[Mkguild] Another Mrolunds Rules story

[Kit]

Another great Morlund story by Misha! Thanks for sending. A few things
though. I can't access the picture from the link (not sure I want to after
reading the sentence after it, but I clicked the link before that sentence
so I noticed this *shrug*). Is it because it's rated R and I have no account
on that site? Also, does number 5 actually count as a rule of sorcery? And
number 4 might be better as 'often' since there are many things that are
exactly what they appear to be, else people wouldn't assume that they are so
often. Also the story didn't display the 'deadly' part of that rule like
your previous stories have (that is, showing the whole rule, not the deadly
part). Anyway, liked the story and you're right, that is SO typical of
mages. Those who know most are most prone to assuming things to be true that
aren't.

Kit

2009/2/15 Chris <chrisokane at verizon.net>

>    Another of my Morlunds rules stories! This one was inspired by a
> picture by Dark Natasha. You can see it on her FA website here:
> http://www.furaffinity.net/view/796622/ But beware the pic is R rated as
> she does show the naughty bits.
>
>
>
>  My thanks to Stealth for all his help with this!
>
>
>
> I hope you enjoy!
>
>
>
>  Feel free to send me your comments
>
>
>
>    Chris
>
>    The Lurking Fox
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Death, Life & Love
>
> By Christian O'Kane
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Rule 4 of Morlunds rules of sorcery: Appearances can be deceiving and
> deadly. And usually are.*
>
> * *
>
> *Rule 5 of Murlunds rules of sorcery: The best deceptions are the
> simplest.*
>
>
>
>    The room was surprisingly small for a mage's home. The walls and floor
> were of the finest marble polished to a fine hue, the murals on the walls
> and the carpets on the floor spoke of elegance and great wealth. But it w=
as
> the figure standing in front of them that really held their attention. It
> stood on two legs like a human and even had two arms like one but that was
> where the resemblance ended. This figure had the head of a gray wolf and =
its
> body was covered with fur to match. It even had the long bushy tail of a
> wolf and the digitigrade legs of one ending in paws. Sprouting from its
> back was a pair of bat-like wings covered with the same fur. The whole bo=
dy
> was beautifully sculpted and the fur didn't hide the finely chiseled
> features and perfect muscle tone underneath. He was certainly not shy abo=
ut
> showing off that body. His sole clothing was a silver ankh on a chain aro=
und
> his neck and a small loincloth. A very small loincloth.
>
>
>
>    "The wizard Croey will see you now," the wolf figure said in a calm
> tone that was filled with strength. He pointed with a paw-like hand to a
> door set in the wall nearest him.
>
>
>
>    The door itself was made of mahogany colored with alternating stripes
> of light and dark all polished to the highest degree. The fixtures were of
> gold and they sparkled in the light. It opened slowly and silently and
> without anyone touching it.
>
>
>
>    Stepping through the widening opening was a tall, thin woman. She was
> wearing a flowing dress made of the finest silk that was covered with
> patterns in many colors and edged with gold and silver. Her long blonde h=
air
> fell to her shoulders and had colored ribbons interwoven into it. There w=
ere
> rings on her hands and several in each ear.
>
>
>
>    Without looking at her guests, she walked slowly and stately over to
> the wolf man. She wrapped both arms around him and kissed him passionately
> on the muzzle. He wrapped her in his own embrace and returned the kiss wi=
th
> equal passion. Finally, after a long moment they parted.
>
>
>
>    "Who do we have here, Alerig?" she asked staying close to him.
>
>
>
>    "Three representatives from the Mages Council. They are here to discuss
> your membership."
>
>
>
>    The woman smiled broadly, revealing a mouth full of perfect teeth.
> "Good! I welcome you to my humble abode," she said waving her hand with i=
ts
> perfectly manicured fingers.
>
>
>
>    The tallest of the three new arrivals bowed ever so slightly. "I am
> Merriam Lerimote, senior mage of the fourth circle. We are here to invite
> you to a grand council meeting next Saturday afternoon to discuss your
> membership."
>
>
>
>   Merriam had heard some strange tales about this mage. The widow of an
> important wizard nobleman who had died mysteriously in the capital. Rumors
> spoke of  bloody intrigue. Other rumors said that she had killed her
> husband herself. Maybe both or perhaps something else entirely. It was
> hard to tell what the truth might be. It didn't really matter.
>
>
>
>    "Next Saturday?" the mage asked. "I may be able to attend." She looked
> at the wolf. "Are we free that day?"
>
>
>
>    He wrapped his strong arms around her in a tight embrace. "You promised
