Maybe I Will Chapter 16
AN: Wow! I realized I've been getting lazy with my Author's Notes. By that, I mean I haven't done them. Period. See? Here it is: . Anyway, thank you to each and every person who reviewed my story! And to those who just add it to Alert and Favorite Lists (which I just found out how to do, by the way), SHAME ON YOU! I go to the trouble of writing this, you could at least give me something! Insight on what should be in the next chapter, for instance. Now, I must warn you that High School is taking up a lot of my time, so updates are going to be slow. But as there are only a few chapters left, I wouldn't worry. If you read this far, you must really like me. Thank you!!
Rosto POV:
"Hey! If you lovebirds are all done, we'd all like to get going! Or would you rather stay here?" Goodwin's voice rang out from across the field. I rolled my eyes.
"Yes, we would! I'll put the kitchen there, and the bedroom here…" I yelled back, gesturing around the meadow as I spoke.
Thwack!
"OW! Jeez, what was that for?" I looked to where the hit had come from. The person who had delivered the blow was grinning, icy eyes glittering with glee.
"You may wish to stay here, but I'd like to head back home, thank you!" I stuck out my tongue, which earned an eye roll from her, then mounted Hope. I looked down expectantly, holding out a hand for Beka.
Except she wasn't there.
A whump! behind me gave away her position. She laughed as I turned and glared at her. She grinned impishly at me. Fighting down the urge to kiss her with extreme difficulty, I looked at our group. Tunstall was mounting up, and Goodwin was chastening Kora and Erskren. They hadn't bothered fighting down the urge I had. Finally, we were off.
A few days later that were so dull they don't even deserve to be written.
Ahhh… Corus. Finally, we were home. And it was home now. We had Beka back, and she was mine. I'm not trying to be possessive, but I have been trying as hard as I could without completely scaring her off. I figure I earned the right to call her mine. She didn't disagree when I said that, and I take that as a good sign.
The object of my thoughts nudged me. I looked down at her. (She's sitting in front of him on the horse) She looked warily at our building, which was lit up despite the fact that only Aniki was staying here at the moment and it was the middle of the night. Even the drunks are asleep.
"Who is in there? The main floor is too big for just Aniki and a new cove." I shrugged. I wasn't going to tell her…
We dropped off the horses at Jane Street Kennel. Tunstall and Goodwin insisted they take the horses. We were to take our packs back home and sleep.
"And Beka, you have the next week off. Just warning you. No arguments." She looked so tired, poor mot, she just nodded. We walked toward the lit building. Kora and Erskren entered first, then me and Beka.
"Beka!"
"Thank the Gods, you're safe!"
"Where were you? You've been gone a month!"
Dozens of voices bombarded us as we entered. Every Dog from the Evening Watch, minus Tunstall and Goodwin, Ahuda, some Rogues who helped out with the diggers case, the Cooper family, and the Lord Provest were all crowded into the room. She gasped. I, however, had something more important to know.
"Hey! Where's the ale? I'm parched!" Laughter came from everyone, although Beka's little sisters looked nervous. Beka went over to them, and her brothers, without hesitation, and a flagon of ale was pressed into my hand by Bold Brian. He grinned at me. I grinned back, then drank.
Beka POV:
When we walked in, a torrent of questions hit my ears. I couldn't understand. Rosto yelled for ale, and I noticed my sisters looking wary in the corner. Will and Nilo looked at ease, but I headed over anyway. They were family, after all.
"Beka!" Nilo saw me first, and basically crashed into me in his hurry to get over. Will and the others walked over, and the other Dogs moved away to give us privacy. I gathered them all into a group hug, smiling.
"Beka…" Diona looked nervous, and embarrassed, probably because of me hugging them. I released them, looking at Diona expectantly. She looked down.
"Are… are you okay? You were gone so long… They said that you coming home was unlikely after the first week…" I put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up.
"I'm fine. Actually, I was unconscious for the most part." Her eyes widened at my last comment.
"Unconscious? How… why…what?" The others watched me as well, though with less panic.
"Shhh…" I listened, carefully for Rosto's voice, then lead my siblings over to him. They looked at me, confused.
"Listen." Then I looked at Rosto.
"So, they were leading me to Srimfor's rooms, when this rusher comes running up. He's completely terrified, and says Beka wasn't there, she escaped. I was lead into his rooms, while the poor cove what came over was fried. Then…"
"So, Rosto, starting without me, are you?" Rosto looked round, spotting me'n my family all standing there. He grinned impishly at me.
"Nooo… Why would you ask something like that? I am hurt that you have so little faith in me." He acquired a sad look, but his eyes were glittering with restrained laughter.
