[Mkguild] Loosening Cursed Bonds (1/?)

[Nathan Pfaunmiller]

This is being posted as part 1, but it may expand to include the
entire Lucy and Julian storyline.  I'm slowly trying to organize what
parts of the story are going into which story, hopefully ending in me
posting them all sometime before the apocalypse.  We'll see.

-LurkingWolf

___________________________

<i>January 4, 708 CR</i>

	Lucy had been anticipating the meeting ever since she had told Julian
about it.  Now that the day had come, she waited by their customary
meeting spot, expecting the moondog’s aura of fear to surround her at
any moment.  She was dressed in her best scouting gear, wanting to be
ready for the short hike from the edge of the forest to the Keep, but
also wanting to be presentable for the Duke should she have the
opportunity to meet him herself.  The meeting was for Julian, but she
was the only person she knew of to have had any face-to-face contact
with the unfortunate Keeper.  Her presence might be required to help
cooler heads prevail.

	It was a chilly January day.  Winter would still be around for
several months at least, and the day was one of the many long cold
ones that the Valley would see in the near future.  It was also a
clear day, however, and with the noteworthy exception of her own
breath, Lucy could see to the horizon without even a haze obscuring
her view.

	The aura she had been expecting came presently, and the moondog
Keeper stepped out from among the trees soon after.  He was wearing
the leather armor that Lucy had given to him the last time they had
met, and it worked strikingly well with his new form.  It seemed
almost like it had been tailored to it.  Perhaps it was the underlying
layer of flexible black material that let the armor sit comfortably
and not its appropriate size, but there didn’t seem to be any
pronounced gaps in the leather armor.  He wore with it a sword she had
not seen with him before.  The black leather of its sheath matched the
armor well, but a closer inspection showed that the coloration was
rough and uneven.  It seemed that it had been through some abuse, and
it was beginning to show.

	He smiled at Lucy when he saw her, and for once it did not utterly
terrify her.  She still felt a constant foreboding whenever he was
nearby, but it had become something that she was used to.  It was
still hardly pleasant, but it was better than it had been their first
few meetings, when she could hardly manage to hold eye contact with
him without shaking in abject terror.

	She spoke to him for a few moments to make sure that he was ready,
and he assured her that he had been ready for quite a while.  He still
had to use scout signals to communicate with her, but she had years of
experience with the signs and, now that she was able to keep her eyes
on him without averting them constantly, it was easy enough to
understand.  Sometimes he had to make creative use of sign
combinations to get across meanings that scouts rarely needed to use
in the field, but Lucy prided herself on her ability to decipher these
strange phrases.

	The two of them struck out from the edge of the forest towards the
Keep.  It would take them some time to cross the distance on foot, but
it was early in the morning.  They would still make it to the Keep
before noon easily despite the distance.

	As they walked, Lucy offered the man something to break his fast.  He
seemed to consider the offer briefly, but he waved off the offer after
a few moments, replying that he had already eaten.  The man’s aura
seemed to push on Lucy’s mind to imagine the horrifying things that
must have happened to whatever he had chosen as his meal, but she
managed to put such thoughts out of her mind before they gained much
of a foothold.  He had the form of a fearful creature, but that did
not mean that he acted like one.

	The day seemed to grow even clearer as they moved towards the Keep.
Although they were consciously avoiding the main paths for now, they
had the opportunity to catch glimpses of others moving up the road.
Some of the braver merchants from the Midlands were already making
their way towards the Keep in hopes of beating their competitors to
the considerable business to be found within the walls.  More than a
few had done the same in the past, only to be trapped at the Keep when
an unexpected winter storm cut off their passage to the south.  Some
had accepted this fate, becoming permanent residents of the Keep in
the process.  Others had braved the storms in a panicked attempt to
break free, and only few lived to speak of their attempt.  What few
did were usually found by the Metamor border patrols, Cursed despite
their efforts and half dead in the drifts of snow.

