In Love And War VI

[vaysey]

Vaysey was pleased he'd tagged along with Guy (not that he'd ever admit he had tagged along - he didn't tag, that was Guy's job) to Knighton because the look of abject misery on his face was one to be remembered and admired. He was also pleased to see that the villagers were miserable, but, as he often thought to himself, NOT miserable enough. There were always a few more pennies he could squeeze from them, always a few who'd committed a small enough misdemeanour to warrant a spell in the stocks or even the noose.

He smiled at that thought.

"It seems your leper friend is a no show," he whispered to Guy, leaning over to do so. He was still grinning. "You would think she'd at least have the courtesy to visit dear old dead dad, wouldn't you?"

He changed his mind, there were better things to tease Gisborne about.

"Tell me, Giz, just why do I keep you around, hm? It's not for the wit or intellegence, and it's not for window dressing. You can't even kill the King, and he's not exactly the best fighter around, Gisborne. I've seen him in combat. Yes, he rides out in the front of the battlefield with his troops like a good king but he still has his entourage; he'd be mincemeat quickly. But you..."

Vaysey savoured the moment.

"You've failed twice! TWICE! Even Marian could probably have gotte n to him in the first go, but then she has certain dubious charms that Hood seems to prefer. So tell me, why do I keep you at my side, let you share my power and insist on putting up with your incompetence?"

Vaysey found he felt much better. He directed a couple of his guards to go arrest some peasants, the dungeons needed filling after all.

[guy]

Time to think, was most definitely a luxury Gisborne didn’t have. He patrolled the very breadth of Nottingham, day in day out, he organised arrests and executions, but through all of this, he was never actually on his own. At one point he couldn’t be seen without Marian, but when she abandoned him, he progressed to a certain compulsive gambler, who also proceeded to desert him in exchange for greener pastures. There was one person however, that had always been there, someone who liked to dance in the shadows and torment him, someone, that answered to the word ‘Sheriff.’

The two had an awkward relationship, one that generally involved Guy biting his tongue and resisting the urge to run his oldest friend through. But despite the idea of murder cemented firmly in the back of his mind, there were certain occasions when it bordered on endearment. Vasey wasn’t always a sadistic git, sometimes he did have tiny little bursts of humanity, if it meant he could see his right hand man wandering around looking slightly less brooding.

The leather clad noble, tensed his muscles at the mention of Marian, but he knew better than to rise to it. The Sheriff was simply having a bad day, and as such he was feeling the brunt of the attack. He did deserve it to a certain degree, but not quite so publicly. Perhaps that was all part of the shame effect. Gaze diverting to take in the sight of the newest batch of peasants being arrested, he almost felt a pang of guilt. Almost.

"Tell me, Giz, just why do I keep you around, hm? It's not for the wit or intellegence, and it's not for window dressing. You can't even kill the King, and he's not exactly the best fighter around, Gisborne. I've seen him in combat. Yes, he rides out in the front of the battlefield with his troops like a good king but he still has his entourage; he'd be mincemeat quickly. But you..."

Really now, this was getting awfully personal. Guy bit the inside of his cheek, he couldn’t retaliate, he had to just stand there and take it, or else be found in contempt of the law. That was most definitely not something he needed, the peasants would likely have a field day and get a new found source of independence and rationale. No, he simply needed to stand there, enduring this humiliation, by way of shouting to the world that not even nobility is safe!

"You've failed twice! TWICE! Even Marian could probably have gotte n to him in the first go, but then she has certain dubious charms that Hood seems to prefer. So tell me, why do I keep you at my side, let you share my power and insist on putting up with your incompetence?"

Because if you didn’t, I’d beat you with a stick. thought the noble rather callously before musing over the best possible answer to such a question. Was it even safe to respond, or was it one of those not quite rhetorical questions? Furrowing his brow, the current resident of Locksley manor sighed. “Because my lord, despite my incompetence I still remain loyal”.

Well, this certainly going to be a painful conversation.

[vaysey]

Vaysey smirked. Yes, Guy was loyal, and while Vaysey would never admit to it, it meant a great deal to him. Occasionally he thought it meant more to him than the money, or the power, but then he'd wash the idea aside as sentimental rubbish and go about his usual business. No time for that sort of weak thinking. He counted the peasants as they were rounded up; three, four, five...

Shall we go with a nice round ten today, or go for an odd number?

"Hm," he eventually replied, waving mockingly at a number of peasants walking past. "I suppose that is one point." It amazed him that Guy never snapped back, never retaliated, never tried to kill him. It was quite touching, actually. In that slightly sarcastic way he'd never admit to, yet again. One day he'd get round to rewarding him for it. One day. Sometimes he found it irritating; he wanted Guy to show some backbone, some initiative like he had done with Allan, but he knew that he'd punish Guy for it and really, he liked having someone around.

"Well at least you never did give your boy leather, did you? That saved you a pretty penny. You do suit the dark knight look so well, Giz."

He sighed mockingly, dramatically. Guy was so much fun to tease. He was also considering getting some wine, or, rather, sending one of his guards (or Guy) to fetch some for him. It was thirsty work, being a heartless law enforcer.

