Chapter Five
Hawk POV
I noticed yesterday that my timetables were wrong. It said that it was only the second day on that last chapter, where I actually meant for it to be a full week, at least. I have changed it, so I hope I will not get any flames telling me of my inaccuracy and inconsistency.
"" talking. '' thoughts. Italics used to work..... damn
DISCLAIMER: Nothing is, or ever will be mine.
"Oh, Aalen!" Rummaging around in her pack, Wren pulled some things out of her pack. "What happened? Did it all happen while you were a bear?" I opened my eyes to this. The girl, Aalen, had pants on, and her shirt was pulled up to reveal her back, but nothing else. Crisscrossing her back were marks; angry, red marks.
"Oh, Wren, I suppose you didn't get any scars on your back, the way you throw yourself into battle? I know your magician tricks won't get you our of everything!" at this Wren cracked a smile. I don't know why, but this made me want to smile to. I suppressed the urge, knowing it to be a fickle one.
"Well, yes, I have. Quite a few actually. But mine do not look like the work of a whip!" even I knew that Wren was trying to change the subject. Aalen sighed.
"Yes and no, they were the product of a magical whipping, I guess you might say. No, this was before I was turned into a bear. The woman wizard... we fought. Magically. She attacked me with magic. Then I was a bear."
"Mmm." Wren was busy rubbing salve into Aalen's back to notice me. 'Hmm...' I thought to myself. 'I wonder what it would be like, having Wren rubbing your back... wait, WHAT?!?!' "Err... Aalen, did you see Hawk just twitch over there?" I snapped my eyes shut.
"Nope, probably a trick of the fire. Now, let me get your back. I know you must have many burns with what you were just down there with." I cautiously opened my eye halfway.
"I'm not sure... it's okay, I don't need it...." but Aalen was determined. Wren now had her back halfway turned to me, and Aalen hissed in sympathy. "You poor thing! Your entire back is a huge, burned bruise!" I gasped, my little game forgotten momentarily. Both women, swivelled their heads. I gave to all appearances I was still out cold. At that moment, a figure with a sword stepped into the mouth of the cave. I lept up, a wave of dizziness flowing over me, but I drew my sword before I knew what I was doing.
"Peace, young one, I come meaning no harm." a deep, feminine voice said. "Perhaps I am mistaken, which is the case more often than not, but there supposedly is a blue and white bear here. It is rumored to be a speaking bear, from Kiel, that knows of a girl. Is it in residence?" I didn't answer immediately, soon a cry of recognition came from Aalen. The woman turned her head and saw Aalen and Wren, still kneeling. "Aalen! Oh good, you are alive. Burn it, I had thought you were MIA, or worse, dead!" she looked at Wren. I am assuming that she did not know that the person she was looking at was female, because she said "Oh, Aalen, who is this fine young fellow? Very handsome, and – Blast! What HAPPENED?" Wren looked stunned for a moment, not realizing she was being spoken to, then with a little shake of her head,
"Oh, I er....." she stammered.
"Your Highness, this is Wren." Aalen stood up. "I would hug you had I not all of this goop on my hands."
"If I told you once, I have told you twenty times; call me Mel– wait, did you just say that's Wren?" Aalen nodded. Wren stiffly got up, and tried to bow, but nearly crumpled. That salve brought back all fo the pain; I know, I've used it. I dashed over to her and caught her.
"You stupid wench." I muttered, but I felt myself smile. She smiled back. Holding on to my shoulder, she got up again and tried to bow, but Her Highness stopped her.
"Not in your current condition, nor in any other. My, my, now I can see part of why all of your people love you."
"Oh, no, Majesty, I am not royal in anyway. I am friends with Queen Teresa of Cantirmoor, and Prince Connor of Siradayel, but that is it." Wren bowed her head respectfully.
"Ah, but you do not have to have a title to have followers. I had many who were not of my ruling join me because they thought I was a good leader. Miff, were they wrong. I digress. What I meant was that you can be counted as a ruler, without having a title, a pedigree, or anything such." Smiling, she turned to Aalen. "Now, why is your hair green?" this drew a laugh from everyone. "Come, let us wash it out. There is a spring... wait, I suppose you would know this area better than I, would you not?" This caused another chuckle.
"I can't. If I don't continue to put the salve on her back, it may leave more scars, and reverse the healing it does." Mel shook her head.
"Come, now! I am sure Hawk will be more than willing to finish plastering Wren's back in the salve." she looked at me.
