Disclaimer: I don't own CT!
A/N: I got this idea at about twelve thirty last night, so it may be a
little weird.
Chapter Nine: Woman Knight (Part Four - The Gryphon) "So d'you know who sent me this message?" Gabrielle asked the woman. "Yes." She answer and put her fingers at her hairline and it looked as if she was ripping at her hair but it came off! Underneath was a familiar blonde of Countess Marian! Gabrielle didn't know what a wig was or what people used them for so she was shocked and confused at the moment and didn't even see the shadow being cast from behind her. She sensed it at the last second and whirled around and didn't even have time to scream before she was grabbed and a handkerchief was placed over her nose and mouth. It was wet and smelled funny to Gabrielle. She kicked and thrashed and almost came loose when she passed out. She crumbled to the ground and the man next to Marian picked her up. "Good work luring her away." The man was Jaron and he was smiling at the Countess. "And for getting the keys to the prison cell." He laughed gestured at her disguise. "Not a noble woman's outfit, eh?" "Shut up and hold up your end of the bargain. I got you out of prison and in return you dispose of the savage." She said. "Yeah, yeah, I'll dispose of the savage, all right?" he told her. He gave a mock bow and walked to an exit.
* * * By mid-afternoon, the gang was getting worried. Gabrielle hadn't come back and there was no servant in the Great Hall that knew of a message for her. They were gathered in Marle's room when a footman knocked eagerly on the door. "Yes?" Marle inquired. "Forgive me, Your Highness but I found this at Sir Glenn's door. I was told he was up here." He looked desperate and panicked. "I'm afraid Squire Gabrielle has been captured." Glenn jumped up and took the grimy piece of parchment from the footman. He read it then gave a growl of fury and crumpled it up and threw it down and stormed out of the room. Marle picked it up and smoothed it out. "'Sir Glenn,'" she read out loud. "'Your savage will be dead when the sun sets if you don't come alone and unarmed to the cathedral before then. Bring any palace force and we'll kill her.'" Marle scowled. "There's no person's name on here except Glenn's." "I have good idea who kidnapped Gabrielle." Ayla told everyone. "It must be the Countess." "Exactly!" Lucca cried. "That's it! That's why she nearly choked saying Lady Gabrielle!" "And they say savage." Ayla added. "Precisely." Lucca said. "And they're probably going flay her and Glenn when he shows up!" "C'mon, what are we waiting for?" Crono wanted to know. "Crono, they'll kill her if he goes with someone else." Marle told him. "We need a plan of action." Robo announced, "And I think I have one." They gathered around to hear their friend's plan.
* * * Gabrielle was jolted awake when Jaron threw her on the ground. She saw that she was in a huge clearing in a forest and a large building was to her right. Jaron gave her a sharp kick to the ribs. "On your feet, savage!" Jaron barked aiming a small crossbow at her. Gabrielle lurched to her feet keeping her eyes on Jaron, barely blinking. "Hands up.walk into the cathedral." Gabrielle was puzzled at what a cathedral was. "The building, idiot!" Jaron snarled when she looked at him perplexed. In the cathedral, the nuns were backed against a corner looking frightened. A tall muscular man was aiming a large crossbow at them looking evil. Jaron pushed Gabrielle to the front of the cathedral and threw her down onto the hard tile floor. Jaron kicked her harder than before and barked at the men standing around in a language Gabrielle didn't know. A chair was placed in front of the girl and she was tied into it. Jaron laughed as the girl struggled against the six men he had sent on her. When she was secured tightly he sauntered over and gave her a hard smack to the face. He leaned on the chair with his hands on the arms of the chair. Only scant inches separated his nose from hers. "Soon Sir Glenn will be here and Marian can get off my back talking about him." Jaron told her. "I agree with her. How could such a renowned knight such as Sir Glenn get mixed up with trash like you? What does that man see in you?" he wanted to know. Gabrielle scowled and spit into his face and was rewarded with another slap. "Has anyone ever told you how terrible it is to hit a lady?" Glenn's voice drawled and echoed in the cathedral. Jaron whipped out his dagger and darted his head around trying to look for Glenn. "If this savage is a lady then I'm a priest." Jaron snarled. "You'd better start consecrating yourself and dust off your book of prayers." Glenn said coming out of the shadows. Jaron leaped behind Gabrielle and put his knife to her throat. "One move and she dies!" he yelled so loud it echoed off the cathedral's walls. Glenn stopped and put his hands slightly in the air. "Now.my Lady Countess of Porre is quite taken with you, Sir Glenn." He explained. "But as most people know you're quite attracted to and found of this little morsel." He jerked his head downward to Gabrielle. "I have struck a bargain with Her Excellency and part of my end of the bargain is to dispose of this garbage and get you to her." Glenn rose an eyebrow as if to say, "And you're going to accomplish this.how?" "Now I excuse me while I have this trash disposed of." Jaron said and barked something in his language and the men carried Gabrielle's chair to a 'X' marked in white chalk. Behind a large box covered with a black cloth there was a screech. Gabrielle's eyes went wide as well as Glenn's. A man took