Before the legend, before the glory... a peek into the past. Part 1

From Redwall MUCK Wiki


In Tuscani, the great Eastern Plains, many long seasons ago, before the fox Stormfeather murdered the mousemaid LilyMoore Braveheart, before her siblings Emyuil Half-rat and DoraRose Strongheart traveled west to Mossflower, peace ruled the land, as it had for seasons....

Lightning flashes and Thunder crackles as the thunderstorm releases it's fury against the small farmhouse. Outside, the plants are beaten by the driving wind, heavy rain, and ice-cold hailstones as more thunder shakes the windows. Inside, the rooms are warm and dry, with no leaks in the roof. The old farmhouse, with it's 3 bedrooms, attic, and huge kitchen/dining room/living room has stood for over 6 generations of Farrer Strongpaws' family. The large fireplace near the back door is piled high with wood, burning merrily to keep the summer rain from putting the coals out. The sturdy dining table is covered with bread-making supplies -- it's bake day. Rocking chairs grace the living area, and colourful rugs are scattered here and there throughout the room. The windows and doors are open enough to let some cool air in, but not enough to let the rain in. Beside the table, tossing pizza dough into the air, is the Lady Lydia Sparrowsong, the greatest singer in all of Tuscani. The dough seems to be a living thing in her paws, and she sings in her high saprano voice, happiness and comfort seeming to flow from her.

Emyuil comes downstairs, stretches, and slips over to the table, the young mouse watching the dough like a vulture watches prey. His glassy obsidian eyes are bright and keen.

Lady Lydia smiles at her youngest son, then cocks an eyebrow as joyful shouts resound from the girl's room. The door bursts open, and LilyMoore comes dashings out, laughing and screaming, her violet eyes grinning and flashing with adrenaline as she is chased by her sister. DoraRose follows the youngest member of the family with a pillow in each paw, her blue eyes flashing as she yells a mock-battle cry: "FOR PIE AND PIZZA!!!" LilyMoore hollers again and dives under the table, laughing fit to burst. But Mother isn't happy. She sets down the dough and gathers herself for a good loud yell.

Seeing the look in the Lady's eye, Emyuil backs off, fast, joining Lily beneath the table. "For Pie and Pizza without getting skelped," he mutters in mock-annoyance.

DoraRose gulps as Lydia Sparrowsong shouts, "ENOUGH!" both daughters fall into silence as their mother chastizes them. "You were told to clean up your room. Why are you having a pillow fight?" LilyMoore sheepishly crawls out from under the table as she murmers along with her sister, "Sorry, Mama." Pursing her lips, their mother points to the now-vacated bedroom and orders, "Clean up your room with no pillow fights this time, or I'll send Emyuil to get your father." the girls nod and hastily exit, closing the bedroom door behind them.

Emyuil laughs, clambering out from under the table. "You showed them, Mum."

The parent turns her baleful hazel eyes on her son. "You should never be happy when an ally is punished or beaten...rather, you should learn from thier mistakes." she begins to toss the pizza dough again. "Did you clean up your part of your bedroom like I asked?"

"Yea', but the dust balls get everywhere," Emyuil says, leaning on the table. "A bunch of them floated out into the hallway when I tried to sweep them up."

"Did you try the mop?" is the musical answer as Lydia glances at her son, the dough again gaining a life of it's own. The sound of vigorous cleaning floats out from the girl's room, and the sound of 2 harmonious voices can be heard..."But do we fall?/Or do we stand?/Oh, do we fight or flee?/Go and raise the banner high,/For good ole' Tuscani!"

Emyuil falls over laughing, calling, "Forget the banner, try a broom!" before looking to his mom. "Um, the mop was being used for...other purposes..."

The pizza crust dough goes down again as Lady Lydia looks sternly at her son. "What are these 'other purposes', and why is the mop being used for them?"

"Um...I wos usin' it f'r a sw'dfight wiv my brothers ag'n," Emyuil mumbles, scuffing the floor with his footpaws.

The mother and lady of the house frowns as dissapointment floods into her eyes. "The mop is not a toy...you know that. Where is it?"

"I firget," Emyuil mutters.

Lydia taps her fingers on the tabe and purses her lips. "Where is the mop?"

"I dunno," Emyuil says insistently.

Sighing, Lady Sparrowsong crosses the room and pokes her head in the the girl's room. DoraRose emerges past her, slips on her rough linen cloak and heads out into the rain. Lydia caomes back and looks Emyuil in the eye. "'Rose is out there now, looking for the mop. If she can't find it, and if you can't remember where it is, I'll tell her to get your father, who is having a hard time with the claymore blade Centurion Flaxentail ordered. He will /not/ like being interrupted from his work for a matter such as this, and I have a feelining that not even a flooded river could save you from his anger. So, one last time...where is the mop?"

"Um...Under th' bed?" Emyuil offers, fear in his eyes.

His mother crosses her arms. "Is that a question or an answer, and if it's an answer, is it the truth?"

"Um...Think so," Emyuil mumbles.

Lydia Sparrowsong points to the door of the boy's room. "Well, if that's the truth you should have no trouble finding it. Go get it."

Emyuil pads slowly to the room and breaks into a run.

Lydia sighs and begins to toss the dough again, but all her happiness is gone, and she finds no enjoyment, and so finds no song to sing.

Nope...no mop...somebeast else in the house must've run off with it...Emyuil, in his room, does the only thing he can...hides under the bed.

The mother of the house frowns, sets the dough down, and walks over to the door of the boys' room. Bending over, she looks under the bed, her face softening. "Emyuil...why are you hiding under the bed?"

"'Cos the mop's gone," Emyuil mumbles in the darkness.

Lydia cocks an eyebrow. "That is no reason to hide. You want to be a warrior, yes? Well, warriors face punishment and don't fear it, and they admit thier mistakes. Who else knew where you had stashed the mop?"

"Um, it _was_ here," Emyuil mutters.

Lydia's eyes harden slightly. "Answer the question."

"Um, brothers did, I fink," Emyuil whispers.

Lydia sighs and closes her eyes. Standing straight, she commands in a voice and tone a Centurion would be jelous of, "Go search the house. Lily!" she calls, entering the kitchen again. "Lily, come help Emyuil find the mop." LilyMoore trots out of the now-clean girls room to help her brother.

Emyuil begins searching the room, starting with beneath the other beds.

LilyMoore begins to search with her brother, murmering, "Why'd ya have ta go and play with the mop agin? Are you trying to not ever learn how to use the forge?" Oh, she's so comforting.

"No!" Emyuil snaps defensively. "Besides, it wasn't MY idea!"

Lily just keeps searching, silent and calm, trying her hardest to keep Emyuil from getting in worse trouble.