Chapter 4

It seemed that morning came all too quickly. Tino and Behr walked together as they came out of the darkness of the woods onto the road. It was a clear route from there onto into the next country. Usual chatty Tino was quiet as he stoically walked beside the bear. Knowing he should say something, Behr kept thinking of the right thing to say in the moment but the words wouldn't come.

"Tino…" He began, voice deep but firm trying to be soft. When he felt the presence of another he turned his head, Tino copying him watching the hooded Norwegian walk up to join them. The wooden staff made soft clicks as it tapped against the rock of the ground accompanying his footsteps. "Lükas…"

"Walking the road isn't the safest route. It's too open."

"Then what do we do?..." Tino looked at him then back down the path that led to the border. From their place up on the outskirts of the woods on this hill he could see the outposts. Within the hour he would be saying goodbye to Behr. His eyes saddened as they remained on the checkpoint far off, gasping as he felt a nudge to his hand.

"Lükas has agreed to walk us down to slip past the border…I mean-"

"I know what he meant…" Tino whispered, looking away.

Looking up at Lükas Behr made a face in which the Norwegian just shook his head not wanting any part in the conversation. "Tino-"

"It's my country too!" Tino burst out loud, balling his shaking hands into fists at his sides. "I want to come with you! I want to find the prince and bring him back! I want to do something! I have that right!"

Lükas could understand the Finn's frustration and under normal circumstances he would even agree and side with him. It was his country and the citizens were entitled to protect their land and way of life; the same went for the paupers. But…this was no normal circumstance. Not when Tino didn't know everything. Not when the bear had managed to grow a little attached to the boy. Should the boy meet the gods this early…

"I know you do, but think about the consequences Tino. It is very dangerous like you said. Think of your mother and father. They are missing you right now. It is best you go home and warn them of the danger here. It will give them time to journey to Denmark and the inner lands of Germania where they will be protected."

"I don't care." Tino uttered doing well to fight back the tears forming in his eyes.

"You don't mean that." The bear murmured, tipping his head up to look at Tino letting it roll to the side softly in an understanding look. "You're just upset."

He was right, he was upset. And he didn't understand just why either. All he knew was that he didn't want to part ways just yet. Tino knew he was making it harder for himself by defying Behr's wishes.

"Maybe it is best if we part here instead." The Swede finally murmured, causing Tino's head to snap up in surprise.

"No, Behr-" Tino hand snapped out in desperation holding onto the fur of his companion.

"Please Tino." He broke eye contact mentally cursing himself. He prided himself on establishing connections to individuals through the windows of their souls but Tino was different. It was almost too hard to look into his eyes. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be." As condescending and monotonous his words sounded in his head, Behr kept uttering them to himself like a mantra. Please understand, please understand.

Slowly Tino let go of the fur, tipping his head down his bangs covering his eyes. As the bear leaned in closer to repeat his mantra aloud he was almost shocked to see the tears of pain roll in his cloudy blue purple eyes. If it was what Behr wanted then it had to have been for the best. He had grown to respect Behr but it didn't mean he had to like the decisions he made. The Finn squashed down the sound of discomfort in his throat before he turned away. Besides, he was right. No sense in making it harder than it had to be.

He took that first step wincing before he broke into a run back into the woods. The Swede lurched forward slightly in surprise before slumping and sighing watching Tino's retreating back disappear into the darkness.

"He didn't know, did he Berwald?" Lükas murmured, shifting his weight onto his staff. A sigh answered him as Behr too turned his back on the Finnish woods to turn towards the border.

"That is no longer my name." He uttered with a scowl walking down the hill along the anointed path.

"You surprise me." Lükas spoke again moments after they starting walking again. As much as Behr respected the Norwegian he was getting on his nerves at the moment.

"What are you babbling about?" He frowned harder.

"That you've become taken with that Finnish boy-"

"I'm not taken with anyone!" He snapped, turning his head up to look at Lükas. "My duty is to my people! I not only oversee my county, I oversee his as well! As a Finn he too had a duty to warn his people! There are thousands of lives at stake and my head is where it should be! Where is yours?!" He began walking faster, grunting and growling as he did. Behind him the young mage followed but with a little smirk playing at his lips. What a wonderful reaction.

"Behr."

"What?" He snapped in annoyance.

"We will need to get off of the road soon and hide amongst the trees going down to the checkpoint. A mile closer and they will spot us."

"Fine." He leered down at the dot in the distance that made up the point to the border. As they were walking off of the road a revelation washed over Lükas. Noting that his Norwegian friend had fallen back, Behr turned his head over his shoulder to see that he was being stared at intently. "What is it now?"

"Why haven't you asked me?"

"Asked you what?" If he could show the human emotion of quirking a brow in confusion he would.

