A/N: Just trying to update as much as I can before school starts, so here's
another two chapters. After this chapter (16 only *does the math, though it
takes a very long time* nine chapters left. Then maybe I'll post a
Mariel/Dandin romance (notice a pattern.. hahaha) if I have it completed.
As of right now, it's 15 chapters, and I'm not even halfway through. All I
have is a rough outline for the rest of it......
PART 16- A Visit to Old Barty
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Cornflower was up early, getting a small bag of food together for herself. She had been planning to go out into Mossflower to spend a day with herself. She wrote Matthias a note telling him where she would be. He, too, knew she intended to do this. By dawn she was on the path leading north, headed for Old Barty's place.
Barty was an old mouse who had been a family friend for as long as she could remember. He and his grandson Daniel lived in a small hut not far from St. Ninian's church. Though their possessions were few, they did have, what Cornflower thought, was the best toy ever. It was called the pedaller, and was much like a carriage or cart. Two wheels were connected to footpaw pedals that were pushed to move the contraption forward.
As Cornflower approached the familiar scene, she saw old Barty sitting in a chair, waving at her. She waved back and ran to him.
"Oh, Uncle Barty, 'Tis so good to see you!" Though he wasn't family, Cornflower still referred to him as uncle.
"Ah, Miss Cornflower! Wonderful to see you, dear. My, you've grown. You remember Daniel, don't you?"
Just then she noticed another mouse of about her age sitting nearby, whittling what looked to be a spoon. He barely looked up, and even then all he did was nod. At first, anyway. As he looked at the features of the maid, he did a double take.
"By the whiskers! Cornflower Fieldmouse! How are you? Martin help me, you're gorgeous!" he exclaimed, jumping up.
She hugged him tight, happy to be with old friends. "I'm marvelous, how about yourself?"
"I'm alright, I suppose. I take it you want to take the pedaller out, eh?"
"I was hoping to, if it's alright," she admitted.
"I'll make you a deal- you can take it if you let me tag along. We've made another one, it's a bit bigger."
"Fair enough," she responded, smiling at him. "Let's go!"
They started up the trail, chatting amiably.
"How long has it been since we last saw each other?" she asked.
"Over a year, I believe. Too long," he said ruefully. "There's lots of catching up to be done!"
"I may just have to move in!" she suggested outrageously.
"Same charming wit, I see. Hmm, what else? You've gotten a bit taller, and prettier, if it's possible. But I feel as though you haven't changed a bit. What have you been up to this past year?"
"As soon as Cluny the Scourge came to Mossflower, my family, like many others went to Redwall for shelter. We wound up staying all through the autumn, winter and spring, and I decided to stay when my parents left for home."
"You're joining the abbey?" he asked in disbelief, confusion written on his features. "Why? Why on earth?"
"No no no no no! You mistake me, I actually married a mouse from there not too long ago," she clarified.
"Well, congratulations," he said, smiling warmly at her. "Anybeast I know?"
"I don't think so. His name is Matthias. He is the abbey warrior."
"That's wonderful!" They rode on in silence for a few minutes. "I would never have guessed that you would marry a warrior. Many of them are so closed up with their feelings and emotions."
"He can be sometimes, but not too much. Honestly, when I first met him if you would have told me that he would save Mossflower I would have told you that you were at the ale too much."
Daniel nodded in understanding. "If I may ask, do you have any babes?"
"Yes, a son, though he is adopted. He was an orphan and we decided to make him our son so he would have a proper family."
"I cannot imagine him having a better mother then you. So I take it you aren't going to have any babes of your own, then?"
"I don't know about that," she said, her expression unsure and puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
"I think we might be, very soon, actually, but I am not sure."
Daniel could feel tears of joy coming to his eyes, though he blinked then back. She was his best friend, and he was completely happy for her.
"If you do have a babe, visit as soon as you can. Promise me you will, along with Matthias and your son."
"Of course. Even if I don't have any I will come with them. I'm sure you would get along great."
"But I am not a warrior."
"But your personalities are very much the same."
The rest of the ride was spent talking of nothing in particular, the subject never the same. They were back at the small home a few hours later, where Daniel helped Cornflower down and gave her a huge hug.
"Don't be a stranger. Come by whenever you want, we don't travel too often."
She smiled up at him. "I'll be sure to, don't worry. I really should be going though, after I say goodbye to Uncle Barty."
Just then the older mouse came out. "Leaving so soon, Cornflower?"
"Aye, I must get back to Redwall. I have a trillion things to do," she said regretfully.
"I understand, I understand. Come again soon, will you?"
