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

Chapter 77 - There Is Nothing We Can Do

When Guy and Allan returned to Locksley, Marian was seated in the main room with Sir Edward, and she apparently was so focused on a particularly challenging embroidery, that she merely saluted the two men in a cold tone.
Her father gave her a puzzled look, but he didn't ask questions. Guy glanced sadly at her for a moment, but did nothing to try to talk to her, and he and Allan sat at the table, asking Thornton to bring them a quick meal that they consumed in silence.
The announcement of one of the servants who signaled the arrival of a messenger from Nottingham, accompanied by an escort of soldiers, was a relief for Guy and Allan who expected his arrival, and a cause for concern for the other two.
All four went out to welcome the newcomers, and Guy noticed that Archer himself was at the head of the escort.
The messenger dismounted and announced that the outlaw Robin Hood had been captured and would be put to death tomorrow at noon, and that the presence of all the nobles of the council was required.
Marian winced and paled, but she said nothing to the sheriff's men, while Guy and Sir Edward confirmed their obedience to that order.
Archer had remained on the sidelines with the soldiers while the messenger read his announcement, but when he left, passing in front of Guy, he whispered to look into the saddlebag of his black stallion. Gisborne nodded imperceptibly as the other left without paying any further attention to him.
As soon as the last soldier disappeared in the distance, Marian turned to look at Guy.
"You knew it, didn't you? Is that why he came here to talk to you this morning?"
Gisborne stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
"And what are you going to do?" Marian asked.
Guy sighed.
"Nothing. I can do nothing."
Marian looked at him, incredulous.
"But Robin saved your life!"
"It's true. And for this it would be wrong to throw it away in a mission without any hope of success."
"Guy!"
"The castle will be much more guarded than usual, the sheriff won't take risks, and Archer is extremely efficient. If I tried to free Robin, it would surely end badly, and all of you would end up paying the consequences. At best you'd find yourself banished, stripped of land and titles, at worst the sheriff would accuse you of complicity and you'd end up keeping company to me and Robin on the gallows. Is that what you want, Marian?"
"But there must be a way!"
"If it exists, I can't find it."
"So will you let Robin die?"
"What else could I do? I can't put you in danger. You are more important, Marian."
"It's not true! Without Robin what will happen to the people of Nottingham?!"
"For me you are more important. I won't risk your life, not when there is no possibility. Don't ask me to do it."
The girl looked at him, in tears, and she started to protest, but Sir Edward shut her up.
"Marian, Sir Guy is right. Trying to save Robin would be useless and disastrous and it would cost the lives of many of us, I'm sure he wouldn't want it at this price, either."
"So we'll go there just to watch him die?!"
"If I could avoid it, I would. But our presence is obligatory, so yes, that's what we will do. We will see him die and we'll pray for his soul. And, Marian, I forbid you to take any initiative to try to free him."
The girl looked at her father, in shock, then she searched for Guy's and Allan's eyes, but all three looked away.
Marian burst into tears and she ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door behind her.
Allan, who had remained silent until then, approached Gisborne and put a hand on his shoulder, sympathetic, while Sir Edward looked at the two younger men, thoughtful.
"I'd like to talk to you, Sir Guy, but not here. Do you mind if we walk for a while towards the forest?"
Guy gave a questioning look at Allan, and Sir Edward nodded.
"If there are no secrets among you, he can come too."
They all went out and walked slowly toward the trees, going up the hill. Guy held out his arm to Sir Edward so the old nobleman wouldn't risk tripping over uneven ground.
When they were far enough away from the house and the village, Marian's father turned to Guy in a low voice.
"Tell me the truth, Sir Guy, will you try to save Robin Hood?"
"Yes."
"I imagined that. But why did you let Marian believe you won't?"
"I know I've disappointed her, and if Robin were to die she would never forgive me, but she doesn't have to know what I'm going to do, or she'd try to help me and she'd put herself in danger. And she doesn't have to know that I'm the Nightwatchman, so she won't have to lie if the sheriff decides to question her about it. This in case I succeed."
"And if you don't?"
"If they kill me or capture me, you have to take her away from Nottingham at any cost, as soon as possible, and you must prevent her from making rash moves. Make the servants drag her away, drug her if you must, but force her to escape and take refuge in a safe place, where the sheriff can't find you. If I fall, you too will be in danger."
"Sir Guy, your death would break her heart..."
"Remember her the reasons she has to go on, tell her that I want her to continue living and to be happy even without me. And tell her about the Nightwatchman, explain to her that this was the reason I lied to her and why I sometimes disappeared from Locksley in the middle of the night. Reassure her of my love, tell Marian that all my thoughts, every breath and every beat of my heart have always belonged only to her, and that I have never wanted anything else."
"Sir Guy..." Marian's father started, but Gisborne interrupted him.
"Seth! Take her to see Seth. If I were to die, Adeline's house would be a safe haven for you, and in my son Marian could find a reason to live. He resembles me, in Seth there is a part of me and he could be of consolation. I entrust him to Marian, I know she will be able to love him."
"Giz stop it!" Allan blurted, and Guy was surprised to find him in tears.
"Allan?"
"Stop talking like that! As if you were sure that tomorrow you are going to die too!"
Guy smiled at him, a little moved.
"Tomorrow we will save Robin Hood. But Sir Edward must know what to do in the unlikely event of our failure. And on this subject, Allan, if I should fall and you don't, promise me that you will try to survive to protect Marian."
"Only if you promise that in the opposite case you'll give my name to the first child you have," Allan said seriously, then Guy saw the usual impertinent expression rekindled in his eyes. "But I absolutely refuse to eat her pancakes in your place."
Sir Edward looked at them, smiling slightly.
"Try to survive, then, both of you. In any case, tomorrow I will make sure that Marian doesn't take dangerous initiatives and that she doesn't interfere with anything you intend to do."
"Get help from Thornton and the other servant if it's necessary to take her away against her will," Allan suggested. "Marian can be very determined when she wants."
"Let's go back to Locksley," Guy said, looking at his friend. "I have to check Archer's message and then we have to get ready. Tomorrow we won't be able to afford the slightest mistake."
"Go then. Hurry up and do not wait for me, I will come back slowly," Sir Edward said. "May the Lord watch over you."
Allan and Guy thanked the old lord, then they hurried back to Locksley.

