[Mkguild] My VERY late next section of the round robin

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

   The guests continued to arrive. With thetimeframe constraints of the curse they all came within two days. Soon the Keepwas alive with a scores of people from different lands. All excited anddelighted to visit the famous Metamor Keep. A half dozen travelling merchantsarrived. They were not among the invited guests but were unwilling to miss achance to earn money. One set up and was soon selling brightly colored clothes.Each a riot of colors made from plants that only grew in distant lands.

 

   A second was selling food cooking in thespicy style of the distant south. His wife was selling wines mixed with herbsand spices to make really exotic drinks. Caroline sipped one and hired themboth!

 

 

*****************

 

 

   Brian didn’t need a place to stay, insteadhe bought it with him! In an open field his people erected a large tent made ofcanvas decorated in a riot of colored patterns. It was a hundred feet wide andhalf that deep.

 

   Misha stepped thru the entrance and foundhimself standing in a marble line hall that stretched a hundred feet to eitherside. The walls soared upward at least two hundred feet. Far higher than thetent that supposedly enclosed them.

 

   “Impressive,” Caroline said as she lookedaround. “Must have taken a lot of magic to craft. How did he do it?”

 

   Misha shrugged. “All he told me was heborrowed it from a friend.”

 

   “A friend?” Caroline asked, surprised and abit nervous. “What type of friend owns this?”

 

   Misha shrugged. “I’m not sure I want toknow!”

 

   “Does your brother ever do anythingmodestly?”

 

   “This IS his idea of being modest,” Mishasaid and laughed.

 

   A tall older man came up to the them. He wasdressed in robes made of the finest silk dyed a brilliant green with silvertrim. He bowed. “Welcome Lord Misha and Lady Caroline. Brian is waiting foryou. Come this way please.”

 

 

************

 

 

   The man took them thru a doorway and into asmall room filled with various pieced of fine furniture. It was mostly chairscarved from a dark wood.

 

   Misha recognized a waiting room. A place youput visitors who you really didn’t want to see. To his relief they were simplyescorted through without stopping.

 

   The next room was a lot larger. The carpetson the floor matched the tapestries that made up the walls. In the center ofthe room was a large chair made of wood. It was highly decorated with inlays ofgold and silver.

 

   Brian was seated in the chair. He jumped upand ran forward. “Misha! Caroline!”

 

 

**************

 

 

   It was early afternoon when the carriagebearing Amelia and Fred Montague arrived at Metamor. They circled the largefortress several times trying to figure out where to land.

 

   A large eagle flew up to them. “May I helpyou?” The bird asked.

 

   “We’re here for Misha’s wedding,” Fredexplained.

 

   The bird pointed downward with a talonedclaw. “The outer courtyard by the Winter Assault memorial.”

 

 

**************

 

 

   The plaza was busy with people who moved outof the way as they landed. The tall memorial towered down over everything.

 

   They both looked at the monument for amoment.

 

   “It has the names of everyone killed,” shesaid.

 

   “Impressive,” he commented. “I don’t see anymarks from carving or chiseling.”

 

   “So many names,” she said softly. “So manyfamily and friends gone.”

 

   He hugged her tightly. He wanted to sayssomething but didn’t know what to say. In the end the hug was enough.

 

   “Welcome to Metamor Keep!” A voice saidwarmly.

 

   They turned and found a woman standingthere. She seemed to be an even mix of human and leopard.

 

   They were both surprised. They had heardabout the curse but this was the first time they had actually seen one of thecursed.

 

   She was wearing a long dress covered withflowers in a riot of colors.

 

   “We’re here for our cousin Misha’s wedding,”Amelia said. “We are Mr. & Mrs. Montague.”

 

   The feline woman smiled, revealing a set oflong sharp teeth. “It’s good to meet you. My name is Cassandra. I hope yourtrip here wasn’t too difficult.”

 

   Fred smiled nervously. “No real problems.”

 

   Amelia scowled at her husband. “Not toomany.”

 

 

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