Marianne pants as she finishes another wide arc around her opponent. She doesn't know how much longer she'll be able to keep this up. She can only pray that Bog and the Dark Forest army will arrive soon.
A cry of alarm nearby urges her wings into action toward the sound of distress. The dragonfly rider's predicament is revealed once she gets closer and she's forced to speed up, slamming her blade against the large white muzzle headed toward Captain Henna.
She barely acknowledges the adoring gratitude before they're both forced to fly quickly away from another large white muzzle appearing through the thick fog. Opening her mouth to scream, Marianne chuckles briefly instead as pained yelping emits from their attacker because of an arrow striking its glowing red eye.
"Are you okay, Marianne?" Dawn questions, moving to fly beside her while nocking another arrow from the quiver against her hip.
"Yeah, but..." Marianne starts before sighing. "How's everyone else doing?"
"No one has been injured but we're not going to be able to keep this up much longer," Dawn comments. "Marianne, are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should head back to the palace with the others."
"And leave you and Sunny here in charge? Not a chance," Marianne remarks. "I know I made that joke three days ago because of you playing Romeo and Juliet but you two are going to have a long happy marriage and I'm going to make these creeps feel a world of pain when Bog gets back with the water from the Sacred Spring."
"My sister, the violent one," Dawn chuckles before screaming. "Scatter!"
Marianne veers sharply up while Dawn drops toward the ground to avoid the gigantic hand appearing out of the fog. She can feel the strain on her wings as she's forced to maneuver quickly as the other hand joins in pursuit of her.
"Princess!" Marco calls just before he appears out of the fog to grab her and maneuvers both of them out from between the enclosing fingers.
She's barely able to thank him before they're forced to separate as the third Cwn Annwn makes its presence known and her frustration grows higher as Am Fear Liath Mor tries to capture her once more. It's starting to feel like they are being played with.
Marianne dives toward where the giant's legs should be and flies through the gap between them, smirking as Am Fear Liath Mor stumbles when he tries to reach for her and lands on two of the Cwn Annwn. Seems that the fog isn't putting just the Light Field fighters at a disadvantage.
Serves them right!
"Brillant move, Marianne!" Sunny laughs, sidling up on his dragonfly and keeping his whip at the ready.
"Thanks but I don't think it's enough to discourage them," Marianne mutters. "Has there been any signal flares from the palace yet? I've been too distracted to notice."
"Not yet but they should be there real soon," Sunny reassures. "Do you want to start pulling back?"
"We're going to have to. I don't know how much longer it'll take for Bog to return and I'm not going to be able to keep dodging like this," Marianne admits. "Relay the orders to start slowly retreating back to the palace."
Noticing a pole from the festival grounds through the fog, Marianne flies toward it as Sunny flies off to carry out his orders. Her wings are grateful for the reprieve as she lands but she keeps them at the ready as she keeps her attention directed toward the muted sound of movements positioned in front of her. She can only afford a moment's rest but hopefully, she'll be able to get her strength back before they notice her.
Marianne sighs heavily as she lays her free hand against her stomach, feeling reassurance from the responding fluttery movements. How did the day become this?
Even with the turmoil of this morning from bad dreams and painful past revelations, it was a carefree and happy sort of day. She bantered with her husband, endured her mother-in-law's fretting, played with her son, teased her sister and brother-in-law, and lovingly tormented her father. All-in-all, a very normal day.
It happened so fast. One minute they were enjoying the festive day and then they heard the worrying news concerning the Placid Swamp, which was mild compared to the terror that erupted when the mountain fae made their entrance.
In a sense, they need to thank the Placid Swamp envoy or they wouldn't have been prepared when the real threat appeared as the fog rolled closer to the festival grounds to reveal the shadowed figures of Am Fear Liath Mor and three Cwn Annwns in its midst. Weapons were easily retrieved and the fastest flying fighters were armed. Even Dawn and Sunny had their weapons ready, demanding that they be allowed to help and refusing to join those evacuating to the palace.
Marianne chuckles slightly at the remembrance of her shock when Sunny removed his whip and Dawn's bow set from the pack he brought with him from the palace. The pair was more observant then anyone gave them credit for.
"Marianne, look out!"
Turning her head, she can only watch in horror as a large black muzzle approaches her from behind.