Stay With Me (Robin + Maria)

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*Maria's POV*
The bright light blinded me as I lay dizzily on a hard countertop. Where am I? The smell of dirt and minerals was overwhelming but at least it kept me awake. I groggily looked around but I couldn't find Robin, so I decided to search around for him. The room was lined with utensils and ingredients, I couldn't tell whether it was a doctors office or a kitchen. "Robin!" I whispered loudly, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. I have no idea where I am or why I'm here since I can barely remember anything before robin hurting his arm. There was still no answer from Robin.

A small creature hobbled down the hall way, barely noticing my existent and wandered past me to a short door way that I wouldn't be able to fit in. I looked in the doorway with my face pressed against the ground to find many more little monsters dancing and giggling with each other. They were short and ugly like frogs, but they could talk. They obviously had some kind of intelligence.

"What are you looking at?" I heard a familiar voice scold me from somewhere to my left.

"Looking at the creatures, don't you see them?"

"Of course I do, but we have to get out of here." Robins voice was panicked as he yanked me to my feet. And before I could dust myself off, he was dragging me down the winding hallway to somewhere I didn't know. "I don't know what they want with us, but it can't be good." He looked around suspiciously and kept walking.

"Why are we here in the fort place? Why can't I remember anything?" I started with my full list of probably unnecessary questions before he covered my mouth and pushed me against the wall to hide.

I pushed him off of me and glared. "What are you doing?" I slapped his hand away.

"Shhhh... They'll hear you." He slid his body into the shadows of the dusty hallway and remained as still as a stone while I foolishly looked curiously around. I heard two ridged voices howling at each other.

"Why is master so interested in them anyways?" One croaked to the other

"Don't ask questions, fool. It is none of our business and I don't intend on getting my tongue cut off for your curiosity." The other said grouchily and murmured something else to itself, but i couldn't understand it. I stepped out a little further to see the two creatures but I accidentally stepped out too far and they saw me. Two squat creatures with muscles rippling under their scaly skin came charging at both Robin and I before we had time to react. Damn they were quick for like monsters.

One shoved Robin against a pole holding up the crumbly ceiling and the other pushed me against the moss-covered wall. "Oww" I whined while Robin tried to pull out a knife on his capturer, but he spit a metal dissolving acid that melted the knife immidiately. "What do you two morons think you're doing?" My capturer smirked at our 'obvious' stupidity.

"Just looking around." Robin said innocently, with a sly smile.

"Well, good thing we found you because master wants you to accompany him to dinner tonight." He pulled out two sets of clothes and shoved them at us then pushed us into a dim lighted room to get changed.

"Turn around" I blushed awkwardly and hid in an opposite corner to get changed while Robin rolled his eyes and smiled then finally turned around.

Surprisingly, the little troll people had good taste in clothing because my dress was absolutely gorgeous. It had purple lace hemming and a silky material throughout the entire dress with intricate flowers printed on the fabric. It fit my body well, though the neckline dipped a little lower on my chest than I was used to. I smoothed the dress down a little with my hands to unwrinkle it, then stepped out of the dark corner to find Robin. He was wearing a dark black suit with a tie that was a midnight blue color. "Oh, you look ravishing, Mr. Robin." I said teasingly, which I guess he took as a compliment.

"I know I do." He said sarcastically then looked me over once or twice with a wicked smile. "I especially love that neckline." He winked flirtatiously and made me blush even more so I hit him upside the head.

"Idiot." I murmured.

-few minutes later-

We were brought into the dining room by the same muscled frog-troll-things and sat down in adjoining chairs at one side of the long wooden table. The seats were a mahogany color and a rosy pink cushion was glued to perfection atop the seats. It was definitely comfortable but was a little weird. In this crumbling building this room seemed to be untouched by time, like it had been just built. But that couldn't be the case since it was in the center of the whole castle and everything must have been built off of it.

Silver platters of food were brought steaming to our spots in front of us, but the 'master' still hasn't arrived. Just a few minutes later, after sitting with this delicious meal and us not being able to eat it, the master walked in. A robe was draped over his fragile seeming body and a hood over his head, shadowing out his face. It was all very mysterious but I was too distracted by the food and my growling stomach. A rat creature stood by our side, seeming to be guarding us, Robin called him 'Bugsley' which was an odd name for a rat, but I didn't question it. Robin and I scarfed down our meals in silence as did the master, but he are much slower as if he was already full. None of us spoke, fearing that a dreadful conversation would arise so Robin and I looked at each other awkwardly.

"Robin," the master finally spoke in a familiarly deep voice that was a smooth as honey. I've heard this voice before, but I have no idea from where. The dark hood was still covering the mans face, which frustrated me that i couldn't know this mans identity. Who was it??? "And... Is that Maria? Maria Merryweather?" He seemed curious and leaned closer to the long-lengthed table as if to make sure he was seeing clearly. He gasped softly then sat back in his chair.

"Yes, I'm Maria Merryweather, how do you know me?" I asked curiously then regretted it immediately. Should I be asking this strange man questions? Maybe he'd get offended. But I heard a soft chuckle.

"You don't recognize me?" He said softly.

"No, sorry." I looked down at my lap. He began humming a light tune and I perked up. I knew that song! But I hadn't heard it in forever. The last time I heard it was when... My father sang it to me...?

I nearly leaped our of my seat and scampered over to the master and pulled his hood off. My fathers face remained, but it was older, aged with wisdom and stress. His eyes were an eerie red color and his hair a silvery-grey color. "B-but, you're dead?" I asked more to myself than to him. I touched his cheek to make sure I wasn't delusional, but it was all real. My aged father was sitting right in front of me
"How?"

"I had to fake my death in order to be here, with my kind." He explained.

"Your kind?" I asked, obviously confused.

"Yes, we are of the wood trolls, well, only partly."

"No." I denied.

"Yes, how do you explain how we are so good with animals?" He smiled, knowing that he was right and I couldn't deny that.

" I just can't believe that you're alive." I murmured.