[Mkguild] Inchoate Carillon, Inconstant Cuckold (15 of ?)

[C. Matthias]

Inchoate Carillion, Inconstant Cuckold
By Charles Matthias



Berchem had both Anson and Ralph took turns 
keeping a close eye on him for the remainder of 
their scouting tour through the woods south of 
the Glen. James's frustration grew with each 
hour, but it was tempered by the knowledge that 
come tomorrow he'd be scouting with other 
Glenners and could put the little misstep behind him.

And maybe he'd be able to leave the bell behind 
this time. Every time he touched its smooth bore 
he saw the bunny with gaping blood-smeared holes 
where its ears should have been. How could that 
have happened? It was just a bell.

Even as they passed from the cluttered woodlands 
to the cleared fields of the Glen, his thoughts 
strayed back to that moment, a moment that the 
object dangling from his hip seemed to throb a 
paean to each time he touched it.

But lo, a stir is in the air!

He slapped his hand down on its surface to 
silence the voice that resounded within. James 
had no desire to find out what was stirring in 
the air. Ralph glanced back at him, the vole's 
queer nose twitching as he waved a long-clawed 
hand. “Is something wrong, James?”

The donkey shook his head and snorted. “Nothing. It's good to be back.”

“Let's report in,” Berchem said with a flick of 
his tail. Neither James nor the others objected. 
Torches were lit all around as evening closed in 
on the forest glen like a fist. James glanced at 
the Matthias home, but it was dark within. His 
hand curled around the bell's broken lip and steadied his heavy breaths.

Lord Avery's two boys were standing guard just 
inside the brewery door. Darien and Christopher 
were still a head shorter than their father, and 
they still had the characteristic perpetual 
twitch common to squirrels, but their expressions 
were very serious as they fulfilled the duty 
their father bound them to. They scrutinized them 
with wide, black eyes, and then motioned for them 
to come inside, their tails flicking back and 
forth like bees flitting from flower to flower.

Brian Avery was standing over the map as he'd 
been the previous night, checking off various 
places with the badger Angus. They both smiled 
when they saw Berchem and the others approach. 
“How did it go today?” Brian asked, his voice weary but brave.

“Nothing unusual,” Berchem replied without much 
enthusiasm. “We saw no Lutins nor anyone else for that matter.”

“That's good,” Angus said with a faint smile that 
revealed a few fangs along his jowls.

“However,” Berchem added as he glanced back at 
the donkey, “James nearly got himself killed when 
he slipped on a stone and took a tumble down a culvert.”

Both badger and squirrel turned to him. Lord 
Avery frowned. “You slipped on a stone?”

“I didn't see it,” James admitted, grinding his 
flat teeth together. “And I wasn't in danger. I 
caught some trees on the way down and landed safely.”

His face darkened. “The mountains are very 
dangerous, and there won't be trees to catch you 
if you stumble.” The squirrel sighed and shook 
his head. “I'm afraid I can't send you into those 
mountains for now. Get some food and rest. You'll be scouting again tomorrow.”

“But,” James blurted, hands and tail quivering.

How silently serene a sea of pride!

“We'll discuss it again later,” Lord Avery cut 
him off. “I cannot do it right now. I'm sorry. Go 
get something to eat and some rest.”

James gripped the bell tightly with his right 
hand to keep it from ringing in his mind, glared 
once at Berchem, then stormed out of the brewery 
and into the cold night air. He heard Angus's 
brusque voice call after him, but no one followed him into the darkness.

----------

Evening settled around the Glen with a somber 
stillness that made Charles anxious. The woods 
and snow piles glimmered in the torchlight like a 
thousand eyes watching and waiting. Into this gap 
Charles and Erick rode quietly, the hooves of 
their ponies disturbing the silence as if they 
were wandering a graveyard and not the Glen's commons.

He'd not seen the commons so quiet since Nasoj's 
attack the previous winter. How barren and 
miserable it had become. Everyone hid within 
their homes offering their prayers that the 
plague would not reach them. Before the only 
infectious thing that pervaded the Glen had been 
cheer and a leisured woodland pride. If Kimberly 
and his children were here, at least he could 
have some cheer within his home; but even that would be denied to him now.

They rode Armivest and Malicon to the stables 
that Sir Saulius had erected near the Matthias 
home. There they tended their steeds and gave 
them oats to sate their hunger while they removed 
the tack and draped them in blankets to keep them 
warm through the night. Neither spoke except to 
offer commands and compliments to the ponies.

There were no lights on in his home so Baerle 
must not have returned from her patrol that day. 
Charles was not terribly interested in going 
there either and decided that he would see if he 
could find James at the Inn later so they might 
share drinks together. But first he and Saulius 
needed to report what they had seen and what they 
had done with the soldiers from Hareford.

