Deception

Chapter 32

Ever since the festival of pain, I had made sure I stayed clear of Guy. I must admit I struggled; he didn't make it an easy challenge. Early in the mornings I vanished away into the woods to a secret place known only to me where I found solitude. It was a place my mother showed me and it helped bring peace to when I was younger of nightmares. That was before the painful experience and events I witnessed.

It got easy to seek solitude when my father returned from business as I grew comfort for being back in my home. He smiled and was very supportive and patient as I explained the past days he had been away. When I remained silent he let me be, knowing I wasn't ready to relive the pain I had felt……

*************

It was early in the morning in Nottingham Castle. Guy was called to the Sheriff ’s quarters as inside the Sheriff fishes a bird out of a cage just when Gisborne enters.

"Ah, Gisborne." He spoke before he turned to walk over to Gisborne.

"Hold a bird. Come on. Here, come on. Give him some love, hm?" He instructed as Gisborne reluctantly closes his gloved hands around the bird.

"Poor thing. It is poetry though, isn’t it? Caged bird, a creature that would fly free, absolutely under my control." He spoke in riddles as Gisborne glowers at the Sheriff from under his brows as the Sheriff chuckles. "It’s good. I like it. Now, er, talking of caged prettiness...when are you marrying Esme?"

"In due course." Gisborne responded sullenly as the Sheriff rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come along, don’t be coy. That’s not the arrangement, is it?" He joked as Gisborne rolled his eyes towards the Sheriff.

"No. We will marry when the King returns." Gisborne growled as he knew that the Sheriff already knew about this. He wondered why he was bringing up the subject once more? His mind had often fallen on Esme as he struggled to find her as if she was avoiding him. Questions flooded through him at her words from the dining hall before the festival of pain and struggled to understand their meaning. He remembered seeing her wounded and the pain inflicted on her when he went to accuse of her being a traitor, though he wondered if that wasn't the first time she had been greeted with a whip.

"Ah. When the King comes. I might have news for you there." The Sheriff spoke slowly as he turns and goes around the back of the birdcage.

"What news?" Gisborne asked as his head perked up.

"Do you know? Sometimes I don’t feed them for, ooh, three days. Cruel perhaps, but I find it makes them sing better." He spoke as he peered into the cage as if he hadn't heard Gisborne's urgent request for information.

"What news?" Gisborne growled impatiently as he forgot about the bird within his grasp as the Sheriff looks at Gisborne, the bird flies away.

"Oh, Gisborne." He sighed disappointed.

*************

I was picking flowers in full bloom into the basket I had just recently weaved as I glanced up and smiled at my father who was tending to the garden. I went back to my flowers brushing a stray piece of my hair when I heard the sound of pounding hooves, glancing up I saw Guy striding towards me as I slowly got up.

"Esme. Sir Edward. I bring good news. There’s something I... No." He beamed before he paused and reached towards me, taking me and my father all by surprise as he suddenly sweeps me off my feet and slings me over his shoulder.

"Oi! What are you doing?" I cried as he turned to make his way back towards the horse.

"What do you think y—" I could hear my father shout as he ran his way towards us, however I found this extremely uncomfortable and improper as I kicked out to the side and cartwheels off his back and onto my feet. Guy was taken by surprise at the move and stared at me for a moment as I glared at his action and flipped my hood over my shoulder.