Chapter Thirty One ~ The Fallen Bird
I felt my body go weak at the sight of the beaten Robin. I could see it coming, though I couldn't prepare myself for when I actually saw the reality. Robin was kneeling before us all, beaten and bloody, his face looking completely drained from any cheerful, arrogant thought that was usually layered on the face of the De Noir boy.
He looked completely destroyed.
All this time, I was too busy complaining about how I didn't get my own way when it came to how Robin felt for me whilst he was undergoing something horrible with this witch and her vile sons.
I wanted to hit them. Hurt them for what they had done to him and yet I couldn't move. Even if 'Shaggy' wasn't there holding my arm tightly so I couldn't run to Robin's side to comfort him, I was rooted to the spot with sheer shock.
Robin blinked a lot when the bag was removed, then he looked up and around at everyone, who were all equally as shocked as I was. His eyes rested on me and saddened slightly. His cheeks were soaked in, what looked to be, a mixture of dirt, tears and blood. His lips looked swelled and his eyes red. I felt tears spring to my eyes at the sight of him like this.
How could someone do this? How could they do this?
Robin tried to stand, but was only tugged hard by Melvin with the rope around his neck. He cried out and collapsed back to his knees again, panting heavily. The whole action seemed have weakened him more than he already was. Robin dipped his head and looked up at Cassandra through strands of his hair.
"We found him alone in the forest by your home, Maria." Cassandra spoke. "A bit of a stupid place to be really, giving the current situation." I broke me eyes away from Robin to look at the witch. She was grinning widely up at me. I heard her two sons snigger. What did they know about the creature? And how did they know where I lived?
"You better let my son go or I will do something I regret." Mr De Noir snarled between gritted teeth. Cassandra chuckled.
"I think we both know, that you are powerless at the moment." She taunted.
"As are you." Loveday spat. I saw Cassandra's head move to meet Loveday's glaring gaze. There was silence between the two women and then Loveday screamed out. She fell to the floor and twisted with pain. Her screams filled the room, echoing off the dark walls. I stood, completely wordless.
"Stop it." Robin's voice came out more of a groan, but it seemed to do the trick. Loveday stopped screaming and Uncle knelt down by her to cradle her against him. I heard a sickening chuckle from Cassandra.
"Useless wench." Cassandra muttered. Uncle glared at her, his eyes dark with hatred. "And I think you'll find, Loveday my dear, that I am still powerful. So I would keep that mouth of yours shut if you don't want another repeat of my curse." Loveday looked up from where Uncle held her close to him and sent a glare Cassandra's way, though she had turned back to where Robin was knelt to notice. Robin stared back, though his face looked pained. I felt my heart beating rapidly, scared that she would do the same to Robin that she had just done to his sister. Though Robin seemed unaffected.
"Cassandra, I beg of you not to harm either of my children again." Mr De Noir's voice was quiet. I looked up to see him stood by his daughter. Loveday had stood up now, though she leaned against Uncle for support. Mr De Noir stared at the witch, his eyes almost pleading with her.
I had never seen Mr De Noir so afraid as what he looked now. I suppose, a Father's worst fear was to see their children hurt.
Cassandra stood up from her 'throne' and made her way over to where Robin was knelt. He flinched back as she approached him. She bent down and took hold of his chin with her thin fingers. She turned his face from side to side, examining him. Finally she hummed and stood up, patting Robin's head like a dog. He moved away from her hand immediately, though grimaced in pain.
"Your son has made a good pet over these past few days," Cassandra cooed softly, circling Robin. She took the rope that was tied around his neck from her son and stood behind him. I saw Robin bit his lip hard and close his eyes as he awaited to see what Cassandra would do. I was unable to move. "It's a pity we're going to have to kill him." Out of nowhere a knife appeared in Cassandra's hand. All in a second, she had pulled back Robin head and put the blade to his throat.
"No!" I screamed. 'Shaggy' gripped me tight, so I couldn't move, and Cassandra looked up away from Robin, still holding the knife to his throat. Robin opened his eyes and met mine with his sad brown ones. "Don't hurt him." It came out like a quiet sob. I could feel my eyes swelling up with tears.
