The Princess and the War Hero Chapter 20: Beauty and the Brawl, a legend of the guardians: the owls of ga'hoole fanfic

Chapter 20: Beauty and the Brawl

This Chapter co-inside with Chapter 19 of Responsibilities called Secrets (Part 1). Read it to understand the earlier events of this chapter. WARNING: There is some really violent stuff later on in this chapter. There also is a song too and it is a really sweet one (It is by One Direction BTW)…

Barran and her flying talons leave at dusk when Autumn awakes. She pokes her head out of her window and it is quite chilly outside. The seasons are going to change soon. Autumn herself is almost 23 years old in the coming weeks. Within the sleepy haze of dusk, a few are already out of bed and are flying about Ga'Hoole. It is obviously Saturday and Autumn doesn't have her classes to teach today, except she has been called upon for some tutoring by a few of her students.

After breakfast, Autumn is just wandering around and chatting with friends and acquaintances. She doesn't mind chatting with her students, some of the other rybs, the parents and also some of her friends in the two chaws (Search and Rescue and Weather Interpretation) she is in.

Autumn then is sitting in her room reading a novel. She then hears a knock at her window and she laughs as she opens it and Ezylryb is on the other side.

"You know that you could use the door." Autumn says

"Mademoiselle, you do know what "being creative" means, right?" Ezylryb asks in his defence

"I am creative so there is no point asking." She says with a giggle "You realise Drama and Music are my forte."

"Of course, you sing like an angel, and you are a passionate actress." He replies with a kiss to her cheek

Autumn blushes delicately as she walks over to her door and listens. She has a slight paranoia against those who barge into her room now and she comes back after she hears nothing but silence. She sits down near her desk.

"Why have you come to my room? I have been looking for some time to myself to read my book for a while." She asks before she turns her head "Of course, I have been a little lonely while reading this book. It makes me feel sad and I would want someone to listen to me speak."

"Does it make a tear come to your hazel/dark brown eyes?" He asks

"No, I just need to say why it makes me sad." She replies

"Alright then, why does this book make you sad?" He asks repeating her words

"It reminds me of home… of Ambala." She sadly answers

In a matter of moments, she is swept into a caring hug. She gets very homesick at times, when she knows that she cannot return to her home kingdom without Aaron possibly trying to punish her in a way most severe or at worse traumatic towards this spotted owl. Ezylryb knows of what traumas sometimes come to mind of his beloved girlfriend.

"Someday, you will be allowed to freely visit or even to live in Ambala without Aaron. Glaux knows karma will soon make a chump out of him." He says as he holds the small spotted owl close

"Someday a lot of things will happen." She sadly smiles

"Yes… Someday, when freedom and liberty is yours. I would want to see that night come when you are finally free. There is hope in your heart and I would never want you to lose that." He says

"I sometimes have this dream of flying." She mentions

"Someday it will come true. Besides… I… Never mind." He replies

"What is it?" She asks in a curious voice "You can tell me anything and you know that."

"When you have your freedom… I would want to ask of you one thing and…" He nervously says before a "Bloody hagsmire!" in agitation

"Just say it." She says with an encouraging smile

"it will be a surprise until then, but when I ask one thing… Will your answer be yes?" He asks

Autumn smiles and replies "Of course I would say yes to what you will ask, unless I say no." before she gives Ezylryb a kiss on his cheek "You and your logic is easy to understand."

"Your logic, milady… Glaux, understanding is hard to achieve you when you suddenly change languages." Ezylryb says with a slight annoyance

"You are multilingual like I. I just like to confuse you at times." She admits before a sweet giggle

"If you are multilingual, how do you say "I love you"?" He says as a test

"In the Ambalan Aristocracy, there are two ways, in words or… in one gesture. If you are thinking that, it is a no. I am celibate on my personal will." She answers

"I would never think that." He responds, slightly offended

"I know, but… Never mind. I am talking too much." She shamefully says while looking awkwardly away

"Autumn, I love you like no one else ever will in this world. You don't have to change one bit. I don't care if you are talking too much, it is lucky you can speak your mind after a life that I could just imagine was horrible." Ezylryb says while placing his wing under her chin and moves it to face him and she stares with her hazel/dark brown eyes

"I…" Autumn merely whispers in anxiety, "It was…"

"No matter what happens, even if you are trapped in this arranged marriage or if you are under oppression, I will always be here and I will always love you. I will also ask of you never to change. Be yourself, princess. You have an extraordinary personality, you are kind, you are honest, you do have an inner bitch to you, and you are smart… And all that stuff makes you who you are." He continues as his girlfriend sweetly blushes, flattered

"I want this marriage to end… Therefore, I can be with you. I don't care if Ambala and Ga'Hoole go to war, I just want what my heart desires and… My heart desires to be with the one who truly loves me, who cares and that owl is you, Ezylryb." She says with a sweet smile as she tenderly stokes his cheek

"Someday, my Princesse de Ambala, I will make sure of it. Even if I have to go through Glaumoria and Hagsmire, I will make sure of it. Just to keep you safe I could lay everything on the line and die fighting." He replies, surprising the Ambalan Princess slightly as she would never expect someone to want to go through all of that.

