Day 1: Zoom/Video Call
"For next class, please read chapter 9 and be ready to discuss the social and political impact of the Norman Conquest on England—and don't forget, your essays are due this Friday. Have a wonderful day and stay safe!"
Maria watched, unblinking, as square after black square disappeared from the virtual 'room'. Not even the professor had their camera on.
'This meeting has been ended by the host.'
The zoom window finally closed.
Maria blinked.
4:56 pm read the time centered against the starlit wallpaper of her Mac book screen. She turned to look at her planner that was strewn over her bed.
No more classes for the day.
Maria fell back onto her bed with a groan. She rubbed her dry eyes, not caring one bit that she was smearing the little make-up she coaxed herself into putting on that morning.
" 'Dress the part' they said. 'It'll make you feel normal' they said," Maria mumbled to herself.
She didn't feel normal, all she felt was drained. It was the start of her second year at university… and well over six months into a pandemic that showed no signs of stopping.
She raised her iphone. 4:57 pm. The locking screen was of her family. A picture taken the day of her nephew's first birthday, December 2019. Georgie was centered in the picture, sitting between her uncle Benjamin and Loveday. Maria stood next to her uncle, leaning over his shoulder, while Ms. Heliotrope, their nanny, was by her side with an arm around her back. To Loveday's other side was Loveday's father, Mr. De Noir, and her brother, Robin.
Maria wiped her eyes with the hem of her t-shirt. It felt like an eternity since she last saw them. She missed them. Unlike her roommates, she didn't move back home at the beginning of lockdown. She had just started an internship, one that was supposed to go well into the summer. Yet only 3 months later, she and the rest of the interns were dismissed, with promises to still receive full class credits.
With public transportation being the only way to get home, she didn't want to risk her or her family's safety. Yet day after day, her longing for home depressingly grew like the number of covid cases.
María turned on her side and clicked her laptop back on. She opened her FaceTime app and typed in Loveday's name.
She propped herself on her elbow and began the call. As she waited, she grimaced at her disheveled appearance. Her red curls were in a messy bun, black mascara smeared around her eyes, her university-themed t-shirt was slipping over her shoulder. The very picture of a work-from-home student.
Lately, she and Loveday had begun a new game, 'Fashion: Covid'. They would jokingly judge each other's "outfit", as well as the rest of the family's, as though they were judges on Project Runway or Next in Fashion. Maria smiled. She couldn't wait to see what Loveday would tease her about today.
"Maria!" A husky voice greeted, "It's been a while—"
Her eyes flew open as she slammed her laptop shut.
She scrambled out of bed and ran to her bathroom, stumbling over her laptop's charging cables. Maria washed her face with cold water and soap, doing nothing more than smearing her make-up.
"Oh bugger..." Maria pried open her mirror cabinet, spilling some products as she grabbed her make-up remover. 'What was Robin doing at the Manor?' Maria hastily squirted the remover onto the cotton ball, splashing some on her shirt and cursing under her breath. She scrubbed her eyes, ignoring the sting of the remover seeping in.
She rinsed off her face. Grabbing her hand towel, she rubbed her face dry, and ran back to her room, diving right into her bed.
She opened her laptop. 5:01 pm. 'Crap'. she took longer than she intended. Maria redialed Loveday, hoping he would still be there.
"Maria, what happened?" Loveday answered the phone. Her blond curls were tucked into a fish-tail braid that draped over her shoulder. She was wearing her uncle's faded brown jumper from his university days.
"Hi Loveday… sorry my internet went down for a bit. You know how it is."
Loveday nodded with a frown. "Your face looks a bit red, are you running a fever?"
"No, I—"
"Fever?" She heard Ms. Heliotrope shriek from the back. Maria was startled as Loveday's camera began to shake, before finally settling a bit too close to Ms. Heliotrope's face.
"Oh, my goodness, Maria you're red! I must go to you at once!"
"Ms. Heliotrope, I'm fine! I just washed my face."
Ms. Heliotrope narrowed her eyes, bringing the phone so close to her face that Maria could only see her forehead.
"I don't believe you. If I take a plane, I can be there by the end of the day."
"Hang on! Look, I'll prove it." Maria climbed out of bed and pulled out the thermometer gun her family had sent in a care package. Sitting back down in front of the camera, she pointed the gun to her head.
Beep. 36 C.
"See, I'm healthy. Besides, it's much too dangerous for you to travel."
Ms. Heliotrope looked crestfallen, almost as though she wished she had a reason to be with Maria. "Hmm… Alright my dear. Make sure you check your temperature every day and report to us any symptoms. Please take care and let me know if you need anything! I love you and miss you dearly."
