Sir Guy of Gisborne

Guy wakes, gagged and bound to a tree, to an argument that he's not been privy to the start of. As far as he can gather, the rest of the outlaws want to retrieve one of their own - probably the one that Guy himself felled back at Locksley manor. On the other hand, Robin believes Guy to be more important. Discord is rife it seems. Especially since's Robin's men don't appear to believe his story of how it was Guy in the Holy Land that tried to kill the King. Not even the bumbling manservant. Now this is interesting, and Robin's rage seems to make him forget all his high principles and morals.
He would have to keep his eye on Hood. A man consumed with anger is dangerous, though vulnerable to revenge and being taught a lesson for spoiling his plans both now and then.
And even though he's tied up, with no way to free himself, Robin's predicament is not only very interesting, but also amusing and Guy can't help but show it. The great leader is doubted by all of his men and they don't even care that it's treason that Guy is accused of - one of the worst crimes in the land. Almost as interesting is that these outlaws are concerned for a woman who has been captured. What could have happened since he followed them into the forest that he doesn't know about?
Nevertheless, Guy is still amused at the dissent in the ranks when Robin hits him the first time. Not as amused at the second punch, but when the large outlaw leaves Robin on the ground out cold, suffering the earlier blows seems almost worthwhile.

--

The outlaws tie Robin to a tree, a good distance from where Guy himself is bound, though Hood is not gagged like he is. Of course not. It's tiring being strung up against this tree by his arms and he doesn't notice Robin come round at first. Though when he does, he realises that he's not quite near enough to hear what Robin and the manservant are talking about. Undoubtedly, they will be discussing him.
Suddenly Robin's hands are at his throat with threats to kill him if he doesn't reveal all of the plan to do away with the King. And now, Guy sees that this will be his weak spot - it is already the source of conflict with his men and all it needs is a careful prod here and there with the right words to force Robin to make his own mistake.
"No, you've changed Locksley. You told me so yourself. 'Show me an argument ever settled with bloodshed,' was it? You've become a peace lover, warm and woolly, taking trinkets for the poor."
Yes. Right there. Where Robin's fury has left him open for error, where his fury has brought doubt and alarm into the heart of his manservant, who runs to save Guy from Robin's knife. Ironically, this is perhaps a side to the damned outlaw that he prefers. More honest somehow, less high and mighty, more brutal, more cruel, more like... himself in a way. Though maybe capable of causing more damage and hurt with so many people who love him. And Robin has already fallen into his own trap, already regretting what his rage has spilled from his mouth. It's an unexpected pleasure to see Robin fall, to see he isn't the perfect hero so many think him to me. A low chuckle escapes from Guy's mouth, immediately silenced by the cold metal of the dagger thrown into the tree, close to his cheek. That was almost too close, though Guy does not fear pain or death.
He would have to be more careful.

--

When Robin returns, he busies himself heating a sword over the small fire. Guy knows what he intends. He's watched it done to others so many times. He's done it himself to others on occasion. The servant tries to talk to him when he gives up struggling to remove the dagger next to Guy's face and then Robin rises, approaching him with the glowing blade, holding it close to his face. He wants names and Guy can see the fury in the other man's face, not so raging now, but still hot.
"What kind of King deserts his people to fight someone else's war in a foreign land?" The blade is hot near his cheek. He can feel the heat radiating from its white glow.
"If you are his people then he was right to desert them." The hot point moves closer and Guy instinctively turns his head away from it while Robin argues with the fool. As the fool turns and runs, Guy keeps a wary eye on the retreating would-be torturer.
"Oh. You seem to be short of friends Locksley. And what about all those peasants you've championed? They'll be so disappointed when they realise that under your fine words, you're just as violent as the next man! And not just the peasants either. Some of the nobles you've championed, swayed by your charitable acts. Edward. Marian."
He had intended to taunt more, to get under Robin's skin, but as he continues he forgets, instead consumed himself now by Robin's hypocrisy. But he knows now whose name would get under Robin's skin. Whose ring so distracted him. And his own folly causes Robin to raise his sword high. Guy shuts his eyes, awaiting the blow, awaiting hot metal cleaving his skull, all because he's pushed too far.
When the still bright blade cuts the ropes that bind him, Guy is far from prepared. His weight shifts forward and he half falls, free at last. Taking a second to scan the forest, to see if anyone might remain hidden to stop him now that he was loose. A discarded sword and a subtle gesture shows Robin's intention to fight and Guy goes at him, all thought for clever word trickery gone. It feels good to dispense with words and threats though and return the simple justice of flesh hitting flesh. To use his hate against the outlaw. To tumble and hit and kick. To release his aggression towards this man, his resentment and his envy.

