[Mkguild] Healing Wounds in Arabarb (5 of ?)

[C. Matthias]

And now we reach the main action for this story.

Healing Wounds in Arabarb
By Charles Matthias



April 1, 708 CR


"I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have the quarantine lifted," 
Duke Thomas said with a long sigh. He almost slouched in his chair as 
he regarded both Andwyn and Misha whose expressions were equally 
delighted. "The plague... took too many lives, but at least its over."

"And now we can get back to defending Metamor," Misha said with a 
short yip. "I've already sent the Longs on rotation and given Laura's 
team a week of rest. Give it another week and this place will be back 
to normal."

"As normal as it ever is," Thomas agreed. "So when are they coming?"

"They should be here in a moment," Andwyn replied with a faint shrug. 
"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Again, Thomas let a heavy sigh escape his supple, equine lips. "It 
may be the only time. What information Pharcellus has brought has 
been troubling. I want Calephas gone and I can think of no better 
person to do it than him."

Misha crossed his arms over his chest and growled ever so slightly 
under his breath. "Well I for one do not like this plan. It's too 
risky. There's no reason to believe it will work."

Andwyn lifted one wing and shook his head slightly. "There is some 
reason. We know Calephas's habits and his perverse predilections. 
That does offer some advantage. It may be the only unguarded moment he has."

"The man eviscerated a Glenner and coated himself with his fat to 
survive the winter chill," Misha retorted. "All while still held in 
prison! He doesn't have unguarded moments."

The horse lord tapped one hoof-like hand on the table before splaying 
his two fingers and thumb across the map of Arabarb. "I however, do 
believe this plan will work. I do not know how it will be 
accomplished, but I do believe in the man I am going to send. Of all 
here at Metamor, there is none who knows that land or its people 
better than he."

Misha's one ear folded back against his head and he narrowed his 
eyes. "And do you think she can hold the spell you want on him long 
enough to make it work?"

"We will find out when we ask them."

Andwyn's large ears turned and he shifted on his perch. "They are 
coming down the hall now. We will have the answers to those questions 
soon enough."

The three waited in uneasy silence for less than a minute before one 
of the guards knocked on the door to Thomas's office and poked a 
bovine snout through. "Your grace, the mage Jessica and the 
timbersman Lindsey are here as you requested."

"Show them in, Andhun," Thomas beckoned with one hand as he rose to 
his hooves. His long tail flicked back and forth against his woolen 
breeches, the many hairs already beginning to tangle after Alberta's 
gentle brushing that morning. Through the doorway walked a large 
black hawk and behind her came a red-bearded northerner with dour 
expression. His beard was braided and looked recently trimmed. Both 
had a faintly worried look to their eyes.

Misha and Andwyn stood as well as Thomas did his best to smile to 
them both. "Please come in, both of you. I know you both just 
returned to Metamor and we are glad to have you back. It has been a 
very trying time for all of us, those stuck within and without the 
city. Please take your seats. Refreshments will be brought for you both."

"Will it take so long?" Jessica asked, her golden eyes widening 
anxiously. "Weyden and I were to meet with the Lothanasa this 
afternoon to discuss wedding times."

Thomas's ears perked, though the news was not a surprise. 
"Congratulations to you both. I hope this will not take long. We'll 
know quickly enough." Lindsey sat next to Misha while Jessica joined 
Andwyn on the perch. The bat tucked his wings in close and stepped a 
pace to one side to give her room. "My first question is for you, 
Jessica. We have all heard that you have learned how to manipulate 
the Curses. Specifically, we know you can temporarily give another 
one of the Curses they did not receive. How long do you think you can 
maintain such a spell?"

Jessica's eyes widened a bit, but her feathers puffed out on her 
chest in pride. "I am uncertain yet how long I can hold any 
particular spell. I do not think indefinitely, but perhaps a month. I 
did manage to keep Maud a giraffe for the last two weeks without any 
trouble, but I could tell that the spell was beginning to strain 
there at the end."

"How'd she let you convince her to do that?" Misha asked with a curious frown.

