I am truly, madly, deeply sorry of taking soooooooo long to update. I was having a hard time with many things the passed few months and couldn't find the creativity to write. A big thanks to all of you who are still following my story and an even bigger one to those who have put it in their favourite list. So here we go…..

Two hours after Loveday had woken up, everything was in order. The bridesmaids were ready and now, alongside with Maria and Cecilia, were fixing Loveday's hair. They had fixed them up in a lovely fishtail braid and would later decorate them with fresh flowers. Loveday's eyes were shining with ecstasy and her smile was as bright as the sun, now that she had calmed down. Her wedding dress looked marvelous on her and Maria couldn't help but smile excited at the woman who was soon to be her aunt.

After Loveday was ready, Maria's and Cecilia's turn came. The two girls changed with quick movements into the dresses they had picked for the wedding.

Cecilia's dress was a wine purple colour, making her eyes look bluer and complementing her ginger hair. She wore her hair up in a high bun with baby hair framing her face in the form of soft curls.

Maria, on the other hand, had chosen a turquoise dress, its bodice embroided with silver strings creating a vein pattern. She had let her hair down and the untamed curls fell wildly on her shoulders, with only one silver ribbon keeping a part of them away from her face,

"Oh my, Maria, you are beautiful! And you Cecilia look lovely!" Loveday shouted in delight clapping her hands together like a child would do. Maria smiled at the woman's actions.

"Well, Maria will definitely impress EVERYONE at the festivities after the wedding ceremony, don't you agree, Loveday?" Cecilia said looking at her best friend knowingly. Maria's smile vanished and she looked at Cecilia wide-eyed. Loveday, finally catching up, smiled mischievously. "Yea I absolutely agree, my dear. Maria will definitely impress many young men today. Is there anyone in particular you would like to catch his attention, Maria?" Loveday asked faking innocence.

Robin's image appeared in Maria's mind and the young girl flushed, her cheeks turning into a cheery shade of red.

Why did I think of him now…stupid mind…..stupid Cecilia…..and Loveday, you idiot! Of course I don't want to impress anyone. I am not interested in anyone...Yes I am not…I am definitely not…

"You are being ridiculous. I can bet that Cecilia will attract more male attention than I will. And besides, I am not interested in anyone." She said. She had wanted to sound sure about herself and confident but her answer to the two women's teasing had came out of her mouth in the form of an embarrassed mumble.

Both Loveday and Cecilia nodded agreeing with her, but the knowing smiles and mischievious glint in their eyes never left. "Yeah, sure, you aren't interested, honey. Now I do believe we need to head to where the wedding will take place. Loveday, it was lovely meeting you. We will see you later." Cecilia said turning from Maria to Loveday. Then she grabbed Maria's arm and dragged her out of the room. The girl was too occupied trying to keep up with Cecilia that she didn't notice the glances her friend exchanged with Loveday. This was definitely going to be a long day…

The two girls reached the yard on the back side of the castle where the ceremony would take place. The majority of the guests- most of them being members of the De Noir family- were already there talking and laughing with each other. Maria spotted Coeur De Noir talking with Miss Heliotrope of all people. She couldn't help but giggle at the strange sight.

Her uncle was a bit harder to spot. Excusing herself to Cecilia, who by then had found her brother and was now chatting excited with him, she wandered around trying to find her uncle.

She found him near the end of the yard, besides the stone wall that surrounded the castle. He was standing still, his gaze unfocused, and he seemed to be in his own world. So it was no surprise that when Maria called him, he jumped slightly, being taken by surprise.

"Oh, Maria, it's just you." He breathed.

"Are you all right?" the girl asked, growing worried. Her uncle was never so absentminded. Benjamin shook his head with his eyes closed.

"Just a bit nervous. It's ridicilous, I know. I have wanted this for God know how long and now, at the last minute, I am getting nervous…." He sighed, leaning against the wall and looking up. Maria smiled.

"It's absolutely logical to get nervous. It's not everyday that you get married to the love of your life. Just breathe and remember how much you love Loveday. Then all the stress will vanish." She adviced him, speaking softly. She then hugged him. Benjamin smiled, hugging his niece back.

