Inchoate Carillion, Inconstant Cuckold
By Charles Matthias
March 10, 708 CR
It took almost an hour to manage the last minute
arrangements, but by mid-morning Charles, Baerle,
Angus, and James departed the Glen. The sun was
hidden behind thick clouds that promised snow, if
not for the Glen, at least for the mountains.
Their breath misted in the air before them as
they bundled tightly in their woolen tunics and
cloaks. The dimness to the morning leached all
color from their fur, their belongings, and the woods on every side.
They rode together in a large wagon drawn by a
team of four horses with a stripped donkey-like
horse holding the reins. Their climbing gear
rested between them, as well as the packs with
the delicate charms Burris had created. Both
driver and the four horses were all Keepers, part
of a larger family of equines who all lived at
the Glen. They were not family in the
conventional sense, but there was much in Metamor
Valley that could not make that claim. Until the
quarantine, they had taken turns carrying good
back and forth from the Keep to Hareford, the
Glen, and even Lake Barnhardt. Now they
volunteered to help Charles and his friends reach
the mountains with whatever speed they could provide.
Charles had spent the last two weeks in the
saddle and had thought he'd be grateful for the
chance to rest his legs and hips. Despite
stretching his legs and tail in the wagon bed,
his eyes kept turning to the four horses pulling
that wagon and he yearned to find a saddle and
climb on their backs. Maybe Sir Saulius was
making a knight of him after all. He did his best
not to dwell on that unsettling thought.
The zebra, a a capable warrior when called upon
for patrol named Lamarck, chatted with James for
a little while, suggesting in an off-hand way
that he should consider joining their herd.
Judging from the way his friend rolled his eyes
at each veiled hint, it was something that he'd
heard before and said no to each time. Angus
reminded the zebra twice that he needed to keep
his voice down while they rode. The second time
the badger growled. He never needed to speak up again.
Baerle sat quietly the entire time, her eyes ever
on the woods around them. She kept her back to
the middle of the wagon, turning her ears this
way and that as she listened to the birdsong
filling the air. She smiled politely to her
friends, but did not let her eyes linger on any
of them fore more than a moment.
By noon they reached the East-West road that led
from Hareford. The clouds showed no sign of
abating, and if anything, were thicker than
before. The shadowless roads stretched in either
directions through tall trees whose branches
overhung a somber gloom. Angus asked Charles
briefly if anything were different from when he'd
been this way two days ago, but the rat saw
nothing out of place. It didn't even look as if
soldiers from Hareford had been this way since
Dupré had come here four days ago.
They turned up the western road that rose quickly
along a slope stretching out from the mountains.
After an hour the trees began to thin out and
they could see down into the valley at their
left. The ground sloped away, hugged by pine and
fir, except in the barren crater where only a few
saplings bravely stood. Charles gazed at that
cracked lacuna in the earth and marveled at the
power of a single small stone falling from the
Heavens. How he wished he could have been at the
Glen to feel it shake the earth. At Metamor he'd
only had to contend with a stack of fresh parchment spilling across the floor.
The day warmed only slightly as they continued
their ride. The clop of four sets of hooves was
loud enough that even in this remote corner of
the valley there was no wildlife to be seen. And
despite speaking more quietly, Charles could see
that Lamarck's ever playful manner was beginning
to rankle his donkey friend. James had one hand
gripping his pack, thick fingers digging deeper
and deeper into the leather, while his tail kept
smacking against the side of the wagon. Once a
stand of trees blocked the crater from view, the
rat decided he couldn't wait any longer.
Do you mind if I climb up here? he asked the
zebra who blinked in surprise. Charles didn't
wait for an answer as he stepped around James and
positioned himself on the buckboard with his paws
resting on the railing between him and the team of Glenners pulling them.
Lamarck finally began to nod, his words confused
but polite. Oh, sure... you, wait... be careful!
Charles couldn't content himself with sitting
next to the zebra. Even as the driver tried to
grab him and pull him back, the rat scurried up
onto the front of the wagon, and deftly climbed
onto the back of the pinto closest to him. The
horse swung his head back in surprise at having a
rider, stretched out his lips in query once, and
then returned his attention to the road ahead.
