Well, here's Chapter Four. Thanks to my followers/favouriters/reviewers for their feedback! I won't be able to update next week, so you can expect Chapter Five in two weeks.
Marco landed in the water with a splash, then started to sink to the bottom. His armor and sword, though virtually weightless on land, were still metal, and he dragged down by them. He could see Star frantically reaching out toward him from the surface, but no matter how hard he tried, her hand evaded his grasp. This is it. I'm done. Marco's vision started to fade. No! I can't die! Gracia! Elizabeth! Ana! DAD! Out of desperation, he gasped, inhaling water in place of oxygen. If I die, I betray my Queen and King. His body spasmed, trying in vain to expel the liquid from his lungs. NO! Summoning the remains of his strength, he pushed upward, and at the last possible second, an angel-like hand reached down and pulled him onto land, where he proceeded to throw up half of Castle Butterfly's moat. Marco looked up at his savior. Princess Star Butterfly stared back at him, concern written all over her face. He stood up and stumbled, but was caught by the girl.
"Woah...take it easy, tiger. You almost died."
Marco shivered.
"T-thanks f-ffor saving me."
"You're welcome. I can't just let a guy drown!"
She slung her arm around his shoulders, and he did the same. Together, the two hobbled away from the castle, and off into the world.
The fire crackled merrily as Star threw another log onto it. They had set up camp just off the Royal Mile, and Marco had caught a Megafowl, which had been swiftly devoured by the two ravenous teens. However, once their meal was finished, an awkward silence had fallen over the duo. It remained this way until Star decided that she couldn't take the quiet anymore.
"I'm sorry!" she blurted out.
Marco looked up from the patch of earth that he'd been staring at.
"What for?"
Star rubbed the back of her neck.
"Well….I set the bear trap. And put the glue on the floor. Then I froze you and attacked you with alarm clocks. It's amazing you didn't run off the second you could walk again."
The apology was genuine, and it softened Marco's heart the tiniest bit. A small smile slid onto his face.
"A few years ago, my younger sister, Elizabeth, decided to prank me. She rigged my door so that when I opened it, a huge bucket of glitter spilled on my head. I was scrubbing sparkles out of my hair for weeks."
Star laughed.
"I wish I had sisters. Your family sounds so fun!"
Marco's smile soured.
"Yeah. They were. Anyway, I forgive you. Everybody makes mistakes."
Star glowed on the inside. Not only was this knight proving to be more interesting than she had originally thought, he was actually loosening up and being friendly!
"Do you ever want to go home?" she asked, chancing a question.
Marco shook his head.
"No. What's it like growing up in a castle?" He tactfully steered the subject away from his family.
"Hmmm… Well, someone's always watching you, making sure that your manners are perfect, that you act like a proper young queen. My mom's always on my tail about the way I talk or-" Star stopped as something dawned on her. She covered her mouth with her hands.
"M-My mom's… my mom's still in the castle."
Star stood up and began running off into the woods, but before she could get far, Marco grabbed her dress sleeve, stopping her in her tracks. Star struggled and tried to free herself, but her knight held firm.
"Hey! Let me go!"
Marco shook his head, and pulled the protesting princess onto the ground next to him.
"Look, Star. Remember what the Quee- your mom- said before we left?"
Star nodded mutely, and Marco continued.
"She said it was a matter of life or death. Whatever's in there, it's so dangerous that not even the wand, your mother, and Mewnie's castle guard could fight it off. It would be suicide to go back there."
"I think I know who invaded the castle."
Marco gestured for her to continue.
"About half a year ago, my boyfriend, Tom-"
Marco's jaw dropped.
"Tom as in Tom Lucitor Tom?
Star winced.
"Look. I know what you're thinking. About how the Lucitors abandoned us during the monster uprising and all that. But he's a really nice guy, I promise! Just don't tell my parents. Please?"
Marco grudgingly agreed, and Star continued with her story.
"Anyway, Tom was kidnapped by Toffee, a monster from Septarsis, and I gave up half my wand in exchange for his freedom. It was that or let him die. Then Toffee vanished. For a year and a half, he laid low and didn't cause trouble. But then, about a month ago, he showed up and stole my book of spells, along with my mentor, Glossaryck."
"So now he has a magical item and the collective knowledge of the entire Butterfly family."
"Yep."
Star hugged her knees to her chest and looked disconsolately at the ground.
"Well," said Marco. "I know a person who can help get your mom back, but first, you need to get some sleep." He drew his sword and set it across his lap. "I'll keep watch."
