesome history, the ebb and flow of all that has passed between them, never existed.

A shame it can't last.

**********

As Vaisey sent him off on some pretext, Guy thought nothing of it.

The sheriff was never short of tasks for him, especially now that he had all time in the world to come up with pointless errands to irritate and annoy.

Upon returning to find his master's berth empty however, his stomach sinks. There was only one place he could be.

Guy sprints to the hold, nearly falling down the stairs on the way, and is dismayed to have his suspicion confirmed: it is Vaisey's voice inside. A wave of dread hits him, but he has no time for that; he needs to get in as quickly as possible. He fumbles the lock with clumsy fingers, knowing as he does that he isn't going to like what he sees, but presses on for there's no question of him leaving Marian alone to his master's whims.

The sight that greets him inside is bizarre to say the least. There are garlands everywhere. Strewn all over the room. Vaisey turns from his task of distributing them willy-nilly.