Second chapter
Marco wakes up and the first thing he does is try to localized the agonizingly slow pain on his chest, it burn him to breath and not only because the air in his room was unnaturally hot. The human recognizes Tom's room without trying, the tall ceilings and the dark decor had become a familiar sight after being shelter many times by the prince of hell.
"Tom?" Marco calls but no one answers. The wounded man breathes deeply as he weighs the pros and cons waiting in the bed versus investigation on his own.
Staying on bed will help him heal faster, and he needs to be movable soon if he wants to help Star.
But looking around might help him find answers that Tom might not want to share -the demon has a tendency of trying to keep Marco 'safe' by keeping him under 'bliss ignorance.'
The human places his open palm over the wound on the right side of his chest, and holds the arm with his right arm. Once he feels the wounded area is secure (and dry...enough) he very slowly moves to a sitting position.
Even the minimum movement made is wound throb with pain, and made Marco reconsider if he had made the right choice. Sitting up and straightening his back was enough exercise to exhaust him.
Softly Marco removes his hand from the wound and smiles when he sees is not bleeding.
The human sighs as he remember that sitting up was the easy part from his decision of sneaking around.
Standing up and reaching for the wall took him so long he was worry that Tom would come back before he reaches the desk the prince keeps his papers in. And when Marco finally made it to the desk he knew he would not even attempt to return to the bed before Tom got to the room.
The desk was not tall but huge; wide enough to hold four computers, a large mirror, printer, scanners and more. It was also black like coal, and like hot coal it irradiates warm, if someone not allow tries to even touch the hot coal-like metal would burn them.
The chair was heavily cushion, and Marco happily sits down.
The file Tom was working on was in front of the chair, it titles; Alliance between Monstrum and Daemoniorum. It has an foreigner symbol -a stamp.
Marco ignores the file and looks for one that might tell him more about what is happening. He easily finds the file he was looking for, since the demon labels everything and had a very clear categorisation method.
It was under 'U' for uprising:
'Uprising, and plotting against the Queen of Mewni (Starship)'
Marco stares at the title a little too long before remembering that he doesn't had much time.
The report was detailed and specific, it had a timeline for easy understanding of when the political tension became resistance, and when the resistance became into a violent uprising.
Marco frowns as he can remember some of the events written on the report, but he never thought them as future problems.
The report starts with a small profiled on Princess Star Butterfly, and then a more detailed profile for Queen Star -her strengths and weakness. The reactions of the court when Star became queen. The growing opposition of her people when Star decided to returned some of the stolen lands back to the monsters. Even her public alliance with Prince Tom was marked as a mistake on her part.
The last page updates status of the uprising to treason; Star was being over throne.
"Marco?" Tom asks from the door, he carries a platter with Marco's lunch. The demon almost runs next to Marco but when he reaches the human he looks ...relief.
"Tom. Where is Star?" Marco asks too worry to notice Tom's odd reaction.
"...away, but safe." Tom answers softly and places the platter on the desk.
"Where?" Marco insists even though he knows Tom won't tell him more until his wound heals.
"Marco… This is…" Tom starts but he doesn't seem to find the words to continue whatever he was going to say, instead he reaches for the file in Marco's hands but the human holds it tightly. "This is not yours, and you were not meant to read it." Tom says but he lets Marco keep the file.
"I want -I need to read it! Again." Marco says a little desperate, trying to keep the worst scenarios out of his head.
"Marco is going to be okay. If there is someone who can take her kingdom back within the week it was taken from her is Star! She just needs to...reassess the situation." Tom tries to calm Marco, but it seems to had little effect.
"...her kingdom was taken from her...she must be…" Marco didn't finish that sentence because he can't imagine how his eternally happy childhood friend must be feeling at the moment.
Marco feels a hand on his shoulder, and even though it makes the wound hurt, but he appreciates the contact even more.
"Starship has not been defeated. She has her magic, her strength and she still had allies." Tom says and moves closer to open a drawer with a single file on it. "She still had friends." Tom says before giving the new file to Marco who warmly smiles at Tom, the human looks at the files as he feels relief overflowing his system -only rival by the pain of forcing his body to stay sitting.
'Mirror Army.'
It had the royal signature of Princess pony head.
"What is this?" Marco asks as he opens the file and read what appears to be stats for an army.
