<html> <body> Metamor Keep: Divine Travails of Rats by Charles Matthias and Ryx Pars III: Descensum (k) Tuesday, May 8, 708 CR Neither Rickkter nor Murikeer reappeared so after an hour of discussing more mundane affairs, James summoned Jurmas that they might clean the room. Charles gave his friends a brief tour of the Glen before retiring to his home. Kayla and Jessica were eager to give Kimberly company leaving Charles and Garigan to their own devices for a time. He took the opportunity to perform some Sondecki exercises with the ferret though he only performed the simplest he could think of that would still challenge his student as it was hard for him to keep his focus. Garigan managed all of them as if he had known them the whole of his life. An hour later James, accompanied by Baerle the opossum arrived to join them. At that point his children finally woke from their afternoon nap and decided that their guests were perfect for practicing climbing. But the real mischief didn't begin until a half hour later when the merchant Gibson arrived with son. The frog opened his large mouth in a wide grin and croaked, “Good afternoon, Sir Charles. It is good to be here in this home again. So many memories. And this here,” he gestured at another much younger frog who stood on awkwardly long legs with his arms wrapped about his father's knee, “is my son Bertram.” While the pair stood in the doorway with Charles holding the door in welcome, James and Garigan stood near the hearth with their arms locked together to make themselves a faux mountain that the children were trying to climb, Kimberly sat with her needlework showing Jessica and Kayla the tapestry she was making for her family now that her husband was a landed knight, and Baerle was in the kitchen preparing something for them to eat as the afternoon hours faded into evening. All of it came to an immediate stop with the frogs' introductions. Charles' children squeaked in unison, their little paws clutching at James and Garigan's tunic and breeches – and in the case of Erick one of the donkey's ears – launching the next moment into the air and then across the floor as if they were a single mind in four bodies. Little Bertram, standing no higher than a rat's knee, stared at the deluge of scampering rats with panic in his large yellow eyes. Behind them James and Garigan gasped in relief as little claws no longer dug or tugged at their flesh, while Kimberly, Kayla, and Jessica all looked up from where they reclined. The four little rats rose on their hind paws – in their haste they still scampered on all fours and showed no inclination to stop – and squeaked in delight and welcome toward, not elder frog, but the little boy making his first visit to another family. “Welcome!” They squeaked in near unison. “Come play!” Gibson bent low and patted his son's back. “They're friendly, Bertram. Go play with your new friends. Dada will be right here.” The little boy slowly let his green arms unclench his father's leg, and a moment later took a tentative wobbly step toward the four rats. And then he dropped to all fours for a split second before bounding into the air with a single push from his sizable legs. He leaped completely over all four of Charles' children with a high-pitched croak. For a breathless moment the four little rats could only stare in awe at how something even smaller than them could jump to so impossible a height and then they were climbing over each other to take up chase of their new friend who continued to madly hop about the room, on top of furnishings and other people as he kept one leap ahead of the rats. Gibson slapped one thigh with a hearty, croaking laugh. Kayla helped Kimberly secure her needlework while Jessica spread her wings to keep the little frog from jumping into the middle of it. Baerle, who emerged from the kitchen with a tray of meats, cheese, potato, and some sweet smelling dip, immediately rushed back in when the leaping frog nearly leaped into the bottom of the tray. Garigan and James tried to catch the little frog and the rats to help calm them down, but even with Garigan's astounding mastery of the Sondecki powers, the best he could manage was grasping at the air and hoping he could snatch an errant tail or two. Their home was a whirlwind of croaks, squeaks, and five little bodies tearing around the room like a pack of wild dogs. Charles sucked in his breath to bellow a command to his children to behave when he noticed the child Bertram do something unexpected. The frog hopped on top of the arm of one chair and twisted his body to peer behind him. The rats rounded the back of the chair, dark eyes eager with merriment at the chase. The frog croaked at them in a taunt and then leaped across the chair to where Kimberly sat, and then leaped again directly through Jessica's startled legs. His children were not tormenting a scared