"If I could restore you to your former body." At this the Swede's eyes widened before he turned around to face the mage. Now he wasn't so angry anymore, but he would be soon enough.

"Can you?"

"I can't." He shook his head and had to hide a smirk as right on cue Behr became annoyed all over again.

"Then why did you ask?"

"I was just puzzled as to why you never asked. Don't get me wrong. I would reverse it in a heartbeat if I could." Smiling wryly he wrung the old wooden staff in his hands. "I know exactly who cursed you too. His magic is powerful. Unlike any that I have encountered before. With it and the brute strength of his men he flattened my kingdom. Though why he chose to curse you troubles me."

"I thank you for wondering that." Behr sighed sarcastically shaking his head, slipping into the brush hearing the other follow.

"Forgive me. But I am curious. I watched helplessly as he killed my king and queen." Lükas murmured. "He could have just as easily killed you though he chose to cast a dark spell over you. This man moves and thinks with the mind of a tactician. Every move he has made he has preordained and thought of carefully. He has a plan and right now we are unfortunately two steps behind him."

"Then you're saying he has other reasons for cursing me to this form? Other than humiliation?"

"All I'm saying is do not underestimate him. Everything he does, he does for a reason."

"He did try to kill me though…"

"Maybe he had a plan for you but you were too bothersome…maybe he believes you are still dead." Lükas offered.

"Maybe…"

Quietly they moved through the brush, watching their footing making sure they weren't drawing any unnecessary noise to themselves. Just a little further and they would reach the checkpoint. Many times they peeked through the foliage of their cover to see where the guards were placed, if any. Very few they could see, it would be almost too easy to sneak past.

Tino walked at a leisurely pace through the woods walking back the way he had came. Upon some inspection he could see footprints and bear prints leading the opposite way he was walking making him twitch. He had done his part, he helped the bear find his way and now he was to go back to his own life. His own boring everyday life.

"It's not fair…" He mumbled, drawing his cloak tightly around himself ignoring the chilly wind enveloping him. Behr had been right as much as he hated to agree with the bear. He did need to warn his village and send word down along the roads that Norway had fallen and Sweden was well on its way. It would take days for him and his family to make it to Denmark. Almost the same amount of time it would take Behr and Lükas to make it to Sweden's castle. It's just that being away from Behr is the one denominator he didn't care for. They were friends and, well, friends stick together. "Stupid stupid stupid…" He grumbled to himself as he walked faster. If he hurried he might make it by nightfall.

As he was walking he failed to notice the clearing he walked into was inhabited. "Greetings!"

"Wah!" Tino gasped jumping back in surprise, staring at the source of the voice. An elderly man sat on a log around a small campsite, fire included. "Oh…um, hello…" He greeted the seemingly warm man who waved encouragingly towards Tino to join him, Tino doing just that. "What er…brings you out here?"

"I am a vagabond my dear boy!" The man laughed from his seated place in front of his fire. "I go where my feet take me! Unfortunately I could not cross over from this land to the next." He sighed.

"You mean Sweden?" Now Tino was interested. He sidled closer and sat himself down on the ground beside the other. "How come you couldn't cross?"

"There is a wall there I dare not touch!" The elder man frowned booming dramatically, his lips twisting out into a childish pout of sorts. As rude as it was, Tino couldn't help but laugh a little, this making the man smile too. "You are troubled my boy."

"Yeah…" He sighed, trying to keep the smile on his face as long as possible as he drew his knees up hugging them. "I had to say goodbye to a friend today…I might never see him again…" The man furrowed his old brow stroking his beard.

"Why is that?"

"Because he's from the land over. From Sweden. We had been on the road for a few days now, he should be on his way past the border by now. He has a fight he said and…he might die…" Tino rested his chin on his knees, his folded arms hiding half of his face.

"Most regrettable I must say. May luck favor him." Tino nodded deciding to rest here a bit before carrying on down the road. "You look hungry my boy! Partake of my generosity if you will!" He urged the Finn to look down at the pot of bubbling stew on the small fire in front of him.

"Well we hadn't had time for breakfast…"

"Eat then!" He pushed a bowl into his hands smiling, gathering up a bowl for himself ladling out the soup for the both of them. Well it did smell good. With a smile Tino thanked his gracious host and slurped quietly. "Good?"

"Very good!" Tino beamed.

"Eat to your heart's content, er, what did you say your name was?"

"Ah sorry, how rude." Tino pulled his mouth back from the bowl wiping his lips with the back of his hand clearing his throat. "I'm Tino." Something made the man stop before he looked back at Tino with the wide eyes of a curious kitten. He leaned in far almost nose to nose with the Finn. "Eep…y-yes?"

"Tino you say? Hmmmm…" After a few more moments he leaned back upright on his log smiling. "It's a good name my boy, good name."

"Thanks. What about you? What's your name?"

