Moonbeam - A Robin De Noir Story (The Secret of Moonacre)

CHAPTER 15

"What is it?" The young bandit boy asked worriedly. Constance muttered to herself quietly as she attempted to get out of her bed in a haste. Robin noticed this and leapt into action as he saw her walking wobbly quickly which led him to throw the book onto her mattress. He did not want her to fall and injure herself further so his one arm slotted around her waist while the other held her hand. Surprisingly to the both of them she did not protest. "What are you looking for exactly?" He asked inquisitively.

"I'm not looking for anything I just want something on my dressing table." He did not need to ask further questions as Constance hastily reached for the item that was placed to the side of the desk space. Her hands shakily reached for the delicate object, her ideas now becoming solid fact. "Robin could you please get the book?" he nodded before carefully letting her go. He kept her in the corner of his eye ready to be there for her if she needed support.

Within seconds he was back by her side with the book in his hands. Constance wasted no time taking it off him. She placed it swiftly onto the table and then held the hair comb close by it. At that moment they both understood. "Please tell me this is just a silly fairy tale, Robin." She stated quietly. He wanted to, he really did, but no matter how much he desired to change it the truth was exactly that... the truth. "I wish it was."

"What does all of this even mean? The book? This comb and its pearls. The string of pearls mentioned in the story which you and your family are set on finding!" he furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance. "It is not just my family Constance." She crossed her arms disapprovingly. "Well, you are the only ones actively looking for them." He scoffed at her statement. "The only reason for that is because you Merryweathers have them hidden here! You already have the comb." He stated while pointing towards it in her hand.

"If you want the comb, take it!" She pushed it towards him before continuing. "I do not want any part of this stupid curse." One of the blasted things his family desperately wanted was within his grasp, yet he still did not take it. "Oh. you don't want it now Robin? I did not think so. No, let the silly naïve Merryweather girl deal with the consequences of two families who are too proud to admit their faults and greed!"

The two had riled themselves up so much and were now facing the consequences. Robin huffed from annoyance and Constance turned and stormed to her window wanting some distance. The two stood in awkward silence. Robin was resting his body weight against her dressing table desk watching the girl whose back was towards him. His eyes closed as he sighed loudly. He did not want to argue with her. "I'm sorry..." he said quietly. She was right about being too proud. Upon hearing his apology, despite it being so quiet, she turned to face him with a sad smile. "Me too."

"I'm sorry too. But you do not have anything to be sorry for. You are quite right feeling the way you do." She sighed heavily as she sunk in the cushion of her window seat, she was sitting extremely unladylike by slouching. "I suppose I just do not understand why it falls upon me to bear the burden..." He nodded in understanding and walked towards her. Constance looked up to meet Robin's eyes and despite having not known him for very long, as well as the right reasons, she could tell something was on his mind. "What is it?"

"Back home in our library we have the same story but we also own another book linking to it. The book shows handwritten entries from the Moon Princess." Constance furrowed her brow. "So... you have been reading someone's diary? That's very rude of you." He scoffed. "Really Constance? That's what you picked up on?" She nodded and he shook his head with a smirk on his lips before continuing. "The diary entries provided us with detail of not only her unstable life after the whole ordeal with her Father and Wrolf Merryweather but also information about the effects of the curse."

"Might I ask as to how you came to possess such a book?" He shrugged looking smug. Let's just say the De Noir ancestor who happened upon it one day lived up to the clan's name... he got it from your ancestor while he was in the Merryweather mansion gardens. A cunning fellow from what has been said and written about him." Constance wanted to protest but Robin quickly shushed her. "But that's not the point I'm trying to get at. The book talks about how both families would be impacted in the final days of the curse. The curse is said to be slow at first, but if our families do not reconcile, there will have to be a sacrifice. Something that each family sees hope in... will be lost forever."