Chapter Ten: United At Last

Marceline's mind is swirling with chaos. She doesn't know how to feel. She expected that she would be overcome with joy, which she is. Anxiety fills body from foot to head and it's a dark sticky cloud Marceline can't escape. It makes her stomach twist painfully and it gives her a headache. It makes her neck tingle, it makes her feel queasy.

Bonnie is trailing behind Marceline, not speaking. Marceline follows the path she carved out before, hoping to avoid as many brambles and thorns as possible. They reach the edge of the forest in less than an hour. Marceline whistles for Schwabl and he gallops over.

With a shaky hand, Marceline pets Schwabl. Schwabl puts his nose up to Bonnibel and sniffs. Bonnie stiffens and opens her mouth to scream. Marceline puts a hand up to Bonnie's mouth.

"Hey, baby, it's okay. He won't hurt you" Marceline says gently.

The panic recedes in Bonnie's eyes and is replaced with shame. "I'm sorry...It's...I'm so scared"

"Don't worry about it, princess" Marceline murmurs, her stomach clenches more.

Marceline mounts Schwabl and offers a hand to Bonnie. Tentatively, Bonnie takes it and struggles to mount Schwabl. Finally, Bonnie is secure between Schwabl's neck and Marceline's chest.

Marceline rummages through the saddlebags to retrieve the map. Marceline studies it, trying to decide the best course of action. There's another forest on the southern border of the desert, but it would take significantly longer than just to straight through the desert. But Marceline didn't want to brave the desert again, especially with a mentally unstable princess. Marceline rolls up the map and puts it back in the saddlebag.

Marceline ties her labrys to the side of Schwabl in its sheathe. She puts on her helmet before snapping the reins, steering Schwabl towards the south.

"We'll find time to talk after we get fed and cleaned up" Marceline says.

Bonnie responds by leaning back on Marceline. The rhythm of Schwabl's hooves puts the exhausted princess to sleep.

Marceline's nose wrinkles as the smell of the Princess wafts up into her nose.

"We definitely need to give you a bath" Marceline mutters to herself.

The sun is beginning to set. It paints the sky red and orange and purple. The coil of anxiety inside of Marceline relaxes a bit as she watches the sun set. The edges of the forest appear on the horizon. Finally, somewhere Marceline is comfortable with. After walking a few miles into the forest, the forest is dark with night. In the light of the moon, Marceline unpacks the saddlebag and lays out a sleeping bag.

She gently pulls Bonnie off Schwabl and sets her down gently on top of the sleeping bag.

Marceline lights a fire with her flint. She takes off her armor by the fire and sits next to it, letting the heat lick her skin. Marceline sighs and looks at the rescued princess. She's curled up in a ball, clutching the edges of the sleeping bag. Her filthy and matted hair falls in front of her face. Dirt clings on to the princess.

Marceline hasn't seen a more beautiful sight in the world. Marceline smiles fondly at her lost love and lays down next to the sleeping bag, giving Bonnie plenty of room. With the sound of the snapping fire, Marceline falls into uneasy sleep.

Marceline wakes up to a gentle breeze. The embers of the fire glow red and the golden sun shines through canopy above. She yawns and stretches, being careful not to disturb the princess.

"Time to go hunting" She says to herself. She grabs her bow and arrows and sets off, keeping an eye open for prey.

She climbs a tree and sits and waits. A shudder in the bushes reveals the location of an animal. Marceline knocks an arrow and draws her bow. A head pops out of the bush. It's a pig of some sorts. Marceline releases the arrow and it finds its mark in the pigs eye, it squeals and collapses to the ground, it's mouth hanging open, revealing long, sharp tusks.

Marceline carries the boar back to camp and sets it down on top of the embers. It sizzles and the smell of bacon emanates from the flesh.

The next thing on her mind was water. She traveled down a gentle wooded slope, hoping to find a creek. To her amazement, there's a lake nearby, with creeks and streams flowing from it.

She returns back to her camp, flips the pig and sits next to Bonnie. She still hasn't woken up. Marceline makes herself busy by making a spear out of a stick with her knife. She puts the spear through the pig and props it up using rocks.

She gathers more wood and places it on top of the embers, and blows on them. The fire quickly comes back to life and it snaps and hisses with rejuvenation. She twirls the pig around, making sure it cooks evenly.

The princess groans and sits up.

"M-marceline?" She asks tentatively.

"Yes, m'lady?" Marceline responds.

"Is...is that a pig?" Bonnie asks.

