Kentar's Return

Characters: Aikuen, Fira, Will, Amethyst, Kentar, Kluner

Location: Moledeep

Moledeep: Rose Garden

The sun reaches about noon, over Moledeep. Its much cooler than yesterday, and so the otter, Aikuen, has gone outside to take a little nap by his favorite tree in the rose garden. He enters it, and is immediately filled with the singing and playing of Amy. He smiles a little bit, but grunts all the same... Going to be a little harder to take a nap with that going on. He goes to the tree, and has a hard time not laughing aloud, as Fira has beat him to the punch, and is already dozing. He sits down next to her, giving her a little kiss on the cheek before resting against the tree, trying not to wake her.

Amethyst finishes the song and strums a little just because as she turns her head at the new beast's arrival, "Hello Aikuen."

Aikuen places his paws in front of him, "Hello Amy... How did you know it was me? I didn't say anything? And I don't think I did anything to give away who I was? How did you know?" he asks, trying to figure it out himself how she did it.

The rat-maid smiles, "Process of elimination. I didn't hear Fira leave so couldn't be her and since you don't sound like her either. Also Racky is very noisy for a mute and so it had to be you."

Aikuen ohs. He thought it going to be something impressive, like she could hear his footpaws hitting the dirt and use sound identity, to know it was him. Oh well, "I see, well... yes its me... Wait... how did you know it was me... and not Will?" Thought he throw that in there, since she didn't mention him.

Amethyst smirks, "You're sitting over there and I'm over here. And you aren't whining about the weather."

Aikuen nods, and snorts, "Aye... He would be complaining about the weather! Its quite cool out... at least... compared to yesturday... In fact... it's almost... COLD!" He laughs, and goes to pick up a rock, and toss in the direction of the trees, "How are you Amy?" he asks politely.

Amethyst says, "Still blind. Next question."

Aikuen looks to Amy and snorts, "Yah well, I'm still old... so there!" He stick his tongue out at her, knowing full well she cant see it, "... And as for the next question... I have a bunch, but Will may not like it if I said them aloud... such foul language I use!" he laughs aloud.

Aikuen aims a little rock at her, but decides against it, and tosses it into a nearby bush, "I'm still not gonna ask... because then you will tell him... Then he will kick me for the rest of my life... it would be better for the both of us, if I just kept my mouth shut..." He lightly hums, and chuckles at his reasoning.

Amethyst shrugs again, "Suit yourself."

Aikuen tilts his head at her, "Not interested? Not at all curious? Come on! it was going to be funny! at least for me anyway..." He snickers, "But if you don't want to know... that's quite fine..." He gives another quick kiss to Fira, before getting up and walking through the bushes of roses, picking out of place pedals here and there.

Amethyst plucks at her lute, "You're talking nonsense why should that interest me?"

Aikuen snorts, "I'm making perfect since... you're just not listening..." and for some reason, the quote 'Take a long walk, off a short plank' pops into his mind. He laughs as he continues to work, trimming the roses

Amethyst says, "Alright then, enlighten me on this taboo topic you want to discuss despite the possible consequences."

Aikuen has an evil smile as he turns to face Amy, and begins to pace, "Now I want the truth..." He begins, "Why are you here? And I don't want any of that mish-mash you're about to tell me. No, 'I need a place to stay'... 'or I'm blind'... and all that..." (Nice curse word), "That don't work on me anymore... What is the real reason why you are here?"

Amethyst can't see the otter's face but can tell from his tone that he wants a straight answer. "Look at me, Aikuen. Am I blind? You can't outright assume my blindness is irrelevant to my being here. I'm not faking it, if that's what you're thinking. No I'm not here because I /needed/ a place to stay. My staying here over some place else was Will's idea. If that bothers you maybe you should talk to him."

Aikuen points to Fira, "Fira is deaf...and always has been... Yet, she was a wanderer before I asked her to marry me... True, your blindness may have something to do with you staying here... but she was able to live, and thrive... in those conditions... So your blindness means little to me..." he nods, "As long as I know that Will, had the idea... it's perfectly alright with me... and I will have a little chat with him later... but I think he already got it...so you're the problem now." He is brining it all out in the open, "Okay next question... And remember... tell me false... and I'll toss you off a high place..." He asks, "Now... Why do you want to marry Will?... You only just meet... you're both way too young, to be even deciding something like that... Why, oh, why do you want too?"he asks as he continues to pace.

Kip rushes into the gardens and looks around, seeing Aikuen he runs over, "Hey, you hear about the battle at the Abbey?!" he asks breathlessly having ran almost the whole way from Redwall Abbey. He blinks and looks from Aikuen to Amethyst and back again, "Am I interrupting something?

Amethyst rolls her eyes a little, "I doubt Will would like you to push me off anything, or let you for that matter. As for your question, I became blind around three seasons of age and was promptly disowned. Once I was blind I became a beggar and bard of sorts out of necessity. I traveled around playing my lute and singing in various place in exchange for food or coins, whichever I could get. As a child, before I became blind, I was taught that I had one real choice in life and that was to be a wife and mother once I was grown. I was also told that if when I was older I were found unfit for marriage I would be disowned and would have to live as a beggar and I 'should be thankful we don't live closer to th slave routes or it could be worse' but they always said /that/. After I became blind things changed and my choice was to be a beggar, or die.

