<html><head></head><body><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:arial;font-size:16px;"><div><div><h1>Chapter 7: The Circus Comes to Metamor</h1> June 18, 708 The first warning came in a message from Castle Grenier – the outpost at the southernmost part of the valley. “Large riding party headed north. Will be at our position shortly.” Another message did come shortly. “Not raiders. Says they were invited to Misha’s wedding. Total count 600 people.” It took a full day for the small army to reach Metamor. First through the gates into the town was a half dozen riders on horseback. Horse and riders were both decked out in bright and elaborately colors costumes. The sounds of music filled the air with a lively beat as a score of ladies in fanciful costumes danced through the gates bouncing and twirling with great skill. After them came thirty men and women riding on horses. In the lead was a woman standing on the saddle rather than sitting in it. The woman did a back flip off the horse; flying high into the air. She somersaulted several times before landing safely on the horse behind where she had started. The crowded roared with delight. Cheering and clapping. They passed and a half dozen women came. Each held a basket from which they tossed flower petals. The street was soon covered in a bright multicolored spray of color. One of the mages created a rainbow that rained down multicolored candies! Next came a full forty-piece marching band. Their instruments gleamed brightly in the sunlight as they played a lively tune. “What?” Someone asked. “No elephant?” “No,” Someone else responded. “Susy would never fit through the gates. Next came a tall man dressed in a long flowing robe dyed bright green and blue. He was riding a tall, black colored stallion. “My Lord!” He said bowed without leaving the saddle. “I wish to announce the arrival of Brian Brightleaf. Lord of Harflower, Hero of Cralwell, Lord Mayor of Sygle Woods, Master of the Dawn Star. Who comes to celebrate the wedding of his brother Misha!” He pointed back to the gate. A hush fell, and in its space a low sound like the humming of a hive of bees could be heard. The sound grew slightly louder and changed, becoming like angelic singing in an unknown language. Then a large palanquin came through the gate. The base color was red, but there was a mystic-looking gold pattern all over it. Around it there was a sparkling, mystical aura anyone could see, and with good reason: nothing held it aloft! It seemed to move itself through the air, its base about head-high off the ground. Only magic could have moved it forward. Indeed, while most such palanquins were small affairs, usually only needing two to four porters, this one would have taken eight at minimum! There were windows, covered in gold curtains with red patterns, as if inverted from the palanquin. The song had been slowly increasing in volume and intensity, as if leading up to a momentous event, even as the palanquin halted and settled on the ground. The door opened and a silvery light radiated from within. A figure stepped into that light and then out the door: a man in a blue tunic with the Brightleaf crest heart-high. His pants were of a light green material that looked like his shirt. Both the tunic and shirt had decorated edging of silver and gold threads. He looked out at the crowd with an expression of paternalistic admiration, as if they were children he loved. He turned and looked at Misha and smiled. He hustled over to Misha and hugged him. “Congratulation baby brother!” <h1>Chapter 8: More Visitors Arrive</h1> The guests continued to arrive. With the time frame constraints of the Curse they all came within two days. Soon the Keep was alive with a scores of people from different lands. All excited and delighted to visit the famous Metamor Keep. A half dozen traveling merchants arrived. They were not among the invited guests but were unwilling to miss a chance 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 the spicy style of the distant south. His wife was selling wines mixed with herbs and spices to make really exotic drinks. Caroline sipped one and hired them both! *** Brian didn’t need a place to stay, instead he bought it with him! In an open field his people erected a large tent made of canvas decorated in a riot of colored patterns. It was a hundred feet wide and half that deep. Misha stepped through the entrance and found himself standing in a marble line hall that stretched a hundred feet to either side. The walls soared upward at least two 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?” Misha shrugged. “All he told me was he borrowed it from a friend.” “A friend?” Caroline asked, surprised and a bit nervous. “What type of friend owns this?” Misha shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to know!” “Does your brother ever do anything modestly?” “This *is* his idea of being modest,” Misha said and laughed. A tall older man came up to the them. He was dressed in robes made of the finest silk dyed a brilliant green with silver trim. He bowed. “Welcome Lord Misha and Lady Caroline. Brian is waiting for you. Come this way please.” *** The man took them thru a doorway and into a small room filled with various pieced