"How do you think your boy and your leper lady are doing? Running round the forest, or maybe they went to visit you in Locksley but finding you not there, took all your possessions! And they were getting cosy in the castle, weren't they? It would be bad enough to see you lose your woman to Hood, but worse to see you lose him to your boy."

[guy]

These conversations were always an experience. They usually occurred when Vasey was in need of some good ol’ fashioned sadistic entertainment, and rather than culling the entire village population, he opted to take certain blind stabs at Gisborne and the path he had so unwittingly chosen. If you thought about it, there were many things you could condemn him for. He slept his way around the castle, had been beaten up by Marian in her hideous Nightwatchman persona, outsmarted by someone nearly a decade his junior, failed to assassinate an old man… He practically deserved everything Vasey ever said to him!So you have to see, it comes as quite a shock, when a glimmer of a compliment is thrown into the mass of quick witted jibes at his personal life.

"Well at least you never did give your boy leather, did you? That saved you a pretty penny. You do suit the dark knight look so well, Giz."

Giving a grunt of recognition, the noble took note of the sarcasm lacing his tones. He looked damn good in leather, and yes, alright, while it was warm and sticky and…squeaky to a certain degree, it did show the world that he had a sufficient monetary fund at his disposal. Or rather Robin Hood’s funds, but that’s an entirely different thread waiting to happen. Rubbing absent mindedly the bridge of his nose, Guy nodded towards the peasants being lined up to head back to the castle. “Execution or Blood Sport this time then?” They’d got a fair few ideas from their little jaunt into the holy land, and changing the subject might get him off the hook…

Or not.

"How do you think your boy and your leper lady are doing? Running round the forest, or maybe they went to visit you in Locksley but finding you not there, took all your possessions! And they were getting cosy in the castle, weren't they? It would be bad enough to see you lose your woman to Hood, but worse to see you lose him to your boy."

“He was more attached to the Saracen. The one that was creating the Greek fire.” Well, that was what Guy hoped had been going on anyway. Marian was very attached to Robin, and while she could lead many a man astray, he doubted very much that she’d be getting up close and personal with Allan of all people. Djaq however, he could see the attachment to. She was smart, whereas Marian was simply cunning and manipulative and…

Gisborne let his chain of thought stop. He felt his blood boiling at the mere idea of that infuriating woman. Right now, he could quite cheerfully hang her, which was precisely why he didn’t enjoy this little outings with the Sheriff. They put all manner of ideas into his head.

[vaysey]

"Execution or blood sport this time, then?" Guy asked, seemingly suffering from a headache. Vaysey was glad he could serve so well and resisted the urge to give a bow. He ignored the comment for now, choosing instead to persue his previous line of thought.
"Oh, the Saracen... If only I could get my hands on her again..." he sighed wistfully. He'd tried his hardest to get hold of that mysterious potion she wore round her neck (and he had looked for it when he'd infiltrated the camp, but to no avail), and hadn't managed it. If he could have that stuff back, he'd be a happy Sheriff and might even let the peasants have a day free from pain.
Unlikely, but maybe.
Vaysey took another look at the villages his guards had rounded up. They weren't particularly large or burly; two elderly women taken for contempt of law, a lad carried up for stealing an apple some clumsy oaf had spilled everywhere, and another two men for the sake of it. One of the guards was just taking another young woman to even the numbers a bit (he had to be a fair Sheriff, after all), but seemed to be having trouble separating her from her child. He gave a sharp whistle and motioned for the guard to take them both, and while the guard seemed uncomfortable about doing so, both were carted off to the castle dungeoons.
He did love making everyone uncomfortable.
"Just some sport today, Gisborne, though if you really want to make a day of it we could hang them all at the end of it. Could be good bait!"
He pondered the thought a little more. Maybe a hanging was what he needed to get himself out of the funk he'd found himself in that morning...

[guy]

It was times like this, that made Guy feel rather bad about his choices in life. Standing there watching as the Sheriff motioned for a woman and child to be sent to the dungeons made him wonder if this wasn’t all going to come back and haunt him at a later date. He himself was a father (albeit a terrible one) and somehow watching that display of malingering innocence was like a swift kick to the gut. He was a terrible person! He was making needless people suffer, and…he was reading far too much into the life of one individual.

With a shake of his head, Gisborne snapped back to reality, the sheriff’s words bringing to light a point he perhaps shouldn’t have mentioned. The Saracen woman, was too smart for her own good. She knew chemical formulae and herbal remedies that could rival even the most skilled of physicians. Now don’t get it wrong, he didn’t hate Djaq simply for being from the holy land, but more because she was too smart and independent and reminded him distinctly of the impulsiveness of Marian. If all women were heading into that, self righteous independent state, Vasey had prior permission to shoot him.

"Oh, the Saracen... If only I could get my hands on her again..."