"For her wedding with Larssen who is a giraffe. They were married a 
little over two weeks ago and this was the wedding gift they asked 
from me. Captain Naomi offered them private quarters and well..."

Misha and Thomas both chuckled lightly. The horse lord knew well what 
newly married couples were wont to do. "That was a very kind gift."

"If I could master the art further, I might be able to make Maud a 
giraffe permanently. I know this would please Larssen and I think 
she's warming to the idea too." Jessica dipped her beak a little 
self-consciously and glanced back and forth across the table. "I've 
already had several requests from Keepers for other alterations. I'm 
going to have to start charging people for these services if this keeps up."

Thomas nodded thoughtfully and stroked the bottom of his chin with 
one finger. "Now I have another question. Could you design the spell 
so that it masks the Curse and itself from inspection? That is, 
another mage looking at them would not notice the spell?"

Jessica pondered that for a moment before nodding. "I think so, aye. 
It would be more difficult, especially if the spell is to last a 
month already."

"Good, good, and now one last question. Could you design it so that 
the person it is cast on can remove it at will?"

The hawk nodded and then cawed. "Aye, I could, but there'd be a 
price. Once it was removed, I don't think the person could bring it 
back. It would have to be a one time thing."

Thomas set his hand on the table and smiled broadly. "That is all I 
needed." He then looked at one of the pages standing beside the door, 
a young boy who had not yet been touched by the curses. "Cobb, tell 
Andhun to have the refreshments brought."

As the boy opened the door and passed the message onto the bull, 
Jessica glanced between Thomas and Misha. "I take it this means our 
meeting is not going to end quickly?"

"Not likely, no," Misha replied. "You can do what we need you to do, 
Jessica. I was dubious but his grace is right. This may be our best chance."

Lindsey, who had gazed down at the map of Arabarb on the table before 
them while they spoke, slowly stroked one of his braids and said 
without inflection, "The best chance for me to kill Baron Calephas. 
That is what you want, is it not?"

Misha and Thomas stared at the northerner in genuine surprise. 
Andwyn's eyes widened and he chuckled under his breath. "You are 
correct," the bat admitted. "I am curious how you came to deduce this."

Lindsey gestured at the map. "I recognize my homeland. And I know the 
evil man who grinds it beneath his boot and who has been an ally of 
Nasoj for many years. And I remember what he did to you last year," 
he glanced at the fox who nodded stiffly. Lindsey's lips broke into a 
slight smile. "Besides, I've known Pharcellus since before I came to 
Metamor. He ferried letters between me and my family before my 
journey to Marzac. I spoke with him yesterday when he returned from 
Arabarb and he was only too happy to tell me what his latest duty is."

Andwyn shook his head and sighed. "There's one less dragon I can 
trust on covert missions."

"He is reliable at accomplishing the mission," Misha pointed out. 
"Just not so much on keeping his tongue still."

Thomas tapped the table with his fingers. "Pharcellus's loose tongue 
is not an issue we can settle today. Lindsey, you are right. We want 
you to infiltrate Arabarb and assassinate Baron Calephas. You know 
Arabarb better than anyone here. And, it is your homeland; your 
people will feel much better about having you kill him than any Keeper."

"You speak truly," Lindsey replied. He took a deep breath and leaned 
forward, drawing his fingers across the eastern border where the 
mountains began. "My people will want to do this themselves, and 
though they will not mind your assistance, the final blow must be 
struck by my people. Pharcellus told me that you've sent three 
seabirds to contact the resistance there?"

"And they have," Andwyn added with a bit more delight in his voice. 
"What little we have been able to learn from them is that they have 
been severely hindered in the last year, but that they are gaining 
strength again. You will have no trouble finding them as we can bring 
you to their attention as soon as you reach Arabarb."

Lindsey traced a line across the mountains from Metamor to the 
southern extent of Arabarb. "I assume Pharcellus will be taking me?"

Misha nodded. "That was our thought. And since you both know each 
other already that will make things simpler."

