Hawke and his Princess Chapter 15

"Yes, I would love to and mother came up with another alternative because she thought you'd object by wanting to do the right thing for me. How about instead of a year we do it in six months, well a little over five now? It works for both of us, I can still walk down the aisle, but we don't have to wait a year. How does that sound?"

He felt as if something connected in him, it felt right. "That my dear wife will work for me. You know your mom was right, I would have insisted you get what you wanted. And Elayne, you don't need to apologize to me, I'm the one that needs to apologize to you, I should have talked to you about them before I decided. There just wasn't any time, and I wasn't thinking clearly. I reacted without thinking. I've been used to having to make decisions on my own. But it's not about just me anymore. You're part of my life. I'm sorry for making you sad, I'm sorry for hurting you. I didn't mean to. I love you Elayne Hawke." He took her in his arms and showed her just how much as his lips met hers.

After a while, he stood up and pulled her up with him, "should we go and let your mother know she was right and to go ahead and start planning the wedding for six months?"

"Thank you Hawke, I love you."

They headed over to where their mothers were, both with smiles on their faces, holding hands. The girls were playing outside which meant the women were sitting at the table. As Hawke and Elayne went to them Eleanor raised an eye.

Elayne saw and blushed. "You were right mother, so we need to set the wedding for six months."

"Perfect and the other thing" she asked.

Again she blushed, "He asked me to wait six months and I agree."

"Good, now come sit with us, you both need to relax."

Hawke and Elayne sat at the table, the day already half over. "Thank you for doing the chores again, did the same two soldiers help?" Bethany nodded and he chuckled. "I don't even know their names and their always the first to volunteer."

"Their names are Mark and Larry." Elayne said.

Before Hawke could respond he felt a disturbance in his wards he had set after the fight. He closed his eyes and scanned the entrance. When he saw who it was he opened his eyes and smiled at the women.

"Ladies, I believe you have visitors coming. Rose, Mary, would you please come over here, I don't want you to get trampled by the horses." Everyone sat there looking at him as if he was nuts. He grinned at them. "I set wards coming up the path after the fight." No sooner did he say that, then seven horses with riders came down the path towards them. The women looked at him pleased and went to meet the men.

Hawke sat there and watched with the girls beside him. He turned them around to look at him. "Ladies, the older gentleman coming towards here is Bryce Cousland, he is the Teyrn of Highever, he is a very important person. He is also the father of Elayne and the husband of grandma Eleanor. I'll introduce you to everyone okay."

As he watched the girls, he noticed that they seemed to be getting nervous, especially Rose, so he started tickling them, until they were relaxed and sitting on his lap. Bryce and the other two men came over with the women behind them. Hawke stood up, and both girls wanted to be picked up, so he had one on each side. "Well, well and who are these beautiful little angels?" The girls giggled, Mary introduced herself but when it came to Rose, she hesitated at first, looking at Hawke who just watched her, silently encouraging her as his arm tightened a little around her, before she too finally introduced herself.

"Well young ladies it's nice to meet you, my names Bryce," Fergus came forward, "my dad was right, you girls are beautiful angels. My name is Fergus, Elayne is my sister. It's nice to meet you." Next came Carver, "and my name is Carver. This big goof who's holding you ladies is my big brother. It's nice to meet you." Once introductions where over and the horses put away Hawke let the girls down. They gave him a kiss and a hug and went back to playing. All three men stared at him with eyebrows raised. And he really got looked at when Rose asked grandma Eleanor for some lemonade. In fact both Bryce and Fergus mouthed grandma while staring at Hawke.

Hawke cleared his throat, "yes well, there's been some excitement here while you guys where gone. Was there any issues or rumors in Redcliffe of some bandits killing and harassing people in isolated farms?"

Bryce nodded, "Eamon actually sent out some patrols trying to find them, why?"

