The return of the Dark

1

The carriage was bumping all the time and I was feeling sick. Something I didn't miss about the countryside. If Mrs. Heliotrope was here, she would be complaining about her stomach all the time. A smile was lighting up my face.
I was going home. To Moonacre Valley.
It was stupid to feel nerves and happiness at the same time and I wished that the nerves would be gone - I was going to see everyone I loved again, why would I be nervous?
I needed some distraction. Slowly I moved to the window and carefully leaned outside. 'Excuse me, Sir, are we almost there?' I asked with a loud voice - he wouldn't hear me if I asked it with a normal voice. The coachman leaned aside to answer my question.
'Don't worry, Miss Merryweather, we're almost there.' He smiled for a second and looked at the bumpy road again. I leaned back inside the carriage again a sighed. Don't worry. Almost if he had felt my nerves.
I shook my head and closed my eyes. He was right. I should not worry. But the buttons of nerves in my stomach disagreed with my idea to banish them from my body. I took a deep breath. Relax, Maria, I told myself.
It'll be alright.

* * *

The carriage came to a hold and I heard the horses neighing. I pinched in my dress and my heart was beating loud.
'We're here, Miss Merryweather,' said the coachman. I nodded and he opened the carriage door.
I looked at the manor where I spended almost a three years before I went to collage in London. It was restored in it's old, original beauty before the curse let the house falling apart.
I thanked the coachman when he helped me out of the carriage. I loved the feeling of fixed ground under me after the bumping ride. I breathed in the air - I was home. I smiled. The air in Moonacre was clean and fresh, better than the musty, sometimes smelly streets of London.
'Maria!' I looked up, a bit surprised. But my heart overfloated with happiness when I saw Mrs. Heliotrope running off the platform stairs, making sure she would't trip over her dress. 'My goodness!'
I laughed at her. She took a few deep breaths. Wrinkles were in her face more than ever and her hair had gotten more grey. She looked at me - from tip to toe. She got tears in her eyes and smiled at me. A proud smile. She stroked my cheek. 'You are just as beautiful as your loving mother.' My smile was unbreakable.
'Thank you,' I said quetly. 'Where is Uncle Benjamin?' It feeled almost strange to say his name, after almost four years not saying it.
'Inside.' I looked at the big house behind her, at the high tower where my bedroom was. And there it was, the thinking and calculating look. I missed that look. 'You're wearing different clothes.' I nodded and looked down at my dress - a very different style than the one I first always wore.
'Nice, isn't it?' I said and twisted around. The dress was sky blue and was sitting beautiful around my body. The corset was killing me, but I ignored that.
Mrs. Heliotrope swallowed. 'Yes, of course my dear.' I tried not to laugh. I knew she wasn't into fashion that much, a lot changed these few years. She restored herself and nodded. 'Come along now, Sir Benjamin and Loveday like to see you.'
She took me by the hand and together we walked up the platform stairs.

