Chapter 4

Day of Union, Part 1

The magical day arrived at Redwall. The day when male and female would unite. The day when two beasts would fulfill the obligations set upon them at birth, from the very moment their genders could be discerned. The day which carried the promise of more children, and manifested the dreams of elders. A day full of duty and love. Not the love between the two beasts concerned, mind, but the love lavished upon them by others who needed desperately to see their way of life continue as it always had. That love was far more important.

Nadine began this day weeping into her pillow, much to the irritation of the other maids she shared a room with. She soon gathered herself because she was due in the kitchens for morning duty. Her breakfast rolls had the honor of being first to go in the oven, the first of a hundred breads the kitchens would turn out that day. Once lit, the ovens would not rest until dark.

As she shaped the balls of dough, she thought about how she could possibly sneak out with Harriet that morning. What duty could she defect, that would not anger everyone? The sewing, probably. She would make time, she resolved. If she just went a little faster with everything else, surely she could materialize hours out of nothing...

She finished doing the rolls at top speed. She took her turn at dishes, could not do as many as she ought to. She smiled apologetically at the vole maid who was up next, who balked at what was left. Heart pounding, Nadine jogged to fetch a pail and went up the stairs to join the beasts cleaning great hall, and set to scrubbing. She made it there earlier than expected; she was making good time.

But noon drew closer, and she was still not done. She scrubbed and scrubbed. Her fingers began to pulse from the exertion and the anxiety. A pair of insolent red feet stepped into her view, right on the flagstones she had just cleaned. Nadine looked up to see Harriet staring at her with amusement. The squirrel looked awake and lovely, in a lilac tunic and skirt.

"I believe we had an appointment," said Harriet.

Nadine looked down, ears flattened. "I can't. I am so sorry, but I just can't. There is so much left to do."

"Then leave it. Who cares if the floor isn't sparkling?"

"Sister Gertrude certainly will," Nadine grumbled, "and so will anyone who knows I am responsible."

"I did not take you for a weak creature who lives by the opinion of others. Is this the sort of maiden that Abbess Moraine raises?"

Nadine could only reply, "I am sorry that I disappoint you."

"Tell me where you saw the rat. I shall go find him myself."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Nadine felt a great burden lift off her shoulders once she told what she knew, and Harriet departed. Before long she was exactly where she ought to be, in the company of a pawful of other maidens, who sat in a circle, working on the hem of the bride's dress. It was a beautiful confection of rosy-pink, embroidered to the hilt with green vines and pink and white blooms. Nadine was deaf to the chatter of the others, for as her needle worked, questions filled her head. Had Harriet taken other beasts with her? Would she be safe on her own? What if the rat hurt her? It would be all Nadine's fault. She could not bear waiting all day for the squirrel to return with news.

I should have gone with her, Nadine thought uneasily.

When Lily, the bride, sat down with them to sew, Nadine would not make eye contact with her. But she was not very distressed about the presence of her beautiful and kind rival. She had much on her mind.

All day Nadine she did as she was bidden. Her head was buzzing in other worlds, while her paws worked without direction. In the garden she was digging parsnips out the ground, but could not recall when or how she had gotten there. Come evening she sat on her bed, her dress laid out neatly beside her, and chewed anxiously on her now-clean claws.

She missed the actual moment of Harriet returning, but she heard the talk soon enough. Harriet had brought home a rat in manacles.

Nadine pushed through the small crowd that had formed around the triumphant squirrel and her captive. The rat spared Nadine a glance, but only just. She could tell that he recognized her yet was somehow utterly unsurprised at her presence. He was bruised and bloody, and smelled terrible, so out of place compared to all the fresh abbeybeasts dressed in their finest. Anger bubbled within the mousemaid, though she understood little of what was happening. It all seemed wrong.

"Nadine, my wonderful new assistant!" said Harriet, grinning through a bloody lip. She too, stank of sweat and blood and the woods. "Would you do me a teensy favor and find a place to put him while I get cleaned up? You go with her, Jacko."

"Where would I find a place?" Nadine asked coldly, as the looming otter joined her. "You know every inch of the abbey is occupied. Downstairs he would get in the way, and upstairs there are no rooms."

"Then put him in the gatehouse for now. You'll have to miss Ronnie's vows to keep an eye on him, but I daresay you'll be happy to have the excuse."

Nadine and Jacko took the rat away. The creature was defeated in spirit. He didn't try to make a run for it, though his legs were not bound at all. Nadine almost wished he would. She would open the gate for him. If she thought enough about it, she knew that was an incomplete and dangerous plan, but her feet itched to run, too.

Jacko dug the key to the gatehouse from his habit and let them in. The rat sank to the ground, back against a wall, letting out a deep breath.

"Were you there, Jacko?" Nadine asked. "What happened?"

"He's not talking," Jacko whispered. "He won't say anything about who he is or where he got it."

Nadine was taken aback. "So she's just going to hold him prisoner? Over a stupid scrap of cloth? Look at the state he's in!"

"Clearly you don't know Harriet very well," Jacko said. "This is her life's work, you know. She brings us treasures and knowledge to fill our vault and library. She takes it very seriously." The otter lowered his voice. "Could I see you outside a moment?"

Nadine grudgingly followed him out. The otter continued at a whisper, "The thing is, that's not an ordinary vermin in there, my dear. He's a thinking one. Random bandits and vagrants are common as dirt in Mossflower, but we need to pay attention when a leader shows up, you understand? It's like casting a net, and pulling in a shark among all the fish. There's not supposed to be sharks in the river Moss. We need to know who he is, or who he works for, where he comes from. I rather think Byron will want to interrogate him tomorrow, after all this—you know—is over."

