2.
Visitors
"C'mon Rosie, time to get up." Urran Voh shook his daughter awake at the crack of dawn.
"'M tired daddy," came the sleepy little voice in return.
"Get up Rose," Urran persisted. "You get to go play with Camilla and her friends all day today."
Rose threw her blanket back over her head in an ineffectual attempt to escape. "Don' wanna," she pouted.
Urran took a deep breath before he pulled the blanket completely off Rose's bed. Rose immediately curled into a tight little ball as a blast of cool air washed over her. "Hurry up Rosie or you'll miss your breakfast."
Rose knew she couldn't argue with her father anymore so she turned over and looked at him, her eyes huge. "Can't I play with Grumm an' Trumm again daddy? They're more fun. Pleeeaase?"
Her father had steeled himself for this kind of show from his daughter. "Have you ever played with Camilla before Rose?"
Rose didn't say anything and just sulked.
"If you haven't ever played with Camilla then you don't know she won't be a nice mouse to play with. Now come on and get up or your breakfast will get cold." Urran left the room to let Rose change out of her bedclothes. Soon Rose emerged from her room still rubbing sleep with her eyes. Slowly she sat down at the small table in the cottage and began to pick half-heartedly at her bowl of oatmeal.
Aryah burst into the room her face alight. Then she saw her daughter's expression and her expression soured. Motioning for her husband to join her out of earshot of Rose she retreated to the corner of the room. "She's already miserable," Aryah said. "Are you really going to force her to do something she doesn't want to do?"
Urran waved off Aryah's concerns. "She's just being stubborn because she's just gotten up. Let her finish breakfast and I'm sure she'll be right as rain."
"I hope so," said Aryah.
"Hurry up and finish Rose," said Urran as he turned back to the table. "We don't want to be late."
Rose didn't answer and just dug her spoon into her bowl to let the heap of oatmeal plop back down into the bowl.
"Here we are. Now doesn't this look nice?" Urran looked down at Rose. His eye's furrowed a bit. "Please stop dragging your footpaws. You'll get your dress all dirty. Do you have your doll?"
"Her name is Lavender, not 'doll' papa," Rose replied.
Urran put on as kindly a tone as he could. "I'm sorry, do you have Lavender?"
Rose held up the small doll in her paw as she looked in every direction except the cottage she and her father had just reached. Urran just shook his head a little before rapping smartly on the door. He was not long in waiting for an answer.
A mousewife named Lilla opened the door and greeted them warmly. "Urran Voh welcome! And little Laterose, we're so glad to have you hear. Camilla and the others are waiting for you in the garden."
Rose didn't say anything but scowled a bit more. The fact that she had been addressed by her full name rankled her a bit. She much rather preferred to just be called Rose. Only after a gentle nudge from her father did she grudgingly remember her manners. "Thank you Miss Lilla."
Urran handed Rose's paw off to Lilla as he turned to leave. "Thank you for taking her today Lilla. Have fun Rose, I'll be back to collect you around supper time."
After Urran had left Lilla escorted Rose through her cottage to the back garden where her own daughter Camilla and her friends, Joyce and Teerla were waiting. They were all young mousemaids of Rose's own age. They had set up a small table and were having a tea party with small cups and saucers. Cool water taking the place of tea however. The other three mousemaids had also arrived with their own dolls. However unlike Rose their dresses didn't show the slightest sign of wrinkle or having to have been mended. The frills around their sleeves and neckline were pristine and spotless. Rose's green dress was rather simple in comparison, and had several mends around the lower hemline due to Rose's many minor adventures running around Noonvale.
"And here is Laterose," said Lilla as she and Rose approached. "I need to go inside and finish your new dress Camilla. You four play nice." With that Lilla left leaving Rose standing alone holding her doll Lavender.
"Well? Are you going to join us Laterose?" Camilla asked.
