Chapter Twelve ~ Confessions

I stared at him, unable to say anything.

"What kind of thing?" I asked. He shrugged.

"We don't know, but it's been killing a lot of animals." He sighed. "That's why I've been patrolling. My friends and I have been searching through the forest, seeing if we can find anything. Though of course, we've found nothing apart from lots and lots of carcasses." My hand went over my mouth in shock.

"How long have you known?" I asked. He glanced at me before staring down at his feet.

"Remember that time you and Loveday came up to the castle and you interrupted us 'scheming'?" I only nodded once. "Well that's when we first realised that we were dealing with some kind of creature. But animal carcasses had been cropping up for at least a month before that." I stared at him, unable to say anything. I turned into the rain again, realising that there was some creature out there, killing.

"Has any human been killed?" I asked quietly, staring through the cracks of the trees, trying to see if I could find movement.

"Not yet." Robin muttered. "Though it's only a matter of time." I swallowed hard.

"Maybe it doesn't eat humans?" I tried. Robin snorted.

"I highly doubt that, princess." He sighed. "And now Luke's seen it, well…" He exhaled again before continuing. "It'll be easier for us to track it down. Now we know a basic idea of what we're looking for." My head shot towards him. The action seemed to make him look up at me, eyes wondering what I was going to say.

"You're going to try track it down?" I asked. He stared at me like I was mad.

"We can't leave it killing, princess." He said. I shook my head.

"I know that!" I frowned. "What I meant was, you are going to track it?"

"I know the woods better than anyone." Robin said, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was still confused with what I was implying. He must have thought I was insulting his intelligence.

"But you could get hurt!" I cried. Robin's face softened and he smiled.

"A minute ago it seemed like you wanted me dead yourself." He grinned.

"I was angry." I said quietly. I reached out and took his hand. He stared down at our hands and back up at me. "Please don't do it." He breathed a laugh.

"I have to, Maria." He said, titling his head slightly. I shook my head slowly.

"Please." I tried again. He smiled again and kissed my hand that was in his.

"I can't." He said softly. I knew it was a lost hope. I stared at him, as well as holding back the tears that were building up.

"What did it look like?" I asked suddenly. He frowned before realising what I meant.

"I didn't see it." He began. "But from what Luke says, it is big and black. Almost like a lion." He stared at me with a funny look in his eye. I couldn't quite work out what it meant.

"So it's probably not a good idea to go looking for it at night then." I nodded, relived that Robin wouldn't be tracking this creature in the dark, where he would be vulnerable the most.

"You don't get it." He sighed. "Luke said it was big, black lion." I stared at him blankly. "Does that not sound familiar to you?" It only took me a few more moments to realise.

"You think Wrolfe is the creature?" I cried, pulling my hand away from him. Robin seemed speechless suddenly. "How could you? After everything he has done for us!" Robin reached out and grabbed my face with strong hands.

"Maria, calm down." He said. "I know Wrolfe isn't the creature."

"But you said…"

"I said, that's what Luke saw." I suddenly began to realise and I nodded. Robin's hands dropped from my face. "I defiantly do not think Wrolfe has killed all those animals." He sighed. "That won't stop Father thinking otherwise though."

"But he hasn't… he wouldn't…" I didn't want to believed that Wrolfe, who had saved my life, was behind whatever seemed to be going on in the woods.

"I know." Robin nodded, smiling sadly. "Though I suppose there's an argument against it."

"What? You mean the fact he wouldn't harm a living thing?"

"Apart from a De Noir." Robin reminded me, grinning. "No, what I meant was, this creature hasn't left De Noir land. Or so we think." He looked back down at his feet again. "We haven't found any remains of animals that is remotely near your home in Moonacre." He looked back up at me again. "And I'm sure all you in Merryweather Manor would swear that Wrolfe hasn't left the house without you knowing." I nodded.

"He hasn't." I sighed, relieved that it didn't seem too likely that Wrolfe was the one behind it. "He's practically attached to our hips. Apart from Mrs Heliotrope's. She runs for the hills when he walks by." Robin chuckled at this. Thinking about it all, things seemed to make sense. Especially Uncle's and Loveday's hesitation when we were in the carriage on the way over here. It wasn't so confusing anymore. "But if you knew about this creature." I frowned. "Then how come you travelled all the way to my home with Jude the other day, through the forest?" I felt my cheeks going slightly red at the memories of that day.

