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SAVING ROSE 2: Journal of a Hope
Chapter Three
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"Rose, and all of you, how would you like to see Martin?"
All four of them froze. Rose looked up at her parents with wild eyes. "What, dig up his grave?" She said in horror. "No, thank you,"
Urran Voh scoffed. "Dig up an empty grave, you mean."
Pallum stared at he and Aryah. "What are you saying, sir?"
Brome scowled. "Father, Mother, stop it. What kind of sick joke is this? Martin's grave is not empty, the maid Josephine claims to have buried him herself –"
Aryah frowned at her son. "Did she, now? Perhaps you heard wrong. Look, here she is now – let's ask her to confirm."
Josephine was indeed coming their way, with stack of more plates. She stopped dead as she saw all six beasts looking at her with strange expressions. "Can I help you?" she asked timidly.
"Jose," Rose said sternly. "That day at Marshank when we saw you, you were... burying... Martin, were you not?"
Josephine looked at Urran in shock. At a nod from him, she stuttered, "No."
Grumm was astounded. "Burr, miz, you'm said-"
She shook her head. "On the contrary, the last I saw of him he was tired, but alive. I used the shovel I brought with me and claimed to have buried him."
There was a shocked silence. Grumm, Rose, Pallum and Grumm turned to Aryah and Urran. "You were saying…?" Rose whispered, almost dangerously.
Her father was most uncomfortable. "Before we get into anything, let me say this: it was for the best."
Rose would have replied something, and rather nastily at that, but her mother interrupted her. "Back to what we were really saying. Do you want to go see Martin or not?"
Rose did not have to answer. Brome and Pallum hugged each other with glee in response.
Things were a slightly different story at Redwall. A few days after Boldred had left Noonvale, she arrived to Martin's home. It was still raining, though storming was a better word. The owl was welcomed into cavern hole and introduced to Redwall's Founders after she had dried off. She gave a self-satisfied smirk to a rather horrified Martin, something the onlookers wondered about.
"I'm just a messenger," she explained to the others. "and I need to have a word with a certain beast."
Trying hard to ignore the inquiring stares of the others, Martin let Boldred lead him out into the Great Hall.
As the door closed, Gonff rose and placed his ear against the door. He winked at his wife as she gave him a cold, disagreeing look. Yet, soon all but the elders had their ears pressed against the door, listening intently.
"Boldred, what's the meaning of this? What in the blazes brings you here?" Martin's shocked voice said.
"Your friends at Noonvale miss you, warrior," the wise owl said.
"But Rose-!"
"That's precisely it, Martin. Things have been getting out of wing. Urran and Aryah sent me to see if you would mind having some visitors, and surely your abbey is up to the job."
"Well, of course! But-" Boldred's cold stare stopped him from saying further. "Er, of course I don't mind. Redwall is open to all," Martin said lamely.
"Good. They'll be here before the season is over," Boldred said. "Now, where do I sleep?"
It was a very exhausted Martin that showed the owl her quarters.
Boldred left the next day, and was back to Noonvale within three days. She was practically bowled over by Rose, who had grown used to the idea that Martin might still be alive. Preparations were made, and soon Grumm, Pallum, Rose, and Brome were ready to set off to Redwall Abbey.
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