My father's men were on our tails. We were running and running but it seemed as though we would never shake them off. Maria was leading me,her crimson dress streaming out behind her.

She stopped at the tree we had been looking for earlier and slid into the hollow concealed by its roots.

"In here!" she called back to me. I hurriedly followed her to find myself in a dark tunnel with many roots hanging from the ceiling. "Robin,look at this." She breathed in wonder as she pushed open the door in front of us. It creaked open to reveal a chamber that was filled with silvery light let in by the roots that formed the walls. A bed stood in the middle,covered in cob-webs and dust.

"Where are they?" she muttered to herself,rooting under the bed. I pace nervously. This place gave me the chills.

Maria picked up a white dress that was intricately stitched.

"It's hers,it must be!" She exclaimed excitedly. I placed it back in the chest. Maria was tracing her fingers along the roots in a trance like fashion.

"Where,where did you put them?" She asked,as if the original moon princess herself would spring forth and answer her.

She pulled on a root and,as if by magic, a hole appeared in the wall. She looked at me and smiled,her face lit up with excitement. I peered in, craning my neck to look in to the dark hole.

A stone bust of the moon princess stood in the corner, her neck adorned with stone pearls. Maria smiled to herself and she grabbed them. They glowed beneath her fingers and slipped away from the statue.

"The pearls!" I exclaimed. Maybe this suicide mission could have a happy ending after all. Just as Inwas thinking that I heard feet stomping down the tunnel and a cry of "Open the door!"

I placed a root against the door,but it wouldn't hold it for long.

"Robin let's go!" Maria said. We ran into the hole in the wall. Suddenly everything went dark. I couldn't see anything, and let me tell you,it is definitely not a good idea to be stumbling through an unknown passage with no light.

"Its so dark in here." I whispered,voicing my concerns to Maria.

Maria held up the moon pearls and whispered to them "Moon pearls we need your power now. Show us the way."

The pearls glowed in her hands,brighter than any star in the velvet night sky. She went in front and I followed the light,my eyes dazzled by its purity. We came upon a set of stairs and climbed up them. The smell of the sea filled my nose and I could hear water splashing down from the roof. I had no idea where we were.

"We're lost." I stated bleakly.

Maria just carried on walking,that slightly dream like state clouding her eyes. By now I was worried for her.

"Maria-" I started

"Robin,come on!" she insisted. "Don't you see? She's showing us the way." By now I seriously was starting to believes she was in the throes of insanity as I couldn't see anything but dark glistening cave walls but I trusted Maria with my everything so I followed her as we climbed higher and higher.

We emerged onto the circle jutting out of the cliff,the place where this curse had all begun. Father and Sir Benjamin were fighting. The moon was almost touching the sea and it was close,terribly could see each and every crater on its surface.

"Stop!" Maria shouted,hurrying forth.

"No,uncle,no!" she screamed.

"Father, we got them!" I shouted. Maybe, if he knew we could stop the curse,maybe he would let go of his pride.

Father reached out his hands for the pearls. "Give me the pearls!" he spat. She snatched them out of is reach.

"Those damn pearls," Sir Benjamin said "They've brought us nothing but heart ache and grief."

"No, uncle," Maria corrected him " It is not the pearls, but the greed in our hearts which brings us this misery!"

"Father!" a voice rang out. It was my sister. I had missed her greatly after Father banished me. She had always been kind to me,patching me up after Fathers rages,calling me her poor injured robin. And now here she was,her face cast into contrast by the sharp stones around her.

"Why is there so much hatred in your heart?" she asked. He looked at her for a moment,speechless.

"My daughter..." he said, tenderness creeping into his voice.

She grabbed his hands and said beseechingly " Don't you want to be free of this darkness imprisoning you?"

He whirled around and pointed a finger at Sir Benjamin. "It is he,it is he!" He shouted.

"Father!" Loveday said, grasping his hand. "Benjamin." She said,grasping his hand. She placed them together and Maria placed the pearls on top of them. They glowed iridescently, as beautiful as a butterfly's wings.

"Look! The five thousandth moon! The curse is coming true! If you can sacrifice your pride we can save our families. We can save the valley!" Maria pleaded.

Naïvely, I actually thought they might. Then Benjamin said "You first!" to which Father mockingly replied "No,after you!

Maria looked between them both and sighed heavily to herself.