"If you cooperate with us then we will not harm young Robin." Cassandra said with a high, luring voice. I could feel her eyes on me but I wasn't looking at her. My eyes remained on Robin. I was completely drained with any confidence in seeing the De Noir boy like this. Why couldn't I change places with him? He had been through so much already. It was all my fault.
"I can't help you." I told Cassandra, looking away from Robin and up at the witch. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't know where the pearls are." The words left my mouth before I could say something else. It seems that even with Robin's state in front of me, I was still staying true to whatever Mr Gomez wanted me to hide.
"You think I'm a fool?" Cassandra's accusing voice cried. I shook my head, the tears flowing freely now. "I will kill him!" I saw her grip on the knife tighten as she pushed it closer into Robin's throat. He flinched slightly, but otherwise he didn't react. He just remained staring at me.
"Please." I begged. "I can't help you. I don't have any powers and I don't know where the moon pearls are." I saw Cassandra's lip curl up in a snarl.
"Listen, girl." She hissed. Her scarily beautiful face was turned up in a hideous manner, twisting all her features and demolishing all her beauty. She looked terrifying. "Tell us or I will kill him." There was a long moment's silence as she stared at me, waiting for me to answer. "His life is in your hands!"
"I can't help you!" I cried. "Please, you've got to believe me. I'm not lying to you." The silence was deadly. Her eyes continued to pierce into me, trying to frighten me into helping her. The truth was, I wasn't scared of her. I was scared of what she was going to do with Robin.
Robin De Noir, who knelt in front of us all, his life in my hands. I was unable to help him. And because of that, I was going to have to watch him die.
Even when I tried to tell Cassandra that I had thrown the pearls into the ocean, the words didn't seem to come out of my mouth. Why was I continuing to stay true to Mr Gomez when telling Cassandra the truth could save Robin's life?
Could. The chances were that the witch wouldn't believe me. Robin was going to die and it was all my fault.
I saw Cassandra run her tongue slowly along her bottom lip as she continued to stare at me. Her eyes narrowed slightly and suddenly her faced softened from her demonic expression. I saw the knife she held to Robin's throat move away and he relaxed immediately. Cassandra turned to the others and stared at them all one by one before turning back to me.
"Well," She sighed. Her eyes glinting with dissatisfaction. "If you won't help us, then I don't see why there's any need for the boy anymore." Everything seemed to move slowly as Cassandra raised the knife back up to Robin's throat. I tried to move this time, though 'Shaggy' held me firmly where I stood. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to cry out to Cassandra to beg some more. Though it wasn't my voice that stopped her from slicing Robin's throat.
"I'll tell you where they are!" Mr Gomez's voice seemed to shock the witch from her plan to kill Robin. She looked up, refraining from cutting Robin's throat, and towards where the De Noir tutor was stood.
"Excuse me?" She hissed. Her tone was annoyed though I could sense the interest in her voice.
"I can show you where the pearls are." He told her. I watched him with confusion. I wasn't sure where I was stood with Robin's tutor now. First, it seemed he wanted me to lie for him, now he was telling the witch false things that could get Robin killed. He didn't know where the pearls were, that's because they were in the ocean. It also seemed that he knew that. But how? He wasn't there when I threw them into the ocean. Wasn't he?
"Continue." Cassandra urged.
"I know where you can find the pearls." Mr Gomez told her. "Though I will only take you there if you don't harm Robin." I saw Cassandra contemplate Mr Gomez's proposal for a few moments. Finally she removed the knife from Robin's throat. She handed it to her son, along with the rope and walked over to where Mr Gomez stood. I met Robin's eyes again. His face showed he had relaxed a great deal and he gave me a sad smile. The action shot through me.
I didn't deserve his smile. It was my fault he was in this state. It was my fault he had nearly been killed, just now.
"If you're lying to me, you will regret it." I heard Cassandra snarl at Mr Gomez. Though he only smiled.
"I do not lie, madam." He told her confidently. Another short moment's silence then Cassandra began to bark orders to the traced-fixed De Noir guards.
Mr Gomez, commanded by Cassandra, led the way to where ever Mr Gomez had planned to lead her. 'Shaggy' dragged me, hissing threats into my ear as we walked out the castle. His brother was a little behind us, pulling Robin along by the rope. The others trailed behind at the back, being ushered by the spell-bound guards.