> to take me to the lake for the weekend."
>
>
>
>    She stroked his muzzle with her hand and kissed it lightly. "Of course=
.And you promised to teach me how to fish."
>
>
>
>    Croey turned to her guests without leaving her lovers embrace. "I am
> afraid I'm too busy to attend. Another day perhaps?"
>
>
>
> *   *Evidently unable to find a lover she could trust, this mage had one
> created for her instead. Such pets were not uncommon in the capital. Even
> here there were many but all of those were either freeborn or had gained
> their own freedom one way or another. It made her uneasy but they seemed
> happy together. They were certainly more interested in each other then the
> politics of the council or the city, for which she was profoundly gratefu=
l.
> There were far too many problems here already to see someone importing the
> chaos and infighting of the capital.
>
>
>
>    For all the grandiose surroundings and expensive clothing, Merriam
> detected only minor levels of power from Croey. She was barely above the
> level of an apprentice mage. Like many nobles, she pretended to be more
> powerful then she actually was. Going to the lake was obviously merely a
> deception. Were she to come to a meeting her true lack of power would bec=
ome
> all too apparent. "Understandable. We of the council are nothing if not
> patient. We are curious about one thing though: why do you want to live h=
ere
> in our city?"
>
>
>
>    "I've grown tired of the capital with all its conspiracies and
> back-stabbing. I desire a  more sedate and quiet place," she answered in
> an arrogant manner.
>
>
>
>    More likely with her husband dead and with him all his spells and wards
> of protection, she was afraid of being killed by her enemies. Alerig was
> probably as much bodyguard as lover. Merriam had no doubt that the wolf w=
as
> a formidable fighter. "We are a border city, Lady Croey, and are plagued
> by many wars and invasions," Merriam countered.
>
>
>
>    The mage laughed. "A barbarian invasion couldn't be as dangerous as the
> intrigues of the capital."
>
>
>
>    Merriam would be the last person to argue against that statement. Her
> own time in the capital had left her with many bad scars and even worse
> memories. Mutain was home to many nobles who had settled here to escape
> the growing chaos that plagued too much of the capital.
>
>
>
>    "Here, I will live longer. We . . . I desire only to be left in peace."
>
>
>
>    Merriam smiled. "We will require you to follow certain rules that are
> for the best interest of everybody to help maintain the peace."
>
>
>
>    Croey nodded. "Of course, so long as they aren't TOO restrictive. But
> I've been a poor host." The lady waved a hand to where a table sat laden
> with all manner of exotic food and drink. "Come, sit. We can discuss these
> at leisure over food and drink."
>
>
>
>
>
> *************************
>
>
>
>
>
>    They waited patiently until they were sure their recent guests had
> passed out of view and both were sure they were no longer being watched. =
It
> had been a long afternoon filled with inane conversation about boring
> subjects.
>
>
>
>    The lady laughed. "That went well. They never suspected a thing."
>
>
>
>    Alerig nodded his canine head. "They will go back to the council and
> tell them how this household holds a boring, arrogant noblewoman, who is
> only a low level mage and they'll leave us alone. And when that rumor gets
> back to the capital everyone will assume that your husband did die in that
> explosion. Most will assume that you and me assassinated him."
>
>
>
>    "Isn't killing yourself suicide?" she asked teasingly.
>
>
>
>    "Only if you actually die," Alerig answered. He wrapped his strong arms
> around her in a tight embrace and wrapped his wings around her body,
> encasing her in a cocoon of warmth.
>
>
>
>     She shook her head. "I'm confused. They never suspected who you really
> are. Not once. They never even checked you for magic. Not here, not back =
in
> the capital, no where. No one did. I don't understand why it worked. How
> could they all be so foolish?"
>
>
>
>    The wolf gave a short bark of laughter. "I've been a mage for far too
> long not to understand how most mages think. Act like a mage, and people
> think you are one. Act as if you aren't a mage and they assume you aren't
> one. For people who have so much power and knowledge, mages can be
> surprisingly foolish and narrow minded."
>
>
>
>    "Is that one of my first lessons as an apprentice or as your wife?"
>
>
>
>    He shrugged. "Perhaps just a lesson in life. A lesson I learned the
> hard way. They certainly liked my new body."
>
>
>
>    She smiled and stroked the soft fur on his powerfully muscled chest,
> looking deeply into his eyes. "Not as much as I do!"
>
>
>
>
>
>    The End
>
>
>
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