Charles spread his legs wide so that he straddled
the pinto bareback and laughed lightly as he
realized with a wince how much smaller his pony Malicon was.
What are you doing? the zebra exclaimed with a gasp.
Trying to get comfortable, Charles replied.
Your friend doesn't mind. He patted the pinto
on the neck as if he were a real horse and chuckled. Derrick right?
The pinto nodded and snorted. Charles smiled and
glanced back at the zebra who continued to gape.
While he'd distracted the zebra, James had slid
all the way to the back of the wagon near to
Baerle. So, how often do you pull the wagon?
Lamarck blubbered for several seconds before he could find an answer.
----------
The remainder of the trip up the rocky slope
proceeded with little conversation. None of the
Polygamites had come this way before so their
eyes roved from side to side as they mounted the
hard packed earth. The wagon wheels bounced
across loose stones but otherwise had no
difficulty. An older pine had collapsed across a
portion of the road in one of the last stretches
where the woods framed them on either side, and
Charles was quick to slip from Derrick's back so
he could clear their path; they saw no other obstructions along the way.
Charles decided against riding Derrick the rest
of the way up. His purpose in getting the zebra
Lamarck to leave James alone was accomplished and
the horse's back was just too wide for his legs.
If he wanted to navigate treacherous mountain
paths he should avoid needlessly straining his
muscles. So he sat next to the zebra and kept a
wary eye on the road and slopes ahead.
They reached the Gateway after only another hour
and he smiled faintly as he saw the stand of
rocks rising up from the otherwise level ground
that wound between the peaks before them. Derrick
and the other horses didn't need to be told to
stop; everyone knew this was the Gateway.
All right, Angus said as he climbed out of the
wagon. James, hand me the gear. This is where we part ways.
James helped the badger get all of their things
out of the wagon while Charles helped Lamarck
unhitch the horses from the wagon to let them
each stretch. Lamarck handed each of the four
equines a robe to gird themselves with as they
shifted back into a more human stance. They
stretched and walked around the upthrust granite
block, their eyes taking in the vista to the
south with gaping jaws and perked ears. Baerle
pulled her fur-lined cloak more closely around
her shoulders and neck as she quietly checked the
remnants of snow that clustered in shadowed corners.
After they had all of the packs removed from the
wagon, Angus waved everyone closer. Now, the air
is thinner up here, so don't push yourselves.
We're going to take it very easy today and we're
going to find shelter well before the sun sets. I
know the paths, I helped Burris erect the
talismans. There's two dozen and it'll take us at
least a week to cover them all and get back home.
Charles gnawed on his chewstick furiously, heart
twinging with the thought of not seeing his
family, even if only in illusion, for so long a time.
Do you want us to be waiting for you in a week?
Derrick asked as he kept the cloak firmly wrapped around his middle.
If you would be so kind, aye, Angus replied.
The badger stood and gave the stallion a firm pat
on the shoulder, despite being half a head
shorter than the horse. Thank you for bringing
us here. Now get home safely. It still looks like it might snow again.
Derrick and the other horses nodded. We'll be
here. Artela keep you safe. The five equines
disappeared around the upthrust rock and a moment
later they heard the familiar sound of even more
hooves clopping against the exposed rock and
hard-packed dirt. Angus opened his satchel and
after some searching withdrew an elk-skin map
that he stretched out between them. Depictions of
various peaks and scrawling lines connecting them
were inked into the hide. Little diamond marks
were placed around the peaks in a wide swath.
Charles stared at the picture but didn't recognize anything familiar.
We're here, Angus pointed to the southeastern
corner. Off south is the Glen, and off that way
is Hareford. This section here, he spun one claw
in a wide circle over the right-most edge of the
map, is the Gateway, the highland meadow, and
the old watchtower. There used to be a sheltered
path from here into the Giantdowns, but
earthquakes have made it too dangerous even for
Lutins to try. Even so, at the northern edge of
the meadow we've placed one of the talismans.
That is where we'll be headed first. From there
we proceed west. We should get a good view of the
Sea of Souls, but the path leads back into
mountains where we should be safe from freezing airs coming off the lake.
