Amy At The Abbey Part One: Inside the Roof
Characters: Invar, Primrose, Amethyst, Treaglo
Location: Redwall Abbey
Redwall Abbey: Upper Floor
Invar's making so much noise with the chair he doesn't notice she's even there until she speaks and then he freezes before quickly looking over. Oh, it's just the vole. He wrinkles his snout "Nuffin'...Go 'way"
Primrose scowls. "No' goin' 'way! 'M stayin'." She looks from the chair, to the badger and wrinkles her own snout. Fine. She can work this out. Instinct to look for tempting things... adults always put them upwards... Aha! She points, dramatically "You's tryin' t' be in da roofs!"
Invar frowns back at her. Nosey vole! Why'd she have to be right? "Am jus' tryin' t'reach da' strin'" there, now she's not right, that works! He starts pulling on the chair again.
The little vole marches over. Not helping though. She might even be a bit in the way. Prim' looks up at it than scowls at the badger. "Strin' da opens da roofs. So you's tryin' to be in da roofs... No' asposed t' go inna roofs..." Her tone is a hint of trouble, but for the allowance of bargaining with.
Amethyst is exploring the abbey. She's looked through all the unlocked room on the middle floor and some of the rooms on the main floor already. Now the blind rat is going up the stairs to the upper floor. Partly because she hasn't been up there yet and partly because she heard noises coming from that direction. Amy taps her staff/cane around the floor in front of her and against the walls as she walks. Hearing the little voices she smiles. "Why do you want up there?" she asks Invar.
Invar pauses to look at Primrose. She's far too clever. She could go tell someone and then he'd never get up there "...Yoo wan' up too?" then she'll be in just as much trouble and won't be able to tell! Uh oh. Too late, adult. Invar quickly stands in front of the chair to hide it, or a leg of it anyway "...Don'ts?" completely innocent!
A growed up! And with a stick! Eek! Primose tries to scurry behind Invar and his chair. She has no idea about blindness. "We's 'llowed up t' play... um, forts!" She chimes up, "Can' scold us, we's 'llowed!" Not even sure if they're in trouble for anything yet.
Amethyst is still smiling, "Oh good. You're playing forts. I thought you were going to go on the roof. Silly me. You wouldn't do that and get eaten by sparrows." Amy walks closer and taps her staff against the chair. "The table down stairs in the big room would make a good fort. Are you sure you'd rather use this chair instead?" she asks taping the chair's other legs and maybe a badger if he's still in the way. She isn't sure what the rules are for the dibbuns but 'no going on the roof' makes sense and she assumes the string likely leads to an attic rather than the actual roof unless the string opens the roof.
Invar pouts, adults ruin all the fun! "Weren't goin' up tha' 'igh" he mutters under his breath "Alla groweded ups don'ts like yoos unda' da' big tables. Take yoos out an' eats salad on et" he wrinkles his nose, they should at least have cake instead
"Notta on a roofs... -Inna- roofs." There's a difference, apparently. Primrose is brave enough to poke her head up to look over the chair. "Better forts for playin's inna roofs... an', we's 'llowed uppa there!" Her face is very earnest, it's a pity her effort is probably wasted. She gives a frown and a solemn nod in agreement with Invar. "Yah... N'un letsa play unda da tables..."
"They make you eat salad?!" the ratwife asks looking properly horrified, "And wont let you play under the big table at all you say? Just awful, that's what it is. If they're going to be like that we might as well go up in th roof." Amy bangs her staff down on the floor for emphasis. "Now /where did they/ put that string?" she asks waving a paw around for the elusive string. She pauses a moment, "Now we'll have to go about this the right way or things will just fall apart and they'll come and drag us all down and stuff us full of salad or worse. Now as I have this nice big stick to hit things with it only makes sense for me to be captain of this expedition. Anyone who disagrees can stay down here."
