A/N: I don't believe that I'm Brian Jacques, so I don't own anything. I hope you still enjoy! Please review? :)

Redwall:

For the next, oh, three years, Cornflower (sigh) and I just reverted to our old ways. I thought no different of her than before, and we continued as if our talk had never happened. Of course, I still kept my feelings towards most of the girls in the Abbey: disgusted. Not that any of them paid any attention to me anyway, they left me and Cornflower (sigh) out of everything. But the beginning of the summer we were sixteen changed everything. It was the start of the rest of our lives… (This is collaboration with Cornflower (sigh))

There was hustle and bustle everywhere. It was Abbot Mortimer's annual feast and the first feast of summer. Matthias was seated next to the baby churchmice Tim and Tess on his left and Cornflower found herself far from her family at his right in her attempt to find a chair next to someone who wouldn't insult her. Matthias noticed for the first time how long her eyelashes were. Her fur looked nice and soft, yet she seemed firm and strong at the same time. And her eyes! Oh, they were the most wonderful chocolate brown. Mm... Chocolate. Which reminded Matthias, where was the food?

"Um, Matthias? You'd better help yourself to some food before Tim and Tess get it all," Cornflower said conversationally.

Matthias nodded. He knew she felt jittery like he did, for no apparent reason. Plus, Tim and Tess wouldn't eat that much. They were just tiny mice after all! He ate a bit self-consciously. He could have sworn that Tim was looking straight at his plate of food! You could never tell with that young mouse…

"So, Matthias, um, what do you like to do in your free time?" Cornflower asked. She knew it was a pointless question, but it was a start. She noticed that Matthias had grown taller over the past years. He also looked stronger, yet sweet enough to touch. He was turning into a young adult. Soon, she thought sadly, it will no longer just be him and me. All the girls will be flocking to him.

"…What do you like to do?"

"Er, what?" Cornflower blushed.

"What do you like to do?"

"Um, I like to read and write a lot. And… I'm pretty good with a bow and arrow…"

"Wow," Matthias replied, "We like similar things."

Cornflower thought back in time. "Like Friar Hugo's cookies," she joked.

Matthias laughed, it was like the sun rising. "Yes, I remember that time too. What kind of stories do you write?"

Cornflower looked away. "They aren't real good; you probably wouldn't be interested…"

"Oh no, please tell me. I don't believe I know anyone else who write stories!"

"Well, um, I write adventure stories, mysteries, humorous stories, plays, poems, songs, and…" Cornflower stopped. She really didn't want to admit her weakness for romance stories.

"Do you write romances?" Matthias asked.

"Um, yes, actually, I do."

"Wow. What are some of your characters?"

"From which story?" Cornflower asked.

"I've never read a romance story before. What are your characters like?"

"Well, my story is about a girl named Leda who is very unsure of herself and isn't liked by very many people. She's always had this picture of her true love, she knows he's around, but she doesn't know who he is."

"Really?" Matthias inquired as the next course of soup was being brought out. "Tell me more about him."

"Well," Cornflower answered, a bit flustered, "He's brave and loyal. Handsome and sweet. He… doesn't have a name yet. He is to be known as "The Warrior Mouse"."

"Wow," Matthias said. Just the total opposite of me. I might as well give up, he thought. "So, um…"

"It's my turn to talk," Cornflower said, "Your soup is getting cold."

Matthias smiled. Here she was, now unafraid to voice her opinions. "How…"

"Wait. I'll ask a question now," she said with a smile, "What have you always dreamt of?" Please don't make him ask me the same question! Cornflower thought.

"Well, I don't think you'd understand," he replied.

"It's probably no crazier than my dream."

"Well, I've always wanted to be a great warrior, like Martin. A hero you could say. I know it sounds so childish, but… oh," Matthias admitted.

"Don't feel bad. It's not nearly as impossible as my dream."

"And what is that?"

"To stop tripping all the time." They both burst into laughter. When they tried to look at each other they would both burst into laughter yet again. They finally calmed down, just as they were serving the last course.