A short time ago I met Will and it was very clear that no able bodied rat-maid, in her right mind, would ever want anything to do with him, so I saw a chance for the both of us to benefit. I get what I'd thought I'd lost when I lost my sight and he gets what he would have had a chance to get had he not been orphaned. You heard him say he'd die for me and I /do/ like him in return. I can't really say that I /love/ him, I may in time ... I don't know ... but /I'd/ say being able to live and not just barely comes before 'love' and I do like him, for what little it may be worth to you." She blinks hearing a new beast enter and there's Kip's voice. "Kip. If you have been spying on me this whole time I /will/ tell Will about it and I know he won't like it, at all!"

Aikuen grunts and takes a deep breath, "I've seen that happened, to get married for that reason, way too many times before... Those lives... I've been told...are worse than death... And besides...if you lived here... we would give you food, shelter, and protection... and all we ask is that you do some chores... that's it." We stops to take another deep breath, and continues, "And either way... if you married him or not... we will still provide you the same... You don't need to settle yourself to a husband, just because somebeast told you would have too... It may have been different where you lived... but here... you don't have to do that... As for Will, i don't he would like it if he married you... and you don't love him back... if that..." He stops and looks to the young otter, "Why yes Kipper... You were interrupting... No... I didn't know about the battle... haven't heard anything at all... Why? What happened?" He talks like he is uninterested.

Kip ohs, "Sorry, just came from Redwall. Didn't think word had got out here yet sides I'm probably the only beasts that knows how to get to his place as well as Will can. "You really missed a battle, Aikuen. It was amazing and confusing and at one point there were /two/ Flicktails fighting and ..." the young otter goes on and on about the battle not really telling them anything all that important, "And then Flicktail ran that fox, you remember him - the one that took Will's eye? The Abbey Champion had him stuck through on Martin's sword and if it hadn't been stuck in the ground as well that fox would have fallen down dead! Though the Skipper says we can't be sure if it was really that fox since he was using so many disguises and had looked just like Flicktail when he first came even. It was crazy, but we won!"

Amethyst blinks a few times, "Ok ... you've told us, now /leave/ Kip."

Aikuen looks to Kip and waits, getting his hope up... until the down fall at the end, "So the Fox... is not dead... At least not for sure... That's... just..." He says several curses, that would even make a sailor blush. And then punches a nearby tree really hard. He growls as he removes his paw which is very bloody and is full of splinters, "DAMMIT... great..." and extends his claws, which all pop back into place loudly, and snarls "Ug... Thanks Kipple... Please have some drink and food before you go..." He places his bloody paw in his other paw, and begins to pace, thinking.

Kip sighs, "Thanks ... I wish I could say the fox is dead but he might not be. At least Flicktail proved he's a good Champion and maybe beasts'll stop saying otherwise so much," he shakes his head. "... I take it you can tell the OtterRat for me?" he asks not really watiting for an answer before heading into Moledeep

Amethyst plucks at her lute, "Well that was rude and unhelpful. Now where were we ... Ah yes, you were questioning me." She smiles a little, "I think that, tree was it? I think it won."

Aikuen continues to pace, "I told you what I think... You never answered... I just want you to know, if by the time this little thing your planing goes through, and you still don't love him, and/or Will is the same for you... you will not have it... no matter what you... or he says..." His temper is on the rise again, as he rubs the blood off his paws.

Amethyst thinks this over. "Where did Fira live before she came here? Did she just live in the woods or did she have a house somewhere?" the rat-maid asks.

Kip comes running out of Moledeep, his face bloodied. Seeing Aikuen and Amy he says quickly, "I-I didn't do anything!" before running off into the woods

Aikuen stops pacing and looks to the Rat-Maid, "Eh? Oh... she lived at Holt Silverwater, all by herself..." he says. He then tilts his head and looks to Kip, "Eh... what... Oh, He must have told Will something... and he punched him... hmmm..." He goes back to pacing, still thinking about that Fox.

Amethyst nods, "And once you and her are married you will live where?"

Aikuen opens his mouth about to say something, then closes it. He never really thought about, he just assumed she would live here with him. Finally he says, "We... Would live here, I guess... that would be best... for the best of us" He stops pacing and just watches the Rat-Maid.

"You guess? Have you talked to her about it yet?" Amy asks, trying to steer the conversation away from herself.

Aikuen sighs, "Well... we never actually talked about it, directly... But i believe that she will say yes... i know she well stay here... Why not? She helped us do a lot of things around the tunnel... It wouldn't make sense if she didn't want to stay..." When you talk about Aikuen's favorite subject, he will forget about everything else.

Amethyst is catching on to that. "That's good, but later on she may want to move back to her old home. I'm sure it holds lots of happy memories for her. No doubt she'd prefer to raise any little otters you may have there rather than in an old mole den," the rat-maid reasons.

Will walks into the rose garden and sits down.

Aikuen shakes his head, "No she won't... She told me that she hasn't had a lot of good memories there... She said a lot of death, and leaving happened" But then he thinks about raising the pups and it actually puzzles him, "Then we will decide then... Yes, a Holt would be better for raising the pups... But we might make our own Holt..." He starts to pace again, and totally misses Will's entrance.