	Despite these past occurrences, the early traffic never seemed to
slow much.  For every merchant that was trapped or decided that the
high-risk lifestyle was not for them, another opportunistic man
arrived to take their place.  Even from far away, Lucy could see the
guards just outside of Euper performing cursory inspections of these
merchants’ wares.  Mostly, they were just worried about the
possibility of smuggling people into the Keep in the cargo, but it had
been quite a while since someone had successfully entered the Keep in
this fashion.  Some merchants would have harsher words for the delay
than others, but they all submitted to it with little resistance if
they knew what was good for them.

	As they approached the road to Euper themselves, however, Lucy and
Julian became aware of a separate contingent of soldiers waiting off
to the side of the road.  The two of them were planning to join the
road to Euper at the last possible opportunity, and this contingent
was specifically deployed along that stretch of road.  Once they saw
the two approaching the road, all of them approached at a measured
pace.

	The point at which they first started to feel the effects of Julian’s
aura was visible.  One of the men, Cursed with the shape of a very
large rodent, stopped dead in his tracks a full thirty paces from
them, eyes suddenly wide.  One of his companions ran into him, but
rather than yelling at him for his foolishness, he stopped alongside
him.  The other two showed signs of feeling it as well, but the
commander, a tall woman with a distinct military bearing, turned and
demanded that the two stragglers catch up.  They complied, but did
their best to keep one of their companions between them and the
moondog at all times, almost like a pair of shy children hiding
themselves in their mother’s skirts.  Lucy would have laughed at the
image if she had not felt the same way herself when she had met Julian
originally.

	The commander finally approached them to a reasonable distance of
conversation, standing at attention and nodding to each of them.  She
could not keep her eyes on the moondog for more than a few moments at
a time, a fact made all the more visible by the unwavering stare with
which Julian returned her glances.

	“Sir, ma’am,” the commander greeted them.  “I have been sent…“  She
had to pause for a moment as her voice gave out completely.  “We have
been sent to see to your safe passage to the Duke’s meeting chambers.”
 Her voice, although already high, managed to crack partway through,
although she managed to continue speaking to her credit.  Julian
nodded in understanding, and Lucy spoke for both of them.

	“Thank you, commander, we are grateful for your consideration.
Please forgive my companion’s silence.  I believe that the Curse has
taken his voice for the moment.”

	The commander nodded curtly to Lucy alone, not even daring to return
eye contact to Julian.  The moondog had now turned his gaze on the
other members of the party.  Only one of the men was able to return
his gaze without visible tremors, and only then for a few moments.

	“I hope that we will be able to find a way to return his voice to him
then.  For now, let us make for the Keep without further delay.”

	Lucy had never seen Euper as quiet as when they moved through.  Their
procession bypassed the caravans to allow them to move faster, but
several of the wagons almost careened off the roads as their drivers
and the horses tried to get away from Julian as quickly as possible.
Before them, before they even knew why, people on the streets returned
to the safety of their homes and shuttered the windows. Fearful eyes
peered through the slats, and always retreated in a rush when Julian
returned their gaze.  Lucy was uncertain whether he was trying to
intimidate or simply trying to see what people were doing within the
walls of their homes, but the effect was always the former.

	Thankfully, they managed to make their way through Euper and the
lower Keep with little real trouble.  The aura of the moondog Keeper
that marched in locked step with his escorts caused the streets to be
remarkably empty, but that simply meant that they didn’t have to worry
about some fear-crazed fool trying to attack Julian for being a
monster.

	When they arrived at the upper Keep, the guards that met them gave
them entrance with almost impossible rapidity.  They clearly had no
desire to stay near the moondog any longer than was necessary, and
they cleared a berth for the procession wider than Lucy had ever seen
them offer the Duke.  Julian’s expressionless gaze raked them for a
few moments, but he left them be, happy simply to have been granted
entrance at all.

	Even Kyia seemed happy to allow them quick passage today, although
Lucy doubted that the spirit of the Keep had any fear of the moondog
in her halls.  They arrived at the meeting chamber after one short
hall and a turn, however, approaching the foyer before the meeting
chamber in as organized a fashion as the four clearly panicked guards
could manage.

