[Mkguild] The Harvest Festival (3/20)

[Hallan Mirayas]

-------

 =


   While many of the
Festival events were taking place in the fields outside of Euper, Kendrick =
felt
immense relief that, as was traditional, much of it took place in the Killi=
ng
Fields. Walking the length of the city within the walls was hard enough on =
his
legs, let alone Emma. But unlike Emma, he would never ask his younger broth=
er
to carry him. He had a bit more pride than that.

 =


   More importantly,
he knew that as the eldest son, it was his responsibility to uphold the fam=
ily
name, and one day, take over his father's accounts. One day, Kendrick Urseil
would be known as the best cloth merchant in Metamor. He could not be seen =
as a
young man riding on his brother's shoulders, lest his competitors and custo=
mers
take him for a fop.

 =


   By the time they
had traversed the stone streets of Metamor and passed beneath the gatehouse=
, he
had managed to catch his stride. His arms yearned to lower to the ground and
help him make his way, but he wouldn't be seen walking on all fours either.=
 It
was bad enough being such a strange beast, but here at Metamor that was no
cause for alarm. Still, he sometimes wondered why he couldn't have become a
bear like Barrick, or even a wolf like Rodrick had.

 =


   Kendrick turned his
thoughts away from his elder brother and back to the festival. Beyond the
gatehouse sheds and storehouses had been erected to house the many goods ne=
eded
to rebuild Metamor after the fires had destroyed several sections of the ci=
ty.
Even nine months after the attack, they were still full, as so much work had
yet to be done.

Beyond these lay the many booths and fields where the games
were held. So soon after dawn, many of them were waiting to be opened, but
there were many around which clustered Keepers of all shapes and sizes. Upon
the air drifted rich scents of food and the sound of laughter. Kendrick smi=
led
and rubbed his claws together in eager delight. He enjoyed the responsibili=
ty
of selling their wares yesterday, but today he would enjoy the pleasures th=
at
came after months of hard work.

 =


   And he would do it
with his family in tow, which was far more pleasant than his sleep-deprived
brain had been willing to admit only a half-hour ago!

 =


   "And here we
are!" Kendrick declared, spreading his arms wide. Emma skipped along the
stone road, eyes wide and bright. Sofie came right behind her, trying to ke=
ep
their little sister from bumping into anyone. Barrick and Brigitt followed,
looking more like parents keeping a watch on wayward children than his youn=
ger
siblings.

 =


   Immediately, Emma
ran toward one of the closed booths. Brightly colored streamers dangled from
the front, but there was no one behind the counter. "Emma, that one isn't
open yet! Let's find something to eat first."

 =


   "Okay,"
Emma pouted, but she followed her older brother as they made their way past
numerous stalls. Some were games that he knew his sisters would love to pla=
y,
and he made a mental note to come back this way after they'd found somethin=
g to
eat. Others promised to be shows with puppets, magical tricks, and perhaps =
even
feats of contortion that would amaze even a ferret Keeper. There were sever=
al
small stages set up in larger pavilions at which traveling troupes would
present short plays. Some of them even employed Metamorian actors in morph =
and
animal roles. Kendrick fondly remembered one he'd seen the year before where
they'd brought Barrick on stage and made him pretend to be a trained bear. =
It took
a few months, but even Barrick could laugh about it now.

 =


   And it was his
brother the bear who identified the best source of food for them. He pointed
one arm down a road between a row of booths. "I smell fresh bread down
there." Brigitt lifted his face and sniffed and nodded in agreement.

 =


   Kendrick sniffed
and indeed, somebody was selling fresh bread down that way. Although not wh=
at
his body would most want, he knew better than to make anyone watch him eat =
his
favorite meal. He didn't blame them; before he'd changed, he preferred
squishing bugs to digesting them. Putting on his best smile, he led his
brothers and sisters down the avenue, noting that there were several other
places to buy food, but none of them were open yet. He could smell fruits a=
nd
last night's cooked vegetables, as well as salted meats, and meats much too
rare for even humans to consume. And of course, the faint aroma of mead and=
 ale
lingered in the air, as well as the heady vapors of foreign teas and coffees
brought in by merchants from Sathmore, the Outer Midlands, and even Pyralis.

 =


   The bread shop
proved to be the booth of the Keep's baker, Master Gregor. Only it wasn't t=
he
oversized rodent behind the counter, but his tabby cat apprentice Brennar. A
few soldiers finished their purchase and greedily munched away on loaves ba=
ked
with meats and cheese when they arrived.