He drew his claw along one of the lines at the
top of the map, and then began to circle back
down toward the bottom. Charles could see that
this path took them past all of the diamond
symbols.We'll be making a long circuit through
the mountains this way. This covers the passes
that we know Baron Calephas used two years ago,
and a few others that Lutins could use if they
dared risk the heights. It is very difficult to
reach some of these passes, which is why we don't
patrol them, but I know each of you can manage.
They were distracted momentarily by the
Polygamites coming back around the stone. Four
steeds plodded along on all fours, while Derrick
walked behind them now adorned with Lamarck's old
clothes. The zebra was the first secured to the
rigging nearest to where Derrick would soon be
sitting on the wagon. The pinto waved to them
once before securing his remaining brothers and
sisters in the rigging for the return trip. James
glanced at them and snorted almost
contemptuously. Charles gave him a curious
glance, and the donkey only shrugged and
muttered, I'll never let myself be treated like a common animal. Never again.
Say no more, Charles bade him with one paw as
he noted a few equine ears flick in their
direction. He turned to the badger and asked, What order shall we take?
I want Baerle to lead us. She's been on some of
these paths before. Will that do for you?
The opossum nodded and in her first words in
hours said, Aye, I can lead us on the
mountains. She pulled her pack close to her
knees as she crouched over the map. I have never
been this far into them, she gestured at the
western edge of the map. Just let me know if
there's anything I need to watch out for.
I will, Angus agreed with a faint smile. After
you, I want Charles, then James. I will keep watch over the rear.
Why Charles and then me? James asked as his
ears lay back against his spiked mane.
You two are going to be the anchors. Also, you
can see over Charles's head. That way the path is clear for all of us.
Except you, James pointed out with a grunt.
I know it already, the badger laughed faintly.
We'll stay close together, but I want us to see
where we are going at all times. Now get your
gear. You'll need the ice shoes by the time we find the first talisman.
Derrick waved one more time as he and his
herdmates led the wagon back down the road to the
east. They came by close enough that Charles was
able to pat the zebra on the neck; he was
rewarded with a tail swat to the back of his
head. He chuckled under his breath and then
hoisted his pack onto his shoulders, toes
spreading to feel the dirt, rocks, and lichen coating them.
As the weight of the shoulder straps settled
against his flesh, he felt a strange loneliness
come over him. Ever since the Wind Children had
planted the vine in his back over six months ago,
not a day had gone by when he hadn't allowed the
vine to nourish in his flesh. It's tender
strength and devotion had kept him company
through even the worst moments in that time. But
now that they were going into the freezing
depths, he'd thought it best to leave it behind
and so that morning he'd fixed it within the
stones of the hearth in his bedroom; it would
bloom well in the warmth there, and be a pleasant
welcome if by some miracle Kimberly and the
children were allowed to return home while he was still in the mountains.
Still, he sighed for its absence and shifted the
pack until it was comfortable. He glanced at the
pass between the two mounts into which he had
ventured a short distance with the ram and Sir
Saulius only a few days before. Is there anything more before we begin?
Angus returned the map to his satchel and then
secured it against his hip. Just be careful. We
probably won't run into any Lutins, but keep your
weapons ready just in case. So saying, the
badger patted the heavy blade between his shoulders and his pack.
Will do, Charles checked to make sure that his
Sondeshike was in easy reach within his fur-lined
cloak, and then followed after the opossum into
the pass. He could hear James's hooves crunching
the loose rock behind him as they passed into the cool shadow of the mounts.
----------
Jessica's wing tips cradled the stalk lined with
small purple cups radiating in every direction.
Her golden eyes bored the magical conduits that
passed into each of those apertures only to be
collected in fragrant pools that she could bind
to any spell she wished. Even in the still grip
of winter that teased the valley, a flower such
as this would thrive because it was more than a flower.
It was a hyacinth; one specially treated in the
ways she had learned by studying the arts of the
Marquis, Agathe, and the rest of their enemies.
It had grown more quickly than she had expected,
and already it was proving an able solution to
the challenge of keeping a Keeper transformed by
an extra curse and in a way that they desired.
Normally Jessica tended the plant that grew in a
rooftop garden on top of the barracks where her
husband-to-be and his friends were stationed in
Lake Barnhardt with tenderness and joyful care.