--

There's only a break in the brawl when a particularly hard blow lands on Guy's head and he finds himself fall backwards over a log that hadn't been there seconds ago. Exhaustion is setting in to heavy arms and heavy legs. They've been fighting forever. He rises slowly.
"Face it you're loyal to a weak King."
"A King with principles."
"Oh, he's a pawn and you know it. It's not England's war – it's Rome's."
"Then why have you made it worse? Your attack broke the ceasefire. There could have been peace."
"No, there will always be war. So let's have a King who will fight for our gain, not the Pope's."
"Do you know why I went to war? To recover Jerusalem. To recover our Holy Land."
"How noble."
"No. When I got there I met the Muslims and the Jews. And I saw it was their Holy Land too."
"What are you, Locksley? Lord of the dance?"
Another hard punch and then fighting and tumbling and kicking and punching once more. A pause to break, to get a few last words in, to breathe and then they leap back into furious struggling and then rolling, falling down the steep bank where reaching the bottom with a thud stops nothing.

--

Finally, Guy gets in a few good kicks and his nemesis tumbles down another slop where he soon follows. The punches don't come so quickly now, the blows slowing though the mind wills them both to keep going.
"You thought you'd come back from the Holy Land covered in glory, didn't you? Well, guess what? No one here cares! They couldn't even point to the Holy Land on a map! So what was it all for, eh?" It's funny to think of. "Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon, hero of Acre. And look at you now, you're just a common outlaw. House and lands lost. Do you think I don't laugh every time I go to sleep in your bed?" There, there is some reaction there. "And Marian. The woman you gave up, lost." Yes, this is getting to Robin. "To me! You think I won't laugh every time I-"
And that makes Robin pull himself up, makes him strike Guy hard, even though the effort leaves him to fall back to the ground. Marian. Robin's open wound to pour salt into. It wasn't just Robin who was tired. Physical blows were harder and harder to make, the action of raising himself from the ground just as difficult. It was time to turn to a different tack.
"To be honest, I was surprised you decided to stay in Nottingham when surely you would have friends elsewhere who would take you in. No, I should have realised. Marian." She is Robin's downfall and maybe she will be his too. She has that power over them."And I thought you'd given up long ago. But you still carry a torch for her, don’t you?" Robin lies there, glaring at him. "And now she is to be mine!" At this, he stirs.
"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you." And now it's Guy who is provoked. What does this man know, who would desert Marian for the beck and call of a King that was barely seen in this land.
"She has accepted me!" Robin's laughter is brittle. Sharp. Cutting. This is not his turn to win.
"When the King returns." Oh. Is that all? A joke perhaps. No.
"A detail."
"She will know you are a traitor. I will tell her."
"I will deny it."
"She is astute."
"True. And she has her doubts about me. But she is also stirred by me. She will believe my denial."
These are simple truths. Simple truths met by another quickly approaching fist and welcome nothingness.

--

Hours pass. Maybe days. It's hard to tell when blindfolded and returned to the confines of oak and the binding of rope. And yet it can't be that long, faint whispers that he can't quite make out marking the time he has been conscious. And when his eyes are uncovered, Guy finds himself headed towards Nottingham, with no Robin in tow. At least there is some comfort there in the disagreement between him and his men.
Being traded for the Saracen is faintly humiliating and, of course, Robin, when he arrives, cannot resist spilling all he knows of Guy's sojourn in Acre and what was done there, of the King's Men who know and of Guy's tattoo. The mention of his tattoo springs too-short-lived alarm into the Sheriff's face. There his some plan forming in his superior's head and Guy doesn't like the glint in the Sheriff's eye, nor the way his wrist is grabbed, nor the liquid spilling onto his arm, suddenly hot and burning. The agony of skin burning and being eaten away proves his wariness to his so-called ally true. The pain seems to cover every inch of his body, blinding him to the trap being sprung and the escape of the outlaws.
There may be no tattoo left to incriminate him, but surely there must have been a less grievous way to remove it!