 =


   "Good morning,
Brennar," Kendrick announced with neighborly aplomb. "How has
business been?"

 =


   The cat smiled, and
leaned closer to the counter. "Very good! We sold all of our wares
yesterday, and so we've been up for hours preparing today's tasty treats! I
heard that your father had you running your stall yesterday."

 =


   "Yes I did.
And now today we're here to buy some bread to break our fast! What do you h=
ave
this morning?"

 =


   Brennar showed them
the variety of pastries and wraps that they'd baked since well before dawn.
Emma and Sofie wanted nearly every one, but Kendrick insisted that they only
choose one. The girls finally settled on a pair of fruit tarts that the tab=
by
assured him would sate them for at least a few hours. Barrick selected a lo=
af
filled with meat and cheese like the soldiers had eaten, while Brigitt had a
half loaf of the same. Kendrick bought two small loaves, one with meat and =
one
with fruit.

 =


   "Since you're
Keepers," Brennar said in a whisper, "it's only two silvers for that.
Gregor has me charging every one else a little extra when I can."

 =


   "Good business
sense," Brigitt replied as he took a bite. "Father says the same
thing."

Kendrick tore little bits from his loaves and shot out his
long tongue to swallow them. It wasn't long before he was cleaning the crum=
bs
from his hefty claws. Emma laughed as she watched him eat.

 =


   "Can we go
play some games now?" Sofie asked, and then she and Emma jumped up and
down crying, "Please! Please! Please!" Kendrick frowned at the
ten-year old Sofie; she should know better than to act so childish. In anot=
her
few years, if she was still female, their parents would select a good husba=
nd
for her. She needed to learn to grow up and soon.

 =


   But it was the
festival, and so he let it slide. "All right, let's go. I think things are
starting to open up now." He waved once to Brennar, and the tabby smiled,
orange tail flicking behind him. "Hope you get a chance to wander around
too."

 =


   "Oh I will
this afternoon. You all have fun!"

 =


   As Kendrick hurried
after his two sisters, Barrick and Brigitt sharing a private laugh, he yell=
ed
back, "Oh we will!"

 =


-------

 =


   "Look, it's
Melanie!" Emma gestured wildly. Kendrick and the others followed their
little sister's finger and they beheld the young woman seated before a
parchment canvas, a bucket of charcoal at her side. In a line were four sto=
ols
and Keepers all making hideous expressions.

 =


   "I'd say she's
doing portraits," Brigitt suggested. "Look, there she's drawing."
And indeed, gripping a small charcoal lump, the beautiful woman quickly
sketched out lines in every direction. As they watched, a face began to eme=
rge
where once there had been chaos. Kendrick rattled his claws in amusement as=
 the
boar morph with a finger up one nostril ended up immortalized on the parchm=
ent.

 =


   It took several
minutes, but the woman finished the sketch and stretched her arms. "There,
Cedric, your portrait has been done. You by far had the weirdest expression=
."

The other three Keepers shifted about and groaned in
disappointment, while the boar morph struggled to dislodge his finger from =
his
nose. "Fank you, Belagy!" One of his friends helped him yank his arm
free, and he started to bleed.

 =


   Melanie shook her
head, even as the other Keepers laughed at the boar's foolishness. Emma and
Sofie both giggled. Kendrick pulled his handkerchief free and offered it to=
 the
much taller boar. "I think you will need this."

 =


   The boar grasped it
and held it over his snout. With his other hand he took his portrait. "Now
keep your head tilted forward," Brigitt suggested, stepping before him and
angling the boar's head down. "Otherwise the bleeding won't stop."

 =


   The boar's little
eyes goggled at them, but he did as instructed, gurgling as the blood ran d=
own
his face. His friend helped him to the ground on the far side of the street,
keeping his hard won prize safe.

 =


   "Well, do I
have some more participants?" Melanie asked. Kendrick knew her because
their fathers had been friends. Melanie lost both her parents in the Winter
Assault, but as she had joined the artisans two years prior, she had already
established her independence. "It's one copper to try. I just need four
volunteers."

 =


   "Kendrick! I
wanna play!" Emma bounced up and down. "Can I please?"

 =


   "Of course!"
Kendrick replied. "How about you, Sofie?"

 =


   "Thank you,
Kendrick!" the older girl replied. Kendrick glanced at Barrick and
Brigitt, and the bear grumbled but nodded. But Brigitt did not.

 =


   "You should
play, Kendrick."

 =


   "Yeah,
Kendrick!" Emma bounced on one of the stools, eyes bright. "You
should play!"

