Eternal Love

by Swift Quill

Chapter 5

The next morning, Slava wakes up with a yawn and a stretch.
He sees Rosebud snuggled up next to Fire Heart and smiles. He walks up to Fire Heart and nudges him awake. Fire Heart wakes up and yawns.

He sees Slava standing there with a goofy grin on his face.
“What’s with the grin?” Fire Heart asks
“Look besides you, you sly dog!” Slava says, still grinning.
Fire Heart looks and sees Rosebud, curled up and asleep.
“Well nothing happened, we just cuddled.” Fire Heart says, cuddling up to Rosebud.
“I never said you did anything. Still, I wouldn’t mind if I could snuggle up to Nurse Redheart.” Slava sighs.
“Well, you’ve got her number and her address. What’s stopping you?
“M…My nerves. I tried asking her out yesterday, but I lost my nerves and couldn’t. But Rosebud said she’d ask her for me today.”

Rosebud hears her name and wakes up.
She yawns and looks up to see Slava, still standing there with a grin on his face.
She asks him if he would like her to ask Nurse Redheart out for him today, he nods and says that he would. She smiles and gets up, giving Fire Heart a kiss. She walks downstairs and opens up the Inn.
Fire Heart gets up and starts grooming himself. Meanwhile Slava walks downstairs and sits at a table. He slumps in his chair and Rosebud notices.

She walks up to him and asks, “Is everything alright dear?”
“I’m just worried she would say no.” Slava replies.
“Oh, I’m sure she wouldn’t say no. She really likes you.”
“R…Really?” Slava looks up
“Yes, really. Tell you what, you look after the Inn for a while and I’ll go ask her now. Ok?”
“Ok, thank you.” Slave says happily.

Rosebud leaves the Inn, leaving Slava in charge for the time being.
She arrives at the hospital, walks to the front desk and asks for Nurse Redheart. The nurse at the front desk asks why she wants to see Nurse Redheart and Rosebud tells her that it’s a private matter. The nurse nods and pages Nurse Redheart. A few moments later, Nurse Redheart arrives at the front desk. She sees Rosebud and asks if everything is alright and how Fire Heart is going. Rosebud says everything is fine and that she was actually there on Slava’s behalf. Nurse Redheart giggles and asks what she can do. Rosebud then tells her that Slava had wanted to ask her out yesterday but lost his nerves. She then explains to Nurse Redheart that she had offered to ask her for him.

Nurse Redheart giggles, and says that she’d love to go out with him again.
Rosebud smiles and says that he’ll be ecstatic to hear the news.
Nurse Redheart nods and says that she cannot wait. She asks Rosebud to tell Slava that she gets off early and to ask him to pick her up at her place around seven.
Rosebud agrees to tell him and leaves the hospital.

An hour later, Rosebud gets back to the Inn and sees that Slava is running things smoothly.
She walks up to him and tells him the news. Slava smiles and says thank you. Rosebud then takes over the Inn again, and lets Slava go upstairs to groom himself. She sighs and looks around the bar for Fire Heart, but can’t find him. She sighs again. Slava walks upstairs and into his room.
Fire Heart sees him and asks what he is up to. Slava who is smiling, says that Redheart has said yes to the date, and that he is to pick her up at seven.

“Well, there you go mate, she said yes.” Fire Heart says, giving his brother a hug.
“I know, I’m still a nervous wreck though. What if I say or do something bad?” Slava replies with a sigh.
“Oh come on, you’re not like that. But hey, here’s a tip, if you really, and I mean really like her, maybe buy her some earrings or a necklace.” Fire Heart suggests, taking out some bits, “Here, go now.”
“Thank you…but are you sure? That’s a lot of bits.”
“Yes, I am sure, now go!” Fire Heart says, putting the bits in his brother’s saddlebag and shoving him out the door.

Leaving the inn, Slava makes his way to the jewellery store.
He searches around for a while, seeming to not be able to find it. He then spots the sign above a shop with a diamond on it. Walking closer to the store, he sees that it is a jewellery store.
He enters the shop and looks around for a while.

“Hello sir, how may I help you?” the clerk behind the counter asks him.
“Oh um, hello, I’m going on a date with this really beautiful mare tonight and, I was wanting to get her something. Could you please help me?” Slava asks timidly.
“Certainly sir, may I suggest a nice pair of earrings, and perhaps this necklace?” the clerk suggests, taking out a gold necklace with a love heart as the pendant.
“Oh wow, that’s perfect!” Slava exclaims, taking out the bits Fire Heart gave him, “Is…is this enough?” He asks.
The clerk counts the bits, “That is more than enough, for both the earrings and the necklace. If you would like, I can put a gem stone on the pendant as well.”
“Yes please, could it be an Aquamarine, please?” Slava says, remembering the colour of Nurse Redheart’s eyes.
“Certainly sir, they will be ready just before seven.” The clerk puts the needed bits in the register and gives the change, over to Slava.
“Thank you.”
Slava counts the change and hears his stomach rumbling.
Thinking it was about time to have lunch, he makes his way back to the inn.

