fizzy-custard-deactivated201802 asked:
He had been sneaking around the
castle for hours now. Checking each and every place he could think of
where she could be. The library, the scriptorium, the treasury, even
the garden and the kitchen.
And this happened way too often. Someone looking for her and she was gone, only to appear hours later out of the blue.
She always had an explanation but still she kept disappearing. Like today. She was nowhere to be found and he was
angry now.
Mainly on himself when he realized that he actually was
worried about her. Worried and jealous. Because where else should she be than with a secret lover.
This woman would be the dead of him
and he knew it. Brought to the castle to do the bookkeeping and build the
library since the sheriff had decided that any household of a certain
reputation needed fancy books.
From day one her wit and beauty had been
twisting his mind and Guy hated himself for it. She was no better
than any other woman around he kept telling himself and even worse
her constant sass was getting on his nerves. That it was exactly this
sass that was the main attraction to him was something he was not yet
ready to admit.
He was thinking of her way too much and way
too… graphic and he was annoyed even more because she
constantly refused any sign of affection he was trying to show her.
He had tried flowers, pastries from the kitchen, a suggested walk on
the ramparts a ride into the forest… nothing seemed to be able to
pique her interest. No wonder he got impatient and moody around her.
Guy of Gisborne was a man who liked
to be in control. And he hated it to be refused.
He was used to simply take if he decided something was supposed to be his and to his own shame he had tried that once when the flowers and the other silly bribes showed no effect no matter how hard he tried.
She had pushed him away surprisingly strong and swift and had almost knocked him out that night when he had tried to corner her and steal a kiss.
This had been the moment had to admit to himself that he may be a little bit obsessed with her.
Obsessed in a way that forbade to
take anything by force. She meant something to him. Which included
that he wanted her to want him back.
She would, he was sure. Once she’d realize he was true in his intentions and a man with a bright future. A strong and a ressourceful leader.
He wanted… needed to talk to her.
If she’d only gave him the opportunity to explain himself, to lay his
heart bare, she’d understand. And change her mind.
A door
clapped on the far end of the hallway and he heard hasty steps echoing through the deserted corridor he had been
walking down on his way back to the library to check on her return
another time. There she was. He would not have to take all the way.
“Where have
you been? Whom have you been with?” This had not been the
things he’d intended to ask but it broke out of him when he suddenly
appeared out of the dark and grabbed her arm so she could not slip.
If he had expected to startle her,
surprise her enough to make her confess, all he got was a derogatory
smirk.
“Lurking in the dark again, Guy of Gisborne?” She
snapped without paying attention to his inquiries.
“Answer my question!” Guy insisted and his voice lowered down to a dangerous growl. “You can’t lie
to me, you’re with someone else and you just have been with him when
you should see to your duties in the library.”
“Or be with you instead?” Her
words were dripping from sarcasm. “How dare you! Bloody idiot!”
She hissed at him and freed her arm from his grip, already on her way
again but he wouldn’t give up so easily.
“Why, would that be such a bad
thing?” Guy hated how his words suddenly sounded like a plea. She needed a
strong man to protect her. He could not sound as weak as he felt when
she challenged him further and further. “I think I made my
intentions clear, did I? True intentions, Why must you be so stubborn
when I just want to offer you something… good. I really need
you!”
Suddenly becoming serious she looked up at him. “You really mean that, don’t you?” she asked and her voice was very soft when she asked.
“I told you.” He replied with a
voice so hoarse it was not more than a whisper.
A soft hand, covered in a silken
glove cupped his cheek and he could not help but close his eyes on
the sudden tenderness of this gesture.
“All you did was shoving flowers and cakes
into my face while accusing me of unspeakable things. Even tonight.
That’s not the way to win a woman’s heart. First you’ll have to trust
her.”
Guy hung his head. She probably was
true but he couldn’t just go and admit that.
“I really try, but what shall I
think whenever I look for you and you’re nowhere to be found?”
She sighed. Deeply and frustrated.
Then out of a spark of intuition she took his hand and pulled him with her into the
direction she had been coming from.
“I won’t beg you to keep
secrets. Or offer anything in return for your promise to keep it to
yourself. Because you’ll do as you please anyway.” She grumbled as
they were heading downstairs into the dark and creepy belly of the
castle.
Guy had no answer, wondering what horrible secret she was going to reveal to make a speech like that.
They followed a few black hallways
until they finally stood in a little alcove, lit only by a dying
candle, three children of different ages cuddled together and with
terrified faces when suddenly the two adults stood in the entry.
“Do
not fear, it’s just me. You’re still safe.” She tried to soothe the
little ones when the smallest, a tiny girl, silently began to cry in
terror and she turned to him. “They will be safe, my siblings, right? The sheriff refused to take them in and feed them. So I do it on my own account. Because they have no one else.”
Guy stood petrified and tried desperately to tie up loose
ends and he only could nod in agreement.
What else could he do?