"Since when did you become all wise and mature?" he said jokingly. "Well, saving all of you from absolute distraction had some impact on my way of thinking." Maria said laughing. Benjamin bend down, kissing the girl's forehead.

"Thank you. For everything." He said. Maria's smile grew even wider. "Come on, the ceremony is starting any minute now. And I believe you are a valid person for the ceremony to actually be complete." She said, grabbing her uncle's forearm and together they walked towards the rest of the people.

Maria left her uncle with the priest, after giving him a small peck on the cheek and wishing him luck, and headed towards the last line of chairs that had been placed there for the guests to sit during the ceremony. There Cecilia and Nick were already sitting, as well as Lysander, Peter and John. The De Noir boys waved at her, all grinning, as she sat on an empty sit, with Cecilia to her left and John to her right.

"My beatiful princess, I must say you look even more enchanting than before…"

Lysander was quickly shut up by a smack on the back of his head from Peter. "Shut up, lover boy, because if his royal highness hears you, you will probably be dead by this time tomorrow." The older boy whispered. Unfortunately for them, Maria could still hear what he said. "Peter, what are you talking about? Why Robin would hurt Lysander?" She asked. All three De Noir, as well as Cecilia, who had heard what Peter said, turned and looked at her bewildered. "Why are you looking at me like that? What did I say?" Maria protested, growing more confused than even. The three boys sighed and shook their heads in defeat. "Honey, you being oblivious can be so cute sometimes." Cecilia said, laughing lightly. "What are you talking about?" Maria asked. Cecilia wasn't making any sense at all to her.

The girl didn't get to answer because the musician started playing music and everyone turned to look at Loveday who had just exited the castle. With her right arm resting on the crook of Couert De Noir's elbow, her left hand holding a bouquet of lilies and a wide smile on her face, the bride was glowing with happiness.

Maria threw a quick glance at her uncle only to see him with a same smile as Loveday's on his face, eyes glassy from tears unshed. She smiled, feeling tears gathering in her own eyes.

Turning her focus back at Loveday, she noticed that behind the bride and her father, Robin was following. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. Having abandoned his usual attire, he was dressed in a maroon red shirt, black pants and vest, and a black tie wrapped around his neck. The only thing that was the same was his hat atop his head.

Wow, he looks….wow….Wait a second! Maria, stop ogling at him! He is Robin for heaven's sake! He is just Robin…although he looks so handsome….No, no, no stop thinking like that!

The inner conflict in Maria's head was most probably visible on her face because the girl saw that Cecilia was looking at her with a knowing gaze, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Robin looks nice. Don't you think so, Maria?" the girl asked, nudging her friend with her elbow. Maria fought hard the blush that was threatening to appear on her face. "I…I don't know….I mean sure he does…not that he doesn't generally-um-I mean that-um…I…" the girl tried unsuccessfully to form a proper sentence. John, who had witnessed everything, although he couldn't deny that seeing the moon princess all flustered and in denial was an amusing sight, decided to help the pour girl out. "Miss Bishop, I do believe the ceremony is about to start." He pointed out, his eyes looking accusingly at Cecilia, an obvious sign for her to be quiet. The girl glared at him, annoyed that the young De Noir had messed up with her fun and her plan to make Maria admit she had feelings for Robin.

Truly, the ceremony did start and the two, along with Maria, who had calmed down, thankful to have escaped whatever plan Cecilia had in motion, turned to look at Loveday and Sir Benjamin who were facing the priest. They exchanged vows and the priests declared them husband and wife.

As the newlyweds shared a kiss, Maria joined the others clapping and cheering loudly for the union of two of the most important people in her life here at Moonacre Valley. As she looked around, taking in the happy faces and bright smiles, her eyes met with a pair of dark brown eyes. She offered Robin a soft smile, hoping that the distance between them hid the light blush on her cheeks. A blush which darkened significantly as he returned the smile with a boyish charming one of his own.

"And now, my beautiful angels, time to see how De Noirs celebrate!" Lysander announced enthusiastically grabbing both Cecilia and Maria and taking them to the part of the castle's yard where the after-ceremony party would be held. "I better go and restrain that casanova." John muttered and went after them, soon to be followed by Peter and Nick who were laughing at the sight. Maria looked over her shoulder, trying to find Robin again, but the quests had sat up and were moving, hiding the boy from her. She sighed defeated and instead focused on not tripping while Lysander was pulling them, moving almost to quickly for her to keep up.