Nadine's stomach knotted in horror. She turned on her heel and walked away.

"Where are you going?" asked Jacko. "Don't leave me here with him!"

"I'm getting him something to eat!" she called angrily. "You just otter up for two minutes, will you?"

She returned with rosemary bread, a bit of brandy and a pitcher of water. "Seems you got those alms after all," she said dryly, as she set them down before the rat. He looked at her with a miserable expression and then toasted her silently with the cup of brandy, held between both bound paws. It was the first time tonight he'd looked her in the eyes, and she was alarmed at the amount of familiarity in their exchange. She held back tears. What a day. What a positively ludicrous day, she thought.

"Cry a lot, do you?" the rat remarked. He sat back in a decidedly more relaxed posture and took another sip.

To her surprise, he was more than willing to wash up when she filled a bucket for him from the pond. The gatehouse had its own little fenced-off alcove outside, which Jacko euphemistically called 'the washroom'. As the rat was limited in the use of his arms, Nadine prodded Jacko into helping him bathe in a perfunctory way, and to get his wounds clean and dressed. They put him in one of Jacko's nightshirts. Of course, it was much too long for a rat, and the manacles prevented him from using the sleeves. He looked odd, armless in a long white gown, but his smell had improved greatly.

"Listen, rat," Nadine said to him. "Do you want to be freed? Tell us about yourself. Tell them who you are, and Harriet might let you go."

"The squirrel's a thief and not to be trusted," replied the rat.

"A thief?" said Nadine. "How so? You are the thief. You tried to steal from me."

"She's a thief of a much higher order, lass. Thief of relics. A graverobber. I'll not tell her ennythin'."

Jacko, who had been dutifully scribbling notes, said, "What preposterous accusations! I've known that squirrel from when she was a child."

"Aye? Are you the one what taught her the world is hers for the taking?" The rat watched Jacko's paw as if he wanted the quill to break. "You know me not. Don't write like you do. You will never be the great beast you dream of being, otter."

Jacko stared at him aghast. "I-I...wh...how..."

"For your information, rat, you are speaking to a Micklemere," Nadine cut in indignantly. "And he is a fine and gentle beast."

"That's right," said Jacko. "My father is—"

"Oh, have a father, do ya?" said the rat. Evidently the brandy had sharpened his tongue.

"I don't believe I ever heard your name," Nadine said. She crossed her arms expectantly. The rat did not respond.

Jacko said, "He had a ring with 'Tawnhide' written inside the band. Or, I think that's what it said. Northern letters are a bit different."

"He doesn't look very tawny to me," said Nadine doubtfully. "How did you see what was written on the inside, anyway? Did you take it from him?"

"Harriet confiscated it."

Nadine's mouth set in a grim line. "Jacko, you have helped her abduct a beast, do you understand? As far as we know he's just some thief, not even a successful one. And it's my fault that he's here! If he's harmed—."

"Don't be ridiculous, my dear. Of course he will not be harmed. This is Redwall. He wishes his kind were as merciful as us. Why, if you were kidnapped by some vermin, they'd certainly not give you the good brandy and sit around talking."

An hour or so later, Harriet came by the gatehouse in high spirits. There was no trace of her former disheveled state, except a line of dry blood on her lip. She was neatly groomed and dressed to perfection, complete with gloves and a feathered cap.

"You did clean him up well," Harriet said, pleased at the sight of the tamed and somewhat ridiculous-looking rat. "I thought I would relieve you two. You've done so well, Nadine. The ceremony's over, but the feast is on. Go and eat."

Nadine was momentarily surprised at how little she cared about missing the entirety of Byron's wedding. That was an anthill of a problem when one had charge of a prisoner in handcuffs who ought not to be a prisoner, and whose safety could be entrusted to no one.

She said, "If it's all the same, Sister, I think we'll take Mister ah—Tawnhide with us to the hall. It wouldn't be the Redwall way to starve him."

"Oh?" said Harriet. "I doubt he would think twice about starving any number of us. Be thankful you're not the one in chains, little Nadine."

Nadine rolled her eyes. "I am beyond myself with thanks. All the same, I don't think it would offend anyone to have him in the hall, now that all the important bits are over." Before there were any other objections, Nadine hustled the rat out the door. Jacko sprinted to catch up.

Sister Harriet now stood in the gatehouse alone, observing the messy room with disapproval. Her attention landed on Jacko's table, on the empty tray of food and the empty water pitcher.

"What was that about?" the otter was asking, as he and Nadine rushed the rat towards Great Hall. "We fed him already."

"I don't want to leave him alone with her." Nadine whispered.

"Why not? Harriet is perfectly capable of defending herself. No ordinary maid, that."

Nadine scoffed. "Jacko, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"We're good friends, I like to think. You sad yesterday that there are some beasts who care more about you than Byron. Well, if you had to choose between me and Harriet, who has your favor?"

Tawnhide let out an impatient little hiss.

"What a silly question, my dear," said Jacko.

"It is not silly, not if I am planning to do something at odds with her. Please tell me that I can trust you."

"You can always trust me," said Jacko. "Though I'd rather like to know what you have in mind."

Nadine caught Tawnhide's gaze. Now, the rat's eyes burned with deep interest. A keen and silent conversation passed between the two beasts. "Color me surprised, lass," he said finally.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" asked Jacko.

Author note: these two chapters were a bear to write, but also very fun. Started out as one, then eventually became so ponderous that I had to split it up. I've got a third in the pipeline, so hopefully that will be out by the next weekend. Thank you for the reviews as always, Grey and Waycaster. I should come by and review your stories sometime.