I'm back! Thank you to all my Followers/Favoriters for your support! Special thanks to: RobertKellet for his helpful feedback, JJmmmmmlol for his encouraging reviews, and to Guest for alerting me to a big problem in my story! Next chapter should be up next week.
Marco stared in disbelief at the shiny black blade that rested in his hands. He had done the unthinkable. Marco Ubaldo Diaz, spineless monster sympathizer, had finally killed. His dad would be proud. He stood up and began pacing, stabbing the sword into the dirt as he did. How did this happen? His dad would be proud. A hiss of air escaped from his mouth. Dad. The mere thought of Raphael Diaz was enough to make the knight see red. Marco drove his fist into the nearest tree trunk, screaming in pain when his knuckles mashed into the cold metal of his gauntlet. His tormented cry echoed through the forest, bouncing off of boulders and glancing off of trees until it came to rest in the ears of Mewnie's princess.
"Uhh...Dad?" Star looked concerned.
"Yes dear?" River looked similarly troubled.
"I gotta go make sure he's alright."
The king frowned deeply, but said nothing as his daughter sprinted toward the sound. River considered Raphael Diaz to be one of his closest friends, so of course he did his best to keep Marco safe. He also knew the reason behind the boy's grief, but he would be the wrong person to comfort the child, so he let Star do it. He shook his head. Raphael could have had the finest Mewmen healers at his service, and then, perhaps, revenge would be unnecessary.
"Hey, Marco? Uh, you alright?" Star called. No response. Maybe it was best to just leave him alone. She didn't really know the guy. Messing with his problems would just make him mad. Although her heart said it was wrong, Star turned her back to the forest and ran toward the campsite. Halfway there, however, she caught her foot on a root and fell flat on her face.
"Ow! Wha-"
It was then that she realized- she hadn't tripped on a root. She had fallen on top of someone's leg, and that someone was her knight.
"You're bleeding." Marco was sitting against a tree, his mangled hand resting on the ground next to him. Star stood up and wiped her nose. Her hand came away red.
"Thanks. Can I- can I sit?" Her heart won this one. Helping- or trying to help- him was better than not.
Marco moved over, and Star seated herself a healthy distance from the boy.
"Why'd you come looking for me?" He got right to the point, and wasted no time beating around the bush. "It wasn't the scream, was it?"
"It was totally the scream. What did you do?"
Marco unbuckled his gauntlet, revealing his bruised and bloody left hand. Three of his fingers were hanging limply, popped out of their respective knuckles.
"I fought a tree and didn't do too well. Do you know how to fix them?"
Star frowned.
"I only know really basic healing, but my dad could pop your fingers back in. C'mon, let's go." Star stood up and led Marco to the camp, where her father was waiting.
A flood of relief seemed to wash over River's face. Dislocated fingers were small potatoes compared to, say, a missing head. The king instructed Marco to sit and close his eyes, as what he was about to do would probably hurt. A lot. In seconds, it was over. With three sickening snaps, the hand was restored. Marco didn't make a sound. The only indication that he felt pain was a wet sheen over his eyes. River sent the boy to bed, and, once he was out of earshot, whispered:
"At least his father taught him courage."
Star could hear everything he said, and her interest was piqued when Marco's dad was mentioned. In the craziness that was earlier, she hadn't gotten the chance to ask about him. Now, though, now she had both time and a person who would answer her questions.
"Dad?" She sat down near her father.
"Yes, Star?" River was staring at the sleeping boy with a look of deep sadness.
"Who is he?" Sure, Star knew his name, but his past was a mystery to her.
River took a deep breath.
"His name is Marco Diaz, son of General Raphael Diaz." He yawned. "Go to sleep, Star. It's late."
The princess had trouble sleeping that night. She was traveling with the guy who refused to kill monsters, and, by extension, bucked tradition entirely. A huge grin split her face. If he could do it, then so could she.
"No, no, no. Absolutely not. I will not involve my wife and daughter with that group. I'll find another way to retrieve Moon." King River had awoken, and Marco explained that the leader of the Thieves Lodge owed him a favor, which he could use at any time, for anything.
Marco shrugged.
"With all due respect, Your Highness, it's this or nothing. We can't rescue the Queen alone."
"Alone? Who said anything about alone? I'll bring my army-"
"Which isn't anywhere near here."
The King looked askance.
Star, who, up until this point had been silent, spoke up. "Marco's right. Mom talked to us before we left, and she looked really bad, like she had been fighting. And when Mom has to fight…"
"It means that this was not your average monster." River sighed. "Fine, Marco. We'll do it your way."