"Come here Tim and Tess, do you want me to tell you a story?" Cornflower offered.

As Matthias watched the two scramble to try and get in her lap, he said, "Tess? Why don't you come here and sit with me?" Cornflower thanked him with her eyes.

"What story do you want to hear?"

"Jack Mouse and the Beanstalk!" Tim suggested.

"The Three Little Squirrels!" Tess said at the same time.

"Um, Matthias, how about you pick one?" Cornflower asked.

"Okay, um… How about you make us one up?" Matthias proposed. (No! Not that kind of proposal yet!)

"Um, alright… Once upon a time, in a land far away lived a princess and a brave knight…"

By the time Cornflower finished her story, Matthias was her only audience left. Tim and Tess had fallen asleep. "Ah, bless their little paws, don't they look peaceful?" Cornflower commented. Matthias was about to answer when Collin Vole started yapping. Neither of them really caught on to what he was saying, but they caught onto the words "old married couple". They both blushed and looked down at the sleeping children. Suddenly Matthias was called to the front by the Abbot. "Good luck," Cornflower wished him.

All the Abbot wanted was to give Matthias the duty of bringing the Churchmouse and Fieldmouse families home. He went back to the table with a smile, but not before tripping in the process.

"What did he want?" Cornflower asked as Mrs. Churchmouse took Tim and Tess from her.

"He wants me to bring the Churchmouse family and yours home," Matthias announced.

"Really? I hardly thought he'd let anyone do the job, with all of the children put together, the cart will surely be full!" Cornflower exclaimed.

"Well, then we'd better get going," said Mr. Churchmouse who had been listening.

"Getting all the children in the cart will be amazing itself," Mr. Fieldmouse added. And with that, they departed from the Great Redwall Feast.

Cornflower, being the young lady she was, let everyone enter the cart before her. But as she was about to enter, she realized that there was no room at all for her, what with the Churchmouses' ten children and the Fieldmouses' four, not including Cornflower herself. She felt a tap on her shoulder. As she spun around, she saw Matthias, with his paws behind his back and looking at the ground. "There's room up front, if you want Cornflower," he said shyly.

Cornflower smiled, he was so sweet when he was shy! "Yes I would sir," she said, taking his hand and leading him to the front. Without further ado, they took off. Just about everyone in the cart was sleeping, with the exception of Cornflower, Matthias, and Constance. The last thing either Cornflower or Matthias remembered was that she had been talking about the Summer of the Late Rose, how beautiful and true it was. They awoke to a loud noise as if all the evil forces in the world were set upon them.

"Constance! Get into a hiding place, now!" Cornflower immediately shouted. Matthias smiled and let them take over. As soon as it was over, Matthias and Cornflower went back to check on the children and calm them down. After a bit of discussion, Cornflower stayed in the back to help while the fathers went up with Matthias. They headed straight for the Abbey. Matthias looked back once more, and he saw Cornflower pull out a bow and arrow from her bag.

Once they got back, they were in a meeting with the elders. Matthias and Constance were up front, as they were the "leaders". Cornflower sat in the back, her parents were off somewhere else with the Churchmouses and Methuselah was beside her. She was starting to tune out of the meeting when Abbot asked Matthias, "Was it the right or left?" Cornflower knew right off that they were talking about the eye with a patch. But Matthias couldn't seem to remember.

"Excuse me," Cornflower said to Methuselah as she retreated to the very back, where she hoped Matthias could see her. Constance was staring at the opposite wall and the Abbot at Matthias, so Cornflower pointed to her left eye.

What is Cornflower doing? Matthias thought to himself as he saw Cornflower pointing to her left eye in the back. Is she hurt?

Great. Just great. He's not paying any attention, Cornflower thought. Then she had an idea. Using her arms, she formed a large L. She hoped Matthias would notice this sign. She knew he did when he said, "Left, I think." Cornflower nodded. "Yes, it was the left, Father." Cornflower smiled. I was part of the meeting without anyone knowing.