Wow, this semester has been crazy busy. Here, at last, is an update. Enjoy! (And review? Pretty please?)

Chapter VII: Powder Kegs and Picnic Baskets

When Guy arrived at Knighton to escort Marian to the black powder demonstration, she was nowhere to be seen, and her stable boy was only halfway through saddling her horse. He hadn't realized how early it was when he'd left Locksley.

As Guy nudged his destrier forward to take a drink from the trough next to the stables, he noticed the young boy watching the horse with fascination. "Attend to your work, boy," he said sternly. "That mare needs to be ready as soon as the Lady Marian steps foot outside."

"Yes, milord," said the boy. He resumed adjusting the girth strap and stirrups at a much faster pace, though his gaze continued to drift to Guy's charger every few seconds.

"What did I just say about keeping your eyes on your work?" Guy barked as he swung a leg over and dismounted.

"I'm sorry, milord!" the boy squeaked, hastily doing as he was told.

Guy continued to watch him, frowning. Today, he and Lambert were going to astonish Vaisey with their project, and then he was having a picnic with Marian. It was going to be a very good day. Besides, the boy was actually doing quite a good job preparing Marian's horse, and it was no crime to look at such an impressive beast, so, on the whole, Guy suddenly found himself in an unusually indulgent mood. Consequently, when the boy resumed sneaking glances at his horse, he merely raised his eyebrows.

"I-I'm sorry!" the boy stammered again. "It's just, I've never seen a horse like this before, milord."

"He's a destrier," said Guy. "A knight's warhorse."

The boy, finished with Marian's horse now, had started to edge closer, his eyes shining with admiration. "Would it...would it be alright if I patted him on the head a bit?"

"I suppose that's up to him," said Guy, folding his arms. "He doesn't let just anyone near him, so be careful about it."

"Thank you, milord!" Despite his eagerness, the boy moved cautiously, raising a hand in front of him. Guy's horse pawed the ground nervously for a moment, but then stepped forward and pressed his nose into the boy's palm. "What's his name?"

"Vincent," said Guy, pronouncing the name as the French would.

The boy nodded and began to murmur soft words to the horse, who whinnied in reply and pressed even closer. Guy couldn't suppress a slight smile. After he and Marian were wed—if he ever became fortunate enough to reach that point—, he would have to see about getting this boy for Locksley's stables.

—-—

Refusing to examine her reasons for doing so, Marian put a greater effort into her preparations that morning than she usually did. Why shouldn't she wear her favorite gown (the crimson one with gold trim and embroidery) and take the time to make sure her hair fell just so over her shoulders if she wanted to?

By the time she was finally satisfied with her appearance, she feared that she was running late, but when she went out to see how Daniel was coming along with Rhiannon, she was surprised to find Daniel patting Guy's destrier on the nose while Guy stood with his back to a fence post and his arms crossed, looking at them with something that might have been fondness.

Guy wasn't facing her, so he didn't see her until she was almost right next to him. "What's going on here?" she asked with a smile.

"The boy's been making friends with Vincent," said Guy.

Marian's smile widened. "It was kind of you to let him," she said.

Guy looked slightly embarrassed, but quickly hid it under an air of gruffness. "Well, he has quite a talent with horses."

Daniel stepped forward then and gave Marian a bow. "Rhiannon is all ready for you, milady."

"Thank you, Daniel," she said. "Would you bring her to me?"

"Yes, milady," he said, and scampered over to where she was tethered.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long," said Marian ruefully, turning back to Guy.

"Not at all," he said. He took the hand she offered and kissed it. She expected him to let go, but he seemed frozen, his eyes locked on her face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Oh," he said, his cheeks reddening slightly as he released her hand and dropped his gaze. "Forgive me; I find myself even more overwhelmed by how lovely you are this morning than usual."

Marian felt herself turning even redder than him. "Thank you," she managed, running a hand distractedly through her hair.

"Here you are, milady," said Daniel, having just returned with Rhiannon, who nickered happily and pushed her head at Marian's shoulder. Guy's stallion tossed his head and pawed at the ground with his front hooves in response to the mare's proximity. Marian gratefully took the reins from Daniel while Guy moved to soothe his horse, and they both mounted and were off.

"I think I might have a rival," Guy remarked once they were beyond Knighton.

Marian stiffened. "What do you mean?" she said.

"The stable boy, Daniel," said Guy. "He fancies you, you know."

