Part Two of Written in the Stars- The One
First off, thank you all for the review so far. I was so over-whelmed I wrote this up quick as I could, hoping to appease. If it isn't what you wanted, just review and say so, and I'll change it around a bit until it's right.
Yadda yadda, still own nothing, yadda yadda.
Except for Mariel, who is currently sitting on my lap.
*pets Mariel*
Good girl.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dandin was walking along the woodland paths as it started to grow dark, and he knew in his heart he was starting to make some sort of mistake. It wasn't until the last rays of the sun began to drop, bursting in the glory of reds and violets, that he allowed that he would never make it back tonight and dropped to his knees slightly outside the path and wondered if he was doing the right thing. But sleep overtook him quickly. . .
A figure walked up to him in his dream, the same mouse he'd seen and heard before. This time he was remaining silent, and shaking his head. That meant Dandin was allowed to speak first.
"Martin the Warrior, I presume?"
"You guess wrong," was the only answer. "Though that is expected. Nobody really ever expects to meet me."
It was something familiar in the voice that answered who this was. "Gonff?"
"Good thought, mate; very good. Runs in the family."
"Why are you here?"
"To stop you from making a hasty decision, if it isn't in you."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you remember," Gonff asked while ignoring the question, "when you first met Mariel?"
"Of course," Dandin replied. Oh yes, he did; she'd been so sure of herself, and so spirited. Temper barely contained, as if she was some creature born of storm and sea. Rage barely contained behind those eye, rope waiting. . .
It hadn't taken long for Dandin to recognize himself in her expression, and to realize how much he cared. He'd known it was love back then, and through his feelings for her he'd come to terms with what Mother Mellus called truth. Dandin had realized when he first followed her that things were going to be difficult, because it wasn't in his head; it had been obviously real. And he'd known when he first laid eyes on her that he'd follow her anywhere.
She'd been everything he was looking for: a fellow restless spirit, the bringer of quests. And he'd known why he had trouble at home: he was meant for something else.
He was MEANT for wandering life.
"I remember," Dandin assured his family spirit- the mouse thief. "I could never forget."
//I saw you dancing out the ocean,
Running fast along the sand:
A spirit born of earth and water
Fire flying from your hands!
In the instant that you love someone-
In the second that the hammer hits-
Reality runs up your spine
And the pieces finally fit;
And all I ever needed was the one,
Like freedom fields where wild horses run.\\
Mariel hadn't awoken, even though the night was surely started. Somehow, she could visualize all her surroundings: bitter dark, and gentle clouds rolling across the stars. Coming towards her was the figure of a mouse, one who held himself like a true warrior. She recognized him from many dreams, and now she called him by name.
"Martin the Warrior. It is an honor."
"It is, Mariel of the Gullwhacker."
"Why do you come to me, Martin?"
"I come to remind you what you once had, my little Mariel. So that, should it present itself again, you can embrace it. Do you remember what it was like?"
What it was like. . .
Yes, Mariel remembered. It was brilliant blazes meeting, and taking away the shadows. It was fulfillment. It was knowing you always had a home.
"I remember."
"I will keep you company a while, but you must awaken when I go," Martin instructed her. She felt calm with him there, and readily she pledged to obey.
//When stars collide, like you and I,
No shadows block the sun.
You're all I've ever needed;
Baby you're the one.\\
"I don't want you to get lost from your true path," Gonff told Dandin. "After all, if you feel half of what I felt for Columbine. . ."
"It is so different for us, though; Redwall would call it sinful."
"In my day," Gonff replied, "so was what I wanted from Columbine. Yet we still managed when away."
"What if she'd called you away from Mossflower?"
"Then I would have gleefully followed her, mate. Sometimes we must follow our hearts. Think about it!"
Dandin watched as Gonff went along his merry way, singing a love song as he traveled from sight. Then he set to remembering so many nights with Mariel- all too many to count. Often, they'd had chances to act on their love. After all, they were alone much of the time while they wandered! But it never mattered. Love mattered, not actions! So long as the emotion stood, that was enough?
