Author's Notes: I do NOT own Redwall or any of its characters, trust me I'm not that good of a writer . Feel free to review and tell me what you think.
Two seasons after the fall of the wildcat tyrants that had once ruled Mossflower, the land florished beautifully as work on the magnificant abbey began. From far and near creatures came together to raise the walls, cut trees to make sturdy beams and begin work on the gardens and orchirds. There wasn't a beast within the whole of Mossflower that didn't know of the building of the abbey. Stronger beasts helped with the stone cutting in the quarry while others with more skill as craftsmen helped with the design and piecing together of the abbey. One of the creatures most involved in the building was the renowned warrior, Martin, savior of Mossflower and one of the hardest workers in the building of Redwall Abbey.
With the completion of the abbey came peace over Mossflower and the founding of the Order of Redwall mice. Much to Gonff's disappointment Martin was contemplating hanging up his sword and joining the order he had helped to build. Gonff would argue his point and Martin would shake his head and laugh at his friend's antics. It was during one such day that everything changed for them both and the past came for Martin.
Perched up high on the abbey's newly completed northern wall, Martin stared out at the peaceful woodlands of Mossflower as twilight began to descent upon the trees. Shadows reached out to Redwall's magnificent structure as if trying to engulf it. Overhead, a moon that was nearly full began her rise into the sky as in the highest points of the nighttime sky small pinpricks of silver began to appear. Martin sat quietly watching the rhythm of the night, crickets chirping far below him and an howl deep in Mossflower beginning his nightly hunt. As far as the eye could see all was peaceful.
Unfortunately the eye can't see everything. Knowing this, Martin knew he couldn't explain the growing unease clawing at his belly as he watched the edge of Mossflower. Somewhere, something important and terrible was happening and for the life of him he couldn't figure out what.
In Noonvale:
The peaceful little village was no longer peaceful. Creatures were taken from their beds in the dead of the night, chained and gagged as their captors made off into the shadows with their bounty. Quiet little homes were set alight by torches and some unfortunate creatures could not escape in time. The horde swept through Noonvale, taking the young and slaying the old.
Heroes from the battle at Marshank rose to try and meet the horde, including one rather unexpected creature. A maiden by the name of Laterose, an unexpected survivor of the battle of Marshank. Wielding slings, old swords, bows and staffs the makeshift warriors tried to fight back against the horde of weasels, rats, wildcats and foxes with no avail.
Running through the burning streets of her home, Rose was pulled along by Brome, her own brother and the newly named chief of Noonvale. Rowanoak had warned them to escape, go south to a place where stories had reached them of a strong warrior that had freed the south from a wildcat tyrant. The sibling pair was bid to go in search of help. Brome had been reluctant and Rose firmly against leaving her friends to fend for themselves. Rowanoak had revealed to them that some rumors told of the warrior being a mouse from the northern shores. That alone was enough to persuade them. If it was Martin, they would go.
Rose would go to see if she could find her lost love from the battle of Marshank and Brome knowing Martin would save them, as he'd saved them before at a high personal cost.
"Come on Rose" Brome panted, tugging his sister along as they made it into the river where several small boats were tethered. "We have to hurry."
"I know" Rose panted, helping untie one of the boats and push it off into the current. "I hope Grumm and the others are alright..."
Brome rested a reassuring paw on her sister's shoulder. "They'll be alright, we'll be back in time, I promise."
Back in Noonvale:
Striding through the wreckage of the once peaceful little village with a cruel smirk upon her face was a striking ivory wildcat. She moved with fluid grace, icy eyes taking in the small fires that still burned until she reached the center of Noonvale where the prisoners were held. Reaching them, she smirked at the chained creatures. Her name was Icis Silverfang and she was known as the Northern Queen, a conqeror of many lands and now Noonvale was hers as well.
"Swiftclaw" Icis called sharply.
Moving forward from the gathered ranks of Icis's horde came a lanky ginger fox with several throwing daggers tucked in his belt. Reaching the wildcat queen, Swiftclaw dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "You summoned me m'lady?" he asked formally.
"I did" Icis said coolly, blue eyes still inspecting the prisoners. "I would like to know why my Captain has captured such weak prisoners for my father. These creatures would be of little use to us. Care to explain it to me?"
"Well m'lady" the fox stammered, "we thought some of them would make a good example for those who cross your father. Also, some of them are rather strong for they resisted our advance."
"Did you kill these resistors?" Icis demanded, chilling gaze now on Swiftclaw.
"No" admitted the unfortunate fox.
"Who's to say they won't resist again you idiotic dungbrain! What if they resist against my father? Will I have to tell him who is responsible?" Icis snarled, circling the kneeling captain.
"No m'lady, we can dispatch of them..." Swiftclaw stammered quickly, obviously fearful of the Northern Queen's wrath.
"No" Icis decided, surprising the whole horde and captured creatures. She turned and cast her gaze upon the terrified captives, quickly identifying those that showed little or no fear under her gaze. A smirk curled on her maw. "We will make them the examples for these weak fools. Chain their paws, put them on the lead and bring in the wagons. Now you fools!"
Rats, weasels, foxes and stouts scurried to do as they were bidden by their lady. Swiftclaw, thoroghly thankful to be alive, rushed about giving sharp orders as the wagon was forward. In a line of twos, one line on the right of the chain and one on the left, the captives were chained up to a long chain lead linked to the back of the wagon. Weasels bearing whips made their appearance then, silencing any crying young ones and "calming" and rebels, including those such as Rowanoak, Keyla and Beau.
Sitting comfortably in the front of the wagon with several foxes and weasels acting in place of horses, Icis gave the order for them all to move out. The slaves were destined for Coalmark, the home of the infamous warlord Reigen the Blackclaw, father of Icis and ten times worse.
