Chapter Ten
Two months later…
Rohan woke up to the sound of Avyanna yelling downstairs and he frowned. Getting out of bed, he crept downstairs and peeked, finding a scowl on his sister's face as she glared at Farkas.
Oh, it's her monthly bleeding, Rohan realised, heading back into his room to get dressed. Farkas is just asking for a black eye…
As he threw on his leather armour, he eyed the helmet before heading downstairs, an idea forming into his mind to calm his sister down a bit and maybe save Farkas a bit.
"Anna, could you fix my hair?" Rohan asked, walking downstairs and stopping their fight. Avyanna paused and smiled, gesturing for him to come towards her and he complied. Avyanna quickly fixed his hair, making sure his curls looked nice and not like bed hair. "Are you and Farkas going on a job?"
Avyanna shot Farkas a glare. "No, much to Farkas's disappointment."
"Look, it's slaying a few Draugr. I thought Meridia wanted you to do that sort of thing," Farkas defended himself and Avyanna crossed her arms across her chest.
"It can wait a week, can't it?" Avyanna retorted and Farkas opened his mouth to say something but Rohan shook his head in warning.
"I'll be at Jorrvaskr," Rohan quickly excused himself, retreating and leaving Farkas to fight that dangerous battle. A moment later, he could hear the yelling again and sighed. Farkas had a lot to learn of what to say and what not to say to Avyanna when she had her monthly bleed.
"Caleo," Rohan called, letting out a high pitched whistle. A moment later, Caleo squawked and landed on his master's shoulder, letting out a series of happy chirps and rubbing his head against Rohan's cheek. "Anna's not feeling well; we should find stay away for a while."
Caleo titled his head to the side as Rohan walked up to Jorrvaskr. As soon as the door opened, Caleo flew up to a wooden pole on the ceiling as Fang barked and growled from below, smelling the bird straight away.
"Fang," Kiraya complained as Rohan just shook his head at them. She smiled when she saw Rohan just as Lassarina whistled for Fang to come over. The wolf growled at the bird once more before trotting over to his mistress and her two children. "Where are Anna and Farkas?"
"Arguing, it's best to not interfere," Rohan shuddered and Kiraya understood at once what it meant.
"What's my ice-brain brother trying to get her to do now?" Vilkas called as the two children walked over, Caleo perching himself on the pole above their table to be close to his master.
"He's trying to get her to kill some Draugr," Rohan answered and both of them winced. It was a well-known fact to all Companions that Avyanna was bad tempered when she had her monthly bleeding, that and add her extreme hatred for the undead was not a good combination.
"Looks like you won't have an uncle anymore," Lassarina told Faolan, kissing his nose as he gurgled, not understanding his mother one bit.
"Imagine if she was pregnant," Aela commented, walking over to them. "If Lassarina was bad, I can imagine Avyanna would be a storm."
The entire mead hall laughed at the image and Rohan cracked a smile as the Huntress turned to the two children. "Are you two ready for your training?"
"Aye!" both of them smiled as they followed her outside, Caleo landing on Kiraya's shoulder as they left the mead hall. As soon as they were outside, Caleo flew over to the table and watched them with interest.
Rohan grabbed a bow, clipping the arrow and taking aim. He released the arrow and it slightly missed the middle but it was evident that his aim was getting better.
Kiraya looked at Rohan in surprise. "You're getting better at archery," she stated before throwing a knife. It had the same result as Rohan's arrow but Kiraya had improved as well.
"Same as you," Rohan smiled, not noticing the small blush on Kiraya's face. As they continued to practice, a sudden thought came to Rohan's mind. "Would Anna be a good mother?"
Both Aela and Kiraya looked at him in surprise for suddenly asking something like that and Aela shrugged her shoulders. "I should think so, she raised you and you turned out fine."
"Really?" Kiraya teased and Rohan lightly flicked her ear. "Why are you asking something like that?"
Rohan shrugged. "I dunno, just a thought."
When it grew dark, he brought up this thought to Avyanna and Farkas and received different reactions. Farkas beamed while Avyanna spat out her mead in shock, looking at her brother.
"Rohan…what brought up this sudden thought?" Avyanna asked her brother, clearing her throat as he bit into his bread.
