Moonacre's Best Secret

De Noir Castle

I woke quite late the next day, what with staying out late with Robin just yesterday, I climbed out of bed and ate hungrily the cookie Marmaduke set out for me.

I picked up the dress Loveday laid out again on the golden chair and gazed at it, it was extremely beautiful. It was baby blue with dark blue ribbons around the waist and a black sash attached to the bottom of the dress and the sleeves.

I changed out of my nightgown and into my dress, I spun around in it admiring it deeply. I brushed my hair and left it down, looking like a golden waterfall flowing around my shoulders, I actually went to a large dark brown wooden jewellery box, I lifted the heavy lid, carefully I took out the moon pearls and draped them around my neck.

I left my bedroom and went downstairs for breakfast, my uncle was sat in his usual seat by the fireplace, once again Wrolf was by his feet, he was drinking his stomach churning eggnog exercise drink. He spotted my necklace and smiled widely.

"The true moon princess" he spoke, I smiled and blushed slightly at his comment.

I walked into the room where we were eating and greeted Ms Heliotrope and Digweed, once again Digweed stood there admiring my nanny. I smiled and he brought over a bowl of delicious looking porridge.

After I ate I said my goodbyes and headed through the patio doors, once again to enter the forest and go to meet the De Noirs. Uncle had Wrolf stay at home, because he knew if Wrolf knew where I was going he would be growling at every single De Noir.

I made my way through the forest, I kept on walking for abit until I spotted the grey stone walls of the castle. I shivered remembering the last time I entered the castle I was thrown into the dungeons by Robin and his friends.

I arrived at the castle, every De Noir was either bowing or shaking my hand all ending with them saying "At your service moon princess" I actually found it quite flattering that they still see me as a princess but at home it's only Marmaduke who calls me that, after all he was the first one to realise I was the princess.

I entered the home of the De Noirs, I walked in shyly and stood at the top of the stairs, scanning the room for Robin. Suddenly I felt somebody spin me around and there he stood.

"So happy you could join us princess" he said with a smile.

"Thank you ever so much for inviting me" I returned the smile, I heard the room go quiet and I gazed down and saw the whole of the room looking up at me.

Coeur De Noir stood up from their breakfast table and spoke loudly "The Last Moon Princess Everybody, The True Moon Princess Who Lifted The Curse That Drowned Us All!"he announced, after his speech everybody started clapping and even threw in comments like "Long live the moon princess" or "what a beautiful dress princess". I just nodded my head at everybody showing my appreciation.

Robin led me down the stairs and everybody bombarded me with questions and handshakes, after meeting all of the De Noirs and my head full trying to remember everybody's names, Robin led me over to his friends, they were the boys who once tried to kidnap me out in the forest.

"Princess, we want to apologise for the way we treated you the last time we saw you, we do hope you can forgive us?" spoke a boy with blonde hair and a bowler hat identical to Robin's.

"We have to forget the past and let go of the burden that still haunts us, after all you were following orders" I answered back, the boys smiled, including Robin knowing that I understood why they did such a terrible act towards me.

Coeur De Noir appeared behind me and separated me from the boys and Robin,
"Miss Maria I was hoping to ask you myself to accept my apology for how I sent my men after you and threw you in the dungeons, it was wrong and I have noticed the error of my ways, I would also like to offer you a place in the De Noir clan. I ask for your forgiveness princess?" he asked.

"Of course, after all Sir you must remember that Loveday is soon to wed my uncle so I guess either way we'll be family" I smiled.
He smiled back and suddenly pulled me in a bear hug, I felt like I was being suffocated by his leather jacket but I still returned the hug.

I was begged to stay for dinner and so I did, the chef who cooked for the De Noirs was very good but unfortunately not as good as Marmaduke, after all he was the chef of all chef's. I sat between one of Robin's friends and even Robin himself, Coeur De Noir made another toast for me before we all dug in, it was a great fun.

After we ate Robin was told to lead me home.

As soon as we left the castle the air was cold and hit me quickly, I shivered. Robin noticed this and almost immediately took off his heavy leather jacket and draped it around my shoulders.
I looked at him sympathetically and thanked him.

"We can't have the last ever moon princess freezing now can we" he smirked. I loved how he did that, it was like a signature of his cheekiness.

Robin returned me home, he stood outside Moonacre Manor.
"Thank you Robin" I said giving him his jacket back, he smiled.
"I enjoyed today, thank you for finding the time to visit, we shall have to meet again. Tomorrow perhaps?" He questioned, I laughed as he tried to imitate my posh London accent but failed miserably.

"I would love to meet up tomorrow, but I shall be a while, I promised Ms Heliotrope I would study French in our classroom".

"Very well" he said in a weird voice I couldn't help but laugh at. "Until tomorrow".
He kissed my hand again, leaving my cheeks as red as plum tomatoes, I waved him off until he disappeared into the forest.

I entered the house and apologised to my uncle and Ms Heliotrope, they were not too bothered since they knew where I was. I walked past the piano room and spotted a familiar looking dress, I peered into the room and saw a woman with frizzy blonde hair playing a familiar tune on the piano.

"Loveday!" I yelled a lot louder than I expected.
"Maria!" She called back looking up from the piano and beaming up at me, I ran to her and embraced her in a hug.

Me and Loveday were kept talking to each other nearly all night. Robin was mentioned a lot in our conversation and if he hadn't been mentioned in the last ten minutes, then Loveday would of found a way to bring him back into the conversation. She must of noticed how every time his name was mentioned I would slightly blush or go into a fantasy land where I just spoke about him. It was highly embarrassing.

I said goodnight to everybody and went up the spiral staircase, I changed into my cream nightgown and brushed out my hair, I lay staring at the stars on my ceiling with my mind nearly bursting with thoughts of Robin De Noir.

Thankfully my thoughts of him drifted away as my eyes got heavier by the second and I was soon asleep, patiently waiting for the next day to arrive and explore what it had in store for me.