The return of the Dark

9

I was walking fast through the corridors in the beautiful dress. The party that they had organised... I had no idea what to think about it.
    But I was nervous.
    I wasn't really a party person and I had no idea what they all had organised. Musicians? Dancers? A catering? I swallowed as I walked towards the doors that would lead to the gardens.
    Outside it was dark.
    I slowed my passes. Why was it dark outside? The moon was shining, but not bright enough for me to see what was outside. With a frown and a strange feeling in my stomach I came closer to the doors.
With a hesitate I lied my hand on the doorknob and turned it. Slowly I opened the doors and stepped outside on the foggy grass. The cold evening breeze kissed my skin and I shivered in the cold for a moment. And then came everything to life.
Lanterns lightened up, showing me what had been hidden in the dark. Long tables filled with food, beautiful bouquets and the most pretty tableware. On the grass was a shiny dancing floor and I gasped.
    It was beautiful.
    "Surprise!" Everyone held up their arms in the air and I felt my eyes grow big. There were so many people. And the bad thing was that I only knew... five people? I swallowed and smiled, acting like I was surprised.
    Uncle Benjamin had a huge smile on his face — I knew he enjoyed it, very much. Loveday had the same great smile and I walked towards them.
    "What do you think?" asked Loveday even before I could open my mouth. Astonished, I looked around again. It was a party that was shining of wealth and beauty.
    "It's amazing." I smiled once again.
    And then the disappointment came over me like a wave. Robin wasn't here. Not even one of his friends and I tried to hide my feelings.
    I only knew my family. All those people were friends of Uncle Benjamin, I assumed.
"Excellent!" said Uncle Benjamin with a great smile and he gestured at the musicians. Within a minute the air was filled with a lovely music and Uncle Benjamin offered me his hand. "Shall we than?"
I took his hand with a smile. "With pleasure." Uncle Benjamin leaded me to the middle of the wooden dancing floor and my heels were ticking on the wood. The evening was showing stars and the moon got higher and higher in the air.
"Did you dance a lot in London?" asked my Uncle a we started to dance. I started to blush — with no reason. I wasn't a party person and I wasn't a great dancer either.
"Not really," I said honestly. "I was busy."
"Like it's supposed to be." I forced a smile on my face and looked around. All the people started to dance too, talked, laughed and ate delightful from the food. Uncle Benjamin and I talked. But not about the things I wanted to talk about.
    He avoided my questions, no matter how careful I asked. It became darker and darker outside, until employees started to light up the torches.
    "I have danced enough now," I said after half an our. I let go of Uncle Benjamin's arms and stepped back. With a concentrated frown he gave a nod.
    "Enjoy the rest of the party, Maria," he said and he gestured at the guests. "Go and talk to some of them. They've excellent positions and influences." 
    With a tensed smile I looked at all the men, and walked away. My destination; the catering.
    As soon as I got there I grabbed the first plate I saw and started to load it with unhealthy food. I didn't care — I deserved it.
    I looked at all the guests — there was not one person with my age. The only people I knew were my family. With a sigh I stuffed my face with chocolate and felt sadness come over me.
    Robin didn't come. I assumed he didn't want to. Maybe he already had plans with Jessica. Someone tapped on my shoulder and I turned.
    "Miss Merryweather?" asked the small, bold man. He smiled and his glasses made his eyes big, like dragonfly eyes.
    I raised my eyebrows.
    "That's me," I answered. "Pleasure to meet you."
    "I'm Elias Reyes. Also a pleasure." I shook his hand. "I'm a lawyer. Your Uncle told me you studied languages?"
Of course he did. "Yes. In London." The smile on his face grew bigger.
    "That's wonderful, my dear! Tell me everything about it!"
    Reyes took al my time like it was his. And the worst part was that I didn't even got the change to excuse myself. He kept asking questions, which I answered carefully. Why didn't anyone understand that I wasn't interested in talking about my study?
    For almost two and a half our I sat at a table with Reyes and some 'old friends of his', talking about my study and sometimes saying something in a language they'd never heard before. 
    I felt like an entertainer. With my eyes I searched for Loveday or Mrs. Heliotrope. I couldn't find them. 
    "Tell me, dear, how was London?"
Enough!
    "Excuse me, I need to find my Uncle," I mumbled and got up fast and almost sprinted to him. He was standing twenty meters from the edge of the forest, watching the dark shadows lingering between the trees and branches.
    Next to him was Loveday, talking to him softly, but furiously. Something was wrong.
    "Maria, please talk this idea out of his head!" Loveday said as soon as I was there. With a frown I looked from the one to the other.
    "What is it?"
    "I told Loveday that I wanted to get our borders back." Uncle Benjamin sounded cool. His face was like stone. I felt a heavy feeling on my chest. This wasn't good.
    "Borders?"
    "The border between my land and the land of the De Noirs. I don't want them to set a foot in my property!"
    I stepped back — it was like he was the man again I met all those years ago. Cold, strict and everything except nice and warm.
    "Why?" It was more like a whisper. "The De Noirs are friends of ours!"
    Uncle Benjamin sniffed. "Well, not anymore. I'm done with them — forever this time."
    "What did they do?" I had to know. I was here for only a few days, but it felt like years. There was something going on and I needed to know what. Was it something the De Noirs did? Or we? I frustrated myself about the fact that no one wanted to tell me.
    Uncle opened his mouth, but someone behind me answered first.
    "It isn't something we did."
    I turned and faced Robin. He was well dressed — always in black, but that didn't bother me. His eyes cooled down as he looked at my Uncle. A few of his friends were standing behind him as they walked out of the dark forest.
    My heart stopped for a moment. He came. Robin was here. But it felt like I had started a war.