At Redwall:
"Matey, ol' Bella's been looking for you" Gonff informed the green-robed form of his friend as he climbed up to the top of the wall.
"Has she?" Martin asked, turning to look at his friend, paws folded in the large sleeves of his green habit. Around his waist there was no sword or sword belt, no sheath or any sign that he could wield a sword with deadly accuracy and skill. All one saw was a handsome, sturdy Brother of Redwall. "Whatever for?"
"Some travelers came in the night" Gonff explained. "Ol' Dinny n' Skipper brought them in late last night. Columbine and the Abbess have been lookin' after them all day."
Martin's brow furrowed. "Why would they need me? Do these travelers seem to mean us harm?"
"No, poor things were too wiped out last night to talk straight" Gonff said sympathetically. "Apparently this morning one of them said something about needing to find a mouse named Martin. Bella told me we had to find you."
Martin followed Gonff down one of the ladders to the grounds of the abbey. Gonff chatted away about commonplace things, Columbine, their little one Gonff and how none of the Dibbuns could help pick the berries this season without guzzling half the harvest.
"Sounds like someone I know" Martin mused thoughtfully as they made their way toward the infirmary.
Gonff snorted indignantly and huffed in mock hurt. Martin laughed and it became contagious. Soon the pair were laughing as they approached the infirmary. Hushing themselves the pair went into the well lit infirmary and sickbay where Abbess Geramine and her newest assistant, Sister Claire were each bending over one of the two occupied beds. Looking up the Abbess came toward them.
"Martin, there you are" she chided, eying him somewhat sternly. "Where do you hide yourself these days? No beast can ever find you." Gonff cleared his throat and the Abbess smiled. "Except for this old cheesetheif of course" she added kindly.
"No respect for a thief these days" Gonff muttered with a forlorn sigh.
Chuckling, Martin bowed his head a little to the Abbess. "I apologize Mother Abbess. Gonff told me these travelers were looking for me?"
"Yes" said a voice from one of the beds. It sounded very familiar. "Are you Martin the Warrior?"
Moving toward the bed Martin took Sister Claire's place by the beside of a travel-worn young mouse. Seating himself on a stool beside the bed, Martin folded his paws in his habit sleeves again. "Yes, I was. I'm a Brother of Redwall now."
Pushing himself up, the mouse sat up. Martin moved to help him but he waved off Martin's help. "I need the help of a warrior and I know you can still help me."
"What's your name friend?" Martin asked politely, glancing sideways at Gonff. He wondered if this mouse's brains were a bit addled.
"Brome, chieftain of Noonvale."
Martin's eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest. "Brome?" he choked, looking the mouse straight in the face. There was no mistaking it. Travel worn and tired he may be but the mouse before him was certainly Brome.
"Hi Martin" Brome said, smiling tiredly. "It's been a while."
"Do you know him Martin?" the Abbess asked, touching his shoulder lightly. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I think I have Abbess" Martin admitted, smiling over his shoulder at the frail old mouse and his friend standing behind her. Gonff looked thoroughly confused.
"No, I'm as real as you are Martin" Brome interrupted, sounding a bit urgent. "Noonvale is in danger. A wildcat has attacked us and taken most of the villagers. I got away with Rose..."
Brome was cut off when Martin promptly fell off the stool he'd been sitting on at the sound of the name. Quickly picking himself up, Martin looked thoroughly shaken and whiter then before. Gonff moved to his friend's shoulder.
"Martin, matey, you alright? Mate?" Gonff asked, shaking his shoulder.
"You...you said you got away with..." Martin stammered, staring at Brome. "That's impossible!"
Brome shook his head. He raised a paw and pointed to the bed on his right. Martin followed the gesture with his eyes and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. There was no mistaking the soft looking fur, delicate features and overall beauty. It was Laterose of Noonvale, the maiden that had stolen Martin's heart and taken it to her grave...or so he had thought. As though in a daze, Martin moved to her bedside. She was still asleep and from the look of it she would be that way for a while. Turning back to Brome he stared.
"How?" Was all he could manage.
"It was very hard and it took a long time" Brome explained. "She wasn't dead like we thought. By the time I was sure she would live, I went to find you but you'd already gone too far south into wildcat territory. I didn't dare follow. When Rose came around she asked about you but we had no real answers."
Quickly Gonff and Sister Claire guided Martin back to the stool he'd sat on beside Brome and he allowed it. He sat, staring at his paws in his lap, not quite sure how to digest this new information and so much of it at that. Rose was alive and laying in a bed not but a few pawsteps from him. Brome was there, Noonvale was being held captive and just when he'd left his sword behind and donned the green habit of Redwall mice.
"Martin mate, say something" Gonff pleaded, kneeling next to his friend. "What's going on? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine" Martin said at last, but his words weren't very convincing. When he glanced up he saw Brome, Gonff, Sister Claire and Abbess Geramine watching him intently. "I'm just...shocked."
Brome reached out and touched Martin's arm. Martin stared at his paw, then up at the young mouse. "I'm sorry we couldn't get to you earlier" he murmured. "We didn't know where you'd gone...we tried, for Rose's and your sake."
Martin placed his paw on Brome's and sighed. "I don't doubt your words Brome but...for now...don't tell Rose I'm here. I'm a Redwall mouse now and I've hung up my sword. My promise to you was broken and Noonvale fell, I'm very sorry but I don't think I can help you anymore."
Without meeting anyone's eyes, Martin rose, his eyes on the bed beyond Brome's for a long moment before he turned and forced himself to walk away, back to his spot on the wall, high above everyone and with space to think. That was what he needed now. To think.
Behind him, Gonff started after him, stopped by a hand on his shoulder from the elderly Abbess who shook her head wordlessly. Turning to Brome, Gonff's expression darkened. "I think I smell a story."