A/N: I've been kinda out of the Redwall fandom for awhile, but in answer to a request from Mike, I decided to write this story, and I definitely enjoyed it. Although this fic is meant to be a one-shot, I may do more with this pairing if my muse feels up to it.

Disclaimer: Do you honestly think Brian Jacques would give e permission to do this with his characters?

There was something about Kurda that Triss just couldn't comprehend. The princess wasn't like her brother or her father or any other vermin Triss had known, and the squirrelmaid wondered sometimes what made the Pure Ferret stand out. Triss thought about it more times than was necessary.

Then Kurda demanded that Triss (and occasionally old Drufo) assist her in her sword practices. And so the squirrelmaid hoped that she'd be able to figure out what about Kurda was so peculiar. She hoped more than necessary. . .

-0-0-0-

The door to Kurda's personal weapons chamber opened as the cream-white ferret princess strode in. The squirrel slave, Triss, was already there. She had set up the herrings earlier that Kurda was going to use for practice and was nearly finished oiling the blade of a small straight sword. Practically dropping it, Triss stopped and placed it hastily on the rack with its fellows.

Looking up at the dozen dead herrings tied by their tails to the ceiling, Kurda nodded in satisfaction and pulled on her long-sleeved, ecru linen glove. "Give me de light saber," the princess commanded. "I try dat von first."

Hurrying over, Triss handed her the sword and dodged swiftly to the side. Stepping into a back stance, Kurda held the blade aloft. Twirling gracefully, the princess slashed through each herring, decapitating them at the gills. But on the last fish, Kurda threw her weapon so that it spun end over end straight up, efficiently splitting the single herring down the middle. As the sword descended, Kurda caught it easily in her right paw.

Rushing to clear away the fish heads, Triss couldn't help but grudgingly admire the ferret's blade control. Although her strength and experience were highly questionable, Kurda's aim and reflexes were undeniable.

"Now," the Pure Ferret called, "I'll use der straight sword, small size."

Dashing rapidly to obey, Triss gripped the straight sword and gave it to Kurda. But as the princess swung the blade, something extraordinary happened: the sword seemed to jump right out of Kurda's gripped. As it fell, the sharpened edge sliced unforgivingly into its owner before hitting the flagstone floor with a resounding clang. Hissing in pain and clutching her arm, Kurda turned her ire immediately on Triss.

"There vas oil on der handle!" Kurda accused vehemently.

Triss tried not to flinch at the ferret's tone and the prospective beating she would surely get for making — according to Kurda — such a careless error. "Please, Princess," the squirrelmaid said, barely managing to keep her voice steady, "please let me get the healing supplies and bandage your arm."

The Pure Ferret nodded sharply in agreement, pink eyes still flickering with fury. Quickly, Triss scrambled over to the sword rack and grabbed a leather bag of medical items. Returning to Kurda, both maids sat on the floor to make it easier for Triss to bandage Kurda's cut. Nervously — and with her head bowed — the squirrelmaid scooted closer until she was practically sitting in the ferretmaid's lap.

Gently, Triss took hold of Kurda's gloved right paw. The expertly sharpened sword had gone easily through the glove's pale gray fabric, and the linen close to the cut was already stained in crimson blood. Leaning even closer so that her head was all but resting on the Pure Ferret's shoulder, Triss began to very slowly roll the glove off Kurda's arm. The squirrelmaid felt the princess tense as the cloth was pulled away — sticky with blood — from the edges of the cut. Dropping the ruined glove off to the side, Triss inspected the injury noting that although it was shallow, it had occurred in a particularly painful spot.

Reaching into the medical bag, the squirrelmaid withdrew the appropriate salve and began to liberally smear it on. Once or twice, she swore she'd felt the ferret tremble, and Triss could sense a shiver of her own as well.

When she was certain that the cut was covered, Triss quickly wiped her paws on her tunic and selected a length of plain, white linen from the bag that would be used as a bandage. Taking her time, the squirrel began wrapping the bandage around Kurda's forearm, starting at her wrist and working up. Then — when she finished — she tied a small knot at the end. Almost unconsciously, Triss started massaging the area around the cut. The muscles were undoubtedly sore there, and Triss knew that rubbing them would help ease the pain. She remembered when Drufo had done this for her after she'd sprained her wrist two seasons ago.

Now the squirrelmaid could definitely see that the Pure Ferret was trembling, and upon hearing Kurda's soft gasp, Triss finally looked up. Coral eyes met deep brown ones, and neither creature said a word. Barely a few inches separated them, but the squirrelmaid didn't seem bothered and Kurda's soft breath felt nice as it mingled with hers in the still air, in fact, it was very nice even though they both reeked of herring and Triss knew her mind had gone completely into random mode, but that was okay 'cause Kurda was leaning closer and Triss could just barely feel the ferret princess's lips brush against hers and. . .

The door whipped open as Kurda's older brother Bladd strode in without so much as a knock. Jumping back as though scalded, the ferret princess stepped away from Triss leaving the squirrelmaid kneeling by herself on the stone floor.

"Vot," Kurda's voice wavered slightly, and she cleared her throat before continuing, "vot do you vant?"

Bladd's eyes bugged slightly out of their sockets at the sound of his sibling's bland tone. Clearly, he had been expecting a biting remark or a rude taunt. From his younger sister, the ferret prince always got both in abundance.

"De King vant to see you," Bladd replied, actual polite for a change. "He say it important."

Wordlessly, the Pure Ferret princess nodded, and started toward the door.

"Clean up der herrinks," Kurda ordered on her way out, but before she left the room, she glanced back at Triss, her gaze lingering longer than necessary.

END