A/N: I would like to take this moment and write a disclaimer saying that I do not own the song "Faithfully." The great band Journey owns it.
I'm going to try writing this chapter with that song in there and I hope you all like it, if not that is okay because the oncoming chapters will be better.
Any way on with the story.
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Strider lay in a makeshift bed that Alma had given him to sleep in. He could not sleep at all. Mostly because Alma had not really talked to him at all ever since she recovered from her icy experience, and the fact that Lucky was snoring a few feet next to him.
He would ask Alma questions like if she wanted to come with him to Salamandastron, yet she would not answer and would only ask if any one wanted to eat anything or have a drink. He knew she was hiding something, but what. She was so beautiful yet she acted like she was an ugly witch trying to hide a story from them.
Highway run
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sendin' all my love
Along the wire.
Suddenly Strider heard a noise and saw Alma walking to her kitchen to get a glass of water. Strider decided to get up and talk to her.
"Alma, why won't you talk to me about anything?" he asked her sadly.
Alma let out a big sigh and stared into Striders eyes like a sad puppy wanting a bone.
"Let's go outside and I will talk to you, I just don't want to talk about it in front of your friends," said Alma looking at the four who were sleeping in sleeping bags.
"Alright then," said Strider and followed Alma out the door.
Alma walked over to a log that was lying on the ground and over looking the lake that she had fallen into three days ago. Both were quiet for a moment before Alma spoke.
"I'm an outcast," she said.
"Why, is it because you never had any friends?" asked Strider.
"No it's because my eyes are blue, have you ever seen a badger with blue eyes?" asked Alma sadly.
"No never, but what is wrong with blue eyes, I think they make you look beautiful," said Strider.
"Thank you but let me tell you my story and why I live here," said Alma.
Strider just nodded and listened as Alma began to tell her tale.
They say that the road
Ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line
It's been you and me
And loving a music man
Ain't always what it's supposed to be.
"I was born in the southeast of here in a small village my parents had just moved to. My father was a violin player and was hoping that this village would give him a job entertaining. Of course they accepted and enjoyed his music immensely.
That is until I was born a week later. Everyone came to see the miracle but when they saw I had blue eyes, they saw it as an omen of bad things to come like a drought or vermin. They said I should be killed instantly, which they tried to do. Of course my mother acted on her instincts and attacked some of the villagers. The villagers of course thought I caused her to be this way so they killed her.
My father tried to save her but they tried to kill him too. So he ran with me into the woods and soon lost them. We traveled for about a season looking for a home, but everyone would turn us down and tell him that I was bad news. Finally my father decided that it was best to just live life like a hermit. That was when he found this cabin.
He took care of me in the cabin, but a few seasons later, he became depressed. Sometimes he would tell me to go out and gather food while he stayed home and played his violin. When I would come home though, he would play a sad tune on his violin and then blame me for all the bad things that had happened to him in his life and beat me until I cried for mercy.
Finally last spring, he beat me one too many times and I became so enraged that first I broke his violin and then hit him on the head with a hot pan that was sitting on the stove. He was knocked senseless and I was so afraid that he would wake up and kill me that I-I-I...." Alma then burst into tears while Strider held onto her gently.
"What did you do, it's alright I can keep it a secret," said Strider.
"I threw him into the lake and watched him sink to the bottom. I don't want to leave this place because I am afraid someone might know the terrible thing that I did and that I have blue eyes," said Alma.
Oh girl you stand by me
I'm forever yours – faithfully.
Strider sat there in shock, the sweet and caring female badger actually killed someone and it was her own father too. He could not believe it at first but knew she did it to protect herself. It wasn't just because she wanted to steal something from him, or want all his possessions like vermin do.
"Well I think you did all that in self defense and everyone will understand that. How about this, you be my wife and live with me at Salamandastron where if any one tries to persecute you or hurt you then they will answer to me," said Strider.
Alma put her face on Strider's shoulder and began to cry for the longest time; Strider just rocked her back and forth comforting her. After nearly an hour Alma spoke.
"I will be your wife and I will help you defend the mountain with all those hares you told me about. I also know how to heal wounds so maybe they will need me," said Alma.
Strider smiled and looked out at the lake where the body of Alma's father lay at the bottom. He then looked up at the cloudless stars and wondered if his father was thinking about him.
Suddenly Strider heard footsteps; he turned around to find it was only Lucky who had a worried look to his face.
Circus life
Under the big top world
We all need the clowns
To make us smile
Through space and time
Always another show
Wondering where I am
Lost without you.
"What are you bally doing up at this hour," said Lucky.
"I'm keeping Alma company, she is not feeling well," said Strider.
"Well I thought at first you had bally left without me, then you would have been in so much flippen trouble when I found you wot," said Lucky.
Alma seemed to feel better after Lucky's comment and gave a little chuckle.
"I don't think he would ever leave anyone he loves, he has too much sympathy for that," said Alma.
"Yeah, if I left you it would be too quiet in Salamandastron," said Strider who continued to stroke Alma's back.
Lucky suddenly felt that they had done something. "Are you sure you two have only been comforting one another," he asked.
"Lucky go back to bed," said Strider annoyed.
"Oh so you are then, well I'll just be a peeping tom and watch you through the window," said Lucky who then ran back to the cabin.
"He is quite a character," said Alma.
"Yeah he is, I've dealt with him all my life too," said Strider.
Alma then gave a big sigh and continued to lay her head on Strider's shoulder while he patted her on the back.
And being apart ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours – faithfully.
Strider looked down at her soft face, she was so beautiful, yet he never knew that blue eyes were bad so he asked her.
"I've never heard about blue eye problems, are they only found in the southeast?" asked Strider.
"I guess so, the village had told my father that many years ago a blue eyed squirrel was born and the village had a terrible outbreak of the plague, then a few seasons later, vermin came and ransacked it. Only after they killed the squirrel did all the bad things cease," said Alma.
"It could have been a coincidence and besides if the hares want to kick you out because of that then I am going with you, I feel that we are meant to be together for the rest of our lives," said Strider.
"Why do you say that?" asked Alma.
"I don't know, but every time I look at you, I think you are just so beautiful and worth spending the rest of my life with," said Strider.
Alma just smiled and sighed a deep sigh before talking. "So when are we going to head out to Salamandastron?" she asked.
"Whenever you are ready," said Strider.
"Let me have a day to pack then," said Alma.
"It's a deal," said Strider.
Alma then gave Strider a big kiss and then put her head back on his shoulder while Strider just watched the stars.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Faithfully, I'm still yours
I'm forever yours
Ever yours – faithfully.
Lucky watched from the window and kept smiling every time they looked at each other.
"Come on, let's see some action," he said quite loudly.
His loudness then woke up Nathanial who groaned. "What are you doing?" he said after seeing Lucky standing by the window.
Alma and Strider are out there together," said Lucky with a smirk.
"Okay and what is so great about that?" asked Nathanial.
"Well their in love and you know what jolly lovers do wot," said Lucky.
Nathanial looked at him for a moment and then lay back down. "You are sick, now go back to sleep," he said.
Lucky just ignored him and continued to watch for something that would never happen that night.
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A/N: Well what did you all think of that chapter, was it okay or was it too corny. Please review and tell me. I would like to thank my friend Meg A.K.A Lady Corinthian for reading this story first and telling me it was okay. Hopefully she was right and hopefully you liked it as well. That is all I really have to say now so have a great day and please review.