[Mkguild] Life II: Dreams and Desires - D

[Jack Moore]

AN: This is one of the strangest notes I've ever had to write. The
auto-correct on my laptop did not like Duke Hassan's name.  At all. It kept
"Correcting it" to Husein because...I give up. So please excuse his name
not being mentioned, even when it would be more expedient to mention it.
I've given up trying to fight with this blasted thing.

Life II: Dreams and Desires - D

The Rusa was tall with broad shoulders. His ears were nicked and small
scars cut through the fur on his face. His arms were clenched behind his
back and legs held tightly together. No shoes, the hoof feet made up for
that.
He wore a red tabard, with the Duke’s emblem on it. Under it I could hear
chainmail clinking. He was significantly better armed than I was, I could
see a real sword strapped to his side. A knight of the Red Stallion. Oh
where do I start on them.
The Watch was created to keep order in Metamor and at least theoretically
the valley. Except the Watch is a joke with limited powers. The Knights of
the Red Stallion are what people think of when they think of protection in
Metamor.
Not to me though. They are fundamentally flawed, because they serve the
Duke. The Watch serves Justice.
Tibble stopped right as I entered. “Good morning Corporal. We have a
visitor for you.” My heart skipped a beat. “He’s here on business from the
duke itself.” The Rusa turned to me and might have begun talking, but I
couldn’t hear him over the sound of rushing blood.
'It’s finally happened. The Duke has finally noticed my abilities.' My legs
began to rub against each other. 'I’m going to be named Justicar. Then I am
going to arrest Andwyn for being a glorified criminal, and everyone is
going to cheer my name.'
If I could sweat, I would have. I began to smile.' And then the Duke is
going to tell me how impressed he is by me and he’s going to lead me to his
bed room while I ride him like the stallion he is and-'
-SNAP- I jerked back to life. The Rusa snapped his fingers in my face a few
more time. I knocked the hand away.
“I apologize,” I said, “Low sleep has left me a bit dazed. You came to see
me on business Sir…”
“Sir Moss.” The Rusa said. “And yes I am here on matters related to the
Duke. Specifically, his personal chambers.” Now I frowned.
“Ok, not what I had expected.” I said. “Why on Earth would you need me to
help you with the Duke’s private anything?” Moss looked at my Srgt., who
moved to unlock the door. The Rusa gestured and I followed him.
“Now Corporal, I trust your loyalty to Metamor and its people.” I nodded.
We moved past the cells, down to the ones at the end. “Then I can trust you
to answer honestly Coproral?”
“Of course sir.” I said. My mind cycled through possiblities. 'I pay taxes,
I serve the Watch. No I am not involved in anything...could this be tied to
Chamomile? What about to my powers? What if that blasted bat found out
about them!?' I gripped my tabard so tight my scales turned white. I swear
I will murder him.
“I’m glad to hear that Corporal.” Sir Moss said. “Now I need to know one
thing.” WE came to the final cell. “Do you know these gentlemen?” A
shrieking Pika slammed into the door so hard I jumped back.
“We will not be silence!” 'Goddamn it.' Tamir of the always moronic Metamor
Keep Pathfinders Guild shook the mesh door and screamed again. Moss looked
down at me, brow raised.
“Yes I know these three.” I sighed. The other two idiots sat in the back,
as usual looking down at the ground. “This is the Metamor Keep Pathfinder
Guild.”
“I don’t remember their being a guild of that name.” Sir Moss said.
“Don’t worry, you won’t remember this tomorrow.” I said. “They’re not a
real guild. They’re…” Tamir screamed until he blushed through his fur.
“They’re this guy and the two friends who follow him.” The two friends,
Kuno the goral and Adle the transgender both looked at the ground. “They’re
harmless.” Moss laughed.
“The Huscarle thought differently.” He said. “In fact they nearly put these
three in the ground. The Huscarle usually would kill an intruder on sight,
these three should consider themselves lucky.” I don’t know if that’s true
or not but it made even Tamir was taken aback.
“Where in the Duke’s chambers were they?” I asked. Moss coughed and
diverted his eyes. “What?”
“His lor…” His voice dropped away. Moss swallowed, “His Lord’s private
commode.” I nodded and bit my cheek hard enough to draw blood. “Somehow
they made it into the privy without anyone noticing, which should not be
possible.”
“You’ve not interacted with these two as long as I have.” I said, staring
at the three. I noticed for the first time I cut across Tamir’s lip.
“They’re amazingly good at getting into places...Huscarle hit Tamir?”
“No, he walked into a the butt of a sword.” Fair enough. “They originally
planned to execute the rodent.”
“Pika.” I said. “Not a rodent.”
“Excuse me?” Moss asked.
“Tamir is a pika. More like a rabbit, not a rodent. His teeth aren’t the
same, the ears are wrong.” Out of the corner of my eye I could see the
knight smiling. “Anyway, these three have one skill, they’re good with
directions and maps.”
“Maps?” He asked. I nodded.
“They have their own maps of places in the Keep they visited, I’ve seen
them in two of my previous arrests. These three are some of the oddest
individuals I’ve ever arrested.” I said. “No one can get into places like
they can. My guess is they use tunnels.”
“There are no tunnels into the Duke’s commode.” I shrugged.
“Probably not, but their are no doubt tunnels in Metamor people don’t know
about. That’s my theory at least as to how they keep getting around without
anyone catching them.” It’s not a perfect theory, but the runner up is
these three could teleport. “Tamir, you’ve messed up this time.”
“I refuse to recognize your laws!” The Pika screamed. His eyes were bulging
out of his tiny skull. It was cute, in a psychotic way. Either way I didn’t
have time for this.

“Tresspassing alone is mean justice.” I said to Moss. “Did they do anything
besides break into his bathroom?”

“Such as?” I bit my cheek again.

“Did they use the toilet?” I asked. Moss glowered at me. “I had to ask. But
I am serious, did they do anything or is the only crime illegal entry?”
Moss tapped at his side, thinking and then shook his head.

“The main reason the Huscarle didn’t kill them is they agreed with your
opinion. These three are imbeciles, not ultimately dangerous.” I nodded.

“So why’d you bring them to me?”

“Because of the pika.” Sir Moss said. “He said he would speak only with a
Corporal Janelle of the Watch. He said this in the presence of the
Huscarle, meaning this will get back to...” Moss didn’t finish the
sentence, but I already knew.

Yes, the first time the Duke became aware of my existence was from a
screaming pika who broke into his toilet. This is my life.
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