Chapter 3

The fire crackled away as they sat before it, Tino's hands stretched out to soak up the warmth it offered. Behr was just content to be next to it, his coat of fur keeping him warm well enough.

"You should have brought something." Behr grumbled.

Tino didn't say a thing, just nodded and continued to hold his hands out. With a sigh he leaned back against a log staring up at the starry sky through the open gap of the tree canopy before the bear's words startled him back. "Huh?"

"I said we should reach the border by tomorrow. When the sun is high. You should try to sleep."

"I can't." The Finn chuckled softly, picking up a long stick to poke at the fire watching the embers flurry around.

"Try." Behr huffed and rolled onto his side away from the fire curling up. With envious eyes, Tino sized up Behr's fur wishing he had brought a fur with him. His flimsy cloth cloak was alright but the temperature had dropped quite a bit tonight. He may have had tough skin in weather such as this, but sleeping out in it was another story.

He let out a breath only to stare at the mist in surprise. It was that cold? If that was the case, winter could set in any day now. The only source of warmth he had at hand was himself, so he curled his legs up and hugged his knees to his chest. It would be very hard to go to sleep like this but he would try.

As soon as Behr closed his eyes he opened them again and frowned to himself. Even from over here he could hear how cold the boy was. His breath wavered and trembled every time he took in his oxygen. Damn that conscience of his. "…Tino." He grumbled, moving his head up to look at the other.

"Yes?" He perked his head up, purple eyes somewhat wide.

Behr didn't say a word he just moved to the side and patted his previous warm spot with a large paw. The surprise and gratefulness was evident in Tino's eyes. Without hesitation he crawled to the Swede and curled himself up beside him.

"Just do not cling to me." He sighed, giving Tino a look.

"Alright." Instead he pressed his face and front against the bear's belly making him twitch.

He looked down at Tino about to scold him for pressing his block ice of a body against him but when he looked down at him he saw how happy he was. For what he wasn't quite sure, to be warm probably. With a small grunt he lied his head back down closing his eyes.

"Behr?"

His eyes slowly opened back up. "Mm?"

"I can't sleep." Tino muttered into the fur.

"I told you to try." The Swede turned his head back to huff at the boy frowning lightly. "It isn't that difficult."

"I know…it's just that this is so fun."

"…fun?" Behr frowned harder. This wasn't fun. Sitting out under the elements freezing was not fun. Racing against murderous raiders to get to his home before they got there was not fun.

"Well for me it is. I never got to do anything like this before. I never came this far before without father." He could understand that. Behr often hunted with his father. His eyes softened for a moment before he snapped back to reality. All that happy touchy feely stuff aside, the bear still wanted his sleep. Tino blinked as he felt his source of warmth shift beside him. "Behr?"

"Do you want to hear a story?" The shocked reaction that garnered from the boy made a nerve somewhere in the bear's skull twitch in annoyance. Tino's eyes went wide as if he just witnessed some sort of miracle.

"You know stories?"

"Yes I know stories." Behr scoffed. "Everyone knows stories, why wouldn't I?"

"W-Well because you're a-"

"Don't say it." He grumbled. "Now lay your head down." And Behr proceeded to tell him stories. Stories his father and mother told him of days gone by. He told him of fairytales that were passed around from the land next to them. Tino smiled as he closed his eyes and cuddling back into the fur.

A few seconds passed and Tino realized that Behr had stopped talking. Opening his eyes he gazed up at his companion to see a snoozing bear curled around his form. "Ugh…he fell asleep." He pouted but lied there, twisting to turn onto his back as he looked up at the night sky. He just wasn't sleepy. As he continued to lie there wide awake he decided to spend his time awake a little more productively. Behr had been protecting him this entire time and they were in a suspicious place near the border. Sentries or Vikings could come out this way and mistake them for game and a runaway so he decided to do a little watching.

