And here's the conclusion! We hope you all enjoyed it. :-)
Metamor Keep: Fellowship of the Egg
By Christof Bradford and Charles Matthias
The Fellowship meeting ran well into the afternoon, but with
the winter dusk nearing, and with it a bone cold chill that
threatened torpor even for the most bundled of reptile, Emily, with
only a little ceremony and a blessing from both Follower and
Lothanasi representatives, brought the gathering to a close.
Miriam had spent much of the afternoon listening to stories
from a trio of sea birds who'd flown in from the southern coasts and
had barely noticed the passage of time. Their adventures were
amusing and their manner infectious. They had heard of the people of
Bradanes and she asked them many questions about how many more were
still coming to Metamor. But she was not surprised when she learned
that the rest were waiting for the Spring. Kozaithy had assured her
as much only a few days past.
She was unable to interrogate the trio further before
Copernicus absconded with them in a very official manner. Next thing
the alligator knew, Emily began the closing ceremonies and she found
herself at Thalberg's side again.
And then, before Miriam quite realized what was happening,
she was doffing the white robe and donning her own heavier
clothes. The cool air in the hallway outside the Fellowship hall
made her tremble as if she wanted to fall back, but Thalberg's
strong, scaled hands ushered her out; and gave her confidence.
The various birds and reptiles dispersed with riotous
laughter and merriment, the singing of songs and the promises of
seeing each other again soon. Thalberg gestured for Miriam to wait a
short distance from the entrance but he didn't say what for. She
waved to a few friends, some from Bradanes, but many those she'd just
made. Tabitha gave her a firm hug before heading on her way.
When the dusty komodo emerged wearing a bright scarf around
her neck and a harness pulling a small wheeled wagon in which was
coiled a mottled viper covered in a thick blanket, she knew that this
was what Thalberg had been waiting for. Thalberg nodded to the
komodo and gestured for them to walk together.
"Ah, Miriam," Emily said with a croaking hiss. "You never
had a chance to meet my husband."
The snake waved a small arm at her from just above the
billowing blankets. His long forked tongue flicked out and he hissed
in a friendly manner. "Raymond. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miriam."
Miriam cracked her jaws in a saurian smile. "And you,
Raymond." She fell into step with Thalberg and just a little behind
Emily whose back and forth gait made her tail swing a few feet from
side to side. She felt a bit awkward but managed to ask, "Why are
you in a wagon?"
"The ground is a bit too cold to slither on," Raymond said
with a sibilant laugh. "My body does not like snow. Now a good hot
stone basking in the sun, that my body can never get enough of."
Miriam had to admit that sounded rather appealing. "Where do
you live?"
"Euper," he replied. "Although," the viper looked askance
and seemed to narrow his slitted eyes, "I don't think we'll be making
it back tonight."
Emily turned her head back and asked, "Would it be too much
to ask if we might stay with you this night, Miriam? At least until
the storm passes."
"The storm?" Miriam blinked.
"Yes, the one the birds mentioned. It should be passed by morning."
Miriam recalled it now. The trio had been complaining of
snow when they'd arrived late. She'd just been so excited to hear
their stories that she'd forget their entrance. "Of course you can
stay. I don't have much, but I can keep it very warm and humid."
"Oh thank you," Emily hooted as she tugged the wagon. The
wheels kept trying to run over her tail tip, but she swung it back
and forth quickly enough to keep it safe. Raymond's slitted eyes
watched his wife's thick tail sway with rigid intensity. "That is
very kind of you."
Miriam wanted to lean closer to Thalberg, but the Steward
was being his usual cagey self. Every time she stepped nearer, his
gait would draw him a little bit away. She just couldn't quite reach
him. Still, there was a warm regard in his yellow eyes as they walked.
"So are you, Emily." The new alligator held her heavy robes
close to her chest, scaled hands and claws digging into the fabric.
"I'm just so glad there is a Fellowship. Thank you."
Emily's jaws opened in a lizard-grin but she didn't say
anything more. A few minutes later they reached Miriam's
unremarkable door. The wood was warm to the touch and Emily's head
picked up when she approached. Miriam opened the door wide, letting
light from the hallway spill inside. Emily gestured with a wave of a
forepaw and Miriam walked in ahead of her. She was careful not to
smack the komodo in the head with her hefty tail.
After she lit all the lamps in her small quarters, Emily
dragged Raymond in after her. Thalberg followed in last, but
lingered near the door. Emily stopped in front of the hearth and
grabbed a fistful of kindling and began arranging it in the
centre. Raymond leaned over the edge of the wagon and patted his
slight hands on the stony floor. It delight he exclaimed, "It's warm!"
Miriam nodded as she bent down to help the komodo build a
fire. "I live over the kitchens. My floor is always warm at the end
of the day. Don't sleep on it though. It will be cold by morning."
Raymond slithered out from underneath his blankets and
deposited his long body on the stone floor. He then grabbed his
blankets and hissed in serpentine contentment. "This is so nice for now."
Emily chuckled a throaty laugh, while Thalberg rumbled in
his belly. The massive alligator then grunted and put a hearty paw
on Miriam's shoulder. "I fear I will need to return to my duties. Is
there anything I can have sent for you?"
Miriam straightened and felt her heart sink. "You have to
go? I thought his grace gave you the day!"
He nodded. "He did, but a great deal will have piled up
already. I ought to see to it before it becomes unbearable
tomorrow. I will send you three something pipping hot from the
kitchens." He glanced down at Miriam's meagre wood pile. "And some
more wood so you can keep your fire burning through the night."
Miriam felt a barrenness of disappointment for a moment, and
then, not quite realizing it, she flung herself at the larger
alligator and wrapped her arms about him. "Thank you, Thalberg. Thank you!"