And then Dandin realized: being together was enough, but apart there was uselessness. He could return to Redwall, since his mind wandered there, but always he would feel he'd betrayed something special. The woman he loved.
Dandin remembered when he felt alone in Redwall, as if he didn't quite belong. Mariel alone, with her tattered appearance and gruff form of grace, had changed him. He'd seen her beautiful, and he'd seen her downtrodden, and either way he loved what she stood for. They'd both been, in many ways, alone and unreachable.
Then they'd reached each other.
Dandin knew Gonff was right: he had to go back to her, and confess. And in doing so it would repeat the action- it was being saved all over again.
//There are caravans we follow,
Drunken nights in dark hotels,
When chances breathe between the silence:
Where sex and love no longer gel.
For each man in his time is Cain,
Until he walks along the beach
And sees his future in the water
A long lost heart within his reach\\
"Mariel, you have to get up now."
Mariel's eyes popped open as she heard Martin command her. She sat up, looking at the now darkened sky, and smiled; it was time to move on. Lazily, she picked up an acorn and tossed it at Bowly.
"You young rotter, time to get up! Move in nightdark, I always say, that'll keep your paws cool."
The young one yawned and begged, "Do we have to?"
"We do. Come on."
He stood, shook out his quills, and then asked, "Where's sir Dandy?"
Mariel paused a moment, unsure how to answer without crying. But then she didn't have to.
"I'm right here, you rip! Come on; we'll make the sea by noon tomorrow if we keep up."
They grabbed packs and started out, Dandin immediately coming besides Mariel and setting an arm around her shoulders.
"I need to tell you something, Mariel."
"Yes, Dandin?"
"I- I guess- what I mean is. . . I think I might. . ."
Mariel stopped him with a disarming smile and patted his back. "I love you too, Dandin," she whispered in his ear, running ahead again. She passed Bowly and skipped a bit.
Things were definitely feeling good.
// And all I ever needed was the one,
Like freedom fields where wild horses run.
When stars collide, like you and I,
No shadows block the sun.
You're all I've ever needed;
Baby you're the one.\\
First off, thank you all for the review so far. I was so over-whelmed I wrote this up quick as I could, hoping to appease. If it isn't what you wanted, just review and say so, and I'll change it around a bit until it's right.
Yadda yadda, still own nothing, yadda yadda.
Except for Mariel, who is currently sitting on my lap.
*pets Mariel*
Good girl.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dandin was walking along the woodland paths as it started to grow dark, and he knew in his heart he was starting to make some sort of mistake. It wasn't until the last rays of the sun began to drop, bursting in the glory of reds and violets, that he allowed that he would never make it back tonight and dropped to his knees slightly outside the path and wondered if he was doing the right thing. But sleep overtook him quickly. . .
A figure walked up to him in his dream, the same mouse he'd seen and heard before. This time he was remaining silent, and shaking his head. That meant Dandin was allowed to speak first.
"Martin the Warrior, I presume?"
"You guess wrong," was the only answer. "Though that is expected. Nobody really ever expects to meet me."
It was something familiar in the voice that answered who this was. "Gonff?"
"Good thought, mate; very good. Runs in the family."
"Why are you here?"
"To stop you from making a hasty decision, if it isn't in you."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you remember," Gonff asked while ignoring the question, "when you first met Mariel?"
"Of course," Dandin replied. Oh yes, he did; she'd been so sure of herself, and so spirited. Temper barely contained, as if she was some creature born of storm and sea. Rage barely contained behind those eye, rope waiting. . .
It hadn't taken long for Dandin to recognize himself in her expression, and to realize how much he cared. He'd known it was love back then, and through his feelings for her he'd come to terms with what Mother Mellus called truth. Dandin had realized when he first followed her that things were going to be difficult, because it wasn't in his head; it had been obviously real. And he'd known when he first laid eyes on her that he'd follow her anywhere.
She'd been everything he was looking for: a fellow restless spirit, the bringer of quests. And he'd known why he had trouble at home: he was meant for something else.
He was MEANT for wandering life.
"I remember," Dandin assured his family spirit- the mouse thief. "I could never forget."
