A Moonacre Fanfiction Peace on Earth

"Have a seat," Maria offered. "I'll get some bandages." She rummaged through the cabinets. Robin hoisted himself up to sit on the counter. Ambrose and Jackie opted for the chairs. They all sat in an entirely awkward silence.

"Here they are!" Maria emerged from the depths of a lazy Susan, brandishing a little wooden box with a painted red cross. "There we are, bandages, bandages…" she tossed them out airily on the table by Ambrose. She then perched up by Robin, letting Jackie sort out the actual bandaging bit. "I think it's extremely noble of you, Ambrose, to jump to Jackie's rescue like that." Maria nodded affirmatively. "Rather like a knight in shining armor. Wouldn't you say so, Robin?" Robin mumbled unintelligibly. Maria leaned back on her hands. "Wouldn't that be nice, Robin, for a girl to see a young man jump in and help her, hm?" Robin rolled his eyes.

"If you're referring to the time I watched you jump off a cliff into the ocean…"

"That's the one!"

"How would it have helped anyone for me to jump too? I might've died."

"I might've been dead." Robin grinned.

"Then I couldn't have helped you much, eh?"

"You're impossible!"

"Thank you very much."

Jackie watched the exchange out of the corner of her eye. Somehow, she didn't feel as hollow as she usually did when she watched Robin and Maria interact. She glanced up at Ambrose, who, it seemed, was watching her. They both looked away.

"Finished," Jackie said presently, handing Maria the bandaging kit. "Thank you." Maria hopped down, going to return the kit to its place.

"Not at all. And don't worry about your uncle; Robin's father will sort things out."

"I still don't even know if what we did was right," Jackie murmured. "I mean…he's all the family I've got." Maria returned, dusted her hands off, and then took Jackie's in her own.

"It sounds like you did the right thing. And take it from me: your family doesn't have to be measured by blood. I consider Wrolf family, and he's not even the same species as me!"

"What is this?!" Another voice interrupted. "Sitting on my countertop?" Marmaduke sped into the kitchen. "Off with you, boy, off!" Robin leapt nimbly off the counter.

"Yes, for shame, Robin!" Maria scolded, dropping Jackie's hands. "I can't believe you would use these, these altars of cooking for a seat!"

"But you were just—"

"Come!" Maria interrupted Robin, "Let's get you out of here before you profane the baking gods as well. Marmaduke, these are our guests. Would you fix them whatever they please? It is Christmas, after all." She winked back at Jackie and Ambrose.

"But of course." Marmaduke bowed. "Just get that disrespecter of counters out of my sight."

"Gladly." Maria ushered Robin out of the kitchen.

"But you were sitting on the counters too!" Robin protested as they walked down the hall. Maria turned to face him.

"That was more for your benefit than anything else."

"What? Sitting on the counter?"

"No; getting you out of there. You couldn't think of a single thing to say to Ambrose? I made pleasant conversation with Jackie, and I barely know her."

"Call me difficult, but I have a hard time talk about the weather with someone who threw a dagger at me."

"Yes, but he saved me when I was in the blizzard! And now he saved Jackie from her uncle! Don't you think that merits something?"

"Don't tell me you're finding him attractive again."

"I've never found him unattractive, you know that. No one could."

"Maria—"

"Robin." He sighed.

"Yes?"

"There are many attractive things, including that mahogany frame." Robin looked over to see the frame in question and nodded in acknowledgment. It was a nice frame. "And that's just something you will have to live with. But that does not mean I'm going to leave you for the frame. Is that quite clear?"

"What if I was completely hideous?" Robin wiggled his eyebrows. "Would you love me then?"

"I like to think so, but I don't know," she considered, cocking her head. "Do you have any plans to be hideous in the near future?"

"Wow, I'm hurt. So you only love me for my good looks?"

"What good looks?"

"I'm bloody handsome, blast it." He slipped his arms around her waist.

"You're bloody arrogant, that's what." She reached up, locked her fingers behind his neck, and stood tip-toe to kiss him.

"What if he doesn't? What if he hates me?" A quiet voice echoed in the hallway. Robin and Maria froze. "I could never replace his mother."

"I'd never ask you to." It was definitely Coeur De Noir's voice. Robin blinked in surprise, then pulled Maria with him into a nearby doorway so they couldn't be seen. "You're not a replacement." Coeur De Noir's voice was halting. "You're a fresh start. You're everything soft and musical, and—and I need you." Silence followed. "I've never needed anyone before."

Maria looked up at Robin, unsure as to his reaction. He returned her gaze, a giddy excitement lighting his eyes.

"And I've never been needed before." Lillian replied.

"Fresh starts for both of us, then?"

Maria waited with bated breath. She stood pressed tensely against Robin, who was taking great pains to silence his heavy breathing. What was happening? They waited for what seemed an eternity.

"I don't have a ring," Coeur De Noir broke the silence, "but I can get one as soon—" he broke off, or perhaps she silenced him. Then, after a moment: "Lillian Heliotrope, will you marry me?"

"Coeur De Noir, I most certainly shall marry you." There was another silence, which Maria nearly broke by squealing. Her face contorted with excitement, so difficult was it to keep from bursting out with joy. Robin reached out and pulled her close, holding her so tightly she had to whisper for air.

"I'm going to have a mother, Maria." Robin whispered into her hair. "A mother."

"Air!" she replied hoarsely. He released her immediately.

"Sorry," he grinned.

"But what if Robin doesn't approve?" It was Lillian's voice again. "I could never cause a division between you and your son." Robin planted a kiss on Maria's forehead before walking out of the doorway.

"No, indeed, you couldn't," he declared, "because I would never object."

Coeur De Noir and Lillian nearly jumped.

"How long have you been there, son?" Coeur De Noir growled.

"I'm very happy for you both," Robin grinned broadly, ignoring his father's question.

"As am I." Maria stepped out too.

"Maria?" Lillian laughed. "I suppose we don't need to make any public announcements; everyone seems to know already!"

"Can't keep a secret in this place, not for a minute!" Coeur De Noir shook his head ruefully.

"No, sir," Maria said merrily, "no more secrets in Moonacre! Come, let's tell Uncle and Loveday!"

A/N: Dear reader,

We're almost there! Thank you for reading with me thus far. What do you think? I'm dying to know. How do you feel about Coeur De Noir & Lillian? How do you feel about Jackie & Ambrose? Don't you feel absolutely outraged on Robin's behalf that Maria got away with sitting on the counter while Robin got scolded? But then, life's not fair. Ah well. I thank you in advance for your reviews!

Your

Ponygirl7