"That is just chivalrous and noble of you." She smiles

Ezylryb and Autumn lock beaks in a tender kiss. Autumn would want the marriage to end and she knows that it won't be easy. She had never known that he was that strongly in love with her just to say all of that, but she means what she says. Sweet tender kisses and some sweet nothings... Not leading anywhere and it ever will until Autumn is wed with someone she loves… Ezylryb. Rosy cheeks on an Ambalan Princess… She never thought she would fall in love until that one kiss 4 years ago.

"Autumn. Open the door." A voice demands "Open this door right now or I will barge in."

"Oh no…" Autumn whispers as she runs over to the window "Quickly, get the hagsmire out of here, my love."

"You don't say." Ezylryb whispers back as he kisses her cheek

She closes the window and the voice barges down the door. It is Allomere, her arranged husband who she hates as much as The Pure Ones.

"It's awfully rude to come in like that. I thought a UKO senator and Ga'Hoolian dignitary has some dignity and manors." Autumn scolds

"Where is the bastard owl?" Allomere rudely asks

"Who?" Autumn asks with a raised brow

"Don't act confused around me, little woman!" He yells before he looks and the window opens unlocked

He pushes past Autumn and takes off out the window. Autumn follows yelling in French as Allomere chases Ezylryb. He tells her very rudely to shut up in the same language. Ezylryb's conscience says that if he wants to be with Autumn, he will have to confront the one thing that is stopping her from her freedom she as so desires. He had said he would go through Glaumoria and Hagsmire (In other words, heaven and hell) just to be with her, this… …this one of the things that is the Glaumoria and Hagsmire of all of this melodrama besides the agreement.

Suddenly stopping, fear is nothing compared to what you can sense.

"Well, well. Little fugitive. Have you no honour." Allomere sneers

"I should ask you the same question." Ezylryb replies

Autumn flies down and lands and she has tears of fear and worry in her eyes. She knows that a fight will happen, that hagsmire will break loose… no holding back. Ezylryb doesn't want her anywhere near what will happen and as for Allomere… He doesn't give a damn about her.

"Leave him alone." Autumn suddenly speaks up with all the confidence she can get "I don't care if you have decrees from my brother or anything else, but I will never care about you, Allomere."

"You are my wife, Autumn. It's high time you learn that. You are with me for until death does us apart. You have had it too long where you have had your little romantic rendezvous, but not anymore. You hear me." Allomere yells back at her

"She will never be your wife and she doesn't love you. I said to her that I would endure the worst to give her the freedom she wants. If you want a fight, so be it." Ezylryb bravely says, defending the honour of Autumn

"No!" Autumn exclaims "Please, don't fight!"

"Shut up!" Allomere yells at her before turning to his opponent "You don't know what you are in for, little owl."

"Please... No!" Autumn exclaims "Please don't."

"A duel to the death. Right here, right now." Allomere says as he takes stance "If you are really the Lyze of Keil owl you are, you will never back down in which involves something you hold dear. Especially after what happened to Lil…"

Ezylryb then charges, as he screeches loudly and with fury "Don't you dare besmirch my honour!"

Autumn fearfully watches as the two owls go into battle. She doesn't know what to do. Because of the size disadvantage, Ezylryb is copping blows worse than anyone can imagine. He has a strong sprit however, as he holds on and throws back some blows. Autumn then tries to stop this by separating them, but it isn't working. Allomere then backs away when he receives a swipe from the artificial talon Ezylryb has. Autumn has tears in her eyes and Ezylryb wipes some blood from his beak and takes her wing.

"I'm doing this for you, my princess. For your freedom." Ezylryb assures the tearful spotted owl

"Get away from her!" Allomere bellows as he wing-slaps Ezylryb in front of Autumn

Autumn then steps in front of the Whiskered Screech owl that is on the ground and Allomere merely chuckles darkly.

"You… You are trying to stop me from wasting the owl that is making you lose your honour as a Kin Royal. Look at yourself, Autumn Rose, look at what you have become." Allomere sneers

"I learned a thing or two from being in Ga'Hoole. I learned a thing or two about being strong and being confident. You can't make me your little housewife who will follow you and your orders. If anything, I hate you." Autumn replies with newfound confidence

"I told myself that I would never do this, but…" Allomere says before he raises his wing and strikes the small spotted owl across the face, dropping her to the ground

"Don't you dare touch her!" Ezylryb screeches in anger as he gets up and barges the Great Grey Owl who is the contender

Autumn gets up and wipes blood away as she feels like her cheek is swelling. She looks and they are fighting again. She tries to pull them apart as the violence won't solve anything. She has tears in her eyes as she knows that this isn't what she wanted, this shouldn't be happening. Allomere then hits her in the chest and she drops to the ground and he orders her to stay there in French. This makes Ezylryb even madder as he continues his fight. Autumn lies on the ground crying before she hears a voice in her head telling her that she should play the peacekeeper and stop this.

