<html> <body> --------- Metamor Keep: Divine Travails of Rats by Charles Matthias and Ryx Pars II: Denuncio (n) Thursday, May 10, 708 CR The main room featured half-a-dozen tables for patrons to recline and share a meal at the end of the day. Rarely was the Inn so populated but many Glenners enjoyed a bite here or at Lars' down beneath the rock. Polishing one table with a cloth while cradling a spotted fawn in his other arm was the Inn's owner, Jurmas the deer. Like Egland he too sported velvet covered antlers, though his were not nearly as impressive as the elk's. He smiled and with a flick of a large ear batted his daughter's arm away from the side of his face for a brief respite from her curious explorations. “Good afternoon and welcome to the Mountain Hearth Inn. Milord Malger, Sir Egland, you are both welcome here. Shall I prepare you rooms?” “Three rooms,” Malger replied. “Adjoining and of your highest quality if they be available. Sir Egland, his squire Intoran, my driver Hesgebaern, my aide Misanthe, and I shall be staying here a few days. All of their expenses are my responsibility. Please treat them as you would treat me.” Jurmas's cervine muzzle brightened with delight. His daughter stretched out a three-fingered hand and grabbed at the black velvet of his nose thwarting his pleased expression for a moment. He twisted his head again and laughed, “Of course, of course! I will have rooms prepared immediately with fresh linens for the beds and faggots for the hearths. Two have views of the commons if that suits your desire.” “Those will do,” Malger replied with a grin as Versyd and the other three horses entered carrying his gear beneath their arms or upon their shoulders. Intoran slipped back out the door to help Sir Egland with their steeds and Hesgebaern with the carriage. “Tell me, is there anything prepared to eat? I am famished after my journey from Metamor. And also, where might I find Master Murikeer?” “Master Murikeer is here in one of my storerooms giving Lady Kimberly and Kozaithy a lesson in magecraft. He should be done in an hour; he usually is.” The fawn managed to snag his lower lip and yank downward with a gurgling laugh. A surprised bleat escaped his throat, before he reached up and gently dislodged his daughter's painful grip. He worked his jaws for a moment, unable to do aught but smile. Misanthe watched the little fawn with a warmth and softness Malger did not often see in her eyes. “As for food I do have something prepared, it will only take a few minutes to be sure it is warm enough and I will have some brought out to you and your retinue.” Malger swept over to one of the lacquered tables with a view of all the exits and gave a dramatic flourish as he sat down. “And a glass of your finest wine to wash the dust of the road from my parched throat, good man!” He waved and arm toward his retinue which at the moment was just Misanthe and the horses but all were meant. “As well my staff and those aiding our arrival.” Jurmas nodded and then bleated anew as his lip was once more imprisoned between a fawn's fingers. ---------- Egland, Intoran, and Hesgebaern were still tending to their duties outside while Misanthe was arranging his things when from out of one of the hallways at the rear of the common room came a lady rat. She was pleasantly garbed in a light blue skirt with an amethyst medallion riddled with an intricate tracery of crimson rested against her bodice. She smiled politely and with surprise on seeing him. “Milord Malger, forgive me, I did not expect to see you here.” She curtsied when Malger stood to offer a bow of greetings. “I enjoy surprising friends and everyone else from time to time. An advantage of my rather unique position I intend to indulge. How did your magic lesson go?” Kimberly blinked once, a paw rising to her chest to cover the stone as she cast a backward glance down the hallway at something Malger could not see. “I am learning how to do many simple things for my family. I will never be a mage like Master Murikeer.” “Few of us ever will. Any flame you light, any breeze you stir, is more than I could ever hope to do. So, how is your family? The last time I saw you there was a quartet of scampering joy dancing a whirlwind about you and any who dared come near you!” Kimberly's smile was stronger now as she moved away from the hallway and cast a quick glance at the hearth's main door. “Baerle watches them while I am here. They are not growing as fast as they first did, for which I am grateful. I confess I hope that they are napping when I return home, but either way I cannot bear to be apart from them for long.” Malger chuckled and bobbed his head in a regal nod, sweeping one arm and the hat he held in his hand toward the door. “Then I will not keep you from them any longer. Good day, milady.” Kimberly slipped quietly from the common room while Malger walked down the hallway she had just come from. Knowing where he was heading was a simple affair; a pool of bright light spilled from some place further down the stone passageway quite in contrast to the wan guttering of a single torch near the entry. After only a short walk down one flight of steps, he came upon a storeroom lit with several witchlights. Reclining on boxes of foodstuffs were too familiar skunks. “I don't see any scorch marks or destruction. How can you say you were practicing magic here!” Murikeer snapped his head up and smiled. “Malger! What a pleasant surprise. Come in. We were just finished.” Kozaithy stood and smiled broadly, lush white tail dancing behind her head; in the glow of the witchlights she seemed to glimmer like pristine midwinter snow in the unblemished sunshine of the midday. “Master Malger. It is good to see you again.” “And you, Kozaithy,” Malger stepped into the room and nudged the door shut with a paw. “If I didn't know better I would say that you have been a Keeper all your life.” “Thanks to Metamor, and the both of you, I and my people still have our lives.” “Perhaps later,” Malger suggested with a wry grin, “we can share drinks and make a toast to our fortuitous meeting. To Aghen! May it rot!” “Hear hear!” Murikeer agreed with a bob of his head. “It is good to see you Malger. What brings you out to Glen Avery? The life of a dilettante boring you already?” “To visit you, my friend. I understand that you have come into a home here and I am very interested in seeing your plans for it. And the life of a dilettante is not what I ever wanted although I am grateful I have that choice. No, I am learning my ways here now with the encumbrance of a title as weighty as Archduke. There are many ways to both enjoy the title, and the wealth and prestige it brings, and to put it to good use. I intend to return the name of Sutt to respect and admiration, not the fear and loathing as my father left of it. “But aye, I am here to visit a friend whose company I find I miss. And perhaps to even discuss plans for stealing Elvmere from the temple for a day or two. That raccoon needs air and the company of his friends.” Murikeer flicked his tail to one side and the witchlights above bounced a few feet in the same direction. “You are a royal of higher rank than even Duke Thomas. You could make a request of his presence and it would be done.” “Aye, I might be able to do that,” Malger admitted with a frown. “But I respect Elvmere too much to order him to do anything, as I do you! Besides, I fear the Lothanasa will school me on exactly how much authority I have when it comes to her acolytes.” He added with a low chuckle upon consideration of the lupine head of the Lightbringer order in Metamor. Murikeer chuckled as well with a nod. “Aye, wisdom my friend. There are few in all the Midlands who would brook her ire. Elvmere would not disobey her. And the Lothanasa is loathe to let him leave for fear of what others will think when they learn who he is – or, rather, was. But perhaps we might devise a way.” “Indeed. But first, let us go and have that toast together, and then you may show me this marvelous edifice you intend to make your home here.” Stepping back to the door he drew it open and stepped aside with a bow, as a servant might any higher caste for whom they were holding the door in a manner quite unsuitable for one of his rank. Kozaithy smiled and offered a passing genuflection and, with a parting flick of her tail, banished the witchlights as one. Malger heard Murikeer snort humorously in the sudden gloom lent by the single torch at the top of the passageway. “She learns quickly, my friend.” He commented to the skunk mage's passing shadow. “You cannot imagine just how,” Murikeer commented drily. ---------- May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love, Charles Matthias </body> </html>