[Mkguild] Divine Travails of Rats - Pars VI. Acceptio (i)

[C. Matthias]

Metamor Keep: Divine Travails of Rats
by Charles Matthias and Ryx

Pars VI: Acceptio

(i)


The First Hour of Sunday, May 13, 708 CR


Charles Matthias sat upright.

His tail pinched beneath him as he shifted on a 
pallet with a warm quilt covering both legs and 
tail and bunched together in his lap. Beside him 
lay the marten Malger also beginning to stir from 
sleep. A candle that had burned almost to a nub 
and a censer long-since spent were positioned on 
the floor between them. The familiar granite 
walls of the caves beneath Glen Avery and the 
faint aroma of wine surrounded them. Reclining 
with a startled expression before the single door 
in the storage chamber was the fox Misanthe.

“Sir Matthias! Are you all right. You look...”

Charles stared for a moment at the brown fur of 
his arms, turning them over and over again seeing 
only the familiar color of his fur. There was no 
more black; no more shadow. Satisfied, he pushed 
the quilts off, laughing as he did. “I'm back! 
I'm back, I'm back!” Once free he jumped to his 
feet and ran through the door. Misanthe did not 
even have enough time to try and stop him.

Behind him he heard Malger's voice cry out, “Let him go. He's free!”

There was barely enough light for even a rat to 
find his way in the caves, but Charles ran down 
the hall, up the two sets of carved stairs, and 
then through the main decanting hall and the 
tuns. The whisker-curling aroma of fermenting 
mash curdled his nose for only a pair of seconds 
before he was out into the night and angling out 
of the wind from the rancid mélange.

The Glen was dark and the air was cold. His arms 
wrapped about one another as he ran and chastened 
himself for leaving his cloak behind. But no 
recrimination could last in such excitement. The 
rat barreled down the hillside to the Glen 
commons and continued running east until he saw a 
familiar tree. A dim light shone in one of the 
windows for his children, but not enough to have 
woken them. No light shone from the main level or 
from his bedroom. But there was a light emanating 
from the stables around the far side of the tree. 
Standing watch outside was a figure he well knew.

“James!” Charles cried when he saw his donkey 
friend. The donkey's ears had turned at the sound 
of his running and now he turned his head as 
well. His muzzle stretched into a grin and he brayed right back.

“Charles! It's over! I felt it! It's over!”

The two friends clasped arms and hugged tight, 
laughing a delight too great to be contained. 
Charles tightened his grip and nodded when at 
last he could speak. “It is over, my friend. 
Marzac is gone forever. You felt it?”

James nodded, ears lifted high, and then thumped 
his chest and tapped his head. “Just a moment 
ago. It felt like some great weight had lifted 
from me. I could breathe again. I knew it had to 
be over. I didn't know why, but I knew that had 
to be it. You did it, Charles. You beat it too!”

“I almost failed... but... is Kimberly...”

James tossed his head at the stables and let go 
of the rat's shoulders. “With Murikeer. Go.”

Charles needed no further incentive. He rushed 
through the open doorway and was greeted by a 
rearing Malicon to his right, and an excited 
skunk at his left. Murikeer looked the rat over 
once and then let out a long breath. “It is good 
to have you back, Charles.” He said nothing more 
as he took a step back and allowed the rat to see who reclined behind him.

Draped in the green tendrils and purple blossoms 
of his vine was a lady rat with soft tan fur and 
eyes shut tight. Her hands were pressed tight 
about a familiar purple stone as her jowls moved 
with words repeated over and over again. Charles 
felt his heart pound at his chest like a prisoner beating down his cell door.

With tender steps he came and knelt before her, 
gently pressing his fingers to her cheeks. “My 
love, my Lady. I am here. You have saved me.”

Kimberly lifted her head, eyes opening. Full of 
intense anxiety, they quivered as if not quite 
believing what they saw. “Charles?” Her hands 
lowered the stone to her chest and then reached 
up to touch his face. They brushed behind his 
whiskers, and then up beneath his eyes. He could 
feel them stumble over the scar around his right 
eye before descending through the thicker ruff at 
his cheeks. Her eyes danced over his face, unable 
to settle until centered upon his own.

