The Night Marauders Thread One

Yes, the story starts off as a mess, no offense to anyone. BUT IT GETS BETTER I PROMISE. Just stick around and we'll show you! (P.S., Some people dropped out, so their characters might not show up anymore. There will be small places, but... yeah)

Here's the premise of the story:

**In the world of Endras, there are pirates known as the Night Marauders. These pirates aren't your average ones, though. They travel the continent of Kanam, where they rescue innocents in poor situations. Don't want to marry this old guy? Not feeling very royal anymore? Sucky parents? They've got your back. Unfortunately, the Naval army of Kanam thinks that the Night Marauders are kidnappers and have been chasing them for years. Luckily, they can never seem to catch up. Until now.**

(Credit to Loki for makin' the intro!)

Annnnnnnnnd without further ado, let's get into the story!

**Captain Cygnus made sure to review the plan with everyone, “As we all know, Lark Moorhen was betrothed against his will to Duke Hanada of Ersenberg. Tomorrow is their wedding. Today is a celebration ball, which is conveniently a masquerade. We will all be attending as guests, wearing the masks that I provided last night. Since the king’s naval forces are aware we may be here tonight, they will be attending the ball in disguise as we’ll, so we’re getting Lark out in the dead of night, after the masquerade. This is where Ami, Layla, Elise, and Morgan will come in. The guards will be patrolling the four hallways around Lark’s bedroom. You four are to distract them in any way possible so that Link and Sam can slip in and get Lark out. Everyone else, including myself, are to act as lookouts and distract any other guests, soldiers, and naval forces if the need arises.”**

**Ami smiled. Helping people in impossible situations always made her happy.**

**Morgan grinned. "Distraction? I can do that."**

**Amber (Auburn Solaris) (**A/N: We ended up changing the name on accident, so fair warning**) sighed and ran her hands through her hair.**

**April curled her arms around herself. Tonight was the night of the marriage, and the night of the marriage that the Night Mauraders were supposedly going to crash.**

***What if it all goes wrong?* Ami thought.**

*Meanwhile, at the Duke's mansion...*

**Lark sighed and ran his hand through his hair nervously. The Night Marauders were going to break him out of this situation. Everything was going to be all right. He just had to act natural, don't be suspicious.**

*Back with the Night Marauders and Sapphire Emperors ...*

**"Alright, everyone. Let's head out." Cygnus slipped on the black and white mask.**

**Don't ask where he got the masks, or the oddly fancy clothing. He just pulled a Tobi (**A/N: Inside joke. If you were ever part of Elementals Awoken, you'd get it**) and did some borrowing without permission.**

**April adjusted her mask. Hopefully, she wouldn't attract any unwanted attention.**

**She would just get this over with. Keep her eyes open for any Night Marauders, if they even came. Sympathize with Lark. Leave.**

**Amber put on a costume and crinkled her nose.**

**Cygnus soon left the ship and started walking towards the Duke's mansion. He signed under some random noble's name and got in safely. He looked around to see if there were any of the naval army's soldiers in disguise as discreetly as possible.**

**Morgan slipped on a mask, and tied up her unruly red hair into a bun.**

**Layla put on her mask, tied her hair back, and slipped out.**

**Lark, meanwhile, stood around uncomfortably as the Duke linked arms with him.**

**Cygnus grit his teeth at the sight. Lark was a human being, not some trophy to show off and parade around.**

**Eventually, night fell, and the plan was set into motion.**

**Layla was getting ready to be super annoying.**

**Ami had always felt squeamish about her looks. That's why her mother went crazy-murderer on her, after all. But now she had to use that to her advantage.**