Everything that Robin had said to me then just seemed to enlarge the embarrassment of the dream I had last night even more. It was only now I truly remembered the dream since we came to De Noir castle and it seemed that the embarrassment had been boiling within me, now clear on my cheeks.

"What you failed to see, princess." Robin began. "Was my friends all hidden in within the trees, watching so we didn't get hurt or attacked."

"Why didn't they just come out?"

"Jude doesn't like them very much." Robin explained. "And I promised that I would take her to see you again." He smiled at me. "So my friends and I worked out a compromise that benefited everyone."

"Was this also the reason why you didn't come see me for two weeks?" He nodded sadly.

"Trying to find this creature is much difficult than what my father makes it out to be." He sighed. "He made us track it all day and by the time we finished for the day, I was too exhausted." He coughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry." I laughed a little.

"I forgave you remember?"

"I know." He smiled. I stared back into the rain again. We sat in silence for a few minutes. The coldness from the outside seemed to creep in then and I shivered unintentionally. My teeth began to chatter slightly and I wrapped my arms around myself. There was the sound of rustling from Robin and when I glanced at him, I saw him shrugging off his jacket.

Did he not realise how cold it was?

Though I had interpreted his actions wrong, as he draped the jacket over my shoulders. I was taken back by the action.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked. He shrugged, smiling. I bit my lip for a second, in a very childish manner, then smiled back. I pulled the jacket around me tightly. It smelled like Robin. I thought about asking him if I could borrow it, so I could wear it when I missed him, though I strongly doubted he would let me lend it as it was one of the only things I would ever see him wear.

Robin shivered next to me, though I saw him try hide it. Guiltily I scooted over to him and leaned against him. It was my attempt to keep him warm considering what he had done for me. I felt an arm go around me and pull me closer.

We sat like that in silence. Watching the rain and the dark, grey grounds before us.

I felt at ease being so close to him. The same feeling I got whenever he would hold my hand or hug me or kiss my cheek washed over me again and I felt my stomach twinge slightly. Why did this keep happening to me?

It didn't help with the dream.

The dream only made me feel even more embarrassed and didn't help with my already blushing cheeks. I remembered what Loveday said to me. That I should tell him. The idea was tempting, but I kept convincing myself otherwise.

I wasn't stupid.

After what felt like ages, Robin sighed.

"I think we better head back in." He said softly.

"Hmm." Was my reply. Robin chuckled.

"Come on, you're missing your dinner anyway."

"Not hungry." I mumbled, almost like a child refusing to eat. I felt Robin take my chin in his free hand and lift it up so I could look at him.

"I will be forced to carry you." He warned, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare." He raised an eyebrow and before I knew it was I was being hoisted in the air. "Robin!" I cried. He held me in his arms like I weighed nothing to him. It didn't nothing for the butterflies considering he was holding me in the bridal lift.

"I did warn you." He pointed out.

"You didn't give me enough time to do anything!" I cried, trying to wriggle out his grip, though that only made him hold me closer to his body.

"Settle down, princess." He grinned. I stopped struggling and glared up at him.

"You know I hate being carried." I almost growled. This just made him laugh and we began to head back down the corridor.

"Robin," I said, holding on to him for dear fear that he'd drop me.

"Yeah?"

"If I ask you nicely, will you let me down?"

"I don't know, try it."

"Robin, please will you let me down?"

"Hmm… I don't think that was nice enough." I glared at him. "Scowling isn't nice."

"Neither are you."

"You know, if you keep being horrible to me, I won't let you down."

"Okay, I'm very sorry, oh Great Robin. Now I ask you oh so nicely to let me down." This made Robin laugh.

"I'll consider it." He teased. He looked down at me, eyebrows raised.

"Oh Robin, you are so amazing." I tried. It seemed that flattering was the only was he was going to drop me.

"Nearly."

"The world would be a very sad place without you."

"You're getting close."

"Robin De Noir you are so handsome."

"Why thank you. Though I'm afraid it's still an almost." A large grin was plastered on his face. He was loving it a little bit too much. I had to think of a way to wipe it off his face.

"I had a dream that we kissed." That did it. Robin came to a sudden halt and his grin vanished from his face completely.

"Excuse me?" Before I could answer, Loveday appeared in front of us.

"Oh sorry, I wasn't interrupting something, was I?" She glanced between the two of us, trying to hide a smile.

And failing.