Will is sitting next to Amy and it's likely she noticed he's arrival. He gives her an disproving look, even though she can't see it, having heard some of their conversation on his way over. "Hello, Pa," he says to the oblivious otter.

Amethyst ahs, "My mistake. Now what /else/ did you want to ask me?"

Aikuen goes wide eyed as he hears Will. He turns on the balls of his feet quickly to stare right back at him, "Eh... Hello Will!" He hopes he didn't hear his last statement. It was more an idea then an absolute truth, "Ask? OH!... Umm no... that's it..." No more questions now that Will is in the vicinity. He walks over back to the tree and sits next to Fira, who is still sleeping... missing totally everything. He kisses her a little, wishing he had the blissful ignorance she is experiencing.

Amethyst pokes Will a little. "What brings you out here. I thought you said it was too hot," she teases.

Amethyst pokes Will a little. "What brings you out here. I thought you said it was too hot," she teases.

Will sighs, "It is. There's nothing t do inside." Unless you count work and he isn't.

Amethyst chuckles, "Well ... why don't you drag that fox out of th dibbun hole or whatever it's called and tie em up to a tree. Upside-down's best, just make sure to tie both his feet and tail together or he might kick you. I'll even let you borrow my stick to hit him with if you like."

Aikuen sighs quietly to himself. He now thinks that Will may not have heard his last statement. The he hears Amy, and he tilts his head, not saying anything... yet. Let Will tell her off!

Will laughs, "That's mean. Sides too much trouble to carry him out here. Maybe I should just tie you up instead." he teases back. He knows the maid well enough to know where that idea came from.

Amethyst eeps, pretending to be scared, "Oh no! No! ... the otter! Yeah, tie Aik up! Oh, that /would/ be funny!"

Aikuen looks to them both quickly, "Eh? what? No!" He hides a smile, and looks to Fira, "The little ninnys are gonna tie up your love! Please help me!" He then grunts as he forgot that he cant hear him... she is still asleep. He laughs, "Ack! you're no help!"

"Well. Maybe we can be of some assistance then, Aikuen?" Comes a voice from the entrance to the gardens. Standing there, with a weasel probably hiding behind him, is Kentar. "So. What have you gotten yourself into while I was away?" he asks, stepping towards the otter with a serious face. "Better not have broken anything again."

Will rolls on the grass howling with laughter. "... oh ... *gasp* ... oh ... yes ... tie up ... *gasp* ..." he's too busy trying to calm down and breath to finish the sentence.

Amethyst grins at the otter, "It's fun. I used to play this game all th time with my brothers and sisters. Come oooon!"

Will pants having finally calmed down. "We won't hur- Did you just hear what I heard?" he asks sitting up to look around for the source of the familiar voice.

Aikuen frowns at Will and Amy. And then he hears Kentar, "Yah those rascals are gonna tie me... up..." He looks slowly to Kentar open mouthed, and wide eyed, "What the... No... Is.. that.. you?" He stumbles up and looks the stoat up and down, totally speechless at the figure.

Amethyst's ears move toward the new voice. "Hello whoever you are. ... Who are you?"

Kentar looks at them then tilts his head. "Yeah? Gonna tie you up? And you never invited me!?" he looks to the grave stone and reads it quickly, before looking back to the others, trying so hard to be all serious. "Well, I guess I'll just go back to the dark forest, and leave you be." he turns around and starts to walk slowly away.

Will is on his feet quickly, "What?! ... Uh ... aren't you gonna haunt us or at least Pa? You said you would ... um ... the rock was Pa's idea. A-are you really real?"

Aikuen eyes begins to twitch at the stoat, "K-Kentar!?! What the...?!?!" He walks over to Kentar and pokes him. He is real, and gives him a painful hug, "By Hellgates it is you! I'm gonna kill you... You do know that right! OH Kentar... You're.. A-Alive!"

Amethyst sighs, "Nameless voice that Will and Aik know from some where and might be Kentar, who are you? What are you? And if you are Kentar you're not very good at staying dead." The last is said in jest.

Kentar turns and looks to Aikuen and Will. "Right I forgot about haunting you..." he moves his arms around and 'woooooohhhoooos' a little like a ghost before he's hugged. "Yeah! I'm alive." he hugs the otter back tightly. Then he looks to the other rat, and no, its not Will. "Uh...don't know you but no, I'm not good at staying dead."

Will shushes the blind rat-maid before running over to the stoat as well, "We thought the fox got you and ... You're ok. And ... You're back!" He moves forward to hug the stoat not caring that he's already hugging Aikuen.

Amethyst answers Kentar, "So you're Kentar ... a stoat, right?" She nods to herself, "I'll met you later when you're ... less busy."

Aikuen will not let go of the stoat, "I still don't believe you're alive... Last I saw you... you were tossed in a river... never to be seen again... Hell! What happened to you mate?"

Kluner is still behind the tree, just peering out... not too sure of coming out. He sees the waterdog... WAIT... there is two of them...Kentar never mentioned that. There hugging now... so he slowly creeps out from the tree, just looking around.