"I will Ms. Heliotrope, I love and miss you too." Maria waved goodbye as the phone was passed back to Loveday, but her uncle intercepted it, planting a quick kiss on Loveday's head as he took the phone from her grasp.
"Maria," came her uncle's gruff voice. Even during a pandemic, he was dressed smartly with his hair neatly combed. "How are you doing? Do you need anything?"
"Hello uncle, I'm alright, thank you though. The care package you sent is not yet half empty."
"Good, good. Only say the word and I'll go pick you up myself. We miss you."
"I miss you too but it's too risky."
"It's worth the risk if it's to have you back with us."
Maria's heart ached. "Thank you, uncle, I'll let you know if I change my mind."
Finally, the phone was handed back to Loveday. "I'd ask how you were doing but it seems everyone's done so already." Loveday chatted away, telling Maria about how bored they've been. How Marmaduke's cooking expanded to include various intricate pastries and bread. She recounted with a laugh how only Wrolf and Georgie seemed to love their constant presence. Though Maria laughed and nodded her head to Loveday's words, her eyes kept darting to the background trying to see if she could spot him. Loveday grew quiet, she watched Maria with a raised brow and crooked smile, waiting to see how long until Maria noticed.
"Oh, er sorry Loveday, I don't think I heard you. Were you waiting on my response?"
"Its alright, it seems you're looking for someone else?"
"No, no…" Maria said sheepishly, "but earlier, Robin answered the phone. He's back?"
"Yes love. He returned about a month ago but was quarantining at the castle. He's now running errands and getting groceries for both of our families. I always offer to help, but he insists, and you know how he gets." Loveday bit her growing grin. "Do you want to talk to him? He's playing with Georgie at the moment."
"Sure, why not," Maria tried to say nonchalantly. Though she never outright confessed to him, her childhood crush on Robin was no secret. But with four years her senior, Robin always brushed off any comments made about them, saying she was just his best friend. Once he compared her to a little sister. That one stung. Though Maria tried to grow out of it, even having a few boyfriends through her teens, that never stopped Loveday from trying to set them up.
The camera turned black momentarily before turning back on. They were in the parlor now. Robin was on the floor, playing with Georgie and his action figures. Maria's heart warmed.
His hair was much longer and held up in a messy bun much like hers, though she hated to admit he looked better in it. He wore a black t-shirt with faded black ripped jeans. There were a couple of black and silver chain bracelets on his wrist.
"Oh Robiiin," Loveday teasingly called. "Seems like someone misses and wants to talk to you."
"Loveday stop playing!" Maria hissed under her breath, feeling her cheeks grow warm.
Robin jogged over to the phone with a merry grin on his face. Loveday flipped the camera back around, blew a kiss at Maria with a wink, and passed the phone to Robin.
"Hey," Robin greeted. "Cleaned your face?"
"No!" Maria lied against the growing blush.
"It's okay princess, not all of us can look as good as I did in smeared eyeliner."
"Oh please, you mean that emo phase you went through?"
Robin stilled. The corners of his mouth turned up into a faint smile. He shut his eyes as he threw his head back and clutched Georgie's toy like a microphone. "I got your picture! I'm coming with you! Dear Maria count me in!" Robin sang at the top of his voice.
"Oh god no! Not that song again! You were so annoying! I'll hang up if you don't stop right now!" Maria threatened through Robin's laughter.
"It wasn't a phase. It was a lifestyle! I'm thinking of bringing it back. Reckon I'll look better with it now."
"Ugh, your ego has grown along with your hair."
"Wouldn't yours too if you looked this good in a bun?"
"Please, I've seen better."
"Oh yeah, name a few."
"Chris Hemsworth, Ben Barnes, Jason Mamoa, Orlando Bloom, Timothée Chalamet—"
"Alright, alright, I get it. And please don't get me started on that Chalemutwat. Such a sap, can't believe that's what girls are into nowadays."
"You're just sore you don't fit the profile anymore. Face it Robin, the rock and leather days are long gone. It's all about k-pop and softbois now."
"Softboys are just fuckboys with flowers in their hair," Robin grumbled in disgust.
Maria snorted, thinking about the time he wore a flower crown for a May Day festival. "So, I heard you got back a month ago?"
Robin was walking out of the manor. She could see the setting blue sky and moving landscape in his background. "Yeah… The parks closed down. Figured it was time to come back home. I'm surprised you aren't here."
"Aww miss me?"
Robin shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "Want to see the gardens?" Robin flipped the camera, showing her around the manor grounds. As he walked her through, he talked of how covid affected his job. The craziness of people. How some thought escaping to the outdoors was the solution, only to end up trampling on preserved wildlife and littering about.
Maria had settled down, resting her cheek on the palm of her hand, she wore a wistful look across her face with a soft smile. Robin paused. His eyes focused on the screen, and he swallowed.
