The Moon's Faithful Promise - Secret of Moonacre

Memories & Memorials

The carriage ride was silent and stiff. Loveday's gaze remained fixed out the window, not focusing on anything in particular. Maria observed the tight line that Loveday's lips formed as she felt and appeared distant. The liveliness that she had known had vanished, revealing the cold facade that all De Noir's wore so easily and well.

As they passed through the looming gates that surrounded the De Noir land and fortress, Miss Heliotrope's nervous squawks and muttering began as she attempted to fish her charcoal pills out of her hand bag. Maria watched out the window of the carriage as the heavy doors of the gate were pushed closed by the guards and secured with large planks of wood. Coeur De Noir had been nearly driving himself mad with new security measures around the fortress. Those who called the lower levels of the De Noir lands home made the walk up the winding road towards the fortress, clad in black. 

The carriage pulled to a halt in front of the entrance to the fortress. Sir Benjamin was the first out and assisted Loveday. Maria stepped down from the carriage and was once again face to face with the doorway she had entered through many months ago. The skulls and bones that surrounded the entrance seemed all the more sinister on a day like today. Swallowing back her nerves, Maria pressed on and followed her uncle and Loveday inside and down the old wooden plank stairs.

Coeur De Noir stood in the massive dinning hall of the great fortress, speaking in hushed voices with several young men, all dressed in true De Noir fashion. He turned, acknowledging their presence and pulling Benjamin and Loveday into tight embraces before acknowledging the rest of the party.

"It's good to see you, Benjamin." Coeur De Noir began

"On the most unfortunate circumstances, however." Benjamin added

"Yes, indeed." Coeur De Noir's face fell as he cleared his voice, "I have arranged rooms for all of you to freshen up in before this evening's ceremony. Shall we go?"

"Let me check with my footman on our belongings and we may go." Benjamin said

Coeur De Noir nodded as Benjamin stalked off to find Digweed. As he turned to face Loveday, a reflection of firelight at Maria's side caught his attention. Maria turned slightly, placing her hand gently against the blade of Robin's dagger. With a curt nod, he began a quiet conversation with his daughter until Sir Benjamin's return with luggage and Digweed.

As Maria followed the party down the hall, something brushed up against her hand that was firmly wrapped around the handle of her tote. She turned abruptly as she felt the bag be pulled from her grasp and came face-to-face with a young man clad in black leather. Her eyes closed momentarily as she breathed in his earthy and pine scent, similar to that of Robin's yet entirely different.

His lips turned into an upward quirky smile as he ushered her to catch up with the party. He showed no intention of letting her carry her luggage as he switched her bag to his hand furthest from her. She was forced to pick up her pace so as to keep up with his great strides. Coeur De Noir was speaking to Benjamin and the party about the architecture and history of the fortress, but Maria's focus was turned to the nuisance at her side. 

"You must be Maria, the Moon Princess. Robin's told me about you, wouldn't shut up actually, if you believe that. Made huntin' pretty difficult." The young man chuckled.

"You know Robin?" Maria questioned in a hushed tone, attempting to hide her blush

The young man's face fell, "We were best friend, Robin and I. I was the one out with him when they killed him."

"But Uncle said that they never found a body. So how do you know he's really dead?" Maria pressed in surprise.

"He's been missing for days now. Robin knows the forest but no one could survive out there this long without supplies and a jacket." The young man swallowed hard as he shook his head, "Besides, they left a clear message written in blood, Robin's blood, and left his dagger for good measure."

Maria instinctively reached to her side, fingers wrapping around Robin's dagger. The young man's eyes followed her movements until they locked on the item in question. For a moment, Maria saw his smirk fade as his eyes softened. He let out a short, curt breath as he shook his head before putting on the same smile he had given her when they met earlier.

Coeur De Noir's booming voice brought her back, "-And this will be where the Moon Princess will be staying for the length of your visit."

"I should think it best for me to stay with Maria and help her settle in." Miss Heliotrope fretted

"Nonsense! We are off to your quarters next." Coeur De Noir silenced her

"It's best I take my leave. Plenty to do before this evenin'." the young man offered

Maria nodded as the rest of the party continued down the stone hallway of the fortress. She took her bag from the young stranger, giving him a hushed word of thanks for his assistance. A wild glint flashed across his eyes as he gave her a toothy grin before stalking off down the hallway they'd just come from. He abruptly stopped and turned towards her.

"It's Henry, by the way, Princess." The young man proceeded to leave

Maria found her room for the evening to be much larger than her room in Moonacre Manor. It was decorated to true De Noir fashion, deep fabrics and sturdy, dark woods. The fire crackled as she carefully pressed her hand over Robin's jacket.

Without second thought, she slid it on and glanced into the mirror. It had been far too big for her but Robin's familiar scent remained, seeming embedded into the jacket itself. Her uncle rapping at the door startled her. She quickly removed the jacket, tucking it back safely inside her luggage, before walking to the ceremony and being seated near the head of the table.

There was a heaviness about the room as all came together to mourn the loss of Robin. No one dared touch the dinner that awaited them on the table. Coeur De Noir thanked everyone for being in attendance and requested that the night not just be filled with sorrow but with memories in honor of Robin.

As the night drew on and those in attendance grew drunker on wine, Maria excused herself to her quarters. Carefully she unfolded and laid out the yellowing paper on the round table of her room. Her fingers gently traced the lines on the parchment as she took in the map of Moonacre valley. 

She saw the Moon Princess's hideaway tree, the villiage of Silverdew, Moonacre Manor, and the De Noir castle. Never before had she seen such a detailed map, and there were many places on this map that she had not seen on any of the ones in her uncle's study. There was a small spiraling structure just to the west of the castle.

Drawing in a sharp breath, she rushed out onto her balcony. Gripping the stone carved railing, she stretched as tall as she could in hopes of being able to see the structure from there. To her dismay, it was too dark to make anything out past the fortress gates. All she saw was the fires casting eerie glows and shadows of the patrolling guards on the stones.

On the wind, she could hear the neighing. Her attention was drawn to the whispy figure of the white horse as it pranced around the lower levels of the De Noir land and straight to the front gates. It shook its head and whinnied before vanishing, passing through the heavy wooden doors of the gate, unseen by anyone else but the Moon Princess's eyes.

Tomorrow. 

Tomorrow she would find Robin.

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