Kentar doesn't let go of Aikuen or Will right now. He's so happy to be home. "Well. I'll tell you both later, its far too long to explain right now." he smiles, hugging them both tightly. "First I want to introduce you...er..three?" he looks to Amethyst but then shrugs. "To my son, Kluna." he smiles, pointing to the young weasel, and motioning him over.

Amethyst hears the weasel and then the stoat's words. "Hello, Kentar's invisible son. Please tell me this one isn't mute like the other one.

Kluner puts his tail in his mouth and walks over to Kentar, and hugs his leg. He looks to the tall waterdog, then to the now talking beast, of Amy, "No'es... I cans talks... Hi's! I's Kluna..." He then hides behind the stoat.

Will blinks looking the weasel over. "Hi, Kluna." He looks to Kentar next, "If he's your son ... doesn't that make Pa his grandad or something?" The one eyed rat chews on his lip trying to sort it out himself.

Kentar peers over at Amy. "And I can too, I just don't know you, so I can't really say Hi, I missed you, how have you been." he glares at her, before looking back to the others. He then looks to Will and nods. "Yeah. And you his uncle." he laughs, finally letting go of the others, looking around. "Uh...Garnet isn't here...is she?" he asks, hopeful.

Amethyst smiles, her back is to the others but she /is/ smiling. "Hello, Kluna. What are you?" she asks sweetly.

Aikuen looks down to the little weasel, "Hello! I'm Aikuen... but you can call me Aik... And that gorgeous beast sleeping by the tree is Fira... She is deaf and asleep so don't wake her please..." He then looks slowly back to Kentar and places a paw on his shoulder, shaking his head.

Kluner looks to everybeast who is talking, then back to Amy, "I'ms a weasels! sillies" Not getting that she is blind. He look to Aik and says softly, "Hi's... Oh'ks..." He glances to Fira. Don't want to angry either the waterdogs. Aik is his Grandfater? Kentar never said anything of that...

Bored Amy begins plucking at her lute with a duck quill and sings along with the music, "See the smoke curl from the chimney, An the mat beside the door, On the path there stands the family, Like you left em long before. Home returning, home returning, Seasons gone an young uns grown, Home returning, home returning, Back to those I call my own! There the fire burns and the ale brews, An the bread bakes soft an brown, While my friends wait with the good news, Bring my chair an sit me down. Home returning, home returning, Comes the warrior from the war, Home returning, home returning, Home to wander nevermore!"

Kentar sighs. He apparently forgot to tell Kluner but he doesn't notice right now. "Alright..." he nods. "I figured as much. She's really gone..." he just wipes his eye before smiling again, pushing the pain away. "I'm glad you're all here!" he laughs, going to give Aikuen and Will an even bigger hug. Kluner, for now, is forgotten.

Will chuckles, "Won't Fira be surprised. Kentar's back and she's a grandmum! Well, nearly one."

Kentar looks between them. "What!?" he asks. "I didn't miss the wedding? Ahaha! Amazing!" he smiles.

Aikuen hugs the stoat again, "I'm glad you here mate... And yes... the wedding is in two days... I'm glad that you will be there mate! Fira will be very surprised... I could wake her if yah wanted too... though she might punch you for waking her! And then hug you!" he laughs.

Kentar laughs and grins. "Nah. Tomorrow, I'll just be over her bed when she wakes, pretending to haunt her." he laughs.

Aikuen snorts, "She still might punch you... Hehe... it's just great to see yah... That's all that matters" He pats the stoats back, "OH and about the rock... Well... its your's... I'm sorry... but I thought... well... just sorry..."

Kentar laughs and nods a bit. "Don't worry about it." he smiles. "I'm not dead..." he winces quite a bit at the back patting. "Ow...don't...do that again. Not for a while. Whip welts still sore." he says with a frown. "I have the worst of luck."

Aikuen laughs a little bit then frowns at his last statement, "What?!... Oh geeze mate... Were you made into a slave?... I'm sorry... You... you... do have the worst of luck... but... but your not dead..." he smiles some at that.

Kentar nods. "Actually, we both were." he motions to Kluner. "And he was part of the crew before that too." he frowns a little before nodding. "We rowed for a few days after the ship I told you and Will about when we were done our trip was destroyed." he frowns. "But yah, I'm not dead."

Aikuen nods, "You can tell us all about... if yah want too..." He turns away and wipes a tear, before heading over to a tree that Fira is under. He plops down and grabs her paw gently, "I'm still sorry mate..." He leans into her and closes his eyes, "Mate... I'm glad your back... it's not the same without you... Kluna, pleasure to meet you..." as he dozes.

Will grimaces at the mention of whips and slavery. "H-how'd you get away?" he asks the stoat.

Kentar looks to Will and sighs. "Kluna and I were brought on deck. I was whipped some more and then pushed overboard. A woodlander trading ship had actually picked me up. Had me in their brig till I convinced their captain I was good." he chuckles

Amethyst doesn't really mind being ignored so long as she can hear the others. She starts another song, "I planted her gently last summer, all in quiet evening shade, within an orchard bower, her little bed I made. Alone I sat by my window, as Autumn leaves did fall, they formed a russet cover for My Rose of Old Redwall. Through Winter's dreary days she slept beneath the cold dark ground, when all the earth was silent, white snows lay deep around. Bright stars came out above her, as to the moon I'd call, take pity on my dearest one, My Rose of Old Redwall. How the grass grew green and misty, soft fell the rain that Spring, her dainty budded head arose, and made my poor heart sing. Then Summer brought her just one bloom, so white, so sweet and tall, with ne'er a thorn to sully her, My Rose of Old Redwall.

