Written By Time - Year Three
Title: Written By Time
Author: ladylovelace
Rating: PG - 13
Pairings/characters : Much, Robin, Guy, Isabella.
Word Count: 1588
Warnings: None
Summary: Much and Robin are adorable. Guy does the one thing he promised he never would.
Disclaimer: I own very little, and certainly not and recognisable characters. More's the pity.
We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.
- George Bernard Shaw
Year Three - Much & Robin
The winter of this year brought a cold far more severe than the previous few. In an effort to save wood and preserve heat in the house, Much was moved into Robin's bedroom for the coldest months. A cot was prepared for the first few nights but it was soon realised that Robin would not allow his friend to sleep anywhere but in the comfortable bed he slept in and it quickly disappeared. Much didn't really get a lot of sleep during the winter, since he was up every few hours keeping the fire alive, but he did enjoy being close to his master while he slept, and he always managed to get a few solid hours just before dawn.
Unbeknownst to either of the boys, some of the female servants of the house would draw straws to see who would go to wake them up, because they would always be cuddled up together in the morning, which was, as far as the servants were concerned, completely adorable. Both Robin and Much would have been mortified to know this, so it was kept quiet to ensure that they continued to entangle themselves as they slept.
The best part of winter was Christmas, as far as Much was concerned. He loved the festive atmosphere and the general good cheer the holiday brought amongst the whole village. He even enjoyed all the baking he helped out with in the days beforehand, because the cooks always let him taste everything they were making and the work wasn't particularly difficult. Plus, the kitchen was always warm because of the ovens, which was far better than the conditions outside, where the snow came up to Much's waist and water was frozen over in barrels.
This Christmas would always be burned in Much's memory, for two reasons. Firstly, on Christmas morning, Robin woke him up before the sun rose and stuffed some material into his hands. After he stared at it blankly for a few moments, Robin explained that it was a hat he had made for him all by himself, because Much often complained of the cold. Admittedly, the hat was a little big, but it was warm and more importantly it was from Robin, so Much pulled it onto his head and grinned happily. He panicked for a moment when he realised he had nothing to give Robin, but Robin told him that he never expected anything from Much but his loyalty. Much knew that loyalty was one thing he could give Robin every day.
The second reason came about later in the day. Locksley manor was decorated with all sorts of seasonal plants and flowers and berries hung from every beam and on every wall and strewn in the middle of tables. Much was particularly fascinated by the bunches of leaves and little white berries hanging in some of the doorways. He and Robin were staring up at it in one of the doorways when one of the young kitchen maids came along. She explained to them that it was mistletoe and that if you stood under it then anyone who came along had to kiss you. She kissed both boys on the cheek as she went past, to Much's great embarrassment. He turned to look at Robin and was most unexpectedly kissed lightly on the lips by the other boy. Much blushed bright red again, and Robin grinned happily at him and then ran off yelling “merry Christmas” as he went.
Year Three - Isabella & Guy
Philip returned just as the weather was cooling, in time for Isabella's 13th birthday. It was too cold to snow for most of the season, but the ground remained frozen solid for most of the season and ice had to be chipped and melted for water. This did not prevent Philip from “training,” though. Isabella noted that now her brother was carefully avoiding his cousin's blows, but had the good sense not to try and fight back. Her uncle had taught him well.
Isabella herself couldn't help but notice her aunt's continued veiled comments about marriage - she was fairly sure that it was not Philip's marriage, but her own, that was being contemplated. Her aunt had never liked her or her brother much, and marrying her off would get rid of one of them. And perhaps, judging by the sly little smiles in Guy's and her husband's direction, there were more plans in the works.
Isabella noticed Guy and her uncle spending more time with each other over the next few weeks. They both knew that continuing Guy's instruction was out of the question, now that Philip and his mother were back. Isabella was called to spend more time with her aunt, who was teaching her social graces and manners. She held no illusions as to why this might be,and confided in her brother that she feared being married off to a stranger and being separated from him. After all, what if she were sent away and Philip attacked him again, who would be there to help him? He tried to convince her not to worry - the power to promise her to someone was not her aunt's, but his, and he would not let it happen if he could prevent it.
A few weeks later though, all of Isabella's fears came to fruition. Philip turned up murdered, a tiny stomach wound in just the right place. It had been a slow, painful death, apparently. Her aunt was furious, and insisted to her husband that she knew it had been Guy and screeched that he should be hanged for his crime. Her uncle insisted that Guy did not have the skill to despatch anyone the way Philip had been killed, and reminded his wife that the boy was not well liked in town and was always heading towards a messy death.
