A Shocking Discovery (Closed to Isabella)

[not_a_maid]

Who: Marian and Isabella
What: A discovery
Where: Locksley/Just outside Locksley
When: Night, May 11th

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[elle_isabelle]

Isabella had lingered longer in Locksley than she'd meant to. After a visit to Guy, she'd stopped by the smithy to pick up something she'd had commissioned a few weeks earlier. She'd had to wait, though, watching carefully so Guy didn't see what she was doing. And now she was going to have to hurry if she were to get home before it got too dark to see

[not_a_maid]

Isabella bringing attention to them was the last thing she wanted. She could run easily without the guards seeing her if she found the right moment but what were the chances on Isabella staying quiet for long enough? She wasn't going to hurt her, she had no reason to and she knew what that would say about the Nightwatchman. The last thing she wanted was it getting around that she had hurt an innocent woman. It was different against guards or Guy. So she saw no other option.

Holding her finger to her covered lips in a signal for her to stay quiet, in case she exclaimed anything, she reached up to undo her mask. Now she really would find out if Isabella was trustworthy enough. She kept the mask in hand and lowered it slightly so Isabella could see her eyes. She didn't want to take her scarf from the rest of her mouth as well as her hood away from covering her just to ensure she would remain rather unseen.

"Do not speak too loud," she said quietly.

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella watched in confusion as the hooded figure signalled to her to be quiet and then . . . began to undo his mask?

Her mask. Isabella gasped in surprise, then snapped her mouth shut. Marian had taken up with the outlaws, and as such Isabella expected that she would take part in whatever Robin was doing. But why had she come to Locksley, of all places?

"What are you doing?" she asked in a strained whisper. "Are you the Nightwatchman?"

[not_a_maid]

She had expected that look of surprise from Isabella just like she had expected it from anyone else who had discovered it. After all Robin had been just as shocked by the truth. She didn't answer the first question, not wanting to really get into that if she could avoid it, but knew the second one would not be easily avoided. Besides, it was pretty obvious.

"Yes," she replied just as quietly as she quickly glanced to see if anyone was coming this way. Luckily they didn't seem to be just yet so perhaps she would have a chance to get into the forest. "I can't stay out in the open for too long like this."

Especially if there was a risk Isabella would bring attention to them. She would rather be in the forest if that happened.

[elle_isabelle]

"And trying your parents' patience, no doubt. I suppose that's why you manage so well in the forest." Isabella glanced beyond Marian to the ever-lengthening shadows amongst the trees. To her it did not seem like a place of adventure, but somewhere lonely, perhaps even hostile. Wolves roamed those woods, both man and beast.

Isabella had been a busy, active child, but she had also been eager to learn her mother's arts--healing, cooking, the magic of turning a piece of cloth to a beautiful gown, a plain field of linen to a forest teaming with trees and flowers and animals. The arts of elegance and charm, whose place was at the manor or city.

[not_a_maid]

Marian gave a slightly sad smile at that. She missed her father and the thoughts of how she use to bother him so much only made him come to the front of her mind. Her father and her mother, who she missed daily but had come to live a life without, always had her feeling a certain way which she didn't like to focus too much on. She hated weakness.

"Whilst I am here there is something I wish to speak with you about."

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella turned her eyes back to Marian. The shadows grew long and the hour late, but she would not cut short these few precious moments. "Of course. What is it?"

[not_a_maid]

"Robin and I have been looking at and discussing a wedding. Soon, perhaps, as the weather is brightening. Would you come?"

She wouldn't say a time or a place just yet, she had to discuss the details with Robin first, but she wanted Isabella there. Besides, it was another show of trust on their behalf.

[elle_isabelle]

"But you can take from Guy, you mean?" Isabella didn't quite understand the distinction between a gift freely given and something that was stolen at some peril, but it seemed to be a sensitive spot with Marian so she did not press further.

"Inside?" she queried, surprised. But if Marian was up for a little more adventure this evening, who was she to stop her? Isabella was hardly bothered by the concept of theft (from Guy), her only concern was that they not be caught. "Where, the pantry? Or did you have something else in mind?"

