Chrono Trigger

We're back: The time flow is corrected and Marle is returned. The trio begins their trek back to their own time.

At first the mood was very gloomy as they walked through the rain and down the muddy road. After all, it was a long walk and a queen isn't really used to getting her clothes messy. However, as they began to breathe fresh air and realize that they had just escaped a life-threatening situation, their mood brightened accordingly. They began to dance in the rain and catch drops on their tongues while they excitedly recounted their struggles and their experiences. Of course, Crono and Lucca felt that it was best not to touch on the subject of time travel, feeling that such a thing would be over their heads. It was fairly easy to leave out such details by simply saying that they came from a small town just south of the Guardian Kingdom.

The miles passed and it seemed as if they would be forced to camp that night, but luck had decided to pay them one more favor in the form of easy travel. It was hard to identify at first, the rain pouring down all around them, but they could hear the distant neighing and beating of horseshoes. Within moments, there were armed men on horseback that were hastily making their way down the road. They had an immense look of shock on their faces as they saw a proper woman, dressed in expensive robes, out in the rain. They were even more shocked when they realized that it was Queen Leene, the very reason for their speedy flight.

"Your highness!"

The men pounded their armor clad chests and bowed their heads in reverence. The queen merely blushed, being so messy and dirty, yet receiving so much respect and concern from her fellow countrymen. She curtseyed politely with a relaxed smile as the leader of the troupe descended from his stallion, his armor clinking on the stirrups and the buckles of the saddle. He then paid further respect by kneeling in front of his liege before addressing her fully, "The clergy rode into town with horses from their stables. They were very distressed." At this point he looked towards Frog with a very pleased smile, as if they were old acquaintances, "They told us that you have freed them from their bonds, Sir Glenn." The guard stopped momentarily as he suddenly realized the presence of two other travelers. "Are these other captives that have been rescued by your hand?"

Frog looked at Crono and smiled broadly, "No. This is Sir Crono and his accomplice, Lucca. They are heroes and should be treated as such. They hath aided mine endeavors. I could not have accomplished my goal without them."

"I know you now!" One of the guards began with a start, "You are the man who was accused of kidnapping her majesty."

"Nothing is further from the truth!" The queen began defensively, "him and his friend aided Glenn in destroying a mystic general. We can rest easy tonight because of their bravery."

"And who is this? Is this not the monster that had kidnapped our majesty in the first place?" The guard said, pointing an accusing finger towards the chancellor.

"N-no!" He stuttered nervously.

The queen wove her arms in frustration, explaining that much had happened. It was becoming rather tedious to explain the whole affair, but she did so anyway to clear the name of the good chancellor. The captain listened carefully as he mulled every detail in his mind. When she finished he continued to ponder on his story, seeing that someone had fooled them earlier. It almost seemed as if he were trying to determine if this was the real queen. There was a moment of silence as the captain looked over Crono and Lucca, and then with a hearty handshake for each, he thanked them sincerely. He even went as far to embrace Crono and Lucca in praise, which was painful for them since the screws in his armor poked them while they embraced. He turned to his subordinates and began to shout orders, "Those in the rear, ride back to the castle and bring back five horses! The queen will dine with the king tonight!"

The knights obeyed, but not without letting out a joyous cheer before riding off into the darkness of the night. The sounds of their horses disappeared into the distance, and after the space of a half-hour, they returned with the most magnificent horses they had ever seen. Every muscle could be seen under their finely combed bodies and they were massively sized so that their backs were nearly the height of Crono's shoulders. They were also very well trained, the queen's especially, who actually knelt to the ground to allow her easy access to its back. They were almost ready when Crono realized that Lucca was white in the face with a certain dreaded fear.

"Oh, I forgot." Crono said softly, "She is afraid of horses."

"I'm not afraid!" Lucca snapped, some red color flowing into her cheeks.

"Afraid to ride a horse? How peculiar!" Frog said more to himself than anyone else.

"Shut up! I heard that! I'm not afraid…really! I just…Uh…" She trailed off as she twirled a strand of silky black hair around her finger nervously.

"You just feel uncomfortable with that saddle, don't you Lucca?" Crono said, suddenly realizing that it was an awkward fear for her, just like any other.

"Uh, yeah! It doesn't feel secure. It almost seems like it will slip." She said, sighing diminutively in relief.

"Well, in that case you can ride with me." Crono offered kindly.