frog. They were all playing together. Five at play again. But this fifth is not yours. “Well,” Gibson said as his throat sac vibrated with continued laughter, “it looks like our children are friends already. I'm so glad to see it. Bertram needs friends and room to jump after spending his first winter cooped up in our home by the lake.” “He seems to have made some with my children,” Charles noted, keeping the edge out of his voice. In a very quiet tone he added, “They once had a fifth to play with.” The fifth child should be Ladero. Not some interloper. The older frog glanced at the others in the room and croaked, “Well, as we are apparently quite welcome in your home, I do believe introductions are in order; I do not believe I am known to all of your guests.” Charles, in the moments when the squeaking of his children permitted his voice to be heard, introduced the frog to both Kayla and Jessica. The rest lived in the Glen and were familiar with the merchant. Kimberly asked after his wife Natalie and he reported that she was well and doubtless worrying over her son's first outing among other Glen children. Bertram was two months younger than the little rats and while he could hop with ease, he had not yet spoken a word through his croaks and cries. “Is he aging more like a human child then?” Kayla asked as she and Kimberly put the heavy tapestry away in a cupboard whose latch was too high for the children to reach on their own. “Perhaps,” Gibson shrugged his shoulders. “It is so hard to tell when they are born like we are. Natalie would probably know better. Now, I saw yon opossum archer bearing a tray of delightful morsels as we entered and before our children set to play. Will you be offering your guest a chance to sample such morsels and a libation to make their passage more pleasing?” Baerle had in the meantime removed the many items from the tray and at that moment emerged from the kitchen with only the tray in hand. This she set on the large table on the wall next to the kitchen doorway. “Forgive me, Master Gibson, Sir Charles, but I'm bringing them out one at a time so I don't spill it all.” The frog croaked another laugh. “A sensible solution! Carry on!” He then turned to Charles. “So, good knight, you wished to discuss your new land and plans for it? Have you drawn any maps? And have you anything I might write with?” The circling chaos continued as both fathers found a mostly quiet corner where they could discuss the Narrows and Charles' plans for it. Gibson listened and took notes about roads, fortifications, and the materials and labor needed for each though he freely admitted all of his estimates were wild guesses and that he'd need to see everything for himself to make a proper estimate for the time and money required to bring the rat's vision to life. Eventually, Kimberly, Kayla, and Jessica managed to calm the five children down by putting on a little magic show for them. Kimberly spun some witchlights in the air, making them dance around and gently bop each of her children and Bertram in the nose. The children pawed at the brilliant lights which always slipped through their fingers, even the partially webbed fingers of the little frog. Kayla added a little dazzle by bouncing balls of fiery warmth back and forth, but these she kept well out of reach of the children as she did not know how to make them harmless yet. Jessica provided the most colorful of shows by fashioning illusions of various animals in every color they could imagine. The five children huddled together as if they were all brothers and sisters and watched amazed. Charles tried not to watch; each time he saw one of his children even laughing with the little frog he felt his heart seethe. How could they let that frog take Ladero's place even for one day? He had no answer to that. Politeness alone dictated that he say nothing of it. Why does no one else see what you see? As Gibson rattled off more figures to help Charles realize the scope of his desired transformation of the Narrows, Charles glanced surreptitiously at his wife and his friends. All of them were busy watching and entertaining the five children; their faces were filled with delight and laughter. They either didn't realize how grievous an offense it was for little Bertram to mock them with the absence of their fifth child, or they approved of his supplanting the empty place left by Ladero's death in his family. They must not understand. If they approved, they could not truly be your friends, and yet they are your friends, aren't they? He buried his fury deep in his heart. A fire burned within. Somehow, in the days ahead, he would have to make sure that little frog never came into his family again. This is Ladero's place. And Charles would make sure everyone knew it. ---------- May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love, Charles Matthias </body> </html>