(A/N: Here's the next chapter! I know there was a lot of characters introduced in the last chapter, but this one is just about three certain characters that we already met and are somewhat well acquainted with. so enjoy!)
Haven't done this in a while so I will do it now...
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Redwall...wish I did but I don't...
Chapter 4: Wake-up Call
Bryana stood slightly stunned at the figure in front of her. There Dan stood holding his sword pointed at her and using the side of a chair to hold himself up straight.
"Do you honestly think I'm going to hurt you?" she asked, walking towards him cautiously.
Dan still held the sword pointed at her but then slowly lowered it down. He knew she was right. If she wanted to, she could have killed him when he was unconscious.
"How long have I been out?"
Bryana hesitated at first but answered, "Two months..."
"What?"
"Yeah, I know. I told you that you were shot by a poisoned arrow, didn't I? You're lucky to even be breathing right now..."
"...Why did you help me? I'm your enemy..."
" You're not my enemy...you haven't hurt me, have you? Therefore I have no reason to be frightened of you..."
Dan stared at her in disbelief, not used to a Langi actually speaking to him in such a proper way. He walked carefully back to his bed and sat down. Bryana walked up to where he was sitting and put her paw to his forehead. She nodded in approval and then picked up his paw. Dan, slightly taken aback, pulled his paw away. Bryana looked at him and then held her paw out.
"I need to check your vitals to make sure you are getting better..."
He stared at her for a moment but then let her take his paw. She checked his pulse and yet again nodded in approval. She then got up and walked to a table where she was moving things around, apparently looking for something. Dan watched her wrinkle her nose in frustration when she couldn't find what she was looking for. She kept on picking and moving things until she finally found a pouch.
"Ah ha! Here you are! Thought you could hide from me didn't you?"
Dan raised an eyebrow in amusement, "Are you talking to a pouch, Langi?"
Bryana turned around and wrinkled her nose again but this time at him, "Yes I am and I told you already that my name is Bryana. I'd rather be called that instead of 'Langi' if you don't mind.."
She turned back around and began mixed some kind of herbal medicine. She had a bowl that she mixed the ingredients in and then poured it in a cup. She turned and walked back to the bed where Dan still sat watching her every move. She held out the cup to him.
"Here, dink this. It doesn't taste all that good, but it will make you feel better."
Dan stared at it and then cautiously took the cup from her, "Do you make it a habit to help unknown creatures?" he asked, taking a drink from the cup and making a face of disgust.
"You're not unknown. I know who you are."
Dan looked at her, suddenly alarmed at her comment, "You...you do?"
"Yeah, you're name is Dan, right? I know you are a Tanger soldier and that you were wounded in battle..."
Dan stared at her for a moment and then nodded in agreement, "True...everyone must think that I'm dead, don't they?"
"They probably do."
"Hmm, what will I tell them when I get back? I can't reveal that a Langi maid saved my life...We'd both be in trouble then. Fugitives in our own homes..."
"You can't take my name either...I've hid you here for two months and no one found out, well not yet anyways. As soon as you get better, it would be best for you to go back to Tanger Territory. You'd be safer there..."
"Yes, that is true...hmm, maybe I could make up a story about a mysterious maid that found me half dead and took me in...She didn't know where I came from until I was came to and then she left not long after I was strong enough to go back home..."
"Well, that's somewhat true," Bryana commented.
"Yeah, it is..."
They were quiet for a moment and just sat at their places. Dan looked at Bryana. The window was open and the curtains were tied to the side. Bryana's honey brown fur shone in the sunlight as she sat on a chair not to far from the bed. He noticed that her hazel eyes was always filled with confidence and kindness. This was weird. He felt his stomach do somersaults as he kept on staring her. Today she was wearing a purple short-sleeve dress with a black belt emphasizing her thin waist. This time she was wearing black flats instead of her boots.
'Hmm, she's actually kinda hot...' he thought, still watching her, 'Kinda? Who am I kidding? She's really hot...Wait a minute, what am I thinking? She's a Langi! I shouldn't be thinking about a Langi like this...What is wrong with me?'
Bryana looked at Dan and saw him furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. He seemed to be debating about something, but what could it be? Dan finally looked up and saw her staring at him. Bryana blushed slightly and quickly looked away. Dan raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Is something the matter?"
Bryana looked at him, "Erm no, nothing. Just wondering what you were thinking about right now... You seemed like concerned or frustrated..."
"Huh, oh, erm, I..I...uh...did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Are you sure no one else knows about this place but you?"
"Yeah, of course. Why?"
Dan put a claw to his lips and Bryana nodded. He carefully walked towards the door and put his ear to it. He then beckoned her over to where he was standing. When she was standing next to him, he pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "At the count of three you will open the door and I will grab whoever it is that is spying on us."
Bryana nodded. They stood there for a moment and she realized how close she was standing next to him. She took a couple steps back to give him some room.
"1."
They both tensed.
"2."