"Princess Pony Head is lending one of her Armies for Star -I'm passing the message to not raise suspicion." Tom explains, and tries to take the files back but Marco moves it away.
"I hadn't finish reading!" The human complains.
"You are not suppose to read it! Is a secret message Marco. Now, go back to rest -you look awful." Tom says putting emphasis on the last sentence.
"No one is going to know- I was just stabbed Tom! Be a little sensible!" Marco says and hurries to read the file.
"I was stabbed too! But do you hear me whining!" Tom says as he tries to get the file without hurting Marco. But trying to keep Tom off, Marco twists and a new wave of pain rips through him.
The wounded man drops the papers and hurries to hold his wound, instinctively applying pressure hoping that it would ease the pain but sting only seem to spread and burn his lungs. It hurt to breath and his vision blurs for a second.
Marco tighten his finger around Tom's forearm, the demon most had hold him to keep Marco as immovable as possible. He knew it was only a few seconds of extreme pain and it only indicates that whatever painkiller he was given at the hospital had stop working, but Marco would much prefer not to do that again.
"... You got stabbed?" Marco asks as soon as he can.
"...you really need to get to bed." Tom says while ignoring Marco's question and as careful as he could lifting the human to carry him to the bed.
"When...you got stabbed?" Marco asks again while Tom fixes the pillows behind him to support him correctly.
"You need to eat." Tom says and with a snap of his finger the forgotten platter on the desk appears on the demon's hands.
"Impressive. But when were you stabbed? Are you okay?" Marco asks and looks at the platter, it contain three items. First is a very familiar greens and beets smoothies that has everything to improve circulation -Marco's personal recipe. It would prove very ineffective against a knife wound, but Tom was convinced that the smoothie was earth magic and always brought to Marco whenever the human was sick as a form of respect towards the 'puny earth magic.'
"Drink." Tom orders and presents the median size glass with the green liquid.
Marco drinks and tries to ignore the pain, he likes Tom believing that smoothies are magical potions and Marco would go to serious lengths to keep the face a little longer.
The second one was a crystal cup with a blood spell, most likely very effective against a knife wound but also disgusting.
"Do I had to? I can feel the greens working, I just need...a month."
"We don't had the kind of time. You just need a sip." Tom insists and forces the cup into Marco's hands.
Marco was surprise at that. Normally the worst state of the wound, the more he needs to drink -but he dislikes drinking blood spell since they all contain blood in a way or other.
The human can feel the strength of the potion as soon as he is holding the cup.
The red in the crystal looks pretty, red and deep, hypnotic in more than one way. Marco breaths deeply and brinks the liquid to his lips. He could feel his pain being muted and without meaning to he dips his head back and drinks all the liquid he considers. Marco feels disappointed to discover that the cup is very shallow and holds far less blood than he expected.
If Tom hasn't taken the cup away Marco might had tried to like the surface.
"That has to be your best spell yet-" Marco says but he stops when he feels the area of the wound completely stop hurting. He hurries to feel the wound with his fingertips under his t-shirt, but he could only find smooth skin. "That's you best spell!" Marco corrects himself and stretches his back until it makes the 'click' noises that Tom dislikes.
"Well, it was a royal blood blessing." Tom says smug while trying to pretend it was nothing.
"A royal? Ah …ack" Marco makes a face of disgust when he comprehends that he most had drank Tom's blood.
"We were on a hurry and-" Tom starts.
"No, let's not acknowledge it" Marco says and closes his eyes like he is planning to go to bed.
"Marco. Don't be dramatic. And finish your food."
The last item was toast, because it was the only plate Tom would cook -if you don't count the blood spell.
"So...did you stabbed yourself?" Marco asks looking over Tom and wondering where was the wound, if there was a wound at all.
"Yes. It wasn't hard. I don't know why humans make such big deal out of it." Tom says while sporting the smile he uses he he tries to anny Marco.
"I was so calm Tom. I was cool, even if I had to say it myself!" Marco says enjoying bickering a little before things get too serious again.
"Well, you do had to say it yourself." Tom says before standing up, Marco stops chewing on his toast and looks a Tom.
"Wow. That hurt!" Marco says and watches Tom walked towards the papers on the floor.
