All seemed well after Maria saved Moonacre Valley. She's been gone for three years to finish her schooling and finally she's returned home. But the very first night she is there, terrible nightmares assault her and something feels off. Darkness has...
They were nearly out of the forest and to their destination when Robin stopped. He got off Prince and opened his saddle bag. He pulled out Maria's nice red dress and tossed it to her. By now she had gotten off and tied Princess to a tree, curious as to what he was doing. She was confused. She caught the dress and Robin threw her a brush too.
"Why?" She questioned.
"Never mind. Just change." Robin instructed. He pulled a nice pair of black pants and a white dress shirt out of his bag. Then he strode behind Prince and started changing.
Maria was very baffled and suspicious but quickly changed and brushed out her wild red hair behind Princess, careful to not be seen. When she appeared Robin still had not and she rolled her eyes, as she spotted his bootless feet staggering around behind Prince.
"Having fun getting those tight leather pants off?" Maria teased loudly, rather obnoxiously. She heard a huff and a quiet curse but after a few more moments he too appeared. He looked different...he had shed all his leather, his red scarf and his collar of bird feathers. He however still wore his precious bowler hat upon his mop of wild curls. She tried not to look at him, but she couldn't help it. He looked so different. So proper, somewhat tamed, and very handsome...
He reached into his bag and pulled out a dress coat. He put it on then fished around for a comb. He stuffed his and Maria's used clothes in the bag then took off his hat. He combed down his wild hair...as best he could...before placing his hat carefully into his bag. Maria stared at him in surprise. His head seemed strangely bare without the hat. She remembered when she had seen him without it before. Hanging upside down with his feet in a snare. Her snare.
She let out a giggle and Robin turned to look at her for the first time, about to ask what was so funny, but he stopped short. His eyes widened and his jaw went slack. He had not realized which dress exactly this was but as he saw it, comfortably draping her slender frame, all the memories came rushing back. Her beautiful face, smiling back at him with acceptance and love before she stepped to the edge of the cliff and... He squeezed his eyes closed for a moment before blinking at her again. He had not seen her in this dress since the day she had jumped into the sea, and she fit it better now. She was amazingly gorgeous. Her hair glowed in the fading light, framing her pale delicate face, and her eyes sparkled, a million shades of blue and silver. This moment. It was something. But with those memories still permeating his thoughts it was bitter-sweet.
Maria didn't seem to notice his momentary internal struggle. For as he turned to face her she got a proper look at him, all dressed up in a fancy suit, hair combed into submission adjacent, dark eyes gleaming brightly, and face even cleaned of the dark makeup that usually framed his eyes. Her heart fluttered a little. It took several moments for them to realize that they were staring at one another.
Maria shook her head and Robin looked quickly away. Neither said anything. Maria handed him her brush and mounted Princess, almost slipping over the other side in her distracted state. Robin shook his head with amusement, a smile creeping onto his face as he put away the brush. While he was busy Maria deeply breathed in the smells of her dress. It now was permeated with the warm woodsy scent of Robin, giving her a pleasant comforted feeling. She smiled to herself before clicking to Princess. The little white mare moved forwards, the larger black stallion quickly falling in step with her.
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