Change is Afoot

Untitled Part 8

Guy followed Vaisey from the dungeon towards the castle banqueting hall where Vaisey said breakfast was being served. Guy felt uneasy as this was not usual behaviour from Vaisey. He rarely had breakfast in the banqueting hall, only on special occasions. As they made their way along the corridor Guy noticed a shadow move out of his left eye, he quickly glanced and noticed Robin trying to hide. Robin bobbed his head at Guy to acknowledge him and Guy winked back. Vaisey turned just as Guy winked.
"Problem with you eye, Gisborne?"
"Uh problem my Lord?" Guy responded.
"Yes, your eye, Gisborne, looked like you were winking then."
"No, no problem my Lord, everything is fine my Lord."
"Jolly good Gisborne, now, shall we have breakfast?"

Robin and Will watched the two men enter the banqueting hall. That had been close but now Robin needed a plan to get Gisborne out of here. He motioned to Will that he was making his way to the other entrance to the room and that Will was to stay where he was for the moment. He would be back.
A few minutes later Robin returned and said to Will "No plan, we'll just have to go in. Three through here, three through the other door, we'll threaten Vaisey, hopefully Guy will defend him and then chase me out of here and out of the castle where we can meet up and decide what we do next."
Will nodded in agreement and let out a whistle to signal the others to make their way back into the castle. Robin and Will heard the sounds of fighting as John, Much, Allan and Djaq made their way past guards to the banqueting hall but a few minutes later they were all together outside the hall door. Robin talked through the plan, Allan, John and Much to go round to the other side whilst Robin, Will and Djaq entered through the main door, Robin would bang on the door before entering the hall to signal the others to enter too.
As John, Much and Allan started to make their way around to the other side of the room Robin heard Marian's voice.
"Where is my husband? I wish to see him now, you will take me to him."

Robin should have known that she would not sit and wait for Guy to return home. She had been the Nightwatchman and Marian always fought for what she believed in, even as a child she had been resolute in her ideas and beliefs. Robin heard footsteps approaching. He peered out from his hiding position and noticed Marian without the guard she had demanded to take her to her husband. Robin stepped out and stopped her in her tracks.
"Marian I have this under control, Guy will be out the castle on my tail in a minute and then we will decide what we do."
Marian smiled at Robin, "Thank you, but I have to go in here and save my husband myself, Vaisey needs to know I am not frightened of him and that he cannot dictate our lives."
"Marian, please think about this, there is no need for you to put yourself in danger, we do not know what Vaisey is doing in there. I do not wish to upset you but Guy has been in the dungeon overnight and I do not trust Vaisey one bit not to do something now. Please Marian go home and wait for Guy."
She looked into Robin's face and saw the sincerity but she was going into that room and she was going now. She quickly kissed Robin's cheek then turned and opened the banqueting hall door.

Both Vaisey and Guy looked up as Marian entered the room.
"Lady Marian, what a surprise" Vasey enthused sarcastically.
"My Lord" she responded, "I wish to take my husband home, I do not know what was so urgent that you needed him last night but in future I ask you not to recall him to the castle after a long day"
Guy bit back a smile, this was the Marian that he had first been attracted to, determined and forceful.

"Well Lady Marian I am delighted that you have joined us as it will save me a trip to Locksley later. You see I recalled Sir Guy to the castle last night as your husband, no doubt at your request, has been lying to me."
"My Lord I have not being lying to you" Guy interrupted "I do not know what has put these thoughts into your head but I am your loyal servant."
"Oh blah de blah de blah, more lies Gisborne, like you were going to get your stable lad to follow Hood from Locksley Manor, I very much doubt it cos I know that you and Hood have been colluding."
"My Lord I have not" Guy interjected.
"Oh but you have Gisborne, because I have had my own little spy who has been giving me all sorts of interesting information haven't you Allan?"

At that moment the door on the other side of the room opened and Allan walked in, a huge grin on his face.
"Didn't I tell you my Lord, Gisborne and Robin working together to rid Nottingham of you and all your greatness. By the way, that stuff you gave me to waft under their noses worked on Much and John, but I couldn't do the others as they are out there." He pointed at the other door.
"Oh don't look so shocked Gisborne, I knew you were winking at Hood earlier. Well are you coming in or do I need my guards to bring you in Hood?"