**Sam prepared themselves.**

**Link leaned against the wall, waiting.**

**Morgan snuck into the house.**

**Robin was sitting on her cot, pulling on her boots.**

**She reluctantly left her recognizable blue cloak on a peg, and grabbed a mask Captain provided. It was covered in dark green lace with a single red feather amongst a fluffy black feather. She tied it on her face with black ribbon and looked at herself in her cracked mirror. The dress was much like what she was forced to wear at home. A tight corset with more ruffles than she liked. It was green (to match her mask), and fell to her ankles, covering most of her boots, in turn covering the dagger she had sheathed inside her right boot. She had to admit, the color was pleasing and coordinated well with her red hair. (**https://www.devilnight.co.uk/22-69/green-classic-gothic-victorian-dress.jpg)

**Robin stepped out of her cabin and into the fading sunlight. She breathed in the salty air and nearly coughed. She hated corsets.**

**Matthew yawned. "You alright, Robin?"**

**Robin turned to face him. "Hey, Matthew. I suppose I'm as well as one could expect. All of these frills... And don't get me started on the corset!"**

**"Eh, honestly they don't look that great anyway," he stated with a snicker. "Wonder how they'd look on me."**

**Robin's eyes widened. "That is *not* a picture I needed." She chuckled.**

**Matthew grinned and ran his hand through his hair. "I doubt you HAVE to wear the corset."**

**Robin rolled her eyes. "Captain expects it."**

**"That's stupid."**

**Robin shrugged. "That's the society we live in."**

**"Well, then, I'm sorry."**

**Cygnus watched as the six NM assigned to the mission excused themselves in various ways. Hopefully they knew what they were doing, or this would be an absolute failure.**

**Robin shrugged again but suddenly grinned. "If my father had his way, I'd still be on that wretched island he governs on, and I'd have to dress up in this *costume* far more often. I"ll count my blessings."**

**"Yikes. That... sucks."**

**She chuckled again and leaned against the ship's railing.**

**Matthew yawned again and rubbed his eyes.**

**"What has you so tired?"**

**"Didn't sleep at all last night."**

**Link dashed around in his poorly chosen party outfit. He was supposed to find Lark and get him out of there. Where was Sam? They were supposed to work together to find him!**

**The party had gone well into the night, and Lark had been locked in his room. As predicted, a guard was stationed in each hallway around said bedroom.**

**Cygnus really hoped nobody screwed this up too badly.**

**Robin nodded sympathetically. "Hopefully we'll stop those Night Marauders tonight and you can rest easily with the knowledge of having done a good job."**

**Matthew snorted. "We've failed time and time again. What's different this time?"**

**Layla was a little jittery.**

**"This time," Robin said with a mischievous grin, "we know where they're going to strike."**

**Matthew bit his lip and didn't say anything.**

**Link gave up on looking for Sam, and went to rescue Lark by himself. He asked a random person, "Do you know where Lark is? I'd like to say congrats to him." In a fake dignified British accent.**

**"Ah, the Duke's engaged? I believe he was sent to his room with guards in each hall to ensure his safety," said the random person.**

