The Unpayable Debt

Chapter 34

XXXIV

Upon waking from her involuntary slumber, Isabella of Gisborne was puzzled to find herself not where she had fallen into unconsciousness.

It was dark and dank where she was but it was no dungeon.

She was not at all pleased to discover that she was tied up. Both wrists were bound, as were both ankles. She was fortunate not to be gagged, she instantly took advantage of this privilege by protesting loudly.

"Untie me you savages! Untie me this instant!"

Her shouting went on for some time until Guy could listen to it no longer and finally raised himself up from where he had been sitting to go and attend her.

As she saw who it was that was walking towards her, she fell silent. Guy enjoyed this moment of peace for he knew that what was to follow would be anything but peaceful.

"You!" She spat hatefully, her eyes full of fury.

"Indeed sister, it is I." He replied with an accompanying smirk.

She took a moment to take him in, he was dressed casually in a loose fitting shirt and trousers (both black of course) and there was, to Isabella's surprise, not a scrap of leather on him, even his feet were bare. His left arm was in a sling and the left shoulder was strapped up.

"Where am I? What have you done to me?"

"You are in a cave not far from Sherwood. I brought you here." This was not strictly correct, Little John had done the bringing, (he'd carried her slung over his shoulder like a ragdoll). It had however, been Guy's idea to remove her from the castle before they left and so they had fetched her from the dungeons before going to hide in the cellar.

"So it was you who poisoned me!" she hissed.

"No, that honour goes to my wife." Guy chuckled.

"That witch is your wife?" Isabella asked incredulously.

Guy smiled proudly, "Indeed she is."

"I should've known you would end up with a sneaky, conniving witch for a wife."

Much to Isabella's consternation Guy continued smiling, "Yes, I'm very fond of her."

Isabella frowned; her spiteful remarks appeared to be missing their mark. "Why did you do it?" she asked angrily.

"Why did I do what? Drug you? Well, I just told you that that was not my doing but I can tell you that I fully condone what my wife did for it was in your and our best interests..."

"How dare you say that to me!"

"This was a fight that many did not come out of Isabella, had you got involved you could've been one of those lost." He felt a twinge in his shoulder as he said this and knew he had been very lucky to come out of it alive.

"Don't you dare say that it was to protect me!"

"Well what would you prefer to hear? That it was done to protect us from you?"

"I was locked up in the dungeon what could I have done?"

"Don't play the innocent Isabella, we both know that you could've manipulated your way out of there..."

She was silent for she could not refute that. Guy continued, "...and we both know from my execution what you would've done to me had you caught up with me." He gave her a sad smile.

She remained unmoved, "You deserve to die."

"That may be so but that day I did not die, just as at the castle yesterday I did not die either." He looked to the heavens as he said this in a silent prayer of thanks.