The Unpayable Debt

Chapter 30

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Vaisey was not alone in the tunnel.

Guy was not surprised.

He was however, unimpressed by Blamire's presence. Yes, he was outnumbered for the moment but he had sent Archer back to Robin and knew that it would not be long before the outlaw came to join them, unable to resist the lure of the fight.

He also knew that Vaisey would have to get a few jibes in first as he always did, there could never just be a fight, one could never just get down to business with him but he figured that this time it would work in his favour, giving Robin the time to come and even out the score.

"You had nothing; I was all you had..." Vaisey's voice was chilling but Guy looked on with a neutral expression. "I was not just your lord; I was your family..." he continued, circling as if closing in on prey, "But you have a sister now..." Vaisey chuckled snidely, "Where has she got to? I thought she of all people would like to watch me finish you off."

"I don't doubt that she would but she is... detained..." Gisborne's voice was clear and confident. He stood straight but was not trying to unsettle anybody with his height as he usually did in situations where he felt threatened. Vaisey noticed this; it was new... and strange.

"Oh dear, no reconciliation Gisborne? Perhaps instead of locking her up, you should've got Robin Hood to persuade her to join you in your cause, he seemed to get on well with her..."

To Vaisey's surprise, Guy didn't even bat an eyelid. "Is that it?" he shrugged indifferently, "is that the best you can do?"

"Oh I don't know Gisborne; I just assumed that the fact that your sister preferred that runt from the forest over you, much like that leper you used to moon over all the time did, would be painful enough." Vaisey smirked triumphantly but was secretly somewhat dismayed that he had not yet managed to get a rise out of the younger man: Indeed Gisborne remained infuriatingly impassive. Still maybe if he kept going...

"But then let's face it Gisborne, you've messed it up with everybody you ever cared about haven't you? Sold your sister, slaughtered the love of your life, betrayed me..." Vaisey watched his former lieutenant closely but Guy remained unimpressed. Then to the older man's astonishment he not only did not take the bait, he began to smile - not smirk as was his custom, no, this was in fact a real smile, one that belied an indulgent amusement.

Not everybody Vaisey, not everybody...

"You're losing your touch. Come on, you can do better than this..." Guy rolled his shoulders and tightened his grip on his sword – a gesture more akin to a certain outlaw than to the man who had been most of his life in Vaisey's service.

He didn't let it show but the fact that he didn't have a ready retort to Guy's remark belied his surprise that this conversation was not going as he'd expected. Indeed, nothing about Guy was as he'd expected, granted he'd not seen much of him but it had been enough: he seemed somehow... calm... clear headed... self-assured...

Usually there was a latent anger lurking just beneath the surface and it had always been something Vaisey could work with to intimidate him or to get him to do his bidding. Sure, Guy had always schooled his features in such a way as to not let his feelings show and yet Vaisey had always a sixth sense when it came to how others were feeling, no matter how much they tried to hide their emotions.

But there was no anger to work with now, no hatred, no bitterness, no pain, and it dismayed and infuriated Vaisey. He had worked hard on Gisborne; it had taken a long time to get him how he wanted him and then he'd had to watch it all unravel as the leper ruined him...