The Fourth Piper: Extras

Chapter Two: Titles

Commentary will be in bold. Welcome to the hilarity that was middle school me. I'd say enjoy, but I know you will because I died laughing commenting on all of this unedited Chapter 2 xDD

Also, there are...slight spoilers??

The trail that the pair had been slowly traveling on was absolutely stunning; Marian had never seen anything like it. She treaded (um) with the hooded stranger on and on and on (like how this paragraph is already dragging?), through meadows of purple wild flowers and green woodlands with heavily draped trees. Through cool, shallow rivers and rolling hills. Through morning and through evening they traveled in the midst of it all. (I'm already laughing because the vAgueness)

But despite all of the scenery, Marian couldn't stop thinking of one thing: Who was under the hood? Who could be so terrible that he couldn't even show his face? What feared name could he have that even the outlaw Jon Fletcher was nothing in comparison? She couldn't help but think...

The Piper? (SUBTLE)

She pushed the absurd thought away. That was only a legend, and even if it wasn't was true, the Piper's face or attire had never been recorded. But with all the mystery about Shade, it almost seemed like...no. Shade couldn't be. He was too dark and ominous to be the happy, mischievous folktale of the Piper (nice catch past self lol).

He was so reserved that Marian felt like she really was just traveling with a shadow. He scarcely even said a word to her. Shade was a total stranger, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't talk to her.

In fact, the maiden was wondering why she went along with him in the first place (honey we've been asking ourselves the same question about you since the first chapter).

***

They had only been at it for three days,but Shade could already tell that he wouldn't be able to stand having Marian there when he... (SUBTLLEEEE)

Well, it hadn't been the right decision in the first place for her to tag along (we are aware lol).

Marian didn't know the land like he did, and even if she did, she would only slow him down. In fact, the cloaked figure was wondering why he had brought her along in the first place (once again, we are also wondering).

"You don't really know how to travel and wander like I do, do you? (PFFT)" He said smugly. Marian held her head high.

"Of course I do." She didn't—couldn't— look directly at him. Shade smirked darkly (can we just curse the word "darkly") under his hood as he sat down to rest on a fallen tree.

"You don't. You don't know what food is good to eat, what paths to tread on, or anything about surviving in here," Shade paused and his eyes glinted with accusation under his hood, "So. Where do you come from?"

Marian huffed with irritation, "I come from nowhere that concerns you."

"What is your full title, then?" Shade put his hand on his leg (Why tho loll) in both interest and mockery, "Surely that concerns me, now that we're traveling together.

"What is your full title, then, stranger?"

"Shade, Stranger of the Woods (um)—deemed by yourself." He grinned to himself in delight (DELIGHT LOL), "And you?"

"Fine," The lovely maiden (pfft okay then) closed her cobalt-blue eyes dismissively as she stated, "Marian Nicole D'onvre, daughter of..."

"Of what?" Shade gained a venomous glare from the noblewoman but he smiled icily, unseen by Marian (this is an interesting sentence lol).

"Daughter of the late Duke and Duchess D'onvre." She sighed as Shade shot up off of the log that he was sitting on. (lol yes Marian used to be a duchess)

"A duchess? You're a duchess?" He pointed a rugged finger (rugged finger??? lol) at her, "You shouldn't be here!"

"Shade, I told you—"

"You need to get away from here, Duchess! I don't know what you were doing on that cliff or my camp in the first place, but you are not coming with me and you are not following me, either!" With a sweep of his lengthy cloak, Shade whirled around and started to march off in a temper (diva).

"Shade! I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."

"And why's that?" He growled, "You can't risk your life to travel with me as a duchess."

"Because I don't have anyone else or anything else to go to. I've already told you. My family's gone. The land is totally deprived too, if that's what you were thinking." Marian started to steam with anger.

The hooded figure (he's not a figure we literally know his nickname lol) ignored her and kept trudging away on the dirt trail, biting his tongue to keep from taking his hood off to feel the fresh air and cool off (lol). How he longed to have the peace to be able to.

He heard silence instead of protest and grinned at the riddance until he heard the crunching of leaves behind him.

"I'll pull off your hood, Shade. I promise I will." She threatened sternly. (LOL)

The hooded stranger stopped, "No you won't."

"I will. I swear it." She forcefully put her hand on his cloak. The once-gleaming eyes of Shade widened and narrowed. Would she dare—

Suddenly something red zinged through the air and cut deep into the tree behind them.

"An arrow," Marian's voice caught and trembled, "Shade!"

They dashed behind the tree and Shade's eyes darted around the forest for anyone. No one in sight.

"Above you!" Marian cried out and pointed in terror. Uniformed men in the canopied trees pointed deadly crossbows at the two.

"The guard!" Shade muttered, "They would come all the way out here?" (and why the heck are they in the trees lol)

"Stop, in the name of the law!" One of them shouted, pointing an armored finger. Marian started to panic, her electric blue eyes growing wide and her breath catching short.

The guards clambered down from their roosts and surrounded the cloaked figure and the noblewoman. Shade glanced at the emblem on their shields. The King. Marian must have noticed it too, because she opened her mouth to try and say something before Shade clamped it closed.

"You're under arrest, by order of the King!" Marian grew pale and looked like she was about to faint. Shade drew her close and started to speak, his voice low and hushed.

"Keep your mouth shut and don't say a word. Do as I say and follow me if you want to escape. Understand?" The unknown face of Shade whispered to the maiden (maiden. Pffft). She nodded, hands shaking.

"Come with us, trespasser!" One of the guards stepped forward but was stopped by the unmistakable, sinister grin he could almost see underneath the hood of the cloaked stranger (A POV BREAK GAH).

Shade started to laugh.

"Do you know who I am?" (NO ONE DOES LOLL)

You know, I think the funniest part about this chapter compared to the rewrite is Marian/Marehnn. LIKE LOOK AT HER LOLL