Seize the Night

Frans quickly changed into outdoor attire and ran outside with his rucksack just as the sun was ready to set. He packed a small pocketknife, some medical supplies, and two leather canteens filled with water.

Marigold walked out of the stables with both Caesar and Helios in tow. She tied her rucksack onto Helios' saddle. As she mounted, she gestured for Frans to get on Caesar.

"Me? Ride your father's horse? But I-I don't think I can," he said.

"We can't all ride on Helios on the way back. And if Papa is hurt, we need Caesar to carry him. You can ride him. I know it. Please, Frans. We don't have much time."

Thinking for a moment, Frans walked up and mounted Caesar. He steadied himself on the saddle as they both looked towards the cottage.

"I wrote a note to Mother telling her where we've gone. I just hope she won't be too angry," Marigold said, sadly. "But I'm going to find my father. He needs our help." She turned Helios around and readied him. "Let's go!"

They motioned for the horses to gallop and they sped off, with Kit running beside them, through the fields near the edge of the woods. They hurried as fast as they could as they last remaining light from the sun was still shining. Marigold's long hair was wildly flowing in the wind and her heartbeat raced as they were getting closer to the place where Erik was taken.

They stopped and dismounted at the edge of the woods and closely studied the fading tracks leading into the trees. Holding their horses by the reins, they steadily followed the tracks. Kit began sniffing the ground for Erik's scent. As they followed, they saw a torn piece of brown cloth clinging to a branch. Marigold studied it carefully. "This is from Papa's jacket. We're on the right path." Kit smelled the fabric and sped off on another trail.

They walked on for less than an hour as night approached. As they journeyed deeper into the woods, the smell of smoke filled the air as they carefully spotted the small glow of a campfire burning in the far distant.

Frans and Marigold tied the horses' reins to a branch, and they tread carefully towards the light until they came upon the edge of a gypsy campsite. There were covered caravans and about four men and three women there. The men were gathered around the campfire smoking pipes and counting gold pieces.

Frans and Marigold crouched to the ground and hid behind a large log as they listened in on the gypsies' conversation. Marigold had to hold Kit down close to her so she wouldn't give away their hiding spot.

"Well, Ruslo, where have you put the monster? In a cage, I hope?" asked a gypsy woman.

"No need. He is too weak and injured to fight back even if he tried. He's tied to a tree, just barely conscious. Soon, we will burn him at the tree and send his devil soul back to Hell."

Frantic at what she just heard, Marigold looked around and spotted a tree where a figure stood tied to it. She motioned for Frans to follow her as they crept carefully toward the tree. They took great care to avoid snapping any twigs that would give them away. Finally, they reached a wide tree several yards away from the camp. Erik had been tightly tied upright against the tree thereby forcing him to stand straight the entire time. Exhausted, his head was leaning forward.

Frans went behind the tree, took out the pocketknife and quickly worked at cutting away the ropes. Marigold stood in front of her father. Her heart broke as she looked up at his unmasked face, which was bruised and beaten. His eyes were closed. She reached up and gently touched his brow.

"Father?" she whispered as quietly as she could. "Father, can you hear me?"

Erik grunted weakly as he opened his eyes and saw his daughter before him. "Marigold…" he whispered faintly.

"Oh, Father…" she said, as she gently touched his cheek. "Are you all right?"

"Please…run. I don't want…you in danger. I can't…lose you again. Leave me," He gasped, short of breath.

"I am not leaving without you. We're getting you out of here," Marigold said, adamantly. Frans finished cutting the bonds and the ropes fell away, causing Erik to weakly stumble forwards into Marigold's embrace. She staggered back, trying to steady him as he stumbled to his knees. He gave Kit a pat after she whimpered when he fell. Then, Marigold tried to help him to his feet as he slowly stood up. She gave him her water canteen, which he took gratefully. Soon, he began to regain his strength and put his mask back on.

"Come. We need to hurry," Frans whispered. They both stood at Erik's sides and helped him lean against them as they quietly walked around the camp. At some moments, when the gypsies thought they heard noises, the three of them had to hide behind trees. But just as they were about to leave, Ruslo stood up and looked around towards the trees again.

"Wait…something's not right. I heard noises," he said suspiciously.

Not daring to move, Erik motioned for them to freeze in their positions. Frans stood still, holding Kit close, behind one tree while Erik stood behind another, holding Marigold close to him. They stood as still as statues, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Then, after an eerie silence, Ruslo walked off in the direction of where Erik was tied up. Knowing that his disappearance would be found out, Erik whispered to them. "Run, now!"