the cloth off to reveal a screeching gold lion with wings. When Glenn looked at it again, he realized it had a beak as well as feathers on its chest. It was a Gryphon. It screeched again and flapped its wings impatiently. "I assume you know what this is, Sir Glenn." Jaron said from across the room. "A Gryphon, Sir Glenn, Squire Gabrielle. Only ones directly connected with the mythical beast are able to control it. I propose we test to see if the savage can control it." Glenn ran to Gabrielle only to be hit have a huge evil looking black dog attack him. The dog looked like a huge wolf with demonic red eyes that gleamed as he slashed at Glenn's back. Glenn screamed in pain and Gabrielle cried in horror as she tried desperately to get loose and help him. Gabrielle got her foot loose and gave the dog a sound kick in the belly making him snarl and back away. "Detain him!" Jaron shouted. Glenn was dragged off and with a lot of effort from the men, was tied in a chair with thick rope. "Release the Gryphon!" Jaron commanded. The cage door flew open and all the other men ran from the cathedral. The Gryphon flew out of the cage with a shriek and landed harshly making the ground tremor. It's eagle like eyes searched around the room and saw Gabrielle. She screamed when it galloped to her. The Gryphon stopped only an inch before Gabrielle's chair and sniffed Gabrielle curiously. "Gabrielle!" Glenn cried. "Hang on!" "Oh trust me.I'm not moving from this spot." Gabrielle said dryly. The Gryphon stared at Gabrielle as if the girl had three heads and was dancing a jig with snakes coiled in her hair. The Gryphon then turned to Glenn. It threw its head in the air and shrieked as if to tell the whole world that he had found his supper. As the Gryphon stomped toward Glenn, Gabrielle jumped and screamed, "No! Leave him alone!" Alien power rammed into Gabrielle making her flinch. The Gryphon turned and looked at her as if she was now stark naked as she did her jig with snakes. It looked at Glenn again then at Gabrielle and did something that looked like a nod and walked to Gabrielle and did a bow-like thing. Gabrielle was trying to figure out what she just did when the doors to the cathedral burst open. Jaron stood there expecting to see Gabrielle being flayed by the Gryphon but saw her speaking to it. "Kill her!" he screamed. Gabrielle reacted instantly not seeing Glenn try to break his ropes. With a grunt of effort her ropes dropped from her arms as if they all had been cut at the same time. The ropes lifted off the ground even though Gabrielle wasn't touching them she had her hands a foot from them and made a throwing gesture towards Jaron. The ropes flew to Jaron and wound tightly around him before he could blink. When he looked back at Gabrielle she was glowing a brilliant forest green. "How did you.?" Jaron muttered absently looking at his bound body. "What sorcery is this?" he demanded. Gabrielle wanted to ask the same question but stayed quiet. She pointed to Glenn and watched his rope crumble to the ground. He got up and stood next to Gabrielle. Crossbows went up and aimed at them. Gabrielle and Glenn froze and put their hands up. "Kill them, Gryphon!" Jaron commanded. The Gryphon shrieked a definite refusal making Jaron scowl. "You ungrateful buzzard!" he snarled. "I freed you from that horrible prison, I bring you food, and I bring you humans to torture. Now you to obey even a reasonable request!" The Gryphon defiantly shook its head. "Kill this beast!" "No!" Gabrielle screamed. Before Glenn could stop her she hurled herself in front of the Gryphon; the Gryphon reacted instantly and as arrows sunk into its flesh it turned around and pushed Gabrielle out of danger only to have more arrows fly into its back. The Gryphon shrieked its agony making Gabrielle scream as well. Glenn ran to her and tried to get her up. "Kill them as well!" Jaron ordered. "Run!" Glenn yelled. He hauled her to her feet and tried to get away from the flying arrows. "The Gryphon!" cried the Amazon. "It's dead, c'mon or we'll be too!" Glenn shouted trying to pull her. "It's not dead!" protested Gabrielle as she tried to get to the fallen immortal. The men had run out of arrows and were readying their fists. Every time she looked at the Gryphon she felt life in it. "Gabrielle!" Glenn put his hands on her face. "The Gryphon is dead." He told her firmly. He saw the approaching half dozen men and grouped for his sword that he didn't wear and swore loudly. "It may be dead, Glenn." Gabrielle began. "But something inside it is alive still." She said. "What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense!" Glenn protested. "And now is not the time to be thinking about this, Gabrielle." "Damn!" she hissed when she saw she didn't wear her sword either. The first man to attack her was kicked in the stomach and palm heeled in the nose. He countered with a punch to her eye; she ducked and swung her leg out and tripped him. She was grabbed behind by another one of Jaron's thugs. She jumped from her crouch and elbowed him in the ribs and back fisted him in the face. The man she had tripped got up and while the one behind her held her, he began to punch her wildly about the chest and stomach. When the man backed up for another round, Gabrielle threw her leg up and shot out both booted feet and slammed her attacker in the chest. Her force made her captor fall to the ground with her on top. Glenn was attacked by three men at once. While Glenn was an excellent swordsman, hand-to-hand combat didn't come so easy. He punched the first man in the face and then the