Bryana held her breath and Dan readied himself to pin the intruder.
"3!"
Bryana pulled the door open and Dan grabbed the intruder roughly. The intruder...squealed in surprise.
"Emma?"
Bryana pulled her sister away from Dan and try to calm the frantic mousemaid.
"Sis, there's a Tanger in here. Oh my goodness, he's gonna kill us, isn't he? He...he...hey! Don't you come any closer, you...you rapscallion!"
"Rapscallion? That's a new one...so this is your sister... I can see the family resemblance," Dan said, dryly.
Emma gasped in indignation, "Oh, why you little..."
She tried going after Dan, but Bryana held her back.
"Emma, will you calm down, damn it! He's not going to hurt you or me, okay?"
"How are you so sure? You know what Dad says about these Tanger types! He told us to stay away from him and here you are playing house with one of them! At least now I know where you go all the time!"
Bryana blushed furiously. Even Dan couldn't help the blush slowly rising and coloring his cheeks.
Bryana took a deep breath and then said, "Okay, One, the only reason he is here is because he was wounded in the battle two months ago; and two, it is not what you think! Nothing of the sort is going on between us, understand?"
"Really?" Emma asked, folding her arms, "Nothing at all?"
"No."
"Then, why are the two of you red as strawberries then?"
"We are not."
"Are too."
"Are not."
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
"Okay! We get the point! Geez, do you two always argue like this?"
"Yeah, we do, actually. It's only because my sister is too proud to admit when she's wrong and all!" Emma said, smugly.
"Shut up!"
"Make me."
Bryana growled softly, now at her wits end and extremely pissed at her sister. Dan raised an eyebrow at her.
"Wow, didn't know you had such a temper..."
"She gets it from our Dad," Emma commented, "And speaking of Dad, he's gonna be pissed to know that you went out again without anyone knowing..."
"Well," Bryana started, "That's only if he finds out, and since I'm not going to tell him and Dan's certainly not gonna tell him, and I'm very certain that you are not going to tell him right my beloved, adorable little sister?" she said, venom dripping from her fake sweet tone, putting her paw on Emma's shoulder and allowing her claws to dig into her shoulder.
"Oww, okay okay," Emma said, pulling her paw off, "You made your point. I won't tell."
"Good, you better not," Bryana said, "Oh so heavens help me, I will kill you."
"Okay, okay, geez! Wait a minute! Did you say his name is Dan? As in General Dan Rasakaro?"
Dan shifted uncomfortably and nodded. Bryana cringed slightly as Emma turned to look at her.
"What were you thinking?"
"She didn't know," Dan said.
"The hell she didn't!" Emma exclaimed. She turned to look at Dan and started to walked towards him, "You killed our brother."
Dan stared in disbelief and looked at Bryana, who had her back turned to him, and then back at Emma, "Who..who was your brother?" he asked, not sure that he wanted to hear her response.
"Kevin... Kevin Sarmana."
Dan looked at Bryana when she answered. He took a couple steps back away from them.
"Sarmana? You're Matthew's daughters..."
"Yes," Emma said, "We are."
"I'm nothing like him," Bryana said, taking a few steps toward him, "If I wanted to, I could have shown you to my father, but I didn't. If I wanted to, I could have killed you, but I didn't. I'm not like him, Dan, please believe me..."
"I know, Bryana. You are nothing like him, well besides the fact that you do have his temper..."
"Yeah, I know that..."
They were quiet for a while. It was an awkward silence, which all of them wanted to break but wasn't sure how to. Emma cleared her throat.
"Umm, I should go back home before Dad realizes I'm gone. You should too, Sis, you know how Dad gets..."
"Yeah, you go, I'll be there soon..."
Emma nodded and then turned back to Dan, "Bye."
"Bye..."
"See you later, Sis..."
"Okay..."
Emma walked out of the room and out of the hut. Dan and Bryana were quiet yet again.
"I should go. There's plenty of food and water in the hut if you need it...umm, yeah, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah..."
"Okay," Bryana said, turning and walking towards the door. Dan walked to the bed and sat down. Bryana turned back towards him when she was at the door.
"Dan?"
"Yeah?" he said, standing up, quickly.
"You don't have to worry about Emma," she said, softly, "She won't tell our father anything."
Dan stared at her for a moment and then nodded. Bryana smiled slightly, "Bye, Dan."
"Bye, Bryana..."
She walked out of the door and out of the hut, locking the door before leaving. Dan sat back down on the bed. He touched his chest where a small scar replaced the arrow that was previously there. This maid seriously saved his life. He'd really be dead if it wasn't for her.
"I'm so indebted to this maid...She's my enemy's daughter and she knew it too. She pretended that she didn't know who I am just so she could save me...You really aren't anything like Matthew, Bryana...and I'm glad for that..."
(A/N: And that's a wrap...hopefully you (the reader) is more comfortable with the characters and can see the attraction between Dan and Bryana...R&R!)