Just if things couldn't get worse, Ezylryb cops too many blows to his head before a throw to the ground, which makes him slightly bounce off it, and an audible snapping noise is heard. Ezylryb's wing is broken… Autumn gets up and Allomere sadistically smiles as he takes out a dagger, ready to finish Ezylryb off and to claim Autumn as his wife and his only before she shields him with her wings.

"If you kill Ezylryb, you have to kill me first." Autumn says as she shields the Whiskered Screech owl that lies injured beneath her wings

"Autumn, this doesn't involve you. You are my wife, you are under my control. Aaron ordered that I keep you under it and so be it that I will eliminate the one thing that is making you rebel." Allomere scorns

"Autumn…" Ezylryb says as he lies in pain

"You will be kicked out of Ga'Hoole… Or I will kill you myself." Autumn reasons

"You? A midget of a Spotted Owl, kill me?" Allomere scoffs

"Don't underestimate me." Autumn replies as she slaps him right in the eye and claws him in the head

"Autumn…" Ezylryb repeats "I don't want you getting hurt."

"Don't worry about me. I just found my strength." Autumn replies

Allomere then kicks her in the chest and she drops to the ground gasping for air and crying. Ezylryb then struggles to get up as his wing hurts like hagsmire. Allomere's cuts are stinging and he sits there staring at Ezylryb with a death glare.

Royal Guards then find the three and they alert the Medical Chaw and they are taken to hospital. Boron hears of this brawl and he gets immediately worried. If Autumn dies or is hurt… Ambala will be on their asses. Just if Barran didn't leave the tree dis evening. A duel to the death that almost did result in one? What has Ga'Hoole come to?

When Barran hears of this, she immediately comes and sees the injuries. She herself is pretty banged up from fighting Nyra in Silverveil, but this is worse. She tries asking what in Glaux name happened, but none of them answer. Ezylryb starts talking with his goddaughter before she has to get checked over by the nurses. Autumn herself gets up and goes over to see Ezylryb.

"Is your wing feeling any better?" Autumn asks kindly

"Yes, my princess." Ezylryb replies

"Why did you have to fight?" She asks with tears in her eyes "You could have died and Allomere would have never given in and he would have just stabbed you with that dagger."

"I said I would go through Glaumoria and Hagsmire just to be with you. I love you, Autumn, I truly do and I would have fought and died for you back there." Ezylryb replies as he places his unbroken wing on her shoulder "You were very brave to testify your views back there, my love."

Autumn has some tears in her eyes as she says "I didn't want to see you get wasted."

"Autumn, I am still Lyze of Keil, no matter what. I will always live to fight another night." Ezylryb replies as he wipes her tears away

"I know…" Autumn replies, as she looks at him with a sad smile "I know…"

"Look, I'm sorry for all the violence. I didn't want to see you go through all that." Ezylryb sincerely apologises before he has a thought…

(Starts Singing Gotta Be You by One Direction. Perfect song for this moment and it is one of my favourites, truth be told.)

"Girl I see it in your eyes, you're disappointed.
Because in the foolish one that you anointed.
With your heart, I tore it apart
And girl what I made a mess upon your innocence.
And no woman in the world deserves this.
But here I am, asking you for one more chance.

Can we fall, one more time?
Stop the tape and rewind
Oh, and if you walk away, I know I'll faint.
'cus there is nobody else.

It's gotta be you.
Only you.
It's got to be you.
Oh, only you.

Now girl I hear it in your voice and how it trembles.
When you speak to me I don't resemble who I was.
You've almost had enough
And your actions speak louder than words.
And you're about to break from all you've heard.
But don't be scared, I ain't going nowhere.

I'll be here, by your side.
No more fears, no more cries.
And if you walk away, I know I'll faint.
'cus there is nobody else.

It's gotta be you.
Only you.
It's got to be you.
Oh, only you.

Oh girl.
Can we try one more, one more time?
One more, one more.
Can we try one more, one more time?
I'll make it better.
One more, one more time.
One more, one more
Can we try one more, one more time to make it all better?

'Cus it gotta be you.
It's gotta be you.
Oh, Only you.
Only you.

It's got to be you.
Oh, only you.
It's gotta be you.
Oh, Only you."

Autumn looks toward Ezylryb who has a hold of her wings with one of his. She never knew he could sing, even be so passionate about it. She sweetly smiles and has tears coming down her cheeks. She had never been serenaded before… She never even knew Ezylryb could sing.