stomach. He was kicked in the back by a second man and Glenn-caught by surprise-fell to the ground. Gabrielle got up and turned around only to be punched in the stomach by another one of Jaron's men. She made sure when her lunch came up he got most of it. She gave him a round kick to the stomach than turned it into a hook kick to strike his back with her heel. The three men that attacked Glenn hauled him to his feet and began to beat him until he let loose with a round kick hitting them all. They fell to the ground knocked out. Gabrielle bumped him from behind when she did her kicking combination. He jumped slightly then smiled as the man fell to the ground. A man drew a dagger and ran to them screaming a war cry. Gabrielle grabbed his shoulder and twisted to the left making him sail over her hip. He flew into another man who was going to attack them from behind. Glenn was tackled around the hips by another man. They toppled into Gabrielle. All three of them fell to the ground in a heap. Someone grabbed Gabrielle by the collar and yanked her out of the growing pile of brawling men. She spun and slammed the heel of her hand into the man's nose feeling the bone splinters ram into his brain. He crumbled to the ground. The fallen dagger was suddenly held to her throat. She held very still trying to find a way to escape and not get killed in the process. She had only been pondering a few seconds when the man cried out and stiffened. He fell forward taking Gabrielle with her. When she scrambled out from under the man she saw an arrow in the man's back. Puzzled she looked around. Glenn just got out of the pile of men when two more arrows flew and hit two more of Jaron's men, killing them. In a dark corner, a shadow jumped down from a window and threw back its cape. It walked into the light to reveal Magus holding a crossbow. Seven more figures jumped down from the windows and revealed their weapons. Schala, Ayla, Robo, Marle, and Crono came out of the shadows and grinned. Glenn came up beside Gabrielle and smiled at his friends who were approaching. "Fancy seeing you here." Glenn remarked panting. "Thought you guys could use a little help." Schala said holding up her long bow. "Wait a second." She aimed behind Glenn and loosed her arrow. A man screamed behind them and there was a thud as he fell to the ground, dead. "Thanks, your timing was perfect." Glenn said. Gabrielle was walking to the Gryphon. "Gabrielle." "What is that?" Lucca wanted to know. "It appears to be a Gryphon." Robo said. "A dead one, to be exact." Gabrielle ran her hands along the Gryphon's feather covered crest. "I don't know, but I think there's something alive in it." "Is it pregnant?" Lucca asked Robo. He surveyed the Gryphon and nodded. "It is with child.although it may be dead." Robo replied. Gabrielle touched the Gryphon's abdomen, tears brimming her eyes. The moment the girl touched the Gryphon, the forest green light blazed and it snaked around the girl. The light got brighter and bigger until it flashed brilliant white, blinding everyone. After a second the light receded and Gabrielle was still knelt by the Gryphon with her hand on its abdomen. It looked as if nothing had changed until something moved in her lap. "Look!" Marle cried. "What is that?" Gabrielle jumped startled and picked up what looked like a small black blob of feathers. "It's the baby!" Schala breathed. "Is it ok?" "It's breathing." Gabrielle announced putting her ear near the young Gryphon's beak. "I think its ok." "May I?" Robo inquired holding out his arms. Gabrielle scooped the Gryphon up and put him in the robot's arms. "He is all right. He is a male." He concluded handing it back to Gabrielle. "We should take it to the castle. We can feed it there." Lucca said. Everyone nodded and stood to leave the cathedral. "Not so fast!" Jaron was at the doorway with a sword in one hand and a big crossbow in the other. "I'm getting really sick of this guy." Marle muttered. "Give me that Gryphon!" Jaron ordered striding forward briskly. "No! You'll just train it to kill!" Gabrielle cried clutching the Gryphon to her chest. "And then when it gets sick of taking your orders, you'll give it!" "Hand it over." Jaron commanded. "Gabrielle." Magus whispered out of the corner of his mouth. She tilted her head so she could hear him better. "Run on the count of three." He silently put an arrow in his crossbow. "One." everyone knew the plan as they took aim with their weapons. "Two." Gabrielle planted her feet ready to run. "Three!" Gabrielle sprinted to the door as seven arrows went into Jaron's torso. He shrieked and fell to the ground his sword skidding across the floor to Glenn's feet. He picked it up and gave a mock salute with it. He then threw it across the room. "Let's get out of here." Crono said.
* * * "I dub thee Sir Gabrielle, Knight of the Realm of Guardia. Serve honorably and well." Queen Leene's voice carried throughout the Great Hall as she tapped the kneeling Amazon on the shoulders and head. "Sir Glenn, will you present Sir Gabrielle with her shield?" Glenn strode forward carrying a funny shaped leather covered object. He first bowed to Queen Leene and then nodded to Gabrielle and uncovered the object. It was a shield that had a silver Gryphon rampant on a forest green field. Around the shield there was a black stripe. She smiled and slid it onto her right arm. Glenn pointed to the people watching indicating her to turn around. Gabrielle's ears heard cheering. She had passed her tests and now she was a knight. She smiled as she saw her friends beaming and clapping the loudest.
