Chapter 2

Maria's POV

Tap tap tap…tap…tap… My eyes flew open as I shot out of my bed grabbing the nearest object to use as a sword. Then I heard it again tap…tap…tap. It was coming from my balcony. I slowly crept forward and swung the doors open, raising the book I grabbed to strike.

"Woah Princess it's just me!" Robin said, holding his hands in defense.

"Robin! What are you doing here… and at this hour! The sun hasn't even broken the horizon yet!" I said jabbing the book at him. I was still sleepy and was agitated. I was woken up from my dreams…well dreams of him.

"I'm showing you around today…though it's going to take a while until you know the forest enough to get around by yourself, so I fancy I'll be with you the better part of the summer." He said snapping me out of my thoughts. His eyes started to wander down to my chemise and then shot straight up.

"Oh–excuse me." Realizing I was only in my sheer chemise. I ran back into my tower and grabbed a wrapper hanging in my wardrobe. I turned around to see Robin making himself at home in one of the chairs by my fireplace.

"Get dressed Princess, I already informed your family that you will be gone all day. Marmaduke prepared us some breakfast and lunch." I went and changed into one of Loveday's old dresses. They were not the London fashion, but they were a lot more able in the forest. It was a deep blue and shorter sleeves. I threw on a pair of riding boots that I just got, so I didn't have to wear my dressy shoes.

"Ready" I said to Robin. He looked up and his eyes smiled for him.

"I will meet you at the front door." He said getting up from the chair and scaling the balcony. I made my way down towards the front door to which he beat me to. He carried a basket and led the way. We made it to the old moon princess's dwelling in about an hours time. I entered first and took a look about the small dwelling. Since we were here last, the dust and cobwebs were gone. The linens looked fresh, wood was piled neatly to use for a fire, and the dishes were all clean.

"How odd…Robin, wasn't this filthy?"

"Erm-yes" he said, teetering on his toes.

"Did you come back and cleaned it up""

"Yes, I was bored and I figured you were still resting…and that you would have cleaned it yourself…I also wanted it to be a surprise, I'm glad of our new friendship." He blushed lightly looking to the left, avoiding my eyes at all costs.

"As am I, our friendship makes me look forward to spending the rest of the summer here."

"What do you mean the rest of the summer, are you going somewhere afterwards?"

I bit my lip "Well, there is talk about my Uncle sending me to finishing school."

"Oh." I could hear the sadness in his voice.

"It would only be for a couple of years…I'm only 16. I have a lot to learn, and to better myself for my future husband."

"And what if your future husband thinks you're perfect as you are now?" He said leaning in close, looking at my lips and then meeting my eyes.

"I-I would tell him that he must take it up with my Uncle as he is in charge of me."

"And that is all? To be approved by your uncle?"

I gulped realizing what he meant, "I-"

"I think princess that any bloke will wait until your of age but not a day longer, as you are quite extraordinary." He said moving a piece of hair that fell in the front of my face. His hand gently brushed my cheek and made its way to my neck, leaving goosebumps as he went. He leaned in even closer. "Princess?" he whispered.

The only thing I could muster out was a soft moan as he pulled me closer to him. He took that soft moan to go even farther by lifting my chin up and placing a very light kiss on it. I melted into his soft lips and returned the kiss by lifting my hand behind his neck and pulling him closer. His hands around my waist tightened as he pulled me closer to him, deepening our kiss. I wasn't quite sure how much time passed, but we both pulled away trying to catch our breaths.

"Robin, I-" Trying to explain myself.

"I know." He walked up to me and placed a kiss upon my head. "I'm sorry for taking such advances."

"You Robin De Noir, have nothing to be sorry for." I smiled at him and felt my face turn a light shade of red. Oh the butterflies that were swarming around him in my stomach. What did I do? I can't believe I took such liberties. What would think…. I was falling hard for the birdboy, Robin…Robin De Noir. I met his eyes and oh they were still their beautiful brown with gold flakes.

"Princess, perhaps we should start exploring the forest?"