**Link nodded. "And where exactly is his room?" He asked.**

**"...I really don't think I should be saying things like that."**

**"Yes, I understand." Link went off looking for Lark himself.**

**Robin furrowed her brows. "What is it, Matthew?" she asked in her actual natural British accent.**

**"I... it's nothing. I'm fine." Matthew sighed.**

**Robin frowned. "What is it?" she repeated.**

**"Nothing, I promise. Just thinking."**

**"About...?" she protested.**

**"About stuff. Drop it, Robin."**

**Robin frowned, but let it go.**

**Matthew ran his hands through his styled hair, ruining it.**

**Robin bit her lip, but said nothing. She turned and looked at the sea.**

**Matthew almost screamed in frustration.**

**Robin heard a noise and twisted back around, puzzled.**

**Matthew buried his face in his hands.**

**Robin put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, what's the matter, mate?" she asked quietly.**

**"Nothing," he mumbled.**

**Robin tilted his chin so he had to look her in the eye. "I know you better than that."**

**Matthew flinched and looked away. "Robin, I promise, I"m fine."**

**"You don't seem fine, and we can't afford to have your head in the clouds tonight."**

**"My head isn't in the clouds," he said flatly. "I'm okay."**

**"There's no reason to hide something. You know I'll keep your secrets if need be."**

**Matthew went completely silent.**

**Robin waited.**

**Matthew took a deep breath. "MybrotherisaNightMarauderandI'msorryIdidn'ttellanyoneDON'THURTME."**

**Robin took a step back, letting it sink in.**

**Matthew was on the verge of tears. "I'm a traitor," he mumbled.**

**"A few things: first, why didn't you say anything before now? Second, why is it bothering you now? You've always been levelheaded before. Third, why would I hurt you? He's the pirate, not you."**

**"I wanted to keep him safe!! And it's bothering me because he talked to me yesterday!"**

**"You were in contact with a Marauder, and you *didn't* tell Captain?"**

**"I'M SORRY!"**

**Robin shook her head in disbelief, but after a moment she smiled. "You have more nerve than I thought, Matthew Tolusi."**

**Matthew looked up, his eyes wide with fear. "W-What?"**

**"Yeah... I never pegged you as a rulebreaker, but it fits you well."**

**Layla threw a glass cup right next to one of the guards' heads. "Hey, a\*\*hole!" she yelled.**

**The soldier narrowed his eyes and started walking towards her.**

**Matthew swallowed the lump in his throat. "Please don't tell anyone."**

**Her look expressed slight respect and maybe even adoration. "Of course not."**

**Matthew let out a long sigh of relief. He wiped his eyes, muttering a bunch of "thank you"s.**

**Robin nodded and heartily patted his shoulder.**

**Matthew ran his hands through his hair again, hyperventilating.**

**It was time to start distracting the guards. "Hey!" Ami waved at one of them.**

**"Matthew- relax."**

**"I CAN'T."**

**April narrowed her eyes at the chaos. Jackpot. Either she would be handsomely rewarded by the navy. or she would live all of her fantasies and run away with the Night Marauders. Either one was the best possible outcome for her. She went up to a loud person and said, "Hello Miss/Sir, why are you so loud?"**

**Robin furrowed her brows. "You can't or you won't?"**

**"I WON'T."**

Robin suppressed a smirk. "Then you're worrying for no reason."

Matthew groaned and hugged his knees.

Robin extended her hand to help him up. "Come on. I have biscuits in my room. You need the energy from the sugar.

"I... alright." Matthew hesitantly took Robin's hand.

Link walked around trying to find Lark's room.

Cygnus hissed, "We went over the mansion's layout five times, how do you not know where to go?"

"Well, I mean, I do, but I didn't realize there would be so many people here. It's confusing." Link hissed back.

Robin nodded approvingly and they went back to the cabin. She pulled out an old tin container from under her bed. When she opened the dented lid, one could see the dozen-or-so cookies inside.

Matthew's mouth watered.

Robin, with a mischievous glint in her eye, put a finger to her lips before offering Matthew a cookie.

Matthew greedily scarfed it down, his eyes sparkling.

Robin chuckled, ate a cookie herself, and tucked the rest back under her bed.

"THAT WAS AMAZING."

**(**A/N: And... this is where I, AlexJeanEastend, start to forget about Amber/Auburn.**)**

**Blah blah blah Amber provided a distraction.**

Link elbowed through people dancing and drinking and talking and laughing and whatever. He found Lark's room, only to see it being guarded. He'd dealt with guards before, so dealing with them now shouldn't be hard. Except that he'd dealt with them with at least one other person, but Sam was nowhere to be found.

Link kept a lookout for Ami, Layla, Elise, and Morgan, to distract the guards. He almost smiled when he saw 8 guards scrambling to move out of the way of a falling curtain. He leaned against the wall, trying to make it look like he just *happened* to be there, and waited for the right time to strike. He was a bit upset that Sam was a no-show, and he's have to rescue Lark all by himself, but, oh well.

**(This will be updated when I have time. It's written rp-style, but I might change it a bit later after a vote)**