The return of the Dark

17

The same way I got out, I also got in. I had no idea how long I had been out for, I couldn't take a look at the sun due the thick leaves of the woods.

I begged that no one heard the fireplaces moving from and back to its place. And I also begged that Loveday never told Uncle Benjamin about the secret stairway out.

I looked up at my starry ceiling, then at the door. It looked like no one had been in. Sighing of relief, I kicked out my shoes, tried to undress myself at the same time.

Stumbling I got out, pulled out the pins from my hair, shot into my sleeping gown in jumped into bed. If anyone was going to check on me, it would look like I had been in bed all day.

My heart was racing, I couldn't lie still. Beside the fact that it was way too early to go to bed, everything that Robin and I had discussed roamed around in my head like a ghost memory, or a song that kept playing over and over.

This was going to be very dangerous.

Sneaking out to meet each other, trying to investigate this strange murder. And where to begin? Why did Uncle Benjamin attack Robin? Why did he start hating the De Noirs in the first place?

What happened to create this massive change?

I couldn't wrap it around my finger, couldn't think of any possible reason for the Merryweathers to hate the De Noirs again.

And for Robin's father to be thirsty for blood was reasonable, I guess.

Benjamin attacked his son, married his daughter and wouldn't let her leave the Mansion or talk to her family.

The violations, the harassments. The murder.

I pulled my head under the sheets, as if I could escape from this horrible reality. When I left, everything had been perfect.

And now I'm back, it's a miserable situation. Dangerous, even.

It's like when I came here fir the first time. Young Maria had been stubborn and just went for it.

But I was a child. Robin had been a child, like his friends. They used to be the danger in the woods. Young boys trying to make fun as well to scout for Robin's father. They didn't harm anyone, his father's men did.

And now we're grown up. Now other children are grown up and making it unsafe out there. What if one of those outcasts did it?

Thoughts swirling around and round made it hard to breathe.

Loud knocking on the door made me flinch. Nervous I got out from under the sheets and tried to place a sick expression on my face.

"Who is it?" I asked.

I clenched my hands to fists, felt the blood drain from my face when I heard: "It's your Uncle."

I swallowed hard, tried to calm myself. "Come in."

Uncle Benjamin smiled apologising at me as he came in, sat down in a chair beside my bed. "Are you feeling any better? Mrs. Heliotrope didn't let anyone in for the entire afternoon."

Thank God for this woman. "I am. I actually feel a little hungry." The last part wasn't a lie.

"Good, I have something for you." He smiled, his eyes full of surprises and excitement. Somewhere, a part of me that was still a child, got very excited.

I smiled curiously. "You have something for me? What, why?"

"That is a surprise," he said and got up. "Get dressed and come downstairs, then you'll see."

* * *

I hoped it was a good surprise. I couldn't wait to see it, wondered what it could be. I kept my outfit simple, because I didn't want to dress up again completely.

My Uncle stood by his big chair, smiling with his hands clasped behind his back. Loveday was there too, Mrs. Heliotrope.

But I felt my gut clench, ice spread through my veins, when I saw their expression. Wary, nervous, scared.

I started to walk slower, tried to calculate what I was seeing. Why did they look like that? Pale, with fiddling fingers. I looked back at my Uncle, he didn't seem to notice the women's state.

"Maria," he said and reached out to me. Hesitating, I gave him my arm and he pulled me closer, placed his hand on mine.

If everything had been fine, I would've liked this affection. He always did this when he was about to tell me a story, or take me on a walk.

Now, it felt like he was trying to keep me here, close, so he could see my reaction.

"Are you curious?" he asked and I smiled, nodded, lied.

Odin was laying in front of the fireplace. His eyes scanned me, too smart and knowing.

"You know about the dangers these days," he started and I tried not to look at Loveday.

"Yea, Uncle," I answered.

"The woods are filled with them, and they are spreading toward the village and other places. And I know you want to go out now and then."

I nodded again, hoped he didn't know about my secret adventure of today. "And I can't keep you in here forever. So I arranged something."

I didn't like where this was going. "Maria, I want you to meet Ian."

I felt sick when I saw the young, blonde man with piercing blue eyes. He wore a white tunic, the logo of the Merryweathers embroider on it. A sword to his side, just like a pistol.

I held onto my Uncle, tried not to fall, scream, run away.

This was the last thing I wanted, needed.

"He will be your bodyguard until everything is safe again."

Ian bowed for me and I wanted to gag.

"It's my pleasure, Ms. Maria Merryweather," he said and smiled, full of promises that didn't look good for me and Robin.