Invar blinks. It's one of those rare cool adults! He grins wide and quickly abandons the chair to waddle along after the rat "Kays. Yoos 'it stuffs if theys come an' we's can hides. Day onlys checks up here if notisk we's missin'"
Primrose looks from Invar to the ratmaid. An adult who is fun? The Abbey must hide these usually or something. Well, she certainly doesn't want to be left down here! "You's cap'n an' hitty stuff!" She agrees readily. "Dey not notices if'n da others are still bad." She hopes.
Amethyst nods, "As I am captain and you two are not then you both must obey my commands. And you don't want t know what'll happen to either of you if you should try an mutiny. Death would be preferable I assure you. Now I will go first and check to see if it's clear up there so you two don't go walking into a bottomless pit or some other misfortune. Is that clear?" She bangs her staff down to get their attention as she asks her question. Saluting would be nice, not that she could see it but it would be nice all the same.
Invar might want to get up there but he has his limits and his rebellious side flairs again as he's told to follow orders. There's another nose wrinkle. He'll see what these orders are but if he doesn't like them he's pushing her in the bottomless pit "...Kays" he says warily as he eyes her very carefully.
Primrose doesn't know how to salute. She knows how to make a noise though, stamping her foot to echo the staff tapping and giggling. She's not sure what a mutiny is either, so she's pretty sure she won't accidently do that. "Okays!" She echoes the badger, perhaps a little more enthusiastically. Then blinks. "Um.. waits! We not knows you... Notta asposed to talks at strangers... Am Primrose!"
What is this? The Redwallers teach their young to be wary of strangers? How nice. "My name's Amy. I'm a friend of Flicktail's. I'm visiting for a while, while my family's away on a trip. It's nice to met you Primrose and Primrose's friend who hasn't introduced himself yet. Now, once I know it's safe up there I'll send for you two to come up. But we can't stay up all day cause we don't want t miss dessert later. Now," her paw after two misses grabs the string and pulls it, "we'll get started."
Invar glances to Primrose. Definitely too smart. He looks back to Amy again "So's yoo not ah strangerer now?...I's Invarrr" he thinks it sounds cool if he makes his name growly "Whys yoo not go wid yoos families? Can I 'ave more deserts dan her?" he points to Primrose. They may be starting an adventure but everything has to be questioned.
"Doesn't look like it and because I didn't want to. I'm a big girl and can stay here by myself. Also I have a stick." Two questions down one to go. "I am sadly not in charge of desserts but I will find out who is and talk to them. I'm sure they could spare some extra dessert for some brave beasts." All the questions have been answered, time to move on. The rat pulls again on the string lowering the stairs which as she can't see them nearly hit her in the head. "Now you two stay here and guard things while I check in th roof," she says as she finds the stairs and slowly starts to climb up them.
Redwall Abbey: Attic/Upper floor
It doesn't take long for Amy to look over the room as the darkness doesn't bother her much though the dust does a little. She can see the light coming from the right and goes to investigate it. Finding a gap in the wall she pokes her head through and one paw (the one with her staff) to see what on the other side.
Invar sticks his tongue out right back at Primrose "I'm da brave one" so he will get extra dessert after all! Course he doesn't really listen to the last instructions as he's marveling at the stairs that have appeared from the ceiling "Oooo" and then he's making sure he beats Primrose to the bottom of them as he follows after Amy, going up the stairs while she's still looking about.
"Hey!" The vole yells as Invar beats her to the stairs. "Not fairs! Am brave too!" She'd reach to yank him back down, if he wasn't so quick about it. And the rat said to stay. Primrose fidgets, and decides to go halfway up. That way she's still sort of down here.
Redwall Abbey: Ledge Above Great Hall
Amethyst can't feel much in the way of a floor outside the gap so it is going to have to be off limits as she couldn't go after the dibbuns if they went out that way and there's also the fact that if they did get lost or killed from going through there she'd be blamed for it and possibly kicked out of the Abbey for all she knows. To try and avoid this the ratwife tries to cover the gap with whatever is at paw as simply standing in front of it would be impractical. She hears somebeast coming up and moves her staff to block whoever it is. The gap wasn't too big, though more than large enough for a dibbun to fit through, and has been covered by a big chair the rat had only just finished dragging over to set against the wall. "Who goes there?" she asks trying to catch her breath through the clouds of dust the chair'd kicked up.