* * * "This is beautiful." Gabrielle said touching her shield. They gathered in her room to put her shield away. Gabrielle fed the Gryphon his evening meal as they talked. Crono tried to stroke the Gryphon's head only to be pecked viciously by him. He yelped and leaped away. "Excuse me!" Crono muttered crossly. Marle giggled. "That Gryphon seems quite attached to you, Gabrielle." Magus observed. "What will you call him?" "Blackie." Lucca suggested. "Gryphon's Doom." Was Magus's choice. "How about Pecky?" Crono wanted to know showing the cut on his hand. "I prefer Midnight." Gabrielle told them. She picked up the Gryphon and looked at his emerald greens eyes. "How d'you like that, boy?" she asked the squirming immortal. He chirped and did a nod like gesture. "Midnight it is." Glenn announced. "Let's go now. I'm starving." There was going to be a feast in her honor as well as the other squires who had been made into knights. Gabrielle tucked Midnight in his large cage and started to leave the room but Midnight screeched his sadness of her leaving. "Oh, can I bring him?" Gabrielle pleaded. "I'll make sure he's good, I promise." Only a monster could resist those pleading puppy brown eyes, Glenn thought. He nodded and she smiled. She opened the cage and Midnight leaped onto her shoulder. "Let's go!" she exclaimed. No one objected to Midnight attending the feast. Everyone was told the tale of Gabrielle and Glenn's encounter with the Gryphon and obtaining its cub. A stool was even brought so he could perch at Gabrielle's right, which was the end of the table while Glenn sat at Gabrielle's left. He jumped when he saw a familiar face and nearly slapped Gabrielle on the shoulder. She jumped and nearly dropped her fork and knife as she cut her steak. "What?" she hissed. "Look!" Glenn whispered. "Look who decided to attend." Gabrielle gasped and glared. Countess Marian was laughing while she was sitting next to girls that looked her age. Gabrielle assumed they were her friends. "I propose a toast." Marle announced raising her wine glass. "To our Lady Knight, Gabrielle." "Known to us as The Gryphon." Crono added with a thoughtful smile. Everyone raised their glasses and murmured, "To The Gryphon." The feast was a good one. The food was filling and the conversation interesting. Only when a familiar lady's voice rose did things get heavy. "Well, you had to know that the beast could communicate with another beast." Marian announced. She eyed the Gryphon. "They do share qualities. All this bag of feathers does is squawk and disturb us civilized people." Glenn grabbed Gabrielle's arm just in time before the girl jumped out of her chair. She was red with fury and wanted to pound the snootiness out of the Countess. Marian's friends laughed with her and returned Gabrielle's glare and eyed Midnight like it was a dog that had just rolled in mud. "Simmer down." Glenn murmured. "She's not worthy of her title the way she insults you right in front of King Guardia." He patted her arm and returned to his dinner plate.
* * * That night Schala slept uneasily. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw either Marian laughing in her face or Jaron raising a battered sword over her chest. Finally, she drifted to sleep. She awoke when she heard a shriek, a few thuds and a man's scream, and glass shattering. Her training took control as she leaped out of bed and grabbed her sword from its hook on the wall and unsheathed it. The sound came from the room two doors down; Marle's room. She ran to her friend's room and saw the window shattered and Crono climbing onto the sill. Schala caught him before he jumped. "Are you crazy?" Schala screamed. She leaned all her weight backward until he got off the sill. "We're in one of the towers! That would kill you!" "That mad bastard has Marle, Schala!" Crono shouted. "What mad bastard?" the Amazon-knight demanded. "That-guy at the feast when we first got here." Crono told her. "What? I thought we killed them all." "No, that second one was put in prison! Before Jaron captured you, he let him go and now he's got Marle." Crono explained. "And you just attempted suicide." Schala muttered. "I did not-" "You tried to jump out of a tower." She retorted. She looked out the window and waved her hand towards the seventy feet that separated them from the ground. "Well, then how did he survive?" Crono wanted to know. "Look!" Schala saw a winged creature in the distance. "He has an Alicorn (which is a winged Unicorn) and he's flying it." She pointed to the winged Unicorn that was flying toward the sun. Crono took one look at it and ran for the door. "D'you have any idea where renegade Amazons meet?" Crono demanded. "No! Not in A.D 600! Why on earth would I know that?" Schala snapped. "I'm not exactly familiar with male Amazon meeting places." "Thank you." Crono spat dryly. He turned back around and turned the knob to the door. Schala began to feel that something was not right. "Crono! Wait, don't-" Schala began but he had opened the door. They were presented with a huge flame red dragon standing at the doorway. Glenn, Robo, Magus, Schala, Ayla burst into the room and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the Dragon. "Biiiiig reptite." Ayla whispered. The Dragon took a huge breath and blew flames all over the group and Schala felt burns spread all over her. She screamed along with her friends as the Dragon continued to breathe flames all over them.
