𝑰𝒗𝒚 | r. de noir

02. the last night

IT WAS THE LAST NIGHT they would spend at the Merryweather estate. Olive sat in Maria's bay window, where she often liked to overlook the city. The lamplighter had just come by, illuminating the cobblestoned street below with a golden glow that beamed amongst the twilight.

Olive brushed her hair slowly as she took in the scene, wanting to relish every single detail of her final evening at the manor. In the past few years that she'd been lucky enough to consider the place her home, Olive had spent countless hours in Maria's room, gazing out of the giant window, or curled up with a book, while Maria usually tended to her needlepoint nearby.

Oh how, she would miss it.

Olive was no stranger to goodbyes, as she'd experienced so many in such a short time before she'd come to live with Aunt Jane and the Merryweathers. All of that seemed so long ago, now, and Olive hoped she'd never have to say goodbye again – though it was just a building, after all.

Aunt Jane sat beside Maria on the young girl's bed. Both of them were still clothed in their dark funeral attire, still reeling from the loss, and the shocking discovery that Maria's father had left her no inheritance – not even the estate – for the Colonel had gambled it all away.

"I know it's hard," said the governess, attempting to comfort the girl. Despite her good intentions, she was doing a pitiful job, Olive thought.

Aunt Jane rambled on, stumbling over her words.

"But you know I.. I'm sure that your father did.. did love you. He just.. um, and.. and you know, everybody does have to go out on their own at some point in their.. lives."

"Miss Heliotrope, I'm fine!" Maria snapped. "Really."

Olive glanced over her shoulder at the pair, stunned by Maria's sharp outburst. Olive had never, ever heard Maria speak in such a way. Before that day, Maria had always been extraordinarily even-tempered.. but it had been no ordinary day.

Aunt Jane looked rather taken-aback. Her bottom lip quivered, and she gawked at Maria for a moment, as if the girl had been possessed.

Maria cast her eyes upon the floor, and Aunt Jane's startled expression softened into sympathy.

"Yes.. Mm-hmm.." she said, a sad smile warming her kind face. The woman gently pat Maria's hand, before rising off the bed.

The elder Miss Heliotrope turned in the doorway, facing the two girls once more. She gazed sternly at Olive, who still sat at the window.

"You won't stay up too late," she advised, peering at her niece over the rim of her spectacles. "We will all need our rest for tomorrow's journey."

"Yes, Aunt Jane," Olive agreed.

Maria nodded.

Miss Heliotrope offered the child one last sympathetic smile. "Mm-hmm," she said once more, before leaving the room, and shutting the door.

Maria sniffed, wiping her teary eyes with the back of her hand.

Olive opened her mouth as if to speak, and then closed it. She sighed, quietly, afraid to disturb the delicate air of the room.

"She means well, you know," Olive spoke, finally.

"I know.." Maria sighed, shakily. "It just.. hurts. I wish it would all just go away."

"I know," Olive said.

The two girls sat in silence for a minute, Olive: understanding, and Maria: grateful to be understood.

Maria picked up the giant, leather-bound book that had been laying on the bed beside her. It was the only Earthly possession her father had left behind. Maria still hadn't decided if she was glad to have it, or if she despised it.

Olive, however, had been fascinated by the book from the very instant that the executor had presented it to Maria.

Leaving her brush in the window, Olive slipped off the cushioned seat and curiously wandered over to Maria, crawling onto the bed beside her.

The book was secured by an ornate silver lock, which Maria hesitantly unlatched. Olive gazed fixedly over the girl's shoulder as Maria opened the cover. The pages were embellished with a twirly script and bright images of castles and armored knights, kings, and princesses.. the book appeared to be some sort of fairytale.

"Read to me?" Maria asked, pushing the book on her lap towards Olive.

Enchanted by the beautiful book before her, Olive nodded silently, taking it carefully into her hands. She sat up on the bed, opening to the first page, and Maria swept her feet up off the floor, curling up on the bed beside the older girl.

Olive began to read:

"Once upon a perfect time, many hundreds of years ago, when the old magic clung to Moonacre Valley.."

The book told the tale of a Moon Princess, from long ago, who was pure of heart, and loved dearly by mother nature.. so much so, that the moon gifted the princess with magical moon pearls, that altered the fate of Moonacre, forever. Two families that had once lived harmoniously in the Valley, would soon be wedged apart by greed; for the moon pearls revealed the truth in a man's heart, and could grant any wish..

"..Both good, and evil."

Olive yawned, glancing down at Maria, who'd laid down on the bed to hear the story, and had fallen asleep a few sentences ago.

Olive supposed the story could wait until some other day, for she, too had grown tired. Instead of risking being caught awake by her Aunt Jane, Olive decided to spend the last night at the Merryweather Manor in the bay window. She quietly closed the book, after placing the golden ribbon marker between the pages to keep their place.

Olive stood, careful not to disturb the younger girl as she got up off of the bed. She tiptoed over to the favorite place that she'd miss so dearly, and climbed beneath the knit blanket she kept on the window seat for when days were cold, or the sun wasn't there to warm her skin through the glass.

She could see the moon above the London skyline from where she lay, and was admiring the ghostly glow it cast upon the chimney's and rooftops. It seemed to shine brighter that night, she thought, as she drifted slowly off to sleep there, for the very last time.