The Nightwatchman (English)(From Ashes Vol.2)

Chapter 76 - A Matter of Trust

Allan finished talking to the chief of the workers of Knighton Hall and he went back into the stable, closing the door behind him. He had instructed the men to continue their work and not to disturb Gisborne's rest unless a messenger from Nottingham or Archer arrived in person.
Allan was worried, he knew how much influence every gesture or word of Marian could have on Guy, and he was afraid that their quarrel could upset his friend to the point of clouding his judgment. Gisborne certainly wouldn't be able to sleep and he would keep ruminating on the girl's harsh words.
"Just the right moment to make a scene, Marian, congratulations..." Allan said, muttering to himself. "You slap him, but then I'm the one who has to put the pieces back together... Maybe it was a deserved slap, I don't care, it's your business, but it wasn't really the right time, definitely not."
He checked that the horses were comfortably arranged in their stalls and that they had food and water, then he approached the empty stall where he and Guy had piled enough clean straw to make a comfortable bed.
"Hey, Giz..." Allan started, ready to encourage and distract his friend, but he stopped immediately.
Gisborne was curled on his side, deeply asleep, a hand holding tight the ring he wore around his neck.
Allan breathed a sigh of relief at seeing that his sleep was quiet and that for once he wasn't tormented by nightmares. He thought that probably the emotions of that sleepless night must have exhausted him so much that he collapsed into a deep sleep as soon as he had the chance, without having time to torment himself or to think of the quarrel with Marian, or of the mad and desperate mission that soon awaited them.
"Well, all the better," Allan said, lying on the straw too, and crossing his arms behind his head. "Rest well, Giz, and recover your strength: I really think we'll need it."

"I knew it! I knew he wasn't to be trusted! I told Robin too, but do you think he listened to me?"
Much paced back and forth as he spoke, so agitated he couldn't sit still.
Meg was squatting in front of the fire, thoughtful, while Little John and Will listened to Much's outburst with a dark expression on their faces.
Djaq wasn't present, Little John had gone to warn Will of Robin's capture, but they both preferred to say nothing to the young woman not to disturb her. Her pregnancy was now quite advanced and Djaq couldn't do anything to help Robin, so the members of the gang had preferred to leave her in the dark.
"Actually it seemed to me that he was upset when he came back from the castle..." Meg said, interrupting Much's soliloquy. "I don't think it was his fault."
"You say that just because you find him attractive," Will said, in a poisonous tone. "Strangely it's always the women who defend him, but if you knew him well as we know him, you would know that Much is right: you can't trust Guy of Gisborne."
"You can't imagine the evil things he did in the past," Little John said, addressing the girl. "You are too innocent to understand how dark his soul can be."
"But he helped you! As the Nightwatchman he risked his life by your side!"
"And strangely the only time we weren't there and that Robin was alone with him, Archer managed to capture him." Much continued. "And Archer and Gisborne have often been seen together in recent times. How strange, isn't it?"
"But Allan says..."
"Allan is a traitor," Little John interrupted her and Meg looked at him, stunned.
"Didn't you know? Didn't he tell you? Allan has sold our secrets to Gisborne. Whatever Allan says is just another evidence against Gisborne," Will said, bitterly.
"Robin trusts him."
"My master has always been too good. And we saw where this trust led him."
Meg gave up replying to Much's words and she took a piece of meat from the plate, starting to nibble in silence.
It was true that she didn't know well Guy of Gisborne and that at first she had been convinced that he was only the cruel sheriff's henchman, but she had to admit that he had saved her from the dungeons and he had always been honest to her. He had been kind to her, even when she had behaved badly with him. And Allan...
Meg couldn't see Allan as a person capable of malice. Insolent for sure, probably a liar, but not an evil one. Finding out that he had betrayed his friends for money deeply saddened her and made her doubt her ability to judge people.