A World That Will Not Turn to Ash (English)(From Ashes Vol.1)

Chapter 29 - From the Underworld

Guy urged his horse to gallop, then he let the animal choose the path through the forest. When he went away from the camp, Guy lose no time in saddling the horse and now he was forced to keep his concentration on the ride to avoid a fall, but it was fine for him.
He had to focus on the gallop of the horse, following the movement of the muscles of the animal and avoiding any possible obstacle in the forest. They were all excellent reasons for not surrender completely to his darkest thoughts.
When he saw Marian's hair in Allan's hands, he had felt like he was sinking into a dark abyss of hate and despair and he knew that if he were in front of Roger of Barret, he would kill him without hesitation and without worrying about the consequences. He would take pleasure in destroying him, joy in spreading his blood and, when he had realized what he was feeling, Guy was afraid of the dark ferocity that burned in his heart.
His, he felt, was the soul of a murderer, of a vicious dog who longed only to bite his prey and this was the reason that made him leave the camp.
The darkness that surrounded him would eventually affect even those who didn't deserve it and Guy didn't want it to happen.
The horse slowed down, tired, and Guy humored him. Even the tumult that was raging in his heart was starting to subside, replaced by a deep sadness.
That was why he had to give up Marian, to keep her away from the destruction that always accompanied him, at any time of his life. Guy had the fear that sooner or later (it had already happened) he would hurt her, that he would eventually destroy her as he did with everything he had loved in his life.
A thorny branch, moved by the passage of the horse, hit him in the face, leaving a scratch on his cheek and the sudden pain shook Guy out of the state of self-pity that he was abandoning himself to.
He would give up Marian for her sake, he had already decided to do it and he wouldn't pull back, but he wouldn't allow the pain to destroy him.
He remembered the words of Djaq: he could become a better person in spite of all his faults and his defects and he had to at least try.
Not for Marian, not to win her love, nor to get the respect of the people around him, but only for himself.
To save Allan's life had been a crazy and frightening experience. If he thought about it, he still could not explain how they both had made out of it alive, but it was the right thing to do and for once Guy felt he could be proud of his actions.
Helping Allan had made him feel good, it had given him a bit of inner peace and it had lightened his soul a little.
Maybe if he worked hard to make sure that Marian could be happy, he would feel the same peace again, Guy thought, and maybe losing her wouldn't completely destroy him as he had always believed.
To give her up would break his heart and he knew it without a doubt, but if he could be one of those who took her to safety, that knowledge would help him to live in a world where Marian would never be his.
I can't have her love, but I can save her.
It wasn't much, but it was enough.
It had to suffice.
Guy of Gisborne took the reins of the horse and turned him to return to the camp of the outlaws: he had already wasted enough time, and now he had to join the others and find the best way to help Marian.

Marian waited patiently to hear the approaching footsteps down the hall and she stood there, hidden in the shadows by the door of her room. The muscles of her arms ached after holding the pitcher for so long, it was heavy even if it was empty, but she would wait for as long as necessary.
Finally, after waiting for a long time, the door to the room opened and the woman in charge to bring the water came in, carrying a bucket filled to the brim in her hand. Marian had watched her in the days before and she had even tried to bribe her to let her go, but she had simply ignored Marian, just pouring the contents of the bucket into the jug and taking away the chamber pot to empty it.
Marian lifted the pitcher and she brought it down with all her strength on the woman's head, then she stepped over the slumped body with a jump and she ran out the door, but she stopped when she found the road blocked by the spears of the soldiers who were guarding the corridor.
One of the soldiers dragged the body of the unconscious woman out of the room, and another one poked Marian with the tip of his spear to force her to return to her cell.
She tried to figure out if she could fight to try to escape, but the guards were too many and she was weakened by fasting for days and she was forced to obey.
"Bad move, Lady Marian." One of the soldiers scoffed before closing the door. "You have to hope that you won't get thirsty, because you won't have any more water."
Marian watched the door close, she picked up the empty bucket and she threw it in a fit of rage, she walked through the pool of water that had formed on the floor, she sat on the wooden bench and pulled her feet on, kicking away her wet shoes, then she hugged her knees with her arms, leaned her face on them and she burst into tears.

Robin Hood watched the members of his gang gathered around him, waiting. They were waiting to expose all the information they had collected about Marian's marriage so they could start outlining a plan of action, but Robin didn't look like he was going to start the meeting yet.
Allan was sitting apart and he looked worried, then the expression of the young man had opened in a smile of relief and Robin understood, even without looking, that Gisborne must have returned to the camp.
"Well." He said, turning to the others. "Tell us what you have discovered."
"The wedding will take place in the church of Locksley tomorrow at noon." Will said. "And apparently the festivities will continue throughout the day until late at night."
Robin nodded, casting a quick look over his shoulder: Gisborne had not joined them and he seemed busy looking for something inside a leather bag that he had placed on one of the beds, but Robin was sure he was carefully listening to every word.
"It seems that the sheriff won't attend the ceremony, but all the other nobles will be there." Djaq added.
"What about Marian?" Robin asked.
"I heard that Barrett will make her reach the village on a reinforced cart, like the ones that are used for prisoners, escorted by several soldiers.
"We can't free her along the way, then." Robin commented. "We will act after she enters the church, but we'll need a diversion to be able to enter the building without being seen."
Guy approached the outlaws and they all looked up at him: he wore his black leather jacket and the long coat he always wore when he worked for the sheriff, his Black Knight's uniform, and he looked like to be the same Guy Gisborne who had terrorized the peasants of the villages in the county of Nottingham for years.
Gisborne sat next to Robin Hood and he stared at him.
"Do you need a diversion?" Guy asked, and the outlaw noticed a flash of amusement in his determined expression.
"Yeah. Any ideas?"
Guy grinned.
"How do you like a return from the grave?"