Moonbeam - A Robin De Noir Story (The Secret of Moonacre)

CHAPTER 6

For those interested this is the music box theme I can imagine Constance listening to. You don't have to listen, but it's so peaceful and takes me personally to a completely different world.

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The tall gothic mansion seemed to reach all the way into the clouds. Constance had not inherited her father's stature. Instead, she had been blessed with her mother's. She was petite in height but had a curvaceous shape that was only enhanced when wearing her finery. Constance too had a well-proportioned body hence why she loved her corset. She felt confident and feminine, everything she was brought up to be.

Her bluish-grey eyes marvelled at the building as she walked beside it. Her attention turned to the garden once she rounded the bend in the path. She could see a wooden structure up ahead acting as an entrance to something and her curiosity caught the better of her.

The closer she got the more ethereal it became. The path had now straightened out and before her stood four arched hedges. The leaves were overgrown but they hung gracefully with a paradisiacal essence. She felt like she was in one of Maria's storybooks.

Fences enclosed the area making it feel like a secret garden. Constance felt so peaceful as she listened to the songs the birds sang for her or how the wind rustled the leaves to make its own form of music. Along the fence panels twisting vines climbed to the top as if reaching for the heavens.

Roses bloomed around her that released a sweet intoxicating fragrance around her. Constance inhaled deeply her eyes closing and a small smile made its way to her angelic face.

Her doe-eyes opened once again as she gazed across the area in fascination. They landed upon a small stone bench that stood lonely within the centre embraced by the drooping branches of the old willow tree that stood a few paces behind it.

She gracefully walked over to it as if she was some flower fae and comfortably sat down upon the bench with the feeling of pure contentment overcoming her. Her eyes closed once more as she became one with the sound of nature. Within the city, she could never experience this. The sounds, the scents and even the atmosphere was the stark opposite.

Despite her quarrel with her uncle earlier she was happy here. And she knew she would be for a long time.

The young bandit boy sat within the tree branches of a nearby willow gazing intently at the girl. He had heard the argument from earlier as he was scouting the area. Even for him, this was risky. That beast Sir Benjamin kept as his pet would be hard to lose if spotted. He had never been this close to Moonacre Manor and nor had he ever wanted to be.

His father had sent him on this mission purely because of the disaster from yesterday. He didn't want to risk being spotted by sending the whole gang so the boy sat alone. Not that he minded that, he was used to it anyway.

Robin had his black mask against his nose as usual keeping immensely still to not alarm or alert the girl who sat peacefully a few metres from him.

From what he had heard at their breakfast she was no doubt upset. His mind recalled the dark stare and the anger within her usually bright eyes when her father was discussed. Deep down he felt a sense of sadness for the girl, she had parents who loved her and circumstances had caused her to lose everything. He wished he could know what that felt like. All he had from his father was the pressure of being next in line. Heir to ruling the De Noir clan.

He could not deny that he liked the sound of it but did he want it? Not really. Robin wanted to roam the woods and explore.

As quick as he had lost his concentration it was brought back even faster. The sudden noise surrounding the once quiet enclosed garden was deafening with his heightened senses. He let out a soft breath when he realised where it was coming from.