Hey, everybeast!
Sebias of Redwall... (with a capital Zed) It's spelled Flavian, with a v. Yeah. It is, one could say, the point of this story, so it may be mentioned once or twice.
Sebias, you are a GENIUS. Thank you. I will fix that as soon as possible. (I don't know what ff.n has against squiggly lines, though)
Ah, the name. It merely means 'the daughter of Sornah'. Not sure why they shorten it to datter, but they do.
Yes, very much so. Ties in with all the Fate stuff. That is a shame that it is relatable for you. I was really hoping it wouldn't be, but I'm glad to know it's accurate.
Small children are wonderful, are they not?
AnonymousPurpleNoonvaler... They may or may not get married. It will remain to be seen. Thanks for your review anway, though! It certainly made me smile and I will most certainly consider your suggestions.
Dinner that night was a merry affair, Master Scavatore - as he was now called by all the kitchen staff, with not a small degree of awe - having made a huge cake to celebrate the occasion, along with a number of the standard mole masterpieces; Deeper 'n ever turnip 'n' tater 'n' beetroot pies.
Apparently, hares appreciated a good cook almost as much as they appreciated the food he made. Scavatore had been asked to stay on at Salamandastron for the winter by several beasts and he could hardly refuse, especially because it gave him access to a proper kitchen.
Now the cheerful mole ruled the kitchen with a wooden ladle, taking part in the fun as he mixed ingredients and flavours to create works of art, both in looks and taste.
This day was no different, the table was laden with mouth-watering pastries, stews, breads and salads, all of which were arranged to look almost as amazing as they tasted.
Lined up on a bench in the kitchen, the sweet puddings were waiting ready for the savory course to be finished, including berry sauces and nut creams to go on top of the cakes, crumbles, slices, desserts and fruit.
Master Scavatore banged his ladle on a nearby bowl to get everybeasts' attention, calling order to the room before gesturing for Lord Fernbar to say grace.
"Fate and seasons', gratitude,
for hearts with love and minds so shrewd.
Help us heed and keep your laws.
Let us have kind, helpful paws,
and cease salivating 'round the jaws."
The Badger Lord sat down again and everybeast dug in with considerable gusto, the happy chatter diminishing in volume as most of the beasts present began to eat.
The dining hall was crowded with both the resident hares and the Sea Sanction crews, all mingling with each other and getting to know each other as they enjoyed their meal.
Lord Fernbar had insisted on the Sea Sanctions coming and staying at Salamandastron during the winter, pointing out that the mountain had plenty of room and it had been a bountiful harvest that year. When he saw that Ruth was still reluctant to agree, he'd played his trump card.
"Your cook has taken up residence here and I don't think he plans on walking up the beach every day to prepare your meals. Unless you want to miss out on Scavatore's cooking, I suggest you pay heed to my offer."
Ruth hadn't been able to contradict the badger and so the ships had all been beached above the high tideline and secured while their crews had moved into the mountain, finding the new accommodations a lot more satisfactory than their previous ones.
Now everybeast was eating and laughing as if they had been together forever as cellarbeasts served drinks and kitchen staff brought out more food as it was needed.
Eventually, the savory dishes were cleared away and the pudding was revealed, earning everybeasts' full attention as they dug in.
After dessert, tables were shifted to clear room for entertainment and the younger beasts got up to perform, wrestling, sword fighting and dancing energetically.
Fayah joined in, her forehead creased in a frown of concentration as she wrestled with a young hare and finally came out on top with a choke hold.
"See Nuncle Mosher, I did learn sompfing, dough I fink I forgot to keep my chin in a cumple of times."
The otter pup helped the hare up, shaking paws with him seriously as she beamed at him.
"Want to dance? Nuncle Cap'n Scafator is good at singing."
Scavatore protested humbly, sighing reluctantly as Fayah turned a pleading gaze on him.
"Please, Nuncle Scafator. I really like the one about pie."
"Gurr, you'm a gurtly persasive yung beast. 'ow cud oi refus ee? Oi'll sing ee song.
"Bo urr, they'm 'ungry." Sayed ee moler goi.
"Io bain't 'ave h'oringjers or lemings droi.
'ow is oi'm going tae feed thoi?"
Then the h'otter sayed "Rootters! Oil Spoicy an' hot!
Stir et well with shrimp in ee pot!"
An' ee swirril sayed "Nay, make ee nuts
with ee hunee, if ee got."
But ee hedgehog saed "Not huneed nuts!
Oi think ee shud make crumble,
With h'apple cuts."
The moler loked rather cunfuzzed,
and ee aksed ee bee buzz.
"What does ee think oi shud make?"
An ee bee shook his head an' simpky buzzed back.
The moler's woife was ee clever beast
She shooked 'er head an' suggested ee feast.
"Make ee poi with ee taters,
and turnips and beets.
An use ee 'erbs that everybeast eats.
Cook'm oil in ee layings,
With turnips in first,
an salt an ee flavrings giving et burst.
When ee veggibles ready then
give et ee crunch,
boi putting ee cheesers an' dippings fer lunch."
