The Angel of Moonacre(Robin de noir X OC)

Chapter 12

Maria's POV-------------
Once Loveday had left I went to check on Astina. When I reached the room she was in I gently knocked before nudging the door open.
Drops of blood stained the white linen but apart from that the bed was empty.
"Digweed. Digweed! Astina's gone!"
Digweed came running into the room.

The look of panic left his face once he realised no one was dead.
"Oh I shouldn't worry miss. She has a habit of disappearing. You can't keep her here if she doesn't want to be here. I'm sure she's quite alright. That girl knows how to handle himself." He assured me, mopping his shiny head with his pocket handkerchief.

He turned and walked back down the stone hallway, leaving me in the doorway. I shook my head. Digweed was probably right. I already knew that Astina could take care of herself. I just hoped she would help me tomorrow. I wasn't sure I could do it on my own.

Turning in my heel I made my way up to my room, getting ready for bed. The dying sunlight seeped into my room, bathing everything in crimson.
I fell into bed, tucking Serena under my arm. Within no time at all I falling asleep, praying tomorrow would be ok.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning I swiftly ate my breakfast, silently planning what I should do. My first step should be to find Astina. No wait, I needed to get out first.
Deciding the best time to escape the confinement of the castle would be when uncle was occupied with his morning riding.
I pulled the forged letter from under the pleats of my skirt and subtly placed it on his desk. I gave the other one to Rolf to deliver to Loveday.
I crept from the table, Serena in arm, to where Digweed had saddled the horse.
"Where will you go first ma'am?" He enquired, helping me mount the steed and adjusting some straps on the saddle.
"I need to find Astina first. She knows where the pearls are and I can't do this without my guardian."
"You have no hope of finding Astina miss." Digweed said bluntly. "If she doesn't want to be found, you might as well be searching for a penny in the ocean. No doubt she's making her own plans. She'll turn up when need be." He reassured.
"What shall I do then? How else will I find the pearls?" I asked, yet I already knew.
Digweed just smiled. "Where there's a will, there's a way miss." He replied cryptically.

"Good luck little princess!" Marmaduke cried from the top window, jumping to be seen before falling out of sight with a thud.
"Maria! Maria!" A frantic looking Miss Heliotrope scurried down the steps after me.
"You can't stop me Miss Heliotrope. I have to do this."
"Oh no dear, I think I understand why you need to do this." She clutched my hands tightly. "I believe in you."
And with that I departed.

I rode till I reached the outskirts of the forest. Dismounting the horse I tied her reins to a nearby branch and made my way into the woods. Grabbing the supplies I bought with me from the side pouch attached to the horse I set up my trap in the wood.

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Robins pov

The faint sound of birds singing woke me. I rolled over onto my side, reaching for Astina. Reaching out I felt nothing but the soft furs underneath my hand.
Bolting upright I looked around for her but the place was deserted. Nothing but the softly glowing embers remained to prove she had been here at all.
Groaning I got up and crawled through the hole, dusting off my hat once I reached the other side.
Today was the 5000 moon and I was shitting myself. Dad, Maria, Astina and probably half of the valley would be out for the pearls. I wasn't sure where I stood, I had grown up with the belief that the Merryweathers where evil, but having met Maria, who was about as evil as a butterfly, my beliefs were being questioned.

Making my way through the forest, I decided to go back to the castle and try and help my father.
The sight of one of my traps caught my eye. Hurdling a tree I unsheathed my knife and walked over to where a hare sat in the woven wooden cage.
A flare of red caught the corner of my eye, and I turned to see Maria step out from behind a tree.

"Ah princess, come to give yourself up how good of you." Guess that was one way of making the job easier.

She gave a small laugh before turning to something just out of my sight.
Suddenly the ground was gone and I was spinning through the air, violently thrashing from side to side.
"LET ME DOWN LITTLE WITCH!" I snarled in anger, bobbing backwards and forwards.
"Not until you tell me what I need to know." She smirked.

This was going to be one long fucking day.