Shorts and Such

Bonus: Golden Arrow

Quick AN: For those of you who have read the Golden Arrow, you may have heard of Marigold Nightengayle. You may have also heard of Marshall Nightengayle. As an author, I shouldn't have favorites but for some reason the Nightengayles have a special place in my heart: so step one) if you have not read the Golden Arrow or you have and dislike Mari/Marshall- don't read. If you haven't, my sweet, go and do child.
That is all.

Cheers!!!

****************†******†††

"Come on, we need to get home!" 10 year old Marshall called out. The girl had been in the tree for nearly 15 minutes, and was much higher than what he was comfortable with.

"But Marsh, I see somethin!" the excited Mari called back. She wore a red dress today, one that matched the ring around her cerulean eyes. He knew Mother and Father would have a fit about them being in the East Woods with Marigold's new dress on, but she had followed Marshall and Landon secretly, and they saw no point in sending her back.

Landon brushed some stray hair out of his eyes, looking up at Marigold in thought. "I could shoot her down," he suggested quietly.

Marshall looked over at him, daggers in his icy gaze. "If you would like to be killed by yours truly, then by all means. I would in fact dare you." Landon dropped his bow from his grasp, watching it fall to the dirt. Marshall looked back up at Marigold. "Come on, we need to go home!"

"Not until I get it!" Mari shouted back. Marshall sighed and stood on the sturdy branch he and Landon claimed, scaling the trunk to reach Marigold. She was near the top, picking at a nest. Marshall hurried to grab her arm, which was reaching into the nest. "What are you doing!?"

"The eggs are pretty," she replied, fighting his iron grip, "and I want one." When she struggled too much, Marshall lifted the small girl into his arms. "Mari, didn't Mommy tell you what the eggs are?"

Mari nodded excitedly. "They're baby birds!"

"And what do all babies have?"

"Mommies and daddies and big brothers."

Marshall chuckled. "Yes, little bird, they all have families. Just like us. And how do you think the mommy bird would feel if we took away her baby?"

Marigold sighed. "She'd be sad."

Marshall nodded. "That's right. So let's go home and get ready for dinner. Maybe afterwards we can go see the stars? I'm sure Mommy and Daddy would let us sleep on the balcony."

Mari's eyes lit up. "Can we invite Landon and Blake??"

"If you would like, darling."

Mari grinned and Marshall put her down on the tree branch to let himself down. Marigold went to follow, but stopped. "Me?" she asked no one in particular.

"Yes," a voice filled his ears. "Nightengayle, I'm so sad, please help me." There was a young man, about 25, with dark hair and onyx eyes. He held a rope in his hand, one end tied to a tree branch and the noose in his hand. "Please-"

Marshall didn't give him time to finish before grabbing Marigold by the leg and pulling her off the branch. "Landon, catch her!"

Landon, who had scaled to the bottom of the tree and mounted his brown horse, moved his horse and arms to catch the screaming girl. Marshall called for his white stallion, which took Landon's place at the trunk of the tree. Marshall didn't give the echo a moment to react as he jumped onto his horse. Once he was securely on, Landon rode up next to him to hand Marigold to him. She was quick to attach herself to Marshall's torso as soon as her little arms could reach him. He held her close as they began to ride home, and he cooed to her softly. "They won't hurt you, darling. I won't let them hurt you."

Marshall awoke in a daze, checking his room. It was in its normal order, with the windows letting in the early morning sun.
It was all just a dream, again. It had been 3 years since she'd been taken away. Marshall rubbed his sleepy eyes and got out of his warm bed and onto the cold stone floor, sitting down and starting on sit-ups. After his morning exercises, he went to his wooden dresser to splash some water in his face.
Father had been after Marigold for 3 long years, and if it so happened that Marshall needed to take up the hunt, he needed to be prepared for anything and everything.