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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ONCE AGAIN, OLIVE FOUND HERSELF ensnared within the grasp of Robin De Noir. She watched, helplessly, as Maria disappeared into the brush, the De Noir men chasing after, until Robin tore her away from the wall.
The boy brought her straight back to the dungeon, in order to prolong his father's discovery of Maria's escape, Olive presumed.
Olive was too preoccupied with wishing for Maria's safe return to Moonacre, to worry for herself. Additionally, she hoped that her own cooperation would sate the De Noir's hunger for a Merryweather captive, and that, perhaps, they would leave Maria alone, had she succeeded in her escape.
Olive followed the De Noir boy back through the cavernous halls towards the all-too-familiar dungeon, as he dragged her roughly along.
The guard, Olive noted, that the girls had slipped past, was no longer at his station. In his stead, a new guard stood watch. He silently opened the screeching gate of a new, smaller cell as Robin and Olive approached, dutifully slamming it shut once Robin had shoved Olive inside.
The girl stumbled to her knees, for Robin had pushed her harder than ever before. Grunting, painfully as her palms collided with the cold stone floor, Olive quickly rolled over to glare angrily at the boy.
He seethed back, his dark eyes boring into her soul. Through the bars, Olive could see his fingers curl into fists which he clenched at his sides.
"I'm not done with you," he spat. "Unluckily for you, I must inform my father of the escape of your.. sister."
The way the boy grimaced, as he hesitantly grumbled the word "sister" made Olive shudder. Had he discovered their secret?
"Guard, watch her. If she gets away again, things won't be good for you," Robin threatened. "Yessir," the guard replied, his shoulders stiffening. The new guard faced Olive, his beady eyes trained on her.
Robin cast one last hateful glare at Olive, before disappearing down the dark hall once more.
After the boy had left, Olive picked herself up off the dungeon floor. The new guard was much more attentive than the last; His eyes, ever-watching.
The girl felt practically naked as she shivered in the dungeon without the coverage of her dress, which still hung from the cage in the old cell. Olive could sense the guard's cold gaze upon her as she sat against the wall, tucking her knees to her chest. She turned over her aching palms, examining the shallow wounds that stung her skin, inflicted whilst Robin had pushed her to the dungeon floor. She grimaced, picking out a few small, sharp pebbles that had embedded themselves beyond the top layer of skin. Once her scraped hands were free of debris, Olive rolled her aching wrists gently in her hands, hoping to ease the pain from the impact.
She briefly considered coming up with a new plan, but quickly retired after concluding that it was likely no use, and that she'd be better off preserving her energy for a better chance at future escape. Overcome with disheartenment, Olive let her head fall to her knees, which she tucked closer, attempting to keep warm.
