The return of the Dark

14

I didn't know what was going downstairs and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. But curiosity often won, so with my ear against the wooden door I tried to listen to the loud words coming out of Mrs. Heliotrope's mouth, and tried to hear the answers my Uncle gave her.
"Why didn't I know my Maria was sick?!" I could imagine how red of anger Mrs. Heliotrope's face was.
I couldn't hear the answer my Uncle gave her. It was too soft. Maybe that was because he was the one talking calmly. She was screaming, the reason I could hear it through the door.
Her voice echoed against the stone walls up the stairs. "No, you're not talking to her!" My heart jumped of fear for a moment — and then I sighed in relief when I heard her next words:
"She's feeling bad again. She's in bed all day and you will not disturb her!" The argument lasted a little longer, but I decided I heard enough.
It was almost time to figure out how to leave. And how to get in later. Mrs. Heliotrope helped me without knowing, everyone would leave me alone unless I called for them.
This was great, because it would be a complete disaster if someone would walk in to find an empty bed in this room.
I leaned towards my bedroom window and looked down — then I felt all the blood from my face drain away. I wasn't a climber, and to made a robe out of my expensive clothes wasn't an option. It was so high that I stepped back and tried to think of something else.
I couldn't walk through the hallways unnoticed. Someone would notice. And I was pretty sure Odin was smart enough to know I wasn't allowed to leave. It was as an extraordinary smart dog.
After brainstorming for ten full minutes, I suddenly realised that I had a way out of this tower without anyone knowing it.
A memory floated to the service of my mind — Loveday once snuck into my room through the hidden door of my fireplace.
With fast steps I walked towards the fireplace, still a little anxious about the fact someone could hear it or would check anyways. But when I shove the stone horse to its side, and the fireplace moved up and a dark stairway appeared. A cool wind blew in my face and I took a deep breath.
     When the fireplace closed behind me, I was surrounded by darkness. Faintly I remembered the time when me and Robin found the Moon Pearls, also surrounded by the dark aura after we escaped through another moving fireplace.
I smiled when I remembered how magical Moonacre Valley truly was, but my smile faded away when I realised what happened to this place — murder.
A De Noir and someone that was a close part of the Merryweather. I didn't know what truly happened, but I was determined to find out.
With my hands on the humid walls, I started my way down and carefully placed my feet on the steps.
It felt like forever, my footsteps echoing through the secret stairway and my hasted breathing. When I finally got down at the bottom, I searched for another secret lever that would open a door, somewhere deep in the woods.
The sunlight blinded me and I placed my hands in front of my eyes. Sounds of riffling leaves, chirping birds and a soft wind reached my ears and I stepped outside.
It was so long since I got in the woods. It was so long since I walked through the high trees. If I remembered it correctly, it wouldn't take very long to get to the Old Tree.
In the back of my head I remembered the words of my Uncle Benjamin, talking about the rapists, murderers and robbers.
But not here.
I denied to believe that.
I started my trip to the Tree, looking around and breathing in deeply and enjoying everything the forest had to offer me.
The brown leaves underneath my shoes broke because they were so old and I looked at all the trees.
I remembered all the times me and Robin played here, walked around and swam in the forest lakes a couple of kilometers away. Sometimes just the two of us or with more people from the De Noir clan. I liked all of them — we were one big group of friends.
The memory made me a little sad.
We were older — we were grown ups. We all went out own way, I didn't see Dylan and the other De Noirs and we didn't talk. And Jesse.
When she popped up in my mind I got a little annoyed. I shook it off as soon as I reached the Tree and saw that I was alone. Robin wasn't here yet.
I looked at the Tree and at the little way in. When I was 12 it was so easy to fit through there. I'd have to squeeze myself probably. And Robin definitely with his broad posture.
I waited. Long.
At some point I got a little nervous. Especially when I heard a branch break. "Robin?" I asked, not too loudly.
My heart started to work faster and I looked around me more.
My scream was being muted by a big hand and I already started to struggle, trying to get myself free. The fear I felt was overwhelming, until I heard a deep rumbling laugh behind me.
"Looks like you're not used to the woods anymore, Princess," mumbled Robin when I calmed down and he let go of me. With a red face of adrenaline I turned around and the grin on his face grew bigger, showing his dimples.
"You're a prick," I hissed and slapped his arm. He shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Maria, I can still tease you." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes as well.
"Don't scare me like that, you don't know what walks around in these woods!" Robin raised an eyebrow and it seemed like he needed to hold in his laugh.
"Maria, there's nothing here." He waves around with his hand. "Except trees."
I nodded, but I didn't take it. My Uncle wasn't a liar, but it could be true that he made it a bit bigger than it was.
"Come on," he then said, looking around, "we should get inside."