The Other Merryweather ~ Robin De Noir [1]

Chapter 5

Rose awoke to a bright sunny morning, what happened. Yesterday's events recalled in her mind, her a princess?! Rose got up, washed, and changed into a beautiful simple white dress, she wasn't feeling anything fancy today. She sat at her dressing table pinning up her hair, when a plate a biscuits and milk caught her eye. Marmaduke. No matter how many times she denied it, these people needed her help, she needed to save Moonacre. Rose packed a bag, and went into Maria's room, where she placed a delicate kiss on her cheek. "I'll be back Maria, I love you", with that Rose ran out of the room, and down the stairs, and out into the forest. She had no idea what to do, but the forest seemed to be where everything happened, so it was a good place to start. 

Feeling like giving up hope, Rose suddenly heard her name being called. It was coming from a cave, when she went in, no one was there, but suddenly from out behind her, a figure wearing a dark cloak covering their face jumped out at her. "Ahh, get away from me" Rose cried, but then the figure took of her hood off to reveal the face of a beautiful woman. She signalled for Rose to follow her, so she did. "Oh do come in", the woman said, with a friendly smile plastered on her face.  Rose found herself in a quaint little room, filled with plants and animals. "You naughty hedgehog, sitting in my favourite chair again, you cheeky monkey", the woman laughed, and place the hedgehog over onto another seat. Rose looked around the room, and noticed an L embroiled onto a strange dress, she looked up to ask the woman about the dress, when she realised she was holding a snake, "keep still, don't make any sudden movements, then she won't be so scared", the woman said and Rose replied "I'll try" her breath caught in her lungs, afraid she might startle the creature.

"I was talking to the snake", the woman giggled, "I rescue as many injured creatures as I can". The woman continued whilst placing the snake down near to the log fire. Rose recovering asked "are you the L embroiled onto all those strange dresses?" 

"Yes I am, my name is Loveday", she said with a little curtsy and kissed Rose's hand. Loveday turned to the mirror and raised her hand at started muttering some strange words, but Rose payed no attention to what she was saying, for images were forming in the mirror. Rose saw the forrest, and then she saw Moonacre, and the moon hit the grand structure, sending it up into flames, along with the forest. Rose gulped for breath, she's going mad, she thought. 

"You saw something didn't you!" Lovely cried, "I have to go", Rose thought this was too much. "No no wait, I'm sorry I've frightened you, you see I'm not used to visitors, and I so do want us to be friends." Loveday offered her hand to Rose, "it's no use running, your father tried it, but there is no where to hide, he sent you here because he loved you". Hearing her father mentioned made her look down at the floor, but Loveday's friendly smile, brought her back to reality.

Just then a little red head, fell through the door, they appeared to have being eavesdropping. It was Maria. "Maria what are you doing here?" Rose cried, "I followed you here, I saw you sneak out, and I wondered where you had gone", Maria replied. "Oh Maria, it's not safe, what I am planning to do." Rose cried, brushing off the dirt from Maria's dress, "but I want to help", Maria replied. Loveday then spoke up, "she's right you know, about helping, you Rose are the forest princess, but Maria is also the moon princess, you need each other to break this curse". Rose could see sense in Loveday's answer, as much as she didn't like her little sister being involved with such a task, she knew she was right. "Alright, so where do we start".

Loveday took Maria and Rose unto a little sitting area, by the edge of a rock with a magnificent view. "You two and I are the same you know...except" Loveday stopped, "except" Rose asked. "Except where I failed, you may succeed", Loveday continued. "What about our uncle, Sir Benjamin, can't he help?" Maria asked, "Never ever mention that man to me again do you understand", Loveday cried, perhaps a little harsher then she intended. That made Rose think, had something happened between her uncle and Loveday, however she decided to reflect on it later, she had more important matters to think of. Loveday began again, "your past is behind you, your future awaits you, you decide" she said hopefully. "we just don't know where to begin", Rose said, "find the pearls and diamond, each family blames the other for taking them", Loveday added, "they are both to blame, the De Noirs took the casket and we must have the key", Rose said, referring back to the story of the forest and moon princesses, it's said that the pearls and supposedly the diamonds are hidden in there. "The key!" Maria yelped as she turned into her bag and pulled out her book father left her, the chronicles of Moonacre Valley, she opened the pages to reveal a little pouch, in which she pulled out a small key. "You found it!" Loveday cried, with a big smile plastered across her face.