We were lead through the forest. It was the first time I had been inside the forest properly since I was told about the creature. Everything looked so odd to me and unfamiliar. Thoughts of the creature filled my mind. Maybe it would jump out and attack Cassandra and her sons, giving us chance to escape. Though these were merely fantasy thoughts. The truth was, if the creatures attack, it would probably kill a few of us aswell, not just the witch and her boys.
When I glanced behind me, I saw everyone looking equally as worried as I was. They were glancing around them, looking out for the creature lurking within the trees. Though when I looked at two brothers, they seemed unfazed. Both of them remained calm and completely oblivious to the possible threat.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe they didn't know much about the creature in the forest.
After a long walk, we came to a place that completely shocked me. It was the cliffs edge where I had successfully gotten rid of the pearls a year back. Mr Gomez had led them to the place where the pearls were last seen. When we entered the stone theatre, I saw Cassandra look around in awe. We were all led in and ushered by our captors. We were all made to stand pretty close to the edge of the cliff, much closer than I would like to have been. The others were made to stand together again, the De Noir guards around them. Robin was closest to the edge, Melvin stood by his side, rope securely around his neck. I was stood with 'Shaggy', away from all the others. Cassandra stared at Mr Gomez, waiting for him to speak.
"Well?" She demanded after a while.
"Well what?" Mr Gomez asked. I saw Cassandra's lip turn up slightly with anger.
"Where are they?" She hissed.
"They?" A snarl came from Cassandra. I wasn't sure what Mr Gomez was supposed to be doing.
"The pearls." Cassandra said, more like a grumble.
"Oh, they're in the ocean." Mr Gomez told her casually. I saw Cassandra's eyes widen. "Yes, Maria threw them so she could save the valley." A saw the witch's body shake with anger.
"You lie."
"I'm not actually." Mr Gomez said, simply. "It was the only way to save Moonacre. If you had been listening to your 'little birdie', then you would have known this." Cassandra's head whipped towards where the group was all stood. I saw her send a glare their way. Confused, I looked towards the others, only to see Henry Cunningham shifting cowardly next to his father. It seemed the little love rat had betrayed me to the witch and her sons.
A loud snarl came from Cassandra and she marched over to the edge. She looked down at the ocean below and for a second I thought she was going to jump. Though I saw her whole body calm and she refrained from shaking. Slowly she turned back to us all.
"It seems that you have lied to me, Mr Gomez." She said. Her voice had resumed it luring, elegant tone. I saw Mr Gomez's face scrunch up with confusion.
"I told you I would show you where the pearls were." He said. "And this is where they are." A small smile appeared on Cassandra's lips. She walked a few steps towards us and stood next to Robin and her son. Her eyes wandered up and down the De Noir boy, her face unreadable. I could tell Robin knew what she was doing, though he remained looking forward. His eyes found mine again and his face turned up slightly in an expression I couldn't understand.
"I'm so very sorry, Maria." Cassandra's voice purred. I looked to her, to see her holding the rope that was tied around Robin's neck with her hand. With the other she had grabbed hold of his torn and ripped shirt. Before I could react, she pulled the De Noir back towards the edge of the cliff and let go of her hold on him. He tripped over his feet and fell over the edge, towards the thrashing waters below.
A cry came from his tutor and I saw Mr Gomez run forward and push his way through the witch and her son. Mr Gomez then, surprisingly me completely, threw himself over the edge after Robin. Towards his death.
All was silent.
Nothing could describe what I felt. Robin's face was firmly in my mind. The way he looked at me with unfathomable sadness just before he fell to his death.
Robin De Noir, the love of my life, was gone.
(A/N) Okay, this took a lot of effort to write and I don't think the ending came out as well as I hoped. Please tell me what you think.
Thank you all so much for your reviews, I know I've probably said this loads of times before. But I was just so surprised when I looked in my inbox and saw all the reviews for the last chapter. I didn't think I would get that could of a reaction from it, because I didn't think it came out very good. But anyway, Thank you again!
Until next time, which I will try and make tomorrow, though I cannot promise anything.
-jemlou-