"I suppose." We emerged from the dwelling and stepped out into the clearing. I started walking towards the one end and my foot caught on a tree root. I started to fall but Robin caught me perfectly.

He stood me up and said "Princess, whatever bloke that you marry must know that you are quite clumsy." He smirked

"Oh Robin, maybe you'll be that poor bloke." The trees started to laugh, and Robin and I froze. From behind the trees came his gang of bandits. Henry, James, and Philip.

"OIy Robin, what's this about being a poor bloke to the Ms. Moon Princess." James said cockly.

"And what are you two doing alone?" Henry inquired

"Your father has been looking for you all morning…cursing you if you were with her" Philip added.

"I was showing her the forest, my father knew I was doing that with her."

"I bet he didn't think alone."

"Well we did have Wrolf" I added. Their eyes all landed on me. "So technically it wasn't just the two of us."

"And where is Wrolf?" Philip teased.

" Well…I did say that he was with us." Earning a stifling laugh from everyone.

" What are you showing her today?" Henry asked.

"I was planning on taking her to the beach. "Robin said " I figure that there is still plenty enough daylight to go." The boys smirked.

"Since you two are indeed alone, us blokes will come along to make sure your father doesn't strangle you when you get back." James said.

"I suppose." Robin said, annoyed but agreeing, he wanted to spend the day alone with Maria.

They made their way through the woods to the amphitheater. They then went down a hidden path which led to a beach. The waves were a lot calmer and the water was more blue than the water by the bluffs of the amphitheater. My boots were just filled with sand, we stopped around what looked like a fire pit as there were logs placed around it for seats.

"Beat you all in, last one has to do a dare!" James said, stripping out of his leathers and down to his britches. He ran off into the water and Henry followed suit. Philip raised his brows at Robin and I as he too stripped and ran into the water.

"What's taking you blokes so long?" Henry shouted.

"Robin I-"

"You heard him princess…" As his hands slid his jacket off and his hands trailed to his shirt which he pulled off…very slowly at that. I caught every inch of his chest. Oh he was a sight to see. He smirked "Princess you seem distracted, perhaps it's the fact I'm half undressed?"

"Not at all, I was just admiring the view…" My cheeks grew incredibly warm "behind you." I added to knock down his ego a bit. He took the rest of his clothes off besides his britches.

"I'll see you there Princess." He nodded and smirked and he too ran into the water.

What to do… I suppose I could always just swim in my chemise… how scandalous, I would be ruined if anyone would ever find out.

"Come on Princess." Robin said from the water.

"Robin propriety!" I yelled back. They all laughed.

"We won't look," Philip yelled.

I bit my tongue… "Fine, turn around!" I shouted. They all turned around and I unfastened my petticoat and was left in my chemise. I made my way towards the water and dip my toes in. The boys were still looking away, the water felt nice.

"Hurry up!" James yelled.

"I'm coming." I waded through the water right until I was right behind Robin. I went to push his shoulders down but he must've heard me as he stealthy moved to the side. He picked me up and dunked me under. I popped back up. " Robin!"

"Oh Princess, do you think you're really that quiet? I heard you a mile away." He laughed along with the rest. We spent the afternoon swimming and decided after a few hours to eat the lunch Robin brought and head back to the Manor. The boys said their farewells and Robin lingered a bit.

"I suppose today wasn't awful…" He smirked thinking of her in her undergarments.

"Yes, it was quite adventurous."

"I will see you tomorrow?"

"You will?"

"There's a lot more of the forest to explore…" And with that Robin moved closer to me, in which he was only a few inches away. His eyes trailed down to my lips and then back to my eyes.

"Robin, I-" I stammered as his hand brushed against my cheek as he moved a curl that fell down into my face.

"You are so beautiful." He said, as if he was under a spell of some sorts. My cheeks burned.

"Is that a compliment from Robin De Noir, the birdboy?" I shook my redness off and teased. He came out of his trance and turned his face into a smirk.

"Perhaps it is… I will see you tomorrow, Princess." He said, bowed and raised my hand to his lips and placed a very delicate kiss on it.

"Until tomorrow." I curtseyed and made my way inside.