A/N: I got this idea at about twelve thirty last night, so it may be a
little weird.
Chapter Nine: Woman Knight (Part Four - The Gryphon) "So d'you know who sent me this message?" Gabrielle asked the woman. "Yes." She answer and put her fingers at her hairline and it looked as if she was ripping at her hair but it came off! Underneath was a familiar blonde of Countess Marian! Gabrielle didn't know what a wig was or what people used them for so she was shocked and confused at the moment and didn't even see the shadow being cast from behind her. She sensed it at the last second and whirled around and didn't even have time to scream before she was grabbed and a handkerchief was placed over her nose and mouth. It was wet and smelled funny to Gabrielle. She kicked and thrashed and almost came loose when she passed out. She crumbled to the ground and the man next to Marian picked her up. "Good work luring her away." The man was Jaron and he was smiling at the Countess. "And for getting the keys to the prison cell." He laughed gestured at her disguise. "Not a noble woman's outfit, eh?" "Shut up and hold up your end of the bargain. I got you out of prison and in return you dispose of the savage." She said. "Yeah, yeah, I'll dispose of the savage, all right?" he told her. He gave a mock bow and walked to an exit.
* * * By mid-afternoon, the gang was getting worried. Gabrielle hadn't come back and there was no servant in the Great Hall that knew of a message for her. They were gathered in Marle's room when a footman knocked eagerly on the door. "Yes?" Marle inquired. "Forgive me, Your Highness but I found this at Sir Glenn's door. I was told he was up here." He looked desperate and panicked. "I'm afraid Squire Gabrielle has been captured." Glenn jumped up and took the grimy piece of parchment from the footman. He read it then gave a growl of fury and crumpled it up and threw it down and stormed out of the room. Marle picked it up and smoothed it out. "'Sir Glenn,'" she read out loud. "'Your savage will be dead when the sun sets if you don't come alone and unarmed to the cathedral before then. Bring any palace force and we'll kill her.'" Marle scowled. "There's no person's name on here except Glenn's." "I have good idea who kidnapped Gabrielle." Ayla told everyone. "It must be the Countess." "Exactly!" Lucca cried. "That's it! That's why she nearly choked saying Lady Gabrielle!" "And they say savage." Ayla added. "Precisely." Lucca said. "And they're probably going flay her and Glenn when he shows up!" "C'mon, what are we waiting for?" Crono wanted to know. "Crono, they'll kill her if he goes with someone else." Marle told him. "We need a plan of action." Robo announced, "And I think I have one." They gathered around to hear their friend's plan.
* * * Gabrielle was jolted awake when Jaron threw her on the ground. She saw that she was in a huge clearing in a forest and a large building was to her right. Jaron gave her a sharp kick to the ribs. "On your feet, savage!" Jaron barked aiming a small crossbow at her. Gabrielle lurched to her feet keeping her eyes on Jaron, barely blinking. "Hands up.walk into the cathedral." Gabrielle was puzzled at what a cathedral was. "The building, idiot!" Jaron snarled when she looked at him perplexed. In the cathedral, the nuns were backed against a corner looking frightened. A tall muscular man was aiming a large crossbow at them looking evil. Jaron pushed Gabrielle to the front of the cathedral and threw her down onto the hard tile floor. Jaron kicked her harder than before and barked at the men standing around in a language Gabrielle didn't know. A chair was placed in front of the girl and she was tied into it. Jaron laughed as the girl struggled against the six men he had sent on her. When she was secured tightly he sauntered over and gave her a hard smack to the face. He leaned on the chair with his hands on the arms of the chair. Only scant inches separated his nose from hers. "Soon Sir Glenn will be here and Marian can get off my back talking about him." Jaron told her. "I agree with her. How could such a renowned knight such as Sir Glenn get mixed up with trash like you? What does that man see in you?" he wanted to know. Gabrielle scowled and spit into his face and was rewarded with another slap. "Has anyone ever told you how terrible it is to hit a lady?" Glenn's voice drawled and echoed in the cathedral. Jaron whipped out his dagger and darted his head around trying to look for Glenn. "If this savage is a lady then I'm a priest." Jaron snarled. "You'd better start consecrating yourself and dust off your book of prayers." Glenn said coming out of the shadows. Jaron leaped behind Gabrielle and put his knife to her throat. "One move and she dies!" he yelled so loud it echoed off the cathedral's walls. Glenn stopped and put his hands slightly in the air. "Now.my Lady Countess of Porre is quite taken with you, Sir Glenn." He explained. "But as most people know you're quite attracted to and found of this little morsel." He jerked his head downward to Gabrielle. "I have struck a bargain with Her Excellency and part of my end of the bargain is to dispose of this garbage and get you to her." Glenn rose an eyebrow as if to say, "And you're going to accomplish this.how?" "Now I excuse me while I have this trash disposed of." Jaron said and barked something in his language and the men carried Gabrielle's chair to a 'X' marked in white chalk. Behind a large box covered with a black cloth there was a screech. Gabrielle's eyes went wide as well as Glenn's. A man took the cloth off to