Rose's suspicions about the attitude of Camilla were strengthened when she heard the crisp tone directed at her. She was about to respond back in kind when she remembered her father would ask Lilla about her behavior. Taking a breath she walked over to the empty chair set aside for her. Looking to her left and right she saw the looks the other three were giving her. She didn't like being sized up like this. She could tell they didn't like the fact her dress didn't have ruffles or had several mends on it.
"May I have some water please," Rose squeaked.
"It's not water, it's tea," Joyce told her almost sharply.
"May I have some tea please," said Rose.
"Have you washed your paws?" Teerla asked.
"I didn't know I needed to wash my paws when I wanted a drink of wat- tea," said Rose.
"Of course you do," Camilla told Rose as if this was the most apparent thing anybeast would realize. "You don't want to drink dirty tea now do you?"
"I guess not," Rose said as she just stared down at her place at the small table.
After a small awkward pause Camilla spoke up. "Well?"
Rose looked up and saw Camilla was speaking to her. "Well what?"
"Aren't you going to go wash your paws?"
Looking at the other three Rose didn't see any sympathy in their eyes. Sighing and feeling very lonely she got up and went to go wash her paws in the rain barrow next to the cottage.
Urran Voh's usual way of presiding over Noonvale was to stroll through the valley and talk to its inhabitants. To a beast they were a friendly, courteous, and kindly lot. Mice, otters, hedgehogs, voles, and moles had all come together to form a quaint community deep in the ancient northern woods. As Patriarch, Urran saw it as his responsibility to the creatures of Noonvale to ensure they continued to live in harmony with themselves, the woods, and that no outside influence would disturb the tranquility that lay over the valley. The morning mists were quickly disappearing under the warm spring sun. Calling out greetings to creatures he had known all his life Urran Voh took a deep breath of the clean air around him.
For as long as he had been able to remember the woods and orchards of his home gave him a sense of peace. Urran knew that there were other forces throughout the land. Tales occasionally reached his ears from the few travelers who came through Noonvale. Tales of creatures who caused harm and distress to other beast. Tales of those who had tried to resist such evil but had only found themselves in chains or dead as a result. Tales of the horrors of war. Urran thanked his lucky stars that Noonvale had as yet avoided any such distress and he knew he would do all he could to keep it that way.
"Noonvalers stay in Noonvale," Urran said to himself in an attempt to cast off the dark specters of strife that had somehow wormed their way into his thoughts.
"Sorry sir, what was that?"
Urran looked up to see one of his closest friends approaching him, a mouse by the name of Dalet. "Nothing Dalet," the Patriarch replied. "Just thinking out loud. What brings you out this fine morning?"
"Looking for you," Dalet said. "We have visitors."
Urran perked up. Visitors to Noonvale, while rare, were nonetheless always welcomed warmly. "Who and where are they?" he asked.
Dalet indicated a paw towards Council Lodge. "Their names are Hortwingle and Boldred. A nice pair of short-eared owls who say they're mapping the streams round abouts here before heading back to their home."
The mice made their way through the cottages and gardens to Council Lodge. A small crowd had gathered to meet and greet the visitors. Urran calmly walked to the front of the crowd and introduced himself to the owls. "Welcome to Noonvale friends. I am Urran Voh, Patriarch of Noonvale."
The male owl extended a talon and shook Urran's paw. "Thank you sir. I am Hortwingle, but please just call my Horty. This is my wife Boldred."
"A pleasure to meet you," she said.
"Likewise," said a smiling Urran Voh. He indicated they enter the Lodge. "Please come inside and rest yourselves."
"Thank you," said Boldred. "That is most kind of you."
Shortly Urran, Dalet, Horty, and Boldred were enjoying a light repast of scones and cool mint tea. "Dalet here says you are in the area mapping the rivers and streams?" Urran asked.
"Indeed," Horty said. "We've been gone from our home in mountain to the north of here a bit too long. This is what you might call the return trip of our journey."
"And where else have you been?" Dalet asked.
"Well we've mapped much of the area within a few weeks travel fairly well. So we decided to see what lied nearer to the Western Ocean," Boldred told him.
Dalet was still curious. "What did you find?"