“It should be written in one of the books we retrieved from Jerusalem.” It was said matter of factly, but more to the point, it made him realise that he was doing it as a favour to Allan. If he did have an attachment to the healer, the last thing he needed was to send Vasey and a small army after her. Besides, there were some rather interesting things in those leather bound texts, especially regarding the principles of heaven and hell. The fact someone would have to translate said texts however, was an entirely different matter, and seeing as how Guy himself had been weaned on both English and Arabic in the initial jaunt to Acre, it seemed only right that he be the poor individual lumbered with the act of deciphering the script.

"Just some sport today, Gisborne, though if you really want to make a day of it we could hang them all at the end of it. Could be good bait!"

Hang women, and children and poor defenceless farmers? Well, why not?! That little pang of remorse was kicking in again though, and Guy found himself gritting his teeth to avoid agreeing to such a tirade. He was cruel yes, but he wasn’t needlessly sadistic unless pushed. “I’d rather hang Locksley.” Was the only thing he could utter, as his mind immediately kicked into an elaborate series of schemes he could possibly exact to get his wish…

Robin Hood. Dangling on a rope. Now there was something worth thinking about.

[vaysey]

"It should be written in one of the books we retrieved from Jerusalem." Guy replied, and Vaysey resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Perhaps, but it was only any good if they could recognise the substance.

Or if they could read them.

Yes, Guy was at least partially fluent in the strange tongue of the Saracens, but he'd seen the look of intrigue on his face when he had been reading them and didn't want the young man getting any more ideas into his head than were necessary. Knowledge is power; it's why the churches didn't teach the people, and why they read in Latin. Who reads Latin anymore? Half the nobles barely spoke any English, so they couldn't teach the peasants, and the priests kept the Bibles close to their chests and taught the people what they wanted them to hear. It was why he was in power; because he was educated.

So stunting Guy's a little ensured his loyal companion stayed just that; loyal.

Unfortunately, at the same time, the only person he could trust to translate them accurately was Guy himself. Vaysey did hate such conundrums.

"You'd better get started when we're done with our toys then."

Guy might not be needlessly sadistic, but Vaysey really was. He loved nothing more than seeing someone in pain; whether this was a reflection of how lonely his own life was or not, he chose to ignore.

"And someday soon we shall crush him like the bug he is, but, for now, some of his dear heart's subjects will have to suffice. Think about the anguish it will cause him every time a neck cracks or a whip falls. It always cheers me up."

[guy]

The look of thought plaguing the Sheriff’s features, greatly disturbed Guy. He was more than used to his employer attempting to stunt his intellectual wellbeing, but at least this was somewhere he had him over a bench. Gisborne was one of the few people in Nottingham that could accurately translate the scriptures from the holy land. The others, would be Robin Hood & Djaq, whom he highly doubted the Sheriff would want within 3miles of such texts. So you see, that’s where it got nice and complicated. He was going to read, and he was going to learn, even if it took him weeks to achieve such a feat, he would be better equipped for disposing of the outlaw threat (but not Allan <3!) .

"You'd better get started when we're done with our toys then."

And there it was. Just like that. The single thing he’d been waiting for; approval . Not that it was by any means, willingly given, it was simply a relevant sacrifice to be made in order to achieve the knowledge of Saracen chemistry skills. A nod was given in return to the words of ‘permission’, before the corners of his lips twitched up into the typical smirk for which he was famed. He was definitely brighter now, and less attuned to the plight of Knighton’s residents. He only really cared when he was bored; and had less pressing things to contemplate of course.

"And someday soon we shall crush him like the bug he is, but, for now, some of his dear heart's subjects will have to suffice. Think about the anguish it will cause him every time a neck cracks or a whip falls. It always cheers me up."

Truthfully, it might very well cheer Gisborne up, but only for a brief few moments. Sooner or later he’d be faced with the tax reduction killing half of the people would cause, and as such he was compelled to point out said flaw to Vasey. “My lord, I do feel that we would be better injuring as opposed to killing. We do afterall, still have taxes to be earned, and knights that need to be paid.”

Ever the voice of reason, Guy exhaled before turning his attention towards… No. It couldn’t be. Right under his very nose, there were outlaws within the village. OUTLAWS! Fists clenching at his side, the smirk faded to a look of malice before he turned to the Sheriff. “Although accidents do happen.” Gritting his teeth, the noble let the scenario play out in his mind, before ordering a dozen men to advance upon the gathered brood.

This was war.

[vaysey]

"Although accidents do happen."

Vaysey quirked an eyebrow at Guy's sudden change in tone. What had gotten his back up all of a sudden? Just because he was killing off all his villagers... He supposed he really ought to stop taking them from Locksley soon, but they were always more fun to play with...

He followed Guy's gaze to spy the axe wielding outlaw approaching, looking if anything just as demented as the day he (the outlaw) had poisoned Vaysey. Panicking, he pointed and began yelling.

"GUARDS! GUARDS!" he screamed, jumping on his horse to get out of reaching distance, if Will ever managed to get that close. He quickly addressed Gisborne.

"I'll see you back at the castle."

And with that, guards and a few peasant prisoners in tow, he galloped off in fear.