reveal a screeching gold lion with wings. When Glenn looked at it again, he realized it had a beak as well as feathers on its chest. It was a Gryphon. It screeched again and flapped its wings impatiently. "I assume you know what this is, Sir Glenn." Jaron said from across the room. "A Gryphon, Sir Glenn, Squire Gabrielle. Only ones directly connected with the mythical beast are able to control it. I propose we test to see if the savage can control it." Glenn ran to Gabrielle only to be hit have a huge evil looking black dog attack him. The dog looked like a huge wolf with demonic red eyes that gleamed as he slashed at Glenn's back. Glenn screamed in pain and Gabrielle cried in horror as she tried desperately to get loose and help him. Gabrielle got her foot loose and gave the dog a sound kick in the belly making him snarl and back away. "Detain him!" Jaron shouted. Glenn was dragged off and with a lot of effort from the men, was tied in a chair with thick rope. "Release the Gryphon!" Jaron commanded. The cage door flew open and all the other men ran from the cathedral. The Gryphon flew out of the cage with a shriek and landed harshly making the ground tremor. It's eagle like eyes searched around the room and saw Gabrielle. She screamed when it galloped to her. The Gryphon stopped only an inch before Gabrielle's chair and sniffed Gabrielle curiously. "Gabrielle!" Glenn cried. "Hang on!" "Oh trust me.I'm not moving from this spot." Gabrielle said dryly. The Gryphon stared at Gabrielle as if the girl had three heads and was dancing a jig with snakes coiled in her hair. The Gryphon then turned to Glenn. It threw its head in the air and shrieked as if to tell the whole world that he had found his supper. As the Gryphon stomped toward Glenn, Gabrielle jumped and screamed, "No! Leave him alone!" Alien power rammed into Gabrielle making her flinch. The Gryphon turned and looked at her as if she was now stark naked as she did her jig with snakes. It looked at Glenn again then at Gabrielle and did something that looked like a nod and walked to Gabrielle and did a bow-like thing. Gabrielle was trying to figure out what she just did when the doors to the cathedral burst open. Jaron stood there expecting to see Gabrielle being flayed by the Gryphon but saw her speaking to it. "Kill her!" he screamed. Gabrielle reacted instantly not seeing Glenn try to break his ropes. With a grunt of effort her ropes dropped from her arms as if they all had been cut at the same time. The ropes lifted off the ground even though Gabrielle wasn't touching them she had her hands a foot from them and made a throwing gesture towards Jaron. The ropes flew to Jaron and wound tightly around him before he could blink. When he looked back at Gabrielle she was glowing a brilliant forest green. "How did you.?" Jaron muttered absently looking at his bound body. "What sorcery is this?" he demanded. Gabrielle wanted to ask the same question but stayed quiet. She pointed to Glenn and watched his rope crumble to the ground. He got up and stood next to Gabrielle. Crossbows went up and aimed at them. Gabrielle and Glenn froze and put their hands up. "Kill them, Gryphon!" Jaron commanded. The Gryphon shrieked a definite refusal making Jaron scowl. "You ungrateful buzzard!" he snarled. "I freed you from that horrible prison, I bring you food, and I bring you humans to torture. Now you to obey even a reasonable request!" The Gryphon defiantly shook its head. "Kill this beast!" "No!" Gabrielle screamed. Before Glenn could stop her she hurled herself in front of the Gryphon; the Gryphon reacted instantly and as arrows sunk into its flesh it turned around and pushed Gabrielle out of danger only to have more arrows fly into its back. The Gryphon shrieked its agony making Gabrielle scream as well. Glenn ran to her and tried to get her up. "Kill them as well!" Jaron ordered. "Run!" Glenn yelled. He hauled her to her feet and tried to get away from the flying arrows. "The Gryphon!" cried the Amazon. "It's dead, c'mon or we'll be too!" Glenn shouted trying to pull her. "It's not dead!" protested Gabrielle as she tried to get to the fallen immortal. The men had run out of arrows and were readying their fists. Every time she looked at the Gryphon she felt life in it. "Gabrielle!" Glenn put his hands on her face. "The Gryphon is dead." He told her firmly. He saw the approaching half dozen men and grouped for his sword that he didn't wear and swore loudly. "It may be dead, Glenn." Gabrielle began. "But something inside it is alive still." She said. "What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense!" Glenn protested. "And now is not the time to be thinking about this, Gabrielle." "Damn!" she hissed when she saw she didn't wear her sword either. The first man to attack her was kicked in the stomach and palm heeled in the nose. He countered with a punch to her eye; she ducked and swung her leg out and tripped him. She was grabbed behind by another one of Jaron's thugs. She jumped from her crouch and elbowed him in the ribs and back fisted him in the face. The man she had tripped got up and while the one behind her held her, he began to punch her wildly about the chest and stomach. When the man backed up for another round, Gabrielle threw her leg up and shot out both booted feet and slammed her attacker in the chest. Her force made her captor fall to the ground with her on top. Glenn was attacked by three men at once. While Glenn was an excellent swordsman, hand-to-hand combat didn't come so easy. He punched the first man in the face and then the stomach. He