	To their credit, the guards at the door readied their spears rather
than reacting in obvious terror.  They had clearly been chosen for
their steadfastness, and they showed it even though their eyes
betrayed their fear.

	“What is your business?” one demanded, voice surprisingly level.

	Lucy stepped forward with Julian at her side.  “I have brought our
fellow Keeper, Julian, for his scheduled meeting with Lord Thomas.”
She pulled out the official notice that she had been given regarding
the meeting, and the guard took it and gave it a cursory glance.  He
tried to make his inspection seem official, but she was certain that
she could have given him a page from any odd piece of literature with
a faux wax seal at the bottom and he would have approved it.  He
stepped aside and waved for them to pass, managing somehow to keep his
professional demeanor as they passed.

	Although the Duke was still absent, a matter of little surprise since
they had arrived a bit in advance of their original plans, there were
others in the meeting room, waiting for them.  Lucy recognized Andwyn
immediately, as he watched the two enter.  Of the few that had seen
Julian since Lucy had met him, he seemed the most composed.  He
managed to keep his eyes on the moondog Keeper for more than a second,
at least, and that set him apart from most.

	Beside him stood a fox that Lucy had never seen before, but she
recognized the man by reputation almost immediately.  Even without his
massive axe, Misha was still an imposing figure, especially to someone
of Lucy’s stature.  She felt at once the desire to be nonchalant about
greeting him and the impulse to gape at him.  The Longs were
legendary, and although she had met some of their members briefly in
various places, she had not had the opportunity to meet the man
himself until now.

	There were a few guards in the room as well, but no other officials
for the time present.  It seemed that they were taking precautions
with their guest, even now when they had come to meet and discuss
Julian’s terms of service to the Keep.

	She was spared the need to introduce their odd couple to the room a
moment after they entered, as Andwyn greeted them as calmly as any man
had managed to do so far.

	“Ah, Julian!  It is good to meet you face to face at last.  I was
beginning to wonder if you actually existed, or whether the ‘Survivor
of Blackhorne’ was nothing but a phantom.”  The bat said.

	Julian gave a slight smile as he responded with scout signals.  Lucy
translated as well as she could once he had finished.  “It is good to
meet you as well.  How long has it been?”

	Andwyn seemed a bit surprised by the peculiar method of communication
that the two were using, so Lucy briefly explained it to him and the
others present.  They all nodded their understanding, even as most
tried to keep from making eye contact with the fearsome creature.
Misha spoke next.

	“I am sorry for the loss of your speech.  I hope that, with some
effort we will be able to help you with that and the other problems of
your form.”  Misha’s intent by that statement was clear to all, but if
anyone agreed or if Julian took offense, no one showed it.  The scout
stood solidly, eyes resolutely on Julian despite his form.  The Long
Scout had encountered moondogs before on his lengthy patrols into the
wastes of the Giantdowns, and whatever composure he had maintained in
those situations was now used to remain in control of himself now.

	“There is no need for us to stand while we discuss our course of
action,” Andwyn spoke a moment after Misha had finished.  He waved one
leathery wing towards the table that sat in the middle of the room.
“Come, let us talk in a more comfortable venue.”

	The table was honestly better than any that Lucy had ever used in her
life, even though it was far longer than her apparent age suggested.
The top was polished to a mirrored shine, the grain brought out in
brilliant contrast against the lighter tones of the wood.  Formal
glasses were set at all six of the places, and all six chairs were
brilliantly made.  The one at the head of the table was built like a
throne, however, and it was no secret to any of them who that seat was
reserved for.  They each chose another place to sit, Lucy across from
Misha and Julian across from Andwyn.  The seat at the foot of the
table was left empty, although who might be chosen to fill it was a
mystery to both Lucy and her moondog companion.

	“I am curious, Andywn, for how long has the Keep been receiving
intelligence from Master Julian?” Misha asked before anyone else could
speak first.

	“Let’s see…  The first time I heard from him was immediately
following the Three Gates.  That’s at least seven years.  Seven years
of correspondence, and I never once saw him in human form.”  He gave a
sort of smile, although the exact nature of his expression was hard to
place due to his muzzle.  “It took some time before I started fully
trusting him, but once I did I was never disappointed in its
accuracy.”

