The Other Curse ~ Robin De Noir [2]

Chapter Sixteen

Rose always imagined what it would be like to fly. She had read many tales on hero's blessed with the ability to fly, and imagined them soaring through the sky. But this felt 10 times better.

The moment when Anemone blew the fairy dust upon the them, warm thermals pushed Rose gently upward in a seemingly never ending spiral. How could she ever land, why would she ever want to land? It was so peaceful and Rose felt blessed when self ascending to the heavens, seeing the view usually bequeathed only to the birds, their birthright and domain.

As she glided on, above the tall evergreen trees, over the river and on towards the ocean, Rose could see Moonacre from here, its grand walls filled with history. How she missed home.

She longed to stay up here, free with the birds, free from this curse. Rose looked over at Maria, who seemed to be enjoying herself as equally. They had no direction, and were just enjoying the moment. Forgetting everything that was happening.

Robin was down on the ground though, and that was enough to make Rose long for home. She couldn't believe he loved her, he felt the same. After all this time.

The girls soon flew over the De Noir castle and Rose began to lose height. "Rose no!" Maria cried, "we've got to find the source! There's no time!"

"I have to go back for him Maria, he saved me! Now I'm going to return the favour!" Rose called up from below. Her target set.

Maria pursed her lips, and took a huge sigh before flying down after her. As the wind tousled Rose's hair and whipped it about her salt-kissed face she longed to extend time, to savor the moments, burn them to memory for a time when she was old and no longer able to fly with the birds. But she had to save Robin, she wasn't going to break the curse without him.

Rose flew close to the ground, back to the castle walls. Maria caught up to her, breathing heavily, "do...you...have...a...plan?" She painted, praying with all her might, Rose wasn't just going to improvise.

"Nope", Rose smiled before flying off again, this time slightly higher up the wall to get a better view. "Urgh", Maria moaned, whilst trying to catch her up.

Rose studied the formations of the guards, thinking on the spot. From her memory, there was actually a secret path to the dungeons over by a bush, but it was on the other side of grounds. They could sneak into the castle from there and then begin the search.

"Maria, follow my moves", Rose whispered before quickly flying into the castle grounds and hiding behind a near by bush. She noticed a horse coming past and as it did, she hid behind it with Maria and moved with it.

The girls then quickly dove into another bush. They were roughly in the middle of the courtyard now, guards at every angle. She noticed up ahead Luke laughing with Prim, probably flirting, and it infuriated Rose. She just wanted to march up to them and give her a piece of her mind. She knew it was foolish though.

The girls quickly hid behind a tent, catching their breath. Rose's heart was pounding, any moment they could be caught, and this time the De Noirs wanted her dead. This all brought back bad memories, however, last time everything worked out well, didn't it? It just had to.

The bush shielding the secret entrance was just round the corner and Rose and Maria made a run for it. The jumped behind the bush to be face to face with a blank wall.

"No! Where is it?!" Rose gasped, as she anxiously fumbled for a secret stone or something. "Ah Rose, you may want to hurry. We have company", Maria gulped as she saw a few guards running towards the bush, who had obviously noticed them.

Rose held her breath as she hopelessly tried to find them passage, till she remembered how she found it in the first place.

The white horse.