Lady Outlaw

Chapter 29

Nottingham Castle, Nottinghamshire

Being back in Nottingham after such a tense journey home should have been a relief, but Alice was not feeling it. The turn of events at Locksley Manor that morning had shocked her, and just imagining Marian and her father imprisoned in the dungeons below her feet filled Alice with agitation.
She didn't know what to do. Before, she'd have set about devising a way to engineer a rescue, her mind busy plotting to help the outlaws. But things had changed a great deal since she had first arrived at Nottingham Castle with Roana, all those months ago. She could no longer pass unnoticed, for a start. Everybody knew that she was Guy's consort, and, even if they were unsure, her flame-red hair would draw their attention straight away.
Of course, she could cover it and fade into the background, just as she used to. But she had Guy to consider these days. Getting caught meant dealing with the consequences, and those consequences could potentially be wide-reaching, encompassing Guy as well as herself. In a nutshell, stepping out of line would be detrimental to her lover and his position as the Sheriff's second in command, and she didn't want to put him at risk.
But on the other hand, she had to do something to help her friends.
Making up her mind, she crossed to the door. Surely there was something she could do, even if it was only to find out how Marian and Edward were. Once that had been done, she would go from there.
The door opened as she reached for the handle, and Guy entered, looking harassed. He breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her, yet came no closer, closing the door and leaning against it.
"Guy?" Alice said, tentatively, moving nearer to him, and he allowed her to fold him into an embrace, resting his forehead on her shoulder.
"How do I get out of this?" he said, his voice hollow.
"What is happening?" Alice asked, her tone sharper than intended. She stroked his hair lightly to soften her words.
He lifted his head to look at her. "The Sheriff is planning on using Marian as bait. Once he has Hood in his grasp, he will hang them both."
Alice's breath caught in her throat, and, for a moment, she struggled to catch her breath. This could not happen; it did not bear thinking about. "I— I have to do something," she stammered, haltingly.
Guy took her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "Alice, calm down. Calm down." He stroked her cheek gently. "I don't want you putting yourself in any danger. I'll deal with it."
"But how?" Alice implored, desperately. "People are going to die. People I care about. What are we going to do?"
Guy dropped his hands and walked over to the bed, perching on the edge of the mattress. He sighed, helplessly. "That's the thing. I really don't know. I have a meeting with the Sheriff and Prince John shortly. They want to talk about the assassination of the king. First of all, I need to get out of that. And I'm not sure how easy that will be to achieve."
Alice walked over to sit beside him and rest her head on his shoulder. He tucked his arm around her, and pulled her back so they were lay down side-by-side. She nestled into him.
"How will you deal with it?"
"I'll listen to their plans, and then at least I'll know what's going on," he said, staring into the canopy above them. "Afterwards, once Prince John has left, I'll speak to the Sheriff and inform him that I'll be stepping down from black knight duties, and concentrating on Nottingham instead."
Alice nodded in agreement. "And what shall I do in the meantime? Find Robin?"
Guy turned his head to look at her, quickly, his expression stormy. "You will stay in the castle, Alice. Do you hear me?" She looked at him, startled, and he made an effort to soften his approach. "I don't want you getting into any trouble, Alice. Promise me you will remain here."
Alice stared at him with wide, innocent eyes, her mind whirring as she absentmindedly agreed to his stipulations.

"Ah, Gisborne. We've been waiting for you, yet again." The impatience was barely suppressed in the Sheriff's voice as Guy entered the Great Hall and approached the small group seated at the long table.
Prince John, sitting on his throne chair, regarded him with a vaguely petulant expression on his face. "Guy. Why do you insist on keeping me waiting? Do you not love me enough to be on time?"
Guy thought quickly. "Of course I do, my liege. But I had to take care of some business in my bed chamber..."
He deliberately trailed off with a smirk, and the prince looked delighted.
"With your adorable lady friend?" He leered at the black knight. "Oh, well, good for you, my dear boy. At least one of us is getting some."
He glared at the Sheriff, who laughed, uncomfortably.
"You know I'm looking for the best whore for you, my liege, and not any old trollop," Vaisey explained, succintly, and Prince John flapped a hand at him, dismissively.
"A trollop would have been fine, Vaisey," he said. "But it is too late now. The moment has passed. We have more important things to discuss, like me becoming king."
The Sheriff and Guy exchanged quick glances before Gisborne sat down and arranged his features into an appropriate expression. Across the table from him sat a small, weaselly-looking man, dressed in the royal uniform that was emblazoned with the prince's insignia. Guy recognised Prince John's own Master-at-Arms, Reynard, and nodded to him in greeting. Reynard stared back at him blankly, his only acknowledgement a slow blink of his eyes, which was his standard salutation but still made Guy shudder slightly inside. The man, although resembling a weasel with his sharp-featured little face, had a reptilian aura about him. He barely spoke, but when he did, it was in a soft, sibilant tone that jarred on Guy's nerves.
As a fellow black knight, there should have been some form of comradeship between the two men, but Guy didn't feel it. Instead, Reynard adopted an openly supercilious attitude with him, which made it almost impossible for them to converse civilly. Words exchanged between the two generally left Gisborne wanting to punch the smaller man. However, as the person responsible for the prince's security, he was virtually untouchable, and Guy was forced to grin and bear his arrogant approach.
"So," the Sheriff said, clapping his hands together and looking around the table with a rictus grin. "Gisborne. Reynard has already shared his information with us regarding the king, which you missed because you were late again."
Guy almost rolled his eyes, but stopped himself just in time. "Would you like to update me, my lord?"
Prince John held his hand up, and then sat forward. "Let me, Vaisey. Gisborne." He regarded Guy, his blue-green eyes impassive. "My brother has pulled his troops out of Acre and has left the Holy Land, en route for home. He and Saladin have come to a settlement, and the war has ceased. My dear Richard hopes to be back in England within the month."
Guy struggled to hide his relief, aware that Reynard was watching him closely. "But... what happens now, my liege? With Longchamp still regent, and the king returning, how do you expect to win the throne?"
"That's a very good question, Gisborne." Prince John tapped his index finger against his lower lip, pensively. "We have finally raised the money for the black knights, so we will have to move fast." He stood and began to pace the room. "First of all, I will send someone to track down Longchamp and dispose of him. That should not be too difficult to achieve. At the same time, I want the remaining black knights to leave for Europe, and to assassinate Richard as soon as he makes it as far as Germany. This," he stopped to place a beringed hand on Guy's leather-clad shoulder, "will be where you come in."
Guy's heart sank as he took in the prince's words. The Sheriff grinned at him, encouragingly, from across the table like a proud father, while Reynard sat, stony-faced, staring straight ahead.
"My liege?" Guy asked, weakly.
"You," Prince John announced, dramatically, "will head the team of black knights who will kill my brother, and pave the way for my coronation as King of England." He stopped at Guy's shoulder, alarmingly close, and took Guy's face in his hands, caressing his cheek as he held his gaze. "And this time, Gisborne, you will succeed."
Uncomfortable as he was with the prince's physical contact and proximity, yet nevertheless captivated by the determination in the prince's eyes, Guy stared at him, transfixed. "I will," he repeated, tonelessly.
"Yes, you will," Prince John vowed. "And do you know why you will succeed? Because you love me."