The sigh that escaped her lips was instantly sucked back in with a gasp, but nobody seemed to notice as a knight helped her down from her horse. She looked up to Crono as he extended a helping hand, which she took reluctantly. The saddle still felt far too loose for her liking, but she could no longer complain since Crono did not seem to mind. She yelped slightly as he snapped the reigns, egging the horse into a brisk trot. Somewhere, deep inside the chambers of her chest, her heart had fluttered once again; but it was mostly overshadowed by outrageous terror. As they began to gallop through the rain and the forest, her hold had tightened exceedingly. If she were paying attention, she could feel the strong chest and stomach that met her hands, but if she did she would most likely release her hold in embarrassment and fall off; perhaps it was better that her mind ruled over her for now.

Meanwhile, Crono was simply enjoying the burst of speed, seeing it as a much greater advantage than when they walked such a distance. Occasionally, back in his time, he would have to borrow a horse from a neighboring farm to haul wood so he had a way about horsemanship. He whooped and hollered, but was cautious about the speed; more for Lucca and her sake.

Frog had grown solemn as he knew what would happen next. He never enjoyed visits to the castle…

-

That same magnificent structure that Crono saw at the start of his search was obscured by the distant rain and the darkness of the night, yet the silhouette would flash in the sky with every bolt of lightning. Over time it grew closer until he was able to see the white-washed stone and large gates which were opened invitingly. There were several attendants who quickly helped them down from their horses and took them to the stables, all seemingly with a spring in their steps. Crono, Lucca, nor Frog seemed to realize their jubilation, being frigid from the ride. The rain and cool winds gave everyone the shivers and they were more than excited to enter a warm hall. However, it was no peaceful matter as they strolled in through the front gates. Within the main lobby were noblemen, noblewoman, knights, soldiers, servants, cooks, chefs, and everything in between.

Especially the king was present…

A look of anxiety was on his face as he searched over the knights and people that entered through the gate. His eyes went wide and began to glaze as he beheld the object of his every affection in torn clothing. Even though she had rode through the rain, been captive, wore ragged clothing, she was by far the most beautiful thing that had ever met his eye. His eyes began to water as he looked at his queen, asking very carefully, "Is it truly you, my dearest? Have you returned to me? Are you a dream from which I hope never to awaken from?"

"No, my love. I am home."

Certain things are expected of a king, and retaining composure is one of them. However, if the reader had ever loved anyone beyond their own selves, they would certainly understand why he wasted no time in running down the steps, tears streaming down his bearded cheeks, enveloping his soul in the most affectionate embrace that Crono or Lucca had ever seen. He kissed her forehead and neck repeatedly as they both wept for joy. Even the witnesses to such a joyful reunion could not help but shed some tears of their own as they burst into rapturous applause.

Even Lucca, who had professed her annoyance to anything overly romantic, could not help but be moved by such a display of fondness. However, only one person refrained from cheering, and that was Frog himself, the very creature solely engaged in the queen's rescue. However, no one had taken notice in the sizable din that shook the very rafters of the castle. Instead, he used this opportunity to turn about and head for the exit.

"Glenn!" A voice boomed out.

No one had realized it, but Frog sighed deeply as if he were expecting an argument. All eyes were now upon him and the court was silent. He obeyed and turned about to see a happy king extending his hand towards Frog. Of course, him being the noble knight that he was, took a firm grasp and looked him straight in the eye. The king had a deeply appreciative look in his face while Frog seemed to have no emotion whatsoever. "You have saved my wife!"

"I did not act alone, your majesty." Frog said, seemingly disregarding any act on his behalf, "Those two are the rightful heroes."

"It is good to see you again. We have all missed you." The king bowed his head slightly as did the queen and the chancellor who also felt the need to chime in.

"Yes, Glenn! It would please us very much if you were to return to the castle." A general nod went all throughout the court to the chancellor's statement.

Crono and Lucca looked at each other in confusion. They were not absolutely certain about what they had meant. Did they mean that he was to return at a future date, or had he lived here at one time and was invited to return? Their question was not solved, since Frog acted in all humility. It was odd to Crono that he would refuse such praise that was so worthily deserved. There are many people who profess their loyalty, but few are sincere in their oath. It only seemed fair that Frog should recognize a kind word, which he politely and stubbornly refused to do.

"I beg thee; do not waste such kind words upon me." He knelt before the king who seemed sorrowful at that response.

Frog turned about, as if he was going to leave, but he was stopped by one more voice. It was the kind and gentle voice of Queen Leene who held the same countenance as the king. She almost seemed to beg as she looked at their cherished servant expectantly, "Surely you will stay the night? It is raining and it has been so long since we have seen each other."

"Frog smiled as he said, "Truly, I am unworthy of such company."

"No. All I ask is that you stay for one night. You must be exhausted and hungry. Please, let us be yours hosts!" The queen said hopefully.

