Father and I had fight he wouldn't let me go to the forest. I have been locked in my room until dinnertime tomorrow. I don't really care, it's the only place I feel at home ,other than the forest, so I would have spent my time here anyway, I just wished I had eaten dinner last night. I sat on my bed thinking about yesterday. Why did I go to protect her? And why is it whenever I think of her soft red curls do I feel like I have eaten a box of butterflies? I need to see my sister she is the only one who will honestly help me through my mess of thoughts. For now I put it down to hatred and thought of ways to kidnap her, maybe something that will embarrass the whole merryweather family like stealing her away from under the merryweathers roof while they're all asleep. yes! Maybe that would make father proud. It was hard to tell the time being locked in your room for so long but I was overjoyed to be let out. I was starving. The meal started and I couldn't stop myself from scoffing down the bread in front of me. I took gulp of wine before I turned to father to tell him my plan.

'Father , I've prepared a plan to snatch the girl from underneath the merryweathers roof' I began

but he cut me off by saying 'don't go near moonacre. That house is damned'. Of course, I should have known he wouldn't want to hear my plan. 'The word is she's about to meet her downfall' what did he mean by that?

That's when he stood up and looked over to the stairs at the far end of the dining hall. There in a beautiful blue dress that highlighted her red hair ,and made her look more like a lady than ever, was the Merryweather girl, moon princess of my generation. The stupid girl why did she come here does she hate the countryside that much that she's willing to die? The guards were pulled her down the stairs and forced her to kneel in front of father I stood behind him repeating in my mind she's a merryweather, it didn't help I tried you're supposed to hate her, still didn't work as a last resort I thought she hates you. That did it, she hates me I don't know about my feelings for her but she must think I hate her to.

'How kind of you to join us Moon princess' my father said to her menacingly. I laughed. To my surprise she held out an unusual key. 'Oh, oh what is this?' He turned to the rest of us 'she has brought us the lost key, gentlemen.' We all laughed. 'Because the terrible DeNoirs have kept the moon pearls here all the time. Haven't we?' he spat at her.

'Well it's true isn't it? Your ancestor stole them'. Poor girl, she doesn't realize what traitors her family are. Well she'll find out soon enough.

'My ancestor? Well perhaps princess I should introduce you' he walked up to where the very first Coeur DeNoir lay. As he did this one of the guards shouted at her 'move' and pushed her forward to face father and kept hold of her left arm.

Let go of her you blithering idiot! I felt like shouting, but didn't. Instead I pushed that guard aside and took his place beside the princess. She tried to break free put I kept a firm grasp on her arm. I looked at her face she look annoyed probably because she would have preferred the guard than to me, that's what her face showed but her pulse was so fast I realised she's scared. Who would have thought. She looked up at father the annoyance leaving her face which was now what looked like respect? I felt my heart skip a beat as I realized how beautiful she really was. I clenched my jaw snap out of it Robin! I told myself.

'Maria Merryweather, the last moon princess' my father spoke. Her name is Maria? My father pointed to the body that had always been covered in armour I wasn't entirely sure the real body was underneath. 'Sir William, the very first Coeur DeNoir' as he spoke I forced Maria in to a bow. Father reached for the gold box behind him and I let her stand again.

Maria gasped when she saw the box 'The pearl casket' she whispered. I looked at her, she was in awe.

Father must have heard her because he then said 'and you so very kindly brought us the key' he was mocking her. It made everyone but me laugh. He pretended he was going to put the key in the keyhole of the box but then "dropped" it. He smiled at maria, she looked confused. He then showed her that the box didn't need to be opened. It already was and contained nothing but dust.

'You've hidden them!' she shouted. I rolled my eyes of course she'd think that.

'They were never there girl! You're filthy meryweather family took them before he' he pointed at sir William 'picked up the box. They stole the pearls, but soon the final moon will rise and the thieving merryweathers will be punished' I smiled. That's right. My father spoke again 'and now that we have you here, there's nothing anyone can do to stop it' I looked over at maria again, she was in shock. My eyes wandered up to her hair and back to her face, pausing at each beautiful feature: her eyes, light blue and as bright as the moon itself, her button-nose, as cute as she was when she tried to hit me, her lips…..my father spoke again pulling me from my train of thought.

'At last the entire valley will be ours. And the DeNoirs will finally feast upon revenge!' he said which made everyone cheer.

Colin, Francis, Tom and I were told to lock her up. Father didn't trust me alone, I don't blame him I don't even trust myself alone with Maria. Looking into her eyes might lead me to tell her something stupid like I love you. If I have my friends there I will most likely snap back before that happens.

We walked down the passageway. I gave maria a push so my friends wont suspect anything. She turned to face me and said 'Leave me alone you oaf!'

I tried to stop the hurt from appearing on my face. I laughed 'You know for someone in your current predicament I have to admire your spirit'.

My friends laughed too. Yes! Keep laughing. I could feel myself getting lost in her eyes and their laughter was reminding me of our situation. Maria looked angry, she kicked me in the shin. I cried out in pain. She may have a weak punch but she has a strong kick. I heard Tom say ' I told you she was feisty Robin'.

'YOU WITCH!' I grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her forward. The moment I heard her breathing so loudly I regretted it. I had frightened her, it was the first time that she was visibly scared and it was my fault. I ignored those thoughts. 'hey! Lock her in' I called to the guards and I pushed her into the cell.

'Welcome to your new home' Colin said.

'You can make friends with the cockroaches' Francis added

I tried not to notice that the cell's window was at the right height that her face was in the centre of the heart. I started to walk away, then I turned gave maria a wave. ' come on, lets go. Guards watch her she's slippery' I said and followed my friends up the passageway but before I went up the stairs I looked back and saw the hopelessness in Maria's eyes. I wanted so badly to take that away but I knew I couldn't. Instead I went up the stairs and joined my friends in a game of cards. My thoughts never wandered too far from Maria, she was my princess and there was nothing I could do about it.