 =


   Kendrick turned to
Melanie and asked, "How do you choose which one to draw?"

 =


   The woman smiled. "This
is a contest to see who can make the weirdest face. Whoever makes the most
interesting face, I will draw their portrait in charcoal."

 =


   Kendrick laughed
and nodded. "Sure, I'll participate." While Emma and Sofie cheered,
and Barrick rolled his eyes, Kendrick climbed up onto the final stool, his =
long
tail curling around one of the legs. He rested his paws and their huge claw=
s on
his knees and asked, "So, when do we start, and how long do we need to
hold it?"

 =


   "We can start
as soon as you pay your coppers," Melanie said with an amused grin.

Kendrick tossed the money pouch to Brigitt who counted out
the coppers. Melanie slipped them into her pouch and smiled, rolling a bit =
of
charcoal in her dirty but slender fingers. "All right now, show me your
weirdest face."

 =


   Emma shot her head
forward, baring her gap-toothed smile, lips stretched as far back as they w=
ould
go. She pushed up her nose with one finger to imitate a pig snout, and open=
ed
her eyes wide, letting one of her eyes twitch back and forth.

 =


   Sofie covered her
face with her hands, pulling down on her cheeks so that the bones showed. H=
er
lips curled down, and she let a bit of drool drip off her tongue which she
stuck between her teeth.

 =


   Barrick didn't sit
on the stool for fear of breaking it. He plumped down on his rump in front =
of
the chair, and stuck the chair legs over his head, and pretended to bite on=
e of
the braces. He tangled his arms inside the chair, until he appeared to be o=
ne
very confused bear.

 =


   Kendrick stuck his
tongue out =97 all four feet of it. He turned his tongue in circles, curled=
 it
around his neck, and coiled it in a pile like a snake on top of his head.
Normally he didn't like to do these sorts of gymnastics =97 as they hurt =
=97 but he
did pay good money to embarrass himself, so he may as well go all the way.

 =


   Melanie studied
them all for a moment, and then began to draw. Brigitt came and watched from
behind as the artist flashed the charcoal over the parchment. The young man
looked between his siblings and the picture, a grin slowly coming to his fa=
ce.

What was easy for the first thirty seconds became a pain
after two minutes, and an agony after four. Kendrick curled and uncurled his
plated tail over the chair leg, his foot claws rattling together, while his
hand claws dug at the wood of his seat, tearing out large gouges. Emma and
Sofie also struggled to keep their faces; only Barrick seemed to have no
trouble.

 =


   Kendrick felt his
tongue drying on his head, and it stung. He had to fight to keep from zippi=
ng
it back inside his throat. He breathed heavily, eyes watering from the
exertion. He really hoped Melanie exceeded herself, because this picture be=
tter
be worth the agony!

 =


   Finally, after what
seemed an interminable wait, Melanie leaned back and grinned. "There, it
is done." Brigitt nearly doubled over laughing. Emma and Sofie hopped down
from their stools and rushed over to see what the artist had done. Kendrick
gagged and unwrapped his tongue from his head and neck. He gasped and pante=
d as
he slid it back inside, so dry it felt like it was cracking.

 =


   "Oh Kendrick!"
Emma squealed. "You look funny!"

 =


   "Figured you'd
win," Barrick grunted good-naturedly as he tried to disentangle himself
from the stool. Brigitt came over and helped him get his head back out.

 =


   Kendrick stumbled
over to where his little sisters giggled. He groaned as he saw what he'd lo=
oked
like =97 a complete idiot who'd hanged himself. His eyes bulged out of his
triangular head, and the tongue around his throat looked like rope. "Water!"
he gasped, even as he took his winnings.

 =


   Melanie patted him
carefully on his back. "Well, Kendrick, I know quite a few people who
would love to see what else you can do with that tongue."

 =


   That was more than
enough for him to know! He waved to her, and stumbled away, his family
following after him. The girls laughed in delight the whole time.

 =


-------

 =


   "Hey! Get up!"

 =


   "Mrrrmmh."

 =


   "Up! Wake up
already! If we don't get moving, the only place we'll have left to put up a
stand is the trash midden!"

 =


   A sleep-muddled
voice whined, "Quit shakin' me, Wuffram," and a white-furred hand
swatted in the general direction of the annoyance.

 =


   "Get up,"
the ram Keeper threatened, his voice lowered mischievously, "or I'll tell
Alexis the song you made up about her."