A few minutes later, he arrives back at the inn and walks in.
He sees Fire Heart sitting at a table and sits opposite him.
“So how did it go? Did you get her anything?” Fire Heart asks with a smile on his face.
“Yes, I got her a pair of earrings and necklace with a heart shaped pendant that has an Aquamarine jewel in it.” Slava replies, taking out the change and giving it to Fire Heart.
Fire Heart pushes it back towards Slava, “Keep it, you never know when it may come in handy.”
Not wanting to upset his brother, Slava nods and picks the change up, putting it back in his saddlebags.

A few hours pass by, and Slava looks up at the time.
The clock says six o’clock, Slava gets up and grooms himself. After making sure that his fur is clean and his mane is spikey, he makes his way downstairs. He sees Fire Heart and Rosebud snuggling up I front of the fire. As he walks past them, he thanks Fire Heart again and leaves the inn. He checks his watch to make sure he isn’t going to be late, and makes his way to the jewellery store.

“Good evening sir, your necklace and earrings are ready.” The clerk greets Slava, while taking out the earrings and necklace.
“Thank you” Slava says taking them and putting them in his saddlebags.

Looking at his watch once more, Slava realizes he had better get his flank in gear.
After having some trouble finding Nurse Redheart’s house, he finds it and knocks on the door.
Nurse Redheart opens it, wearing a very beautiful dress.

“Y…you look absolutely beautiful!” Slava exclaims.
“Thank you dear. So where are we going?” Nurse Redheart asks him, closing the door behind her and locking it.
“I thought I’d take you to the restaurant that Fire Heart took Rosebud to.” Slava says, holding Nurse Redheart’s hoof in his.
Nurse Redheart nods and says that she’s always wanted to go there.

They arrive at the restaurant and are shown to their seats.
While waiting for the maitre de’ to arrive with their orders, they begin talking. Nurse Redheart takes Slava’s hoof in hers and strokes it, while looking in his eyes. He sighs and says that he was going to wait until later on in the evening. He then takes out the box with the earrings and necklace and gives them to Nurse Redheart. She opens it and her eyes light up.

“Th…They’re beautiful! Thank you darling! But how could you afford these?” She asks putting them on.
“Fire Heart gave me the bits to pay for it, he even refused to let me pay him back. I’m glad you like them.” Slava says, he leans in and gives her a kiss on the cheek.
“I love them, thank you!”
alf an hour later, the maitre de’ arrives and gives them their orders.
Slava looks at Nurse Redheart eating and comments that she’s cute when she eats. She blushes and thanks him, and says the same goes for him.

Time passes and they finish their meals.
Nurse Redheart yawns and looks at the time. She sees how late it is, and asks if Slava would walk her home. He replies that he would love to. After paying for their meals, Slava takes Nurse Redheart’s arm in his and walks her home. They soon arrive at Nurse Redheart’s house, and at the front door, Nurse Redheart gives Slava a kiss, thanks him for such a wonderful night and for the jewellery, and asks him when she will see him again. Slava says that it may be sooner than she thinks. She giggles, kisses him again, and goes inside. Slava, now a little flustered, makes his way back to the inn.

Arriving back at the inn, Slava walks in, with a big smile on his face.
Fire Heart looks up from the couch and sees the smile on his brother face, and asks how the night went. Slava, who is still smiling, says that it went wonderfully and that Nurse Redheart loved the earrings and necklace.

“That’s awesome mate, glad it went well for you.” Fire Heart says, cuddling Rosebud close to him.
“Thank you big brother, I’m glad it did too. Well goodnight.” Slava replies with a smile.
“Oh little brother, one more thing.” Fire Heart says with a smile,
“What is it?” Slava asks tiredly.
“Well, you may have the whole room to yourself.” Fire Heart says, holding tight onto Rosebud.
“You sly dog!” Slava exclaims.
“Oh, you know what I mean. Not sex, not yet…But she may want me to snuggle her in bed.”
“Oh well, thank you for letting me know.” Slava says, then makes his way to his room.

Rosebud wakes up with a tiny yawn, “what was that about love?”
“Oh nothing, I was just asking how his date with Nurse Redheart went.” Fire Heart says, taking hold of Rosebud’s hoof.
“And how did it go?” Rosebud says, stroking Fire Heart’s mane.

Fire Heart tells her that it went well and that Nurse Redheart loved the earrings and necklace that Slava bought for her. He then picks Rosebud up off the couch, holds her in his arms and takes her upstairs to her room. He opens the door to her room, puts her in bed and tries to tuck her in, but she drags him onto the bed giggling. He lets her and lays next to her, she snuggles into him and rests her head on his chest. Fire Heart starts stroking her mane, and she falls asleep. A few minutes later, he falls asleep too.