The Other Curse ~ Robin De Noir [2]

Chapter Eight

A knock came from Rose's door just as she had finished getting ready to leave. She ignored it. She knew who it was. The knock came again, "Princess! I know you're in there! Please let me in!" The sound of Robins voice rang through the cracks of the door, but Rose refused to answer. "Princess?!" He called again.

"Don't call me that!" Rose snapped as she put what few things she had brought with her into her satchel. "Rose, please let me explain", Robin cried, "go away!" She shouted back, tears briming her eyes again. "Rose please! I didn't mean to hurt you! It's just my father..." he continued, however Rose interrupted, "what! Your father, your telling me your father forced you back, he literally held back your body so you could do nothing but watch, no matter how hard you tried?!", Rose screamed and made her way to the door. "No but..." he went to continue, "but what Robin?!" Rose cried as she swung the door open to face him.

He stood there, silent, stumbling for words. "Just what I thought", Rose muttered before marching off down the corridor, her headache was kicking in now, which made her even more desperate to reach the peace of the forest.

"Where are you going?" He questioned whilst jogging after her, "to the forest, to finish my quest!"she huffed as she continued in her path. "You can't go now! It's to dangerous! You'll never find everything without me!" He called, trying to catch up with her. "Well that's why you're coming with me! Much to my dislike". Rose moaned as she turned the corner as scurried down the stairs. She knew if she was to have any hope at finding any of these ingredients, she needed Robin, no matter how much she didn't want to be near him right now. Robin looked slightly taken aback by her response, but he didn't argue. They continued down the stairs in silence till the got outside and Robin began "Rose I'm...", but with that Rose spun round to greet him, the cold evening air nipping at her face.

"Why'd you ignore me? Why did you stand there and do nothing?! Why? Just why?!" Rose cried, she felt so tired from everything, she just wanted this to be over and it had barely begun.

Robin stood there, trying to find the right words, but nothing came out. A single tear fell from Rose's eye, before she turned around and continued walking into the cold, dark forest. Her headache dancing with her own thoughts, creating a toxic mix, causing Rose to wince from the pain, but Robin must of thought it was just her anger with him, as he said nothing, yet again.

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Rose and Robin had made camp at Loveday's hollow, and the following morning they set off early after a quick meal of berries. They continued walking for a couple of hours, trying to find the Moonacre River. Robin said that it streams from the ocean and has an old dam near the start, however, at the end of the river lies a lake, on which the moon shines, creating Moon water, which was one of the ingredients needed. His father apparently told him stories of it when he was younger, that the water shone like the stars.

"Hey Rose...Rose...Hey Rose",

"What?!", Rose moaned, as she tilted her head back at Robin. "You look really pretty", he smiled, "just so you know compliments aren't going to work", she muttered and continued walking on. "You know, you're a really great person, I think anyone who wouldn't want to know you is insane", he continued, "what did I just say", she sang, her tolerance for his idiocies getting shorter by the minute. "As a matter of fact, I think there should be an award for", Robin added, but Rose cut him off. "Robin please! Will you stop! I know you're sorry, I just don't know if I can forgive you? What you did, I just can't understand", Rose sighed as she stopped to talk to Robin.

"But Rose, I wasn't the one who hurt Prim. What happened to the girl who forgave me after everything I did to you in the summer? You said you saw goodness in me!", Robin argued, "but that's the thing Robin! I saw good in you and I trusted you! When you stood up to your father to save me I thought you changed, the Robin I knew would have said something, but when you didn't, you shattered that trust! You really hurt me. But most of all you allowed an innocent, young girl to be mocked and laughed at by a whole hall of your own people! I feel like I don't even know you anymore", Rose cried, "I'm sorry", Robin went to continue, however, was quickly hushed by the sound of a large gathering. Just through the trees, Robin and Rose crouched down behind some rocks as they saw a group of men covered in black with swords and menacing scowls across their faces.

"Who are they?" Rose asked, "I'm not sure, they look like De Noirs, but I don't recognise them, nor would I understand why they'd be out here", Robin replied, confused himself. Rose heard another sound, a quick, gushing of water. "Robin the river, it's just beyond there", Rose spied as she could just make out the ripples in the stream.

"How do we get passed?", she whispered as they're eyes remained glued on the bandits. "We need a plan", Robin concluded, Rose looked at him with one eyebrow raised, "and?",

"Oh right, you get down there and distract them, whilst I think up another plan", he finished. "Are you serious?", Rose questioned, this was gonna be a long day. However, any hope of spending time working on a new plan quickly ended, as the two teenagers heard a gruff voice shout, "hey! Get them!". Their cover was blown.

Rose and Robin quickly sprung to their feet to run in the opposite direction, but bumped into 2 huge men, prowling towards them with their hands on their swords. They were surrounded and backed down towards the river.

"Robin. We have 5 people trying to kill us, what do you suppose we do?" Rose asked nervously, her sword drawn. "Actually it's more like 8", Robin replied, "oh I am sorry I wasn't specific enough!" She called, as 2 men charged at her.

Rose ducked as one swung at her, and she quickly managed to use her basic skills from Robins teachings, to defend herself. She tried to attack, but to be honest, she wasn't much good compared to these highly trained bandits, so for the most part she was on the defensive side. She wasn't quite sure how Robin was doing, but she could still hear him, so that was okay. Two more had joined the previous two attacking her, so she was out numbered 4-1.

She needed a plan, and a good one. But it was to late to think of one now as they all charged at her at once. She managed to duck one, sending him off into the river, and block the other two. She even managed to cut the last with her sword across his arm, making him drop his sword front the pain. She was getting the hang of this. The last two both charged at her, but she kicked one of them into a tree, giving her time to fight the other. He led her to the river, where they fought in the water, making it extra tricky. The other bandit seem to be taken care of by Robin, as Rose was left to deal with the last.

The continued fighting, and Rose seemed to be doing well, she felt confident. But just then her vision got blurry, and her head burst with pain. "Ahhh", she called as she collapsed to her knees. "Rose!" She heard Robin as the bandit raised his sword, Rose prepared for the attack, but nothing came. She looked up and saw Robin charging at the last bandit as they engaged in a vicious sword fight. "Robin!" Rose called, but her head was killing her.

Just then, Rose heard a loud, gushing sound as she looked up to see a huge, flow of water headed they're way. The dam must have broke! Rose and Robin looked at each other, fear inflicted in their faces. "ROSE!" He called, before the wave crashed upon them and all went black.