A Moonacre Fanfiction Peace on Earth

She felt the cold wind assault her rosy cheeks, but it was a sparkling kind of cold, not a cruel cold. She squinted as she closed the door, the bright light reflecting off the snow and into her eyes. Maria found to her delight that the snow was about a foot deep. All her life she had lived in the city, where there was never truly fresh snow. All the carriages had plowed over it, leaving it dirty and slushy. But this snow was pure and untouched. It seemed almost a shame to ruin it by walking through it.

But walk through it Maria did. She meant to go on a walk through the woods. Perhaps she could find Wrolf. Or perhaps Robin was out walking in the woods…

Maria's cheeks were rosy, and not just because of the cold. She had known Robin De Noir for a few months now, and still the butterflies that had fluttered in her stomach had not taken up residency elsewhere. Robin was a clever, saucy lad, but he was truly good-hearted, and for this reason Maria liked him. The fact that he was undeniably handsome didn't hurt, either. But sometimes he seemed too sardonic, as though he took nothing seriously and laughed at everything.

It was for this reason, Maria was afraid to let herself like him too much. He was always pleasant and good-humored around her; there were times she almost believed he liked her as more than a friend. But she didn't dare allow herself to base feelings upon a passing notion. And so it was that she struggled, grappling between discouraging doubt and a dim but dauntless hope.

But Maria ought not to let conflicted feelings get in the way of a perfectly good snowy day! She trudged on through the white fluffiness, soon entering the woods. In the past few months she had come to know the forest fairly well, and now she leapt nimbly over a fallen log. She walked a little way, rather proud of herself for her knowledge of the woods. But everything looked different in the snow. Was it this tree that she usually turned at, or the other? Maria sighed, exhaling a puff of warm air.

"Morning, Princess," a voice above Maria startled her. A cloaked form dropped down from a branch above.

"Robin! What were you—good morning," she replied, remembering Miss Heliotrope's chiding on being a gentlewoman.

"I was just keeping an eye out for some pretty birds. I guess I found one," Robin chuckled. Maria rolled her eyes.

"You are insufferable."

"Oh, I suffer."

"That's not what it means, Robin. Even you must know that."

"What do you mean, 'even me'?"

"Well, you're not the most educated of people, are you?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"I would."

"You did."

"I…wait—what?" Maria frowned. Robin chuckled again, preening his neck feathers. "I'm confused." She said.

"Fancy that. The girl with the tutor is confused because of the boy who is not the most educated of people." He smirked.

"There, you said it yourself." She declared triumphantly.

"Said what?"

"That you're not the most educated of people."

"I most certainly—oh." He grinned sheepishly. "I guess I did." Maria's eyes lit with triumph.

"Say, what do you suppose is happening for Christmas?" she said, changing the subject. He arched his eyebrows.

"You're getting an elephant?"

"No—why in the world would you think that?"

"I don't know."

"Hm. Well, Miss Heliotrope invited one of her friends to come tomorrow and spend the holiday with us."

"Is she nice?"

"I've never met her."

"Oh." Robin frowned, curls framing his face in a most becoming way that made it hard for Maria to focus. "I guess there are plenty of old people to keep her company, with Miss Heliotrope and Digweed and my father." Maria glared at him disapprovingly.

"That's not proper, Robin. You don't address people as 'old', even and especially if they are your elders. And I expect you will be polite to this lady, whatever she is like." He crossed his arms.

"Now look here, Princess, I'm a hunter. I don't wait on little old ladies and bring them tea with cream and sugar and cookies and their little shawl when they're cold. I kill animals and clean their hides and get meat so we don't all starve. I'm not about to go running on errands for some crotchety old lady." Maria wrinkled her brow.

"Well with that attitude, you'll never get a wife," she declared stoutly.

"Who ever said my goal was to have a wife, anyway?" Robin retorted, dark eyes defiant. This shot a pain into Maria's heart, but she squared her jaw and steeled her gaze.

"I never said that was your goal. But you'll have a difficult time of finding a woman willing to marry you if you continue with that selfish mindset."

"I'm not selfish."

"Yes, you are, and egotistical. If I weren't a lady, I'd wager that you wake up every morning, look at yourself in the mirror, and tell yourself that you are the most attractive person on the planet."

"Second only to you," he nodded in confirmation. She opened her prim little mouth to reply; but then she blinked.

"I beg your pardon?" she said, not believing her ears. Robin smirked, readjusting his signature bowler hat.

"You heard me. Now then, Princess, let's not argue. It's a beautiful day, and I want to spend it with you. Come on, I want to show you something," he held out his hand as an invitation. Maria hesitated. His dark eyes pleaded like a puppy's. She sighed.

"Well, don't think you won this argument," she relented, sliding her small gloved hand into his rough, bare one.

"The thought never crossed my mind," he replied stolidly. Maria raised a dubious eyebrow. "Well, it may have crossed my mind, but it didn't stay to chat," he grinned.

"Oh, nevermind. Show me what you wanted to show me," Maria said, rolling her eyes bemusedly. Robin was such a funny boy. And she knew that, despite all his bravado, he would be courteous to Miss Heliotrope's cousin. For underneath all those black leather jackets beat a heart of gold. Tarnished gold, but gold nonetheless.

A/N: My dear reader,

Firstly, thank you for reading thus far! I admit, I did not progress as far as I had hoped in this chapter, but I do try to keep the chapters similar in length. A sincere thank you to those who have already reviewed; you cannot know how your words warm my heart. Please, if you have any questions, concerns, comments, or suggestions for other Moonacre stories, I implore you, leave a review! I cannot say when my next chapter will be posted, by I can assure you that it shall be relatively soon. Thank you so much for your support!

Love always,

Ponygirl7 :)