"Yes, I've already promised Dan I would."
"With Matthias," Dan interjected.
"Aye," she agreed with a smile, kissing them goodbye. See you soon, I'm sure.
She left then, going back to Redwall.
PART 16- A Visit to Old Barty
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Cornflower was up early, getting a small bag of food together for herself. She had been planning to go out into Mossflower to spend a day with herself. She wrote Matthias a note telling him where she would be. He, too, knew she intended to do this. By dawn she was on the path leading north, headed for Old Barty's place.
Barty was an old mouse who had been a family friend for as long as she could remember. He and his grandson Daniel lived in a small hut not far from St. Ninian's church. Though their possessions were few, they did have, what Cornflower thought, was the best toy ever. It was called the pedaller, and was much like a carriage or cart. Two wheels were connected to footpaw pedals that were pushed to move the contraption forward.
As Cornflower approached the familiar scene, she saw old Barty sitting in a chair, waving at her. She waved back and ran to him.
"Oh, Uncle Barty, 'Tis so good to see you!" Though he wasn't family, Cornflower still referred to him as uncle.
"Ah, Miss Cornflower! Wonderful to see you, dear. My, you've grown. You remember Daniel, don't you?"
Just then she noticed another mouse of about her age sitting nearby, whittling what looked to be a spoon. He barely looked up, and even then all he did was nod. At first, anyway. As he looked at the features of the maid, he did a double take.
"By the whiskers! Cornflower Fieldmouse! How are you? Martin help me, you're gorgeous!" he exclaimed, jumping up.
She hugged him tight, happy to be with old friends. "I'm marvelous, how about yourself?"
"I'm alright, I suppose. I take it you want to take the pedaller out, eh?"
"I was hoping to, if it's alright," she admitted.
"I'll make you a deal- you can take it if you let me tag along. We've made another one, it's a bit bigger."
"Fair enough," she responded, smiling at him. "Let's go!"
They started up the trail, chatting amiably.
"How long has it been since we last saw each other?" she asked.
"Over a year, I believe. Too long," he said ruefully. "There's lots of catching up to be done!"
"I may just have to move in!" she suggested outrageously.
"Same charming wit, I see. Hmm, what else? You've gotten a bit taller, and prettier, if it's possible. But I feel as though you haven't changed a bit. What have you been up to this past year?"
"As soon as Cluny the Scourge came to Mossflower, my family, like many others went to Redwall for shelter. We wound up staying all through the autumn, winter and spring, and I decided to stay when my parents left for home."
"You're joining the abbey?" he asked in disbelief, confusion written on his features. "Why? Why on earth?"
"No no no no no! You mistake me, I actually married a mouse from there not too long ago," she clarified.
"Well, congratulations," he said, smiling warmly at her. "Anybeast I know?"
"I don't think so. His name is Matthias. He is the abbey warrior."
"That's wonderful!" They rode on in silence for a few minutes. "I would never have guessed that you would marry a warrior. Many of them are so closed up with their feelings and emotions."
"He can be sometimes, but not too much. Honestly, when I first met him if you would have told me that he would save Mossflower I would have told you that you were at the ale too much."
Daniel nodded in understanding. "If I may ask, do you have any babes?"
"Yes, a son, though he is adopted. He was an orphan and we decided to make him our son so he would have a proper family."
"I cannot imagine him having a better mother then you. So I take it you aren't going to have any babes of your own, then?"
"I don't know about that," she said, her expression unsure and puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
"I think we might be, very soon, actually, but I am not sure."
Daniel could feel tears of joy coming to his eyes, though he blinked then back. She was his best friend, and he was completely happy for her.
"If you do have a babe, visit as soon as you can. Promise me you will, along with Matthias and your son."
"Of course. Even if I don't have any I will come with them. I'm sure you would get along great."
"But I am not a warrior."
"But your personalities are very much the same."
The rest of the ride was spent talking of nothing in particular, the subject never the same. They were back at the small home a few hours later, where Daniel helped Cornflower down and gave her a huge hug.
"Don't be a stranger. Come by whenever you want, we don't travel too often."
She smiled up at him. "I'll be sure to, don't worry. I really should be going though, after I say goodbye to Uncle Barty."
Just then the older mouse came out. "Leaving so soon, Cornflower?"
"Aye, I must get back to Redwall. I have a trillion things to do," she said regretfully.
"I understand, I understand. Come again soon, will you?"
"Yes, I've already promised Dan I would."
"With Matthias," Dan interjected.
"Aye," she agreed with a smile, kissing them goodbye. See you soon, I'm sure.
She left then, going back to Redwall.