"Very little save windswept cliffs, rocks, and sand to be honest. Though we hear of an interesting tribe of mice living in some caves on the shore. Seems that given where they chose to settle they've needed to be a bit harder than the lovely valley you have here."
"Harder? In what way?" Now it was Urran's turn to be curious.
Horty took over the tale from his wife. "Well those cliffs must be the remotest place to call home. And while living off the sea can be a boon it can be a curse as well. It appears that just a few seasons back this tribe was attacked by vermin corsairs. The pirates slew many of their numbers including the wife of their Chieftain."
Urran and Dalet exchanged worried glances. "What happened to them?" Urran asked.
"Well their Chieftain, a mouse named Luke, has spent the time organizing what is left of his tribe. He seems determined to somehow follow the corsairs who slew his wife and return the favor."
Dalet seemed shocked at the news. "That's horrible!"
Boldred gave him a cool stare. "That is it, but put yourself in his place. From what we heard this Luke comes from a long line of warriors. To him it's a matter of honor to avenge his wife's death."
Urran shook his head at the tale the owls had told him. "It's news such as this that makes me so eternally glad of the peace here in Noonvale. Sad will be the day we ever allow any here bearing arms."
Boldred turned her stare to the Patriarch. "So you would rather give tyrants free reign to plunder and enslave any they come across?"
Urran didn't like being lectured by Boldred. "Of course not," he said but felt his brows furrowing a bit. "It's just that I fail to see why warriors have to resort to violence so quickly. Surely much pain and suffering could be avoided if they tried talking first."
Horty nodded gravely at Urran. "You're right of course sir," he said. "A proper beast would of course think that way. But sadly few vermin are so disposed to such niceties. Try setting up a meeting with a corsair captain or some such and chances are you'll find yourself drinking from a poisoned goblet or a dagger in your back for your trouble. Warriors like this Luke are perilous creatures to be sure. However they are also among the most honorable, courageous, and valiant beasts one could meet."
Boldred agreed with her husband. "He's right. We didn't even meet this Luke or any of his tribe, but the moles and hedgehogs we talked to who had met him said this Luke was a mouse of unquestioning devotion and loyalty. Especially to his son who had somehow survived the raid that killed Luke's wife. A warrior born, not made were their exact words if I recall."
Despite himself Urran couldn't help but feel a shiver of awe roll up his spine. The owls words had indeed stirred something within him. A feeling of nobility and courage, yet at the same time caution. "Still I feel that it's dangerous to associate with such a creature. This Luke must be a great warrior to have earned such a reputation. But by your own words that reputation didn't save his wife from corsairs. Death is the companion of such creatures. I can only hope that we here in Noonvale never have reason to fight like such beasts."
"In that we also agree sir," Boldred said diplomatically as she raised her cup of tea in salute to Urran Voh. "Noonvale seems such a lovely place it would indeed be a tragedy if harm were to befall its creatures."
"Thank you," Urran said. Finishing his tea he rose and set his cup down on his saucer. "But enough of this distressing talk. I insist on showing you round the entire valley. Allow me to extend you every courtesy we can offer."
Horty grinned at the offer. "If these scones are any judge of your hospitality sir I'm sure we would love to take you up on that."
Rose was not having a good time. Camilla, Joyce, and Teerla had insisted on the most stuffy of manners during their small tea party, had cast scornful looks at the simplicity of Lavender's doll clothes, and then once tea had finished they hadn't wanted to do anything other than continue to sit at their little table and discuss the flowers that were beginning to bloom around their families gardens. They also would only refer to Rose by her full title. As many times as she asked them to simply call her Rose, they ignored the request.
"Laterose, what do you think of the bluebells sprouting up just over there?" Joyce asked.
"It's just Rose an' I think the bluebells are just shoots an' not very pretty yet," said a very bored Rose.
"But you have to agree they'll be the most lovely bluebells ever to grow in Noonvale when they do bloom," said Teerla.
"I suppose so." Rose wasn't looking at the other young maids. Instead she was watching the clouds move across the sky.