Thalberg grunted in surprise, but very gently put his arms
on her back and patted as if unsure what more he should do. "You're
quite welcome. Now I need to go. I will see you again tomorrow."
She let go of him just as suddenly, feeling embarrassed but
grateful that as a reptile she couldn't blush. Still, her eyes never
left the Steward until his massive bulk disappeared down the
corridor. Finally, she let her door shut, trapping the warmth
inside, and turned back to her guests. Raymond was trying not to
look like he'd been watching. Emily nodded her large head in
approval, dark eyes beaming with delight. Miriam lowered her head
and bent down next to the hearth, trying not to look at either of her
guests. "Let's get that fire started, shall we? I can boil some
water to make the air nice and humid too."
So saying, she threw herself into the task while Emily and
Raymond watched, smiling as only reptiles can to one another.
Dinner proved to be chicken in a warm broth coupled with
fresh noodles. Miriam recognized the little mouse who brought it for
them as Bernadette. Despite being a mouse bringing food for three
creatures who in the wild would have gobbled down a mouse without the
slightest prodding, she showed no fear but gushed in delight at the
chance to serve them. Both Raymond and Emily were courteous and
thanked her profusely after having she set their bowls on the floor
before them with complete solicitousness. No hint of disdain at the
reptiles who couldn't eat at a table anymore. Miriam felt some
relief that one of her new friends from the Keep Kitchens would have
so effectively proved Yousef wrong.
She stayed only long enough to make sure that they were not
in want, and then bustled back to the Kitchens to finish cleaning for
the day. The three of them shared a prayer before sedately enjoying
their meal. Neither Emily nor Raymond could easily use utensils, but
they did try for Miriam's sake. At seeing their discomfiture, Miriam
set her bowl on the ground too and stuffed her snout in and slurped
up the chicken, noodles, and broth. That set all of them at
ease and they even laughed at the silly ways their bodies forced
them to eat. Raymond took particular delight in slithering his
noodles down his throat one at a time.
By the time their bowls were empty and their bellies
satisfied, they'd given their lungs plenty of good
exercise. Instead, they gave their tongues exercising, talking of
the Valley before the days of the curses, how so much more than just
appearances had changed since then, and of course, how Miriam was
settling into her new life. What was never asked was anything about
her old life at Bradanes, and for that she was very grateful.
The candles she'd lit to mark time were beginning to burn
low by the time Miriam finally gave into the increasing exasperation
and impatience she felt. "Doesn't he ever go to sleep?" Miriam asked
of the komodo, waving an arm at the snaked coiled up near them.
Emily glanced at her husband and her tongue flicked out from
between her scaled lips. "Raymond? He's fast asleep right now."
"He can't be, his eyes are wide open!"
Emily seemed to smile at her husband, "Oh yes, he's asleep.
Like most snakes in the Fellowship, he can't close his eyes, ever.
His eyelids have become transparent and sealed over his eyes."
Two months ago, she would have found this less than
comforting. But now, it felt right and natural, even if a little
unusual. And the news was a great relief. Miriam looked down at the
floor in silence for a long moment before she lifted her eyes to meet
Emily's gaze, "Now that your husband is fast asleep, affording us
some privacy, I have to ask you something. Thalberg has been a great
help to me in this last month, but there is an aspect of my new form
of which I have not been able to bring myself to seek advice from him."
The komodo tilted her head to one side in thought. "Oh. Oh!
Yes, that would be something that a lady could hardly ask in polite
company, especially of such a fine gentleman as the good Steward.
Well, I'd be happy to answer the questions I know that you want
answered, but propriety barred you from asking. The Blood of the Moon
is a thing of the past. Every couple months or so, you might instead
find yourself dropping an empty egg or two."
"An egg?" Miriam blinked her own strange eye lids and her
scaled hands as if bidden by some unheard command lowered to the
robes covering her waist and tail. "You mean I don't have to... to...
to lay eggs?"
Emily nodded, her long tail dragging about the floor as if
it were laughing for her. "You have been an alligator for almost a
month now, you should drop your first very soon. Do not fear. It
will be a little uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to
it. And you'll know when your eggs are empty or not. I didn't
believe it at first either, but it is true. And," her eyes glimmered
as if with mischief, "you do not need to be with any for this to
come. It is just part of who we are now."
Miriam lowered her long snout again and her claws tightened,
catching against the fabric. "And through the same... same..."
Emily nodded sagely, and then, pushing herself closer, the
warm fire crackling and reflecting brilliantly off her scales, she
whispered her next words as if they were a vast secret. Miriam
listened, believing, even if there was still a small part of her that
wanted to be revolted by the idea but couldn't quite bring itself to
do so. There was no denying it; she was a reptile now, and that's
just how things were with reptiles.
The komodo chuckled with a hiss and in a slightly louder
voice added, "It's really not that different from before,
really. There is only one place to cleanse now, instead of two. In
fact, some of us are grateful for the increased ease in caring for
ourselves." Her voice lowered again with a quick glance at her
husband still staring empty-eyed into the distance. "It is all around
better for us women. We lose the discomfort. Men lose... well, we
don't talk about it so we don't embarrass them."
It took Miriam a few seconds to understand just what the
komodo was suggesting. And then her jaws opened in a great
crocodilian smile and she laughed heartily. When she finally managed
to catch her breath, she gestured with one hand to the viper, "How
was it with Raymond... the first time... you know."
Emily took in a deep breath, sighed and shook her head. "Oh
the poor dear." And they laughed again, croaking and hissing in
reptilian mirth. As the evening wore on and night claimed Metamor,
the leader of the Fellowship and one of its newest members gossiped
like sisters until all the candles had gone out.
----------
May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,
Charles Matthias
!DSPAM:4ce81113167947224784171!
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