The Other Merryweather ~ Robin De Noir [1]

Chapter 4

Rose came in through the big double doors of the ancient manor house, humming the tune on the piano earlier. Her uncle was lounging on a chair and Wrolf ran up to him to be petted. Sir Benjamin finished his sip of wine and said, "I hope Orion gave you an educational tour of the estate", Rose not expecting anyone to be in the entrance hall took a small step back from the surprise. "I..I..I found a rabbit", Rose stunned, not knowing what to say. "That my dear, is a rare Moonacre rabbit, since you have brought it in, it is now your responsibility". Rose thought, a rare Moonacre rabbit, far more exciting then an ordinary rabbit. "I was hoping to give it to Maria, I know she loves rabbits", Rose asked, "very well" her uncle started, Rose turned to go up the grand staircase, when her uncle suddenly added, "Rose, stay out of the forest". She Kindly nodded her head, and made her way upstairs to find Maria. 

Maria was sitting upstairs on her bed gazing up at the stars, "Maria, look who I found" Rose gaily said, Maria's face lit up with excitement when she saw the rabbit. She ran over to Rose and starting petting her, "may I hold her" Maria asked, "of course you can" Rose replied whilst handing over the delicate creature. "That's a rare Moonacre rabbit" copying her uncles words "a far more beautiful and serene creature" Rose added. "Then that's what I shall call her, Serena", Maria declaimed.

That night Maria crept into Rose's bedroom, "Maria what are you doing here?" The sleepy Rose asked, barely uttering English as her younger sister Maria climbed into her bed, along with the newest member of the family, Serena. "I can't sleep", Maria said, wide awake as ever. "Well hop in", Rose added, opening up the warms covers for Maria to slip into. To be honest Rose couldn't sleep much either. Her head was filled with what happened earlier today, she thought of Robin and his smile. Wait why should she be thinking of him, he was an arrogant, self centred oaf! As the two girls cuddled together, the light from the moonlight shone in her room, lighting it up, she could pretty much make out anything, for a second she swore she could see the clouds moving on her ceiling, and the flowers on her wall, waving in the wind. What is going on here!

In the morning, Rose made her way downstairs after washing and getting dressed in a lovely, flower printed dress. Maria had appeared to already have gone down, as she caught her trailing after Sir Benjamin, asking all these questions about the piano; the biscuits; the dresses ad the stars on her ceiling moving. This is when Rose cut in, "Uncle the clouds on my ceiling also move, as well as the flowers." Sir Benjamin turned around to both girls, where they could see he had tears in his eyes, "do you ever stop asking questions!" Their uncle cried, as he turned away from the girls, and made his way back to his study. 

"That was odd", Rose exclaimed, and Maria just looked guiltily down at the floor. Wrolf came strutting by, and nudged Maria to go follow him, "what's he on about?" Rose asked, Maria just shrugged and went off, "you coming?" she called. "No, I might go ridding again," Rose called after her. After Maria went off with Wrolf, Rose went out into the gardens, and then to the stables.  Orion was waiting at his gate, as if he knew she was coming. "Hello there boy", Rose playfully called, "miss me?" she asked. Orion neighed, as Rose scratched his nose, "come on boy, we're going riding", Rose said as she saddled him up, and climbed on. 

Rose and Orion galloped for miles over the hills and through the valley, till she reached the edge of the woods, it was calling her again, Rose thought, "if I was quick, I might not run into Robin and his gang". Orion led her through many paths, where Rose could admire the scenery, till he eventually led her up to a hill, within in the forest, the sun, seemed to shine a spotlight on a single Rose, it's petals seemed to be falling, and there were not many left. Rose climbed off Orion, and drew closer to the flower. She bent down to touch its remaining petals, and as she did so, her vision suddenly blurred, she saw a diamond being shattered into many pieces, herself and Maria standing on the edge of a cliff, she called after Maria, as she suddenly vanished. Rose found herself in the forest, she was crying, then Robin appeared and wrapped his arms around her. She struggled to get away from him, but realised he was hugging her affectionately, however that soon all changed when everything started spinning, she heard her name being called, and something about the forest princess, before she found herself plunging into the sea. 

"Ahhhh", Rose came back to reality, and moved away from the flower. "What was that!" She cried as she ran back to Orion and galloped as fast as she could back to Moonacre. She ran through the doors, up the stairs, whilst she heard Miss Heliotrope calling after her, she ran up the tower where she eventually bumped into Maria! "Maria, oh Maria" Rose exclaimed. "Rose what's wrong?" Maria asked, "Riding...Flower...vision...you...Robin...sea...forest princess", 

"Forrest princess?" Maria questioned, "yes and the...", Maria cut her off, "I need you to meet someone, someone who might be able to explain things." Rose followed her younger sister through many halls, until they reached a small porch outside the manor. "Rose, I'd like you to meet Marmaduke Scarlett", Maria introduced Rose to a strange, small, happy looking man. "Hello", Rose said. "It's my pleasure princess, to finally meet you at last", Marmaduke bowed and gave her hand a kiss. Rose smiled at his gesture, and turned to Maria as she asked, "Marmaduke, I finished reading the book, this valley is cursed isn't it!", 

"Maria what are you talking about?" Rose asked, completely confused on this situation, however Marmaduke quickly cut in "Yes it is cursed, take a look around you, it's falling apart. Ever since that fateful day, the two families have been at odds with each other ever since, consumed by their pride and blind hatred, and the only two people who can break this curse, are the moon and forest princess", Rose suddenly tensed, remembering the previous events of today.  "But that's impossible, the moon and forest princesses lived hundreds of years ago"

Marmaduke continued "but legend tells of a little white horse, and and a single rose on top of a hill that only the forest and moon princess can see", Rose and Maria were struck deep in thought. It was all making sense, kind of, too Rose, "so you mean..I am...we are" Rose stutted, "the moon and forest princess" Maria continued. "Everyone knows the legend, peace will never be restored until the pearls and diamond are returned to the sea," Marmaduke added. "This is all madness", Rose cried, her head was spinning with the new found knowledge. "Time is running out, 5000 moons to set it right", Marmaduke said gazing directly into Rose's eyes. Maria started shaking her head, "stop, stop, you're all insane!" She cried and ran off, Rose left with Marmaduke, lent against the window ledge, her head aching. This is why Robin and his gang wanted me, the vision she saw when she touched the rose. It was all making sense, but she didn't want it to be true, it couldn't be. "Princess please" Marmaduke looked kindly into Rose's eyes, "I...I...I don't know what to think of anything anymore, I'm sorry" with that Rose ran of just like her sister, she needed space, she couldn't go back to the forest, so she headed to her bedroom, where she lay down on the bed and thought, gazing up into the cloudy skies, "who am I, what am I supposed to do, how do I do it?" All these questions filled her mind, until she finally drifted off to sleep.