"Aela was joking that if your temper is bad when you bleed, imagine when if you were pregnant," he answered innocently and Avyanna cursed at Aela under her breath. "Don't you want to be a mother?"
Avyanna sighed, looking at Farkas for help and he looked at his brother-in-law. "Your sister and I have decided to wait a while, get used to having the three of us together."
"But why? Everything's fine right now," Rohan frowned in confusion and Avyanna just rubbed the bridge between her eyes.
"Rohan, do you remember how you said it was just supposed to be me and you?" she asked him gently and he nodded. "Would you still feel the same if there was a baby involved?"
Rohan opened his mouth but then closed it, realising something. "I…don't know. Maybe."
"There, do you see? Farkas and I have decided to wait until we're sure you can handle it," she smiled at him and he nodded.
"Avyanna, could you go grab my shield?" Vilkas asked. "I left it in Farkas's old room."
She nodded, handing Lyanna to Farkas before standing up and heading downstairs. As she walked past Einarr's room, Avyanna heard the faint growl of frustration.
Curious, she walked into the room and saw Kiraya on one of the chairs, glaring at the mirror as she tried to do her hair. "Are you trying to scare yourself?"
Kiraya jumped in surprise and looked over; finding Avyanna standing there and she blushed a bit. "No…I'm trying to do my hair the way you did it at Aunt Rina's wedding."
Avyanna smiled, walking into the room and standing behind Kiraya. "May I?"
Kiraya nodded and Avyanna began to weave her fingers through Kiraya's soft hair.
"Why are you doing this? I thought you didn't like girly things like this," Avyanna commented and Kiraya's face blushed madly in the mirror.
"Farkas and Uncle Vilkas always comment on yours and Aunt Rina's hair so I thought…" she broke off in embarrassment and Avyanna smiled, getting the message.
"I see," Avyanna smiled to the young girl, finding her adorable. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to look pretty for once, but you're already pretty."
"Anna!" Kiraya complained and Avyanna chuckled, an idea coming to her mind.
"How about I tell you a story? About a tomboyish princess," Avyanna offered and Kiraya turned around, looking at her in interest. "Don't move your head."
Kiraya quickly spun her head back around as Avyanna continued to make the braid. "There was a princess like that?"
Avyanna nodded, a warm smile on her face. "Her name was Ayarik; she was a princess of a distant kingdom. One day her kingdom…"
The kingdom's gold was suddenly disappearing, something that distressed the people and the royal family. The king and queen were discussing a way to fix the problem when a messenger of a neighbouring kingdom arrived at the palace.
"Your Majesty, King Sakraf's son, the Crown Prince Nahor has expressed interest in the lovely Princess Ayarik and wishes for her hand in marriage," the messenger announced, much to the shock of King Ranie and Queen Ayaraf.
"She is our only daughter!" King Ranie objected at once, his face filled with outrage. The kind queen tried to calm her husband's rage by resorting to smacking him in the face.
Kiraya's eyes widened in shock. "The queen smacked the king?!"
"Aye, it was the only way to calm him down," Avyanna nodded. "The king was very protective of his daughter…"
"If Princess Ayarik were to wed our prince, not only would it benefit both kingdoms," the messenger informed the king and queen. "But maybe the hatred between our people would finally end."
Unbeknownst to the king and queen, Princess Ayarik had been eavesdropping the conversation from behind the door, her faithful bodyguard Ganf, watching for anyone walking down the halls.
"Ganf!" Ayarik hissed at him, staring at the silent bodyguard. "Are you listening to this? They plan to ship me off to marry some stuck-up prince!"
Ganf stayed silent but Ayarik knew he understood her thoughts and she glared at the door, having half a mind to storm inside when Duchess Anirassal appeared from further down the hall.
"Princess Ayarik," the Duchess said in surprise, her pale blue eyes exactly like the king's and Ayarik's. "What are you doing?"
"Aunt Anir," Ayarik gestured her over and the woman complied, both of them listening into the conversation.
"Fine, you make a valid point," King Ranie grumbled from the throne. "But she's my baby girl, my little kitten. To let her go is something a father never wants to see," he sighed and straightened up. "But as king, my duty is to my people first and foremost."