Lars Hasgkenn's brewery was subdued, but compared 
to the commons it breathed of life. The twin 
squirrel boys Christopher and Darien stood guard 
at the door, their bearing serious despite the 
faint twitches still visible in their tails and 
whiskers. They greeted Charles and Saulius as 
officially as their unbounded enthusiasm could 
muster before returning to their duties. Beyond 
them, both rats saw a handful of the equine 
Polygamites clustered in one corner speaking 
quietly, while nearby some of the scouts and 
hunters for the Glen spoke of what they'd seen in 
the land, and in quieter whispers what they'd 
heard. Near the bar waited Lord Avery and Angus 
the badger. They both half-smiled when they noticed the rats.

“Sir Saulius, Charles, it is good to see you both 
safely returned,” Lord Avery said as they 
approached. Angus stood for them, but the 
squirrel lord gestured for them all to sit down. 
“Are you famished? Jurmas has provided an 
excellent oatmeal mixed with some of last year's maple syrup.”

“Aye, that wouldst be most agreeable,” Saulius 
said with a twitch in his whiskers. “We didst 
encounter Sir Dupré on the northern road, accompanied by soldiers of Hareford.”

“They ventured to the west?” Angus blurted in 
surprise. The badger's eye ridges lifted 
noticeably in emphasis. “They usually do not.”

“'Twas the ram knight's idea methinks,” Saulius 
replied with a renewed twitch. “They dost not yet trust him.”

“And we should be wary of trusting him 
ourselves,” Lord Avery said with a nod. “Still, 
what did you find, and what did the folk of Hareford have to say?”

Saulius regaled them with as many details as 
seemed prudent, but there was very little to 
tell. Their journey north along the road, and 
then to the Gateway had uncovered no Lutins or 
bandits of any kind. The hills and forests were 
quiet and peaceful as they usually were this time 
of the year. Even the folk of Hareford had offered nothing new to learn.

“So, nothing new,” Angus said with a grunt. 
“That's probably the best news we can expect for now.”

“Indeed,” Lord Avery agreed with a firm nod. 
“Thank you both. Where do you wish to travel tomorrow?”

“South toward Lake Barnhardt,” Saulius replied 
with a faint smile. “Then north again the next day.”

“Reasonable,” the squirrel agreed as he rubbed 
his forehead with one paw. “Go fetch your 
dinners. You've both earned them. A few more 
scouts report in and I'll be able to fetch the sleep I didn't get last night!”

“Has there been any news at all?” Charles asked.

“Nothing unusual at the very least. The woods are 
quiet but for the animals eager for Spring. I 
fear the Vernal celebrations will be quite muted 
this year.” He frowned and then added, “James 
slipped on a rock today and tumbled down a cliff.”

Charles's heart tensed. “Is he well?”

“He took no injury,” Lord Avery said slowly, “but 
I'm afraid I can't risk him going with you into 
the mountains, not when he slips like that. We 
need men of sure hoof and paw for those slopes. 
Another scout will take his place with you, we just haven't decided who yet.”

The rat shook his head and ground his incisors 
together. “No. It must be James.”

“He's not as sure-hoofed as you say, Charles. I'm sorry.”

“He is better than you think, and better than 
anyone else here in the Glen. Even you, Angus.” 
Charles squared the badger with a steely gaze. 
His heart clenched and pounded in his chest, and 
his flesh simmered as if soaked in scalding 
water. “Not only did he survive in the Barrier 
Range, but I saw him thrive there. He tumbled a 
man off a cliff and took not even a scratch. If 
he slipped today then it was only because he didn't have his gear.”

The squirrel shook his head. “But he did slip.”

“And he won't ever again,” Charles said through 
his teeth. “Ever. I've spent most of the last 
nine months of my life with him by side every 
day. If I could only take one other person it 
would be him and no other. And it will be him. 
Milord, as the head of the Long Scouts here in 
the Glen, I have it within my authority to select 
whom I will. I do not wish to do that to you whom 
I call friend and lord. But please trust my 
judgment when it comes to James. He will not 
disappoint you. He is the perfect man for this 
very important task. Please, trust me, milord.”

Lord Avery glanced at Angus and sighed heavily. 
The badger grimaced but said nothing. Avery 
turned his gaze back to the rats and spoke softly 
but firmly. “Charles, I do trust you. I... I will 
place him back on this mission. But if he falls 
or puts others in danger again, then he will not 
go. And you may speak of the Longs but that will 
not change my mind either. Misha can complain all 
he likes later. This is about Metamor's safety. 
It is too important to worry over bruised pride. 
I hate putting it bluntly like that, Charles, 
especially with you who have been so loyal and so 
valiant, but responsibility for the Glen falls to me. Do you understand?”

He took a deep breath and nodded. “Thank you, 
milord. I will go tell him the good news.”

“And let him know that I trust him,” Angus added 
with a grunt. “He's a good man.”

Charles smiled faintly. “I will. Good evening, 
Angus, milord Avery.” Saulius bowed his head to 
the squirrel and the two rats left the brewery 
together in search of the donkey and the promised 
oatmeal at the lone Inn. The sullen, cold night 
outside brooded with unwelcome murmuring.


----------

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

Charles Matthias


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