Will shrugs, "Not much. We cleaned a lot, um ... nothing really happened."

Amethyst smirks, "Kentar, mind coming over here so I can see you?"

Kentar Ohs a little. "You're serious? That's...not much." he looks over at the other rat, still unsure who the heck she is. The stoat stands, weasel in arm, and then goes over, getting in front of Amethyst.

Will chews on his lip a bit, "Well ... You see Kip came over some days ago at night and dragged me off t Camp Willow to show me something and ... she was there." Details can be filled in later.

Amethyst stares at the stoat through cloudy blind eyes, "Stay very still so I can look at you." She puts out a paw to touch his face

Kentar stays very still as she feels his face. He knows what she's doing and why, since he knew a blind beast many seasons ago. He stays quiet as his eye flicks towards Will in a 'you'd better explain later' look.

Will seems to find the tree tops very interesting for some reason and misses the stoat's eye.

Amethyst runs her paw over the stoat's face, soon her other paw joins the first. She takes care around his eye patch and other wounds she comes across. "Hello Kentar, nice to have a face to go with the voice. I've met Aik already though not Fira exactly nor Racky. I'm known as Amethyst or Amy if you'd prefer. The idiot that shares your lack of an eye /is mine/, though I believe you've met him already.

Kentar looks over to Will when she stops feeling his face. The stoat smiling some. "Haha!" he laughs at the idiot bit. "Haha. Glad there is someone else who think's Will is an idiot." he grins before tilting his head. "He's yours? what do you mean?" he asks

Will isn't sure how to put it without the stoat laughing at him more. "Uh ... in th Spring ... that is next Spring ... um ... you'll find out sooner or later ... uh ... oh, she can tell you ... you'll just laugh anyway or worse." The idea of Kentar joining Aikuen in teasing him makes Will reluctant to explain Amy.

Amethyst puts her lute away and take her staff in paw in one fluid movement and pulls herself to her feet, "Yes he's an idiot, but he's /my/ idiot. Is that clear?" she says.

Kentar nods. "Yeah. Your idiot.." he then looks back to Will and goes over, sitting down next to him. "Come on, tell me. I promise not to make fun of you for whatever it is." he smiles.

Will scoffs, "You say that now, but you won't do it. Pa didn't mind at first and even though he was a pain teasing us he acted like he liked th idea and now he still teases us but he's says he doesn't like it. Bet if Fira hadn't said she didn't like it he wouldn't have changed his mind like that."

Kentar pats Will on the shoulder gently. "Look at me...I just got back from being lost, a slave, free, and then a slave again. I have no desire to tease anyone about anything. Please...tell me?"

Amethyst grins, "Kentar all this," she waves a paw at whatever's nearest, "All of it all you survey ... will be mine come Spring. The otters don't like it. What do you think?"

Will sighs, "Well ... uh n-next-Spring-Amy-and-me-are-maybe-probably-get-married-and-Pa-an-Step-mum-don't-like-it!" He figured the quicker it's said the better.

Kentar blinks. His jaw drops. "YOUR'E WHAT!?!?!?" he asks, the stoat almost dropping Kluner, the weasel still in his arms. "You and her...getting married?!?!" he's in shock. "You two are still dibbuns for crying out loud...you can't get married..." he frowns. He doesn't like it either. "It would be like Kluna getting married..."

Will scowls at the stoat, "By next Spring we'll be of age and then some. And if all of you still don't like it by then you all can go live at Fira's holt or th Abbey or anywhere else that's not /my/ tunnel." The rat dibbun crosses his arms over his chest now glaring at the stoat. He doesn't really want them all to leave but he's sick of them all saying he can't marry Amy, when they won't be too young by the time of the wedding, if there is one. He may be a dibbun but he /is/ the finder and owner of Moledeep and they shouldn't be able to walk all over him or order him about in his own home even if they are is family and he is a dibbun.

Kentar takes a few deep breaths and calms down. The stoat thinks for a few long minutes. "You're right..." he pauses. "We don't have to like it I guess...you do what you want to, and if you want to marry her, then do it." he frowns still. "I wasn't much older when I got married the first time. Only by a season and a half." he says with a shrug. "So...do whatever. I'm happy for you." He smiles a bit and pats the rat's shoulder gently. "I'm sorry...Just...a little shocked."

Will sighs, "... we might not get married if we change our minds or something before then .... it was her idea, mostly. ... Fira said we're too young but we told her we aren't getting married right now but a long time from now. And now /Pa's/ even saying we're too young and it's a bad idea when before Fira knew about it he liked th idea!" The rat punches the ground in frustration.

Kentar nods a little and then looks to Amy. "You like him?" he asks, not in surprise, just as a general question. He then looks back to Will. "Aikuen is dumb, you know that. He'd jump off a cliff with sharp rocks at the bottom if Fira told him to." he says. "Look. I don't like it anymore then Fira does. I really, really don't. But..." he smiles some. "I'm still happy for you and Amy. If it makes you happy, and if it's what you want, then who cares if I don't like it? Who cares if Aik or Fira don't like it? You shouldn't."