Hawke looked around to make sure the girls weren't anywhere near them. "You can let the Arl know to cancel the search. Those bastards will never bother anyone again. The girls you just met are sisters and they were victims of the bandits. They killed off their whole family and Rose saw her mother attacked and killed by them. I found the girls in an alley starving and filthy in Lothering. When I took them to Danes to get them some food, and cleaned up with new clothes Danal saw who they were, and he informed me of what had happened to their family. They didn't have anyone else, I took responsibility until I figure out what I'm going to do with them. As far as the bandits they came to the house here, and they found out the hard way I bite. The women were secured in the main house with a shield around it. You're soldiers and I killed every last one of them." He sat back watching them.

"Wait, you're the young man that everyone has been talking about, even in Redcliffe?" Hawke looked at Fergus curiously and Fergus continued. "There was a rumor of a young man who took in two little girls whose entire family had been killed. And that same young man had killed all the bandits. That, was you? Everyone is calling you a hero" Fergus was impressed.

Hawke felt uncomfortable with the name and the look in Fergus's eyes, but he nodded. Bryce stood up and walked towards his Captain. After conversing with him briefly Bryce came back over and had Hawke stand up, shaking his hand. "Young man, I am eternally grateful to you again for protecting my family. If there's ever anything I can do for you just name it."

Before he could speak Elayne jumped in. "Actually father there's more news. Arik and I are moving the wedding date to six months instead of a year. Mom is the one who suggested it. And Arik wants to enter the competition, but he needs to know that the King is not going to harass him. He will not be joining the Kings soldiers because he is part of our family, my husband therefore he will be exempt from becoming part of the Kings army unless he wants to. But it won't be as a common Kings soldier." Hawke swallowed as he felt something shift inside him, what did she just do?

Bryce shook Arik's hand again, "agreed, I will personally see to it." After everyone sat back down, Bryce looked at Hawke. "Now, tell me about those little girls. I want to help if I can, since you are my son-in-law, that means those girls are now part of my family, my responsibility also."

Hawke looked at Bryce in shock. "Sir, I can't let you do that, I took on the responsibility, they are in my care. As far as knowing about them, their really sweet girls, well-behaved. Rose is having issues with nightmares but between Bethany and I, we're dealing with that. After you spend some time with them, you will find out what kind of girls they are. Right now we're just letting them be kids, but I know I'm going to have to start working on Rose, helping her deal with what she saw. She's older, she saw what happened, it's going to take a lot more time with her. As far as Mary, Rose shielded her from seeing anything. She knows that her family is gone with the Maker and their not coming back. I haven't made up my mind yet on what I'm going to do. Healing them is my main concern."

Bryce studied him as he spoke. When Hawke was finished he nodded to the young man, "I'll let you be then, but if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask. I feel bad for what happened, no child should have to go through what they have gone through, especially the oldest one. So tell me, what changed your mind about the competition. Last time we talked you absolutely refused to do it, what changed?

Hawke looked over at the girls, they were playing with their dolls but as Hawke watched he noticed that Rose looked like she was stabbing her doll. Alarmed, he jumped up and ran to her, when he got there she looked up at him with tears running down her face. He picked her up and carried her over to the porch. They sat there for a while, Hawke rocking her against him, soothing her.

"It's ok Rose, I'm here for you, let it out baby." And she did. He didn't know how long she laid in his arms crying but after a while the tears had stopped, and it was just sniffles.

She looked up at him, "thank you Arik," and she snuggled deeper into him and fell asleep. He looked down at her, her pain literally breaking his heart. He looked up at Elayne with tears in his eyes as she came to sit by him, and put her arms around them both.

When Elayne saw Hawke running over to Rose and saw what she was doing, she got up and went to them. Not sure what to do while Hawke let Rose cry in his arms, she just stood there offering what support she could. After a while Rose's crying faded, she burrowed deeper into Hawke and fell asleep. When Hawke looked up at her, she saw the pain and torment that was in his eyes. Her heart went out to his, and she went over to them and sat down.

Hawke, somewhat composed, got up with Rose still in his arms, looked down at Elayne and gave her a quick kiss before heading back to everyone at the table. He looked at Bryce, "sorry sir. As far as to why, this is what changed my mind." He looked down at Rose in his arms. He looked back up, his eyes on Bryce. "No matter what I decide, I want to ensure that their going to be okay, that everyone is going to be okay."