Gisborne entered the stables and approached the black stallion. The horse greeted him puffing, stretching his nose in search of an apple or some other tasty morsel.
Guy had nothing to give him and he just scratched his muzzle for a few seconds before sinking his arm in the saddlebag to look for Archer's message.
He extracted a parcel, accompanied by a rolled parchment.
Allan looked at him curiously as Guy began to read the message.
"What's this? What does it say?" He asked after a while.
"Archer says that there are some 'secrets of the Orient' in it, along with instructions for using them, while in the message he describes in every detail the positions of the guards and what is planned for the execution of tomorrow."
"We'll have to study it well, then."
Guy smiled.
"Yep, but do you know what this means?" He asked, showing the parchment to his friend.
"What?"
"That Archer trusts us. If the sheriff were to find out he gave me this document, he would accuse him of treason, and he would condemn him to death for sure. Archer believes we can save Robin, otherwise he wouldn't compromise himself that much."
"Or it's a trap," Allan said, killing the smile on Guy's face with those words.
"Yeah. Or it's a trap," Guy repeated with a short sigh. "We'll have to think about how to behave in that event, but I want to hope that it isn't a trap. Now come, we have a lot to do and little time to get ready."
"Where are we going?"
"To Knighton Hall. There nobody will disturb us. But before leaving, I have to take some things here at Locksley. Meanwhile, prepare the horses. Use the best saddles and reins, we must give the impression of wanting to please the sheriff."