Carefully he pulled himself from the warmth of the bear and now dying embers of the fire to look around their set up. It would have been dark save for the waning full moon hanging in the sky. It gave just enough light for Tino to maneuver in the dark. Slowly he inched his way around the campsite not seeing a thing out of place. Nearly ready to give up and try to go to sleep like Behr suggested he turned to head back when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

"What is that?" Tino whispered, eyes narrowing in suspense and curiosity. A strange ethereal green-yellow glow illuminated from an area downhill from where their camp was. He looked back at where Behr was sleeping before looking back at the glow. It seemed to lead to a hollow, a burrow of sorts. Biting his lip, Tino gave one last look to the bear before following the source of subtle light.

When he closed in he gasped at the strange things happening around him. As he got closer and closer these strange things started happening a lot more often, so much it was almost scary but then so beautiful. Vines moved and danced to invisible music, mushrooms jiggled and bounced in the earth and the tree branches creaked and swayed in gentle joy and harmony. Even the nightlife animals seemed at peace in this environment, singing along with nothing.

"Where am I?..." He whispered then gasped crying out as a vine caught his ankle and hoisted him upside down. "L-Let me down! Let me go!"

"You don't look like one of them." Came a quiet lilting but deep male voice.

Tino turned around seeing something or someone sitting crosslegged on the ground off to the side head to toe in a cloak. "O-One of what?" Oh he was starting to get dizzy, all the blood rushing to his head. The individual waved his hand the vines immediately releasing him to gracelessly crumple to the ground. "Omf!"

"Who are you?" The hooded man turned his head towards Tino, just his nose and mouth seen from the darkness of his robe.

"I-I'm Tino…I'm from the fisherman village…" He stuttered getting back up on his feet.

"A little odd for a pauper to come this far." His lips drew into a slant as he continued to stare at Tino from the shadows.

"I-I'm traveling with Behr my friend. H-He needs to go home…to Sweden." At this, the mysterious man perked, lips parted with mild surprise.

"To Sweden?"

"Y-Yes…" Tino stood there a moment longer before the other man rose to his feet. Two pale dainty hands reached for the hood as the man revealed himself to Tino genuinely catching him by surprise by his feminine looks but at the same time masculine. "Wh-Who are you?"

"A proper greeting would be in order wouldn't it?" Blue eyes were devoid of light as they stared lifelessly on at the Finn. "I am Lükas. From the kingdom of Norway."

"You're…Norwegian?" Tino gaped, sizing him up. Yes he certainly had the accent. "But what are you doing over here? Norway is a good eight day walk from here." Then he saw a flash of pain in Lükas' eyes then he gasped covering his mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"I wouldn't expect the Finns to know. Not this soon…" He uttered, sighing and looking around on the dark ground for a certain something.

"To know what?" The fair haired boy tipped his head to the side watching his new acquaintance search the wood floor.

Lükas sighed softly as his fingers connected with that certain something. He stood up straight once again holding a staff with carvings etched into the wood bound in leather. "The Norwegian kingdom has fallen."

"What?!"

"Men from a strange land have invaded. They sailed around to prevent detection from the land of Prussia and took us by surprise. I watched one by one as my people were killed or taken prisoner. Most of them escaped into Sweden where I hear the prince Berwald has gone missing."

"Th-That's…oh God." Tino trembled covering his mouth. "Th-Then we can't go into Sweden."

Lükas nodded lightly. "From what I hear they haven't reached the kingdom yet but they have influence over all of Norway as of now and the northern part of Sweden…if only Berwald didn't go…" He sighed, wringing his staff with both hands, eyebrows drawn together.

"What do you mean?"

"They set up a trap. I couldn't get to him in time. They sent word to Sweden's castle under the guise of Norwegians that strange men were seen in the northern land. Knowing the royal family would fall for it. There they would ambush the prince and his men when they made it into their territory. It looks like they succeeded. I spied on them while they were in this area but they have already moved on down the road. They are currently on their way to the southern land to storm the kingdom…and it will fall as mine did if nothing is done."

"Wh-What about me?" Tino whispered. The blue eyed man raised his head as the smallest hint of tears welled up in Tino's purple eyes. "Finland is under the Swede's rule. If Sweden falls, Finland falls."

"Then we have to stop it."

"Tino." Both young men spun their heads around at the sound of the new voice.

"Behr." Tino breathed in relief, going over to him and hugging his neck.

