ROBIN POV

A carriage decked in nothing but white drapes and colors floated up the drive. My heart leaped and I ran to the gate to meet the carriage to find anything I could on Maria. "Driver, who goes here" I demanded using a deep voice I saved only for speaking with my father. The tall man looked down at me without saying a word and continued on driving leaving me in a whirl of dust.

"Who do you think you are?!" I shouted chasing down the unknown carriage. Dirt and rocks flew in my face and I felt like I was once again a boy chasing down my father's carriage begging him not to leave on his latest "business" trip. I reached for the carriage open window and pull myself onto it. I glanced into the window and saw red curly hair draped peeking out of a white hood. Maria. "Maria!" I yelled as I lost my grip and tumbled to the rocky ground.

In complete awe, I scooped up my hat and continued on full speed to the manor, ignoring the sharp stings of pain in my feet from the sharp rocks below. All I could think about was her. Maria. Perhaps I really did care for her in a way a man should love a woman. How it's supposed to be. What else could explain this tugging feeling on my heart making me want to be with her every instant?

The carriage came to a halt when it reached the front doors of Moonacre and I lunged for the carriage door. "Maria!?" I yelled as I scooped her into my arms, completely ignoring the man that sat to her right. She looked into my eyes and I felt a smile from ear to ear blossom on my dirty face.

"Robin!" she exclaimed, acting nearly as excited as I was. Her arms wrapped around my neck tightly and the mess of curls on her shoulders fell into my face, filling my nostrils with her sweet scent. "Oh Robin I was so worried for you!" she managed out and then as quick as her happiness came, it faded away. Her smile left and she said solemnly "Well now, could you please be so kind as to put my down sir." I nodded my head in awkward agreement and lowered her down safely to the ground.

It was as if she had remembered the night of our, disagreement, and suddenly remembered she did not care for me anymore. Damn Merrywether pride.

A tall man with hair overdue for a cut peered out of the carriage. "Um, Robin, this is Ares, he has graciously escorted me to Moonacre . His sister cared for me after my, little scrape." The man she called Ares stepped down and revealed his flawless face. It was perfectly shaped and unblemished, with no dirt, unlike mine. He was wearing a robe, or as I like to say it, dress, that flowed and dragged the ground like a train.

"Ah, the infamous Robin de Noir, pleased to meet you. I very much look forward to meeting your father. The wind blew and strands of his hair flew in all directions, revealing two, peculiar, ears.

"Bloody Hell." I yelped as I realized that his ears were, pointed. "Robin de Noir you are the rudest and obnoxious person I've ever met!" She cried as she pushed me aside. "Come along Ares, I would like to introduce you to my uncle Benjamin." I watched as she and her idol walked into the manor, leaving me aside like a piece of meat.

"But Maria you haven't even explained where you've been!" I cried after her, hoping I would win some overdue sympathy.

She turned to me and narrowed her silver eyes "You sir can ask your sister."

Rejected, humiliated, Maria had ripped me apart and I couldn't help but feel I deserved it. Good bloody grief, that's the last time I tangle with a Merrywether girl. If she wants to play this game, I'll go along with it.

Maria had been back for nearly 2 hours and I was still banned from Moonacre. For the past hour I've been practicing my knife throwing chucking my dagger at the wooden headboard of my bed. CLUNCK, the dagger struck again as I groaned in anxiety.

Where had she been, when did she meet her pretty boy Ares? So many questions I longed for the answers for. CLANK! A noise came from the hallway followed by low grunts of laughter I only assumed came from the blasted dwarfs. Father had allowed them to make camp in our courtyard, allowing them access to the castle, which they greatly abused.

I made me way over to my bad and went down, making the springs creak. I swear, I would be cursed to live with a constant swarm of flies flying around my head than have to put up with these dwarfs another day. From my open window flew an odd looking bug that aimed straight for my head. Perfect. "Stop it, cut it out." I moaned flailing my hands around trying to swat the annoying creature.

Two more followed in and I immediately regretted my wish. I managed to it one of them sending it flying to the nearby wall. "Ouch!" came a high pitched squeal taking me completely off guard. "What the bloody hell is that?" I exclaimed as the creature suddenly grew in size. A young woman dazzling in all blue glared down at me. I fell back in disbelief as wings flew up from her back.

"Boo." She whispered sending me completely off the bed with my hat flying off. I recovered and peaked out over the top reaching for my dagger stuck in the headboard, but it was gone. "Looking for this?" she questioned tautly, whisking the knife in her dainty hands. I heard giggles behind me and looked to see the other 2 creatures had taken their full form and were having quite fun taunting me.

"Look, whatever you are, just gives me back my bloody dagger and I won't hurt you." I warned, trying to act as stern as possible. She let out a degrading laugh that turned my face red. "Here boy I mean you no harm." She smiled as she gently tossed my dagger to the floor. "My name's Azure, and you are?"

I picked up my hat and swept off the dust along with retrieving my dagger from the cold floor. "Robin, Robin de Noir, heir to the de Noir clan." I replied with dignity. "Oh my, my. You are quite the little man aren't you?" she giggled. She was beautiful, with long, blue curly hair. Her eye's sparkled a deep sapphire color when she smiled and her teeth glistened a dazzling white.

"Oh, how rude of me, Sir de Noir, these are my fellow fairies, Violet and Apricot." She gestured to the two creatures behind me, one in purple and the other in orange. "Fairies? You've got to be kidding me." I mumbled as I pushed my hat back and sighed. "Any more of you?"

"Just a few, we've come to serve our Moonprincess, she has summoned us." She replied.

"Wait, you're Moonprincess? You mean Maria?" I asked in utter confusion. "Oh yes I do believe that's what they call her now. What a pity, you'd think a princess would have a better name. Oh I do believe Emerald with suite her better." She trailed off.

Come to serve the Moonprincess? What did Maria have to do with any of this? Perhaps it is for the same reason the elves and dwarfs are here as well. Good bloody grief, will this madness ever cease?