He hesitated on the next part of his plan, not sure if it was a good idea or how to go about it. "I was thinking about hiring some soldiers for when I'm not here. After everything that happened with the bandits and the havoc they wrecked, I want to ensure that my family doesn't go through what her family did. And the only way I can see that happening is entering the competition, if they can see that I am capable with a blade then maybe some might want to work for me and my family. I want to protect my family and my future family," he said looking down at Elayne, who beamed up at him. "I just want to ensure their going to be safe when I can't be here."

"I understand what you're saying son, being a husband and father, their safety is your first priority. And the way you're going about hiring some is a good idea. This way you can see their skills and what kind of people they might be by their interactions with opponents. Very smart there Hawke."

Hawke noticed Bryce's head going to something behind him. Hawke turned his head and saw it was Mark and Larry, he nodded to them, "gentlemen, I appreciate the help you guys have been doing around here, if there's ever anything that I can do for you just name it."

They stood there with smiles on their faces, "Actually, that's what we came over here for. We've already talked to the Captain, but we need to talk to the Teyrn and you." When Bryce gave them a nod to continue on, Mark spoke, both men looking at Hawke, "We'd like to work for you Lord Hawke and offer our services to you."

Hawke was shocked, not understanding why, he looked at Bryce and all Bryce did was stare at him curiously. "Why, why would you want to give up what you have, to live here on a farm, a simple life with not much to do, and why me? I'm a nobody who doesn't have anything except my family and this land that you're standing on," he shook his head in confusion.

It was Larry who answered. "Because since the day we saw you, everything you've done is to protect others. The way you act, carry yourself, the way you treat others, the way you see life. We've watched you, seen the way you handle yourself in a fight, seen the way you try and avoid a fight if you can. We've heard what others say about you in Lothering, even before the latest incident. We've heard how you try and help those in need."

Mark took over. "You've defended your home and family on numerous times but my Lord, what really sealed it for us was her." He pointed to Rose in his lap, "her and her sister. You took two orphaned defenseless children into your care, you volunteered to take responsibility for them, knowing what had happened to them and knowing they had no family. I personally don't know many that would do what you did. People look up to you, Lord Hawke, and you're one who we would be honored in serving. We don't have a family back home, nothing that keeps us from wanting to leave."

Hawke looked at them stunned, not sure what to say. He looked around at everyone, they all looked at him as something he wasn't. "Firstly don't call me Lord, I'm not and everything I have done is because it's the right thing to do, for the common good and the protection of others. As far as my family goes, they're my family, I would do everything in my power to protect them."

Bryce stood up, putting a stop to whatever else Hawke was going to say. "You're a selfless young man and when given praise you refuse to accept it. You're a better man than most. You go out of your way to do what is right. You value life over death. Arik, I can sit here and tell you all kinds of reasons these two soldiers would want to work with you, why people respect you in Lothering, why even I respect and value you, but you won't see it or accept it." He looked over at the two soldiers, "I approve and give you my permission and to help out even more I will take care of your wages. You will be working for him but as his father-in-law I will keep paying you two." He sat back down, giving Hawke a look that said he wasn't going to discuss it anymore.

Both soldiers looked Hawke in the eye, "my Lord," then saluted him with fists to chest, nodded, and walked away. Hawke shook his head not sure how to take in what just happened. He looked over at his family, they all sat there looking at him. He looked over at Bryce and his family who agreed and when he looked over at Elayne, well the look she was giving him made his heart start beating faster. She leaned over and gave him a hug, "I'm proud of you Hawke. I love you."

Rose looked up at him, "thank you for finding my sister and I and helping us and bringing us into your family." She reached up and gave him a hug and kiss, "I love you, papa Arik," then scooted off his lap to go find and play with her sister.

Hawke stared after her, his eyes getting moist, his heart aching. And it wasn't out of pain. He took a deep breath and let it out, looked at Bryce, "thank you, sir. If you will all excuse me I need to clear my head." And he walked away.

Elayne watched him walk off, she knew he needed some alone time. She looked over at her father, "thank you father." She looked after Hawke again. "Why does he do that? Does he not understand that the praise that everyone gives him, he deserves it. Their not saying it just because they have to but because they want to. Like Mark and Larry, they see Hawke for who he is, the kind of man he truly is." She looked over at her father.

