Spoiler
She moved hesitantly around the room, handing out plates to everybeast. It was such a bright morning that they had decided to have a small feast with many delicacies, including Illicia’s renowned raspberry codial. Nobeast would skip out on a drop of that even if they had to crawl to the mess hall on their hands and knees. The smell of sweet tarts flooded the room as a Sable named Venn brought a large tray of it in with him and placed it in the middle of the buffet table. A sudden intake of breath came from those seated as the warmth took them. Rhaine, a warrior badger, greedily took a few and placed them on his plate. The others followed his example without further hesitation.
“Wot a delish meal you ‘ave prepared fer us’ns, Alissé! If’n oi din’t know any betta, oi’d say ye was th’best cook in alla land!” Roars of agreement rose as more trays of food were brought in and everyone quickly took a bit of this and that before it was gone. Alissé chuckled at the group, her ears perked at their complements.
“Oi’m glad you lot enjoy it so much… ‘Tis only my first time, oi did not know if ‘twas going to be any good.” A large mole shouted out, his belly shaking in his merriment. “Lass, I always knew you had it in ye! Never doubt yerself. This’ns much better than good, ‘tis some of the best we’ve ‘ad!”
Rhaine guffawed and rose from his seat. “Aside from oll that, Barim, where’s th’ rasp’burry cordial! Ye can’t keep us’ns waitin’ forevah!” Hastily, the harechef went back into the kitchen to fetch the drinks. Moments later she reentered holding more trays, each of them stocked with the desired flasks of delicious refreshment. Three others came out with her, each carrying their own trays of flasks to pass out amongst the chanting crowd.
“Cordial! Cordial!” They shouted repeatedly until they were served. Everybeast went utterly silent as they greedily gulped down the raspberry cordial.
“Bless’n the heavens! ‘Tis be even better’n last yearz!” A young mole cried out between swallows. Nobeast disagreed as they continued chugging it down. When it was gone they laid back unceremoniously in their chairs, patting their bellies and relaxing while some belched in appreciation.
“Marm, if’n ye don’t moind me’s sayin’ so, ye did a foine job with t’day’s lunch! I ‘ope yer gonna cook us’ns up sum dinner later t’day!” Barim called to her, his belly stuffed to the brim like the other beasts. She could only manage a smile before she dashed out. A few of the elders went out slowly to rest in the fields under the gorgeous sunshine. Many followed their examples and relaxed along with them. Only the kitchen-mice were left to clean up the mess, as was their assigned job. Streams of light filtered through the windowpanes as they went about their job in silence.
Outside, some of the younger children were heavily enjoying a rousing game of tag. Reta, a baby squirrel, was “it”, so she ran around trying to tag the others. They laughed cheerfully as the older abbeydwellers watched with cheerful curiosity. The evening was quite calm as the sun began it’s descent, flickering trails of amber over Redwall. Abbot Wreath sat with her back against a tall oak, drawing lines in the sand as she spoke to Rhaine.
“I swear on my stripes, those younguns will hurt themselves with all this rough-housing!” She chuckled. Rhaine picked a daisy from the ground and examined it astutely.
“Y’know, Mizz Wreath, them young’uns can’t ‘elp themselves t’ save their lives!” He tossed the flower aside and stood up to stretch, his robe drifting a little higher than he had intended. Hastily he stopped, mid-stretch, and pulled it down.
“My apologiez, marm, I din’t fink it shrunk oll that much. Spose I was wrong, hohoo!” Wreath smiled anxiously. “I-it’s alright… I didn’t see… I mean… there wasn’t much to see.” Rhaine took that comment offensively as he raised his chin stubbornly.
“Well’n, I ought t’ take me and mah nothin’ and wolk away!” So he did just that, huffing and puffing as he moved off. She would have shouted an apology to him if she had been able to speak, her laughing prevented it.
“Wot a delish meal you ‘ave prepared fer us’ns, Alissé! If’n oi din’t know any betta, oi’d say ye was th’best cook in alla land!” Roars of agreement rose as more trays of food were brought in and everyone quickly took a bit of this and that before it was gone. Alissé chuckled at the group, her ears perked at their complements.
“Oi’m glad you lot enjoy it so much… ‘Tis only my first time, oi did not know if ‘twas going to be any good.” A large mole shouted out, his belly shaking in his merriment. “Lass, I always knew you had it in ye! Never doubt yerself. This’ns much better than good, ‘tis some of the best we’ve ‘ad!”
Rhaine guffawed and rose from his seat. “Aside from oll that, Barim, where’s th’ rasp’burry cordial! Ye can’t keep us’ns waitin’ forevah!” Hastily, the harechef went back into the kitchen to fetch the drinks. Moments later she reentered holding more trays, each of them stocked with the desired flasks of delicious refreshment. Three others came out with her, each carrying their own trays of flasks to pass out amongst the chanting crowd.
