Brian Jacques - Redwall #07 - Mariel of Redwall

"That's how t'do it, matey. Now do you want to lay about while I does another liddle trick with yer neck, or do yer want t'board ship an' leave this 'ere carver with ol' Gabool?"

A second later the Searat King was listening to the mad patter of Weltskin's paws as he dashed headlong for the harbor and the safety of the open sea. Thrusting his regained weapon into its waist sash, Gabool threw back his head and roared with laughter.

Redwallers gathered in the open doorway of the infirmary sickbay, anxiously peeping in at the still figure of Storm laid upon a truckle bed. Saxtus gnawed at his lip.

"It must have been something I said in that poem. Oh, I wish I hadn't recited the blinking thing now. In fact, I wish that I'd never seen it!"

Dandin patted his friend reassuringly. "Don't be silly. You weren't to know that the poem would have that effect upon her. It's not your fault. Though I must

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say, Storm is the last creature you'd expect to fall in a faint like that. I've never met a rougher, tougher mousemaid in my life."

Simeon turned from a corner table where he was concocting something from strange-looking herbs and roots.

"Rough and tough she is indeed. I think Storm has been through things that would have killed a lesser creature. She has tremendous spirit."

The Abbot agreed. "She has indeed, though I don't think her real name is Storm Gullwhacker. I wonder who she really is."

Simeon turned back to his bowl and pestle. "That's what we're about to find out if we can. Are you ready, Sister Sage?"

Sage went to the door. "Mother Mellus, Abbot and Brother Hubert, you'd better come in and watch. Saxtus and Dandin, you can come in also, and you too, Tarquin, but you'll have to be very quiet. Now the rest of you, please go to bed. It's only two hours until dawn. There are visitors' beds set up in Cavern Hole for the

woodlanders."

oo

Storm lay very still. Sister Sage placed a fresh damp cloth across her brow, noting the deep scar which ran across her skull. Sage lifted Storm's head slightly as Simeon administered a small dose of the mixture from a beaker. The mousemaid licked her lips, made a small noise of satisfaction, then settled back as if in a calm sleep.

Simeon took a seat near Storm's head and spoke gently into her ear.

"You are with friends, little onegood friends. I want you to tell us what happened to you. Go back to the beginning and tell us all. Can you hear me? Do you understand what I am saying?"

Storm's eyelids flickered. She sighed and then began talking as if she were telling a story to a friend. At his

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table in the corner, Brother Hubert wrote swiftly with quill on parchment, recording the strange tale.

The mousemaid called Storm Gullwhacker. Her story written down by Hubert, Brother Recorder of Redwall Abbey.

After moving about restlessly for a short while, the mousemaid appeared calm and spoke quite clearly.

We are half a season out from the deep coasts in the far south, my father Joseph and I. The ship we are sailing in is called Periwinkle. It is crewed by shrews. They are a bit scared because they have never sailed upon blue waters before, but Captain Ash is bold and adventurous. He says the only way we can get the great bell to Salamandastron is by sea. I have never sailed the deep waters before, nor has my father. Every day we see new wondersgreat fish, huge seabirds and wonderful sunsets.

The great bell is tied on deck; my father and I sit to watch the sun's dying rays reflected in its shining metal. I can hear the pride in his voice as he speaks to me.

"Mariel," he says. "Surely this is a bell fit for Rawnblade Widestripe, the great badger Lord. See how the sun sinking in the west turns it to a fiery color. That is the copper, brass and gold, Mariel; the silver I put in to make its voice sweet."

My father is strong and very wise; he is the cleverest bellrnaker in the world. When I tell him this he laughs and says, "No no, the nicest thing I ever made was your name Mariel. It sounds like a bell ringing clear across meadows on a soft spring morn. Can't you hear it ... Mariel! Mariel!"

Now we have had to stop hugging the coast and put out to sea because of the reefs inshore. All around me is nothing but waves and water. It is a bit frightening at times when the big billows ride high with the wind. The crew are not very happy now they

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have lost sight of land. My father says everything is shipshapehe learned that from Captain Ash. I like the Captain and I am sure he will deliver us safely to the mountain of the badger Lord.

Something is wrong. A great black ship with red sails has been following us since dawn. I heard Captain Ash whisper to my father the word "searats." My father has taken me below to a cabin. I have to lie on the deck underneath a bunk and hide behind some blankets. My father tells me to lie still and not move. I am not afraid now; I am angry. I do not think I will like searats. I want to come out and fight them if they try to harm us, but my father has forbidden me.

Crashing above on deck, screaming, yelling, paws pounding everywhere, harsh voices shouting bad things! Clashing of metal, splintering of wood, moaning, horrible cries. I must get out of this place to help against the searats. Silence now, just some cries of injured creatures and the creak of ropes. I am trying to lie still but I tremble and shake with rage. Why am I lying here doing nothing?

Pawsteps, banging, the cabin door crashes open! As I peep between the blankets, I can see three big rats fighting over some wine on the cabin table. One called Gripper snatches the wineflask, but the biggest one, called Saltar, kicks him hard and grabs the wine. Gripper falls to the floor. As the ship heaves he rolls under the bunk and bumps into me. I yell, he rips the blankets off and says, "Hellseyes, look what I founda pretty mousemaid!"

He tries to grab me but I bite him, kicking him hard in the neck. Gripper makes strange sounds and clutches at his throat where I kicked him. His eyes turn up and he is still. Saltar laughs and says to the other rat, "A warrior maid, eh, Ledder. She's slain old Gripper. What a wild one!"

They both pounce on me. I cannot fight back

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because the dead rat is in my way. Saltar and Ledder throw the blankets over me. I am bundled up, and they punch and kick at the blankets until I go still, but I am half conscious.

Now they have taken me on deck. I can see through a rip in the blanket that my father and Captain Ash are tied to the bell. They must have fought hard because they are both covered with cuts and bruises. The crew are all lying about, dead, wounded or tied up. Saltar is saying something to Ledder about feeding the fishes. Now they are ... Oh no! . . . No, please! . . . Noooooooooo!!!

Note by Brother Hubert. Here the mousemaid became very upset, thrashing about until Mother Mellus held her down and Simeon the herbalist administered more of his potion. The mousemaid lay calm for a while then started to speak again. I record her words as best as I can.

Cold winter, hungry, cold, oh so cold! My father is illI have seen him once when he was brought up to talk with Gabool the Wild. He will not build a bell tower for Gabool to hang the great bell in. Gabool is very angry. He sends my father away, back to the cells, where he must stay locked up until he agrees to build a bell tower. A rat named Graypatch says that I should be used to make my father obey. But Gabool says that he is King of Terramort Isle, he alone gives the orders. If hunger, cold and illness do not bend my father to his will then he might use me to force him, but that is his decision and not Graypatch's. I do not think Graypatch likes Gabool. I hate him. Gabool the Wild is the cruelest of all searats. He is a fearsome sightstrange wild eyes, golden greenstone-studded teeth and a long straggly beardevery beast on Terramort fears him. Gabool calls me Skiv. He makes me serve all his meals. If I am lucky he throws me the scraps from his plate; other times when he is in a cruel mood he will say,