"Oh dear," she said, relaxing. For a second, she'd thought he was talking about Robin. "Well, it wouldn't do to break the poor boy's heart at such a tender age." She gave an exaggerated sigh of regret. "I'm afraid I won't be able to continue with this betrothal after all."

"Is that so?" Guy smirked. "Well, do not suppose I will give you up as easily as that."

—-—

When they arrived at the demonstration site, it was to find several of the workers from the mines standing in a wide, haphazard sort of ring, at the center of which Lambert was rushing about, making sure everything was in order. Marian's attention was caught by the odd wooden structure that stood alone several yards from Lambert (but still well within the ring of onlookers). It seemed to be a cottage wall with a window in it, except that the rest of the cottage it belonged to was missing. "What is that?" she asked Guy, pointing.

"That," he said, "is what we will be standing behind when Lambert ignites the black powder."

"Why, is it dangerous?" she said.

"Lambert knows what he's doing," said Guy reassuringly. "The barrier is merely a precaution, since we'll be a bit closer than everyone else.

At the sound of galloping hooves, they turned to see the Sheriff approaching with his entourage. Marian's heart sank, and she saw Guy stiffen and his expression shutter. "You invited him?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"I had little choice," said Guy curtly. "He demanded to see what I've been doing with the gold in the armory budget lately." He left her side to go greet the man in question, but to Marian's surprise, he came right back after barely a minute.

Lambert, who had noticed none of this as he finished setting up, and who had never had the displeasure of the Sheriff's company before, clapped his hands and turned to his audience. "Well it's all set. Shall we begin, then?"

Guy nodded, and Lambert proceeded to give a brief explanation of the black powder and its purpose for the benefit of all present who hadn't been involved in the development process. To Marian's annoyance, the Sheriff yawned loudly and fidgeted the entire time Lambert was speaking, and he hadn't even dismounted from his horse.

Lambert picked up a small barrel and, beginning at a spot a couple of paces from the barrier, poured a thin line of black powder on the ground, stopping a fair distance away, where he left the barrel on its side.

"Please dismount, my lord," said Guy rather dryly. "There may be quite a bang."

"Really."

"And your horse is highly strung."

"It won't be the only highly strung creature if I'm made to hang around for much longer," the Sheriff grumbled, but he did finally dismount, using one of his guards as a stepstool. Ignoring him, Guy turned to Marian and ushered her over to the barrier with a hand on the small of her back. In spite of Vaisey's presence and attitude, Guy looked so eager and excited that it was quite infectious, and Marian couldn't help exchanging smiles with him before they both turned to look at Lambert again.

With flint and steel, Lambert struck fire to the end of the powder trail. Marian jumped and gasped when it ignited so violently that it threw sparks into the air. The flames then raced down the line of powder towards the barrel at an alarming speed. "Just wait, the best part is still coming," said Guy. "Oh, and you'll want to cover your ears."

Marian shot him a fleeting glance and did as he advised. A second later, the fire reached the barrel, which immediately burst with the sound of a particularly deafening thunderclap in an enormous plume of flame and smoke, sending debris in every direction. Marian felt the scorching heat of it pass over her in one disorienting instant, and the shockwave nearly knocked her backward even from her position behind the barrier.

"Well done, my friend," Guy called, rising back to a standing position. Marian followed his example, staring at him with wide eyes. For all he and Lambert had said about the black powder, she could never have imagined this. Guy's eyes were alight with a kind of boyish glee she had never seen in them before.

"What did you think?" he asked. His voice sounded oddly muffled. Realizing that her hands were still clamped tightly around her ears, Marian lowered them.

"That was amazing!" she said. She felt the sudden urge to reach for his hand, but before she could manage it, Vaisey's voice intruded.

"Well done, Gisborne!" he said jubilantly, making Marian jump and Guy look around. Neither of them had realized that he had taken cover behind the barrier at the last second. As the smoke cleared, he emerged to inspect the crater left by the explosion. "Get me ten or twenty large, huge crates! Haha!"

Marian watched from behind the barrier as Guy and Lambert went out to meet Vaisey, who had turned to face them. There was glee in his eyes too, but unlike Guy's childlike delight, his made it look as if a demon were leering out through human features.

Lambert looked uncomfortable. "If I am to create more black powder, then there are conditions," he said.

"Really?" said Vaisey. He was still smiling, but there was a threat to it, and Marian saw Guy shoot a warning glare at Lambert. This made no impression.

"One, I'm allowed to sell my discovery to other mining concerns."

"Naturally," said Vaisey.

