The Underdog - The Secret of Moonacre Fanfic

Capture

I dragged my exhausted body into the dinning hall. It was dark, the only light coming from the large hearth behind the table and the torches lining the walls. The strong smell of alcohol hit my nose before the smell of food. I had been so hungry and so exhausted. Father looked to be enjoying himself as he devoured his food.

I sunk onto the bench, taking my place at the right hand of my father. I watched him carefully as I began piling food onto my plate. He showed no signs of taking it away. He laughed at something one of the servant women whispered in his ear as she poured him more wine. Taking the pitcher from her, he grabbed my goblet and poured some for me.

"Come! Eat Robin, my boy!" My father encouraged

"Yes, Sir." I dug in

Not wanting to chance his good mood, I began scarfing down my food. Loveday would've smacked the back of my head if she saw the way I ate. But I was too exhausted and too hungry to care. Swallowing the large amount of food in my mouth, I cleared my throat, leaning closer to my father and raising my voice.

"Father, I've prepared a plan to snatch the girl from under the Merryweather roof." I began

"Don't go near Moonacre; That house is damned." He paused, taking a drink, "No, word is that she's about to meet her downfall." He smirked

I followed his line of sight to the top of the staircase. She was there. How stupid was she? She turned to run but two of our guards stopped her, dragging her down the staircase. Father stood as everyone in the room laughed. The guards forced her to her knees in front of my father as I stood, peering at her over his broad shoulders. She wore a blue gown, clearly suited for London but not the country. How she got here was anyone's guess but she'd made quiet the entrance.

"How kind of you to join us, Moon Princess." My father said coldly.

She tore her wrist out of one of the guards' grasps, stretching her hand out to my father, palm up. Looking closer, I saw her presenting a key to my father. The key to the pearl casket. The box that was supposed to contain the moon pearls. The casket that the De Noirs had taken back from the Merryweathers that night of the curse. Father took it from her as the guard grabbed her wrist again, holding it tighter.

"Oh, what is this? She has brought us the lost key gentlemen." Father held it up before glaring at her, "Because the terrible De Noir's have had the pearls hidden up here the whole time, haven't we?" Father asked coldly

"Well it's true. Your ancestor hid them." She said, sounding hoarse.

"My ancestor? Well perhaps I should introduce you." His voice became low as he glared at her.

She was forced to her feet by one guard as my father walked across the room, climbing the short stairs that lead to Sir William's stone burial coffin. Shoving the guard out of the way, I grabbed onto the girl's arm. Seeing me, she struggled against me, clearly preferring the guard over me.

"Maria Merryweather, last Moon Princess; Sir William, the first Coeur De Noir." He grandly said

I took great pleasure in forcing her forward and onto her knees. She should bow in the presence of our great ancestor. She didn't fight against me, she fell to her knees and stayed there rather willingly. As father picked up the casket, I allowed her to come back to her feet. He held the key beside the lock on the casket.

"The pearl casket..." Maria whispered, as I watched the words slip off her lips.

"And you've so kindly brought us the key." Father said before dropping the key and opened it to show we had cracked the seal many years ago.

"You've hidden them!" She shouted, thrashing against my hold.

"They were never there girl! Your filthy Merryweather family took them before he picked up the box, they stole the pearls; but soon the final moon will rise and the thieving Merryweather's will be punished, and now that we have you here there isn't anyone who can stop it. At last the valley will be ours, and the DeNoir's will finally feast upon revenge!" Father said.

Cheers rang out through the dinning hall as Father waved his hand at me, ordering her to be taken to the dungeon. The boys followed behind me, laughing as I pushed her forward roughly. She tried peering around every corner, looking for an exit but there was none for her. I gripped her arm tightly and pushed her forward with more force than was needed. Just as she was about to trip, my heart skipped a beat and I reached forward in an attempt to catch her. She swung around to face me.

"Leave me alone you ofe!" She yelled, voice trembling slightly.

"You know, for someone in your current predicament, I have to admire your spirit." I smiled

She evidently couldn't tell my sincerity against my sarcasm as she kicked my shin hard, causing me to double down, grabbing it as it throbbed. She had caused my friends to laugh at me in pain and my temper boiled. She backed away in fear as I stood up, grasping her shoulders as I forced her to turn around and continue forward. My grip pulled a soft whimper from her mouth.

"Witch!" I yelled at her, "Hey! Toss her in!" I yelled at the guard who locked her inside the cell.

"Make nice friends with the cockroaches!" Henry called to her

"Sweet dreams!" David laughed and I backed away, giving her a mocking wave.

"Guard, watch her! She's slippery." I called back.

Glancing back, Maria's face was perfectly outlined by the heart cutout in the door. It took everything in me not to turn around and tell the guard to let her out. Shaking my head, I raced up the stairs, hoping to put some distance between me, her, and hopefully these thoughts of her. She was in my head and it was really beginning to mess with me as I laid back on my bed, trying to convince myself it was just my lack of sleep drawing me to her.

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