Chapter
Seven: Emerging Feelings
Ursa slept a bit but inwardly she hated herself. She wanted to hug Buddi, talk to him as she always did at night. But she was also beyond angry with him. He had worried her out of her mind and Ursa was not the type to reveal emotion like that.
Ursa turned as someone opened her door, it was Buddi.
"What is it, Buddi?" she said as she lit a candle. The cub crawled over her sheets to sit beside her.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry."
Ursa looked at him. "For what?"
Buddi rolled his eyes, "Come on Ursa just because I'm a cub doesn't mean I'm stupid. You were worried."
Ursa sighed. He had her there. Buddi went on,
"I came into Gummadoon to get my arrow, my aim was off…"
"By quite a bit," she noted with a smirk.
"I got my arrow," Buddi went on, "and then it kinda got out of control."
He looked up at her and laid his head against her shoulder.
"And I'm not used to you just leaving. You always tell me goodnight."
Ursa smiled. It was true. She always tucked him in, usually talking to him a bit. He could sleep without her, he had when she had left for a few days to help the glens repair the Glen but he still slept better with her there.
She got up and carried Buddi back to his bed but this time she tucked him in and talked to him a bit, catching up on what she had missed. When she asked him a question five times and he hadn't answered she saw the talk had done its work. Her cub was asleep.
Ursa smiled and stood up. She pulled the covers tighter around her cub's shoulders, by force of habit. She walked out and back to her own room.
* * *
"Do I have to?"
Ursa raised an eyebrow at Buddi and he shut up. She tossed him some clothes and said,
"Get dressed. Then you and I have a lot of training to do today."
Buddi sighed, "Punishment?"
Ursa nodded, "Yes. Now swing along."
Swing along was a Barbic phrase that all in all meant hurry up or move it. Buddi donned his clothes and ran after his guardian.
"Slow down, Ursa!"
Ursa was about to reprimand him but decided against it. He did have trouble keeping up with her because her legs were so much longer. She slowed her pace and the cub quickly caught up to her. In the courtyard, they saw a mess of people. Then a voice called,
"Buddi!"
Sunni ran from the group and at buddi. Buddi was stunned.
"Sunni, when did you get here?"
"this morning. The knights were out doing rounds when they met up with Cubbi. Then we all came."
She turned to Ursa. "Hey,'
The older Gummi nodded in reply, "Well met, Sunni." she turned to Buddi. "Come on."
Buddi smiled at Sunni, "I'll see you later,"
The female Gummi was disappointed but nodded. She guessed he was in trouble by Ursa's face. So she knew better than to try Ursa's patience.
She waved to Buddi and turned towards the city, maybe she could find a cub her age to play with in the meantime.
She turned as a hand placed itself on her shoulder; it was Sir Plucki.
The knight smiled at her, "There's cubs over that way, lass. You really like Buddi don't you?"
Sunni's face burned bright red, "Not that way," she lied.
The knight shook his head as she ran off. He had been alive for over five hundred years, although it felt like a few days to him. He knew that the girl did love Buddi but decided to push it no further.
* * *
Calla slept late. Her dreams were pleasant, on Cavin. She had thought it was just a crush but as she spent more and more of her time with him she realized it was love. She knew he felt the same way because h had told her, never directly but he'd let her know in his own ways.
The flowers, the way he let her take charge but still included his input, his understanding of her frustration…she loved him.
She was also glad because his companionship helped her get her mind off her approaching sixteenth year. She had to marry early, as was tradition. As queen, her job was not only to rule but also to produce an heir. She hoped that her father would allow her to marry someone of noble status like Cavin but not a prince.
She made up her mind then.
"I'll talk to father. He only wants me happy. He'll listen."
* * *
Sunni ran to Buddi. He smiled at her. Oh Gum, he'd missed her. Ursa had finally relented and let him go play. She said not to spend so much time with Sunni but had agreed that some time together before dinner wouldn't hurt. Training was hard in Gummadoon. The knights weren't used to a female warrior but swiftly learned Ursa was more warrioress than female.
She had made her point by knocking Sir Gumlittle onto his back and holding him immobile.
Buddi was trying but he wasn't used to this training facility. He missed his old grounds. So he was relieved when Ursa said,
"Go play, imp."
"Buddi? How was training?"
Buddi sighed. "Well I survived."
The two walked through the city's walls and finally stopped by the wall where Buddi'd snuck in. Buddi started to climb up, Sunni just behind him. They pulled themselves up onto a windowsill. They sat on the edge, watching the sun sink low. Sunni put her head against his shoulder.
"Buddi?"
"Yeah?"
"You never answered me,"
Buddi knew what question she meant. He turned to her.
Gum's sake, she was beautiful. Before Buddi even knew he was doing it, his mouth was saying,
"You tell me," and he tilted her head up and in one single moment pressed his lips against hers in love's first kiss.
End
of Part One
To Be Continued….