"But it doesn't explain how I'm supposed to even get close to 
Calephas." Lindsey stared directly at Thomas. "Your grace, what do 
you wish me to do?"

The horse lord folded his hands before him and lowered his snout so 
that the lips nearly touched his thumbs. "Lindsey, what I am about to 
ask you to do will be a very terrible thing. I am ashamed that I am 
doing this, but I do not see any other way. I want Jessica to 
transform you into a boy." He waited only a second for that to sink 
it before he continued. "A very handsome boy whom Calephas will 
notice and take to his bed. There you will break the spell, and with 
your normal size, kill him."

Andwyn squeezed his wings a little closer. "It has a bit of poetic 
justice that he would die in bed."

Lindsey ignored the bat as he narrowed his eyes to mere slits. "You 
wish me to risk being raped by that monster so I might have an 
opportunity to kill him? What if he manacles me and I cannot change 
form? What am I to do then? Try not to scream too loudly to upset 
him? And what if I am discovered before I can strike? You asked 
Jessica if she could shield her spell from inspection and Pharcellus 
said something about Calephas having a mage at his beck and call. Do 
you know exactly what risk I am going into?"

"No, we don't," Thomas admitted. "We never do. There is always a 
chance this will end very, very badly for all of us."

"Me more than any of you," Lindsey pointed out.

"Aye, that is true," Thomas admitted. "But that is always true. Both 
Misha and Andwyn can tell you that. You yourself know it, both of 
you. I do not ask this lightly. But I assure you, I am asking. I am 
not ordering you to this, Lindsey. I am asking you. Can you do this?"

The door opened and Andhun entered with another older servant 
carrying a platter the smelled of pastries and little meats. Lindsey 
did not look up, but gazed down at the map with unblinking eyes. 
Those eyes poured over not just the map, but also memory of youth in 
that land. Even when a small plate of little sausages wrapped in 
freshly baked bread was set before him he did not stir.

It was only when Andhun the bull and the servitors left that Lindsey 
was able to lift his eyes and meet the Duke's questioning glance. His 
words echoed from within his chest and seemed make the walls tremble 
with their conviction. "I will do it. I will kill Garadan Calephas 
for you, your grace. And for Arabarb. Tell me what I need to know."

Jessica stretched out her wing and put it to Lindsey's back. "Oh, are 
you sure you wish to go? We need you here."

Lindsey looked to the hawk with profound sadness in his eyes. "I will 
ever miss the company of my dearest friends. But if all goes well, 
this will only be for a time. But this is my homeland. You would do 
the same for yours." His expression softened and he put his arm on 
her wing very tenderly. "I will dearly miss your wedding though, 
Jessica. I will find you both a gift this very afternoon; that is, if 
I have enough time to do so."

Thomas nodded. "We did not think you would be ready to leave until 
tomorrow morning as it is. The weather is good, so it should be no 
more than four to five days flight to Arabarb." The horse lord turned 
to Jessica. "Will that be enough time for you to ready your spell?"

She nodded and finally let her wing fall from Lindsey's back. "I 
believe so, aye. I can make you a child of the right age this evening 
so that you can find good sized clothes that fit."

"A very good idea," Misha added. "I have a large stock of winter gear 
in Long House you can borrow from. Spring may be here in Metamor, but 
I know it is still very cold in Arabarb."

Lindsey grunted. "The snows will have melted from the ground except 
where the wind made banks of them. The first flowers will be blooming 
about now. You should see it sometime, Misha, Arabarb is quite lovely 
in Spring."

The fox's perpetual moue lightened into a faint smile as he hoisted 
one of the blanketed sausages in his paw. "If you succeed, then I 
certainly will."

Thomas felt a great weight lift from his shoulders once Lindsey 
agreed to go. But there was still so much more to describe to prepare 
him for what he would face in his old home. He licked the last of his 
first pastry from his lips and gestured with one hand to the bat. 
"Now, I think it is time that Andwyn told you all that we know of 
Arabarb, the resistance, Calephas, and his pet mage Gmork. Even if 
you kill Calephas he may still be a threat. Andwyn, would you?"