//I saw you dancing out the ocean,
Running fast along the sand:
A spirit born of earth and water
Fire flying from your hands!
In the instant that you love someone-
In the second that the hammer hits-
Reality runs up your spine
And the pieces finally fit;
And all I ever needed was the one,
Like freedom fields where wild horses run.\\
Mariel hadn't awoken, even though the night was surely started. Somehow, she could visualize all her surroundings: bitter dark, and gentle clouds rolling across the stars. Coming towards her was the figure of a mouse, one who held himself like a true warrior. She recognized him from many dreams, and now she called him by name.
"Martin the Warrior. It is an honor."
"It is, Mariel of the Gullwhacker."
"Why do you come to me, Martin?"
"I come to remind you what you once had, my little Mariel. So that, should it present itself again, you can embrace it. Do you remember what it was like?"
What it was like. . .
Yes, Mariel remembered. It was brilliant blazes meeting, and taking away the shadows. It was fulfillment. It was knowing you always had a home.
"I remember."
"I will keep you company a while, but you must awaken when I go," Martin instructed her. She felt calm with him there, and readily she pledged to obey.
//When stars collide, like you and I,
No shadows block the sun.
You're all I've ever needed;
Baby you're the one.\\
"I don't want you to get lost from your true path," Gonff told Dandin. "After all, if you feel half of what I felt for Columbine. . ."
"It is so different for us, though; Redwall would call it sinful."
"In my day," Gonff replied, "so was what I wanted from Columbine. Yet we still managed when away."
"What if she'd called you away from Mossflower?"
"Then I would have gleefully followed her, mate. Sometimes we must follow our hearts. Think about it!"
Dandin watched as Gonff went along his merry way, singing a love song as he traveled from sight. Then he set to remembering so many nights with Mariel- all too many to count. Often, they'd had chances to act on their love. After all, they were alone much of the time while they wandered! But it never mattered. Love mattered, not actions! So long as the emotion stood, that was enough?
And then Dandin realized: being together was enough, but apart there was uselessness. He could return to Redwall, since his mind wandered there, but always he would feel he'd betrayed something special. The woman he loved.
Dandin remembered when he felt alone in Redwall, as if he didn't quite belong. Mariel alone, with her tattered appearance and gruff form of grace, had changed him. He'd seen her beautiful, and he'd seen her downtrodden, and either way he loved what she stood for. They'd both been, in many ways, alone and unreachable.
Then they'd reached each other.
Dandin knew Gonff was right: he had to go back to her, and confess. And in doing so it would repeat the action- it was being saved all over again.
//There are caravans we follow,
Drunken nights in dark hotels,
When chances breathe between the silence:
Where sex and love no longer gel.
For each man in his time is Cain,
Until he walks along the beach
And sees his future in the water
A long lost heart within his reach\\
"Mariel, you have to get up now."
Mariel's eyes popped open as she heard Martin command her. She sat up, looking at the now darkened sky, and smiled; it was time to move on. Lazily, she picked up an acorn and tossed it at Bowly.
"You young rotter, time to get up! Move in nightdark, I always say, that'll keep your paws cool."
The young one yawned and begged, "Do we have to?"
"We do. Come on."
He stood, shook out his quills, and then asked, "Where's sir Dandy?"
Mariel paused a moment, unsure how to answer without crying. But then she didn't have to.
"I'm right here, you rip! Come on; we'll make the sea by noon tomorrow if we keep up."
They grabbed packs and started out, Dandin immediately coming besides Mariel and setting an arm around her shoulders.
"I need to tell you something, Mariel."
"Yes, Dandin?"
"I- I guess- what I mean is. . . I think I might. . ."
Mariel stopped him with a disarming smile and patted his back. "I love you too, Dandin," she whispered in his ear, running ahead again. She passed Bowly and skipped a bit.
Things were definitely feeling good.
// And all I ever needed was the one,
Like freedom fields where wild horses run.
When stars collide, like you and I,
No shadows block the sun.
You're all I've ever needed;
Baby you're the one.\\