I own nothing. To be honest, I don't even own the idea of the traditional-suitor-challenge thing. I found it as a prompt on an online chatroom a long time ago, but I haven't been able to find the chatroom since, so I thought I'd upload it here.
"Are you alright, darlin'?"
Cress Started a little, momentarily loosing her feeble, one-legged balance. Her grip tightened on the crooks of her parent's arms; after years of dealing with her disability, they'd learned not to try grabbing her or manually rebalancing her. Instead, they stood strong and solid on either side of her, supporting her in every way.
Cress pulled agains her father's arm, centering her weight with more difficulty than usual. She let out a quiet breath. "I'm fine, papa."
But she wasn't. This was the second time in as many minutes that she'd lost her balance. It had been three years since the vermin stack that had destroyed her left knee, leaving her leg crippled and unable to bear her weight. She'd had three years to learn to live with the handicap; she'd adapted, and now she could balance well enough on her own, although she proffered to lean on something or someone- her father, a friend- to help her. She still couldn't walk alone- she had to rely on a cane or someone else's strength. But she'd learned; she could balance.
Except for today. Today, when all the holt was gathered on the riverbank. When countless eyes were watching her. When her suitors would step forward to meet whatever challenge she gave them. Today, when she was so nervous that her one good leg kept buckling beneath her.
Her father, the Skipper of their holt, saw her nervousness- no, her fear- and smiled to reassure her, patting her paw. "It'll be alright, darlin'. Just you wait an' see."
Cress gave him a shaky smile in return- at her other side, her mother pressed a kiss to her cheek, whispering into her ear. "Your father and I will make sure you're taken care of. No fear, my girl."
Her father kissed her other cheek, then drew away; another otter maid took his place- Esa, her dear friend. Esa quickly took her paw and her weight; Cress shifted her hips, struggling to remain upright and dignified. Her father stepped away, smiling other a last time. The two girls' paws were hidden behind their skirts; Esa squeezed Cress' fingers, whispering to her. "Don't worry- he'll have to beat the boys away."
Cress found it harder to force a smile this time, her heart pounding in her throat- she squeezed her friend's fingers til her own knuckles went white. Her father raised his arms high; the holt quieted and he spoke. "Today is the first day of our traditional courting ritual! My daughter, Cress Whitewater, is now of courting age, and is presented to you. Any suitors, step forward!"
The crowd hushed, excited whispers, but none stepped forward, yet. Cress' heart beat in her throat, her breath caught in her chest. She was not sure what was more frightening- that no suitors would step forward, or she would not love any that did. Finally, two figures stepped forward, and she could breathe again.
The first suitor was Karius, a brawny giant of an otter. The second was Ulric, on the opposite side of the spectrum- lithe and lanky, leanly muscled. Cress' paw went weak in Esa's, muscles limp with relief- she almost lost her balance. Karius and Ulric. They had been childhood friends- they had grown up together. She could love them.
The gathered crowd cheered and whooped; Skipper glanced over his shoulder to his wife- she nodded, and he turned back to the crowd, lifting his paws. A voice split the silence before he could speak again. "Is it too late for me to join up, Skip?"
Everybeast looked up- a hooded otter lounged in the trees above, looking down at them. He jumped, landing in a crouch beside the other suitors, and rose to his full height. He was a happy medium between Karius and Ulric; perhaps taller than average, but nowhere near Karius' great height- not ridiculously burly, but much bulkier than Ulric. Skipper had shifted into a fighting stance, paw gripping the dagger on his belt; the warriors of the crowd reached for their weapons, too, those who could not fight drawing back. Esa's paw clenched around Cress'; her mother tightened her hold on Cress' arm. Cress' heart beat fast and painful against her breastbone- if this were to become a fight, she couldn't run, and neither Esa nor her mother was strong enough to carry her.
The stranger pulled off his hood, revealing a familiar grin in a stranger's face. For a second, Cress didn't recognize him; then he peered past her father to lock eyes with her, touching fingers to his forehead and then flicking them towards her, a polite, familiar salute. "Hullo, Cressy."
Her leg gave out completely; she crumpled to the ground before Esa or her mother could catch her, dropping to the long grass with her skirts billowing around her. Staring in disbelief, she choked out a long-unused name. "Alar?"