Rounding the large wolf and hearing the cries for help from a familiar voice, Marianne placed a hand over her lips as she gasped, seeing who it was under Ricard's giant paw.
"Sir Ricard! Get off of him! That is Sir Tiral, an Iron Rose and a comrade-in-arms! Allez, là! Tout suite!"It was quite a sight, seeing Marianne nearly disappear into Ricard's thick fur as she futilely attempted to push the wolf away and off. Of course, she was nowhere near strong enough to do so. There was hardly a man alive that could grapple toe-to-toe with the wolf purely from a weight standpoint alone. Sir Ricard opened his maw to growl directly in the young man's face. A pungent and acrid stench would waft around Tiral's head. The scent of blood and rotted flesh ripped from their owners, consumed and digested long ago. The question was, was that the scent of human remains or something else? Doubtful anyone would care to ever find out. But, when Sir Ricard felt Marianne's laughably small body (*in comparison) pressed against his own, Sir Ricard shut his maw and looked at his beloved human. Realizing he had possibly made some mistake and committed offense, Sir Ricard turned to shoot the Iron Rose Knight a final glare and snarl before removing his paw from the young man's chest and stepping back a distance. Possibly, a rather uncomfortably short distance but at least the canine detached himself.
Marianne was not amused. Placing her hands on her hips, she didn't have the same fear that was instilled in the others. With a sharp and pointed finger she stood in front of the canine and actually reprimanded the creature in her native language. Whatever she said, it was rapid-fire and dizzying to listen to. Though, it was clear it was angry speech. Sir Ricard lowered his head and eyed the ground, taking the ass-chewing with a certain humility. What it took to have such command and power to humble such a beast spoke untold volumes as to Marianne's standing over him. After the short tongue-lashing, Marianne turned back to Sir Tiral and tucked a long lock of hair behind her ear as she helped him stand. Marianne's maids approached when they determined the line of fire to be safe and dusted off the poor boy, some of them beginning to gather his dropped belongings along with Marianne.
"Oh, my deepest and sincerest apologies, Sir Tiral! Sir Ricard is rather quick to hostilities against strangers."What she meant to say, was
everyone.
"Are you quite alright? He had not harmed you, had he? Here, let me help you with your items."With the maids and Marianne's back turned, Sir Ricard continued to angrily glare at Sir Tiral.
He was not happy that the man was there, let alone Marianne being so physically close to him at the moment.
It was a good thing Ricard had already eaten and wasn't hungry.
Not only would he be extra ornery, but it was possible that Ricard was a man-eater.
And everyone not Marianne or a Delacroix was on that menu.
Snowdrops