	“How did you manage to stay in the field that long without getting
caught?” Misha asked.

	“I was caught at the end.  They sent me back into Metamor territory
to have my patrol kill me in a way that they could still claim me as a
martyr.”  Julian said through Lucy’s translation.  The word martyr
took some time to communicate, but everyone understood what he meant
once the word had finally been discovered.

	“I had wondered why you had abandoned the field after so much
success,” Andwyn commented.  “I suppose you discovered before they
attempted to take your life that such was the intent?”

	Julian nodded.  “Barely.  I learned the night of their attack.  They
nearly killed me, but the Curse healed me before I could die.”  A few
more words took some creative interpretation to understand, but Lucy
managed.  She was becoming quite accomplished at interpreting Julian
peculiar phrases.

	Before the conversation could continue, however, the door to the
meeting room was opened and a herald stepped in.  “All rise to honor
Duke Thomas Hassan, lord of Metamor!” he cried.  Everyone at the table
stood as the herald stepped aside to let the stallion enter, and they
all bowed with one accord when he entered.

	The Duke froze for a moment in the gaze of the moondog, but the
lessons of years regarding posture in intense situations helped him
hold his head high as he strode to the table.  His hooves produced a
metallic sound each time he took a step, and that simple sound hung in
the air alone for several moments before the Duke took his seat,
allowing his vassals to do the same.

	“Thank you for your patience.  I had sought the assistance of Master
Rickkter regarding this situation, but he is still too weak to join
us.  I have sent a messenger to find another mage, but there are only
a small number within the walls for now, and none of them are easy to
track.”

	“Milord,” Andwyn said, bowing his head again.  The Duke perked his
ears and rotated them towards the bat to listen.  “Unless I am
mistaken, Mistress Lucy, who is accompanying Julian today, is a mage
of some power.  Perhaps she can be of assistance?”

	Lucy narrowed her eyes at the spymaster.  She had not confided in him
to that extent; the man had used his spy ring to recover information
on her background.  Still, it was true.  She had experience in magic,
even if she was not particularly powerful.  Especially since the Curse
had affected her, she had become a jack of all trades while remaining
a master of none.

	“Very well,” the Duke replied, nodding towards her.  He moved to the
side to allow a page to pour a glad of wine for him.  As he continued
to speak, the page moved to each of the other places, although he did
not fill the glasses as far as he did his liege lord’s.  “If you do
not object, Julian, I would like to have Lucy examine your aura to see
why the Curse has affected you in the way it has.  Although it might
be a possibility that it is simply the form you were given, we may be
able to help you.”

	Julian nodded.  Honestly, the Duke had done well to continue looking
towards him as he spoke.  The whites of his eyes were visible as he
spoke.  Julian ignored the slight faux pas and simply nodded.  He
signed a few things to Lucy, and she passed them on to the others.

	“He says that that will be fine.”

	The Duke nodded.  “That can wait for a little while, however.  First,
I want to speak with you about your offer of allegiance.  Based on the
information that has come to me from Andwyn, I see no reason to impede
your request.  However, I worry that the aura of fear may cause
violence in the Keep.  For that reason, I would have to insist that
you remain under house arrest within the walls of the Keep until we
are able to discover a way to suppress your aura.”

	Julian nodded, and Lucy translated for him, although she did not
personally agree.  “I am willing to accept that arrangement.  I
understand how my fear can cause trouble, and I do not wish to create
any sort of problem.”

	Lord Thomas smiled.  “Andwyn has also told me of your contributions
to our intelligence over the years.  Thank you for your efforts; we
will seek to honor them as they should be honored.  Hopefully, we can
begin by helping you regain your voice.”

	Julian simply thanked the Duke with a gesture, no expression apparent
on his face.

	“Could we try to help him with that now?”

	It was Lucy asking, and everyone at the table suddenly turned to look
at her.  The Duke looked to the others at the table.  No one said
anything against it, so he spoke for them all.  “There is really no
reason to delay.  I am sure that Misha needs to return to his duties
soon, and he is simply here to provide us with the information he has
regarding moondogs.  How much time will you need to prepare to take a
look at the Curse on him?”