"Two, I get a bonus for me work."

"Of course."

"And finally," Lambert paused briefly, seeing Guy's glare, but went on anyway, "this powder must never be used as a weapon."

"Ah," said Vaisey, clambering out of the crater and closing in on Lambert in a way that made Marian think of a bird of prey. The guards circled around as well, hands on the hilts of their swords. "I think you and I have a future. Trust me."

Lambert was obviously going to bolt. "No," he said, taking a step back.

"Lambert," Guy growled.

Despite the mounting pressure, Lambert would not yield. When Sheriff's men continued to close in, he whipped out a short, thick rod and threw it on the ground at their feet. This caused a second, smaller explosion, which knocked the guards off their feet. Not wasting a single moment, Lambert bolted for the forest, a livid Vaisey and the few guards who'd been smart (or cowardly) enough to hang back before in hot pursuit.

Marian ran forward and caught Guy by the arm before he could follow. "Must you go after him too, Guy?" she said pleadingly.

"He has brought this on himself," said Guy. His expression was hard and forbidding, though something else—perhaps regret—shone through when he briefly met her eyes. Before she could be sure she hadn't imagined it, he had pulled his arm away and run to join the chase.

—-—

Guy excused himself from Vaisey's presence the first chance he got. He hated that he had allowed his anger and frustration to show enough for Vaisey to notice it, but his self control was far too weak now to endure the man's company much longer without saying or doing something he would sorely regret later. He strode out of the castle into the courtyard, where he kicked a bench over in temper.

"Guy!"

He turned to se Marian approaching, a basket under one arm and a concerned expression on her face. "The picnic," he said, the memory of their plans coming back to him. Some of his anger gave way as his heart sank.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked, looking at him with a brow furrowed in concern.

Guy shook his head, eyes downcast. "I think it would be best if we did this some other time. I fear I will not be good company today."

"Rubbish," she said. "Whatever is troubling you, I'm sure an hour or two away from Nottingham will do you good." She looped the arm not clutching the basket through one of his and began to march him towards the castle stables.

With the warmth of her arm around his, Guy almost had to make a conscious effort to hold on to all his bitter feelings. This woman, he thought, What is she doing to me?

—-—

Robin, Allan, Will, Djaq, and Little John were all crouching in the ditch just outside Nottingham Castle, debating whether it had been long enough since Much had gone in for them to go in and rescue him. Robin was about to offer his own suggestion when he was distracted by the sight of Marian riding out of the gates with Gisborne. Robin's teeth and fists clenched. When they rode over the ditch, he heard Gisborne say, "So, where are we going?"

"There's a perfect spot just where Knighton borders Sherwood," said Marian. "I thought we might go there."

Robin began to clamber out of the ditch, fully intending to follow. He knew that spot. It was the place where he and Marian used to go together. The thought of her taking Gisborne there made him feel both furious and ill.

"Robin!" Djaq hissed, while Little John caught him by the arm.

Robin snapped out of his daze and looked around at his men, the reason they were there coming back to him.

—-—

Guy was extremely quiet for the ride to Knighton, and stayed that way until he and Marian had nearly finished eating their fill of the food she had packed for them. She watched him staring morosely off into the trees in front of them for as long as she could stand. "Will you not tell me what troubles you?" she prompted gently.

"Where to begin?" said Guy with a sardonic sort of resignation.

"I don't have anything else planned for the rest of the day," Marian said, trying to catch his eye so that he could see her smile. When she failed, she reached over to touch his arm. "Tell me."

Guy let out a long breath and reached for the hand on his arm. He rubbed his thumb over her betrothal ring for a moment, before finally speaking. "Lambert and I worked on that black powder for the better part of two months. Now he is in the dungeons being tortured for the location of the ledger with his formula, and the Sheriff has taken the project entirely out of my hands. Yet another victory taken away. And meanwhile, instead of hanging the outlaw we captured an hour ago, as his crimes merit, the Sheriff has made him an earl." He let out a noise of disgust. "Lord Much of Bonchurch, indeed."

Marian chose to ignore that last part. "Is there nothing you can do for Lambert?" she said.

"Not as long as he refuses to tell Vaisey where he hid the ledger," said Guy dully.

"Then you would have him surrender it? Do you really believe that a man like Vaisey should possess such knowledge?"

"What I believe is not important."

"But it is!" Marian cried, with enough anger that Guy met her eyes at last. "You pretend it is not so that you can feel as if you have no choice, but you always have a choice!"