Quick as a flash, they ran into the direction of the horses. No sooner after they did, they could hear voices behind them. "Stop them! The demon's escaping!"

They ran as quick as they could towards the horses. Ruslo came running behind them with throwing knives. As they ran, Marigold tripped over a tree root and fell hard to the ground. Then, just as the gypsy was about to throw a knife at her, Erik threw himself between her and Ruslo and shielded her with his body. Then, the throwing knife pierced Erik between his left arm and shoulder. Marigold watched in horror as he let out an agonized cry. Before the gypsy could throw another, Kit leapt at him, snarling and snapping at his hand with her teeth. While the gypsies were distracted, Erik, despite his great pain, stood up and pulled the dagger from his arm. He swiftly pulled Marigold up on her feet and they ran over to where the horses were. But then, the gypsies closed in on them.

Erik protectively stood in front of Marigold as Frans took out his pocketknife and stood at his side. Kit was snarling with bared teeth. Soon, the men were coming closer. "You may have escaped again, monster, but this time, you will not leave alive," said Ruslo, pointing another throwing dagger at Erik.

Suddenly, a rock had knocked the dagger out of his hand. Marigold held the slingshot firmly after Ruslo dropped the dagger. "You little wretch!" he screamed as he tried to lunge for her. Frans then swung his knife at Ruslo. "Don't you touch her!" growled Frans. Just when the gypsy was about to take a swing for Frans, Kit snapped ferociously at his hand. Erik sharply punched Ruslo, as he staggered back.

Acting fast, Marigold took out the two pouches from her pocket. After untying the horses, she quickly mounted Helios. Then, she swiftly threw the pouches in the gypsies' direction.

Soon, the pouches let out a huge burst of fire and smoke, catching the gypsies off guard. The blast of fire blinded their eyes and the smoke caused them to cough and fight for air. Taking their chance, Erik quickly jumped onto Caesar and Marigold took Frans by the hand as he mounted behind her on Helios. In a flash, they both rode off, with Kit running beside them, into the cover of the forest. They rode as fast as the wind would carry them.

Marigold looked up as the moon shined brighter than before. "Look. The moon is so bright, we can find the way home," she said to Frans. As the rode, she worriedly looked over at Erik, who was grunting in pain when he pressed his hand to his bleeding arm as he rode on Caesar. She knew they had to get home as fast as they could or her beloved father wouldn't make it.

After a heart racing ride, they had finally reached the field near the cottage. His strength fading, Erik weakly slid off the saddle and fell to the ground, grunting in pain. Marigold quickly dismounted and ran over to her father's side as he laid on the ground, losing consciousness.

"Frans, go get my mother! Hurry!" cried Marigold. Frans ran toward the house as Marigold tried to wake her father. "Father, it's all right now. We're home. Mother will get Uncle Rahim to help you. It'll be all right. Just please hold on, Father! Please, hold on!"

Erik weakly held his hand up and Marigold took hold of it and held it to her cheek. Just then, Frans came outside with Rahim and Christine running behind him. Christine fell to the ground beside Erik. "My God! Erik! What happened to him?"

"We went back to find where the gypsies took him. We found him tied to a tree and we freed him. But the gypsies came after us and one of them was about to kill Marigold, but Monsieur Erik protected her and the knife hit him. We managed to distract them before we escaped," said Frans.

Rahim pulled Erik up and draped him over his shoulders, carefully supporting him as Christine helped him carry Erik back into the house. "We need to examine his wound and tend to it quickly. He's lost a lot of blood," said Rahim. They led him into the bedroom and laid him on the bed. Rahim told Christine to fetch medical supplies as he worked to stop the bleeding.

As the hours passed, Frans and Marigold, exhausted, sat in the sitting room, waiting while Rahim and Christine worked to save Erik. Kit laid down by the fire as she gave exhausted pants. Though Christine had told them to get some sleep, neither one of them could sleep as they both sat in the sitting room in their night attire. Frans had poured a cup of tea to give to Marigold, who was staring at the bedroom door, anxiously awaiting any news of her father. Frans watched as Marigold just sat pensively.

"It will be all right, Marigold. Your father is strong. He'll make it."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Papa has saved my life so many times. But I…I almost saw him nearly be killed before my eyes. He was just trying to protect me and he…he might be dying," said Marigold, her voice wavering. She covered her face in her hands and shuddered. "I just wanted to save him."

Frans walked over to her and embraced her while he looked at the closed door.