Charles slid his hands down to her shoulders 
where the vine slipped from her and wrapped about 
his wrists. “I am here, my Lady. You saved me. I love you.”

Their eyes locked and the fear held within hers 
finally broke. “It is you, Charles! I love you!” 
She thrust herself forward into his arms, her 
snout pressing against his neck, he arms wrapped 
tightly about his back. The vine and stone 
pressed between them but Charles felt no 
discomfort. He held his wife tight in his arms as she sobbed her relief.

“Is it... over?”

He nuzzled one of her ears. “It is over. Marzac is gone forever.”

The vine slipped from around Kimberly to embrace 
Charles. He smiled at it but said nothing as it 
pressed down his back beneath his tunic. He felt 
a warmth as the root found its place once more in 
the flesh above his tail. He could almost imagine 
it expressing relief and joy like his friends. He 
whispered in his mind to it and knew that his 
voice had been heard. I missed you too, my 
friend! Forgive me for not trusting you.

They held each other tight for several minutes 
even after Kimberly regained her composure. He 
could hear Murikeer and James conversing quietly 
outside the stables joined by both Malger and 
Misanthe. Within the stables his pony Malicon was 
scraping his hoof against the stall to get the 
rat's attention. All of them needed his love and 
gratitude as well and he would give it.

Impatient, Malicon gave a snort and redoubled his 
efforts to jab his hoof through the wood of the 
stall. Charles and Kimberly shifted where they 
knelt and turned their heads to regard the roan. 
They laughed as one and then Kimberly nuzzled her 
husband's snout one time more. “I love you. I have been so afraid for you.”

He felt a brief wave of guilt touch him and his 
smile faded. “For how long, my lady? How long have I terrified you?”

She leaned back, her smile broad enough to put a 
gap between her incisors. “Not long. Do not think 
of it, my knight. I have you back and that's all 
that matters.” She tapped his nose with one 
finger as she slipped free of his embrace. “Now 
you tell your horse you love him before he breaks his stall down.”

Charles laughed and sighed, a sense of pain 
lingering in his heart but the overwhelming joy 
he felt from the final vision and from holding 
his wife again kept it at bay. He leaned forward 
to brush his snout across his wife's one last 
time, then climbed to his paws and walked over to 
his steed. The roan pony calmed as soon as he 
approached, snorting in satisfaction when he ran 
his hands down his neck. “Could you tell too, my 
friend? We've some good riding ahead of us, don't you fear.”

The touch and his words calmed Malicon who 
contented himself with lipping the rat's 
head-fur. He patted his steed a few more times 
before turning to the doorway where his wife 
waited. Their hands slipped together and into the 
night they went, the witchlights illuminating the 
stables following behind them.

A dozen paces away they saw James and Murikeer 
quietly conversing with Malger and Misanthe with 
a trio of witchlights a few feet overhead to help 
them see. Charles's Long Scout cloak was draped 
over the marten's arm. And it was he who saw the 
rats leave the stables first. He lifted his free 
arm and his muzzle creased into a welcome smile. 
“You forgot your cloak, Sir Matthias!”

Together they joined their friends and Charles 
held out his left arm, the right entwined about 
his wife, and let the marten deposit his cloak. 
“Thank you, Archduke Sutt! I owe you more than I 
can ever say. Tell your lady that I am sorry I tried to deceive her.”

Malger nodded. James frowned, ears lowering, but 
said nothing. The marten continued, “She knows 
and understands. There is another matter we 
should discuss, but it can wait until morning. I 
am sure you both wish for real sleep. I know we 
do! After a bit of yon brewer's wine methinks.”

Charles sighed and for a moment let go his wife 
to give Malger a firm shake. “Thank you for your 
help.” He turned to Murikeer and shook the 
skunk's hand too. “I'm not sure all you have 
done, Muri, but I know you have given everything 
you could. Thank you. I am in your debt.”

The skunk gave him a firm shake back, long 
monochromatic tail lashing awkwardly behind him. 
“Think nothing of it, Charles. Seeing you and 
Lady Kimberly together without fear is a debt paid.”