They broke camp and made their way to a run-down tavern on the edge of the kingdom. Marco had acquired traveler's cloaks so that their identities remained secret, because any common criminal would sell their soul to Tom for the chance to rob royalty. In a half-day's time, they were there. A rickety sign reading 'The Fox's Den' hung above the slanting doorway, which Marco ushered Star and River through. The inside of the bar reeked of smoke and sweat, and was lit by flickering lanterns hanging from the rafters. The princess took in her surroundings with amazement. This was like those places the noble knight had to clear monsters out of in those old stories that her mom used to tell her. Elation filled her whole being. She was finally on a real-life adventure! As the group made their way through the rows of tables, River latched onto Star's wrist and guided her to the front counter. When they reached it, Marco leaned over the bar and whispered something to the bartender, a woman of no more than twenty. She nodded to the trio, then took them into a back storeroom. A trapdoor was set into the floor, locked with a huge iron padlock. The girl unlocked it with a brass key, then gestured at the pooling darkness below. There was no choice but to jump. Marco went first, followed by Star, and finally, River. Once they were all inside, the bartender closed and locked the door behind them. Every hair on the king's back stood straight. It was quiet. Too quiet.
Marco was the first to break the eerie silence.
"Vixen? It's Sol. I have a favor to ask." The result was immediate. All around them, torches were lit, revealing a cavernous room, in the center of which was a throne made of assorted monster bones. Lying sideways across the chair was a black-haired girl wearing leather robes and a belt of knives. King River said all twenty Mewnian swear words under his breath. This was much, much, much worse than he had thought.
Marco gestured to the girl on the chair. "King River, Princess Star, meet the Queen of Thieves, Janna Ordonia."
"SOL! Long time no see!" A huge grin split Janna's face. Suddenly, she vanished from her chair, only to appear again, this time behind Marco, his keys in hand. "Got your keys…." She teased. Marco rolled his eyes and snatched the key ring back. However, in the few seconds that the Queen of Thieves looked away, Star, with the aid of her wand, relieved Janna of her knife belt.
"Hey! That's totally, like, not legal! Give it!" Janna scowled at Star. This was bad for her reputation. Janna Ordonia, the great leader of the Thieves Lodge, had been robbed by a princess.
Star threw the belt back, but a mischievous smile remained on her face.
"I cheated anyway. Magic makes everything easier."
Janna's scowl evaporated.
"Cheating….I like you. You," she pointed at River, "Not so much. Something must be seriously up if royalty has to come to me for help." The king looked away, his gaze molten. Marco sensed the tension in the air and stepped in.
"Janna, you owe me." He reached under his chest plate and pulled out a gold coin on a chain. Carved into the pliable metal were the letters I.O.U. "This was from the time I bailed you out of jail. Remember that?" Janna narrowed her eyes.
"You kept that? I thought all the times that I gave you a place to crash and something to eat would've, I dunno, canceled it out."
"Listen. River over here could pay you if you wanted, but then again, he also has an army of soldiers outside, waiting for his signal." Marco was hoping that everyone would play along. "So, if you know what's good for you, I would suggest taking the coin."
Janna smelled something fishy, but she wasn't about to get arrested again. Every thief worth their salt knew that you didn't (openly) mess with the Butterfly army.
"Alright Diaz. You drive a hard bargain. What can I do you for?"
Star shot Marco a thumbs-up, but River continued to stew. This had to be the absolute worst decision he had ever made. Asking a wanted criminal for help…It left an awful taste in his mouth.
Marco was relieved. Usually, Janna saw straight through lies. This time though, he got lucky.
"This job requires you to break into Castle Butterfly, spring the Queen from her jail cell, then get her out undetected. Think you're up to it?"
Janna's jaw hung open.
"I get to break into the castle? Keep your coin, Marco. I'll do it for free!"
"Do you know how I disposed of your mother's body, Moon?" Toffee sat across from the bound queen, taunting her, drinking in the powerful magical energy that radiated from within Moon Butterfly.
Moon struggled to maintain composure. Don't feel. Don't react. That's what he wants. Keep calm keep calm keep-
"I hung her from the ramparts of what used to be Castle Septar. The crows feasted for days." Toffee put out the candle that lit the cell.
Moon crumpled to her knees. She had been standing for corn knows how long, and this final revelation broke her will.
"You," Moon spat, "are a monster."
In the dark of the jail, Toffee's eyes glowed green.
"I know, Moon. I know better than most." And then he was gone.