The Underdog - The Secret of Moonacre Fanfic

Londoner

London.

I despised this place. Buildings crowded together. The people, snobbish in their ways, always looking down on us 'country folk'. They could keep their noisy, crowded city and I'll keep my country side. The deep forest with trees that twisted and turned, filled with animals and vegetation. Where wearing black suited us, helping us move through the shadows and distinguishing us as the De Noir clan, rulers of Moonacre Valley. Bandits, ruffians, and the-like. Mischief was what we did best beside hunting.

I grew board as I looked on over the graveyard and the funeral taking place. Wanting a better view, I stepped out of where I had been hiding in the shadows, leaning against the stone archway. The girl tossed a rose into the grave before turning to the stone beside it, placing the other rose on it. We were nearing the 5000th moon. The moon that would end the Merryweather family. The cursed moon. And it couldn't get here fast enough.

But father had received word that a new Merryweather was coming to Moonacre. A young girl. Her father had been a colonel and was killed in some backstreet gambling game. Shot in the chest, for cheating most likely. The Merryweather family was always trouble, thinking themselves better than any of us. 

Father had been convinced that she was the last Moon Princess, and he was convinced that she held the infamous Moon Pearls that had disappeared nearly 5000 moons ago. She didn't look like a princess to me, although, she did look good in black. The girl turned, eyes landing on me and remaining on me for a moment. Her pale skin was a stark contrast against her black dress and auburn-brown hair. She looked so fragile that I almost felt sorry for her for a moment.

As she turned back around, Dulac, my father's right hand man, grabbed my shoulder and roughly pulled me back into the shadows. His mouth curled into a wicked grin as I knew my father would be hearing about me blowing our secrecy. I didn't see why we needed to be so careful. She was just a girl. I could've easily snatched her and carried her with one arm. 

As we returned to Moonacre via horseback, Dulac rode ahead. No doubt wanting to reach the castle ruins before me. The gates grew before our eyes as we approached, the black De Noir crest flying high in the wind as the flags were mounted high and proud. I passed my horse off to one of our servants, not being bothered to do it myself. I walked up the wooden stairs and through the doorway that was decorated and lined with skulls and bones of traitors, used to strike fear into our enemies and remind everyone of our power.

"Robin! A word." my father, Coeur De Noir barked.

"Yes, Father." I sighed, knowing what was to come.

"I'm told your arrogance ruined our chances of capturing the Moon Princess." he was seething as he spoke through gritted teeth.

Pouring myself a goblet of wine, "She's just some girl, Father. And a Londoner at that, she'll never survive in the country."

"She is a Merryweather!" He pounded a fist on the table, "And the last Moon Princess at that! I will not have your cockiness ruin this for us! The 5000th Moon approaches and the Merryweather's will meet their downfall! I will not have it ruined by you!" He barked.

"Sir! A carriage has been reported coming along the main path! It appears to be headed for the Moonacre gates of the Merryweather house." One huntsman said

Father grinned, "Perhaps you can redeem yourself." He said to me. "Go. And take Henry with you."

He snatched the goblet out of my hand, shooing me off. I grabbed my closest companion, Henry, and we took off through the forest. We reached the main gates before the carriage, but it was approaching, lurching with every bump on the path. The footman stopped the carriage, climbing down and rustling with his keys as he went to unlock the gate.

Climbing up the back luggage, I quietly rested on top of the carriage as Henry snuck around the side to the other door to prevent an escape. Nodding to one another, I leaned over the side, only I was greeted with a head of auburn-brown hair as the Moon Princess leaned out the carriage window, questioning what was going on. She made this too easy.

 Grabbing her shoulders, I began pulling her out through the window. She screamed and flailed. Her governess was with her. Henry swung open the door as I yelled at him to get her too. I almost had the girl out when something sharp raked across the back of my hand and searing pain shot through. Reflex made me let go and the carriage lurched, sending me tumbling off the back as the footman drove the carriage through the stone gate.

I laid out on the ground on my stomach, senses coming back to me as the iron gate began to come down. Leaving my bowler hat, I scrambled for the gate, but was too late. I gripped it, watching the carriage disappear down the trail, on its way to the Merryweather house hold. I let out a loud scream in frustration and kicked the gate.

Turning back to the road, I looked down at my hand. A large slash extended the length of the back of my hand. It was deep and angry looking as it bled. Henry was crumpled on the ground as he complained about his stomach and being hit with a parasol. Shaking my head, I snatched up my hat and took off into the forest.

I clambered through overgrown vegetation and stumbled down into the opening of the cave. Taking a sharp left, I slipped between two rocks, arriving at the weakly held together door I had created years ago. Kicking it open, I entered, startling my sister. Father had disowned her and banished her many years ago for falling in love with a Merryweather.

Usually she would be pleased to see me as my visits were often brief, but when she saw my hand she ushered me over to the chair by her small stone hearth. Moving her hedgehog off the chair carefully, she placed him on the ground and went deeper into her home. She retrieved some supplies and began bandaging my hand.

"What on earth did you do?" Loveday questioned, worry in her eyes.

"That stupid Merryweather brat is what. For being a supposed princess she's not very ladylike." I hissed

"You didn't hurt her, did you?" Loveday asked, more concerned than before.

"Loveday, she hurt me!" I raised my voice.

For being impolite, Loveday gave a strong pull on the bandage, silencing me for not minding my manners. Out of all the De Noirs, she had always been different. Always minding her manners. She had been father's favorite. Everyone knew it. And since her betrayal, father had been cruel to me. Making sure that he could keep me in line so I wouldn't fall into a similar mistake. One thing I knew for sure was that Father was going to be upset that I had failed, again.

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Thank you for reading! 

If you haven't seen the Secret of Moonacre, please go watch it. I enjoy the movie and book very much. There's a free version of the movie on Youtube.