But the flippant remark that Charles and Misha
had shared the other day had unsettled her and so
now she studied her flower more intently. Had she
made a mistake in her casting? She had never
intended the hyacinth to cast a shroud of
oblivion over the Valley as Yonson's had done.
She had only meant the forgetfulness to protect
the hyacinth itself to keep her friends from destroying it out of fear.
But if the hyacinth was making them forget then
she needed to do something about it. Jessica
would not allow the hyacinth to bring anguish to
Metamor; it was to be used to help master the
Curses and to that it must restrict itself.
And so, with her mind fresh from a good night's
sleep and after a studious review of her notes on
the hyacinth, Jessica touched it with her magic,
feeling the way the weaves flowed and cascaded
one over another like water across rocks in a
forest brook. There were several layers of magic
that intertwined, and like any weave it was
important not to tangle them further. Very
gingerly Jessica lifted each strand of magic,
peering more deeply within the cups.
Jessica gently let the strands back down as she
saw a familiar figure flying toward the town from
the north. She would have to continue her study
another time; the woodpecker never left the Glen
unless it was very important. Once she had
returned the hyacinth to its proper state, she
jumped into the air and beat her wings to go and meet the colorful bird.
On seeing her approach, Burris angled toward the
eastern shore of the lake where broad tracts of
land had been cleared to support pastureland for
sheep as well as homes for the fishermen and
shepherds. Jessica landed and perched on an unlit
lamp with crozier while she waited for the woodpecker.
Burris settled on the ground a short distance
from the hawk and stretched into a more human
shape. Jessica joined him there and also took on
her tallest size. Her screeching voice carried
well her anxious concern. Is everything all right, Burris?
The woodpecker preened his black chest feathers a
moment and then shook his head and wings. I'm
afraid not. One of the Glenners, Berchem our
chief archer, has been struck by a malady that
seems magical in origin. I've come to ask for your help.
Of course I will come, Jessica agreed readily.
If Burris could not discern the malady's cause,
then it must be very serious indeed. I need to
let Captain Dallar know where I will be and then I will fly back with you.
Burris spread his wings behind him, allowing the
wind to gently brush through his feathers. I
shall wait here and enjoy this breeze. No need
for you to land, just fly overhead and I'll join you.
Jessica bobbed her head, shrank, and took off for
the barracks. The ram would understand, as would
Weyden. But her inspection of the hyacinth would
have to wait. She must remember to leave herself
a note so she could resume it when she got back.
----------
The passage through the mountains that Charles
had called the Gateway opened after an hour's
hike through snow and rock to a broad meadow of
tough short grasses and lichen coated rocks of
granite, feldspar, and mica. The ground sloped
downward gently to the north and east until it
met the mountains that framed the Giant's Dike.
The northern slope ended in a copse of spruce,
larch, and tamarack against which a large defile
spilled between the nearest peaks. The faint
suggestion of an old road continued down the
meadow just south of the small forest before
disappearing beneath the snowy slopes.
Along this road they continued as they moved
through the meadow. The air was thinner and even
after only an hour of hiking all of them felt
tired but they took only one break along their
route, and that for only a few minutes. Angus
promised them that they would quickly adjust;
James well remembered how long it had taken
before he'd felt comfortable in the crossing of
the Barrier Range last summer; it had taken
nearly a week of rough travel before the donkey
was able to shed the out-of-breath sensation that
had clung to him ever since they'd lost sight of Metamor.
It wasn't the shortness of breath that bothered
James. It wasn't even so much that he felt sure
Angus was keeping an skeptical eye on him just
waiting for one of his hooves to slip on a rock
like the calumnious skunk. What kept his teeth
grinding together as his nostrils flared for
sweet air, was that Charles strode between him
and Baerle. He could see clearly over the rat,
but he could come no closer to the opossum than
his erstwhile friend. The bell throbbed at his
back in rhythm to his indignation when it
swelled, and then faded into sonorous silence
when the cool air and reason stilled his wrath.
The road turned sharply to the east in the middle
of the meadow not too far from the edge of the
wood. The rocky grasses were crisscrossed with
little trickling streams of snow-melt and once
they left the harder road, the ground sucked at
his hooves with each step. James flexed his
fingers and turned his ears from side to side,
one eye watching the woods and the other looking past the rat to Baerle.