Robin, having heard everything unfold in the banqueting hall, opened the door and held his hands aloft. Will and Djaq followed him repeating the gesture of holding their hands aloft.
"So you have us then Vaisey, I always knew you were the least trustworthy Allan, but I didn't think that even you would sink this low."
"Just shows how little you know Robin, but then you didn't really care" Allan retorted.

Marian who was standing between Robin and Vaisey looked at her husband and yelled "Just do it Guy, kill him, his is the one death that I won't hold against you, just do it Guy."
Allan darted across the room to grab Marian, drawing a sword in the process. He held Marian against him with one arm as he wielded the sword in front of him. Guy instinctively moved towards Marian which was a bad move as Vaisey now had a sword against his back and Allan had one aimed at his chest.
Marian screamed. She tried to open her mouth again to tell Guy she loved him, but suddenly no words would come, unexpectedly she felt like she was drowning, Allan must have done something to her as she felt unable to stand and her eyes were getting heavy. Had he used the stuff that he used on John and Much or had she been stabbed?
Marian sank to the floor in a heap. Guy lunged forward yelling her name. "What have you done to her?" he yelled at Allan, dropping to his knees. Allan stepped back in shock unsure what had happened, this wasn't meant to happen.
"Oh this is good" declared Vaisey, "finish the job Allan, kill him too."
Allan looked at Vaisey in shock, he hadn't killed Marian had he? He looked down as Guy held her body again his crying out her name.
As Guy clasped Marian to his chest he could feel her breath on his cheek. She was alive, he needed to get her out of here. As he held her he felt something on her arm, he slowly slid his hand up her sleeve whilst rocking her body to his and encountered a small blade, her dagger. He carefully removed it as he heard Vaisey's words of "Kill him too."
He lowered Marian back to the floor and looked up at Allan who was ready to plunge the sword into Guy. Guy had to judge this perfectly. As Allan started to plunge the sword down, Guy moved and jabbed the dagger he held up into Allan's chest. Allan's sword hit Guy in the right side of his chest as Guy hit his intended mark. Allan staggered back, dropping his sword and then collapsed onto the table blood pouring down his chest and from his mouth. Guy had pierced his heart.

Robin and Will seized the opportunity to corner Vaisey as Djaq made her way to Marian and Guy, who was now oozing blood from the wound to his chest. She ordered Guy to put pressure onto his wound which he did as she checked Marian.
"She was breathing" Guy declared.
"And still is" answered Djaq, "I think she fainted."

As Robin and Will tied Vaisey to a chair, Robin declared "Your evil reign is over Vaisey, I will make sure of it personally."
At the same time Much woke outside the room. He sat up and noticed John lying beside him. Much remembered that Allan had hit him, he must have knocked John out too, but how? Much rose to his feet and noticed firstly that Djaq was tending Guy who was lying on the floor, a small pool of blood forming by his right side. He also spotted Marian lying on the floor about a foot from Guy. As he rose to his feet he saw Robin and Will tying Vasey to a chair and then, as he made his way into the room he noticed Allan's body slumped on the table surrounded by blood.
"Allan" Much exclaimed loudly causing Robin, Will and Djaq to look at him, "Oh no, what happened to Allan?" he despaired.
"Allan was a traitor to us Much" Robin announced "he knocked you and John out before trying to kill Gisborne, he's been telling Vasey all about our plans."
"Yes, very helpful lad, but Gisborne has saved me the job of killing him now, and my reign is not over Hood. You see this was a plan to capture you and to kill Gisborne. It may not have worked as I planned but the Black Knights are on their way and you will be no match for them. They will release me and we will deal with you and Gisborne and his leperous wife, if she's alive.

"Oh not so fast Vaisey" announced the Sheriff of Leicester who appeared at the door with Sir Jasper, one of King Richard's loyal aides beside him. They surveyed the scene before them, as John came too and stumbled into the room.
Sir Jasper turned towards Robin and smiled before looking at Vaisey, "Your message was safely delivered Robin, and on the orders of King Richard I am here to strip you of your title Vaisey and to return you to London to face judgement for treason, fraud and threatening the King's life.
"Hah, that is a joke" declared Vasey, but he was soon surrounded by guards from the King's army on Sir Jasper's orders.
Vaisey protested loudly and yelled for his guards as he was dragged away but no-one came to his aid.