was kicked in the back by a second man and Glenn-caught by surprise-fell to the ground. Gabrielle got up and turned around only to be punched in the stomach by another one of Jaron's men. She made sure when her lunch came up he got most of it. She gave him a round kick to the stomach than turned it into a hook kick to strike his back with her heel. The three men that attacked Glenn hauled him to his feet and began to beat him until he let loose with a round kick hitting them all. They fell to the ground knocked out. Gabrielle bumped him from behind when she did her kicking combination. He jumped slightly then smiled as the man fell to the ground. A man drew a dagger and ran to them screaming a war cry. Gabrielle grabbed his shoulder and twisted to the left making him sail over her hip. He flew into another man who was going to attack them from behind. Glenn was tackled around the hips by another man. They toppled into Gabrielle. All three of them fell to the ground in a heap. Someone grabbed Gabrielle by the collar and yanked her out of the growing pile of brawling men. She spun and slammed the heel of her hand into the man's nose feeling the bone splinters ram into his brain. He crumbled to the ground. The fallen dagger was suddenly held to her throat. She held very still trying to find a way to escape and not get killed in the process. She had only been pondering a few seconds when the man cried out and stiffened. He fell forward taking Gabrielle with her. When she scrambled out from under the man she saw an arrow in the man's back. Puzzled she looked around. Glenn just got out of the pile of men when two more arrows flew and hit two more of Jaron's men, killing them. In a dark corner, a shadow jumped down from a window and threw back its cape. It walked into the light to reveal Magus holding a crossbow. Seven more figures jumped down from the windows and revealed their weapons. Schala, Ayla, Robo, Marle, and Crono came out of the shadows and grinned. Glenn came up beside Gabrielle and smiled at his friends who were approaching. "Fancy seeing you here." Glenn remarked panting. "Thought you guys could use a little help." Schala said holding up her long bow. "Wait a second." She aimed behind Glenn and loosed her arrow. A man screamed behind them and there was a thud as he fell to the ground, dead. "Thanks, your timing was perfect." Glenn said. Gabrielle was walking to the Gryphon. "Gabrielle." "What is that?" Lucca wanted to know. "It appears to be a Gryphon." Robo said. "A dead one, to be exact." Gabrielle ran her hands along the Gryphon's feather covered crest. "I don't know, but I think there's something alive in it." "Is it pregnant?" Lucca asked Robo. He surveyed the Gryphon and nodded. "It is with child.although it may be dead." Robo replied. Gabrielle touched the Gryphon's abdomen, tears brimming her eyes. The moment the girl touched the Gryphon, the forest green light blazed and it snaked around the girl. The light got brighter and bigger until it flashed brilliant white, blinding everyone. After a second the light receded and Gabrielle was still knelt by the Gryphon with her hand on its abdomen. It looked as if nothing had changed until something moved in her lap. "Look!" Marle cried. "What is that?" Gabrielle jumped startled and picked up what looked like a small black blob of feathers. "It's the baby!" Schala breathed. "Is it ok?" "It's breathing." Gabrielle announced putting her ear near the young Gryphon's beak. "I think its ok." "May I?" Robo inquired holding out his arms. Gabrielle scooped the Gryphon up and put him in the robot's arms. "He is all right. He is a male." He concluded handing it back to Gabrielle. "We should take it to the castle. We can feed it there." Lucca said. Everyone nodded and stood to leave the cathedral. "Not so fast!" Jaron was at the doorway with a sword in one hand and a big crossbow in the other. "I'm getting really sick of this guy." Marle muttered. "Give me that Gryphon!" Jaron ordered striding forward briskly. "No! You'll just train it to kill!" Gabrielle cried clutching the Gryphon to her chest. "And then when it gets sick of taking your orders, you'll give it!" "Hand it over." Jaron commanded. "Gabrielle." Magus whispered out of the corner of his mouth. She tilted her head so she could hear him better. "Run on the count of three." He silently put an arrow in his crossbow. "One." everyone knew the plan as they took aim with their weapons. "Two." Gabrielle planted her feet ready to run. "Three!" Gabrielle sprinted to the door as seven arrows went into Jaron's torso. He shrieked and fell to the ground his sword skidding across the floor to Glenn's feet. He picked it up and gave a mock salute with it. He then threw it across the room. "Let's get out of here." Crono said.
* * * "I dub thee Sir Gabrielle, Knight of the Realm of Guardia. Serve honorably and well." Queen Leene's voice carried throughout the Great Hall as she tapped the kneeling Amazon on the shoulders and head. "Sir Glenn, will you present Sir Gabrielle with her shield?" Glenn strode forward carrying a funny shaped leather covered object. He first bowed to Queen Leene and then nodded to Gabrielle and uncovered the object. It was a shield that had a silver Gryphon rampant on a forest green field. Around the shield there was a black stripe. She smiled and slid it onto her right arm. Glenn pointed to the people watching indicating her to turn around. Gabrielle's ears heard cheering. She had passed her tests and now she was a knight. She smiled as she saw her friends beaming and clapping the loudest.