of fine furniture. It was mostly chairs carved from a dark wood. Misha recognized a waiting room. A place you put visitors who you really didn’t want to see. To his relief they were simply escorted through without stopping. The next room was a lot larger. The carpets on the floor matched the tapestries that made up the walls. In the center of the room was a large chair made of wood. It was highly decorated with inlays of gold and silver. Brian was seated in the chair. He jumped up and ran forward. “Misha! Caroline!” *** It was early afternoon when the carriage bearing Amelia and Fred Montague arrived at Metamor. They circled the large fortress several times trying to figure out where to land. A large eagle flew up to them. “May I help you?” The bird asked. “We’re here for Misha’s wedding,” Fred explained. The bird pointed downward with a taloned claw. “The outer courtyard by the Winter Assault memorial.” <h1>Chapter 9: Pre-Cursing Jitters</h1> June 20, 708 Arcas stood a good head above most of the people of Metamor keep, with only some of the 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 a bronzed man with golden-copper eyes and he wore the livery of Whales. On his side hung a rune-scribed Hammer, and she was Henbi-shnut. Besides him were three others from Whales (having come north with Prince Philip, Princess Clover, and the four royal children for the wedding of Misha Brightleaf) but each was more typical of a man of Whales: with dark hair and eyes. They were similarly bronze-colored, and a bit shorter, but no less well-muscled, being sailors and soldiers, and the royal guard. While he looked excitedly about the Keep and Euper, they kept in his wake, looking nervously at the various zoomorphs and women in pants or wielding weapons and wearing 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 a magical circus. One of the first things he’d done on arrival was create a series of rainbows that produced colored, flavored candy. Arcas still had a bag of it. “I wish Prince Phillip had just sent his regards,” said one. “Why’s that George? asked Arcas. “King Tenomides himself practically ordered him and the Princess and their children here, ill as he is.” “He doesn’t need us!” said another. “Or, I should say, doesn’t want us! We’re supposed to be guarding him and his family, but they’ve all opted to stay in that dreadful Keep!” “Keep a civil tongue in your head Alexander!” Arcas growled. “These are fine folks and those who Prince Philip feels most at home with. He and Princess Clover both ordered us to look around, and it would behoove us to do so anyway.” “Ain’t you afraid of the Curses?” asked the last. “What’s to fear Lukas? These folks are just like any others and happier than some!” “Ain’t you afraid of becomin’ a woman?” asked Lukas. “HA! I’d make a fine ginger lass! A bearer of children, should that be my fate! But I know 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 brat in diapers the rest of your life! And how would you even wield your Hammer?” “HA! I was no scrawny youth! And Henbi-shnut has just informed me she could change to match, so there’s no fear of that! But I know what you fear Alexander: you’re a fool who thinks children little better than witless animals!” “Speaking of, there’s the third curse, the animal curse, surely you’d not want to end up some beast!” said George. “HA! What do humans have that animals have not the better? One might argue we are in the image of Eli, but I do not believe that Eli could be so limited as our imaginations! But I know what you fear George: you’re a fool who thinks animals completely witless and credit them not with thoughts and emotions and souls of their own, different though they be to ours!” He glared at his companions as if to challenge them, but all three backed away. “In any case your fears are foolish indeed. We shall be here but seven days, and the Curses–if I understand them aright–take ten or a fortnight. Even were that time to 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-shnut longs to speak with her sister.” The other three just shook their heads and went back towards the Keep. They had rooms there and enough humans around to feel comfortable until the royal family chose to leave. Arcas looked at them leave, huddling together each time they saw something strange as if they feared it would hurt them. He, however, went around and smiled. The Keepers, especially those who’d heard him rebuke 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 lady Caroline will be at the Jolly Collie this eve to celebrate their wedding eve after spending this day meeting those who have arrived. I work there and can see if I can get you an audience.” He smiled at her. “That would be kind of you, my good woman. What is your name, and what can I do for you in return?” “I am Olivia. I have nothing that I need right now sir, but your words are reward enough.” “Still, here is some coin and if you don’t need it now, you may at some time. Don’t thank me! Even if you don’t manage it, I’m still glad you will try.” She nodded and trotted away and he chuckled. He was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to manage it, but then again the Keep was full of surprises!</div> </div></div></body></html>