[Mkguild] Misha and Caroline's wedding part 3

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

Chapter 7: The Circus Comes to Metamor

June 18, 708

 

            Thefirst warning came in a message from Castle Grenier – the outpost at thesouthernmost part of the valley. “Large riding party headed north. Will be atour position shortly.”

 

            Anothermessage did come shortly. “Not raiders. Says they were invited to Misha’swedding. Total count 600 people.”

 

            Ittook a full day for the small army to reach Metamor. First through the gatesinto the town was a half dozen riders on horseback. Horse and riders were bothdecked out in bright and elaborately colors costumes.

 

            Thesounds of music filled the air with a lively beat as a score of ladies infanciful costumes danced through the gates bouncing and twirling with greatskill.

 

            Afterthem came thirty men and women riding on horses. In the lead was a womanstanding on the saddle rather than sitting in it.

 

            Thewoman did a back flip off the horse; flying high into the air. She somersaultedseveral times before landing safely on the horse behind where she had started.

 

            Thecrowded roared with delight. Cheering and clapping.

 

            Theypassed and a half dozen women came. Each held a basket from which they tossedflower petals. The street was soon covered in a bright multicolored spray ofcolor. One of the mages created a rainbow that rained down multicoloredcandies!

 

            Nextcame a full forty-piece marching band. Their instruments gleamed brightly inthe sunlight as they played a lively tune.

 

            “What?”Someone asked. “No elephant?”

 

            “No,”Someone else responded. “Susy would never fit through the gates.

 

            Nextcame a tall man dressed in a long flowing robe dyed bright green and blue. Hewas riding a tall, black colored stallion. “My Lord!” He said bowed withoutleaving the saddle. “I wish to announce the arrival of Brian Brightleaf. Lordof Harflower, Hero of Cralwell, Lord Mayor of Sygle Woods, Master of the DawnStar. Who comes to celebrate the wedding of his brother Misha!” He pointed backto the gate.

 

            Ahush fell, and in its space a low sound like the humming of a hive of beescould be heard. The sound grew slightly louder and changed, becoming likeangelic singing in an unknown language. Then a large palanquin came through thegate. The base color was red, but there was a mystic-looking gold pattern allover it. Around it there was a sparkling, mystical aura anyone could see, andwith good reason: nothing held it aloft! It seemed to move itself through theair, its base about head-high off the ground. Only magic could have moved itforward. Indeed, while most such palanquins were small affairs, usually onlyneeding two to four porters, this one would have taken eight at minimum!

 

            Therewere windows, covered in gold curtains with red patterns, as if inverted fromthe palanquin. The song had been slowly increasing in volume and intensity, asif leading up to a momentous event, even as the palanquin halted and settled onthe ground. The door opened and a silvery light radiated from within. A figurestepped into that light and then out the door: a man in a blue tunic with theBrightleaf crest heart-high.  His pantswere of a light green material that looked like his shirt. Both the tunic andshirt had decorated edging of silver and gold threads. He looked out at thecrowd with an expression of paternalistic admiration, as if they were childrenhe loved.

 

            Heturned and looked at Misha and smiled. He hustled over to Misha and hugged him.“Congratulation baby brother!”

Chapter 8: More Visitors Arrive

 

            Theguests continued to arrive. With the time frame constraints of the Curse theyall came within two days. Soon the Keep was alive with a scores of people fromdifferent lands. All excited and delighted to visit the famous Metamor Keep. Ahalf dozen traveling merchants arrived. They were not among the invited guestsbut were unwilling to miss a chance to earn money. One set up and was soonselling brightly colored clothes. Each a riot of colors made from plants thatonly grew in distant lands.

 

            Asecond was selling food cooking in the spicy style of the distant south. Hiswife was selling wines mixed with herbs and spices to make really exoticdrinks. Caroline sipped one and hired them both!

 

***

 

            Briandidn’t need a place to stay, instead he bought it with him! In an open fieldhis people erected a large tent made of canvas decorated in a riot of coloredpatterns. It was a hundred feet wide and half that deep.

 

            Mishastepped through the entrance and found himself standing in a marble line hallthat stretched a hundred feet to either side. The walls soared upward at leasttwo hundred feet. Far higher than the tent that supposedly enclosed them.

 

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

 

            Mishashrugged. “All he told me was he borrowed it from a friend.”

 

            “Afriend?” Caroline asked, surprised and a bit nervous. “What type of friend ownsthis?”

 

            Mishashrugged. “I’m not sure I want to know!”

 

            “Doesyour brother ever do anything modestly?”

 

            “This*is* his idea of being modest,” Misha said and laughed.

 

            Atall older man came up to the them. He was dressed in robes made of the finestsilk dyed a brilliant green with silver trim. He bowed. “Welcome Lord Misha andLady Caroline. Brian is waiting for you. Come this way please.”

 

***

 

            Theman took them thru a doorway and into a small room filled with various piecedof fine furniture. It was mostly chairs carved from a dark wood.

 

            Misharecognized a waiting room. A place you put visitors who you really didn’t wantto see. To his relief they were simply escorted through without stopping.