Frog looked at the ground as if he did not want to meet the gaze of Leene. It almost seemed as if his resolve would cave in if he did not do so. However, something within him gave way and he consented with a silent nod. The crowd burst into pleasant murmuring as the king smiled and turned his attention to Crono and Lucca. He bade for them to kneel, which they had done with raised eyebrows. As they did so, he unsheathed a sword. Another tradition in the Guardian Kingdom is the age-old ceremony of knighting that had to be done by a certain sword. At his side, the king always carried an heirloom of a sword which he used to knight his subjects.

"What is your name, good sir?" The king said with mirth.

"Crono, your majesty."

"No longer shall you go by a name that does not denote thy bravery. You are hereby dubbed, 'Sir Crono'."

Crono could not believe it; had he become a knight? He always dreamed of entering the upper realms of the kingdom by knighthood. Ever since he was a child he had dreamed of fighting and accomplishing heroic deeds. It almost seemed ridiculously cliché, but once he felt a sword gently graze each of his shoulders he suddenly felt a burst of pride. He only wished his mother could see him now; kneeling before a king that immediately knighted him without another thought. She would be so proud, but how could he tell her what had happened? Would she really believe it? These were questions he did not ask then, being overcome with surprise and joy, but they did pester him later into the night when he reflected on his amazingly good fortune. For the rest of that night and the next morning he walked about as if he were in a dreamlike state, never once forgetting that he had just accomplished his dream.

Lucca was not as enthusiastic as Crono, but she did feel slightly bashful and even a little flattered at such a show of respect. As Lucca was knighted there was a stunned murmuring in the audience. Little did she realize, she became the first woman in Guardian history to be knighted. As they were prompted to rise, they bowed in respect and reverence to the king. He looked at them before embracing each of them in one arm, "From now on, you both are welcomed here." The lobby was filled once again with wild applause as they both turned to face the jubilant court.

-

"She has to reappear in a few moments."

There were a group of people gathered together in the queen's room. This time is was not just Crono, but Lucca was at his side. In fact, she was the one who tried to qualm Crono's anxiety with the suggestion that history takes time to fix itself. He tapped his foot and he looked at Lucca with a worried face, "What if she doesn't come back? What if the timeline doesn't repair itself?"

"It will!" Lucca said sternly, "Sit down and stop pacing. It will all work out."

He did so, having a seat of the queen's large sofa that flanked a wall in the massive room. There was already the king and queen sitting with them in that room, both of them realizing that there was someone that was mistaken for the queen. The king was anxious to meet this girl and apologize for not believing her sooner, and the queen wanted to know how identical they were in appearance for her husband to confuse himself between them. They listened to Lucca and Crono talking amongst themselves, but merely regarded their odd terms as some sort of magic that their all-evil enemy concocted to dispose of the girl.

"Is Magus responsible for her disappearance?" The queen asked.

"No. We can't really explain. It's very complicated." Lucca replied.

The King and the Queen were in no hurry to dispute the matter between them, learning first-hand that they should merely trust in what they spoke. They were not entirely aware of their errors, but they knew to a certain degree that it could have been catastrophic if these strange visitors had not interceded. Therefore, they participated mostly in a bizarre interest, and to their joy, the moment of waiting had come to an end.

"It's happening!"

No one was certain as to who yelled this out, but it was stated because there was an odd, blue light that illuminated the room. Bolts of strange energy crackled, touching the rafters and the walls of the room, yet not consuming it all in flames. Slowly, a form began to emerge from the light. As suddenly as it had occurred, it had vanished and there stood the future Nadia.

"Marle!" Crono exclaimed happily.

She only looked about herself as if she were a confused doe. She shook her head, her long locks whipping about her shoulders. The king and queen stood dumbfounded in amazement while Crono and Lucca were quite the opposite. The queen realized how closely their appearance had matched. The only difference was a few lines on the queen's face that had come because of age. The color of their hair, the tint of their eyes, even the shape of their bodies was the same. They only remained speechless as Marle threw herself into Crono's arms, as if she would fall under her own weight if she did not do so.

"Crono…I went to a place that was so cold and dark…It was so scary…What was that place?" Marle looked up at him with glazed eyes.

Crono returned the embrace, rubbing her back, not in a typical manner that one would expect, but in a consoling way so that not even the most ignorant man could mistake it for an act of flirtation. He only said to her, "its okay. You're back now. Everything is fine. I and Lucca came for you."

At that point, Marle stopped looking at Crono to see Lucca only looking down, not really wanting to see her eyes. If Lucca had been watching, she would have expected the extremely tight embrace that followed. It was a very awkward moment for Lucca, it being a hug received from someone that irked her with every action. However, for Marle, it was an act of apology and gratitude. Even Lucca could feel it, but it only sent a guilty conscious over her mind. Finally she parted with a thank you (which Lucca was extremely grateful for) and she clapped her hands joyfully.

"I don't mean to be rude, but can I eat? I'm really hungry!"