"Yes. I should trust the King Rat more often. You are completely and totally trust-worthy, and I should be ashamed of myself for even thinking otherwise." Everyone standing near laughed outright at this. A few small gasps behind me said that my siblings hadn't known who Rosto was. He gave me a haughty look.
"Darn right. I demand an apology for this atrocity."
"I'm sorry for saying something that is such an insult to your male pride. Even if it is true." More laughter. I grinned. I was having fun!
Diona POV:
When my Lord Provest gathered all of us Coopers, I nearly had a panic attack.
Why does he want all of us? Is it Beka? Oh Gods, what if she didn't make it? Oh, why was I so mean to her last time? Just because I don't like her having such a dangerous job, that's no reason. Why, oh why… And on and on.
My Lord didn't say what he wanted, instead leading us out of his home, down through Day Market, and into the Cesspool. I was very nervous, particularly when we arrived at some old boarding house. Inside, dozens of people were standing around. A few bowed to my Lord, so I figured they were Dogs, but I didn't recognize anyone. I looked at my Lord questioningly. He smiled at me. Then he addressed the room at large.
"I have received word that Provests Guards Goodwin and Tunstall, Trainee Guardsmen Erskren, Rogues Mage, and the Rogue himself are arriving tonight. My letter says that they have one more person in their caravan." He paused, looking at the eager faces all around the room. Then he yelled out loud.
"They are bringing Beka home!"
The cheers were so loud that I worried my eardrums would pop. My Lord held up a hand.
"They will arrive soon. Do we have refreshments for them?" The room became a flurry of activity as people ran around, leaving the building completely a few times, to fulfill his wish. One pretty mot, with blond hair, went upstairs. She was the only one. I figured she must live here.
I lead my siblings to a private corner, to wait for our sister. We didn't have to wait long.
Two people entered. One I recognized as Erskren, Beka's friend from training. The other, a girl, was unfamiliar. They walked in. Then the doors opened again, and the yelling nearly deafened me again as my sister walked in, closely followed by a man a few years older than her, with the lightest blond hair I've ever seen. He yelled loudly at us: "Where's the ale? I'm parched!" Everyone laughed.
Beka spotted us and came right over. Nilo shouted her name, and ran over, giving her a big hug. The rest of us walked over, and the other people parted to give us room. Beka was grinning, and gathered us into a group hug. I found I was fighting back tears.
"Beka…" I was nervous. I had been so mean, and she had disappeared…
"Are… are you okay? You were gone so long… They said that you coming home was unlikely after the first week…" She put her hand on my shoulder, making me look up. I hadn't even noticed looking down.
"I'm fine. Actually, I was unconscious for the most part." My eyes widened. Unconscious?!
"Unconscious? How… why…what?" I was stuttering. Was she hurt, then?
"Shhh…" She lead us over to the blond man she'd walked in with. He was talking.
"Listen," She said. So we did.
"So, they were leading me to Srimfor's rooms, when this rusher comes running up. He's completely terrified, and says Beka wasn't there, she escaped. I was lead into his rooms, while the poor cove what came over was fried. Then…" Beka called over to him.
"So, Rosto, starting without me, are you?" He looked over at us, and grinned.
"Nooo… Why would you ask something like that? I am hurt that you have so little faith in me." He looked forlornly at us, but his eyes were laughing.
"Yes. I should trust the King Rat more often. You are completely and totally trust-worthy, and I should be ashamed of myself for even thinking otherwise." The people standing nearby laughed. I gasped, mirrored by my siblings. This goofball defeated Deerborn? He looked at Beka arrogantly.
"Darn right. I demand an apology for this atrocity."
"I'm sorry for saying something that is such an insult to your male pride. Even if it is true." These two argue like an old married couple!
"Hey! That's not an apology!." He, Rosto, grinned mischievously. He stepped closer, so his face was only inches away from Beka's. I watched them carefully. Beka obviously liked him, and he seemed nice, but he was still a rusher. Did she trust him enough to overcome all our fears of Rats?
"This will suffice for an apology." He leaned forward, and kissed my sister full on the lips. Cheers erupted out of everyone nearby, and someone yelled loudly, "Finally!"
Finally?! What does that mean? A very reasonable voice in my head, one that sounded a lot like Beka herself, answered my question.
It means that the people who knew them could see he loved her, and she him. Probably before they did themselves. Don't worry about her. He is good, if the Dogs cheer with the Rats.
And so when they broke apart, both grinning, and Beka looked sheepishly at us, I called out to her.
"When's the wedding?"
Well, that is all I can think of writing. If I left something out, tell me in the Review you will give me, because you are so very nice.
Right?