"Behr?" Lükas rose a brow in questioning of this talking bear named…Behr. The Finn wrapped his arms tightly around the furry neck of his companion and squeezed in a tight hug.

"Tino not so tight." Behr grumbled but allowed it. He learned days ago that nothing can undo the grip of an anxious Finn. Especially one so clingy as Tino. "What is wrong?" He looked past Tino to the other man, blue eyes widening in surprise. "Lükas. What are you doing here?"

The blue eyed Norwegian narrowed his eyes in suspense but let the familiarity go. "How is it that a bear knows who I am?"

Behr sighed. "You are well known in my home and well revered."

All three men stared at each other for a moment, mostly Lükas and Behr. Even the night animals grew quiet in the silent stand off. Lükas continued to stare at Behr before a smile peeled his lips and he chuckled in relief making both Finn and bear tip their heads in confusion.

"I see. Then I am honored Sir Behr."

"Just…Behr is fine." The bear muttered. "Tino what are you doing here? You're supposed to be sleeping." He chided the young boy making him blush softly in embarrassment.

"I-I couldn't."

"What did I tell you about trying?" He frowned making Tino whine.

"You fell asleep in the middle of the story!" Gazing back to Lükas he remembered their conversation. "Behr we…we can't go to Sweden."

"We have to." He frowned at Tino. "And I already told you that you are just accompanying me to the border and no further." But Tino wouldn't have it.

"It's too dangerous!"

"And now you know why I said you come no further than the border."

"You could get hurt! You could die!" The Finn grabbed a hold of the long hair of Behr's back. Just saying the words let alone thinking of anything bad happening to Behr made Tino's inside clench around in sheer discomfort.

"I have a sworn duty Tino, I must return home. Tomorrow morning when we reach the border, we will say goodbye. Is that understood?"

"…No I don't. I don't understand at all!" Slowly Tino let go of the fur and turned to run back to the campsite not wanting to deal with the heartache of saying goodbye to a friend who he might never see again and not wanting him to see him cry.

"He has bonded with you bear." Lükas looked to the trees through where Tino ran.

"I tried to avoid it." He hissed, gnawing his teeth.

"It seems you have bonded with him as well."

A small growl tore itself from his throat as he frowned up at the young mage. "I have not."

"My mistake. Then concern for his well being and precise instructions for him not to follow you into the war zone is just an illusion." He pulled his hood back over his head and smirked softly as he heard the blue eyed bear huff and puff. "It is for the best. Sending him away." Behr knew that. Yet at the same time…no. He couldn't allow himself to become attached to this boy.

"Are you going into Sweden?"

"I am." The Norwegian nodded before looking up into the sky breathing a sigh. "The moon is sinking. Morning will come soon. You should sleep before the journey."

"You as well." Behr nodded to the other before he turned around and disappeared into the shadows walking back to the camp where sure enough Tino was waiting. Well if he was waiting up for Behr he didn't show it. He lied next to the barely lit embers with his cloak wrapped tightly around his form shivering, his back facing away from the Swede. With a sigh he flopped next to the Finn at least providing him warmth for the rest of the night. "Please understand Tino." He whispered. 'I…don't want anything to happen to you.' He thought then scolded himself not daring saying that aloud.

"I don't want to." Tino whispered hugging his arms to his chest shivering harder. A gasp took his breath as he felt a paw drape over his form and pull him into a heavier warmth.

"Stay warm. Try to sleep." Behr mumbled allowing Tino, just this once and for the last time, to cuddle into his belly. Without fuss, the Finn did just that. His violet eyes shut as he leaned into the radiating warmth and suddenly it wasn't too hard to sleep.

Author's Notes:

This is great, they found an ally! Lükas isn't a prince either. He is a court magician, or a kind of soothsayer. If they existed back then I do not know but as I said before, this is a fairytale. I had fun typing this chapter. Not much action going on, mostly dialogue but the story is progressing at least lol. Hope you guys are having fun reading it as much as I am writing it. If anyone else has suggestions or random bits of fact like my lovely Guest reviewer please feel free to do so. By the way thank you so much for your info! It is well appreciated!