Chapter 2
The afternoon's sun's rays filtered through the Abbey window, into the small room where Mother Caltrena sat in a rocking chair, lost in deep thoughts. The old badgermum looked out of the window, across the Mossflower Woods, where the leaves rustled slightly, as if it would carry on her musings. A quick knock on the room's door brought the aged badger out of her deep recess of thoughts. Shaking her great silvery head, the badger called out in a voice that was quite strong for one so old and frail.
"Come in!"
Arrie entered, followed by Mee and Ajain. The badger smiled, as if there was nothing more in the world that she wanted more than to see these three maids. She motioned them to come closer, which they did willingly.
"Are you all right, you three, with what happened then in the forest?" Old and weary eyes, but full of intelligence looked worriedly at Arrie, then Mee, then Ajain.
"Burr aye, nothoin'm beez happoining to oi, Muvver Caltrena, but Mee got pushed an' Arrie got hit boi a stoine."
"I'm fine, Mother, really, I am." The badger turned to Arrie.
"How about you, my dear?" Arrie looked down at her footpaws.
"Well… I'm actually alright, but…"
"But what, Linarrie? Feel free to say anything you need to here." The mousemaid looked straight into Caltrena's deep eyes.
"Mother, I feel fine, thanks to Sister Inganara's medicines and to Mee's and Ajain's company. But it's the creature that did that that I worry about." Caltrena's eyes gazed into those of Arrie, full of understanding.
"Explain please."
"Well, Mother, when I got hit by the stone a few days ago, I got a glimpse of the creature who had done it. It was a mouse, and I knew that it was Meartay, or at least I thought it was. When I told Abbot and all the rest of the Elders, most of them didn't believe me 'cause they all know what's goin' between me and Meartay, and they thought that I was only saying that because I wanted to get her in trouble. In the end Brother Springdale got angry, and sent me to bed without any vittles. The next day, Meartay kept on taunting me, and I replied to her mocking words, but Friar Hugrus heard and made me come to speak to you, Mother." Mother Caltrena continued looking at Arrie intensely, and she finally sighed.
"Alright. Mee, Ajain, I would like you two to go and have lunch now. Arrie, you and me will talk for a while." The ottermaid and the molemaid left, giving their friend looks of encouragement. Arrie smiled at them, and they exited the room. After a while, Mother Caltrena broke the silence by coughing dryly.
"Oh Mother, are you alright? Should I get you a glass of water?" Worry was etched on Arrie's features. The great badger shook her great silvery head.
"I'm fine, Linarrie, thank you. It's old age that's bothering me everyday. I am old, Linarrie, older than most creatures will ever be. But that is not my concern. My concern if for you, Linarrie. You're almost all grown up. I've been watching you ever since you were a newborn, all the way to Dibbunhood, and so on. And you're always the same. So sweet, so gentle, so caring… But you're also pretty headstrong at times. Linarrie, what can I say? There's so much I want to tell you, but I just don't know where to start." Mother Caltrena left Arrie to muse over what she had said.
"But Mother," Arrie said after a moment of silence, "You said that you've known me since I was a newborn, but I wasn't here then, remember? I was found as an orphan in the woods when I was still in the early stages of Dibbunhood. That's what everyone told me, including Father Resuvarnin, Skipper, Foremole, 'n all the rest." Caltrena looked at Arrie mysteriously. Sighing heavily, the old badger nodded.
"When the time comes… Alright Linarrie, tell me about Meartay teasing you and what you said in return." Arrie found it a bit strange how Mother Caltrena had suddenly changed the subject, but nevertheless, the mousemaid obeyed.
"Well, it was after Brother Springdale sent me to bed without any vittles, the next day it was, so today, I skipped breakfast 'cause I didn't want to meet the Elders and face their wrath. I went outside, by the pond, where Meartay was sitting with her friend Jane, and she started saying things like, "Oh you're useless Arrie, always getting into trouble." and all, and she even said that it was because of that that my parents abandoned me, because I was too stupid and always so bad!" Arrie angrily brushed a tear away from her sapphire coloured eye.
"And what did you say in return, Linarrie?"
"Well… I said to her that she's worse than vermin, that she deserves to be eaten by a wolverine, and that her parents were probably made out of vermin dung." Caltrena sighed heavily again.
"Linarrie, Linarrie, where do you get all these ideas? If you don't watch what you say, then yes, you will get yourself into great trouble. What should I do with you, Linarrie dear?"
"Will you punish me, Mother? Because if you do, I won't object because I know I'd deserve it, but Meartay was the one who provoked me in the first place, and she's always bullying me since the first day at Abbey school where we met!" Caltrena looked at Arrie sadly.
"Always so modest… Arrie, I won't punish you because I believe what you have said. But I want you to promise me that you'll do your best to become friendly with Meartay, and that you'll apologize to her, Father Abbot, and all the other Elders. Promise me that, Linarrie." The badgermum looked at the young mouse maid. Arrie looked down at her footpaws. At last she nodded.
"I promise you, Mother, I promise you." Caltrena smiled gently.
"Thank you, Linarrie. Now I suggest you to go and find the others, and apologize to them." Arrie nodded and before leaving the small room, she hugged Mother Caltrena gently. Two sad but wise eyes followed the young mousemaid out of the doors. The old badger sighed. She heaved herself up from the chair and walked slowly out of the room.