"Don't you know it's rude to not look at someone when you talk to them?" Camilla said.
"Don't you know it's rude to be rude to a guest?" Rose countered.
Camilla looked very affronted that Rose would respond to her like that. "Well we all can't be daughter of the chieftain and get special treatment now can we?"
At that Rose did look at Camilla before she started speaking. "I don't get any special treatment," she said.
"Then how come you got to sit on Miss Gracelyn's lap last night during story time after dinner?"
"I didn't ask to, she just picked me up," Rose said with her lip beginning to tremble.
"She's right Camilla. She doesn't get any special treatment. I mean if I were the daughter of the leader of Noonvale I'd at least have a pretty dress," said Joyce.
Tears started burning in Rose's eyes. She didn't like being teased like this. Hugging Lavender close to her she tried not to cry. That didn't stop the taunts though.
"I know why she got to sit in Miss Gracelyn's lap," Teerla put in. "It was because of all that singing before story time."
Rose couldn't take it anymore. She leapt from her chair and ran to the far side of the garden to hide underneath a bush where the other three maids couldn't see her. Their snooty laughter still reached her ears as she cried under the bush. How long she stayed under the bush she didn't know. She jumped when she heard her father's voice.
"Rosie! Time to go home."
Rose ran out of the bush and to her father. Rushing into the cottage she found him just outside of the front door. She attached herself to his leg trying to hide her tears from him. Urran looked down at his daughter in shock. He hadn't been expecting this. "What happened?" he asked Lilla who had met him at the door.
"I have no idea," she said back.
"Shhh, it's alright Rose," cooed Urran. "Let's go home." He felt Rose nodding into his leg. Making his goodbyes to Lilla he took Rose by the paw and led her back to their cottage. While they walked he tried to find out what had upset her so much. "What happened Rosie? Didn't you have a good time?"
Rose only shook her head but didn't answer her father. That was her attitude the entire walk back. No matter how Urran asked her, she didn't respond to him. Instead she just sniffed and wiped tears from her eyes with her free paw. When they got back to their cottage Rose let go of her father's paw and bolted for her room and shut the door. Aryah had been sitting at their table when Urran and Rose came through the door. Seeing her daughter's expression and rush to her room Aryah looked up at her husband.
"What happened?"
"I asked her the same thing. She gave me the silent treatment all the way home," Urran said. He then looked at his wife and saw her expression. "Please don't give me that I-told-you-so speech. You were right. Rose obviously didn't have a good time. I just wish she would have told me what upset her so much."
Aryah's expression softened and she nodded at her husband. "I'll talk to her then. I've got news for the both of you actually."
Rose flung herself down on her bed and buried her small head in her pillow. At last she let the tears that had been building flow free. She had never felt as hurt as she did from the teasing Camilla and her friends had given her. When a gentle rap on her door came she ignored it and the sound of the door slowly opening.
"Rose? Can I come in?"
Rose nodded at the sound of her mother's voice. She continued to cry even as Aryah sat down next to her and began stroking her head fur. Aryah didn't say anything just sat next to Rose comforting her with her very presence. They remained that way for a long while until Rose's breathing slowed and her tears dried from her cheeks.
Finally it was Rose who broke the silence. "They were mean to me mama."
"What did they say?" Aryah asked.
"They didn't like my dress an' they didn't like Lavender an' they didn't like how I got to sit on Miss Gracelyn's lap last night an' they made up all these rules an' they didn't want to play what I wanted to play an' when I asked them to call me Rose they ignored me an' they were mean."
"I'm sorry Rose. It's no fun when things like that are said. Would you like it if I talked to their mothers about what they said?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"'Cause then they'll be more mean to me if they get in trouble."
"Rose will you sit up for me please?" Aryah helped Rose sit up next to her and put a paw around her shoulder. Looking into her daughter's eyes she gently admonished her. "Rose if somebeast is mean to you, you should tell me. That way we can make it right. Do you understand?" Rose nodded. Aryah then smiled at Rose as her face grew exited. "Good, now I've got good news for you?"