 =


   "What?"
Drift jerked his head from under the pillow, rolling from his side to his b=
ack.
His eyes jolted open, and then back shut again as the samoyed threw an arm
across them, shielding his eyes against the light streaming through the win=
dow
over the bed. "Owww=85"

 =


   "I'll even
sing it for her. Better than you did the other night, I might add. Has anyo=
ne
told you how badly off-key you sing?"

 =


   "I was drunk!"

 =


   "Do you really
think that will matter to 'she of the bountiful eyes and the deep brown br-=
'"

 =


   "Gah! I'm up!
I'm up!" Drift started to sit up, groaned, and lay back down again.

 =


    "Blackmailer. You'll get yours."

 =


   "Don't
grumble, Drift," Wolfram said, grinning. "It refreshes my memory."
His grin widened at the gesture with which Drift replied. "C'mon. We have
to go get Xavier. Hurry. You can brush that awful bed-fur while we walk."

 =


   "Can it wait
until later? I was up half the night finishing the last of the cups, and I =
just
got to sleep."

 =


   "No! It took
me three minutes to wake you this time! Man, you sleep heavy! Have a bit too
much 'celebrating' after finishing all those cups, did you?"

 =


   Drift rolled over
and buried his head under the pillow again rather than answer that. "Can
you go find him and come back?"

 =


   "Hell, no. I'm
not falling for that trick twice. You'll barricade the door again. Now, UP!"
With that, Wolfram seized the covers and yanked=85 and then froze, startled=
, the
blanket hanging in his hands. "Um=85"

 =


   Drift's tail tucked
tight against the bed as he pulled his head from under the pillow and glared
daggers at the ram. "You are -so- lucky I rolled over when I did. Give it
back, and go wait in the other room so I can get dressed."

 =


   Xavier sat in his
favorite spot in the hedge maze, meditating, and his rapier lay across his =
lap,
charging. Four smaller rods sat beside him, already finished, each one smoo=
th
except for a textured grip. He twitched an ear when he heard Wolfram approa=
ch.

 =


   "Morning, Xav."

 =


   "A little late
for 'morning', isn't it?" he said, and opened his eyes. "What's the
matter with Doggy?"

 =


   Drift grumbled,
rubbing his eyes and yawning sleepily.

 =


   "Aw, he was
just up a little too late. Did you know he sleeps without any-"

 =


   Drift punched the
ram on the shoulder and growled.

 =


   Wolfram laughed,
and amended, "Any women to keep him warm at night?"

 =


   The corner of
Xavier's mouth twitched in a hint of a smile. "It would not surprise me."
He rose to his feet and shook out the cloak he'd been sitting on before
settling it over his shoulders. "Very well. Shall we make one last test of
the brew before getting our stand ready? I did us the favor of reserving a =
spot
near the stage. We should have excellent business there."

 =


   "You can do
that?" Wolfram asked as the trio started for the maze exit, Xavier giving
directions as he walked with an unhurried pace. "I thought it was first
come, first served."

"Yes, it is. I was there before dawn with two hired
hands to claim the spot and set up the stand. Turn right ahead. No, Wolfram,
that's left. Turn -right-."

 =


   "I knew that."

 =


   Ten minutes later,
the ram, the samoyed, and the black leopard stood around an odd collection =
of
pipes and pans in Wolfram's room over the Deaf Mule. Wolfram picked up a cup
and turned a valve, filling the cup with a clear liquid from a long section=
 of
pipe. He smiled, sipped from the cup, coughed, and wheezed, "Wow." He
passed it to Xavier.

Xavier sipped, his face scrunched up, and he also wheezed, "Wow."
It was all he had the air for.

 =


   Drift took the cup
from Xavier and finished it off. His eyes started watering, and the samoyed=
 set
the cup down on the table to steady himself. He took a long, deep breath, a=
nd
echoed the previous two right down to the reverent tone of the wheeze. "Wow=
."

Xavier mopped his eyes with a handkerchief. "That is a
most potent brew, Wolfram. It should sell nicely this weekend. Between corn
from my lands, your knowledge, and Drift's building skills, I'd call this a
promising venture." Handshakes went around the table as the trio started
filling bottles.

 =


   Drift paused
suddenly, just thumping a cork into place. "Wolfram, how did you get into
my room this morning? I -know- I locked the door last night."

 =


   The black ram
laughed. "You only realized that now? You really -do- wake up slow!"
Wolfram laughed harder when a thrown cork bounced off his curled horns. "Al=
right,
I'll give you a hint. It helps to know who to bribe. You go pick up the caps
and bring them down to the booth. We'll finish this up and meet you there."
















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