Change is Afoot

Untitled Part 10

The following day, although in a lot of discomfort, Guy was moved from the castle back to Locksley Manor where he could recover peacefully. His own doctor had been waiting for him when he arrived in a carriage and although he had insisted it wasn't required, his doctor again gave him a sedative to help him sleep.
When Guy next awoke it was the following morning and Marian was sitting by the window humming as she embroidered.
"I thought I might have gone to heaven then" Guy croaked through his dry throat, Marian was at his side instantly holding a goblet of water. Guy winced loudly as he tried to sit, Marian offered to get help but Guy declined and forced himself into an upright position and accepted the goblet. He drank thirstily and Marian refilled the goblet from the jug on the dresser.

"How do you feel?" she enquired.
"Sore, like I've been stabbed" Guy retorted.
Marian looked at him and then asked "Can we talk, are you able to, or do you need to rest again?"
"I'd rather kiss you than talk to you my love."
Marian smiled shyly before sitting on the edge of their bed. "We'll talk first and then I will kiss you if you so desire" Marian answered.
"Of course I desire, I desire your body but I don't think I am able to do as I desire at the moment" Guy picked up Marian's hand, but she pulled it away.
"Guy I need to talk to you about what happened at the castle."
Guy sensed trouble and announced "I'm sorry I killed Allan but I thought he had harmed you and my life was in danger too. Marian, I know you wanted me to be a better person and I have tried, I swear I have, but in the heat of that battle I saw red and finding your dagger up your sleeve saved my life. I am so grateful that he had not harmed you as I first feared"
"That is what I need to talk to you about, but not about Allan."
She cleared her throat before proceeding. "Allan didn't hurt me at all, I fainted, the doctor advised me that it can happen."
Guy surged forward ignoring the pain in doing so. His Marian was ill, why hadn't he noticed? Then he realised that he hadn't noticed as they had spent so much of their time together here in their bed since their wedding. He would rectify that when he had recovered and they would spend time doing other things. Then he remembered that she had been pale recently but again he thought that perhaps it was because she was tired.
"Please tell me you can get over this my love, I cannot be without you Marian, you are my life now"
Marian smiled at Guy, "I hope I can get over this, but it will affect our lives forever, you see Guy I am with child, I have not bled since our wedding but I had not realised as my mind has been elsewhere" she blushed as she said the last few words.
Guy stared bemused at her and then said softly "A child" before placing a hand on her still flat belly.
"Yes Guy, our child" Marian replied.
Ignoring the pain it caused, Guy pulled Marian to him and kissed her pouring his heart into the kiss. He thought his wedding day had been the happiest day of his life but this far surpassed that day.
As he broke from the kiss he whispered "Everything is changing, Vaisey is gone, we await a new Sheriff, and we will be parents in the spring, something I have dreamed about for so long but never dared to think would happen."