"Such a shame that happened to the park," Maria said. "I'd be heartbroken if something like that happened to your forest."
Robin cleared his throat, "Erm-yeah. Really annoying." He forced his eyes back to the gardens as he continued on his way.
The camera stopped moving as he sat by a tree and flipped the camera back on him.
"You got an earring?" Maria asked leaning closer to the screen.
"Yeah, was thinking about it for a while."
"Ooh! Show it to me."
He brought the phone close, it was a black stud, with a charm of a red feather.
"I like it."
"Looks good on me, eh?"
"Bring that ego down a notch and then we'll see. How's your father, I'm guessing he had to stop with his falconry lessons?"
"Yes, we shut down the school temporarily. The castle feels lonely."
"I've always wanted to learn."
"Really? I'll teach you when you get here."
"Okay! Oh, I took up archery—Well before covid shut it down."
"No way."
"Yeah, I can teach you that!"
"Sounds like a deal," Robin paused, "are you really not coming back soon?"
"Oh, I don't know. What if lockdown ends?"
"Don't bet on it. Words going around it'll be like this until the vaccine comes out. Give it another six months, maybe a year."
"A year?"
"Yep."
"Bloody hell."
Robin frowned. "When did you start cursing?"
"I've learned a thing or two at uni. Even got drunk!" Maria said with a proud grin.
Robin's face fell. "When was this? Who were you with?"
"Oh, lay off. You've gotten drunk plenty of times. Don't forget about that time you broke your arm after trying to climb my tower."
"That's not the problem. You're tiny. Were you with trusted people? Who took you home?"
"Relax birdboy, I was with friends. We went to a pub. I got tipsy, not black-out drunk. My roommates and I walked ourselves home. I didn't even have a hangover. And I'm not tiny, I'm average."
"Just barely," Robin said with a snort though he seemed to relax back against the tree. "Never, ever, get drunk without someone you truly trust. And remember the pack rule. People are shifty."
"I know, I know. I still remember your lesson before I left for school. Besides with this pandemic, doubt that'll be happening anytime soon." Maria told him about school. The weird things she's seen on her classmate's cameras. How everyone seemed to care less and less. She was over it all.
"You should just come back to Moonacre. Study from here. Even my friends are back, they've been helping me fly the falcons."
"The gangs back too? So not fair. I miss them," Maria whined. "I want to, but it's too dangerous. My uncle's the only one working right now, and the upkeep of that old manor is so expensive. I can't risk their health. If I could get home safely, I would be there in a heartbeat."
Robin got pensive. "Alright. Well, hopefully I'll see you soon."
Maria rolled her eyes. "I just told you that's not likely. I already feel bad enough as it is. Don't rub it in."
Robin shrugged his shoulders, "Never say never. I should let you go now, it's late and Loveday's phone is about to die."
Maria pouted, surprised to see the clock in the corner of her screen read 8:47 pm. "Wow, we don't speak for ages and you're already wanting to hang up. I see how it is."
Robin shook his head with a chuckle and a sad look across his eyes. "You know that's not the case," he said softly.
"I know. I'm only teasing. Good night Robin. I…I miss you."
"Good night princess. I miss you too."
The screen turned black. Instead of Robin's face, she now sat staring at her own glum reflection.
8:49 pm.
She closed her laptop and stared at the photo collage above her desk. Pictures of her adventures with friends and family adorned the board. In the middle was one of her and Robin competing in a race at that May Day Festival. Still wearing the flower crown, Robin was giving her a piggyback ride. She was laughing. They lost after Maria freaked out when a bee landed on a flower in front of her nose, causing Robin to trip. It was the last thing they did before her leaving to school.
Sitting back up, she opened up her essay and began to type. Wondering when she would see him and her family again.
…A few weeks later…
A resounding knock came from the door. Maria frowned. She hadn't ordered dinner yet… It was probably some package getting delivered. Shrugging her shoulders, she went back to work, deciding to deal with it later... Until the knocking came again. Then her phone lit up. Maria glanced at the screen, wondering who could be calling: Robin.
A/N: Ok... so it seemed All Time Low was also popular in the UK?... I Hope... otherwise yikes to this. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! And yes there's supposed to be a part 2... but I haven't finished that. Also all credit regarding the the Norman Conquest bit goes to Awinterschild, I would have never known about the possible De Noir french connection to this piece of history without their Historical expertise ^_^
This is my one contribution to Moonacre Week 2021 hosted by incorrect-quotes-of-moonacre on Tumblr. With such fun prompts I wish I could contribute more :(
Also... I'm sadly lacking in modern British vernacular... I apologize in advance if my 'Merican seeped through. It seemed more present in a modern setting...