"As much as being stabbed?" Tom asks and the paper magically travel from the floor to Tom's hand -most likely in order.
"...no. Are you delivering the message now?" Marco feels as the atmosphere in the room chances. They know each other well, and know what the other wants and how each other will react.
"You can't come." Tom answers the question Marco actually wanted to asked.
"She'll want to see me." Marco insists knowing that arguing that he was heal wouldn't change Tom's mind.
"You'll distract her. She'll be more focus if she knows you are safe." Tom states and Marco bites his bottom lip.
"Are you coming back?" Marco tries to point out that Tom won't fight next to Star, even though Marco knows that has to do more with his kingdom stand and history with Mewni than Tom's.
"You know I can't stay with her. I would appear as a traitor to my kind if I help someone who stole from neighbors kingdoms." Tom says like is a fact, as far as he is concern his hands are tied. Marco would like to discuss the many other factor and pros of aiding Star -they are allies … a commercial truce with a very delicated alliance.
"...Be careful." Marco says understanding that Tom won't take him, and not wanting to delay Tom any longer.
The demon nods before walking to the door, and locking it behind him.
Marco didn't had the energy to feel offended, he had already decided that he needs to get to Star.
The human throws the heavy covers off him and jumps out of the bed. The fuzzy red carpet was warm under his toes but the rest of the room was hot. Marco moves to Tom's closet and searches for something he can wear. After a few minutes Marco undresses and puts on a dark red long sleeve t-shirt, grey pants (thick like jeans but stretchy enough to allow movement), combat boots that look far tougher than what they actually were but at least they didn't had heels like the rest of Tom's boots, and a black jacket. Marco carries the jacket since is too hot to wear it, and returns to Tom's desk. The human looks for anything he can use as a weapon unable to find anything useful he takes a heavy book, he has used those before to fight.
The young man prepares mentally to whatever he might need to do to get to Star, trying to really understand that this time the fight might be too much for either of them. Marco looks at Tom's desk trying to think of a weapon, but Tom doesn't use any weapons. But then Marco opens a drawer he knows only contains ink and seals, and as predicted is the only things Marco sees. The human hesitates but he still reaches for Tom's royal seal, a golden ring with his family crest -the validation of the crown prince.
He slips the ring inside his coat pocket, and tries not to think what is he doing.
Marco looks at the small bell on Tom's desk, it would open a portal to Tom's personal garden which is in the center of the palace, and Marco rings the little silver instrument.
A portal opens in front of Marco and he jumps.
The change of scenario always surprise him, regardless of the millions of times Marco has come to Tom's personal garden. The place might be the coldest place in the palace which is not saying much, but a constant wind blows from the the top of the windowsill and the light of the homemade sun bathes everything with soft yellows, the peppermint that covers the floor takes over the air and it climbs over the few bushes and trees around. The two biggest creatures, Marshmallow and it's mate Chocolate, jump closer to their visitor but Marco is too busy to pay attention to them.
Marco was busy looking at the guards waiting next to the only exit.
The human feels the weight of the book with his left hand, and the delicate bell with his right hand.
There are two guards that Marco can see, and they armor is meant to protect them from things bigger and meaner than a human.
"The Prince left you a message." A tall demon speaks. Marco nods indicating the other to deliver the message.
"'Don't get stab.'" The demon says and Marco grims at the dark humor.
"So insensitive." Marco says more to himself before running head first towards the first demon. The guard was taken by surprise and she steps back before deciding how to attack, they had given permission to attack the human but also a warning to not hurt him. She waits for Marco to come close enough to catch him with her hands. The human throws a book aim for her head which was easy to dodge, and as she turns to face the human she hears the high pitch ring of a bell and a portal appears where Marco should had been.
She curses and sees the human reappear a mile ahead of her, he hold a sword. The demon looks down to her belt and sees her sword is missing, the other guard laughs at her mistake.
Before she could scream at him to 'shut up,' and help her get the human -the Prince did told them to be careful, but they assume he meant they towards the human, now those words since to hold a different meaning.
"Just don't fall for it twice!" The other guard laughs and takes out his own sword. He gives the human a grim smile, it had been a good trick and that was all.
The second demon jumps spreading his wings and falling almost on top of Marco.