"I must do this myself." She said,stepping forward onto the furthest edge of the cliff. I was watching her closely,because last time Maria had mixed with high places,it hadn't ended well.

She raised the pearls and began to speak. " At the five thousandth moon I,Maria Merryweather, Moon Princess of Moonacre,do remove the curse that darkens this valley. Take back what is yours!" she commanded,flinging the pearls towards the ocean. They fell for a moment before flying back in to her hands. She stared confusedly at them for a moment,before breaking the necklace so that all the pearls were separate and then throwing them forward.

This time, they flew back and attached themselves to her dress. She rubbed the dress frantically, trying to remove them. Then she stopped and walked right to the edge. I had no idea what she was doing. She turned her head towards us and smiled a small and sweet smile before stepping of the cliff edge. I ran towards her shouting her name. I could hear the others shouting too dimly. I reached my arms forward to grab her but it was too late. I had failed her. She plunged under the dark blue waves and didn't emerge. I stared at the place where she had just disappeared. I felt numb inside. She was gone. Swept away by the tide,like a piece of driftwood. My little bird.

Then the moon finally touched the sea. A bright white light shone in my eyes and I got up and backed away, shielding my face. A massive tidal wave rolled up from the sea and headed straight towards us. I stared at it with little fear. Loveday was shielded in Benjamin's arms. Out if the wave emerged white horses that thundered towards us, their hooves pounding against the sand. One of them carried a dark shape on its back, but I didn't let myself hope.

Finally the wave crashed against the cliff face and an explosion of white froth shot up. When I opened my eyes a white horse was standing in front of us. And on its back was Maria. Whether she was aliv or not was another matter. To my great relief she stirred and sat up,smiling a us all.

"Maria!" I said.

She was helped down by sir Benjamin who hugged her. She was hugged and congratulated by almost everyone. She walked up to me and asked "Were you worried Robin?" she asked. I bloody had been. How many damn heart attacks this girl was planning on giving me I didn't know but I wouldn't let her know my concern for her so I said arrogantly "No. Anyone could have done that." Loveday gasped in mock-horror and swatted me on the head.

I went and stood with Father and he smiled slightly at me. It wasn't much but it was a start.

Suddenly a loud roaring echoed around us. We turned to see a black lion in front of us.

"Cats teeth." muttered Benjamin.

"That'll be a black lion,sir." His servant said,dim-wittedly.

Maria smiled and moved forward. "It's alright uncle. It's just Wrolf." Wrolf padded forward and sat next to where the white horse stood.

Behind me my sister and Benjamin were making up, in a most sickening way. He got down on one knee and was just saying her name when Krus came running in and pointed a gun at Maria.

"I'll finish her now!"

I started to run forwards when Marias governess came bursting forward, hitting him repeatedly with her umbrella until he ran off.

Her governess came running towards her and embraced her shouting "Maria my dear, I have come to save you!"

"Thank you,but all is well." She replied, smiling.

Father slung his arm around my shoulder and smiled more than I have ever seen in my life.

Benjamin slid down onto one knee once more and the Governess inquired "Is there to be a wedding" Sir Benjamin's servant walked up to her and slid his fingers into hers awkwardly.

Sir Benjamin smiled and said "Well,then. Nothing to be done." And in a way there wasn't.

We all headed back to the manor and were just walking through the woods when I said to Maria "I need to tell you something." in a low voice. Instantly she called out to the others "We will catch you up!" Loveday smiled knowingly at me. She was too damn observant.

I would tell Maria how I felt. I had decided it. If she didn't return my feelings,well too bad.

I led her behind a tree and stammered nervously "W-well, we've known each other for a bit,and I like you, I mean a lot,but I get it if you don't because I'm a de Noir and you think I'm stupi-"

"Robin." She interrupted me.

"Yeah?" I said, expecting her to reject me.

"Shut up." She said as she placed her lips on mine. The smell of vanilla was everywhere and it pulled me closer to her. Her small hands were so warm against my back. I placed my hands on her back and I could feel her delicate shoulder blades, just like wings. We pulled away and she smiled shyly at me.

We walked slowly through the green forest, hand in hand.

X Fin x

Xx Hope you all enjoyed it,it was super fun to write! I'm quite pleased with how it went. I shall be writing another story on Moonacre but you will just have to wait and se what it is! I love you all! Buh