"What answer do you want to hear? I explained my reasons for wanting to marry your brother very plainly and clearly to Aikuen and he said that he'd /heard/ such marriage are unhappy ones and dismissed everything I'd said. If Kip hadn't interrupted our conversation by being a stupid otter, which is very easy for Kip it seems. If Kip hadn't shown up just then I could have and /would have/ told Aikuen that while what he heard may be true in some cases but my parents' marrage is based on the same thing mine is to be and my parents are very happily married and that is a fact and not something I heard somewhere. As for your question, yes I do like Will, sadly I'm having trouble liking is family so far in part due to their not liking me for no reason at all. .... I don't hear 'shut up, Amy' or 'Don't talk' or 'Stop bothering him' ... I don't know if I should be happy about that or not."

Kentar nods slowly at what Amy says. "Fine..." he says. "If you like him, and if he likes you, I see no reason at all not to get married next spring." he shrugs. "Why would I? I may not like it because of your ages, but...heh, I won't try, nor will I want to try to stop it." he smiles before tilting his head. "What are the terms of the marriage?"

Will nods a little, "I guess so but I ... I know she can be annoying and talks too much but why do they not like her so much? She /should/ be nicer to them but she hasn't been here a whole week yet ... They like /me/ and I'm ... I'm /me/ all that's wrong with her is she can't see." Will smiles a little, "Ok, you've talked to him enough, Beautiful. Now it's my turn."

Amethyst scowls, "I am /not/! Stop calling me that! Kentar your brother is delusional that's why he's an idiot."

Kentar looks at Amy then laughs loudly, the stoat grinning between the two of them. "Ah. Young love!" he laughs. "Will, I wont make fun of you now, but tomorrow..." he grins. "I need to make up for lost time, don't I?" He grins.

Will grins, "Yes you are! You are cause I say you are!" He turns back to the stoat, "Amy can't see, as you can see. And I'm me. So her idea which makes sense is that since she's a blind beggar she'd be better off married to me instead of being a beggar and since I'm me I should be very happy that she's blind or I'd never have a chance of getting married ever." He looks over to Amy, "Is that right?"

Amethyst rolls her eyes, "Well that is what I said but that not how I explained it to Aik, thankfully. I think it's your turn to shut up now, but first hit Kentar with something I can't reach him from here." She holds out her staff, holding it close to her to make it look like it can't reach the stoat.

Kentar laughs. "Don't hit me." he smirks. "I've been whipped a few days ago, remember? Can't we just call that punishment enough?" he laughs. "Oh...Will...something I want to ask."

Will sighs, "If you do and you will .... no shovels please or throwing me on top of her like Pa did. I /know/ it was an accident but she got hurt from that and .... it wasn't good, ok." Will glance over at Amethyst, "Amazing you're really going to hit some beast other an me with your stick? ... Kentar you're a witness so if she denies it later you can back me up on it, ok." He lightly pokes at the stoat's arm, "There, happy?" he asks the maid.

Kentar laughs but then loudly ows, making it like Will really hit him. "Oww...don't...do that!" he winks to the ratling. "Anyways. Do you know if Aikuen got rid of my spare clothes and armor?" he asks.

Amethyst laughs, "Yes no shovels please and my ribs would like to not be cracked again anytime soon or not soon. Shut up, Will ... my stick may not be able to reach him but I know it can reach you! I did not hear you hit him ..... boys ..." she shakes her head smiling.

Will chews his lower lip some, "I ... I don't know. I do know that there's nothing buried where that rock is ... I knew that before you came back too. I know why they put the rock up too ...." He fishes around for something in his pants pocket, he's not wearing a shirt because of the heat. He really hates summer. He pulls out a sword shaped silver pin and holds it out to the stoat, "Here. I think you said something about not having a dibbun to give this too a long time ago. You can tell Kluna I kept it safe for him. ... and I cleaned it real good th other day so there's no clay or anything on it."

Kentar tilts his head then looks at the pin, shaking his head. "No, Will. You keep that until you have your own dibbun to give it to." he smiles. "You keep it." he smiles some more.

Will huffs, "No. It was yours and I you gave it to me cause you didn't have any one else to give it too and now you do. I don't need it anyway. I have a tunnel, a sword, a sling, a sh- uh lots of stuff ok. This pin should be Kluna's not mine."

Kentar takes Will's paw, and closes it around the pin. "I gave it to you because you are my brother. You weren't at the time, but then, you were still my best friend. You're family Will. You keep it. I already have something I will give to Kluna when he's a little older. Trust me." he smiles.

Will turns his paw around and lets the pin drop, "I don't need it. You're back and everything's fi- better now and I /don't/ need it."

Amethyst says, "He can be very stubborn. I'm told it runs in your unique family. Stupidity also seems to run in your family."

Kentar watches it drop. "Will. It doesn't matter if you don't need it. In my family, my old family, that pin meant that the owner had strength, honor, courage, intelligence. It's made from pure silver. It's always been valuable as something a family member gave to another. To decline it, was always an insult and always proved that the pin, was wrong. And I guess..." he picks it up. "It was wrong to find you." He stands, clearly angry, and then heads off to put Kluner to a proper bed for the night.