"The room is secure but you were not send for yet if your who I think you are." she says a little annoyed as if he's come up sooner he would have seen the gap or so she assumes and that could cause trouble.
Redwall Abbey: Attic
Invar squeaks in irritation and swings a little foot around as the vole tries to pull him down. He's not going down, he's going up! It's slowed him down enough for Amy to hide the gap and even when he does get to the top he can't see much in the dim light "Was jus' 'ookin'" he says to Amy from the top of the stairs, starting to grin as he sees little piles of stuff to investigate.
Amethyst sighs, "I see that. Tell Primrose she can come up now. There's two rooms up here good for exploring and no bottemless pits to be found," she states with a grin. "So you two and run around up here with out fear and do whatever you like." So long as they don't take a strong likely to the chair by the wall everything should be fine.
Primrose has heard already and is scurrying up the stairs. There's an Invar in the way really, but she's impatient. If she's insistant enough, she's sure he'll move!
Invar likes the idea of telling Primrose what to do so he stays at the top of the stairs long enough to look down at her "Okays, I says yoo can comes up now" no matter that she already is. He doesn't get out the way until he says she's allowed. Then he goes to investigate and finds an old rusty bucket, which he promptly puts on his head. With the big hole in it it makes a good helmet.
Amethyst sits down in the large chair coating herself and that corner of the room is more dust when she does so. This has been an interesting day. The dibbuns she's used to are better behaved than these but they have parents around most of the time to keep them that way. Amy wouldn't know if these two have parents but if they do they clearly must not worry about their little ones that much.
Primrose snuffles and was going to try and push the badger if he didn't move soon. She's pleased when she's let up, and is distracted enough to giggle at the bucket on Invar's head. But! Look at all the junk to explore! She scurries into and amongst the piles, disturbing some dust and sneezing.
Invar twitches his nose "Ows" rusty bucket is a bit sharp, he takes it back off to toss at another pile, knocking over a few bits of wood, an old washboard and the remains of a bathtub with a hole in it.
Amethyst's ears prick forward and she walks quickly over to where the dibbun's are playing. "Did you find something sharp?" she asks. sounded like he did. "Are you bleeding?" she asks. She is a healer as the kit she wears implies, only natural to ask.
Primrose pops up to look. "Inwar's hurted?" Maybe some concern. Sure they might argue, but the perhaps the vole's grown fond her her friend/enemy. She appears out of the junk, suddenly clothed in an old, musty habit, like some tiny green ghost come to inspect the badger and rat.
Invar peers down his snout as he's asked if he's bleeding. He doesn't think so but best the check...hmm, he's dusty and that looks like a bit of cobweb on his whiskers (There's quite a bit more on his ears where he disturbed the bucket spiders) he sees no blood though. As Amy comes over he looks pouty again "Nos, da bucket es jus' pointy...I throws it away!" he points in the vague direction he threw it. Course he'd probably have to be hurt pretty badly to admit to it anyway unless he was already upset. Right now he's fine. He blinks at Primrose in her giant habit and goes to pick up one edge of it.
Amethyst tries to run a paw over the little badger's face as she's hasn't gotten a good look at either of them yet. She can't smell any blood so he's probably fine unless a spider bit him but she doesn't know there were spiders in the bucket. The dirtyness doesn't bother her much. She's a rat and hates bathes as much as any dibbun. "Maybe later we'll go take a swim in th pond?" she suggests, "You do have a pond her don't you? I heard you did."
Primrose tries to yank her habit away from his paws "No! Getcha own!" She tells him off, after nobody seems to think he's hurt. "Yesses! We has a ponds! Bu', I don' knows how to swims. An'.. an', he doesn' either!" She points at the badger. She doesn't care if he does know, she's determined to beat him to this one.