Normally, Star would have had second thoughts about camping in the wilderness with a near-stranger, but her gut said that she could trust him, so she listened. Slowly, and accompanied by thoughts of her mother, she drifted off to sleep.
Marco awoke to find himself sprawled on the ground, his sword lying next to him. He had fallen asleep on duty again, and he was disappointed in himself. The way he figured it, if he kept Star alive, he would be able to continue guarding her once the Toffee issue blew over, remaining as far from his father as possible. However, he couldn't do that if he got distracted and, say, Star was killed. He swore to himself that that this wouldn't happen again. Blinking the exhaustion out of his eyes, Marco looked around the campsite. The princess was still asleep, with tears leaking out of her eyes and catching the light of the fire- Marco's head snapped toward the blaze. He had put it out, because the fire would make their location into a beacon that could be seen for miles. Taking a suspicious look around, Marco spied none other than King River sitting across from him.
"AAAH!" Marco jumped three feet in the air, surprised by the unexpected visitor.
The king grinned beneath his voluminous beard.
"You shouldn't let yourself be snuck up on so easily, son. Makes for a bad guard."
"H-how did you find us?"
"I've got a nose like a bloodhound, Diaz. Once, I tracked a Spikebear for five days while blindfolded."
Marco opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a blonde flash speeding by him. Star had awoken, and proceeded to tackle her dad in a hug, and Marco watched as River reciprocated with a grip that could break bones.
"Star!"
"Dad!"
Marco cleared his throat loudly, having noticed something, and two sets of blue eyes stared back at him.
"Umm… I'm sorry to interrupt, but…"
He pointed behind them, and the two Butterflies turned around. Behind them stood a band of monsters, five in number. Each was armed to the teeth and wearing leather armor. The lead monster, a minotaur, gave the ultimatum.
"We come on orders from Lord Toffee." His voice sounded like gravel in a flour mill. "Surrender now, or face the consequences."
River stepped in front of Star and unleashed a battle roar that shook the ground. Marco picked up his sword and assumed a fighting stance. Star spun her wand around in her hand, preparing some devastating spell. Five monsters was nothing. The minotaur lowered his head and charged. River caught him by the horns, and flung the unfortunate creature into a nearby tree. Before he could recover, Marco ran over and slammed the hilt of his sword into the bull's skull, rendering him unconscious. Star fired blasts of rainbows at a slug and a two headed monster, sending them backwards into the forest. Only two remained: a helmeted monster wearing brass knuckles, and a masked bird with twin daggers. River tackled the bird and snapped the daggers in half, allowing the terrified criminal to flee, no doubt taking a message back to his commander. Only the helmeted one remained. Star was shooting blasts at it, and eventually one connected, causing the monster to lash out in agony. Its paw swung wide and caught the princess around the neck. Without thinking, Marco dashed forward, shoving his sword through the monster's midsection. The paw that imprisoned Star went limp, and she fell to the ground, as did her captor. Marco tore off the headpiece. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. A familiar feline face appeared from behind the faceplate.
"A-alanus? What are- I didn't mean to hurt you!"
The lion, with tremendous effort, raised his head, locking eyes with Marco. Blood dribbled out of the corner of his mouth.
"Don't be ashamed," Alanus wheezed. "You merely did your duty, as a knight of Mewnie…Your father would be proud." His eyelids shut serenely. Marco raced to his sword and ripped it out, then tried to staunch the bleeding with his hands.
"Star!" He shouted desperately. "Heal him! Please…"
"Who is-" Star took a good look at the monster, and seeing the condition he was in, questioned no further. The princess raised her wand, but then she lowered it, defeated.
"I'm sorry, Marco. There's nothing I can do. He's...dead."
"So? How'd it go?"
Glossaryck hovered in front of Toffee, busily filing his blue man was having quite a time of sprinkling nail bits all over the the lizard's impeccable desk. It had become a game of sorts, and it brought him no end of entertainment.
Toffee waved away the offending dust.
"Your plan worked excellently. I was surprised at the level of hatred she harbors for me."
Glossaryck raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't question his master's observation.
"And you were able to use it?"
"Yes..." Toffee's stump on his right hand tingled, the flow of power in his veins reacting to the binding spell that prevented him from regrowing his finger. "She left herself open to attack, then I tied her up with the spider silk and rendered her magic useless." He chuckled. "So easy."
"Yes, well," Glossaryck said dismissively. "I believe it's time to move onto bigger game. Someone less...stable than Moon."
Toffee stroked the glimmering shard that rested on the table.
"Hmmm...you're right. Glossaryck, summon my minions. It's time."