Chapter Five: Age Difference
Buddi sighed and threw his scrub brush down. Ursa hadn't been kidding. He'd been home for two days and every second he was awake, he was working. He hadn't had one second to play. After training, he would work until dinner and then after dinner, he would work until time for bed.
"Buddi?"
The cub turned from the floor of the weapons room and faced the door. Ursa came in and handed him a sandwich. He'd had sandwiches for the past two days because he could work while he ate.
Buddi sighed and picked up the brush again but Ursa took it away.
"Listen a minute," she said. Buddi gratefully let go of the brush and sat on his knees. Ursa sat down by him.
"Buddi," she stated as the cub dug into the sandwich, "Look, you said you had an explanation. I'd love to hear it."
Buddi sighed, "Ursa, why were you so worried? I can take care of myself."
"Celina's after you Buddi! I should have sent an adult with you."
"Ursssaaa, I'm fourteen."
Ursa smirked at the cub's desire for independence. She'd been the same way. She looked at Buddi sternly, but not unkindly.
"I know Buddi. I know." She smiled at him, "But you're still not old enough to handle a battle by yourself. You have to be sixteen before we let you enter battle and even then you have to be near a trained adult at all times." She ruffled his hair,
"You've still a ways to go."
Buddi sighed deeply, "I know…"
"Now why were you over there all night?"
Buddi wasn't surprised by the change of subject. Ursa hardly ever let her emotions get revealed. She'd already revealed too much. Buddi went along with it as he stuffed the remainder of his sandwich into his mouth and licked the honey off his fingers.
"Well, I got the info from the knights that I already told you and then went to see Sunni for a bit before I left. She took me into an old living room where they had a fire going and talked to me a but, I told her I had to go soon but she asked me to stay a little longer so I said okay a little longer. I fell asleep. Next thing I knew it was morning."
Ursa shook her head and stood, "You give in too easy, Buddi."
"Sorry."
"Just try harder. Now get back to work."
Buddi sighed, "How long do I have to do these chores?"
"Until next week."
Ursa left the cub to his work.
* * *
Calla took a breath and gently lifted her daughter from her crib. The girl looked a lot like her father. Her brown hair was almost the same shade but she had blond highlights from her mother.
"Calla?"
Calla turned as her husband entered,
"Yes?"
"They're here."
Calla nodded and lifted her daughter closer to her breast.
"It's time to meet your allies, little one. You've seen the gummies. Now it's time to meet your human allies."
The girl walked down the corridors and then handed Cassandra to Cavin. The new father cradled her gently as he watched his wife run into the main hall. It was hard to believe the girl she was running to meet had once been her rival. They were good friends now.
"Marie!"
The black haired princess opened her arms and embraced her friend. Marie hugged the blond haired princess.. no, the queen with all her strength. Calla returned the embrace and then greeted King Jean-Claude.
"Bonjour, my dear," he greeted her warmly. "We received your message and got here tout-suite."
Calla nodded and accepted his embrace.
He drew back from her, and said softly, "Is your father truly…"
The girl nodded sadly. Marie hugged Calla gently. True, she was richer and used to more than Calla but she knew for a fact that without her father it would have no meaning to her. She let Calla hug her tightly for a few minutes before saying,
"You're queen now?"
Calla nodded but didn't pull away right away. Instead she concentrated on the comfort Marie brought her and laid her head in the girl's black hair for a moment. When the moment passed, she pulled away.
"Marie, King Jean-Claude, I'd like you to meet my husband Cavin."
Cavin walked into the light and handed Cassandra to her mother. He greeted their visitors and then nodded at Calla who walked forward and added,
"And my daughter, Cassandra."
Marie raced forward. The brown haired newborn gazed at her with wide innocent eyes. Marie looked at Calla,
"Oh si'vous plait, can I hold her?"
Calla smiled, "Sit down."
Cavin led Marie to a chair and she held her arms out for the small infant. She cradled her gently, more gently than her father had ever seen her hold anything. Cassandra in response made no crying and instead grabbed a small handful of Marie's black hair and chewed on it.
The black haired princess didn't pull away as expected but instead let the girl chew on her hair.
Cavin and calla smiled,
"Maybe this'll be alright after all."
* * *
Buddi gave Ryo a glare from the corner of his eye and said,
"You really hate me don't you?"
Ryo seemed taken aback a moment,
"No I don't. But I do think you don't use the common sense you were born with."
Buddi crossed his arms, "that's your opinion but you don't have to cut me down so much!"
"I do to get you to comprehend anything."
Buddi gave the adult a rude hand gesture, one he never used with anyone else. He saw the adults use it occasionally, two fingers wrapped together and pointed at their opponent. Ryo was the only adult that ever made him angry enough.
"Do that again cub and I'll snap those fingers of yours."
"I bet you would."
Ryo turned to Buddi and they stared each other down, for a moment. Then Ryo stated,
"Buddi let me get this through your thick skull. Stay away from glens and humans, they're bad influences and you don't need to get any weaker."
"Why should I listen to you, you arrogant idiot!"
Ryo was astounded for a moment and then said,
"Listen to me, you little smart aleck, I'm an adult, you're a child; I'm big, you're little; I'm experienced, you're a tenderfoot; I'm smart, you're dumb; I'm right, you're wrong! Get used to it!"
Buddi stumbled back and then kicked Ryo's shin.
"Hey! What's going on here?"
The two turned, Grubbi was standing in the doorway. Buddi glared at Ryo and turned his back on the adult, stormed off, and said,
"Nothing, nothing at all."