Invar only wanted to look but he still shoots a glare as she steals the habit away, now he does want it! Amy distracts him though by going to touch his face and he whines in protest, going to fight off the paws with his own. His face! Get your own. He doesn't really get the concept of blindness yet.
Amethyst tucks her staff in the crook of her arm and reaches out to wrap an arm around the badger, "Oh calm down, Invar. I just want to look at you. I'm sure you are very handsome but I can't tell if you keep pushing me away. And Primrose you need to share whatever it is you have or take turns at least."
Primrose blinks a little. "But I's /wearin'/ 't..." She moans. "'M notta sharin'!"
Amethyst blinks as well. She doubts Invar wants to wear a dress even if it is Primrose's. "Are you wearing it over your clothes?" she asks the vole. The rat clenches her fangs when she's bitten quickly moving her staff to her paw and giving the badger a light poke to try and redirect him from her arm to the stick if she's lucky. "Alright then. May I please look at you?" she asks trying hard to keep her own temper from flaring. "I'm sorry. I should have asked first," she adds hoping he wont hold this against her for too long.
Primrose exclaims, "Am wearins a habbits! Likesa order!" She gasps as Invar goes to bite, and moves to try and pull him away "Ba' bajah! Ba'!"
Invar lets go immediately, going to snap at whatever poked him until he sees it's Amy's stick. Sticks don't taste all that nice. Then of course Primrose is pulling on him and his anger goes up a little as he aims a shove at her before going to pull free "No!" he yells in answer to Amy's question, however she said sorry so he may let her when he's in a happy mood. Right now he's actually trying not to snap at Primrose because it's Primrose and she'd probably cry or something. After a little glare he stomps off, going to explore the other room to get away before he really gets in trouble "Go 'way!" he yells back at the pair. Badger needs cool down time.
Amethyst does not like being bitten but on the positive side the pain is proof that the voice named Invar is a real person. And Primrose has now added the information of his being a badger. When Invar lets go Amy waits. She can hear him going into the other room and as the only way in or out of that room is to come back to this room the rat thinks he'll be fine by himself for a while. Amy feels her bitten arm with her other paw, letting her staff drop for the moment. "He's not a bad badger, Primrose. He's just upset. .... And if you have something on under that habit then you should take turns wearing it when Invar is feeling better. And if he wants to. Later we'll /all/ go down and have some /desserts/." This last bit is said loudly so the badger can hear it. The blind rat rolls up her sleave and wraps some bandages from her healer's kit around the bitten part of her arm. It isn't bleeding and it could have been worse but it hurts so it's getting bandaged.
"Now til he's feeling better we'll have fun in here," Amy adds picking up her staff again and standing up.
Primrose actually nods, as she watches the badger go off. She knows he'll cool down and be back. "I share whens he's betters... He knows nots to bite though!" She whines, and shuffles, but nods again. "Okays... Untils he comes backs. Den we gets desserts!" Gleeful! And now she's associating the badger with nice desserts. Rather good work from the ratmaid in that regard...
Amethyst is a genius, now if she can only keep it up. "So what do you want to play with now?" she asks the little vole as she moves her stick around to tap against things.
Primrose thinks about it for a few moments. "You cans tell a story, maybe?" She shuffles, paws lost in the habit.
"Maybe. What kind of story would you like to hear?" the rat asks pulling out her lute. This rat is not only a healer she is also a singer, lute player and in her own words a dancer. Healing just the latest addition to her talents and according to some the only useful one of them.
Primrose blinks at the lute. "Whassat?" Her eyes wide, her paw reaches to point at it repeatedly. "Um. A nice story... 'bout.. um, that thingy!" She's pointing at the lute again.
