Disclaimer: Notminenotminenotminenotminenotmine.
A/N: This is crazy. But I am crazy. So live with it. Have a happy life.
*
Sinking backwards into her pillow in silent disbelief, Daleria looked up into the green eyes of the colonel, and saw in shock that he was completely serious. There was no laughter in them, and anybeast could tell that he meant what he said. It was also as if the rest of the room had simply frozen completely. Nobeast was moving, and the rest of Daleria's patrol had turned and were all staring at Rapieratce with their mouths agape.
This is not the Rapieratce I know. He would never, ever, not in Mossflower ever say what I think he just said.
All further disbelieving thoughts, however, were quickly put off by a sentence from his mouth that made her blood freeze.
'Marm? So you are here. I had hoped it would not end this way.'
MARM? What on Mossflower? Consellariel? SHE is here? But! He cannot be serious!
From out of the door, the massive frame of the badger lady could be seen entering the infirmary. Everything and everybeast really did freeze this time, and all the hares jumped to attention, aside from the captive Daleria. All, that is, except for Rapieratce, who instead got up slowly. Very slowly, as if contemplating something. It looked as if he was forcing himself out of the chair, pushing himself up with the chair's support. He kept his face deceptively calm to the untrained eye, but Daleria could clearly see strain and stress behind the mask that he was putting on. She had known him long enough, all right. But not long enough to anticipate what he was going to do next. To be truthful, nobeast in history could have foreseen what he would have done next, save for Consellariel, probably, who was also looking extremely grim.
The badger lady signalled first for everybeast to resume their normal activities, then got a chair from Longrunn, who was still acting usher, and slowly sat down, on the opposite end of the bed, so that she was directly facing Rapieratce. Somehow, Daleria felt as if she was just about to be squashed smack dab in the middle of a extremely tense argument of some sort, no matter how rare it was for the two on either side of her to quarrel. However, the electricity between the two was clearly depicting the calm before the storm, and something very, very big was brewing. Daleria felt it, and fear, for no reason, coursed through her veins, and she suddenly sensed dread settling over her. Her pulse quickened, be it for an unknown reason, and she kept darting anxious glances between the two. Something was most definitely not right.
The badger lady's eyes were hard that day, a far call from the usual softness that usually accompanied her brown eyes. Her brow was slightly furrowed, and on her face was graveness that was stone cold. Consellariel was unusually tense, even in this kind of situation, and she looked very frustrated that day. Not a good sign. Rapieratce on the other hand, kept his look of calm about him, as he usually did, but if one looked deep enough into his green depths, there was unrest and turmoil blended in with a whirl of other unidentifiable emotions that seemed to be straining him greatly. He looked ready to announce something huge or something along that manner, and Daleria could feel that he was struggling with himself for self control. One way or another, Daleria felt very trapped and very small in the middle of the two most important figures in the entire mountain. Swallowing, she waited for what was to come.
*
[Quick switch to Rapieratce's point of view]
Are you sure, 'Atce?
Why wouldn't I be?
This is insane. No single Long Patrol hare in history has ever even thought of doing what you are about to do.
I know. I do not have very much to regret, however. I cannot tear myself between duty and self conscience any longer. Something has to be done, even be it at personal sacrifice.
This is a pretty big personal sacrifice here, 'Atce, even by your standards.
My standards do not rank very high.
Yes they do. You would have never got as high up as you have if they weren't.
If they were, I would not be in the position I am in right now.
[Back to Third Person point of view]
Rapieratce looked intently at Consellariel for a few moments, and the two simply sat there for a few moments before he finally broke the silence.
'Marm. You know what is bally well already going on.'
Consellariel looked slightly startled that he had reacted as soon as he did. If he was going to do what she thought he was going to do, the badger lady would have thought that he would have drawn it out more. Much more. Concealing it, though, she went on with a answer.
'I do, though at first I did not want to believe that it was for real.'
'The flippin' evidence is already overwhelming, marm.'
'Very much so, Rapieratce. You and I both know that this will not end up as a happy ending.'
