??? | r. de noir

09. the return

"Why did you come looking for me?" Olive asked, remembering the promise she'd made Maria swear to keep.

"You were taking an awfully long time, and I was getting frightened that we'd be lost in the dark.."

"Oh.. I suppose I did take longer than I'd expected.."

"–And then, I thought I'd heard you scream," Maria added. The young girl shuddered at the thought.

"Oh.. well, thank you. For looking for me," Olive added.

"Of course," Maria said. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you, I just couldn't.. I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you."

Olive smiled, knowing she'd have felt the same way.

"Thank you."

The older girl decided not to tell Maria about the bandits. It seemed unlikely that Maria would ever wander into the forest, especially alone. After all, it was astonishing enough just to see the proper young girl sitting astride a horse. Telling Maria about her encounter might only scare her into never leaving the safe, confining walls of the manor, and Olive certainly didn't want that. It was nice to have a riding companion.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

When they returned to the manor, Digweed found them outside the stables and took the horses from them. Olive had given the rabbit to Maria to hold, for she was afraid Sir Benjamin would make them leave it outside. She figured, perhaps, that he'd let them keep it if Maria were the one to have rescued it.

Sir Benjamin was sitting in his chair by the hearth, waiting for the girls' return. Wrolf padded over to his master, and sat at his feet.

"I hope Periwinkle and Orion gave you an educational tour of the estate," Sir Benjamin said.

The girls nodded.

"Indeed."

Hesitantly, Maria held out the rabbit, showing her Uncle.

"I.. I have a wounded hare."

Sir Benjamin leaned forward in his chair.

"That, young lady, is a rare Moonacre Rabbit. By far the more beautiful, brave, and serene a creature. And as you have brought her in from the wild, she is now your responsibility."

Maria gazed down at the rabbit, proudly, and then glanced over at Olive, who smiled.

"And with your knowledge of animals," Sir Benjamin continued, "I very much doubt that she'll live to see the morning."

Maria's smile vanished. It was replaced with a slight scowl of resentment.

Sir Benjamin sighed, leaning back in his chair once more.

"Keep out of the forest, child," he said, sternly. And then he looked at Olive. "That goes for you, too."

Olive nodded, understanding. After her encounter with the bandits in the woods, she was quite certain she didn't want to go back, anyways.

Well.. almost certain–

–Certain that she shouldn't.

Yet her heart swelled when she remembered the way it felt to listen to the wind through the trees, to smell all the flowers.. she already missed the forest, dearly.