He turned to James and they also shook hands. 
“Thank you for summoning everyone this last week. 
And thank you for helping to watch over my wife 
in her hour of need. Truly I can have no better friend than you.”

“I owe you everything I have, Charles,” James 
replied as his heavy fingers pressed against the 
rat's forearm. “And I still owe you after breaking your jaw two months back!”

The rat laughed and shook his head. “If it showed 
Baerle how much you care for her then it was 
worth it!” The donkey backed his ears in an 
equine blush and stammered something under his 
breath, tail whipping back and forth even as 
Murikeer chortled beneath his breath.

At the last he turned to Misanthe and offered her 
a slight bow. “And thank you, milady, for 
watching over us as we dreamed. If there is more I owe you, I will repay.”

The attention appeared to discomfit the slight 
fox and she also backed her ears. “Whatever you 
owe to Ma... Malger is sufficient for my sake, Sir Matthias.”

Charles nodded and slipped his right arm about 
his wife's back again. “I must see my children 
now. I bid each of you good night. Malger, until 
tomorrow. James, let Garigan know when you see him that all is well.”

“And I will let Kozaithy and Rickkter know when 
they arrive. We sent to fetch them hours ago!”

Charles blinked and shook his head. “And 
apologize to both for the inconvenience I have 
caused them in a needless trip to Metamor and 
back! I will buy Rickkter something from Lars for his trouble.”

The skunk favored him with a lop-sided grin. 
“That might begin to cover the annoyance he'll 
feel! Now go, be with your family and get some sleep. It's over.”

“Indeed it is.” Charles and Kimberly turned and 
walked arm in arm around the roots of their tree. 
Their four friends lingered a moment longer 
before venturing their separate ways. James 
followed them a few paces back to their door but 
waited there as they went inside. Charles felt 
excitement build in him anew. The familiar scent 
of his home, rich in wood and in the pleasing 
tang of his wife and children, was enough to make 
him turn to the stairs from which a flickering 
light shown. Kimberly followed behind him a few 
paces to keep from stepping on his tail.

The calm relief he'd felt around his friends now 
gave way to the energy he'd felt on rising from 
the dream. He rushed up the stairs so quickly 
that he scampered on all fours to the top. There 
he found Baerle sitting in the rocking chair with 
a single lantern hanging from a hook in the wall. 
The opossum turned when he reached the top and 
her eyes widened. “Charles, you're back! Are you...”

He stood and lifted one hand to assure her. “I am 
well. Thank you for watching them, Baerle.” His 
ears lifted at the sound of a squeak from their 
chambers. He dashed to the doorway and pushed 
aside the heavy curtain. One of his wife's 
witchlights rushed ahead to shine within and he 
saw his four little rats stirring from their 
beds. His heart, overwhelmed by love, pushed him into the room.

Before he'd taken three steps his eldest boy 
lifted his head and rubbed his eyes, “Dada? Did you get lost?”

Charles knelt down and pulled his eldest boy up 
from the bed into his arms. “I did, little 
Charles. But now I'm found. I love you, my son!” 
He nuzzled the boy's dark head fur and the boy 
squeaked happily. His other children, hearing 
their voices, also climbed up from their beds.

He held out his arms, and scooped each of them up 
one by one until he held all four of his children 
in very full arms. Little Baerle stuck her nose 
in a purple blossom poking around one of his 
shoulders and giggled. Bernadette nestled her 
head against his chest and wiggled her tail in 
his lap. Erick almost stood in his arms, eyes 
bright and curious. “Dada, you okay?”

“I am now that I have you four!” He laughed and 
nuzzled them each, pulling their little bodies 
close. “I love you all, my dear ones. I love you all!”

Their voices could only squeak in delight. With 
Kimberly at his back and his children in his 
arms, Charles Matthias, knight of the Glen, 
looked heavenward and knew his youngest son was smiling right back at him.

Thank you, Eli. Thank you!

Charles did not know how long he remained there 
holding his children in such gratitude. He only 
knew that it was the happiest moment of his life.

----------

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

Charles Matthias
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