	“Safely?” Lucy asked.  “I will need a few moments to be sure that no
one receives any backlash from the Curse.  If Misha wishes to share
his insights while I prepare, that might give me a better idea of how
to proceed once I start examining him.”

	Misha nodded.  The five of them stood and moved over to a more clear
area of the room, allowing Lucy to get a wider area to work with.
Julian stood among them, waiting while Lucy worked.

	The Long Scout began to speak as Lucy worked, and she did her best to
keep one ear on him.  “We don’t know as much about moondogs as I would
like, honestly,” he admitted.  “They are a somewhat rare, but
extremely dangerous.  They are magical creatures; no spellcasting
works against them, at least not as far as anyone has seen to this
point.  In fact, to the best of our knowledge, they absorb and use the
mana from spells themselves.”

	“That may have something to do with the Curse drawing tighter, then,”
Lucy noted as she worked.  “If he is drawing in magic as a moondog,
then it may have drawn in the Curse as well.  We have already
established that the Curse doesn’t play by the rules of most magic, so
having it affect him more seriously would not be entirely
unprecedented.”

	Misha nodded.  “Moondogs are always seen with lutin shaman.  They are
bonded to them so that if either of them dies, so does the other.
Since they come in pairs, it makes them even more dangerous.”

	“Well, unless he has a companion somewhere that he has not told us
about, he is alone.”  She looked at Julian, and he simply shook his
head.  He made a few quick signs with his paws.

	“No other.”

	Lucy nodded.  “I am ready to proceed, if all of you are prepared?” she asked.

	The others nodded and took a few steps back.  Lucy quickly switched
to her magic vision, and was taken aback by the massive power that
flowed around the moondog Keeper.  For some reason, the effects of the
fear aura seemed to intensify, but she was able to steady herself with
a quick breath.

	“There is a lot here, more than I have seen on other Cursed Keepers I
have examined,” she muttered.  Carefully, she examined the threads of
magic and how they intertwined.  She was careful; she had heard of
mages who had attempted to alter the Curse of a Keeper, and had
instead been hit by powerful backlash.  Some of them had been affected
by other forms of the Curse, and others had been temporarily Cursed
completely.  Since she had no desire to be either a boy or a baby, she
worked carefully.  She had to admit that she was interested to see
first hand the effects of the animal Curse, but she wasn’t willing to
risk anything by doing something stupid.

	“The Curse around you is very strong, but it isn’t drawn tight for
some reason…”  She looked through the spells, furrowing her brow.
“There is something else, another spell here that is holding the Curse
in place.”

	“I’ve never heard of that before,” the Duke said quietly.

	“Neither have I,” Lucy admitted.  “This is odd…”

	She prodded the other spell carefully.  It was unfamiliar to her, but
she considered that it could have something to do with the moondog’s
natural ability.  As she followed the lines of magic, she began to
suspect that that was certainly the case.  “It’s drawing magic from
everywhere,” she commented.  “It’s strengthening rapidly, pulling
tighter…”

	There was suddenly a quick surge in the amount of power coming from
the area, and the spell captured it and drew it in, Lucy’s eyes
widened as it visibly constricted, drawing the Curse even tighter.

	Suddenly, Julian gasped, screaming silently in pain as he fell back
to the ground.  Lucy stopped her mage sight, rushing to grab Julian by
the shoulder.  She could only help a limited amount, but Misha was
with her quickly, helping Julian stay up.

	“What’s wrong?” he asked.

	“The other spell is tightening the Curse around him,” Lucy gasped
under the moondog’s weight.  “It’s strengthening the Curse unevenly!”

	“What does that mean?”

	Julian was even whiter than before now, and his eyes were unfocussed.

	“It means that it’s not affecting him as it should; it’s changing
parts of him more quickly than others.  It’s going to kill him!”

	Julian sagged against them, eyes rolling back as he collapsed.
Before he finally fell, he managed to utter one intelligible word from
amid his silence.

	“Help…”