His goblet is still raised when something strikes it and it flies out of his hand, tumbling to the ground. Guy turns to see where the projectile had come from, knowing already who he might see there.

Robin.

Where are the guards who are supposed to be safeguarding the lives of the nobles gathered here? How did this outlaw and his companions get in and surround them? What in God's name is going on? He was not concerned that he himself was in any danger, only uneasy that this celebration was turning into a shambles and that he was sure to look bad in the eyes of the nobility and in those of Marian and her father for letting this happen. And infuriatingly, there is nothing he can do - there are more soft, rich hands here than competent, strong fighters here to support him and they are outnumbered by the outlaws, who are armed while most of the nobles are not.

His mind races for a minute. What can he do to stop this? The problem is half-solved by Robin ordering that everyone go into the next room. Perhaps things are starting to look up, with them out the way Guy can take on some of the outlaws himself without his guests being harmed. As they leave, depositing their valuables with the manservant, he breathes a little easier, biding his time, waiting for the right moment, remaining where he had been standing. He hates Robin Hood. Too cocky, too sure of himself, too self-satisfied, too amused at his own 'wit', too smug. This thorn in his side would be his first target when the moment came and Guy chanced a look to his left to see where Robin was - leaning against the wall.

There is a knock at the door, some signal these outlaws have pre-arranged and Robin starts towards Marian, Guy reaches for his sword, perceiving some danger to his betrothed, though the Saracen's sword on his arm prevents him. The outlaw's attentions make Guy uneasy. They were once betrothed in youth but now that Marian is engaged to him, would this make her a target? He tries to distract Robin, by pointing out that the Lady doesn't carry money, a fact verified by Marian herself but then commended by the outlaw, who then notices her ring. The precious ring which Guy has just presented to her. He tenses. This ring is his declaration of his intent toward Marian, the symbol of the hope of their marriage. His mother's ring. Marian's ring. Through gritted teeth he says that they have taken everything else, that they can leave this ring, but Robin takes the ring right from Marian's hand himself.

It is this imposition, this boldness, this daring which angers Guy more than the theft of a thing so precious to his dreams. So as Robin leaves with another dry attempt at wit, Guy seizes his chance and draws his sword, moving forward to attack. The other outlaws are distracted by their signal and running away and there will be no other opportunity.

Robin counters the strike, pinning his arm behind him and Guy himself against a beam momentarily. Guy turns and strikes again, but Robin pins his arm to the wooden beam behind him with a dagger, holding the point of his curved scimitar in towards him. His sword arm is held by the blade through his sleeve, but not for much longer. Perhaps it's time to show his cards to his opponent, knowing what will happen if he frees himself. Guy tears his arm away from it's prison, ripping his sleeve and revealing a scarred tattoo on his forearm. A tattoo that he knows that Robin has seen before, freshly wounded, and the look of shock on the other man's face is worth the trouble that he has caused so far today.

Guy breathed one word only, with a knowing half-grin. "Surprise."

He pulls the dagger from the wood and what's left of his shirt, while the Saracen pulls the dazed Robin away and it's this dagger's hilt that he uses to fell the dark-skinned boy as he pushes the other man on to escape. Sheathing his sword as the Sheriff entered (this must have been what the outlaws' signal meant), he darted out the now open door, past the Sheriff to see the outlaws fleeing on horseback. There Robin sits, upon his horse, waiting, glaring at where Guy has emerged from the courtyard, only to be hurried on by his manservant.

He had to follow them. The satisfaction of Robin's initial shock was not enough and he must see this through. Guy ran for his own horse, mindful of the light footfall of Marian behind him and then her voice telling him to "leave him." As if he could! Robin knows now exactly where they first met, of which the only evidence, save for memories, is the silvery scar over the tattoo on his arm and poor evidence it is, at that. This is his opportunity to deal with the man who foiled his plot to kill the King, to end years of political turmoil while other claimants pushed and shoved to try and take the absent ruler's throne.

And Robin has the ring, meant for Marian, though she knows not what it means to him. A ring she seems to have forgotten in the commotion. He must follow the outlaws, follow Robin, into the forest.