The Secret of Moonacre 3: The Forgotten Danger

Chapter 2: Contemplating But Not Listening

The village was quiet despite many different voices melding into one another. She wove through the buildings and the trees. Part of the village was out in the open while another part was tucked away in the trees. She had just emerged from the trees and was riding through the market when she heard her name called. She peered towards one booth and saw Diana. She rode over with a smile.

“Hello Diana. How have sales been doing lately?” Maria asked with a friendly wave, as she looked down at her friend from Princess’s back. Diana smiled.

“Very well, thank you Maria.” She replied. Maria smiled.

“Of course.”

“How have you and Robin been?” Diana asked. Maria’s smile widened.

“Very good. Nothing too mushy. But I don’t like mushy anyways.” Maria laughed. “What about you and Henry?” Diana blushed slightly.

“He’s actually very romantic. And I can’t seem to get over his smell…he smells like the woods after the rain with his own personal twist.” She sighed with a dreamy smile. Maria chuckled.

“Robin’s always smelled of the woods too. It is pleasant isn’t it?” Maria laughed. Diana nodded in agreement with a happy smile upon her pale face. The two chatted for a short while longer and finally Maria was ready to get going, but she always bought something from her friends stand before leaving so she pointed to a beautiful silken scarf.

“May I buy that lovely silver and blue scarf? It will go very well with my dress.” She said, pointing to the long scarf. Diana smiled.

“Yes! Of course!” She said. Maria paid her and wrapped the scarf around her neck.

“Thank you so much for the scarf but I must be on my way. I have a lot of ground to cover today!” Maria called cheerfully. Diana called a farewell and Maria walked Princess out of the village and towards the edge of the woods, eyes bright and new scarf billowing around her in the warm breeze.

Soon Maria was riding through the woods at a leisurely pace and smiling to herself as she thought about the past. She remembered the first time she had ridden through the village. Villagers had been less than pleasant and at the time she didn’t understand. But Sir Benjamin had driven them away and she had just ridden on with him in a confused silence, paying no mind to it until much later when she had discovered who she was and what she was destined to do.

The last few years had seemed to pass in a blur for Maria. It seemed like both forever and no time at all since she had arrived in Moonacre, a simple ordinary girl who was grieving for her father. Now she was the Moon Princess with unbelievable power and a fierce, fiery will. And apart from whatever power she possessed she now had the Merryweather’s and De Noirs at her back as well as the villagers, an army who wanted to insure her safety.

She sighed softly as she thought about all those years ago. She had first arrived, angry, stuck up and clueless. A lost girl just trying to forget. She was strong now but she remembered how scared she had been when she had discovered who she was and what she was meant to do. When her family’s pride seemed to be an unbreakable barrier between her and saving the valley she had felt lost…she had even been endlessly worried and confused when Robin had begun helping her.

Robin. She remembered the first time she had seen him in the mourner’s gazebo in the cemetery. She had been torn between confusion about who he was and why he looked so wild and improper and the arguing idea that he had been just a figment of her grief stricken imagination. And then she had seen him once more when he tried to pull her from the carriage and she had scratched his hand with her large needle. She still felt bad about that… And then when she had met him in the woods when she had saved Serena. She had finally seen his face and she had fought him roughly until she had caught his hand. Her eyes had widened as everything pieced together. Then she had escaped because of Wrolf. Only to then let her own stubbornness get the better of her and sneak into the De Noir castle. She had nearly escaped when Coeur had spotted her and his men had captured her. She remembered Robin shoving the other men away and seizing her by the elbow. Only now did she realize his grip had been firm yet not painful like the other men’s had been. He had still seemed rough in the dungeons but had still not hurt her…She had hurt him though. It was very unladylike to kick a man in the shins. It was one step down from kicking him where the sun don’t shine. Maria winced at the memory. When he had screamed at her it had been one of the rare times where she actually had feared him. Now the only time she was afraid of him was when he lost his temper because somebody was threatening or speaking badly of her.

Maria sighed, remembering capturing Robin and convincing him to listen. And he had. And she had suddenly realized she felt strongly for him as she looked back at him and the rest of her family before leaping to meet her fate. Then she had gone away to school, believing wholly and truly that he would have been dating someone by the time she had returned. But when she had got back he was still single and still more than willing to be her friend. The two became closer and together had set out on another adventure to destroy the black pearl. Maria remembered the day they had attacked the pearl…and Robin had leapt in front of her, taking the lethal dark magic meant for her. He had died…but she had brought him back somehow.  With her love she was certain. Something so pure and endless and filled with life. He had awoken and admitted his love for her and she too had returned his feelings honestly. But since then it had been somewhat back to how it had been before. Neither were hopeless romantics and neither cared for all that mushy stuff. Robin was after all a child of the forest, a wild ruffian raised to fight and kill and rule. And Maria was a strong willed independent lady who didn’t care to follow the rules and was more stubborn than a mule. But both knew the other cared and neither could imagine life without the other.

She was broken from her thoughts as she heard a twig snap behind her and she jumped, realizing she was already well past the Moon Princess’s hollow among the roots of the tree and well past the clearing where the pearl had been. She was nearly past Paradise Hill already. She craned her neck around to peer behind her among the trees and blinked when she saw a huge sturdy black stallion clopping along quietly behind her. His reins were somehow tied to the back of her saddle and his saddle jingled softly as he moved…One thing was missing however. His saddle was empty. Maria stiffened, and peered around. She knew well that the black stallion’s rider was close, watching her every move and probably privately laughing inside due to her obliviousness. Instinctively she looked up…she only caught the briefest flash of black, and a leaf fluttered down, brushing her nose before tumbling down her dress and drifting lazily to the ground. She narrowed her eyes, whipping her head about as she searched for movement…Princess began jogging sideways and snorting as she tossed her head, trying to see what was stalking them…Maria smelled the sharp musty earthen scent before she saw its source…And she reined Princess in, steadying Prince only moments before a black leather clad man dropped from the trees into the stallions saddle and pulled the reins free, gathering them up and smirking at her through earthy brownish green eyes as his horse jigged.

“Robin! Anyone would think you really are a bird!” Maria huffed. He only smirked.

“Where are we heading today?” He asked in his deep voice.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She laughed, urging Princess forwards without answering his question. “Keep up Bird-Boy!”

well. sorry for the wait. i had to go to the hospital and junk and have been unusuallt tired since i returned. anyways enjoy!!!