And as the bat described in as much detail he could muster, the 
Keepers listened and ate. Lindsey absorbed every mite of information he could.

----------

"Is this going to hurt?" Lindsey asked as Jessica studied him 
intently. They stood in the Long House armory with Misha and Allart 
observing and debating amongst themselves what was the appropriate 
gear for a youth. Allart, being age regressed by the curses, had 
extensive experience in that regard and was the only one of the Long 
Scouts resting at Metamor who could claim it. And as soon as he'd 
heard about Jessica's ability to apply different curses to people for 
a time, he asked if she might make him into a tabby like his wife. 
Neither did he specify why he wished it nor did he need to. It was 
the most common request Jessica received.

"No, it shouldn't," Jessica replied as she gazed into the magical 
weave surrounding the northerner. "Nobody else I've changed has 
complained about anything except a little dizziness and confusion 
when they change to their new forms. I'm just going to make you 
younger, so there should be even less. You don't have to worry about 
learning how to use a tail." As soon as the words left her beak, 
Jessica felt them stab her heart. Lindsey had learned how to use a 
tail when he'd been made a female kangaroo by the Marquis. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

But the northerner closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, it's 
okay. I don't like to think about it either."

"I don't like this whole thing," Misha opined in a faint growl. "I've 
been going over it in my mind all afternoon, and I know you are 
willing to do it, but I still don't like it one bit. Never did."

Lindsey offered the fox sad eyes. "And if a tyrant took control of 
Marigund and took its boys for his bed, would you do anything different?"

The fox's jowls twitched in irritation, and his tail lashed back and 
forth as if swatting flies. "I certainly wouldn't try to kill him in 
his bed. But yes, I'd do whatever I could." He crossed his arms and 
growled sotto voce, "I still don't like it."

Lindsey looked to Jessica, but his words were still for the fox. "It 
isn't your choice. It's mine. And I know in my heart that Zhypar 
would have wanted me to do this." Misha could say nothing against 
that and returned to his dispute with Allart over what the best gear would be.

But the hawk's gaze narrowed in consternation as she continued to 
study him. After several seconds intense scrutiny, she shook her head 
and waved her wings before her face. Lindsey frowned, "What is it?"

"I think whatever the Marquis did to you has garbled the Curse on 
you. At least, it looks different compared to everyone else's." 
Jessica cawed once in frustration and then stared more intently. "I 
will figure it out. Just give me a few more minutes and I think I'll 
have everything I need to make you young again, at least for an hour."

Lindsey frowned, certain he didn't like the thought that whatever the 
Marquis had done still lingered with him. It had been painful enough 
being made female and compatible with Zhypar, only to lose him, and 
then, having to lose the child-thing too. He'd accepted it as an evil 
that needed destroying much like the dragon Vissarion they'd freed 
Kayla from. But there were few nights when he didn't think about the 
kangaroo. Father Hough said that not everything we wish is the will 
of Eli and that our true peace is only in surrendering our will to 
Him. Lindsey prayed every day that he could.

Misha and Allart reached some sort of agreement and left the two of 
them alone to go gather supplies. Lindsey nodded to them as they 
left, then returned his attention on the hawk. Jessica's coal black 
feathers thrummed as if touched by a wind he couldn't feel. Her 
golden eyes protruded like daggers past her hooked beak as they dug 
into the magical confluence bound to him. For a moment, he thought he 
understood how a mouse felt when cornered by the cat.

After at least five minutes, Jessica finally relaxed and her eyes, 
intent as ever, became friendly in countenance as he had long grown 
to know them. "Okay. I think I can see what to do. Whatever the 
Marquis did seems to be overshadowed by the Curse so I think we can 
ignore it for now. Maybe after you return we can try to understand what it is?"

"Aye," Lindsey agreed with a quick nod. "But that is for later. Can 
you make me a child?"

"How old do you want to be?"

"Ten or eleven; just before I would have reached my manhood." He 
laughed a moment later, a short crisp laugh without much humor. 
"Metamor does strange things."