Will blinks a few times. The stoat's gone now and so's the pin he'd kept soo long. He hugs his knees to his chest, "Stupid stoat. He didn't tell me that ... he ... I would have kept it if he didn't keep on that I should pass it on. It was his first. If I'm gonna pass something on to my dibbuns, if I had dibbuns, it'd be something that was mine and just mine or something that Pa'd given me like my sword or something .... Stupid stoat .... stupid rules no beast tells me about ... just like before!"

Amethyst keeps quiet, she doubts this will go well.

Will sniffles a little, "In his old family pin was important, humf. Well in most of /my/ old 'families' feeding th vermin orphan /wasn't/ important!" he yells toward Moledeep where the stoat had disappeared into some time ago now.

Amethyst slowly and quietly slips into the rose bushes not wanting to be discovered should Will not take too kindly to having an audience right now.

Aikuen has been awake this whole time... hearing every word that they all said. Once Kentar leaves, he opens his eyes and looks to Fira, and mouths "I wish we could have just... one... normal day..." She has also been awake to read it all. She looks into Aiks eyes and nods, before going to settle in his side again. Aikuen sits there, thinking about all this, continuing to mouth "I...I... have to tell Will I'm sorry... I was wrong...He has my support," he growls a bit, "But by all rights I should toss Amy off a cliff... Not only did she tell me false, she doesn't listen, AT ALL!... I told her that it would be alright, as long as they loved each other by the time it happens..." Fira is not looking at him, so she cant read him. Aikuen takes a deep breath and taps her on the back to get her attention, still mouthing "Just two more days..." he receives his one of a kind, Fira brand smirk. He smiles back at her, and kisses the smirk right off her face, before settling back, watching the rats.

When Will almost starts to break down, he sighs and slowly gets up leaving Fira by the tree. He walks to his son and says, "Will... You have my support... You guys never told me all that... you should have told me ALL of that, right from the beginning...And as for Kentar..." He shrugs a bit.

Will stiffens as the otter approaches and he quickly wipes his face with his paws. "What do you w- ... W-what? But you said ... you an Step-mum don't even like Amy. ... All-all of what .... we already told you and you got mad at us!" The dibbun is upset and confused.

Aikuen was waiting for him to say something like that, "You guys never gave me the whole thing... all at once... You only gave me bits and pieces at a time... and never told me directly... always alluding ... and me being an idiot... I thought wrong on it... But now that I know the whole story... I just have to say this, I never changed my idea... I didn't approve of it at first. At the very beginning, thought you were joking... but when it seemed to be serious, I told you what I thought...but I was never going to stop it... And neither was Fira... as long as you feel that it's okay... it's okay by me... and it's okay by her" He hopes, "And as for not liking Amy... that's our own problem... and we will deal with it. You don't have too, it's our problem." He takes a deep breath, hoping this answer will help him.

Will takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly once he's able. "Aikuen. I've been as close as I ever want to be t hellsgates more than once and back again. I've killed close t ten beasts most of whom you've seen die. How ... Why ... What made you think I was joking? I know I'm a dibbun but I've ... been around if you will and I'm not joking. I didn't know bringing Amy here was gonna cause problems. I thought ... I thought you and Fira would be happy about it and I never thought you wouldn't like her ... It's good that you're not gonna stop us, but ... I love her, ok. But all of you that are my family don't like her. I've talked to her and asked her to be nicer to all of you and she said she tried and you were mean to her."

Aikuen crosses his arms in front of him, "William...We also try to be nice...but its hard, because she always puts you and herself down... and then aims that at another beast... mainly us... always thinking this is the only way...But I'm glad you love her... But she has to realize that even if she did marry you," He points to all around him, "This will still be ours... not hers..." He begins to pace again, "AS for the joking... let me ask you this... What if you never meet Fira before in your life, and I meet her yesterday, and we decided to get married... what would you think?"

The rat's ears lower, he knows he's in big trouble now but he sees a hole or what looks like a hole in the otter's lecture. "Ok I understand why you thought I was joking .... but let's say you didn't met Fira at all and met some otter-maid that liked you very very much but she'd had a very bad life and had lived with some uh ... shrews and acted like them and a little bit like an otter but not very much and then the shrews died and somehow she got adopted by ... uh ... cats or something and so she acts kinda like a shew an has cats for parents and barley acts like an otter and has almost never seen another otter before and then she mets you and she likes you very very much cause you're an otter, a real otter, and she's not and she talks to you a lot and tells you all about her and you tell her all about you and you both like each other very much and since most th otters here aren't from your island and think she's weird you ... well it ... it makes more sense th way Amy says it.

You don't know her very well yet and ... even though this Winter will make a year since I came to Mossflower ... I wonder if you know me as well as you think you do."

Aikuen, while listening to his son, can easily make the connections that he is trying to make. When the rat finishes he says very quickly, "Let me guess... the shrews are moles, one of your adopted parents... the cats are otters, that's me... the otter in the story is you... and the other otter is Amy... I know you pretty damn well, if I should think so..." he stops pacing to say "Now at the time she first told me of your plans... I didn't know any of that... once again... me not getting the full story..." and goes back to pacing, "I said I approve... now that I know the whole thing... As for us getting to like Amy... if she tried too... AND I MEAN, really tried... to be nice to us, we would be nice to her..."