"Yeah Robin won't let me down." As if those were the magic words, the arm that was supporting my legs dropped and my feet landed on the floor. "Thanks for the warning there, Robin." I muttered, straightening out my dress.

"Where's Mrs Heliotrope?" Loveday asked.

"She went to see Digweed." I replied. Loveday frowned at this.

"In this weather?" She asked, astonished. "I better go see if she's alright." She rushed off quickly, leaving Robin and me alone again. I glanced up at him. He was watching me with narrowed eyes.

"So let's get back to dinner." I suggested light-heartedly, turning to head down the corridor. Robin grabbed my arm before I could take two steps.

"Don't count on it, princess." He muttered, turning me around to face him. "Care to explain?" I grinned at him.

"Not particularly." I turned to go again, but he held me there. He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not letting you go until you tell me." He warned, a mocking smile on his face. I sighed. I should have expected this when I go blurting things out.

"I had a dream that I kissed you. End of." I paused. "Actually," I paused for second. "No, you kissed me."

"And that's it?"

"That's it." He watched me, unconvinced. "No need to get your tail in a knot, bird-boy." He frowned and grimaced at the nickname I gave him.

"Don't call me that and I'm not 'getting my tail in a knot'." He muttered, dropping his hands from his hard grasp on my shoulders. He stared at me with an odd look in his eye.

"Shall we go back to dinner, or is there more you want to interrogate me about?"

"I think that's it." He muttered, eyes narrow.

"Good, well let's go then." I turned on my heels and headed back to the great hall, Robin catching up and walking next to me.

Loveday was wrong and I was right. I had told Robin about the dream and… Nothing. He did not feel anything for me. Just like I had thought. Loveday was wrong.

Sadly.

Loveday arrived in the dinner hall again a few minutes after Robin and I arrived. All the food had been cleared away and drinks, which I assumed to be alcohol, were set out on the table. Everyone around it seemed to be happy and getting along, laughing loudly when we entered. Loveday brought a very wet Mrs Heliotrope and Digweed with her. She poured them both some drink and Mr De Noir ordered for some blankets to be brought for them. Loveday told us that apparently the rain didn't look like it was going to be letting up any time soon.

"How are we going to get home?" Mrs Heliotrope asked, shivering.

"There is no way I will be able to take you back in the carriage, sir." Digweed said.

"You can always stay here the night?" Mr De Noir offered, downing the drink in his goblet in one. "We have more than enough rooms for all of you."

"Are you sure that wouldn't be a bother?" Uncle asked. Mr De Noir waved his comment away.

"Don't be absurd. It's perfectly alright." He grinned broadly. "All those old teaching rooms for Robin have been changed to bedrooms anyway. That's five rooms I believe."

"They're not classrooms anymore?" Loveday asked astonished.

"No." Mr De Noir shook his head. "Mr Gomez has told me he only requires one room now and I believe that is the music room. I don't know what he does in there. I mean, I don't think he's teaching him piano." He turned to Robin, who was sat next to him, and grinned. "My boy can play piano exceptionally well." He patted Robin hard on the back. Robin shuddered slightly at the touch.

"I think you're drunk, Father." Robin muttered.

"And what gave you that idea?" Mr Cunningham asked sarcastically before yawning. "I think it's time this old man went to bed. I trust I will be seeing you all in the morning." Everyone bided Mr Cunningham goodnight like the conversation before dinner had never happened and he left.

"Robin, be a good boy and show everyone their rooms." Mr De Noir slurred. I giggled at his voice. Robin rolled his eyes and stood up.

"You want help getting to bed?" Robin asked.

"I'll stay with him." Henry said. Robin snorted.

"Good luck with that." He muttered. Robin then gestured to the rest of us to follow him.

"I'll just stay here and catch up with my nephew." Mr De Noir's voice mumbled as we were leaving. "So, Henry… do tell me how your father is." We left the room and Mr De Noir in the capable hands of Henry.

(A/N) Back again! Another chapter for you.

Right, a question for all my faithful readers...

The other day I decided to write up a whole plot summary for this story, Guardian Angel, and I've come to conclusion that it's going to be very long. I just want to know whether 'long' is okay for you guys as I do not wish to bore you. If not, then I can try and shorten it, though I can not promise that it will be very good. Anyway please tell me if I should just stick to my original story line or try shorten it down. Just so I know how everyone feels.

Thank you

-jemlou-