'Nothing really ever does, marm.'
Daleria was now officially confused. Ending? What ending?
What on Mossflower is that crazy colonel talking about?
Consellariel went on, unfazed at Rapieratce's frank commentary.
'No, it does not, does it? But this ending is unlike most others in itself already.'
'Sometimes, endings do not bally well go the blinkin way that you would rather them to, marm.'
'Even by that, this is absurd.'
'No, marm. I do not think of it that way, at least.'
Consellariel stared again, the silence going on for another few uncomfortable moments. Daleria swore that one of the two would eventually simply get up and maul the other, at the rate that they were going. Finally, the lady moved on.
'You have greatly changed these few seasons, Rapieratce. I barely know you anymore.'
'I barely know myself anymore, marm.'
'What do you mean?'
'Recent events have already held their positions in my life, marm. Things change, with or against our wills.'
'But everybeast has control over what they become.'
'Sometimes a beast must end up doing something... Off the beaten track to save something else.'
'She cannot leave without it, then?'
'She could not even survive, marm. You already know that.'
'So you decided that since you knew that I would never accept your... Proposal... that it would boil down to this?'
'Yes, marm.'
'So this is your decision? You know that if you do this that when you return, if you ever do, that I will not simply just accept you to your former position?'
'I fully know that, marm.'
'You are willing to sacrifice that?'
'It is better than sacrificing another beast's life.'
Consellariel shook her head sadly at him.
'Even if you do manage to get yourself out of it, you know that you will be starting at the bottom, unless somebeast manages to somehow sway my decision?'
'You decision is not easily swayed, marm.'
'And yet you still want to?'
'Yes.'
'Working from the bottom is never easy, Rapieratce.'
'It never was.'
'You should know, then?'
'I got where I was through it.'
'And you are willing to do it all over again from scratch?'
'If it saves the situation, yes.'
'It would be sad to lose a hare like yourself.'
'It must be done.'
Nodding to the badger lady, Rapieratce got up shortly. The lady did not move. No other beast had caught on to what they were saying. None, that is, save for Longrunn. The sergeant immediately moved by and blocked the passage out the infirmary from Rapieratce. In a hushed but fierce voice, he muttered to the colonel.
'You cannot be serious, sah! Nobeast has ever done something this insane!'
'Move, sergeant.'
'You know that I would not let you, sah.'
Sighing, Rapieratce had to force the stubborn Longrunn away from the door. Daleria looked extremely confused, while Longrunn could only watch in distress as Rapieratce walked to his dormitory. The colonel reappeared soon enough, carrying something long and slim. Daleria gasped when she saw it.
He is not!
Carrying his sheath, Rapieratce walked up to Consellariel and laid it onto her paw. Daleria could not keep quiet any longer.
''Atce! What on Mossflower are you doing?'
Paying her no heed, Rapieratce looked up at Consellariel.
'Would it be possible for me to reclaim it if I manage to make it back, marm?'
Looking at him, she answered.
'I cannot promise you anything, Rapieratce.'
The colonel looked torn. Turning silently, he looked down at Daleria, quietly muttering to her.
'You cannot battle, not while you are in this condition. I am going to try to attain the cure. I cannot promise you anything. I am no longer your commanding officer, Dale. I had to do it. I could not leave if I did not. If I ever even possibly return, maybe I would be able to work my way up, but I do not know. It is highly impossible.'
Daleria paled.
'You cannot survive weaponless! You have had that rapier with you... Longer than I care to even remember! That thing is probably older than me!'
Sighing, he shook his head grimly.
'It is, m'gel. I have a spare, one not as strong and not badger forged, something my old family gave to me. I will survive one way or another. You cannot help me any more, Dale. I am not one of the Long Patrol, not now at any rate. If I live, I will rejoin, but until then, I am simply a sole hare that is trying to help you out. No other beast can do it, Daleria.'
'But...!'
Shaking his head one last time, Rapieratce turned and walked out of the infirmary, and out of Salamandastron.
