You Are Loved

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Don't give up

It's just the hurt that you hide

When you're lost inside

I...I will be there to find you

Several years later...

Gisborne pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. These guards very rarely could do anything right, even the simplest of tasks required him to babysit them and hold their hands. He knew when he was sheriff, he would replace every single incompetent man, but for now, he simply had to make do with what he had and that brought him zero comfort, only anxiety.

Vaisey had rapidly been falling out of favor with Prince John these last two years mainly because of the inability to do his job; catch the outlaws and keep Nottingham thriving. Robin and his gang had been in the holy land, doing God knew what, for the past four years. The Night Watchman had taken up again, in Robin's absence as the current outlaw, and was causing him and Vaisey grief. This was what Guy and "his" guards were sent to do today, set a trap for The Night Watchman.

The Night Watchman had seemed to be able to avoid their traps too often, causing Guy to believe there were spies amongst his ranks, but he just hadn't been able to pinpoint any one person. Gisborne knew he had to change the game and flush out the spy. In order to do so, he had told his guards two different plans. He figured that wherever The Night Watchman showed up he would have a clearer idea as to where the spy was in his ranks. It also meant less work for him; he would only have to torture half of the men to figure out who exactly was the spy. The thought of torturing someone was a thought that secretly still gave him pleasure.

"The trap is all set m' lord. All we do now is wait for you know who to show up and then we've got him for sure this time!" The captain of the guards reported.

"Yes, well let's hope so. If this plan fails, I will be looking for a new captain, do I make myself clear?" Gisborne replied, not bothering to hide his annoyance at the whole situation. He just wanted to be done for the day so he could spend time with Morgan, the woman he had been courting for over two years now. Taking one final glance at the trap and feeling satisfied enough to call it a day, he turned his horse around and urged it into a gallop, eager to be away from this place.

~//~

"Oh Marian, you should have seen the look on Guy's face when I answered the door with my facial mask on! He looked so confused, the poor man. I had to explain to him that this was something we women did to keep ourselves looking good. Honestly, if I had known it was him on the other side of the door, I would have had one of the servants answer it, but I thought maybe you locked yourself out or something." Morgan explained to Marian while wiping away tears from her eyes due to laughing so hard as she continued to hang up the laundry.

Marian laughed along with her friend; it was good to see Morgan so happy. For over a year Morgan had barely spoken a word to anyone, hardly ate, and barely seemed alive; so hurt from Robin's rejection was she. Then the strangest thing had happened, Guy had come around at first to court Marian but soon turned his attentions towards her companion who lived with her. Guy had been ever so patient with Morgan, giving her the time and space that she needed to heal, something that was completely out of character for him.

Marian had watched as Guy was able to draw Morgan out of her misery when no one else had been able to. He had befriended her and became fiercely loyal to her in the process. He had made it his mission to see that she took care of herself and had been there every step of her journey to recovery and a new life, one without Robin. Then one day that friendship had evolved into something else, though neither Morgan nor Guy had admitted to it at first, as they were both equally stubborn as an ass at times Marian had observed.