"I go by many names young Tino!" He boomed proudly holding his head up. "But I suppose if you were to address me, you would call me Aleksanteri!"

The violet eyed Finn smiled and laughed holding his soup bowl up to Aleksanteri. "Cheers for men with good names!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" He laughed heartily with the young Finn clinking their bowls together. "So you are traveling back home then?"

"I am." Tino nodded with a small slurp then sighed. "I have to send word to my village that we're in danger…" Aleksanteri's eyes widened dramatically.

"That is a very important task! A messenger!"

"I suppose but…I wanted to help him!" Tino frowned and sulked. "So many things were happening at once and…I-I just hated to just…to just leave him…I don't have many friends…he was my first one actually… In the short time we were together I found I enjoyed being with him. He was gruff but he was also kind hearted. He was brave and I looked up to him! When we were traveling I didn't feel afraid because he was there."

"Was? You speak as though he has already died!" The old man sat his bowl down on his knee.

Tino's brow cinched together expressing his pain. "He probably will and I'll never know. Uh-" He gasped looking up in confusion as his host took his hand in his own wrinkled and gnarled hand.

"No man is dead if his name is still spoken." His eyes glittered mysteriously as he brought another hand up to pat the younger one encasing it between his old hands. "If you feel your heart is telling you to follow this man, then you should follow."

"But…I-I have a duty." The Finn murmured.

"Is that what your heart is telling you? Listen to your heartbeat young Tino. It talks all the time but we never listen. Anyone can think with their head, but it takes courage to think with your heart." He let go of Tino's hand and tapped a finger on his chest.

'I want to listen to what Behr says…but I need to be with him…' He told himself. "Listen to my heart…"

"That's right." Aleksanteri smiled. "If you find yourself in a tough situation, just remember to think with that. Though if the situation calls for good old head thinking use that noggin to knock heads together!"

Tino smiled and laughed but blinked his eyes curiously when he felt something cold in his hands. Before he could investigate he heard a familiar voice call out from within the trees. "That sounds like…"

"Tino?! Tino where are you?!"

"Father!" Tino gasped, jumping up in alarm. He turned to look back at the old man who just smiled at him and nodded for him to go to him. Smiling back at the old man, Tino bowed his head to him thanking him for letting him partake of his meal and sharing advice. He ran up the hill and through the trees panting when he saw his father down a ways. "Father!"

"Tino there you are!" He panted running up to the young Finn. This man in no way shape or form resembled Tino with his dark brown hair and brown eyes but he was kind. Right now his kind face was distraught from fear and panic. "I thought we'd lost you." Tino grunted as he was enveloped in a backbreaking hug but he returned it. "Come, we must go home."

"Father I…I have to go…"

"What? Tino no, you must come back with me." Tino's father tugged on his arm.

"I have to! Sweden is in danger!"

"I know!" He hissed. "I found a band of rogues on the way here, I overheard them say they have the border secured! They'll kill anyone who approaches!" Tino's eyes widened in horror and wrenched away from his father's hold. "Tino!"

"Father go home and warn mother, warn our village it isn't safe!"

"What are you doing?!" He tried reaching out to Tino but the young Finn was already running back. "Tino!"

"Tell everyone to escape to Denmark! Tell the King that Norway has fallen! I love you! You and mother both!" He shouted over his shoulder disappearing back into the trees. As he ran back down the hill he went to warn the old man Aleksanteri but gasped, slowing in his steps. "He's…gone…" No fire, no old man, no anything. Now that he had stopped and remembered, Tino looked down at his hands and opened his palm gasping at what he found there. A pendant, a medallion rested cold in his hands, the gold chain swaying draped over his fingers. "Think with my heart…" He pressed the metal to his chest then took off running away back towards the border. "I'm coming Behr!"

Back in the woods the Finnish fisherman stood alone staring wistfully the way his son had run thinking for a moment how grown he had looked. "…Tino…" He whispered, letting his outstretched hand fall limp at his side. He couldn't even hear the sounds of him running anymore just the sounds of the woods singing in harmony. Looking up and all around he took in the warm air and gentle woodland sounds despite the chilly time of year. "This area…has been blessed by the huldu…someone has pleased him…" He looked back from the tree canopy to the way Tino ran and smiled. "Watch over him…watch over my son. Even if he isn't mine by blood, he is mine by heart."

Author's Notes:

Sorry I would have been updating a lot more but my attention had been separated and spread out amongst so many things. KH3D, making amvs, anime, drawing, work and sleep. But here is another chapter, things are getting heated now and confusing lol. A huldu is a Scandinavian forest spirit, the male version. Most were called huldra and were beautiful women that tempted men. Some were helpful and some were mischievous depending on how they saw you or if you were polite. I'll see how fast I can update again. Btw, today be my birthday! 25 years on the earth yeh!