Jessica cawed sadly. "Indeed it does. Are you ready?"

He paused only the briefest of moments before agreeing. "Aye."

Jessica folded her wings in front of her, and with her wing claws, 
traced out an intricate pattern in the air. Lindsey could see nothing 
but felt a warmth coursing through his flesh. His skin, already 
ruddy, began to glow faintly as the thick hair coating much of his 
body began to writhe and withdraw. His clothes sagged on him as the 
world around him swelled in proportion. His beard was swallowed into 
his face like a diner slurping noodles. He felt suddenly very weak 
and vulnerable.

The transformation took only a few seconds. Jessica folded her wings 
behind her back and pointed at him with one talon. "There. You are a 
child again. How do you feel?"

"Weak," Lindsey replied in a much higher pitched alto. "A mirror?"

Jessica pointed toward a set of gleaming armor nearby and Lindsey, 
grabbing his trousers in one hand, kicked off his too big boots and 
stumbled toward the broad shield. Before him was a boy with an unruly 
mop of red hair, lightly freckled face, broad shoulders and square 
jaw. His arms were slender but still tough in sinew, but he'd have 
difficulty lifting his axe let alone swinging it. And he had lost 
four to five hands in height. Before him was a young boy a year or 
two away from beginning his manly growth; but one that would grow 
more than any could guess.

Lindsey stared at that boy for several long seconds, marveling that 
he did not look like his younger brother as he'd expected. Andrig had 
been swarthy and broad shouldered, true, but his face had been lean 
and his hair a darker hue. And he'd also been taller at this age than 
Lindsey was now. Nor did he look much like his father might have. Was 
there more of his mother in his youthful countenance? Perhaps... it 
was hard to tell. Soften the cheeks and lengthen the hair and he 
certainly could have seen the young girl he'd been so many years ago.

"Is it all right?" Jessica asked.

Lindsey nodded and finally managed to tear his face away from the 
reflection. "Aye, I think this will do. Can you truly keep me so 
young for a month?"

"Perhaps longer if you need it." Jessica fluttered her wings as she 
turned toward the armory door. "But you'll need to move quickly. I 
just don't know how long it will last. I'm going to go and ready what 
I need for the other parts of the spell. I will see you tomorrow 
morning, Lindsey."

"Thank you."

Jessica hopped a few steps then paused, a trilling laugh in her 
throat. "And thank you for the gift of the awl pike. It fits Weyden's 
claws perfectly."

Still clutching his trousers, Lindsey managed to follow her out to 
the main hall. Allart and Misha were bringing a bundle of supplies 
his way, while in one corner he saw Ralls and Padraic sparing with 
short-handled blades. A few children were gathered around watching 
them, while others were capering about the balconies over head 
playing a game of Keepers and Lutins from the sound of the grunting 
and shouting. And down the circular staircase came a young man 
dressed in gray tunic and breeches, with a bright red shock of hair 
even more unruly than Lindsey's own and a red sash about his waist 
that dangled behind him like a tail. His lips parted in a smile when 
he saw Lindsey and he started skipping across Long Hall.

Misha caught sight of him and quickly drew a sword. "Who are you and 
how did you get in here?" Padraic and Ralls stopped sparing and 
rushed over to help. Jessica cawed in shock and turned to assist. 
Allart, without the fox's aid, nearly fell over under the weight of the gear.

The man waved and grinned, "Hi Misha! I saw your windows were open so 
I thought I'd drop on in and see how things are going."

Lindsey felt very certain he knew that voice, and from the way 
Misha's ear twitched the fox must have as well. Still, the Long Scout 
commander was not used to having uninvited guests drop on by, even 
ones that called him by name. "You know my name, but I don't know yours."