Ee Moler frounged with ee oiyebrows held hoigh.
"Oi bain't have ee flour excepting ee roi."
Ee woife shooked 'er head with ee stedeeing siogh.
"Et bain't bother oi, 'cause et's
Deeper'n ever turnip 'n' tater 'n' beetroot poi!"
Scavatore bowed as the dancing youngsters came to a twirling halt and every other beast applauded, causing the mole cook to blush modestly.
"Oi chainged ee words sloitly beecorse oi bain't amember 'ow et goes properling."
Lord Fernbar chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as he clapped the mole on the shoulder heartily.
"Yes, I noticed that. I've heard the song quite a few times and none of them have been that interesting. Thank you."
Scavatore tapped his digging claws together, muttering an unintelligible answer at the floor before looking round at the tables, now empty of food and unoccupied.
"Oi shud go to ee kitchun. Thank ee gurtly for ee compliminks."
Asher watched his friend go with a small smile, lifting an eyebrow at his brothers.
"Scavatore doesn't like that much attention, he wouldn't sing for everyone if he had a choice. I tell you, that pup's eyes are irresistible."
Moses made an uncertain noise, waggling his footpaw thoughtfully.
"I think you're right. Fayah can usually get me to do most things. Your point is?"
Asher shrugged, picking himself up from the chair he was sitting on and moving closer to the cleared circle to watch his niece sword fight with the same young hare she'd been wrestling earlier.
"Just an interesting observation. It's about time we started training Fayah properly. She's had impromptu lessons and she's quite good. I'd like to hone her talent into a skill."
Sornah leaned on his little big brother, putting just enough weight down to make the mouse grunt with the effort of holding him up but not enough to knock him over.
"You'd like to hone her talent? I think her father might have something to say about who gets to train his daughter."
Moses leaned on Asher from the other direction, grinning in reply to the big otter's statement.
"Who asked you to think? That's our job. As for training Fayah, we can all work together. She has quite a bit of potential and the more instruction, the better."
Lord Fernbar pursed his lips as he watched the three brothers leaning on each other before joining in from behind.
"She could join some of The Long Patrol training exercises too, if you want her to. Discipline is good for a warrior, especially one that's going to be working on board ship."
Asher groaned and ducked out of the cluster, turning to watch as the other three beast fell into each other and sprawled on the floor.
"I like it when that happens."
Asher, having said his cheerful remark, went back to watching his niece, just in time to see her miss a parry and fall to the ground, her tongue out and her eyes screwed shut to indicate her death.
~W~
Asher suppressed his smile as Fayah came to attention in front of him, her chubby belly sticking out and her left forepaw going to her brow in a salute.
The young otter pup's eyes strayed from one uncle to the other, wondering what was going on as they stood before her in full battle armour on either side of the forge room door, their eyes forward and their faces expressionless.
"Nuncle Mosher, why do you want me?"
Neither mouse replied as the door opened and Sornah came out, nodding firmly to his daughter.
"Come in, Fayah."
The ottermaid looked nervous as she heard her father's serious tone.
"Pappa, did I do sompfing bad? Is Nuncle Lord Fernbar angry with me?"
Sornah shook his head, smiling reassuringly at the other otter.
"No, it's fine. Come in."
Fayah smiled, relieved, and took her father's paw, walking beside him as they entered the forge room, Moses and Asher right behind them.
"This is a big room. Did a storm make it, Nuncle Mosher?"
Moses shook his head.
"No, a storm didn't make it. Now, listen to what Lord Fernbar wants to tell you."
Fayah turned to the big badger, her brown eyes brimming with curiosity.
"What are you wanting to tell me, Nuncle Lord Fernbar?"
Fernbar gave the ottermaid a smile, shaking a paw at her sternly.
"If you keep talking, I won't be able to tell you. Now-"
"Don't worry, Nuncle Lord Fernbar, I'll stop talking and be quiet now."
The badger lord starred at Fayah hard, waiting for her to say more. When he was sure she had finished, he waited for a while longer before continuing.
"We thought it was about time you started training to fight. You have a few options; either your father, your mother or either of your uncles could train you. Alternatively, I could train you. The last option is for you to join the young Salamandastron hares while they train for the Long Patrol. You could have one of these options, all of them or a selection of the suggestions. The choice is yours: What do you want to do?"
Fayah's eyes danced in excitement as she replied instantly, not even having to think about the answer.
"All of them!"
Fernbar smiled again, this time broadly.
"In that case, should we start now? We only have one winter to make you a champion warrior, let's make the most of it."
~W~
The winter passed swiftly, training in the forge room during the morning with Fayah, Faraji, Albertine, Tuemollt and a young male squirrel named Flynn, followed by lunch and training with the Long Patrol hares.
Dinner was always followed by entertainment, often including practice of new skills the young ones had learnt that day, used against each other with imaginary weapons.
Fayah and her friends improved greatly, absorbing the instruction like small furry sponges and quickly getting the hang of what they needed to learn, working constantly to perfect their new found skills.
