Chapter One

…"I love you," she declared. George brushed the snow out of his hair as it gently drifted down around them.

"You love me? After all this time and you finally have the breath to say it back?" he responds. She looks straight into his eyes.

"Yes, I did not know it before but I finally realize what I've been feeling. I know it has been a while but I had to be sure." George looked away, mulling over what she had just told him, before his heart couldn't take t and he rushed towards her-

"Emily! We must leave for your father's funeral now," came the shout of one Miss Heliotrope. Emily sighed and put her quill down; she'll never be able to finish her novel at this rate.

Checking her black dress over in the mirror and straightening the hat and birdcage veil on her head, she proceeded out of her room and down to the foyer where she saw her younger sister, Maria, fashionably dressed as ever despite the occasion, standing next to the nagging governess, Miss Heliotrope.

Once she joined them they headed outside and stood next to the carriage: the carriage that held their father's body in his coffin. The procession began, heading to the graveyard on the foggy day in London. Not many were in the procession for not many appreciated their father, Emily hardly liked her father but he was family and for at least now she had to mourn, it was the norm for society after all.

Unlike her younger sister, she knew that their father was a no good money philanderer who pandered away all their money leaving them with nothing. That was why, before the week was out, they had to leave their London home for their uncle's home way out in Moonacre Valley.

They arrived at the gravesite, right next to their mothers, and the funeral began. The coffin was placed into the ground and words were said on behalf of his soul to help protect it. That was another difference between herself and her sister, she was an academic and believed in the natural world, something un-thought of for young girls, while her sister believes in an afterlife of either Heaven or Hell. Maria also loved fairy tales and romance novels, just like the kind Emily secretly wrote.

"Amen," finished the priest and one after the other the sisters place a single rose on their father's grave then on their mother's. As they were walking back to stand next to Miss Heliotrope Emily couldn't help but notice her sister looking off to the side. Taking a chance and looking in the same direction she saw a flash of a figure in black as they walked away. Not caring Emily returned to the rest of the funeral while Maria took one more disappointing look in that direction to find the figure gone.

This meeting with the lawyer seemed very pointless to Emily. She knew what was to happen, the only thing she couldn't have predicted was that their father left a book of old fairy tales to her sister, well more precisely to them but she had no use for the old make believe stories. Maria happily accepted it and clutched to it with all her might as they proceeded back to their home to pack. They left in the morning with no hope of returning in the near future.

Emily had just finished packing her writing utensils and the first draft of her novel when there was a small knock on the door. Judging how light the footsteps were prior to them stopping in front of her door she knew it was Maria.

"Come in," said Emily as she placed her bag by the door. She had one dress laid out on a chair for her to wear while travelling and was already in her night gown. Her sister walked in, in a similar fashion, and she took a glance around the room.

"Packed already?" she asked as her eyes finally settled on her sister who was sitting on her bed.

"Yes. We leave in the morning, and really this is no longer our house, we merely are allowed to stay here till our things are packed. I'd rather not stay any longer then needed, I do not need charity," replied Emily as she started running a brush through her long, wavy, dark hair.

"So that's it? You weren't going to fight for us to stay here. I was hoping, you being the intellectual one, that you would put a stop to this or find a way for us to live in the city," said Maria shocked at how easily her sister had given into the demands of the city.

"What could I possibly have done? A smart woman is hardly desired in this society and when I do speak my mind, not only do you condone it, but my words are merely ignored. Plus our father owed the city, and many others, the only way we would be able to stay in the city is if we had money, which we do not. Plus I'm rather excited at a country life, something new and exciting," she said placing her brush on her desk and turning to her sister.

"Exciting? That's funny coming from you; you've never done anything exciting in your life. All you do is hide away in your room and read books on history and other boring topics. Why don't you read the book father left us, could do you some good," said Maria getting slightly angry at her sister. She was too logical and not like the other girls in the city who were more like Maria, loving fashion and tales of romance and mystical beings.

"Is there a point as to why you are postponing my sleep or did you just want to try and tell me, your older sister, how to live my life?" she asked keeping her face expressionless and staring her sister down who shifted.

"Fine," said Maria glaring at her sister before turning on her heel and leaving out the door, closing it a little harder than needed. Emily sighed and walked over to her light switch.

"What part of 'it isn't our house anymore doesn't the girl understand'?" she murmured to herself before turning the light off and climbing into bed.

The next morning Emily was dressed in a simple emerald green dress with a black cloak draped around her shoulders. She had placed her bags in the back of the carriage with the help of her uncle's faithful servant, Digweed. She had bade their old servants adieu and expressed her much appreciation for all they had done for them. She now only waited for her sister, who would not put that book down that was left to her, and for Miss Heliotrope who she learned had decided to come along with them.

"How long does it take to get to Moonacre Valley, Digweed?" asked Emily as she looked at him as he petted the horse who was getting bored.

"Day long journey, miss," he said, "we best be off soon."

