In which Robin De Noir mistakes Olive Heliotrope for the Moon Princess, and the two star-crossed enemies must work together to break a curse.
❝ Oh, I can't
Stop you putting roots in my dreamland
My house of stone, your ivy...
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OLIVE'S HEART THUD SO RAPIDLY, she found it hard to hear her racing thoughts as the De Noir boy hoisted her from the floor. The boy's grip around her arm was firm, and unrelenting. Besides, they were surrounded. Olive knew there was no hope for escape – at least not now.
Maria, on the other hand, was doing her best to wriggle free from the De Noir boy's friends who were dragging Maria after them.
The De Noir boy shoved Olive away from the crowd in the great hall, towards yet another narrow hall. Though they led the way, she could hear Maria's grunts of frustration behind her, echoing down the corridor.
"Giving up so easily, Princess?" Robin muttered against Olive's ear as he pushed her, forcefully, by the small of her back.
Olive's nose scrunched distastefully at the use of the tired and false nickname. Yet she remained silent, hoping her lack of acknowledgment would get on his nerves. Perhaps she could keep his attention focused on getting a rise out of her, whilst she came up with a plan.
"I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed," the boy added.
Olive felt the urge to bite back, to turn around and attempt to fight the boy right then and there. But she had finally succeeded in coming up with a plan – one that required perfect timing, and a bit of restraint, which she hardly had the strength to muster. A plan that hopefully, would work.
At the end of the corridor, ran another perpendicular hall. Where the two halls adjoined, a double sconce held two iron torches. The torches were detached, to allow easy access for relighting and mobility. They also had a jagged, pointed end, and if one needed, the torches could be used as a weapon, of sorts.
Due to Olive's so-far submissive behavior, the De Noir boy continued to lead her towards the dungeon with only one of her arms within his grasp. The other, she clenched firmly, yet freely by her side as the boy pushed her along.
Finally, they reached the end of the first hall. Quickly, Olive reached for the iron sconce with her free hand, grunting as she tore her other arm from the boy's grasp. She thrust the flickering torch before her, wielding it like a sword.
Flames sparked between Olive and the boy for nary a second, before he swiftly deflected the torch with his small dagger, the strong force enough to disarm her.
The iron torch flew from Olive's grasp, clattering to the floor. She inhaled, sharply as her spine collided with the brick wall behind her, which the boy harshly shoved her up against.
"Olive!" Maria gasped, attempting to escape the boy's friends to run to Olive's aid.
"Get her, Robin!" the other boys cheered, as one held Maria back. "Get her, good!"
Olive gasped for breath as the boy, "Robin" pinned her firmly to the wall with her wrists above her head. His face, inches from hers, was plastered with smug satisfaction as his friends guffawed behind him.