"I... oh er.... sure?" I replied.
"Great! Then it's settled. Bye now." she dragged Aalen out of the cave.
"Um... Hawk? You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't mind a few more scars." Wren informed me. I could tell that it was another one of those things, like what happened in the snow cave, that she didn't want to share with the world. Frankly, neither did I.
"I won't tell if you won't." I held up a hand. She laughed her little, annoying, pestering, lovely, laugh... WAIT. I did NOT just say ANYTHING about Wren was lovely! Turning her back to me, she cautiously lifted the back of her shirt up so I could reach at least the small of her back. I dipped my hand into the little jar of green-blue gel, and started to gently rub little circles around on the spaces where Aalen had missed, as that was how I was directed to do.
"Wow," Wren murmured. "You are far better than Aalen at this. Probably because she was a bear for so long, and lost the touch of human, let alone a feminine touch." well, I can tell you this, I was rather surprised when she said that, so surprised in fact, that I answered with
"You know, I could get used to that." I was mortified by what I said.
"What was that?" apparently she didn't hear me.
"Er... done?" I prayed that she wouldn't press. It seemed that luck was on my side
"Alright. I think I am going to go outside for a walk. Do you wish to come?" she asked me, rather politely, too. I don't know why, but it got me very angry.
"Don't you know better? You couldn't even bow for the Queen! You hurt too much." I exclaimed.
"Excuse me, but I think I will be the judge of when and where I am "too" anything!" She yelled at me.
"You seem to be too stubborn to admit anything! Sometimes I think that if I wasn't around, you would KILL YOURSELF, running yourself down!"
"You Prig! I think you are the one who needs a babysitter." she stood up quickly, contrary to her burns.
"Oh really!" I was really losing it now. "When was this?"
"This morning! Yesterday, the day before. This whole damn week! You didn't drink your tea, you wouldn't eat, you almost refused to sleep, you came back for me, even when I told you not to. You headstrong fool!"
"Like I said before, you sent away the only help you had when that Belrothol came. You could have died!" I was yelling at the top of my lungs. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aalen and the queen watching us, but I didn't care.
"Why all of a sudden this change in attitude? I remember a time when you would encourage me to go out and die! If memory serves, you once told me you couldn't care less? What happened to the 'I don't give a damn' personality you used to have?" The next few moments went by with the air straining in tension.
"You know full well what happened, wench." I snarled. Wren let her jaw drop, then pressed her lips together. She solidly punched me.
"I have no clue, you worthless serf!" she snarled right back at me. I don't know what happened next, but something in me snapped.
"This is what happened." I said, swiftly standing right in front of her. I kissed her.
End of Hawk POV(no one's POV)
Mel stopped Aalen with a hand on her arm.
"What is it?" Aalen asked, not noticing the scene going on at the entrance of 'her' bear cave.
"Shhh! Look!" Mel whispered, pointing. Following Mel's finger, she gasped.
"I thought they hated each other!" Mel snorted very un-queenish-ly.
"Look at the examples around you! Hell, look at me!" she raised an eyebrow. "You know, hate can be a very good foundation for a relationship. I would know."
Wren's POV (sorry if I am confusing you)
'He's kissing me! He's Kissing me?! Oh well.' I thought to myself. I found out that I enjoyed that kiss, even as soft as it was. He pulled back.
"Wren, I'm sorry. I didn't.. I hope..." he babbled.
"Hawk, shut up." I pulled him back towards me, this time tilting my head back, letting him have better access to my mouth. This kiss, which had started out as a soft brushing of lips, light as a feather, turned into something completely different. "It's a good thing he's holding me up!' I thought giddily 'otherwise I would probably fall!' he held me close to him, crushingly close. Thighs, stomach and chest all pressed against his own, I might have found breathing difficult, had I not been enjoying the kiss so much. Suddenly, I heard footsteps and the faraway murmur of voices. We sprang apart, both breathing raggedly.
"They must be coming back!" he whispered.
"Into the cave, do something inconspicuous!" inwardly I was laughing at my antics. 'Oh, Aalen would kill me if she knew!' "Quickly!" I thought of what I would do if those last five minutes hadn't occurred. I started to pace, and not a moment too soon. At that moment, Mel and Aalen walked in, but Aalen had a very strange look about her, and the Queen was smirking. I absentmindedly stopped pacing.
"What's so funny?" I asked, genuinely curious. Mel gave me a look, then flicked her eyes quickly over to Hawk. I could feel my face gaining warmth. Aalen burst out laughing.