Isabella knew different, she had seen her uncle teach Guy exactly the technique which had been used to kill her cousin. Perhaps it had been self-defence, perhaps not. It didn't matter to her, since the older boy was a bully who deserved everything he got. A more immediate concern was that her aunt was also screeching for Isabella and Guy to be removed from the household, and whilst her uncle tried to placate his wife and string her along with promises he didn't intend to keep, Isabella was aware that it was only stalling and that the days they had left with a roof over their heads were numbered.
Never having paid much attention previously, Isabella was surprised by the number of travellers who made their was through the tiny town they lived on the outskirts of in the spring. Guy was not unaware of this, and spent much of his time getting to know them, in the hopes of gaining an ally or two. He often told Isabella of a man he had met named Vaysey. He was an Englishman but spoke fluent French, and was obviously of some standing in his own country. He wanted Guy to go with him when he headed back home, and serve as a sort of right-hand-man. Isabella was not sure if this was out of pity or if perhaps the man had other reasons for wanting her brother's service. It didn't matter though, because he swore he would not leave her on her own, and she was sure this “Vaysey” person would be unwilling to let her tag along with her older brother, since she was not possessed of any useful skills.
A week later, Guy burst through Isabella's bedroom door with a huge grin on his face, announcing that he had wonderful news. He had befriended another wealthy Englishman, who, on hearing of her beauty through various sources in town, wished to make Isabella his wife. It was her chance to get away from the godforsaken hole they had found themselves in, and she would be well provided for. It also meant that Guy could enter the service of his other new acquaintance, Vaysey.
It was everything Isabella had been afraid of - being married off to a stranger and separated from her brother - but Guy looked so pleased with himself for having apparently solved all their problems that she didn't have the heart to argue. They were both headed to England anyway, weren't they? Surely, they would be able to see each other often, and perhaps Guy could even regain their standing amongst the nobility, if the man who was to be his new master held as much influence as Guy seemed to think he did. Besides, if she remained here much longer, her aunt would surely force her into the least agreeable marriage she could arrange, and surely her brother would have made a choice with her happiness in mind.
The man who was to be her husband, Thornton, came to visit her later that day. Isabella was surprised at his youth, and found him to be kind and handsome - and a true gentleman. Perhaps this would not be such a bad arrangement after all.
Isabella waved goodbye to her brother as her boat departed, sure that she would be reunited with him soon and happy in her marriage.
Seventeen years later, after living in a torturous marriage with a loathsome, evil man, Isabella would finally decide she had had enough of her husband and set out to find the brother who had abandoned her when she was thirteen and never come to see her again.
Next Chapter
Author: ladylovelace
Rating: PG - 13
Pairings/characters : Much, Robin, Guy, Isabella.
Word Count: 1588
Warnings: None
Summary: Much and Robin are adorable. Guy does the one thing he promised he never would.
Disclaimer: I own very little, and certainly not and recognisable characters. More's the pity.
We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.
- George Bernard Shaw
Year Three - Much & Robin
The winter of this year brought a cold far more severe than the previous few. In an effort to save wood and preserve heat in the house, Much was moved into Robin's bedroom for the coldest months. A cot was prepared for the first few nights but it was soon realised that Robin would not allow his friend to sleep anywhere but in the comfortable bed he slept in and it quickly disappeared. Much didn't really get a lot of sleep during the winter, since he was up every few hours keeping the fire alive, but he did enjoy being close to his master while he slept, and he always managed to get a few solid hours just before dawn.
Unbeknownst to either of the boys, some of the female servants of the house would draw straws to see who would go to wake them up, because they would always be cuddled up together in the morning, which was, as far as the servants were concerned, completely adorable. Both Robin and Much would have been mortified to know this, so it was kept quiet to ensure that they continued to entangle themselves as they slept.
The best part of winter was Christmas, as far as Much was concerned. He loved the festive atmosphere and the general good cheer the holiday brought amongst the whole village. He even enjoyed all the baking he helped out with in the days beforehand, because the cooks always let him taste everything they were making and the work wasn't particularly difficult. Plus, the kitchen was always warm because of the ovens, which was far better than the conditions outside, where the snow came up to Much's waist and water was frozen over in barrels.
This Christmas would always be burned in Much's memory, for two reasons. Firstly, on Christmas morning, Robin woke him up before the sun rose and stuffed some material into his hands. After he stared at it blankly for a few moments, Robin explained that it was a hat he had made for him all by himself, because Much often complained of the cold. Admittedly, the hat was a little big, but it was warm and more importantly it was from Robin, so Much pulled it onto his head and grinned happily. He panicked for a moment when he realised he had nothing to give Robin, but Robin told him that he never expected anything from Much but his loyalty. Much knew that loyalty was one thing he could give Robin every day.
