Chapter Five

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Marle paced around the room, trying to figure out a way out of this mess. She now had a diranged mad man from the middle ages wanting to marry her! Well, thankfully, he would be executed very soon... Wait a minute... How was he going to be executed... if he didn't kidnap the queen!? He told that Yakra thing to go and capture her, but then he changed his mind. Marle began to worry. All of her kingdom's history could change in an instant -- all because of Lucca's stupid invention! "When I get back home, Lucca's gonna get it!" Of course, she was just trying to find other ways to let out her anger and frustration. It wasn't Lucca's fault at all. Marle could have just stayed and talked things out with Chrono. Instead, she chose to run away like a little child. There was no one else to blame for all this except for herself.

At that moment, there was another knock at the door. Once again, she was startled. She ran around the bed, so that she would be safe on the other side. "Come in."

In came a short person, who was wearing a brown cloak and a bandana around his face. He was carrying a plate of food with him. He sat it down on the bed.

"Thank you, but I'm not very hungry," Marle said.

The person just looked at her for a moment. He removed the brown cloak, revealing his true outfit: A dark green cape with a bronze breat plate, brown belt, off-white pants, black shoes, and black gloves. He removed his bandana... revealing his green face.

Marle's eyes bugged out. "EEEK! A FROG!"

The frog hopped over to her and quickly covered her mouth before she could screetch any louder. "Be quiet! I am here to rescue you!" he whispered. When she calmed down a bit, he backed away and took a good look at her. "Obviously, you are not Queen Leene."

"I am Marle. And no, I'm not Leene. But I need rescuing... How did you get in here?"

"I snuck in, disguised as one of Magus' servents." He gestured to the food on the bed. "I was ordered to bring you your lunch. I wouldn't eat it though, if I were you. The cook might have poisoned it."

Marle made a disgusted face as she lifted up the dome over the plate. It didn't even smell good, let alone look good. She quickly covered it back up. "Okay... What now Froggy?"

"First and foremost, my name is Frog." He hopped over to the door and pulled up his cape. "And secondly, get on my back."

"What?" Marle asked.

"Just get on by back. I may be short, but I am very strong. I'll conceal you under my cape and hop out of here as fast as I can."

Marle gulped as she carefully wrapped her arms around the front of his neck and secured herself on his back. He draped the cape over her so that she could not be seen. With that, he flung open the door and took off hoping down the hall, past several of Magus' guards.

"INTRUDER!" they all shouted. "GET HIM BEFORE MAGUS FIND OUT!"

Frog did not waver in his pace. The guards were chasing him as fast as they could go, but none of them were fast enough. Frog didn't even look back. With one great leap, he jumped down each flight of stairs, not bothering to walk down them. Marle's grip on him grew tighter with ever hop they took. Frog was only a few feet away from the exit door. It was nothing but smooth sailing from here... until he had to stop abruptly.

Slash had appeared in front of the door, leering evily. "Well, hello there... Glenn."

Frog gave him an angry look with his big, frog eyes. "Slash... Step aside. My business is not with you!"

Slash chuckled. "I'm afraid that it is... After all, it was my master that killed your precious Cyrus, was it not?"

Frog drew his long, silver sword. "That is not my reason for being here now! Stand aside, feind!"

Slash jumped up in the air and charged for Frog, who hopped out of the way just in the knick of time. He landed in front of a row of candelabras and smirked. He hopped to each of them, choping the candles off of their stands. They all fell to the ground, one by one, starting a small fire that would soon grow bigger.

Slash became horrified. "What are you doing!?" He dashed for the fire, intent on trying to put it out. But Frog stopped him by jumping in front of him, pointing his sword directly at his neck. Slash was forced to stop in his tracks. Frog jumped up and thrust his feet into Slash's stomach, kicking him into the wall behind him. Slash rammed his head so hard on the wall that he fell to the ground, unconcious.

Frog looked back at the small fire and found that it was beginning to make it's way up the wall. He resumed hopping out of the exit door, with Marle clutching him the whole way.

o O o

By the time the two were far enough away from Magus' palace, almost the entire place was up in flames. They could hear the sound of screaming coming from inside the palace. People were frantically running around, trying to put out the fire. Frog and Marle hid in the bushes and watched through a clearing.

"Why haven't we gotten out of here by now!?" Marle whispered.

"Because I need to make sure that I've killed him," Frog replied, not looking away from the scene.

At that moment, a loud, angry scream was heard. Magus came flying out of the top of the castle, breaking a hole in the roof. "FROG!" He shouted, his voice echoing through the forest. "WHERE ARE YOU!?" When no answer came, Magus grunted. "You may have destroyed my palace! But the girl will still be mine!" With that, he dissapeared into thin air and in an angry rage.

Frog grabbed Marle by the hand. "Come on." With that, they took off hopping through the forest, to the other end of the continent.

"Thank you for helping me," Marle said. "You've made me see frogs in a whole new way."

Frog nodded. "You are most welcome."

"One thing, though... That guy called you Glenn back there. What's that about?"

Frog looked away for a moment. "I was once Glenn... of the Knights of the Square Table. I served under Cyrus, one of the greatest soldiers who ever lived." He closed his eyes. "Magus killed him... and turned me into this anthrapamorphic version of my former self. I no longer feel worthy of being called Glenn of the Square Table... And so, I have taken up the name of Frog until I can avenge Cyrus and kill Magus."

"That's terrible... I'm sorry."

"Please, do not feel pitty for me. I have been this way for years." He looked straight at her. "Well, I must return to Guardia's main continent and search for Queen Leene."

"Wait! You mean... we're not on the main continent?"

"No... We are one the fourth continent."

Marle couldn't help but fall back on the ground. "OH, NO!" She exclaimed. "How am I gonna get back home!?"

Frog was confused. "How in the world did you get here in the first place?"

"Well, first I was transported here with this." She held up the blue gate key. "And then, that wierd Yakra thing caught me and--"

"--Yakra? When did you run into him?"

"He kidnapped me on the main continent. After he brought me here, Magus told him that he didn't need Queen Leene anymore."

Frog's eyes bugged out. "That means that she may not have very much time! I must hurry!" He was about to hop away, but just couldn't leave Marle alone. "Is there anything I can help you with before I go?"

Marle stood up and thought for a moment. She clutched the gate key in her hand. Even though it was broken, she figured that if this thing could bring her to this time, then it could still take her back home after a few tries. "You could stand back," she replied as she pointed the key in his direction. Frog moved out of the way just before she pressed the little button. The blue portal opened up in front of her one again. Marle could tell that Frog was clearly surprised. She chuckled. "Thank you for helping me. Go and find Queen Leene!" With that, she jumped inside the portal, which closed up behind her.