Lysander had every right to be enthusiastic about the celebration the De Noir had planned. Tall wooden poles were placed all around the place, supporting colourful festoons and beautiful lanterns, shading more light as the evening went by and nighttime came. The music, enchanting and feeling the entire place, hadn't stopped not even once the passed two hours and people were always dancing at the rapid and cheerful beat. Food was being handed, the pleasant smells feeling the air.

Maria had danced twice with John and Lysander, once with Peter-who was now busy trying to get the girl he liked, a young pretty brunette who was on her break from playing the flute- and once with her uncle, who had a wide grin plastered on his face all evening, making it hard for her not to laugh at his almost childlike happiness. She had decided to take a break, finding an empty table-many of them were scattered all over the place- and sitting there with Cecilia, who had a flustered face after dancing nonstop for an hour.

"I cannot believe this! This…this is amazing!" Cecilia exclaimed gesturing to the general view of the festivities around them. Maria laughed, nodding as she couldn't agree more with her best friend's words.

Lysander approached them with a flirty smile and offered his hand to Cecilia. "My lovely mademoisele Bishop, would you do me the honor of accompaning me to a dance?!" he asked, doing a dramatic bow for effect. The girl shared a look, giggling at the boy's theatrical behaviour. Cecilia's eyes caught something over Maria's shoulder and the girl smiled widely. "Guess your Prince Charming found you at last." She said, bitting her lips trying not to laugh. Maria turned around on her chair, hands on the chair's back. Her eyes widened as she spotted Robin heading their way. Since the party had started, she hadn't gotten a chance to talk or even see him. He had gotten rid of the tie, leaving the first two buttons of his shirt undone, and he had its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Maria gulped and turned to look at her best friend, who had stood up and was in front of Lysander. "Well, I cannot dissapoint our dear Lysander here, can I?" Cecilia answered to Maria's pleading look, begging her to stay. Seeing that her friend didn't crack a smile and was holding onto the top of the chair's back so strongly her knuckles turned white, her gaze softened. "Sweetie, you will be fine. Just relax and enjoy yourself." She reassured her and taking Lysander's hand, the two joined the others who were dancing.

Maria breathed in and out, calming her nerves while watching Robin coming closer and closer with every moments. He was only a few feet away when suddenly Nick appeared before Maria. The boy smiled charmingly at her and her heart skipped a beat. He had, after all, been her first crush and would always be a dear friend to her. A friend who was extremely handsome and funny and smart. "You wouldn't refuse dancing with an old friend, would you?" Nick asked, taking her hand into his. Maria smiled, noticing that he was using the tone that he had reserved for charming young girls. "You aren't trying to charm me, are you, young Bishop?" she asked intending to make a joke. But Nick bended his neck, his face coming a bit too close to hers. "And what if I am?" he said, his voice deep and his blue eyes glowing bright under the light of the lanterns. Maria felt her heartbeat speed up and she was praying that she wasn't blushing. "Do you want that dance or not?" she breathed, standing up while moving away from Nick as well. The boy either didn't noticed that she was trying to change the subject of conversation on purpose or decided not to comment on it. Either way he pulled gently at her hand, tugging her closer to his side. "Shall we?" he said and moved towards the group of people who were still dancing.

Maria noticed a familiar blur of black and red with the corner of her eye and turned to look at Robin. The boy was definitely staring at the pair, lips closed tightly forming a thin line, hands curled into fists. But the moment Maria turned her head around to meet his gaze, he turned around and went towards another group of who the girl assumed were young De Noirs. She felt a tug at her heart at the memory of his dark, burning gaze that she had seen before he had turned away. But she shook that feeling away, put a smile on her face and let Nick lead her through the cheerful steps of the dance.

She tried to enjoy herself. And she succeeded mostly. Only once did her mind wander far enough to question what could have happened if Robin had been by her side before Nick.

A/N: Oh, cute little Maria being in denial…isn't in adorable?! And Nick, you idiot! Stealing her away from Robin like that…Expect more drama in the next chapter (which I promise will not be after so many months)