Once A Tale (MXM, BXB)

The Bear: Bonus Short

A huge bear sat like a big dog at the back of the receiving hall, tapping his front claws nervously against the impeccably clean floor (less impeccable, he'd left some footprints on it oops).

"Is it truly necessary for you to look like that? This is your sister, not some monster," Florian said skeptically, a hand propped on his hip. His look gave away a mix of exasperation and affection and Borenz sniffed and turned his head to hide that Florian looking at him gave him butterflies, wrinkling up his nose.

"You've never met my sister. Trust me, this is one thing I want to be a bear for."

Florian just raised one perfect, slender eyebrow and turned back to watching the door at the far end of the hall. It was just them two to receive her—the prince Florian and his new betrothed, prince Borenz. Their parents would come to meet each other as well and exchange greetings but somehow Borenz's sister had caught wind of his betrothal before anything.

I heard about what happened from Nana, her short, clipped letter had said, and while I do not approve of father locking you up in your room, I also don't approve of you prancing around as a bear. Furthermore, how on earth did you manage to be betrothed? I will be there within a week.

You'd best not disappoint me.

Love,

Angelika

You'd best not disappoint me brought to mind memories of being berated for hours, being called a beast and a brute and a wild animal and—okay—they were justly deserved now, but still scary!

"Now announcing," called a servant by the doors and Borenz tensed, rising to four paws, "the Princess Angelika."

Indeed, there she was.

She was swarthy like Borenz, but her hair was a smooth line of brown as opposed to his riotous tufts of hair that never wanted to stay down. She was tall and dressed in the traditional clothing of their country, a high-necked dress covered in patterns and colours woven exquisitely into the brown fabric. She entered, took several steps... and then stopped. She gazed at Borenz, who looked back and then... turned his head guiltily to one side.

"What did I tell you in my letter!" she roared.

Before anyone could react, she'd cleared the whole hall, grabbed a fistful of Borenz's fur and yanked the bearskin clean off of him.

Florian stared in open-mouthed astonishment and Borenz winced and cowered, covering his head with both hands as his sister loomed over him.

"I said," Angelika hissed, "not to disappoint me. I came here wanting to see my brother's face, and what do I see? A bear. Of course I see a bear. Really, Borenz? Were you that scared? I swear, you never change, the slightest whiff of a lecture you think is coming and you're about to run for the hills—"

Florian cleared his throat quietly and Angelika paused. Turned her head to look at the prince and dropped Borenz's bearskin onto the floor, ignoring his petulant hey. "Oh, my apologies, Prince Florian. I was just so overcome from seeing my brother. I am Princess Angelika, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"...The pleasure is mine," Florian said awkwardly and accepted her offered hand to bow over it. "I am Prince Florian."

Borenz still cowered on the floor and looked sulkily up at the two of them.

"Leave off of that," Angelika grumbled. "Stand up, would you? Honestly. Being a bear to receive your eldest sister. I've half a mind to bring that back to Nana." She gestured to the bearskin and Borenz gasped, clutching it to his chest.

"No way! It's mine! It's my recompense for father locking me up in my room." He stood now to his full height (taller than Florian, shorter than Angelika) and looked rebelliously at her. "Got it?"

Angelika pursed her lips. "I wasn't being serious. You're such a worrywart as always."

He resented that! He also resented how she lightly cuffed the side of his head before pulling him into a hug. He was hesitant to return it, before Florian gave him a significant look so he allowed himself to lean into his sister and put his arms back around her.

This was... a little more what he had been hoping for. Borenz sighed and sagged, his head falling on her shoulder. "He was so mean," he mumbled into her dress. "It wasn't a big a deal, I was just being me, he didn't have to go and lock me up."

Angelika, to his surprise, gently ruffled her hand through his hair in comfort. "I know, I know. It was unfair of him. Mother and I gave him quite the dressing-down about it when we came back from the trip and found out," she replied softly. "Not even to say what Nana did. But we were worried sick about you. You could've sent a letter. Then I hear you're engaged..."

"Ah, yeah, that... that was a surprise to me too. Sorry, um... so much was going on I never even thought about it."

She drew back, cuffed him upside the head with her palm again, and sighed loudly. "Distracted by butterflies, no doubt," she said. "I'm just happy you're doing well. More than well."

Florian turned his head away, pink in the cheeks, as Angelika looked toward him.

"Have you managed to teach him any manners?" she asked him.

"...A work in progress." Florian fiddled with the foamy cravat tied at his throat. "I figure that I have the rest of our lives to work on it, at least." When he glanced at Borenz, Borenz turned beet red and looked down at his bearskin.

Angelika smiled then, bright and wide like her brother. "Hmm hmm, I see. All right, I shall leave him in your hands. Admittedly, I was worried he'd ended up betrothed to another rough-and-tumble type, but I'm happy that instead he's found himself such a refined beau."

"Sis," Borenz moaned, covering his face with a hand.

"Mother and Father will be excited too." She clapped her hands together. "So then, come on. Show me about your lovely home, won't you?"

"Fine," Borenz grumbled, affecting petulance even though he was relieved.

He hesitated over his bearskin... but eventually folded it up carefully and left it atop a table nearby. Florian's face softened as he watched and he calmly took Borenz's hand in his own, their fingers intertwining. Not in front of my sister! he wanted to shout but Florian was gazing at him so tenderly and Angelika was smothering a laugh and he could do naught but follow them as he was pulled along.