The opossum walked confidently across the mire
toward the mountain directly ahead of them.
Beyond the woods to the northeast James could see
the defile where the earthquake had sealed off
any access to the Giantdowns, and he was grateful
that it did not appear they would be journeying
that way. With so many stones about, Charles
would be far too powerful to strike against.
Mountain winds chilled them so that each of them
pulled their fur-lined cloaks tight as they
walked. The squelching, almost sucking sound as
James pulled his hooves out of the damp muck that
Spring was bringing to the meadow felt like a
thousand laughing voices tumbling one over
another in their ravenous will to be the one
closest to the object of their scorn. His
fetlocks would be a tangled mess of knotted slime
before they reached the first talisman. James's
lips quivered in irritation, but he would not let
this peat slow him. He kept pace with the rat no
matter how vile the ground became.
Baerle led them past the copse and up the
northern mountain along a narrow track suited
better to goats than to Keepers. They quickly
ascended, rising well above the meadow after only
a few minutes. The rock was slick but the ledge
was just wide enough that none of them had any
difficulty in finding purchase. Though the sky
was clotted with thick, gray clouds, the face
they climbed was normally in the sun and so there
was little ice or snow left, though James could
see both on the upper slopes of the peak.
Charles was trailing his toes through the stone
much as he had done in the Barrier Range. James
felt the bell tremble uncertainly as the rat
suddenly stopped and nodded. I can feel something different up ahead.
That would be the talisman, Angus called from
behind the donkey in a low voice. It should be just ahead around the cleft.
The cleft reminded James of the crack in his
bell, rising up along the side of the mountain on
their right. Everything within was dark and
shadowed. James felt his heart tighten as Baerle
reached the lip and disappeared from view. His
heart relaxed a moment later when she waved a
hand-signal back around the edge of the cleft.
James, hold when you get to the cleft. There's
not much room within, Angus cautioned as they
approached. James felt his eyes widened and his
lips quiver as he saw the rat follow Baerle
within. He took his next step a little more
quickly than he should, but he managed to keep
his balance even as he marshaled his temper again.
When the donkey reached the cleft he saw what
Angus said was true. A small alcove was fitted
between the rock, and on a small pedestal a
five-leaved wooden marker stood. The design was
simple, the grain was finely polished, and the
quality as if it has just been cut. The ground
beneath was narrow but Baerle and Charles could
stand almost comfortably next to one another.
James tightened his grip on the stone lip, the
sharp edges digging into the flesh of his palm.
Charles dug one of the pouches that Burris had
given them from his pack, and handed it to
Baerle. The opossum's fingers gently laid over
the rats, their eyes briefly meeting, as she took the pouch from him.
On the Future! - how it tells
Of the rapture that impels
James glowered at the rat. There could be no
doubt that Charles had lied to him about the
opossum. They only expressed their intimacy when
they didn't think they were being watched.
His eyes bored into the rat's back as both
Charles and Baerle took the contents of the
pouch, a dark paste like substance, and spread it
over the leaves. They rubbed the salve with the
grain, and the wood took on the luster of cherry,
glowing briefly a vibrant red before fading away.
A hint of foul odor was in the air, but it also
quickly dissipated. It took only a few minutes
for the paste to be applied, and then Charles
secured the pouch and returned it to his pack.
Okay, we're done here, Charles said, smiling
around his incisors first to Baerle, and then to
James. The donkey nodded and quickly pulled
himself back around the cleft to keep the rat from grasping his expression.
The first one's done, James told Angus.
The badger nodded and carefully turned himself
back around on the narrow path. Then it's time
to really head into the mountains. He gestured
to what looked like a passage between the two
peaks framing the western side of the meadow. That's where were headed now.
James noted the passage that rose up beyond the
trees, still choked with snow and ice on every
slope but those too sheer for anything to cling
to. The bell throbbed against his back. Somewhere
out there in the maze of snow-capped peaks
Charles would have his accident. James smiled as
he followed the badger back down the ridge.
----------
May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,
Charles Matthias
!DSPAM:4e937813268551804284693!
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