"Yeah, or something like that"

"I can't remember the last time I've eaten meat"

"Well, Princess, you are in for a treat"

Bonnie inhaled and her mouth began salivating "When's it gonna be ready?"

"Not for a while...it's a whole pig, man"

"Oh" Is all Bonnie says.

"Like for another hour. I found a lake by here, you wanna take a bath or somethin'?" Marceline asks.

"Well. It has been a while. I probably stink...a lot"

Marceline snorts "That's an understatement"

Bonnie's eyes drop to the ground with shame and she blushes with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry Bon', I didn't mean it. Just trying to lighten the mood" Marceline says gently.

"It's okay. It's fine. Let's go" Bonnie says.

Marceline stomps out the fire and leaves the pig smoldering by the embers. The princess and the knight walk side by side. Marceline resists the urge to hold Bonnie's hand, afraid that Bonnie will pull away.

They reach the lake and Bonnie pauses at the edge. Her knees lock and she grips onto Marceline's bicep.

"Marcy" She whispers. "I'm scared"

"Bonn, it's just a lake. I'll protect you, don't worry" Marceline assures her.

Bonnie tentatively lets go of Marceline and takes a step into the lake water. Marceline realizes that Bonnie isn't wearing shoes or socks, just trousers and a t-shirt that looks vaguely familiar.

Bonnie lifts the shirt over her head. Her back is scrawny and Marceline could see Bonnie's spine and the back of her ribs. There's slashes and wiping scars all over her back. Marceline fumes with fury. The bra Bonnie is wearing is mangled.

"Take my clothes, please" Bonnie asks quietly, breaking Marceline out of her angry thoughts.

Bonnie hands Marceline the shirt and fumbles to unhook her bra.

"Let me help you with that" Marceline says shyly, trying avoid looking at the near naked woman. Marceline unhooks the bra and takes it off.

Bonnie moves to take off her trousers and then her panties.

"I'll be over there washing your clothes, okay?"

"Okay" Bonnie says and submerges herself in the water.

Marceline steps out of the sand and into the forest, looking for herbs to wash the clothes with. She finds mint for the smell, and cloves to clean the clothes. She goes knee-deep into the water and begins scrubbing at the clothes.

The water surrounding the clothes is murky. It's brown and red. Red with blood. Marceline's heart lurches and she fights back tears.

"My poor baby girl" She whispers to herself.

She finishes scrubbing the clothes with the cloves and mint and puts them up to her nose. She takes a whif. They smell nice now. She wrings out the shirt and slaps it out. She turns the shirt around and looks at it.

Marceline gasps. It was the shirt Marceline had given her all those years ago. It was her band shirt. She clutches the shirt and brings it to her heart.

Marceline wades over to Bonnie.

"Here, this will make you smell good" Marceline says and taps Bonnie's shoulder.

Bonnie turns around. Marceline stares straight ahead, only looking at Bonnie's wonderful purple eyes.

Marceline hands the herbs to Bonnie. "Here ya go"

Bonnie takes them and smiles. "Thank you"

"How'd your legs stay hairless and your teeth so white and perfect?"

"Magic, I suppose. They only allowed damage to be done to my outer body...as you can probably tell" Bonnie says.

"Oh" Marceline sneaks a look down at Bonnie. Her heart flutters.

"Well, once you're done, come out, I'm setting your clothes out to dry" Marceline murmurs.

Marceline does as she said she would do and lays down on the warm sand. Marceline closes her eyes and sighs. She lays like this, half awake and half asleep until Bonnie emerges from the water.

Bonnie crouches over Marceline and taps her shoulder. Marceline jumps up, landing unto a very naked Bonnibel.

"Oh my glob. I'm so sorry" Marceline says.

Bonnie giggles. The sound is music to Marceline's ears.

"Wow. I've missed your laugh" Marceline murmurs and rolls off of Bonnie.

Marceline points to the clothes "You kept the shirt I gave you"

"Yeah...it means a lot to me" Bonnie blushes.

"But you never wore it" Marceline says.

"Dude, I wore it under my other clothes! As pajamas!"

Marceline turns red "I...I…"

Bonnie lifts a finger and places it on Marceline's lips.

"Shh. Now let me put my clothes on" Bonnie says.

"O-okay" Marceline says and turns her back on Bonnie, looking at the woods.

When Bonnie taps her shoulder again, she's fully clothed.

"The pigs probably ready now" Marceline says.

"Good. I'm starving" Bonnie says.

"Quite literally, I'm afraid" The duo walk back to camp, hand in hand.