Rose wiped the last tears from her eyes as she looked up at Aryah. "What news mama?"
Aryah gave Rose an extra hug. "How would you like being a big sister?"
Dinner was again being served in Council Lodge. After the traditional toast Urran Voh remained standing. Raising his goblet to the Noonvalers assembled he addressed them. "My friends, before we eat I have two quick announcements. First let me welcome to Noonvale two guests. The owls Horty and Boldred." Urran gestured with his goblet to the two owls. Words of welcome rang throughout the Lodge before Urran again quieted the crowd and went on. "Secondly it is my great pleasure to tell you all that my wife Aryah and I will soon be welcoming a new babe into our home."
The shouts of congratulations flew thick and fast.
"Season's blessing's on you both."
"Congratulations to both of you."
"You're going to big a big sister Laterose, won't that be fun?"
"I hope the little bundle of joy has your eyes Aryah."
Aryah stood up next to her husband holding Rose in her arms. "Thank you one and all friends. Please eat, the day is near over and we have much to celebrate."
The Noonvalers needed no second bidding. They tucked in with gusto at the fare spread before them. Flans, turnovers, salads, and pasties were all piled high on the tables. Rose had gotten over her sadness from the afternoon quickly on hearing she was soon to be a big sister. She merrily waved to Grumm and Trumm as she ate. Before she knew it she was humming to herself as she ate. Her tune quickly became a song as she stared at her plate.
"Can you feel the river run?
Waves are dancing to the sun.
Take the tide and face the sea,
And find a way to follow me.
"Leave the field and leave the fire,
And find the flame of your desire.
Set you heart on this far shore,
And sing your dreams to me once more.
"'Sé mo laoch mo ghile mear
'Sé mo Shéasar, gile mear
Suan gan séan ní bhfuair mé féin
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghile mear
"Now the time has come to leave,
Keep the flame and still believe.
Know that love will shine through darkness,
One bright star to light the way.
"'Sé mo laoch mo ghile mear
'Sé mo Shéasar, gile mear
Suan gan séan ní bhfuair mé féin
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghile mear
"Lift your voice and raise the sail,
Know that love will never fail.
Know that I will sing to you,
Each night as I dream of you.
"'Sé mo laoch mo ghile mear
'Sé mo Shéasar, gile mear
Suan gan séan ní bhfuair mé féin
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghile mear
"Gile mear, the wind and sun,
The sleep is over, dream is done.
To the west where fire sets,
To the gile mear, the day begun.
"'Sé mo laoch mo ghile mear
'Sé mo Shéasar, gile mear
Suan gan séan ní bhfuair mé féin
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghile mear."
Again applause sounded through out the Lodge at Rose's talented voice. Rose tried burying her head in her mother's dress again but this time Aryah wouldn't have it. "Look Rose," she said. "They liked your song. At least give them a friendly wave."
Sheepishly Rose waved a quick paw to the Noonvalers before digging back into her plate of pastie. Aryah nudged her daughter again after the cheers had died down. "Where'd you learn that song Rosie?"
"I heard Miss Gracelyn singin' it an' I thought it was pretty."
"Do you know what it's about?" Aryah asked. Rose shook her head. Aryah picked Rose up on her lap as she explained about the song. "It's about a young maid who is in love with a great hero. He is forced to leave her one day but she still loves him. The only way she can send her love is to sit on the edge of a cliff and sing her heart out over the waves."
Rose's eyes grew wide as Aryah talked. At that moment something sparked in Rose. She didn't know what it was. It was as if somewhere far away she knew in her heart that her own love lay dreaming. Rose kept this to herself as Aryah set her back down and she started on her plum pudding the cooks had made for dessert.
A/N; First a disclaimer. I don't own the words to that song. It's again using the lyrics from the group "Celtic Woman." From what I've been able to gather Aryah's explanation is also close to the real meaning of the song as well. It's one of my favorites from the group and I highly suggest you check it out. That being said I hope you liked this and I eagerly look forward to any comment you care to leave.