Hawk POV
I noticed yesterday that my timetables were wrong. It said that it was only the second day on that last chapter, where I actually meant for it to be a full week, at least. I have changed it, so I hope I will not get any flames telling me of my inaccuracy and inconsistency.
"" talking. '' thoughts. Italics used to work..... damn
DISCLAIMER: Nothing is, or ever will be mine.
"Oh, Aalen!" Rummaging around in her pack, Wren pulled some things out of her pack. "What happened? Did it all happen while you were a bear?" I opened my eyes to this. The girl, Aalen, had pants on, and her shirt was pulled up to reveal her back, but nothing else. Crisscrossing her back were marks; angry, red marks.
"Oh, Wren, I suppose you didn't get any scars on your back, the way you throw yourself into battle? I know your magician tricks won't get you our of everything!" at this Wren cracked a smile. I don't know why, but this made me want to smile to. I suppressed the urge, knowing it to be a fickle one.
"Well, yes, I have. Quite a few actually. But mine do not look like the work of a whip!" even I knew that Wren was trying to change the subject. Aalen sighed.
"Yes and no, they were the product of a magical whipping, I guess you might say. No, this was before I was turned into a bear. The woman wizard... we fought. Magically. She attacked me with magic. Then I was a bear."
"Mmm." Wren was busy rubbing salve into Aalen's back to notice me. 'Hmm...' I thought to myself. 'I wonder what it would be like, having Wren rubbing your back... wait, WHAT?!?!' "Err... Aalen, did you see Hawk just twitch over there?" I snapped my eyes shut.
"Nope, probably a trick of the fire. Now, let me get your back. I know you must have many burns with what you were just down there with." I cautiously opened my eye halfway.
"I'm not sure... it's okay, I don't need it...." but Aalen was determined. Wren now had her back halfway turned to me, and Aalen hissed in sympathy. "You poor thing! Your entire back is a huge, burned bruise!" I gasped, my little game forgotten momentarily. Both women, swivelled their heads. I gave to all appearances I was still out cold. At that moment, a figure with a sword stepped into the mouth of the cave. I lept up, a wave of dizziness flowing over me, but I drew my sword before I knew what I was doing.
"Peace, young one, I come meaning no harm." a deep, feminine voice said. "Perhaps I am mistaken, which is the case more often than not, but there supposedly is a blue and white bear here. It is rumored to be a speaking bear, from Kiel, that knows of a girl. Is it in residence?" I didn't answer immediately, soon a cry of recognition came from Aalen. The woman turned her head and saw Aalen and Wren, still kneeling. "Aalen! Oh good, you are alive. Burn it, I had thought you were MIA, or worse, dead!" she looked at Wren. I am assuming that she did not know that the person she was looking at was female, because she said "Oh, Aalen, who is this fine young fellow? Very handsome, and – Blast! What HAPPENED?" Wren looked stunned for a moment, not realizing she was being spoken to, then with a little shake of her head,
"Oh, I er....." she stammered.
"Your Highness, this is Wren." Aalen stood up. "I would hug you had I not all of this goop on my hands."
"If I told you once, I have told you twenty times; call me Mel– wait, did you just say that's Wren?" Aalen nodded. Wren stiffly got up, and tried to bow, but nearly crumpled. That salve brought back all fo the pain; I know, I've used it. I dashed over to her and caught her.
"You stupid wench." I muttered, but I felt myself smile. She smiled back. Holding on to my shoulder, she got up again and tried to bow, but Her Highness stopped her.
"Not in your current condition, nor in any other. My, my, now I can see part of why all of your people love you."
"Oh, no, Majesty, I am not royal in anyway. I am friends with Queen Teresa of Cantirmoor, and Prince Connor of Siradayel, but that is it." Wren bowed her head respectfully.
"Ah, but you do not have to have a title to have followers. I had many who were not of my ruling join me because they thought I was a good leader. Miff, were they wrong. I digress. What I meant was that you can be counted as a ruler, without having a title, a pedigree, or anything such." Smiling, she turned to Aalen. "Now, why is your hair green?" this drew a laugh from everyone. "Come, let us wash it out. There is a spring... wait, I suppose you would know this area better than I, would you not?" This caused another chuckle.
"I can't. If I don't continue to put the salve on her back, it may leave more scars, and reverse the healing it does." Mel shook her head.
"Come, now! I am sure Hawk will be more than willing to finish plastering Wren's back in the salve." she looked at me.
"I... oh er.... sure?" I replied.
