The Forgotten Keepsake

Chapter 27

XXVII

It will never end.

Guy was sitting in a Chapel in Locksley with his head in his hands as it happened.

It stopped him dead, cutting through all else.

It was as if a voice was speaking to him, telling him this one thing. He didn't know if it was his own voice, if it came from him, from somewhere deep in his soul, all he knew is that what it had to say changed everything.

Last night, as he'd looked upon the streets of Nottingham, he'd been in awe of how quickly things change and now here he was the morning after, coming to terms with the bitter realisation that some things never change.

Upon hearing from the Sheriff this morning that he was to 'reacquire Locksley for military purposes' that is, to evict all the villagers from his own estate to make way for mercenaries, he'd felt his stomach lurch. As he and the guards arrived and began to remove the people from their homes, he'd felt as if he might be physically sick.

Yet another village...

He didn't let it show, he dare not but as he'd looked upon the villagers of Locksley hastily gathering up whatever possessions they had, the mothers and fathers bundling up their young children and retreating to the forest, he'd felt overwhelmed by shame and regret.

And then Marian had arrived.

That had given him the rest.

It will never end.

He was done.

He knew it.

He couldn't go on like this.

No more.

He walked out of the Chapel as if in a trance. Allan was still stood where he'd left him.

"Look Giz, I know you're not best pleased with me but I'm tellin' you all I know honest." He looked warily at the Master of Arms trying to gage Guy's mood before continuing, "Robin has a winter store an' I reckon the food he's nicked has ended up there"

Guy nodded and said nothing. It took him a moment to remember the conversation from earlier and realise what Allan was talking about but then as he did so, he found that he didn't care. He really couldn't care less about any of it. Allan was looking at him strangely.

"You alright Giz?"

No Allan.

I don't think I am... and I haven't been for a long time... but just maybe I will be...

"Yes, I'm fine." He looked directly at Allan now and a strange fondness for the outlaw came over him all of a sudden, "Go to the Store, take this lot with you...," he gestured to the guards.

"You're not coming?" Allan was frowning, this was not normal; Gisborne had very nearly punched him earlier over these food supplies for the mercenaries and now he wasn't coming to retrieve them?

Guy shook his head and said quietly, "You can take care of it."

He gave Allan a parting smirk and began to walk away. Allan stood there as if fixed to the spot with his jaw hanging open, at a loss for words.

"Oh and Allan?" he shouted over his shoulder as he walked off, "Be careful."

Allan watched Gisborne striding off in the direction of Locksley Manor and wondered what that had been about. He could honestly say he had no idea. He stood there a few moments longer trying to wrap his head around the puzzle that was his boss; Sir Guy of Gisborne; the never-ending riddle, before he shrugged and set off in the other direction.

*****

"Can I trust you Thornton?"

"My Lord?"

Thornton, Gisborne's eternally patient manservant, eyed him warily.

Oh yes Thornton, you might well look wary.

"Would you do something for me?"

"Certainly my Lord."

"I need you to find Lord Huntingdon." It sounded strange to hear Robin's title coming from his own lips.

Thornton frowned; he could not help but think the worst.

"No Thornton, you mistake me, it is not for me that I ask you to do this..." Thornton still looked wary, "...and whatever you may believe I am not doing this for the Sheriff either." Guy looked directly at Thornton now, and it put Thornton off guard, there was something different here; something different in his master's eyes - this was not the usual way he went about things, it was a request as oppose to a command,

"It is for Marian."

Guy placed in Thornton's hand three letters he had hastily written upon arriving at Locksley Manor before summoning Thornton into the study: one was for Robin, one for Marian and one for Allan.

"But why...?"

"Please, find Robin. Give him his letter first. I cannot do this myself; I am taking my leave shortly."

Thornton's eyes widened in shock.

"You are leaving? Where are you going?"

"Away... I cannot say where." Guy gave Thornton a meaningful look and Thornton nodded, not sure if he was understanding this properly or how to respond,

"Thornton, the Sheriff will come. He will look for me. Please be careful. Locksley will help you I'm sure."

If Thornton had been shocked before he was astonished now.

As Gisborne had told him was going away, Thornton had assumed that he was going away with the Sheriff, or at the Sheriff's bidding but that he was taking his leave of the man he had served for so many years seemed unfathomable.

"It is of utmost importance Thornton, please do not delay."

Guy stood up and stretched forth his hand for a parting handshake; Thornton didn't take it straight away for he was still somewhat in a daze but then as Guy tentatively took a step forward, he brought his eyes up to his master and took Guy's hand with both of his own, squeezing tightly.

"I am grateful to you." Guy gave Thornton a smile and Thornton found himself dazed once more - he had rarely seen his master smile and never like this, it was as if years had melted off him and the boy he had once known was now stood before him.

Guy then took his leave of the manservant. Not long after he left the Manor as well.

Thornton stood on the threshold of the house and watched as Sir Guy of Gisborne rode off into the distance before carefully placing the letters into his coat pocket and making his way out into the forest.