* * * "This is beautiful." Gabrielle said touching her shield. They gathered in her room to put her shield away. Gabrielle fed the Gryphon his evening meal as they talked. Crono tried to stroke the Gryphon's head only to be pecked viciously by him. He yelped and leaped away. "Excuse me!" Crono muttered crossly. Marle giggled. "That Gryphon seems quite attached to you, Gabrielle." Magus observed. "What will you call him?" "Blackie." Lucca suggested. "Gryphon's Doom." Was Magus's choice. "How about Pecky?" Crono wanted to know showing the cut on his hand. "I prefer Midnight." Gabrielle told them. She picked up the Gryphon and looked at his emerald greens eyes. "How d'you like that, boy?" she asked the squirming immortal. He chirped and did a nod like gesture. "Midnight it is." Glenn announced. "Let's go now. I'm starving." There was going to be a feast in her honor as well as the other squires who had been made into knights. Gabrielle tucked Midnight in his large cage and started to leave the room but Midnight screeched his sadness of her leaving. "Oh, can I bring him?" Gabrielle pleaded. "I'll make sure he's good, I promise." Only a monster could resist those pleading puppy brown eyes, Glenn thought. He nodded and she smiled. She opened the cage and Midnight leaped onto her shoulder. "Let's go!" she exclaimed. No one objected to Midnight attending the feast. Everyone was told the tale of Gabrielle and Glenn's encounter with the Gryphon and obtaining its cub. A stool was even brought so he could perch at Gabrielle's right, which was the end of the table while Glenn sat at Gabrielle's left. He jumped when he saw a familiar face and nearly slapped Gabrielle on the shoulder. She jumped and nearly dropped her fork and knife as she cut her steak. "What?" she hissed. "Look!" Glenn whispered. "Look who decided to attend." Gabrielle gasped and glared. Countess Marian was laughing while she was sitting next to girls that looked her age. Gabrielle assumed they were her friends. "I propose a toast." Marle announced raising her wine glass. "To our Lady Knight, Gabrielle." "Known to us as The Gryphon." Crono added with a thoughtful smile. Everyone raised their glasses and murmured, "To The Gryphon." The feast was a good one. The food was filling and the conversation interesting. Only when a familiar lady's voice rose did things get heavy. "Well, you had to know that the beast could communicate with another beast." Marian announced. She eyed the Gryphon. "They do share qualities. All this bag of feathers does is squawk and disturb us civilized people." Glenn grabbed Gabrielle's arm just in time before the girl jumped out of her chair. She was red with fury and wanted to pound the snootiness out of the Countess. Marian's friends laughed with her and returned Gabrielle's glare and eyed Midnight like it was a dog that had just rolled in mud. "Simmer down." Glenn murmured. "She's not worthy of her title the way she insults you right in front of King Guardia." He patted her arm and returned to his dinner plate.
* * * That night Schala slept uneasily. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw either Marian laughing in her face or Jaron raising a battered sword over her chest. Finally, she drifted to sleep. She awoke when she heard a shriek, a few thuds and a man's scream, and glass shattering. Her training took control as she leaped out of bed and grabbed her sword from its hook on the wall and unsheathed it. The sound came from the room two doors down; Marle's room. She ran to her friend's room and saw the window shattered and Crono climbing onto the sill. Schala caught him before he jumped. "Are you crazy?" Schala screamed. She leaned all her weight backward until he got off the sill. "We're in one of the towers! That would kill you!" "That mad bastard has Marle, Schala!" Crono shouted. "What mad bastard?" the Amazon-knight demanded. "That-guy at the feast when we first got here." Crono told her. "What? I thought we killed them all." "No, that second one was put in prison! Before Jaron captured you, he let him go and now he's got Marle." Crono explained. "And you just attempted suicide." Schala muttered. "I did not-" "You tried to jump out of a tower." She retorted. She looked out the window and waved her hand towards the seventy feet that separated them from the ground. "Well, then how did he survive?" Crono wanted to know. "Look!" Schala saw a winged creature in the distance. "He has an Alicorn (which is a winged Unicorn) and he's flying it." She pointed to the winged Unicorn that was flying toward the sun. Crono took one look at it and ran for the door. "D'you have any idea where renegade Amazons meet?" Crono demanded. "No! Not in A.D 600! Why on earth would I know that?" Schala snapped. "I'm not exactly familiar with male Amazon meeting places." "Thank you." Crono spat dryly. He turned back around and turned the knob to the door. Schala began to feel that something was not right. "Crono! Wait, don't-" Schala began but he had opened the door. They were presented with a huge flame red dragon standing at the doorway. Glenn, Robo, Magus, Schala, Ayla burst into the room and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the Dragon. "Biiiiig reptite." Ayla whispered. The Dragon took a huge breath and blew flames all over the group and Schala felt burns spread all over her. She screamed along with her friends as the Dragon continued to breathe flames all over them.