 

            Thenext room was a lot larger. The carpets on the floor matched the tapestriesthat made up the walls. In the center of the room was a large chair made ofwood. It was highly decorated with inlays of gold and silver.

 

            Brianwas seated in the chair. He jumped up and ran forward. “Misha! Caroline!”

 

***

 

            Itwas early afternoon when the carriage bearing Amelia and Fred Montague arrivedat Metamor. They circled the large fortress several times trying to figure outwhere to land.

 

            Alarge eagle flew up to them. “May I help you?” The bird asked.

 

            “We’rehere for Misha’s wedding,” Fred explained.

 

            Thebird pointed downward with a taloned claw. “The outer courtyard by the WinterAssault memorial.”

Chapter 9: Pre-Cursing Jitters

June 20, 708

 

Arcasstood a good head above most of the people of Metamor keep, with only some ofthe larger lions being able to match his formidable size, strength, and mane(his red hair and beard might not be a mane, but it rivaled theirs). 

 

He was abronzed man with golden-copper eyes and he wore the livery of Whales. On hisside hung a rune-scribed Hammer, and she was Henbi-shnut. Besides him werethree others from Whales (having come north with Prince Philip, PrincessClover, and the four royal children for the wedding of Misha Brightleaf) buteach was more typical of a man of Whales: with dark hair and eyes. They weresimilarly bronze-colored, and a bit shorter, but no less well-muscled, beingsailors and soldiers, and the royal guard. 

 

While helooked excitedly about the Keep and Euper, they kept in his wake, lookingnervously at the various zoomorphs and women in pants or wielding weapons andwearing armor. They still hadn’t gotten over the arrival of Brian Brightleaf,brother to Misha. He’d come two days ago in what could best be described as amagical circus. One of the first things he’d done on arrival was create aseries of rainbows that produced colored, flavored candy. Arcas still had a bagof it.

 

“I wishPrince Phillip had just sent his regards,” said one.

 

“Why’sthat George? asked Arcas. “King Tenomides himself practically ordered him andthe Princess and their children here, ill as he is.”

 

“Hedoesn’t need us!” said another. “Or, I should say, doesn’t want us! We’resupposed to be guarding him and his family, but they’ve all opted to stay inthat dreadful Keep!”

 

“Keep acivil tongue in your head Alexander!” Arcas growled. “These are fine folks andthose who Prince Philip feels most at home with. He and Princess Clover bothordered us to look around, and it would behoove us to do so anyway.”

 

“Ain’tyou afraid of the Curses?” asked the last.

 

“What’sto fear Lukas? These folks are just like any others and happier than some!”

 

“Ain’tyou afraid of becomin’ a woman?” asked Lukas.

 

“HA! I’dmake a fine ginger lass! A bearer of children, should that be my fate! But Iknow what you fear Lukas: you’re a fool who thinks women weak and soft!”

 

“Well,what of the child curse?” asked Alexander. “Surely you’d not wish to be a bratin diapers the rest of your life! And how would you even wield your Hammer?”

 

“HA! Iwas no scrawny youth! And Henbi-shnut has just informed me she could change tomatch, so there’s no fear of that! But I know what you fear Alexander: you’re afool who thinks children little better than witless animals!”

 

“Speakingof, there’s the third curse, the animal curse, surely you’d not want to end upsome beast!” said George.

 

“HA! Whatdo humans have that animals have not the better? One might argue we are in theimage of Eli, but I do not believe that Eli could be so limited as ourimaginations! But I know what you fear George: you’re a fool who thinks animalscompletely witless and credit them not with thoughts and emotions and souls oftheir own, different though they be to ours!”

 

He glaredat his companions as if to challenge them, but all three backed away. “In anycase your fears are foolish indeed. We shall be here but seven days, and theCurses–if I understand them aright–take ten or a fortnight. Even were that timeto get nigh, we could just go south and, I have heard, the time would reset.But it would be worth being Cursed to talk with Misha, and I know Henbi-shnutlongs to speak with her sister.”

 

The otherthree just shook their heads and went back towards the Keep. They had roomsthere and enough humans around to feel comfortable until the royal family choseto leave. Arcas looked at them leave, huddling together each time they sawsomething strange as if they feared it would hurt them.

 

He,however, went around and smiled. The Keepers, especially those who’d heard himrebuke the others, seemed a good deal friendlier. One, a sow, approached him.“Good sir, I heard you wished to meet lord Misha. Well, he and the ladyCaroline will be at the Jolly Collie this eve to celebrate their wedding eveafter spending this day meeting those who have arrived. I work there and cansee if I can get you an audience.”

 

He smiledat her. “That would be kind of you, my good woman. What is your name, and whatcan I do for you in return?”

 

“I amOlivia. I have nothing that I need right now sir, but your words are rewardenough.”

 

“Still,here is some coin and if you don’t need it now, you may at some time. Don’tthank me! Even if you don’t manage it, I’m still glad you will try.”

 

Shenodded and trotted away and he chuckled. He was pretty sure she wouldn’t beable to manage it, but then again the Keep was full of surprises!

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.integral.org/archives/mkguild/attachments/20260520/45d4184e/attachment-0001.html>