Deception

Chapter 35

"All right?" Djaq asked me as I weakly looked up at her as I smiled and nodded. I glanced over to see Robin sitting against a nearby rock and pull a blunt arrow from his quiver on the floor and a knife to sharpen it.

"Yes. Thank you, Djaq." I smile weakly. I noticed that Robin watched Djaq leave, scraping at the point with his knife. When she has disappeared, he turned to me with a smile as I returned it simply yawning slightly. Robin soon stops sharpening and sits back against a large rock.

"Well, the bad news is you’ve been stabbed. But the good news is you don’t have to marry the man that stabbed you." He teased as I rolled my eyes and chuckled slightly.

"And what will happen?" I quizzed as he gave me 'I have a plan' face as I raised an eyebrow.

"When the King comes to Nottingham, I will make an entrance. He will let me speak; he trusts me. I will present the evidence, the physician will corroborate it, and...and Gisborne will be done for." He informed as I frowned slightly and gulped uneasy as I knew what he meant by 'done for'.

"Well, will he hang?" I asked in barely a whisper.

"Yes." He bluntly snapped as I weakly scowls and turns my head away. Something within me was frightened for Guy and desperate for him not to hang as I frowned wondering if I could possibly to my distaste be developing feelings for him.

"Esme, this is a man who would force you to marry him. A man who tried to kill the King, a man who stabbed you!" Robin snapped at me louder as I felt like a child being told off. His voice echoed making my head slightly as I glared back at Robin, did he not know me at all?

"Even so, I will never support hanging." I growled as Robin stares at me incredulously a moment, then looks away.

"What?" I asked him puzzled as Robin looks up, about to say something, then changes his mind. He shakes his head and looks down. I hate it when he does that.

"No, tell me." I demanded as he looks back up at me and stares solemnly at me for a moment before answering.

"I think you feel for him." He softly spoke as I felt my heart stop a beat and my throat catch in my throat. I felt nervous and fearful like you do when you've been caught in an act of something wrong. I gulped it away as I felt uncomfortable by these feeling and strong emotions towards Guy. Even if I came to accept them I knew Robin would never accept it. My father would if it made me happy but Robin….

"You are stirred by him." He jealously spat as I chuckled and turned away, pretending to find his immaturity amusing.

"He said it. And he was right, wasn’t he?" Robin demanded as he seemed threatening as though I was being committed for a crime and he was trying to get me to confess. I refused to answer as I knew my voice would betray me and I knew he was right, which made me feel defeated.

"You won't even deny it?" He asked though he voice seemed hurt and lost as I shook my head refusing to look at him as I swear I felt a tear run down my right cheek, hidden from his view.

"Grow up." I muttered.

"Well, this morning when you thought you had to marry him, you were happily resigned to your fate. His... “qualities”... and his “genuine feelings.” Robin growled as I looked at him scoffing.

"I was trying to be brave." I defended.

"But why? This whole Nightwatchman thing, it’s—"

"What whole Nightwatchman thing? I am only doing what you do, but with more intelligence. "I interrupted as Robin stands and comes to my side. I could tell he was angry, there was a dangerous spark in his eyes that made me fearful as I wished to sink deeper in the furs that I laid on.