"This," Amy ask raising her lute a little, "is a lute. A story about my lute? That should be easy. This is my second lute. I had a different one before. Once a very long time ago my father gave me a lute as a gift and he taught me how to play it. ... And some bad things happened and there was a battle. During the battle I lost my eye sight. I couldn't see things anymore. Everything looked dark. I could see if it was dark or light but I couldn't see colors or my family or flowers or anything. Nothing could make it better so I had to go away. While I was away I sang songs and played my lute and beasts gave me money because they liked my singing and my music. I used the money to buy food and clothes. I lived like that for a long time til one day I was captured by otters. They thought I was a bad beast and was going to hurt them. While I was there in their hide out I dibbun came there and met me. He said I was beauiful and named me Amethyst. I had a different name before that.
Much later he and I were captured by evil beasts and I lost my lute but later my friend got me a new one." She again holds up her lute, "This one. And that beast that got this for me is now my husband." Amy finishes the story leaving out a large part of it but if pestered she may explain it a little better. "How was that story?" she asks after it's all over.
Primrose blinks. "You cans -change- your name?" It's never been explained to her that she wasn't born -with- a name as a part of her. "Is a nice stories... But you seems nice, why would doze peoples be mean all doze times?" Redwall for her, has been rather sheltered.
"It seems you can. Amethyst isn't a very rat-like name, but it's the one I use the most. A lot of beasts change their names or at least part of it when they get married. I have a different last name now than I did before I got married." What it is and was are unimportant though. "Why were they mean. The otters thought I was bad but they weren't mean when they found out I wasn't. The other group were bad beasts and liked being that way." She wont try to go into the details or the fact that she isn't nearly as good as the vole thinks she is.
Stepping gingerly into the dimly-lit room, Treaglo looks about and is surprised to find two beasts in the attic, but surprised in a good way. Her bushy tale raises up dust and it eventually settles all over her coat, but she doesn't really notice. She waves to the pair, walking over to them. "Hiya, I believe I've met you before, Amethyst...but I haven't met you before, now have I?" She gazes down to the little Dibbun. "I'm Treaglo," she smiles.
Primrose looks up at the squirrel. "Am P'imrose." She smiles, then points at Amethyst. "Is tellin' stories! You's come to listens too?" The volemaid seems happy, if a bit dazed. The tiredness combined with the stubborn refusal to admit it that dibbuns tend to have.
Amethyst jumps at the new voice and wonders for a second how it is that all of Redwall seems to know her name when she hasn't really met even a fraction of them yet. "Hello ... Treeglow," she answers the new voice curtly. This beast may know the rules about dibbuns and if they really are allowed or not allowed up here. Amy could be in trouble. Amy reaches out to lightly poke the vole with a claw, "Why don't you go see how Invar's doing in the other room. Then we can go down for desserts."
Primrose nods quickly to the rat and, tripping a little on the oversized habit she's decided to put on, scurries off toward the other room. "Desserts!"
Treaglo watches the little one with amusement as she dashes away, and glances back at the ratwife. "Oh, well alright then. I was looking forward to a good story, but that's ok." She shuffles over and decides to help the blind beast, tapping on her paw and offering her arm to guide her. "Uh, I guess we should go follow her..."
Amethyst seems to look at the squirrel when her paw is touched. She doesn't take the offered arm but get to her feet on her own. She's not a cripple only blind and she knows her way around up here well enough. The rat moves off into the second room to gather the two dibbuns together and with luck shepherd them back down stairs. Then will come the hard part of talking the kitchen staff into giving them desserts and extra desserts. No to mention the fact that the dibbuns and ratwife could all use a good scrubbing from all the dust they've accumulated
Treaglo blinks as Amethyst brushes past her, a little taken-aback...usually the beasts around here happily accept any help offered. But she doesn't mind.
Amethyst isn't from around here exactly. She's from Moledeep and only as of the last several seasons. The rat may be staying at the abbey for some time while the others from Moledeep are gone but that doesn't mean she's going to be friends with everyone there from day one ... or whatever day this is now.
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