“Cordial! Cordial!” They shouted repeatedly until they were served. Everybeast went utterly silent as they greedily gulped down the raspberry cordial.
“Bless’n the heavens! ‘Tis be even better’n last yearz!” A young mole cried out between swallows. Nobeast disagreed as they continued chugging it down. When it was gone they laid back unceremoniously in their chairs, patting their bellies and relaxing while some belched in appreciation.
“Marm, if’n ye don’t moind me’s sayin’ so, ye did a foine job with t’day’s lunch! I ‘ope yer gonna cook us’ns up sum dinner later t’day!” Barim called to her, his belly stuffed to the brim like the other beasts. She could only manage a smile before she dashed out. A few of the elders went out slowly to rest in the fields under the gorgeous sunshine. Many followed their examples and relaxed along with them. Only the kitchen-mice were left to clean up the mess, as was their assigned job. Streams of light filtered through the windowpanes as they went about their job in silence.
Outside, some of the younger children were heavily enjoying a rousing game of tag. Reta, a baby squirrel, was “it”, so she ran around trying to tag the others. They laughed cheerfully as the older abbeydwellers watched with cheerful curiosity. The evening was quite calm as the sun began it’s descent, flickering trails of amber over Redwall. Abbot Wreath sat with her back against a tall oak, drawing lines in the sand as she spoke to Rhaine.
“I swear on my stripes, those younguns will hurt themselves with all this rough-housing!” She chuckled. Rhaine picked a daisy from the ground and examined it astutely.
“Y’know, Mizz Wreath, them young’uns can’t ‘elp themselves t’ save their lives!” He tossed the flower aside and stood up to stretch, his robe drifting a little higher than he had intended. Hastily he stopped, mid-stretch, and pulled it down.
“My apologiez, marm, I din’t fink it shrunk oll that much. Spose I was wrong, hohoo!” Wreath smiled anxiously. “I-it’s alright… I didn’t see… I mean… there wasn’t much to see.” Rhaine took that comment offensively as he raised his chin stubbornly.
“Well’n, I ought t’ take me and mah nothin’ and wolk away!” So he did just that, huffing and puffing as he moved off. She would have shouted an apology to him if she had been able to speak, her laughing prevented it.
Spoiler
I ran and ran and ran; I never stopped running. The throbbing in my veins, the pulsating of fear inside my heart—I could feel it all. There was nothing I could do about it though. He was going to find me. Stomp, stomp, stomp, I heard in the distance. He’s closing in on me, what do I do? What can I do? Then there he was, standing in front of me with his muscled figure. His shirt was torn in multiple places, revealing his tanned, hairy chest. I nearly fainted, but his eyes stared so penetratingly into mine, I couldn’t drift off like I wanted to. It would be an easy escape, wouldn’t it? Just to pass out right now, and then I wouldn’t have to face him. I shook off the thoughts and looked into his sharp, blue eyes. They were made even clearer in contrast to his brown, disheveled hair.
“Why did you run?” He asks. I can only stare, open-mouthed at him. He squints, glowering as his cheeks turn a bright shade of red.
“Why did you run?” He asks. I can only stare, open-mouthed at him. He squints, glowering as his cheeks turn a bright shade of red.
“Tell me, Saheli! Why did you run?!” Still I couldn’t respond. It would be so easy to just go unconscious right now. But, I never have such luck. Not ever. He seemed to see the hesitation in my eyes; he went down on one knee, his frustrated eyes shifting into calm ones, and caressed my cheek softly.
“Varick… I…” I kept trying to form a sentence in my head, but every time I went to say it aloud, it vanished. Here he is, right in front of me, and I couldn’t even work up the nerve to say what I want to. I kept talking big to my friends, saying if I had the chance, any day of the week, I would just say it. Why can’t I, then? What’s stopping me? I don’t even really know.
“You ask to meet me in person, and then you attack me and flee? What’s up with that?” Right… I was the one who’d torn his shirt, revealing strips of his gorgeous body. The glistening sweat on his chest made me feel faint again. In my mind, I reached out and stroked his silky smooth skin; but in reality, I was frozen in place.
“You ask to meet me in person, and then you attack me and flee? What’s up with that?” Right… I was the one who’d torn his shirt, revealing strips of his gorgeous body. The glistening sweat on his chest made me feel faint again. In my mind, I reached out and stroked his silky smooth skin; but in reality, I was frozen in place.
He seems to be shouting something behind him. Even though I’m right next to him, I can’t hear his words. I’m too far gone. Then he turns back to me and helps me stand. At first I’m a bit wobbly, but I quickly regain my sense of balance.
He’s touching me!
I mutter gleefully under my breath. He looks at me, uncomprehending, and I shake my head. Shrugging, he starts leading me out of the courtyard, back to the plaza. My hands are shaking uncontrollably, I know they are, but Varick doesn’t seem to notice. As we push through the crowd to go back to our seats, I see my friends waving us down. Then what he said recurred in my mind. “You ask to meet me in person…”