Chapter 7
AN: Thank you to the very first few followers of this fanfiction, you made my day, enjoy!
Warning: adult content
...But he wasn't as forceful and as cruel as before and I wasn't reluctant to follow and I wasn't scared of being harmed as before. So I didn't hesitate or struggle to break free but willingly allowed him to pull me down into the safety of the hollow.
Maria's pov
We we momentarily enveloped in darkness as our eyes adjusted to the abrupt absence of light within the hollow. I made a small cough as the dirt we kicked up from sliding into the entrace of the hollow swirled about the air and invaded my lungs. Shapes began to take form. And I could now see how the sunlight filtered softly through, here and there about the roots. I could see a rather ancient looking door made of slats of wood to the right and large roots twisting into the earth in many places and others hanging freely from the tree above us.
And I could now see Robin. He was standing before me, mere inches between us, and my back was against the wall of the hollow. He still held my arm, although gently, as if he had forgotten that he had me in his grasp. And he was attentively fixated on the entrance that we had just bounded through. I watched his chest rise and fall with each breath and I noticed how it slowed as he ascertained there was no longer a threat. "Wait here." Robin instructed as he let go of my arm. He dashed out of the entrace of the hollow and into the clearing. I squinted my eyes against the light of the sun trying to see what he could be doing. And I smiled when I saw that he was covering our tracks from the clearing with fallen leaves and he worked to disguise the opening of the hollow with more leaves and some fallen branches. " Clever boy." I said to myself still smiling.
"Come on." I whispered to Robin excitedly as I pushed through the old wooden door. I was ecstatic to be here again and for the chance to explore the first Moon Princess's humble dwelling. I had been planning this very moment for many nights so I was very ecstatic indeed that I was finally here. The door creaked at it's weight as it opened and we stepped into the quaint and mysterious room of the first Moon Princess. To the right sat a small table and two chairs, also made from slats of battered looking wood. And against the far wall directly in front of us lay a bed with an intricately carved headboard and it was adorned with what appeared to have once been beautiful linens and a lace throw, now covered in years of dust and dirt. And at the foot of the bed sat a large trunk.
The ceiling was made up of the roots of the tree and there were three windows of sorts-oddly shaped pieces of opaque looking glass, placed between larger gaps in the roots. And the floor was of dirt, packed down nicley and leveled out. To the left was the secret entrance to the caves that lead to the bluff, where Robin and I had travelled before. But now that I looked more closely, I could see that it was also a fireplace. And there was a kettle on a hook both made of iron and two small tea cups, saucers and a matching pot sat in a small cupboard to the left. They were white and had a beautiful pattern that consisted of a vine of thorns and pink rose buds with dark green leaves.
We gazed about the room in silence. Yet again in awe as we once were before, the day the curse was broken. I walked about, softly caressing the belongings long since left behind. I ran my hand down the side of the bed and picked up an edge of the lace throw. It was very well preserved although a bit yellowed from the years of dirt floating down from the earth above. I knealt before the large trunk and lifted it open. There was the dress from before, it was the first Moon Princess's wedding gown just as in the story. I gasped incredulously as the realization came to me. The realization that the first Moon princess really had existed. It wasn't just a fable in a book. I was really holding the gown she was meant to wear as she wed Sir Wrolf Merryweather, my ancester. And she had really been an ancestor of Robin's. But fate wouldn't allow their union. Just as it tried deny the union of my Uncle and Loveday. I slammed the trunk shut as if doing away with such a notion in my head. I didn't want to fathom such ideas of fates or destinies and of broken hearts.
I turned instead to Robin who I hadn't realized was standing next to me, watching me. I thought it quite gentlemanly of him to quietly allow for me to explore as I had, without interruption. He must of caught on as to how special this place was to me and how eager I was to learn what I could of the first Moon Princess from her belongings and her near primal yet cozy hideaway. "Forgive me. This place never ceases to astound me." I said grinning happily. " Have you really never seen it before, having spent your whole life in the forest?" I asked. Robin shifted from foot to the other, "No. I haven't. I'd seen this tree before but I'd never a reason to think anything more of it." He replied shrugging his shoulders. "Strange. Very strange indeed," I pondered aloud making my way over to the fireplace. I rested my hand on the carving of a horse's head, the secret latch that opened the secret tunnel to the caves, "Perhaps it had to do with the curse and perhaps it hadn't revealed itself until it was needed." I continued.
"And so it's possible no one else knows where to find this place then?" I asked Robin, turning to face him. "Perhaps. But more so, no one has reason to find it in the first place. Dulac and two other of my father's foolish men were the only ones besides us to have come here and that was only because they followed us." Robin replied. "And so, I can trust this will be our secret then?" I asked smiling coyly.
"I believe this hollow needs a caretaker of sorts. It's a shame the condition it is in. I hope to return here and tidy it up and keep it as my special place. And theres much more to explore." I explained recalling the caves and the bluff and how I would love to explore there as well. The corner of Robin's mouth pulled up into a slight smile and he plopped down on the edge of the bed sending a cloud of dust into the air, we both laughed, "You are right. This place could use a bit of tyding up if you are planning on spending any time here." We locked eyes again and I could feel my pulse quicken. I'd never been alone with a boy before unchaperoned, as it wasn't proper for a Lady. And I quickly became nervous again. I turned away slightly to hid my blush as a mix of feelings came over me about Robin. I couldn't help but stare at his mouth and I quite liked how his lips were quite straight but not too thin with a little dip on the top. I thought they were masculine yet soft. "Perhaps, you can come back with me, and help. We could cut away some of these roots hanging down. And you could take me through the caves, I'd love to see the bluff again." I rambled trying to break the awkward silence. Robin was one of few words and I was quite acustomed to the rather constant chatterings of Miss Heliotrope when in her company. I hoped I wasn't portraying any of her antics.
A cold begun to creep into the hollow and I shivered. Nightfall would be soon approaching. There was a faint howl of a wolf from somewhere out in the forest. It caught Robin's attention, alerting him of the encroaching time, "We should go if you wish to return home before dark." He turned toward the door and held it open. I crossed the room and brushed past him and through the door. But Robin caught my hand, "Maria, wait." He said softly.
Robin pulled me back gently and took a step closer. My chest heaved as my breath quickened. He released my hand and slid his around my waist to the small of my back and pulled me against him. My skin tingled and my heart pounded with fear and excitment and curiosity, at his touch. He smelled of pine and leather and of fallen leaves on a warm Autumn day. Then he pressed his lips against mine softly. A flush of warmth came over me and my knees felt weak. His lips felt just as delectable as I had imagined they would during those many moments I'd catch myself staring at them.
Robin pulled away slightly and looked into my eyes. I wrapped my hand behind his neck and pulled him back, wanting more. Our lips met again and he pressed his hand against my back pulling me tighter against him. His chest and arms felt strong and muscular and I let out a small moan in approval. I leant up on the tips of my toes and parted my lips allowing his tongue to slide across mine, tasting eachother. I entangled my fingers into his soft, loose curls, not permitting him to go. My head was spinning. I felt his hand move to my waist and I deepened the kiss by letting my tongue slip into his mouth and touch his, and linger over those lips that I so longingly adored. Tasting him again, another quiet moan escaped before we broke apart, hearts beating rapidly and our hands trembling with desire.
"Robin...I." He interrupted me with one last slow, soft kiss, "I would very much like to come back here with you again."
