The Unpayable Debt

Chapter 14

XIV

Guy found that Sarah was looking much improved; the cool water of the river had done much to help ease the swelling and soothe her cuts and bruises. Her face was however, still a mess and of course looking very different to how it had been a few days earlier, (the last time she had been in the camp) and so it was that as she arrived, she was greeted with the sight of many shocked and staring outlaws. In those first moments she felt decidedly uncomfortable but with Guy at her side and then Emma bounding towards her to give her a hug before excitedly chattering about all she had seen at the camp, she began to feel a little better.

Robin Hood wasted no time in approaching her. "As much as I am happy to see you here again my lady, I am sorry that it is under these circumstances."

"You can say it if you like." Her tone was flat and emotionless. Guy frowned and looked at Robin. He had not been party to their previous conversation and so didn't know what this was about. The outlaw however, knew exactly to what she was referring.

"I shall not for I take no pleasure in being right on this one, I can assure you." He meant every word. He might be able to say 'I told you so' for he had warned her about the risks she took and in doing so correctly divined her fate but seeing her like this broke his heart. It took him to a dark place - a place he had been before with somebody else...

When he closed his eyes, he could see her...

...Marian...

...lying injured in the cave... Djaq bent over her, trying to treat the terrible wound on her abdomen... him breaking down into tears... realising how much he loved her... how scared he was to lose her...

...and then...

...later...

...much later...

...Marian... lay upon the hot sands of Acre... her white dress... her blood... her attempt at a smile... the fear in her eyes... knowing... knowing she was...

His head snapped up and he fixed Gisborne with a look of purest hatred. Guy was caught completely off guard - his eyes wide in surprise, he had no idea what was going on in the man's head. Sarah looked from Robin to Guy and found herself feeling very uneasy. She was about to pull herself and Guy away but then the moment had passed and Robin had gone, storming off into the forest without saying a word.

The couple looked at each other astonished, both clueless as to what had just occurred. Guy then looked over to Allan who gave him a shrug to signal that he was equally at a loss. A quick glance around the camp confirmed that nobody had expected this or knew what was going on.

After a brief silence, Kate was on the warpath. She stormed over to Guy with a face like thunder, "What did you say to him?"

"Nothing!" He took a step forwards, instinctively putting himself between Kate and Sarah; he did not want her caught up in one of the many spats that he had with Kate.

"It didn't look like nothing to me!"

"Well then I think you should consider getting your eyes checked for I didn't say a word to the man!" Guy loomed tall over Kate, his arms crossed over his chest, his voice low and menacing. She remained unimpressed, angrily looking up at him.

"Look perhaps we should all calm down a bit yeah?" that was Allan.

"Kate, I think you should go have a chat with Robin, see what is bothering him..." that was Tuck.

"I know what is bothering him! I always know what is bothering him! It's the same thing that is always bothering all of us!" Kate gestured to the Master of Arms stood in front of her. He scowled, his eyes flitting to the heavens, his fingers gripping hard into his biceps. He would never hit a woman but oh God, how she tested him.

"Can't we just have one evening without a fight?" exasperated tones from Much.

Then giggling. That was from Emma, no longer able to contain her amusement. Sarah gave her sister a look of warning but couldn't keep it up for long for Allan had begun quietly laughing now. Even Guy began to smirk and although Kate was still pouting, it seemed that the fight was over.

Tuck took Kate off, away from the others. Sarah did the same with Guy.

Allan sighed in relief and then cheerily enquired: "Alright Much, how about we tuck into that squirrel now eh?"

**********

Sarah had received her own bed and blanket but of course, Guy was having none of it.

No, there would be no sneaking around with him.

As soon as he saw her lie down upon her bedroll, which had been thoughtfully placed by Much next to Emma's in a more private corner of the camp (ladies needed privacy after all), he wordlessly marched across the camp and in plain sight of one and all, scooped her up into his arms, before striding over to his own bed and depositing her upon it. He then pulled his shirt up and over his head, casually threw it to the floor, lay down on his side and pulled her flush against his chest.

She was about to protest, something along the lines of how that could have been handled more discreetly and how he shouldn't keep carting her about like a rag doll all the time, but he silenced her with a kiss. A kiss that could never be described as chaste.

Oh, there was much to cause earache and if scandalized looks could earn him money then he wouldn't have to go robbing any rich people the next few days but he couldn't care less.

He was a possessive lover and always had been. As he saw it, she was his and so belonged in his bed. That was that. End of discussion.

As he continued to kiss her - no, overwhelm her with pleasurable reasons to stay with him would be a more accurate description of what he was doing to her, she found herself melt under his touch and with her, any resolve to protest melted as well.

The truth of it was that she wanted him. She always had. Even back then, that first time...

...the night he had drunkenly pulled her into his lap in Locksley and made her a woman...

...she had trembled as she'd felt his fingers sliding possessively under her skirts...

...his teeth sinking into her neck, marking her, singling her out as his...

...she had wanted him...

... and now more than ever.