From Ashes, Through the Fire (English) (From Ashes Vol.3)

Chapter 43 - Waiting is the Most Difficult Thing

"Did you think you were so smart? Did you really think you could escape and avoid the consequences?"
Thornton slid the blade of the dagger over the bars of the cell and Isabella winced at the sudden noise, burrowing against the wall, as far as possible from her husband.
"You tried to escape. And you were with a man. A criminal. Do you know what this means?"
Isabella shook her head, sobbing.
"I'll have to punish you. You will learn that you cannot disrespect me with impunity and you will see that when I am finished, you will never forget this lesson again."
Isabella gasped in terror: the bars of the cell protected her, separating her from her husband, but sooner or later Thornton would find a way in, she was sure.
Footsteps along the stairs prompted Thornton to sheathe the knife and the man turned to look at the newcomer.
"Ah, Archer. Come here. Open my wife's cell immediately and then leave us alone."
Isabella's heart sank at those words, fearing that Archer would obey, but the young man shook his head.
"I don't have the keys with me, sir. And anyway, there's no time, the sheriff wants to talk to you right away, he's waiting for you in his rooms."
Thornton stared at him angrily, as if he were thinking of attacking Archer for that unwelcome answer, then he seemed to decide that Vaisey's orders were more important. He glanced threateningly at his wife and then he climbed the stairs to go looking for the sheriff.
Archer glanced at Isabella: the woman was white in face and distraught with fear.
"You mustn't be afraid, I won't open this door."
Isabella stared at him.
"Guy said I can trust you."
"That's true. I won't allow anyone to enter here, I promised your brother."
"But can I trust him? Once he abandoned me, how can I be sure he won't do it again?"
"Gisborne will do anything to help you, I'm sure."
"So, where is he? He promised to come back, but I haven't seen him for days."
Archer hesitated before answering her. In fact a few days had passed with no news of his brother and there hadn't even been sightings of Robin Hood and the Nightwatchman in recent times. He wondered why Guy hadn't showed up at the castle and he decided he'd better go looking for him.
"I don't know, but I'll go to Knighton Hall later and I'll let you know something. Meanwhile I brought you something to eat." Archer passed between the bars a bundle he had kept hidden under his cloak and he smiled at Isabella. "Don't tell anyone, the other prisoners aren't treated so well and the sheriff would have me flogged if he found out."
Isabella placed the bundle on the cot that had been taken into her cell after Guy's visit and she opened it, finding simple food, but fresh and abundant and definitely much more appetizing than the smelly rations distributed by the jailer.
She picked up an apple and she looked at it with a sad smile, thinking of Guy and wondering why he hadn't returned.
"Oh, no! Then it's a family thing!" Archer said, jokingly and Isabella looked at him, puzzled.
"What?"
"The obsession for the apples. I don't understand why they are so special for Guy."
Isabella smiled.
"Maybe I can answer this question."
"Oh, really?"
"When we were little and we behaved particularly well, our mother rewarded us with a kiss and a fruit. Obviously at meals we could have any fruit we wanted, but somehow the ones we got as a reward always seemed better and more special to us than the other ones. Guy would have done anything to deserve that reward and, who knows why, he always chose the reddest apple in the whole fruit basket. I think apples remind him of our mother..."
Archer nodded and he found himself thinking that the mother Isabella was talking about was also his mother, a mother he had never known, but who must have held him in her arms and who must have loved him, even if only for a few minutes.
"I will bring you news of your brother. And fear not, here no one will harm you."
Archer took leave of her and walked away from the dungeons, wondering what to do.
He had no desire to have anything to do with the sheriff now, and, on the other hand, Vaisey had already decided to meet Thornton and plot with him and he wouldn't need Archer. Indeed, he had the impression that the sheriff wanted to keep him in the dark about his plans. He probably didn't trust him because of his friendship with Gisborne.
He decided he would go to Knighton Hall to have news of Guy, but, as he was about to get on his horse, a servant reached him to tell him that a certain Allan A Dale was looking for him and was waiting for him at the gate. Archer nodded and hurried to meet him.
Allan was also on horseback and he seemed restless and nervous.
"Were you looking for me? Do you have to tell me something?" Archer asked and the other nodded.
"Yes, but not here. Can you get out of the castle?"
Archer warned a servant that he would go for a ride, then he followed Allan along the road to the forest.
"So, what's up?"
"It's about Giz..."
"Yes, I imagined it. Did he get into trouble again?"
Allan didn't answer, but he let out a sigh and Archer looked at him, suddenly worried.
"It can't be worse than being trapped in a well or risking being discovered freeing Robin Hood from the gallows under the nose of the sheriff, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so, and the worst thing is that we can't do anything to help him. He is seriously ill and in danger of dying."
"What?! Is that the reason why he didn't come to Nottingham in the last few days? Have you called a physician?
"Giz is with a healer, the most experienced in the area, but even she can't tell us whether she will succeed or not. There have been many deaths in Nettlestone, it's a dangerous fever..." Allan explained, downcast.
"In Nettlestone?! The village is in quarantine, how did Guy get infected? No, don't tell me, it was some Nightwatchman foolishness, right?"
"Not this time. He and Marian were throwing supplies over the fence and a woman begged him to rescue her child, saying he was healthy."
"And he did it, of course. This time I can't blame the sheriff when he says that humanity is a weakness. Has he succeeded at least? Has the child been saved?"
Allan bowed his head.
"He died."
Archer shook his head bitterly.
"Typical. If Guy survives I will tell him that he is an idiot. Keep me informed," he said sharply, then he turned his horse and galloped toward the castle, leaving Allan behind.
Archer didn't want to show him how the news had upset him, and, as soon as he was alone, he swore loudly to vent the frustration he felt.
He had never wanted ties, he had never sought a brother, yet now he found himself suffering and he was anguished for Guy.