Asher and Moses put the edges back on their own skills, standing back to back while their five students attacked them together.
At first, it was easy for the experienced mice to repel their attackers but, as time went on and the young ones improved, it became more difficult until they were finally conquered by their students.
Asher and Moses both felt immense pride for the young ones they'd worked so hard to train.
On the other paw, however, they also felt immense pain as the trainees gave a shout of triumph and hit repeatedly with their wooden swords, pretending to chop their 'eminies' up into tiny pieces.
Both mice seriously considered the possibility of actually dying as a way to lessen the suffering they'd go through due to the extensive bruising. They'd trained the youngsters well and they hit hard and fast.
"Come on, Nuncle Mosher, you can get up now. We finished winning."
Fayah waited a few seconds for her uncles to respond, then took matters into her own paws.
Leaning over the prone forms, she shoved Asher's tongue back into his mouth, pried his eyelids open and smiled at him.
"See, you're all better now. Get up. It's lunch time and we have to tell Nuncle Scafator that we won."
Asher groaned and slowly stood up, wincing as he made a mental note to teach his students a bit more about grace.
"You lot go to the kitchen, we're going to the infirmary for something to fix our battle wounds. Try not to cause too much trouble."
Tuemollt grinned, his headspikes twitching mischievously.
"Off courth not, thir! Why would you ethpect uth to cauth trouble?"
Asher gave the hedgehog a stern glare.
"Because you do it on a regular basis. Maybe I should send Miss Beatrix with you. She's quite good at keeping young beasts out of trouble."
Tuemollt looked down at his gloriously dusty body and shook his head hurriedly.
"No, thir. We'll be fine on our own. Bethideth, I think Mith Beatrikth ith bithy. We'll behave ourthelveth."
Asher grunted.
"Good. Away you go, then."
The five young ones left the room quickly, still not convinced that Captain Asher wouldn't set Miss Beatrix on them.
Asher helped his brother to his feet and grinned, leading the way to the infirmary.
"They did well. Tomorrow, we'll give them a lesson on mercy. In the meantime, let's see what we can do to lessen the inevitable bruising."
Moses nodded agreement.
"Yes, those five definitely need a lesson on merciful treatment of prisoners. After we've recovered, maybe we should start teaching them ship handling. Winter's almost over and we'll need to head off soon."
Asher sighed, pushing the door to the infirmary open and entering.
"I know we have to go but I'll miss it here. Don't you think we should wait till Fayah's finished her training?"
Moses patted his brother on the shoulder, shaking his head with a reluctant smile.
"Judging by the bruises, I think Fayah has already finished her training, don't you? The best thing to do now is to get her some proper experience and teach her how to handle a ship. Don't procrastinate. It'll just make it harder."
Asher sighed again but didn't comment further as Master Dorian emerged from his office, looking the two battered mice over briefly before gesturing to a couple of stretchers.
"Oh my giddy aunt, you two look like you've been through a vermin army, wot! Lie down, I'll see what I can do for those bruises."
The beasts complied silently, knowing that to refuse would mean a heavy lecture. They had been hoping that Dorian's young assistant, Samantha, would be on duty, rather than the slightly grumpy head healer. Out of luck, there was nothing they could do about it but cooperate.
"Why on earth did you decide it would be a good idea to take on an army without assistance?"
Asher propped himself up on an elbow as he replied to the hare's muttered comment.
"We didn't. As far as I could tell, it wasn't an army and I had Moses' assistance, and he, mine."
Dorian cuffed the mouse on the ears.
"Don't talk back, and lie down, for good aunt's sake! Maybe you weren't up against an army but it was definitely more than you could manage. What were you thinking?"
Moses grinned at his brother, murmuring so only he could hear.
"Hmm, that's interesting. I thought his aunt was giddy."
Asher shook his head almost imperceptibly.
"It was simply a training exercise, sir. We were only fighting five of them."
Dorian snorted, beginning his ministrations with paws much gentler than his words.
"Obviously the five you happened to be fighting were savages. Were you teaching them or they, you?"
"We were teaching them, sir."
"Well, maybe you should teach them some manners. I swear, by my sick auntie's shawl, if this happens again…"
Asher gave his brother a warning glare and nodded to Master Dorian submissively.
"I assure you, sir, this won't happen again. Thank you for your help."
Dorian nodded curtly, washing his paws.
"Good, you're free to go, unless you want some bed rest, which I highly recommend."
Moses and Asher both rose to their paws, shaking their heads simultaneously.
"No thank you, sir. We have a tight schedule."
Dorian stood by the door of his office, a paw on the handle.
"Alright then. Make sure your tight schedule doesn't involve any more accidents with trainees."
Asher followed his brother out, smiling at the gruff healer.
"It won't, don't worry."
Dorian went back into his office, muttering as he shut the door behind him.
"Funny how the most worrying kinds of beasts are always the ones to say that."
That took a while. Henchbeasts can be distracting, but at least they help. Don't forget to thank Sebias, in your lovely, long review, for pestering me, otherwise you'd be another month with no update. Thanks for reading and reviewing.
~Teer