* * *

It was almost exactly like I remembered. The hearth was at the left side of the room, rugs laying down on the white, marmer floor, comfy chairs. But there was something that was different.
There were a lot of plants and flowers. The lovely smell filled my nose and I looked around. I remembered this room as a white, cold room. Now there were flowers it was so... nice and colorful. It made me smile again.
No dog. No Wrolf. I frowned, wondering where the big, black and scary, but sweet and protecting dog was. A nice painting of a field full of lavender flowers was hanging above the hearthstone.
'At last, the lost Merryweather returns to Moonacre Valley, and not to forget, her family,"' said Uncle Benjamin from across the room. I turned around and saw the man that took me and Mrs. Heliotrope in his lonely and silent house after my father died and had lost everything.
'Hello, Uncle,' I said. I didn't expect that I would say those words again. He smiled at me, wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. I saw a few grey hairs.
He walked to me and spreaded his arms. I pressed my cheek against his chest and he put his arms around me. 'Welcome home, Maria.' I smiled.
'It feels good to be back,' I admitted. A few seconds later he released me from his hug. I took a step back and Uncle Benjamin looked at me with a smile. Also a proud smile.
    There is was again, I thought. The look. The strict and careful look he always had when Mrs. Heliotrope and I just arrived for the first time.
    'New clothes, I see,' he said with that same voice. I nodded and looked down. 'And you changed your hair.' With my hand I reached out for my hair and toughed it. It was simple but stylish.
    'It is the new fashion style in London, Uncle,' I explained. He nodded. He took another look at the beautiful, bit difficult embroidery. Green branches and flowers.
    'I see.'
    Like nothing was changed. That was how he was talking to me. I smiled at him. 'Don't you like it?'
    He sighed and relaxed again. 'I was lying if I said that it didn't suit you.'
    'Thank you,' I said. I looked around again, but there was no one else in the room. 'Where is Loveday?' I couldn't wait to see her. It was so long ago since I talked to her. I had so much to tell her. To tell them all.
    'I assume she is in the dining room, she was expecting you.'
    He offered me his arm and I took it. He walked me to the dining room and I looked around me, seeing new things that I had never seen before. Paintings, pots with flowers. Mrs. Heliotrope was following us, I heard the clinging of her shoes.
    The dining room changed a bit. Just like everywhere else in the house, there were flowers. The peeling paint on the furniture was resorted again.
    A woman with a nice, dark red dress and fluffy, blond hair was covering the table with cutlery and plates. Uncle Benjamin let go of my arm.
    'Loveday?' I asked, a bit nervous. The woman stopped, straightened her back and turned around. She was still beautiful, but also she got a few wrinkles in her face. A smile was lighting up her face.
    'Maria, welcome home.' She gave me a firm hug, like the corset wasn't killing me already. I gave a few pats on her back.
    'Thank you,' I said breathless. She let me go of her hug and I took a deep breath.
'You must be hungry after such a long ride,' she said and she gestured to the table. I nodded and took a seat.
'Isn't is a bit early to have diner?' asked Uncle Benjamin strictly. Loveday shook her head and took the chair next to me.
'Don't do that, Benjamin. Maria must be hungry after that long taking ride. Right?' The last thing she asked me. I nodded fast. 'See?' 1-0. Uncle Benjamin shook his head and took the seat on the head of the table.
I looked at he food in front of me and scooped some potatoes on my plate. The first minutes on the table were filled with silence and the sun was making it's way down.
'Now tell me, Maria, how was your study in London?' Uncle Benjamin asked. I blinked for a second.
'Good. Thank you.'
'Just good? Come on, Maria.' I looked up at him, surprised. He almost sounded disappointed. 'A four year long study isn't just 'good'. Tell me something about it. What was is that studied?'
I rolled my eyes. 'Languages.'
He nodded. 'Right. Languages. What for?' I took a deep breath and sipped my tea. I didn't want to talk about my study. Yes, it had been very interesting and fun, but I wanted to know how they were doing.
'A lot.'
'Maria, please,' said Mrs. Heliotrope. I looked up at her and sighed, like I said 'fine'.
'French, German, Dutch, Greek, Italian, English and Latin,' I said fast.
'Really?' Loveday asked surprised. I nodded.
'Yes. It was all very interesting.' My voice sounded a bit cool.
'Latin?'Uncle Benjamin asked suddenly.
'Yes.'
'Wasn't Latin a dead language?' He started to cut his meat. I tried not to roll my eyes again. Or frustrate.
'Latin isn't a dead language,' I said a bit annoyed. 'It is very interesting. But you wouldn't know.' My tone was sarcastic.
A dead silence. 'I mean, it didn't interest you enough.'
'Right,' he said. Loveday looked from me to him. The tensions were stuck in the air between us. I was tired. I really needed to sleep. I didn't want a desert and told them that.
'I think I'm going to bed,' I told them. 'I'm really tired.'
'All your suitcases are in your room,' said Uncle Benjamin cool. I nodded.
'Goodnight.'