Martin's Goodbye
Disclaimer:
Toboe: No I don't own Redwall... Me sad... Any way I hope you all enjoy this short story. I love Redwall so much! Brian Jacques RULES! I always wondered what happened to Martin in the end so I hope you all enjoy. On with the story!
Edited and Replaced June 25, 07
He rested his eyes upon his pillow, his long, grey whiskers grey with age. The clean sheets smelled of sweet roses.
Oh Rose…
The memory of her death had always haunted him, even when the injury given to him by the greedy clever Wildcat ruler, Tsarmina, had faded away all other memories.
Her beautiful laughter,
Her soaring voice,
Her undying love,
Her deep calming eyes,
He still remembered her face. It was his fault she died, he had promised to protect her.
"Father Martin?" The older mouse lifted his head from the pillows to look down at Gonff, son of Gonff and Columbine. The young, no Martin corrected himself, the young but not a dibben, mouse looked up at him with wide eyes as he peaked out from behind the door.
"Mum wanted you to have this" he said and laid some flowers on bed. There were violets and bluebells, valerian and angelica, all together creating a pleasant mix of smells and color. In the middle of the flowers was one single rose. Martin smiled to himself, plucked the rose out and turned to Goff tweaking his whiskers affectionately.
"How about you take this beautiful rose and give it to young Mera. I've seen how you have been looking at her."
The young mouse blushed and stuttered a thank you, taking the rose and scampering out the door. Martin chuckled and lay back down. Goff would eventually get around to telling Mera his feelings for her but Martin never had the chance. Rose was whisked out of life before he had even realized how deep his feelings were. It was her death that had drove him to wandering the land and eventually stumbling upon Mossflower Woods. Here he had battled long and hard with the evil wildcat queen, eventually defeating her and destroying Kotir, then raising the peaceful abbey of Redwall. He had retired from being a warrior, hanging up his blade and swearing to only pick up arms in time of need. That was, of course after he had traveled up into the north and heard about his father Luke the warrior.
He never had a child so he had hidden his sword for the day it would be needed again. He new that day would come, probable long after he entered the Hellgates.
He slowly got up and walked stiffly over to the chest on the other side of the room. It was a large old oaken thing, filled with anything a mouse could ever desire. He pulled out a beautiful glass vase made by Terron the squirrel who helped make the stained glass windows in the great hall and gently paced it on his bedside table with the flowers inside. With a childish chuckle he poured the latest potion Amila the healer had thrust upon him.
Martin lay back on his bed with a grown and turned onto his back to face his open window. Lately he had felt so old, even though he was still young, his body constantly tired and his old wounds throbbing to a painful level. His mind felt clear though and he had a good idea what was happening. Madame Amilia, the healer at this time, had given him countless herbal remedies but they didn't seem to work. Martin could tell they were worried about him and the mouse knew deep in his heart that soon the crypt he had designed seasons ago would soon be occupied.
"Look Rose," Martin whispered hoarsely to himself, "Can you see young Goff there. Look under the apple tree in the orchard. He has just given her your flower."
Signing the warrior closed his eyes. He just needed to take a rest. Later when he was feeling better he would have to go for a walk in the orchard. It was just so beautiful outside today…
'Where am I?' Martin thought and leaned against his sword. His sword! He jumped back with a start. His blade was supposed to be up in the weathervane. Oh well, it was only a dream. He was standing in front of a tall gate framed by a long expense of tall trees whose branches were in full bloom. Behind him was grasslands covered in mist. He felt shadowy figures pass him, through him, and he gave a shutter as they passed the open gates into the forest behind.
"Martin"
"Boar! Oh how I have missed you matey!" Martin said to his great badger warrior friend, who had passed on many, many seasons ago. He stood next of the gates into the dark forest which didn't seem so frightening anymore. He rased over to his friend if\n joy.
Boar smiled and patted his friends back with a huge heavy paw. A huge warblade rested in the badgers other paw, who carried it as if it weighed nothing.
"I have missed you too my friend!" the badger said. His voice was strong and clear not faint and whispery like a sprits voice should sound.
"And what about me?"
Martian turned to see Timballisto his warrior friend who he had grown up with standing inside the gates. He didn't look like the older mouse, scared from seasons of labor and torture as a sea slave Martin had seen during Tim's last days. He was the young healthy mouse Martin had grown up with. His fur was sleek and shiny, his eyes bright, and his whiskers straight. In fact Boar wasn't silver with age anymore but young and sprited.
Martin grinned for them and felt a warmth spread over him as he passed the gates to great his friend. Inside the forest the sun shown down bright and clear, birds chirped and the wind whispered pleasantly.
"Tim! I have so much to tell you. Both of you in fact," he said turning to the badger but he froze in his tracks.
Laterose…
A slim mouse maiden sat in the branches of the trees. Eyes, like great pools of water, were over brimming in tears. Her fur was sleek and her hands were clasped in front of her chest. Martin felt his heart pound as he stared at her with open eyes.
"Rose…" he whispered and took a step towards, forgetting all about his friends. A single tear trickled down her cheek and she smiled. He walked over to her getting faster as all the sorrow and pain he had been carrying for the all these seasons dropped off. He raced towards her and, reaching her, he hugged her then spun her around, landing on his back. He looked her in the eyes and hugged her all the tighter.
"Martin I missed you so much," She sobbed.
"Rose I am so sorry. I should of protected you! Instead I let my hatred for Badrang take over and you died," He babbled tears coursing down his face.
"Hush Martin, if I had not died then Redwall would have never been founded. It was all for the best."
He felt so relived. She forgave him!
"So you give no hello to you family but go racing off after the pretty girl."
Martin turned to see two mice; one who he barely remembered and the other who died soon after he was born.
"Mother? Father?"
Luke the warrior nodded with a grin and Martian's mother smiled happily.
"Martin you can stay here with us now. Your time to be alive is over. It is peaceful here."
Martin fell silent. Then choosing his words carefully began to speak.
"I would love to but… I can't. I can't leave the Abby unguarded and unsafe. You will never know how much I want to but I can't"
The forest was tempting, but so many depended on him. He couldn't leave them defenseless.
Rose smiled, the completely opposite reaction Martin was expecting.
"You silly mouse! Just because you are dead doesn't mean you are banded from the living world. In times of need Redwall Abbey will know Martian."
A joyful smile spread across the warriors face and Rose grabbed his hand leading him to the gate. She started a song and Martin could see other faces from the trees; squirrels, mice, otter, moles, shrew, hares, all creatures he had fought with in his life and they twisted their voices into the sweet larking of Rose's.
A warrior
Of times long said
Protecting the weak
A warrior dead
-
Guiding in times of danger
Spreading light,
Over Redwall
-
Time passes by
And life does die
But stay here
Forever
The warrior
Of Redwall
Rose turned to him in front of the gate still holding his hands. The others grew silent as she sang the last verse, staring deep into his eyes.
Martin
Dear Martin
Guiding spirit
Of Redwall
Martian the Warrior was buried deep under the Abby, the entrance to his crypt under the stairs leading to the Cavern Hole for the Great Hall. And still to this day, when darkness falls over Mossflower a warrior will appear, guided by the spirit Martin the Guardian of Redwall.