I'm soooo sorry for the long wait! Fits my laptop doesn't allow me on the internet. Then ff.net goes down. then my laptop crashes, taking with it all my fics, so I had to rewrite them on my parent's computer! I know, excuses excuses, but here's the next chapter, so don't kill me!

Disclaimer: Nu-uh





"Drop the knife Joren" Marle stated calmly her arrow pointed straight at his heart. Joren growled and let go of his knife, it falling harmlessly to the ground. The King cocked his head to the side as he stared hard at Marle. He blinked then smiled, a little nervously, at her.

"Nadia! There you are. What are you doing? Come now, drop the bow and we'll take you back to the castle" Crono slowly edged toward Marle as the blonde princess sighed sadly, but didn't take her eyes off Joren.

"I'm sorry Daddy, but I won't go with you. Not while Prince Joren" she spat out his name in disgust, "is here" The King sat up straighter in the saddle and gripped his reins harder.

"Nadia! I will not allow you stay here with such..rough company. You will come back to the castle with me at once!" Marle shook her head.

"Daddy, I can't-" the moment she broke eye contact with Joren, he reached into his pocket. He gripped something and snarled a few words, and then the king fell limp in the saddle.

"Father!" Marle shouted and tried to race toward him.

"Get them!" Joren shouted to his soldiers, who leaped to follow his command.

"Marle watch it!" Lucca yelled as she shot a soldier who was charging straight toward her. Marle shouted and jumped to the side, shooting an arrow at another. Crono tried to get to his beloved's side, but Joren saw, and grinned nastily.

"Kill the red-headed boy, and bring the Princes to me!" he ordered, as he sat back in his saddle to watch the fight. The majority of the soldiers ambushed Crono, while the rest went to capture the Princess. Lucca jumped and rolled, trying to help Crono fight off the soldiers. Crono's only thought was to get to Marle. He heard a neigh and a hiss and saw Thunder, with Trigger on his back, kick a horse and make an opening for Crono to dash through. Crono slashed through two more soldiers, landing at Marle's side. Without a word, he scooped up the princess and deposited her on Thunder's back.

"Get her out of here" he whispered to Thunder who nodded his head.

"No! Crono!" Marle shouted. She wanted to stay and fight with him. Crono allowed himself one longing, loving glance at her, then used a lighting attack on a soldier that was coming for them.

"GO!" he shouted, and Thunder took off toward the beach.

"No! Follow her!" Joren screamed, his face a mask of hate.

Crono and Lucca stood side by side, blocking the path Thunder had taken.

"So, did you give any thought to US after you got Marle safe?" Lucca asked sarcastically as she shot a line of fire at the oncoming soldiers. Crono rolled his eyes and charged up for a Lightning Two.

"Didn't think so" she sighed, as she prepared another fire attack.

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Marle tried everything she could to get Thunder to stop and turn around. The black stallion just ignored her as he kept galloping toward the place she and Crono had been the night before. She eyed the ground that was rapidly passing underneath his hooves, wondering what would happen if she jumped. Trigger, who was clutching the horse's mane, settled himself in her lap, to keep her from jumping.

"Thunder you've got to stop!" She shouted, desperately. The horse's ears flicked back, but he kept running. Marle pounded on Thunder's neck.

"They might be hurt, and neither of them can heal! I've got to go back and help them!" Thunder slowed a little, but continued on.

"I can't just let them fight and maybe die! Not for me." Marle trailed off and her eyes watered. She looked down at her horse's neck as she thought about Crono and Lucca fighting Joren's and her father's soldiers just to keep her safe. Thunder slowed to walk, both of his ears, flicked back to catch her words.

"Crono has always protected me. Even if it would cost him his life, he's never back down." Lavos was fresh in her mind. She could still remember seeing Crono melt before her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek and she looked up. Thunder had now stopped and had twisted his head back to look at her. Even Trigger was staring at her.

"I want to fight with him. I want to protect him. I.I want to be there for him, even if I die by doing so..I love him." She jumped off Thunder's back and took out her bow.

"I'm going back. I won't lose him again" Marle took off running back toward the battle, but heard hoof beats coming up behind her. She turned to see Thunder and Trigger run up besides her. Marle grinned and leaped onto his back, and they galloped back to Crono.

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All the soldiers were either dead, or wounded. Only Joren and the King, who was still unconscious, where left. Crono's shirt was ripped and he had a long gash going across his chest. His left arm was sore, either sprained or broken. Lucca's hat was cracked, and blood trickled down her neck. Her right leg wasn't working properly, but she still stood to face Joren.

"Give up Joren, and I won't kill you" Crono said, as he gripped his sword in his right hand. Joren laughed.

"You haven't won yet, boy. I can tell there's no fight left in either of you." Crono glared at his rival.

"Are you scared to fight me?" he asked calmly, as he crouched into a battle stance. Joren sneered.

'Why should I soil myself fighting trash like you?" he asked, one hand in his pocket.

"King Guardia!" Joren snapped and the king sat up. The king's eyes showed no emotion. Joren gestured to Crono and Lucca.

"Kill them" and the King leaped out of the saddle toward Crono, his face like stone.



The next chapter is coming up just as soon as I think of it. Review! Please!