[not_a_maid]

"Well that is an entirely different situation." She didn't like Guy. Isabella was a friend and she didn't want to hurt her or put her in trouble by freely giving something. And if she came in and took it then she could honestly say the Nightwatchman stole something.

"Just go inside. The pantry should be fine, but you'll need to be in there first so you're not seen with me."

[elle_isabelle]

"Indeed."

More questions bubbled up on Isabella's lips, but perhaps the less she knew, the better. She didn't like going into something not knowing what to expect, but trust worked both ways. She let out a breath, and nodded. "I need to get my horse. She's tethered at the edge of the village. Give me time to hand her off and then I'll meet you."

[not_a_maid]

"I'll keep watch. Once you are inside I should be in not long after. I will need to plan it to the right moment."

She had to make sure the guards weren't in the way and if they were, that it was only a couple. Not that she couldn't handle all the guards here it just made everything easier if there were only a few.

"Take care going in." She would wait until she was inside before moving at all. Marian refused to take her eyes from her until then.

[allan_of_dale]

Allan sauntered across Locksley's fields, humming a jaunty tune under his breath. He'd had a pretty good day, all things considered. And now he was coming home to a nice big house, with warm fires and possibly even some hot dinner left. Momentarily he felt a stab of guilt about the gang out in the forest, but then again, Will was a top carpenter. Before he'd gotten mixed up with Guy, the outlaws' camp was the fanciest home he'd had. It wasn't like it was horrible for them out there. Just not as cosy as Locksley. And Allan would have felt bad on Robin's behalf for that, except that Robin was more or less the one that hated him the most.

He pushed open the door and headed right for the pantry. He felt like he could eat a scabby horse between two mattresses. He didn't expect to see Isabella feeding the Nightwatchman, though.

"Bloody hell, good evening ladies. You pair are playing a dangerous game, ain't you?"

[elle_isabelle]

Isabella paused to formulate her thoughts, taking another back from the sack. Before she could speak, though, the sound of the outer door creaking open sliced through the quiet. Isabella looked at Marian, frozen. With someone at the door, there was no way they could sneak out without being seen; they had to hope that whoever it was would simply pass by the ajar pantry door.

They were not so lucky. Isabella nearly jumped out of her skin when the pantry door was pushed open. She straightened, dropping the bag in her hand behind her skirts. For a moment she considered lying, but it was probably too late for that. "It's beans and flour. Nothing to cause a fuss over," she said firmly.

[not_a_maid]

Marian's senses were a lot sharper now than they had been as a child given she had been doing this for so long. She froze the moment she heard the door opening outside and readied herself to fight. To make it look like Isabella was being forced to do this. The last thing she wanted was for her to get into trouble for this and if that meant acting like she was making Isabella then she would.

When Allan walked in it made it slightly harder for her to think about the situation. He was not as dangerous as Guy but he was just as untrustworthy. As Isabella spoke, Marian pulled her mask up a little and pulled the scarf down just so he would hear her better.

"And you will speak nothing of this. Understand?"

[allan_of_dale]

Allan held his hands up defensively at Marian.

"Alright, keep your hair on. You're acting like I'm the one who shouldn't be here. I do live here, you know." He folded his arms. "Anyway, do you really think I'd rat on you to Guy just for this? Like Bella says, it's only flour an' beans." He wanted to add that he wasn't some kind of vindictive arsehole who'd want to ger her - or Isabella for that matter - into trouble for the sake of it, but he stopped himself short. He knew Marian's opinion of him, and knew by this point that there was more or less nothing he could do to change it other than suddenly murdering Guy in his sleep, finishing off the sheriff too and then capping it off by throwing himself at Robin's feet and begging forgiveness for all his evil deeds. Marian was more or less a lost cause to him now. All he could do was ignore her attitude and just try and get on.

"So, everyone alright? Any gossip harmless enough to share?" He doubted she'd tell him much, but it was always worth a go.

OOC - many apologies for the break