"Careful!" The first demon screams, not sure if she is warning her co worker to be wary with the human's well being or wary of the human.
Marco uses the momentum of the demon falling on his direction to hit his attacker's throat with his palm, the demon falls on the ground and tries to sooth the pain and breath again. Marco would prefer to allow his enemy to recover, but he doesn't had the time so instead he kicks the demon on the floor, and turns to face the first demon who runs angry with her claws out. Marco grips the sword tightly and waits for the right moment to use the bell. The demon uses all her strength to stop running full speed and not enter the first portal, she turns and reaches Marco. The second portal opens in the same place, which was a few steps behind Marco, and Marco thrusts the sword forwards through the first portal hoping that the demon would do her best to avoid it and instead attack Marco from his side right in front of the second portal. The sword reaches her through the second portal, positively penetrating her lung by the blue blood spilling from her.
Marco moves away and assess his damage; she'll heal in a few hours -her kind evolve to survive far worst, but she won't follow him on her condition.
The human picks up the book he threw and hurries to leave the gardens.
'Don't get stab.'
The guard checks on her co worker before finding a good position to start her healing process. And she wishes the Prince had described differently.
Marco puts on the jacket and the ring he took from Tom's bedroom, he opens the book and acts like he is reading.
Marco did his best to get rid of the guards as fast as he could, the second shift of guards had not come to check on the garden or him yet (hopefully). Not many people must know why is Marco in the palace if Tom is trying to not share the f
, and it would be easy to guess that he is simply visiting the prince, No one knows yet that Marco is not in the room Tom left him in, so no one is looking for him yet.
So Marco reads like he is reading a good book.
Like there is no reason for him to walk through the halls and read.
He knows what he needs to do, he needs to get out of the palace and go to the city where the market is, and buy or ...get some international scissors and go to Mewni.
Marco had made some distance between the garden and his current point, reach the bridge that would take him to the main entrance when the tall walls tremble and the palace cries in pain. The human finds himself on the ground, and he decides to not stand up, he had never heard of earthquakes in Tom's kingdom and he doubts that he just experience the first one.
The next time it happen was accompanied with the heartstopping sound of destruction.
"Fudge!" Marco says between his teeth as he remembers Tom explaining that if anyone were to suspect that he is helping Star, then he would be considered a traitor to his other allies.
The third attack did the damage that it needed to be done, since the ceiling was coming and Marco could hear the struggle between weapons getting louder.
The human runs towards the battle, and stops to see the many monsters and demon fighting he could sense this was not a fight neither creature wanted to fight.
Hopefully that meant they would be more willing to stop it.
Marco hurries and tries to identified whoever is on charge to maybe convince them to stop the violence until Tom could come to delegate.
It wasn't hard finding their leader, Marco had seen her many times, but she had never seen him.
The smallest monster of the royal family, though she was still taller than Marco, moves her head slightly towards the human's direction. Her face expressionless like a clay mask and her eyes empty and an awful bright red like if someone or something had recently scratch them out, everything else about her familiar. Her ability always made Marco uncomfortable which it was the point, she would look and sound like a love one. Marco still remembers meeting her for the first time and hearing his mom's voice coming from her throat.
"Tom?" She asks softly, Marco recognizes his best friend voice and he can feel terror as he looks at the monsters. The creatures hair lightens until is the same shade of blonde, her cloths chance, her body, the only thing that stays is her empty expression and the bleeding empty eyes.
"...Even now you think of her…" She says and looks down at her feet. "But… you are here...had you chosen an ally?" She asks and Marco bites his lower lip.
He doesn't look at all like Tom, who is demon, but Tom has the ability to shapeshift -so maybe she beliefs that he is Tom in human form.
But still she should be able to tell he is not Tom.
Marco can feel each second add weight to his answers, he looks around for an answer or at least a weapon when he sees Tom's seal on his hand. Marco took it, but he didn't put on the ring. No that is important at the moment.
"Yes." Marco answers as confident as he can.
The creature that is not Star smiles, her grey hearts on her cheeks shine temporarily and for a moment she almost looks like the queen of Mewni that Marco has befriend.
"Good." She says and walks closer, her guards back away and the demons stay quite and let Marco act. "Then tell me. Where is the Queen Butterfly?"
AN: still doing the thing for some reason...I don't know what I'm doing...