"He can't let her go! What kind of father is he?" Kiraya objected and Avyanna grabbed the brush, running it through Kiraya's hair.
"The king's job is to ensure the safety and well-being of his kingdom," she replied sadly, remembering High King Torygg. "Personal feelings cannot interfere with one's duty."
The next morning, although Princess Ayarik objected profusely to the point where she threw objects at her father and not even looking at her twin cousins Naloaf and Annayl could cheer her up, she was forced onto the carriage and rode towards the kingdom Aidrem.
When she had arrived, the princess was greeted by the prince himself, finding his scarlet red hair and hazel eyes unusual and fascinating.
"Princess Ayarik," he bowed to her politely and smiled warmly at her. "I am Crown Prince Nahor, welcome to my kingdom."
Ayarik, still mad about being forced into this, ignored him and walked up the stairs. Nahor followed her and walked beside her, still smiling.
"The king and queen would like to meet you," he informed her and she sighed tiredly, biting the inside of her cheek and nodded at him. Prince Nahor beamed and led her to the throne room, finding a woman with similar colour hair to him and a man with dark hair on the thrones.
"Your Majesties, may I present to you Princess Ayarik of Reginbrah," he smiled at her. "Princess Ayarik, this is King Sakraf and Queen Annayva."
Queen Annayva smiled at the young princess before turning to Nahor. "I had heard of her voice," she turned her attention back to Ayarik. "Would you mind singing with the prince?"
Ayarik swallowed and nodded, not wanting to be rude as she followed Nahor to the grand piano near the windows. Nahor sat down and smiled at her, beginning to play a tune as Ayarik recalled a song her mother has taught her.
"Once a lass met a lad. 'You're a gentle one,' said she. In my heart I'd be glad if you loved me for me," Ayarik sang. "You say your love is true and I hope it will be…"
Nahor smiled at her warmly. "I'd be sure, if I knew that you loved me for me," he smirked at Ayarik's surprised look on her face at his beautiful voice.
"Could I be the one you're seeking? Will I be the one you choose?" Ayarik placed a hand over her heart. "Can you tell me heart is speaking? My eyes will give you clues."
"What you see may be deceiving, truth lies underneath the skin," Nahor sang.
"Hope will blossom by believing, the heart that lies within…"
"I'll be yours; together we shall always be as one. If you love me for me…" both of them broke off as small claps came from around the room. Ayarik blushed in embarrassment as she glanced at Nahor. He was gazing at her with a warm smile, a twinkle in his eye that made her heart flutter.
Idiot! You're supposed to hate the guy! He's the reason why you're stuck here in the first place! She told herself but snuck one more look at him, finding him still smiling warmly at her. Maybe…I don't have to hate him…
"…And from that day forth, Princess Ayarik decided to change her ways to impress the prince," Avyanna finished as she placed a blue mountain flower in Kiraya's hair, behind her ear. "The end."
Kiraya spun around and looked at Avyanna with her eyes widened. "No! It can't end like that! What happened to the princess? Did the prince love her back?"
Avyanna shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, what do you think happened?"
Kiraya opened her mouth to answer when Rohan and Farkas appeared at the doorway. Rohan took one look at Kiraya and smiled warmly at her. "You looked pretty, Kiraya," he stepped forward and removed the flower from her hair and placed it in her hands. "But I like it better when your hair's normal."
Kiraya blushed and punched his arm, running out of the room and Rohan frowned before following after her. Farkas had a look of amusement on his face.
"Where did you learn that story?" he asked her and Avyanna smirked.
"Completely made it up," she answered, standing up and walking into her husband's waiting arms. "But it's got her thinking."
"So that's why it's taking ages for you to grab my shield," Vilkas smirked, watching them from further down the hall, shield in hand. "Nice job."
Avyanna just smiled.
If you notice, the names in Avyanna's story to Kiraya are our lovely character's with their names backwards. I thought it was cute and so did my Beta-reader.
Disclaimer: I do not own Lassarina, Kiraya, Einarr, Fang, Faolan or Lyanna as Mirage159 owns those nice folks and cute twins :)