The second reason came about later in the day. Locksley manor was decorated with all sorts of seasonal plants and flowers and berries hung from every beam and on every wall and strewn in the middle of tables. Much was particularly fascinated by the bunches of leaves and little white berries hanging in some of the doorways. He and Robin were staring up at it in one of the doorways when one of the young kitchen maids came along. She explained to them that it was mistletoe and that if you stood under it then anyone who came along had to kiss you. She kissed both boys on the cheek as she went past, to Much's great embarrassment. He turned to look at Robin and was most unexpectedly kissed lightly on the lips by the other boy. Much blushed bright red again, and Robin grinned happily at him and then ran off yelling “merry Christmas” as he went.
Year Three - Isabella & Guy
Philip returned just as the weather was cooling, in time for Isabella's 13th birthday. It was too cold to snow for most of the season, but the ground remained frozen solid for most of the season and ice had to be chipped and melted for water. This did not prevent Philip from “training,” though. Isabella noted that now her brother was carefully avoiding his cousin's blows, but had the good sense not to try and fight back. Her uncle had taught him well.
Isabella herself couldn't help but notice her aunt's continued veiled comments about marriage - she was fairly sure that it was not Philip's marriage, but her own, that was being contemplated. Her aunt had never liked her or her brother much, and marrying her off would get rid of one of them. And perhaps, judging by the sly little smiles in Guy's and her husband's direction, there were more plans in the works.
Isabella noticed Guy and her uncle spending more time with each other over the next few weeks. They both knew that continuing Guy's instruction was out of the question, now that Philip and his mother were back. Isabella was called to spend more time with her aunt, who was teaching her social graces and manners. She held no illusions as to why this might be,and confided in her brother that she feared being married off to a stranger and being separated from him. After all, what if she were sent away and Philip attacked him again, who would be there to help him? He tried to convince her not to worry - the power to promise her to someone was not her aunt's, but his, and he would not let it happen if he could prevent it.
A few weeks later though, all of Isabella's fears came to fruition. Philip turned up murdered, a tiny stomach wound in just the right place. It had been a slow, painful death, apparently. Her aunt was furious, and insisted to her husband that she knew it had been Guy and screeched that he should be hanged for his crime. Her uncle insisted that Guy did not have the skill to despatch anyone the way Philip had been killed, and reminded his wife that the boy was not well liked in town and was always heading towards a messy death.
Isabella knew different, she had seen her uncle teach Guy exactly the technique which had been used to kill her cousin. Perhaps it had been self-defence, perhaps not. It didn't matter to her, since the older boy was a bully who deserved everything he got. A more immediate concern was that her aunt was also screeching for Isabella and Guy to be removed from the household, and whilst her uncle tried to placate his wife and string her along with promises he didn't intend to keep, Isabella was aware that it was only stalling and that the days they had left with a roof over their heads were numbered.
Never having paid much attention previously, Isabella was surprised by the number of travellers who made their was through the tiny town they lived on the outskirts of in the spring. Guy was not unaware of this, and spent much of his time getting to know them, in the hopes of gaining an ally or two. He often told Isabella of a man he had met named Vaysey. He was an Englishman but spoke fluent French, and was obviously of some standing in his own country. He wanted Guy to go with him when he headed back home, and serve as a sort of right-hand-man. Isabella was not sure if this was out of pity or if perhaps the man had other reasons for wanting her brother's service. It didn't matter though, because he swore he would not leave her on her own, and she was sure this “Vaysey” person would be unwilling to let her tag along with her older brother, since she was not possessed of any useful skills.
A week later, Guy burst through Isabella's bedroom door with a huge grin on his face, announcing that he had wonderful news. He had befriended another wealthy Englishman, who, on hearing of her beauty through various sources in town, wished to make Isabella his wife. It was her chance to get away from the godforsaken hole they had found themselves in, and she would be well provided for. It also meant that Guy could enter the service of his other new acquaintance, Vaysey.
It was everything Isabella had been afraid of - being married off to a stranger and separated from her brother - but Guy looked so pleased with himself for having apparently solved all their problems that she didn't have the heart to argue. They were both headed to England anyway, weren't they? Surely, they would be able to see each other often, and perhaps Guy could even regain their standing amongst the nobility, if the man who was to be his new master held as much influence as Guy seemed to think he did. Besides, if she remained here much longer, her aunt would surely force her into the least agreeable marriage she could arrange, and surely her brother would have made a choice with her happiness in mind.
The man who was to be her husband, Thornton, came to visit her later that day. Isabella was surprised at his youth, and found him to be kind and handsome - and a true gentleman. Perhaps this would not be such a bad arrangement after all.
Isabella waved goodbye to her brother as her boat departed, sure that she would be reunited with him soon and happy in her marriage.
Seventeen years later, after living in a torturous marriage with a loathsome, evil man, Isabella would finally decide she had had enough of her husband and set out to find the brother who had abandoned her when she was thirteen and never come to see her again.
Next Chapter