Will chews on his lower lip thinking about what to say to the otter, "She is trying ... she's supposed to be trying ..."

Aikuen says, "Well, compared to what she has been... there is an improvement... not much... but there is some..." He stops and looks back to Will again, with his arms behind his back, "But it's not just her... We, also need to try harder... Like I try to make polite conversations to her... but they always seem to go wrong for some reason... probably my fault..." he takes a deep breath, before plopping down near one of the rose bushes, "... And if that's the case... then I'm sorry, but I am trying..." he begins to rub his eyes.

Amethyst has been curled up in the rose bushes for some time now. She'd tried to go to sleep but the talking's too distracting. She lays hidden listening to Will and Aikuen, trapped. She'd considered commenting on the discussion but doesn't want to be found out, figuring she'd be accused of spying on them.

Will nods some. "What about th stoat?" he asks.

Will blinks, "No. Not that. He's mad at me."

Aikuen ohs, and begins to tap his claws nervously, "Oh that... okay... well... Um... I guess that pin was some sort of heirloom of his... and i think he said that if you refused it, or something like that... it meant the pin was not worth... what it was supposed to be..." That didn't come out exactly like he wanted it too, so he tries another approach, "Remember when i gave you that dagger long ago? It wasn't an heirloom of mine, but it was special to me... and if you refused it, i would also be angry... Do you see what i mean?" strike two, for explaining it... but he hopes the rat will get it anyways.

Will shakes his head, he doesn't get it. "I remember th dagger and I know it was special t you and you /did/ get mad at me when I lost it but then Zen gave it back and it was ok again." No mention is made of the fox who now has the dagger but the less said about him the better Will thinks.

Fira has been sort of watching, partly trying not to get involved again. She's got the gist of a few things. There's another chat about the wedding, they could recite all the reasons in the world and she'll still only believe in one. She's more concerned than disproving though. She's got the idea that Kentar's back, very big shock there but she's yet to see the stoat herself so she's partly doubting it a little. Still she remains sitting by the tree. It's confusing to wake up and find a conversation going on. Tomorrow she sleeps inside.

Aikuen tries to explain it again with this idea, "I was... having issues on that day... but back to the point... See the whole thing was... is that i gave the dagger to you... specially... and Kentar gave that pin to you... specially... Do you see now?" he asks hopefully. He doesn't hear or see Fira wake... he needs to talk to her later... when all this is over..

Fira mentally sighs and finally moves, getting up and wandering over towards the pair. Definitely never a dull day "Have you considered that not having children was an excuse and he really just wanted you to have it? Eh, I don't know how Kentar's mind works, he's only just got back?" little glance to Aikuen, he's not been hiding out for the past week has he? "Probably tired or something."

Aikuen nods, but cant think of anything more to say other that to try to explain what Will just said, "Yes, I did give you that dagger because I liked you... but I would have never given it to any other beast but you..." he sighs and stands up, "Kentar gave that pin to you... because he thought of you, as his own son, or like she said... I can't explain it any more than that... if you want to know more... better ask him yourself...Afternoon Fira, its certainly been interesting..." he gives her a small smile, and a shrug.

Will is confused, he dismisses Fira's suggestion because at the time Kentar had told him about his son who'd died and that the pin was to go to him but since he was dead Kentar gave it to Will. The stoat wasn't very happy about it but back then he wasn't happy about anything really. Then Aikuen's talking again and Will listens hearing that the otter liked him which he liked hearing and then another try at explaining the pin. Will's eye widens at the idea that Kentar viewed him like a son or had at one point anyway. "... I'm not! I'm your son not his!" the confused dibbun says still not getting it.

Fira gives Aikuen a half smile "Always is" she says before talking to Will again "Look, it doesn't matter why he gave it to you, the fact is he did and if he's mad at you for giving it back for whatever reason it was then clearly he still wanted you to have it even if other things have changed" she's still working on only half the story here and making a lot of guesses.

Aikuen looks to Fira, nodding, "Thank you... I was trying to say that... but it never came out that way..." He then turns back to Will, "Yes, you are my son...and that will never change no matter what..." he quick glance to Fira, before he continues, "I don't know the exact reason why he gave it to you... But I think Fira explained why he didn't like it... when you gave it back..." he takes a deep breath, and scoots over to her, placing a paw on her shoulder.

Will sighs understanding some of it. "... I have t go tell him sorry an stuff then?" he asks.

Fira nods slowly "Probably be a good start. Even if you've done nothing wrong it'll probably at least get him talking and then once you really know the problem you can fix it."

Aikuen smiles to them both, "Aye... should at least do that... if not... I could always talk to him later... after he has had some rest after his whole 'coming back from the dead' thing..." he looks to Fira, and taps her little to get her attention. He then mouths, 'Want to go for a walk... in private? I need to talk to you...' and he smiles a little.

Will rubs his temples and nods a little. The otters are being confusing again, better leave before they start lecturing once more. The rat goes off into Moledeep to find and talk to Kentar and hopes the stoat will be less confusing then the otters.