But it was Leandra who spoke, "Arik is a proud man. Even as a child he refused to accept praise, he refused to acknowledge his accomplishments. If something needs to be done, he'll do it, not accepting praise or reward. When he was a little boy, he saw a puppy stuck in a creek, the water moving pretty fast. Without waiting for anyone else to rescue it, he was the first one in the water, and he fought against the cold and the current. He rescued that puppy, put it in his shirt and brought it to shore. I was scared to death of the current taking him away, and I went over to him and started yelling at him about putting his life at risk for a puppy, there were other people that could have done it. He turned around and looked me in the eye, "I did it because I was the closest to him, I couldn't let him drown and I knew I could do it. Mom, it's not a big deal, we're both ok."

"When the puppies' owner came to get him he asked who had saved him. When everyone said it was Arik, the owner went to him to thank him and reward him. Arik looked straight at him, "no need to thank me sir, and I don't need a reward, I couldn't let that puppy drown, I was only doing what was right." And he walked away. Arik has always been like that. I can't say why he is the way he is, and the more that you try and praise him the more stubborn he gets. He doesn't do the things he does for self gratification, he does it because to him, it's the right thing to do. He has his own set of morals and codes that he follows and those are what he lives his life by."

"Have you noticed that when a problem arises he will work it out until he's got it right.When he starts pacing, running his hand through hair, he's working something out. I'm sorry if using this as an example hurts you, but you remember the incident about a baby, and you went outside with your mom?". Elayne nodded, "Hawke knew you were upset, and he had to figure out why. Instead of waiting for you to tell him why you were upset, he analyzed it the way he does all problems. He had it figured out and even had a solution before you talked to him."

Elayne looked at her confused "but I told him why, if he already knew then why didn't he say anything before I told him?"

"I can't answer that, maybe because he wanted you to figure it out yourself. He knew you were struggling with something, maybe because this time it was himself who was causing you pain. He might have been leery about saying anything. I can't explain how my son's mind works, he is the way he is, always has been."

Elayne looked at her father, he didn't have any answers. Hawke was a very rare and unique man.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Hawke wasn't sure where he was going, he just knew he didn't want them staring at him the way they were. He understood why people needed praise, he'd given it quite a few times. It made them feel good about themselves, made them feel like they accomplished a difficult task. But he didn't want it or need it. He walked over to the field Midnight was grazing at, watching him. Hawke remembered that they were supposed to be making plans for when they headed out to go with Bryce and his family. He needed to find out when and to make plans for someone to take care of the livestock. He needed to talk to Danal. But he needed to do something else first.

When he got back to the main house he went over to where Carver was watching the soldiers sparring. "Welcome back Carver. So how did it go little brother, did you enjoy yourself?"

Carver turned around looking at Hawke, "hello to you too big brother. It was fun, I got to meet the Arl, that was pretty exciting. I've learned a lot with Bryce and Fergus. I really like Fergus. I've learned more about the sword and learning new forms." He looked at him closely, "looks like you've been busy. Why do we have a new wagon and what happened to the old one?" He saw Hawke grimace.

"I had to burn it with the bodies." Carver looked at him confused. "Come little brother, we need to talk." Hawke and him walked around as Hawke told him what had all happened while he was gone. Carver got a lump in his throat when he heard about the girls and their family. He looked at his big brother, truly looked at him, and noticed something had changed in Hawke, Carver couldn't figure out what it was though. But he seemed a little more relaxed, easier to be around. Hawke turned around and looked at him.

"Carver, I know we've had our differences and I know it seems I've been harder on you since father passed, and maybe I have been. I know his passing was hard on you. I know that growing up with a family full of mages wasn't easy for you. I'm not trying to bring up old wounds, what I'm trying to say little brother is that I'm sorry. And thank you for all you've done to help out around here. I didn't ask for the responsibility that was thrown at me, none of us did. I knew I had to stay strong for all of you. But I went about it the wrong way. And I apologize, I love you Carver." He looked away.