Love and secrets

Chapter22

Perspective returned to Elizabeth.

     It had been nearly two weeks since the destroying of the amulet and just now Robin was well enough to be up and around. I smiled as I recalled those two weeks. I had spent nearly every moment with him, laughing, talking, and learning about each other. I knew how restless Robin must be! He had been hounding me about what happened to Maria for nearly the entire time. I was happy about what she had done and yet... not. She had affected everyone in the household. They had been so lonely and forlorn for days, until one night Loveday had asked me on behalf of her, Benjamin and the whole household to stay as their adopted daughter. I was to keep my name, I was just to live with them. I felt so joyful. I could stay! Moonacre was now my home! I had told Loveday everything that Maria had done and said to Robin and me. Loveday was aghast, and I couldn't blame her. She still loved Maria but had told me she was "sad, but happy she was no longer in the household with her lies." I agreed wholeheartedly with her. I was about to knock on Robin's bedroom door when it burst open. I jumped back and Robin started laughing. "I see you ancle is better seeming how you landed on it with ease!" he said through his laughter. I started laughing too. He was dressed in his usual leather jacket, feather choker, red scarf, and eyeliner. I grinned, he looked like the old Robin I had learned to love so much. He was about to put his bowler hat on when I snatched it out of his hand and took off down the hall. "Wench!" He yelled as I heard his footsteps behind me. I raced down the stairs, through the lawn, and into the forest where he finally caught me. I felt him grab me around the waist and tackle me to the ground. we just lay there for a bit, catching out breath. I heard his ragged breathing next to me. I knew his lungs were trying to stretch themselves out from being unused for 2 weeks. I rolled over onto my side and placed his bowler hat on his head, I looked him over for a bit. He had his hands behind his head and was now staring up at the afternoon sky, turning towards evening. I watched his chest gently rise and fall, keeping time with my beating heart. How I longed to lay my head against his chest and feel his strong arms around me again. He looked over at me and I blushed, realizing too late that I had been staring at him. He smirked at me, "Something caught your interest?" he asked with, yet again, another smirk. I blushed again and sat up. I linked my arms around my legs and looked up at the sky, as the first tiny stars came out. I watched Robin out of the corner of my eye. After a while he turned over and looked at me. I shifted my gaze over to him. "Now will you tell me about Maria?" he asked. I sighed, "When we were searching for the amulet, Loveday, Benjamin, Marmaduke, Digweed, and Mrs. Heliotrope, were looking for Maria." "Where was she?" he asked. "She... she ran away, with..." I stuttered. "With?" he prodded, I looked at the ground, "With a De Noir named Ki. They eloped." I told him. I waited for a response for a while, when I didn't get one I said, "I'm so sorry Robin. I wish there was something I could do." I looked up at him. To my surprise he was smiling. My surprise must have shown on my face because he laughed. "Really?" He asked. I haughtily asked him, "I thought you would be sadder than you are. You two were dating." "Well by her leaving, I no longer have to tell her I don't love her anymore!" he said smirking. "Don't love her anymore?" I said surprised. "Yes!" answered, "I thought I did until I met someone else." He said. I felt my pulse quicken could he mean me? I decided to find out. "What is she like?" I queried. "She's funny, absolutely beautiful, brilliant, brave and very spunky! I.... I think I love her." He said smiling. Right then I knew it couldn't be me. I wasn't any of those things. He saw me only as a friend, nothing else. I felt a wave of tears coming. I forced them down. I felt numb all over. I looked up as the sky faded to black and the last rays of sunset shimmered through the branches overhead. Robin rose and walked over to me, he put out his hand and said, "Come with me, I want to show you something." I stood up, ignoring his hand and followed him through the woods. I thought of my time spent at the De Noir's house. I wondered which cell Robin's father was in now. He had been thrown into jail after the De Noirs had heard the whole story. Robin's uncle was now Cour until Robin had "Come of age" as they called it. Suddenly Robin stopped, and I nearly ran into him. "I want to show this place to you," he told me, his eyes full of seriousness. "No one knows about this spot except me, my father, and soon to be you. this is the spot my father proposed to my mother." I knew I should say something, but my feelings were too busy trying to keep tears down to think of anything to say except, "So are you going to propose to me?" with as much sarcasm in my voice as I could. "No. I just want you to see it." He said, "Now, close your eyes!" I did what he asked and he took my hand and led me into the clearing. "Now, open them!" he said. As I did the sight took my breath away! It was a beautiful view of the sunset. You could see every color that the sun had left in the clouds on its descent. Though the dark was gathering you could still see the bits of sunlight peeking over the horizon. I felt him come up beside me. "Do you like it?" he asked. "Yes, very much. I love sunsets. There's something magical about the day ending and the sun going to sleep for the night. Then her brother moon takes over for the night to protect those little creatures that call the nighttime home." I said barely above a whisper so as not to break the spell around us. Fireflies danced in the shadows of the trees, as the dew began to settle. I then asked the question beating at my mind, "Robin," I began "Yes?" he answered. "What is the girls name? The one you love?" I asked swallowing hard. I looked over at his shadowy figure silhouetted against the rising moon, he was facing me and for some reason my plus quickened. I faced him as he took a step towards me. I felt my heart slamming in my chest as he came right in front of me. he was about an inch away, if even that. I felt his warm breath against my face as he leaned his head down close to mine. I could see those hazel eyes of his glowing with a soft light, boring into mine, as if he were trying to look into my soul, I felt his warm lips press against mine, I was in heaven! It lasted for a few seconds, a few seconds too short. He soon pulled back and our lips separated, I slowly opened my eyes and looked into his. "Is it me?" I asked breathless. "What do you think?" he asked. "Do you think I almost get killed twice in one day for just anybody?" he smirked. "Don't laugh, don't smirk, don't even speak! Just hold me and never let me go!" I whispered. As I felt his arms entwine around me and pull me close to him. I slipped my arms around his shoulders and neck as I felt his hand gently push the back of my head towards his again, as our lips met for a second time, I knew I had come home. Once my worst enemy, had become the love of my life.

The end.