"I could not agree more," she said turning to face the front door. Digweed just smiled at the girl, he quite liked her, she was not what he expected for a city girl.

Maria finally emerged from the house with her bag and Emily sighed and waited as her sister nodded to the house staff and Miss Heliotrope emerged from the house. Emily then climbed up onto the carriage and sat next to where Digweed would sit and pulled out a quill and a notebook.

"Er, Miss Emily, are you not going to sit in the carriage?" asked Digweed after he put the bags in the back and Miss Heliotrope and Maria looked at her.

"Is this part of your sense of adventure?" asked Maria mockingly.

"Oh, dear, it isn't proper for a lady to sit up on a carriage," said Miss Heliotrope as she straightened her glasses.

"Proper or not, I really couldn't care less. I merely want to observe our surroundings as we go, for I have not seen the countryside before, and map our progress so I know which way we have come. Also I'd rather not be stuck an entire day in a tiny carriage with two other people. Now may we depart?" she asked bluntly looking down at the two.

"Oh, well…" said Miss Heliotrope as she trailed off. Maria gave her sister an odd look before climbing into the carriage with Miss Heliotrope behind her. Digweed climbed up and sat next to Emily as he took the reigns.

"Ready?" he asked looking at her. Emily pulled the hood on her cloak up and smiled at him.

"Ready," she said. He snapped the reigns and the carriage jolted into movement.

As the carriage carried on, Emily took notes of which way they turned and made rough sketches of various animals she saw. She had decided that she was going to enjoy staying with the uncle she had never met. She could learn just as much in the country as she could in the city. Yes obtaining news would be difficult but there are ways. She had also already discussed arrangements with her publisher: she would send her completed manuscripts by carrier for there was a nearby town. And who knows, living in the country might give her new ideas for her novels.

The road was a little bumpy but Digweed just assured her that the bumpy road means they were getting closer. It was well into the afternoon by now anyway, they stopped only for a half hour to enjoy lunch in a small field.

"Digweed, have you worked for my uncle long?" she asked after sketching a swallow.

"Yes, for many years now," he said smiling at fond memories in his head.

"What is he like?" she asked looking at Digweed as he looked at her and smiled.

"He is a kind man, mostly keeps to his study. But lately, he seems rather lonely," Digweed then looked around him to make sure no one was listening, which was an absurd thought since they were atop a carriage that was moving at a reasonable pace. He leaned towards Emily and she leaned towards him, "he once was to be married. Beautiful lady named Loveday."

"What happened then to call off the marriage?" she asked.

"Turns out she was a De Noir. Do you know of the feud between the families?"

"Never heard of it."

"Well for generations the Merryweathers and the De Noirs have been pretty much at war with each other. Loveday tried to unite the families but Benjamin wouldn't allow it, felt it was his duty to remain true to his family."

"What caused this rift between families?"

"Tell me, have you received a book from your father?"

"Yes The Ancient Chronicles of Moonacre Valley. I can't say that I didn't notice the similar name in the book and the location where uncle resides; I let Maria have the book, she has a tendency to love those fanciful tales of magic and princesses."

"You might want to read it, brush up on family history."

"How is that family history?" asked Emily as Digweed brought the carriage to a halt at some irons gates. He smirked at her and got down from the carriage. Emily sighed and rubbed her forehead, surely he couldn't enjoy that silly nonsense like her young sister.

Emily was about to write down some more notes about the gate when she heard a thump on the carriage. She then heard her sister begin screaming and she turned around right as her sister dragged her needle across the attacker's hand. Emily stood up to help her sister when she made eye contact with the man atop the carriage; he was the one that she saw at the funeral.

As his eyes met hers he stopped his whining over his hand and stared straight back. He couldn't see much of her face for her hood caused shadows to cover her face but he knew that this was the elder girl that was at the funeral. He shook off the shock and was about to go for her when he flew back off of the carriage as Digweed took the reigns again and was off.

The carriage pulled them through the iron gates and Digweed pulled a lever and the gate fell closed. Emily remained standing, bracing herself against the side of the carriage as it moved. She watched as the two attackers rushed to the gate and became enraged that they had not succeeded in what they were trying to.

"Digweed, please explain this rift between families," said Emily sitting down once more. She didn't know why but she had a feeling that those two boys were of De Noir descent. If there was a feud among families then it only made sense that they would be the only ones that wanted to attack them. For reasons unknown, of course, but when families are at war for such a long time is there a necessity to explain rogue attacks? The boy was at the funeral, that much was true, so he must have known they were indeed Merryweathers, thus giving him the justification he needed to attack blindly.

"I told you, read the book," he said and remained silent.

Emily sighed and began to draw the gates and write out that a key was needed and the lever that was carriage height was needed to pull it down once through.

A/n: I recently found this movie on Netflix and saw Tim Curry was in it so I watched it and even though it isn't the best movie (sorry to those you like it, I'm a film student) I somehow fell in love with it.

I have quite a few chapters of this written and I post them as soon as I can.

Thank you for reading and reviews are welcomed.

-Charlotte