"What choice, Marian?" he demanded. "What would you have me do?"

"Take matters into your own hands! Lambert is your friend; does he not deserve your loyalty? Or is that something you only offer conditionally?"

Guy grimaced. "He has defied the Sheriff—"

"So have I!" she interrupted. "You protected me!"

"By becoming betrothed to you," he retorted. "I cannot very well do the same for Lambert, now, can I?"

"But you could get him out of the castle," said Marian. "If you took him to Kirklees—"

"And how am I to accomplish that? Ask the Sheriff to look the other way for a few minutes?"

Marian leveled a flat glare at him, which put an end to his sarcasm. She thought hard for a moment. "You could do it during the council of nobles tomorrow. The Sheriff will be busy."

"Even if I succeed, the Sheriff will be furious. I have already lost leverage with him today; this is not a risk I can afford to take."

Marian faltered. A second later she realized what the only option was. "Then you will have to convince Lambert to give you the ledger. That will be enough leverage for both of you."

Guy looked at her hard. "Why would you propose a plan that ends with the ledger in Vaisey's hands?"

"Because he has the advantage. Thwarting him now would require too heavy a price."

He continued to watch her, and she picked up another apple for something to do. It was Guy. Guy was the price that was too heavy. It surprised her to realize that compromising him was no longer something she was willing to do, but she could not say, even to herself, whether she was making this concession merely to protect him as the devil she knew or because she was truly concerned for his well-being.

—-—

The earliest chance he got, Guy made his way to see Lambert in the dungeons, dismissing the guards along the way. He felt a pang at the sight of his friend in such a condition. Both of his legs were clearly broken, and he was covered in cuts and bruises, his ragged clothing soaked in blood. He met Guy's eyes with a look of fear underneath the pain and exhaustion.

Guy cleared his throat. "Lambert," he said.

Lambert shook his head feebly. "How could you let them do this to me, Guy?" he croaked. "I thought we were friends."

"I'm sorry," said Guy. "You must believe me when I say that this isn't what I wanted. You should be out there enjoying your commission, and I should be overseeing your creation being put to good use in the mines. I tried to persuade the Sheriff not to do this, but he wouldn't listen."

"How can you work for such a man? The Guy I knew when we were boys was kind and loyal. He was the sort of nobleman's son who would go behind everyone's backs to teach swordplay to a commoner."

"That Guy had a family and an inheritance," said Guy harshly. "Until he lost it all in a single day. To get even part of that back, I've had to do things I'm not proud of, but I will not turn back now."

The look in Lambert's eyes changed to something like contempt. "Then why are you here?" he said.

"Because I have a plan to get you to safety. I know the Sheriff well; he will kill you for your defiance, whether or not you tell him where the ledger is. If you can hold out until morning, I'll be able to take you to Kirklees abbey while the Sheriff is at the council of nobles. Once you're there, he will have no power to harm you."

"And what do I have to do for you in exchange?" said Lambert.

"Nothing." Guy paused, holding Lambert's suspicious stare. "But know that if I return to this castle empty-handed tomorrow, then it will be me in that cell next. I'm doing this to spare your life. The only way to spare mine would be to hand over the ledger." With that, he turned and left the dungeon.

—-—

That evening, after having supper with her father, Marian went up to her chambers and found Robin waiting for her.

"So," he said, "you and Gisborne have a plan, do you?"

"You were eavesdropping on us!" she said, outraged. "Again!"

"You're going to let the Sheriff get that ledger," said Robin, his tone stiff and his eyes cold.

"Yes, but I'm not going to let him keep it," said Marian.

"Isn't that a bit risky?"

"This coming from a man who hasn't done anything risky in his life," she said, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow. "Do you have an alternative, then?"

"I do. Sneak into the dungeons and get Lambert out before he breaks."

Marian shook her head. "The Sheriff has been torturing him all day. If he's going to get out of that dungeon, it won't be on his own two legs."

"Then I'll get him to tell me where the ledger is so that he can tell the Sheriff he know longer knows its location."

"And you think he would just let him go after that?" she scoffed. "You know full well that Lambert's knowledge of the ledger's location is the only thing that makes him valuable to the Sheriff. Take that away from him and you might as well kill him yourself."

"Whereas if you let the Sheriff get his hands on the ledger, you might as well be setting black powder to the entire shire. Is one man's life worth that much to you?"

"Lambert shouldn't have to die for this!"

"I wasn't talking about Lambert, Marian."