"Great! Then it's settled. Bye now." she dragged Aalen out of the cave.
"Um... Hawk? You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't mind a few more scars." Wren informed me. I could tell that it was another one of those things, like what happened in the snow cave, that she didn't want to share with the world. Frankly, neither did I.
"I won't tell if you won't." I held up a hand. She laughed her little, annoying, pestering, lovely, laugh... WAIT. I did NOT just say ANYTHING about Wren was lovely! Turning her back to me, she cautiously lifted the back of her shirt up so I could reach at least the small of her back. I dipped my hand into the little jar of green-blue gel, and started to gently rub little circles around on the spaces where Aalen had missed, as that was how I was directed to do.
"Wow," Wren murmured. "You are far better than Aalen at this. Probably because she was a bear for so long, and lost the touch of human, let alone a feminine touch." well, I can tell you this, I was rather surprised when she said that, so surprised in fact, that I answered with
"You know, I could get used to that." I was mortified by what I said.
"What was that?" apparently she didn't hear me.
"Er... done?" I prayed that she wouldn't press. It seemed that luck was on my side
"Alright. I think I am going to go outside for a walk. Do you wish to come?" she asked me, rather politely, too. I don't know why, but it got me very angry.
"Don't you know better? You couldn't even bow for the Queen! You hurt too much." I exclaimed.
"Excuse me, but I think I will be the judge of when and where I am "too" anything!" She yelled at me.
"You seem to be too stubborn to admit anything! Sometimes I think that if I wasn't around, you would KILL YOURSELF, running yourself down!"
"You Prig! I think you are the one who needs a babysitter." she stood up quickly, contrary to her burns.
"Oh really!" I was really losing it now. "When was this?"
"This morning! Yesterday, the day before. This whole damn week! You didn't drink your tea, you wouldn't eat, you almost refused to sleep, you came back for me, even when I told you not to. You headstrong fool!"
"Like I said before, you sent away the only help you had when that Belrothol came. You could have died!" I was yelling at the top of my lungs. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aalen and the queen watching us, but I didn't care.
"Why all of a sudden this change in attitude? I remember a time when you would encourage me to go out and die! If memory serves, you once told me you couldn't care less? What happened to the 'I don't give a damn' personality you used to have?" The next few moments went by with the air straining in tension.
"You know full well what happened, wench." I snarled. Wren let her jaw drop, then pressed her lips together. She solidly punched me.
"I have no clue, you worthless serf!" she snarled right back at me. I don't know what happened next, but something in me snapped.
"This is what happened." I said, swiftly standing right in front of her. I kissed her.
End of Hawk POV(no one's POV)
Mel stopped Aalen with a hand on her arm.
"What is it?" Aalen asked, not noticing the scene going on at the entrance of 'her' bear cave.
"Shhh! Look!" Mel whispered, pointing. Following Mel's finger, she gasped.
"I thought they hated each other!" Mel snorted very un-queenish-ly.
"Look at the examples around you! Hell, look at me!" she raised an eyebrow. "You know, hate can be a very good foundation for a relationship. I would know."
Wren's POV (sorry if I am confusing you)
'He's kissing me! He's Kissing me?! Oh well.' I thought to myself. I found out that I enjoyed that kiss, even as soft as it was. He pulled back.
"Wren, I'm sorry. I didn't.. I hope..." he babbled.
"Hawk, shut up." I pulled him back towards me, this time tilting my head back, letting him have better access to my mouth. This kiss, which had started out as a soft brushing of lips, light as a feather, turned into something completely different. "It's a good thing he's holding me up!' I thought giddily 'otherwise I would probably fall!' he held me close to him, crushingly close. Thighs, stomach and chest all pressed against his own, I might have found breathing difficult, had I not been enjoying the kiss so much. Suddenly, I heard footsteps and the faraway murmur of voices. We sprang apart, both breathing raggedly.
"They must be coming back!" he whispered.
"Into the cave, do something inconspicuous!" inwardly I was laughing at my antics. 'Oh, Aalen would kill me if she knew!' "Quickly!" I thought of what I would do if those last five minutes hadn't occurred. I started to pace, and not a moment too soon. At that moment, Mel and Aalen walked in, but Aalen had a very strange look about her, and the Queen was smirking. I absentmindedly stopped pacing.
"What's so funny?" I asked, genuinely curious. Mel gave me a look, then flicked her eyes quickly over to Hawk. I could feel my face gaining warmth. Aalen burst out laughing.