The young man threw back his red hair and laughed. "Oh that's right! 
You hadn't yet seen the human form I learned to take last month. It's 
me, Pharcellus!" And so saying, he closed his eyes and after a 
moment's pause, the body swelled in front and behind, hands splaying 
before him and growing into heavy, scaled paws. The sash stretched 
out behind until it swayed ponderously, gray with crimson tinges 
along a saw-toothed ridge. Powerful haunches anchored his legs which 
tore at the carpeting beneath him. And his smile split across his 
face now filled with fangs. Horns sprouted through hair that shrank 
into a series of ridges and spines. And from his back erupted a pair 
of broad wings that stretched halfway across the width of Long House.

"Pharcellus!" Misha exclaimed as he put his sword away. "Don't scare 
me like that! When did you learn to take a human form?"

The dragon folded his wings back and then sat down on his haunches, 
curling his tail before him as he belched a little smoke from his 
nostrils. "I've been wanting to learn that trick for at least a 
decade or more. I finally convinced one of the elders to teach it to 
me on my last flight back to Arabarb. I've been dying to try it out!" 
He swung his head over to Lindsey and chortled. "You will be much 
easier to carry like that."

"Pharcellus," Lindsey said in his irritatingly high-pitched voice, 
"thank you for giving me advance warning yesterday. I am relieved 
that it is you who will be bringing me to Arabarb."

"Well, I think I've heard everything then," Ralls said with a sardonic grin.

Pharcellus bowed his head to Lindsey. "I am honored. Thank you. Now, 
I understand we're supposed to be sized up for the trip. Does that 
mean I'll get a proper harness this time?" He turned to Misha and 
quivered his jowls in a mock snarl.

Misha scowled back at the dragon, but, he was a dragon, and the fox 
knew better than to argue with him. "We can certainly try to adjust 
it, Pharcellus. You'll just need to stay still so we can put it on you and..."

"A dragon!" a very familiar voice yipped as a heavy metal clanging 
resounded from the other end of Long House. Misha slapped his 
forehead and then he and all the Longs ran for cover. Jessica stared 
for a moment in surprise, squawking a protest when Misha grabbed her 
about the middle and hauled her out of the open. Lindsey stumbled 
back into the armory doorway and laughed like any child might. In 
fact, all of the children gathered along the balconies to watch the dragon.

Pharcellus turned, and stood on all fours, keeping his wings pressed 
in close to his back. Upon sighting the automaton fox he almost 
belched a small gout of flame. "Madog!"

"No playing chase in Long House with dragons!!" Misha shouted from 
his corner with Ralls and Jessica.

Madog, whose tail had been wagging, now drooped a moment, before he 
bounded up to Pharcellus and sat on his haunches. "Wanna play chase outside?"

Pharcellus grinned and patted Madog on the head with a forepaw. "I'd 
love to. But I'm going on a very important mission tomorrow and I 
have to get ready. Maybe when I get back."

The automaton looked past the dragon to where Lindsey stood holding 
his drawers and he yipped. "Oh! Getting wings this time to fly!"

At this point, Pharcellus had returned to sitting on his haunches and 
the Longs all risked leaving their corners. The children all rushed 
down the stairs to touch the dragon who did no worse than breath a 
little smoke on them when they started climbing on his back. Allart 
brought the clothes to Lindsey who was only too happy to start trying 
them on. Misha followed them back into the armory shaking his head in 
exasperation.

"I am so glad I don't use dragons on missions very often." He cast a 
glance over his shoulder to make sure Pharcellus hadn't heard it. But 
the gray-scale was too busy entertaining the children and Madog to 
give the fox any notice. "Ralls, get in here and help me find that 
dragon harness!"

Lindsey, while pulling on one of Allart's fur-lined shirts, said to 
the fox, "You know he does it just because it drives you crazy. He's 
a dragon, and a young one. When he's with friends, it's a game. But 
I've seen him when it isn't a game, and I know he'll be of great help."

Misha glanced at him from behind a rack of maces and clubs. "I know 
that. It's why I like him." The fox smiled wickedly and then returned 
to his search with Ralls.

Lindsey laughed again even as Allart threw a cloak over his head and 
yanked it down over his shoulders. No matter what happened in Arabarb 
he knew he would miss Metamor and all his friends here.

----------

May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,

Charles Matthias


!DSPAM:4da2c179156922130720353!