Chapter Four: Disaster
Calla and Cavin laid on the hay,
calla close to him. She draped her hands over his chest, nuzzling close and
inhaling his scent. Cavin in reply,
wrapped his arms around her, letting her hair brush against his cheeks. He
inhaled the scent. She in turn, tightened her grip, letting a gentle kiss from
her lips tickle his neck.
"Hey Cavin," the two looked up to
see an arrogant Unwin standing over them. "Are you forgetting your place?
That's the Princess."
Calla answered, "Shut up, Unwin.
Father gave his blessing."
The squire stared, "Wh…what?"
Cavin sat up and Calla leaned
against his chest. "That's right Unwin. I can call her Calla; I can spend time
with her whenever I chose. And you have no say in it."
Unwin was about to retort when
suddenly the guards in front cried out, "To arms! We're under attack."
Unwin turned to the younger ones.
Although he loved to agitate Cavin, he cared for him, it was just fun to
irritate him. But before he could do or say anything, the page was running off,
Calla in tow. They both wanted to fight but knew better. On his way off, they
passed the King. Calla grabbed his hand.
"Father!"
The king paused. He took in his
daughter's features. He had a feeling this battle could very well take his life
away. He turned to Cavin,
"Cavin? Take care of my little girl.
Love her well."
That said he rushed off. Calla
turned to Cavin, her eyes wide. Cavin didn't know what to say so he gently
steered her away. She went along with him as she sensed a danger about. Cavin
led her up through the towers, into one of the hidden rooms; the gummies had
built centuries ago.
The two stayed there, clinging to
each other as they heard the united voices of Lady Bane and Igthorn shout,
"Attack!"
* * *
Buddi wandered around Gummadoon,
feeling lonely. He didn't feel like he belonged to any of the groups. None of
the boys liked the things he did. But since Ursa had asked him to play with
boys his age, he tried to. He noted three boys his age, two red with blood red
hair and green tunics and one green one with a yellow cap and tunic.
"Hey!"
The three boys turned around when
they heard someone yell. They sneered when they saw who it was. Everyone knew
that Buddi was very sensitive and they didn't believe he was as tough as it was
said. And there was something else that sealed him out of their circle.
"Go play with the girls, Mama's
boy."
Buddi froze. Their words stung but
he tried to shove them off. "Just because I'm close to her doesn't make me a
Mama's boy."
"Sure it does. Go play with the little
girls, wimp."
For Buddi, this was a whole new
experience. He had never been teased before, not by peers. He always felt that
his peers could accept him. Sunni and Cubbi accepted him and even thought that
him having a close relationship with Ursa was a rare and great thing. This was
the first time Buddi'd been laughed at because of it.
But he decided if they were gonna
laugh at him, he didn't need them. That's what Ursa always told him.
Buddi shrugged, "Fine, I'm sure I
can find some nicer people than you jerks."
The eldest cub, looking to be about
fifteen and with red frizzy hair turned and followed Buddi. He shoved him down
so he crashed face down. Buddi immediately whirled around and stood up.
"Go away and play with Mommy, wimp."
Buddi rolled his eyes and clutched
his hands into tiny fists. He was getting angry now. He took a breath to calm
down.
"Grow up."
He turned to walk away but the cub
swung a fist at him, hitting the back of Buddi's head. Buddi whirled around.
Gritty and Ursa frowned on him starting fights but they also said he had a
right to defend himself. Buddi turned to the elder cub and swung his fist with
all his strength.
Before long, both were on the
ground.
* * *
"Ow!"
Gritty sighed and held Buddi's head
still, applying some herbs to the large cut on his temple. Buddi immediately
winced as they stung. Gritty smoothed out a bandage over the cub's forehead and
around his head. Buddi winced and Gritty applied some herbs to the other
wounds, quite a few.
"Buddi, Gum's sake, what were you
thinking?"
Buddi turned as Ursa came in with
some ice, which she applied to Buddi's left eye, which was black. The cub
looked at her with his good eye.
"You always said to defend myself."
Ursa sighed, "Gum's sake, how did
this start?"
"I was trying to make friends and
they didn't let me join them. As I tried leave, they started calling me names
and then pushing me. One hit me, I fought back and then they overwhelmed me."
Ursa sighed. "What did they call
you?"
"A wimp and a Mama's boy."
Ursa rolled her eyes, "Buddi, you
shouldn't let that bug you." She knew that it had, it was in his eyes. Buddi
lowered his eyes and hissed,
"But…I'm not used to it."
Gritty applied a salve to another
wound, shaking his head, "Buddi, you have to adjust. Besides, your sensitivity
doesn't help."
Ursa narrowed her eyes. "Gritty,
don't tell him that."
"But it's true. He's too sensitive!"
"That's not the prime subject here!"
"It is so! If he wasn't so damn
sensitive and shy, he'd have no problem."
"Gritty!"
Buddi clamped his hands over his
ears, begging with a breaking voice, "Stop it!"
Gritty and Ursa looked at Buddi. The
cub got to his feet, hands still over his ears. He flung the bag of ice down
and stormed out. Ursa decided to leave him be. He usually needed some time to
himself. Ursa turned to Gritty.
"Okay, okay, so you were right."
* * *
Calla heard the battle sound
suddenly cease. She and Cavin looked through a secret window and saw Igthorn
and lady Bane running but there was a grin on their faces. That made Calla
uneasy. She tore by Cavin and back outside. She saw Sir Tuxford and ran to his
side.
"Sir Tuxford, what-"
She trailed off. She saw why he was
so somber.
"FATHER!"
Her father was lying still, blood
puddle around him. Call raced to his side, to be held back by Tuxford.
"He's gone, princess." He tried to
reason. She began to scream,
"No! Father!"
Gradually, some knights wrapped the
king's body and carried it away. Calla only half way listened to Tuxford.
Her father had managed to forced Igthorn
back but a well aimed knife had ended his life. Calla was weeping and then
realized,
"I have to rule now."
Sir Tuxford nodded. "But there is
something more important than that Princess. You…"
"I have to produce a heir." She
finished. Her thoughts were interrupted by,
"Calla…"
She and the knight turned as Cavin
walked in. Calla burst into tears and flung herself into his arms. Sir Tuxford
watched and knew then that Cavin would soon no longer be a page but a King. But
he wasn't about to suggest that. Rather, he stated,
"Perhaps you should absorb this
Princess. But…remember, an heir is necessary in times of war. And we are
definitely at war."
He felt terrible for mentioning it
but the monarchy had to survive. Besides, if Calla had a partner, it would help
her through this time. He let her absorb that and he left and gradually the
crowd dispersed, leaving Calla and Cavin alone.
"Oh Cavin," Calla moaned, crying,
tears staining Cavin's shirt.
"Calla, if I could…"
Calla interrupted. "There is something
you can do."
"What?"
She looked up at him. "Cavin, as sad
as I am, my father's kingdom must survive. I have to become Queen. So I have to
marry to produce a heir. I don't want a prince, I want someone I love and who
can help me live on."
Cavin stared at her, "Calla, you
aren't…."
She nodded and kissed him, tears
staining her cheeks, "I am. Marry me."
She looked at him, "I love you Cavin
and I know you feel the same. Father says…said that love can beat any odds. I
know that…I understand if you…" she trailed off. Cavin lifted her chin.
"I understand."
Calla's mouth dropped, "I knew it.
You do love me. Will you help me Cavin? I don't know if I can do this alone.
Please. I love you! I need you!"
Cavin nodded.
Calla stammered, "You…"
"I will."
