Chapter 10

In which Hal proceeds alone, while the bard bides in the last village visited and tells tales; and Hal explores his wizardly abilities further, and drinks deeper than is wise from the sweet pool of wizardry ere deciding to abandon further enchanting, lest it bite him upon his fundament!

The rat seemingly cared not at all that they were once again unemployed. Calmly, he raked his forepaws down the hardwood post, sharpening his claws that they not become dulled by disuse. Hal looked on, and bethought himself of the state of his own nails.

‘Twas a moment’s work to remove the gloves, that he might inspect his claws, which were revealed to be over-long as well as equally dulled. So it was that he sat himself down facing the rat’s scratching post, albeit on the opposite side. Then did the two companionably rake their claws through the wood until they be sharp and of a pleasing length. ‘Twas fortunate indeed that Hal had acted as he had, for the thin gloves were thinner yet where the nails had worn against them!

The rat watched all, and Hal examined the long-snouted visage closely. Was that an expression, albeit a fleeting one? Could the rat also be feeling the absence of the bard, their companion during their travels who had lightened many an eve with pleasingly- plucked sounds from the strings of his instrument? For indeed was the night a bit darker without his presence, and the fire, though larger, not large enough.

The darkness crept in, all undesired, and when Hal sought his bed so too did his ratty companion. Huddled against Hal for warmth, but even more for the companionship that both missed, so passed they that night, and the nights that came thereafter.

‘Twas on the third night of their lonely journey, with no lights from a town to be seen, that Hal bethought himself again of the god’s words. Uneasily, he looked at the moon that smirked down upon them, and realized that in but two or mayhap three days it would shine full upon the desert. And looking about, Hal realized that there was no shelter to be had!

What to do? If he truly was a changeling, doomed to become a rat entire when the moon ruled the skies, could he be certain that he would be a male rat, as his ratty companion assuredly was? Suppose he changed into a female rat? And his companion become more than that, by asserting his male nature over Hal! E’en to getting upon Hal a litter of tiny rats, who would demand that he nurse them from the teats he lacked?

Hal looked upon the rat, and remembered the traditional cure for such effrontery, the means by which male rats and males of other sorts did produce progeny. Almost did he reach for his sword to reduce his concerns by reducing the rat’s maleness, ere reconsidering. Surely there were less final ways, could he but think of one!

What to do, indeed! And as he mused, another thought came, unbidden, and equally frightening. Could the rat, so unlike others of its kind, be itself a changeling? Might it once have been human, even as he himself was?

Unthinkable! But was that a look of smugness on the rat’s face?

Hal glowered at him and fingered his sword-hilt, and this time the rat bethought himself of healthier places to be! He scampered away into the desert!

But know ye, Hal’s thoughts would not be banished so easily. Suppose they both changed when the moon rose full, Hal into a rat and the rat into a human? ‘Twas equally to be feared! And with that, Hal reached for the large crystal that now lay suspended and hidden beneath his leather jerkin.

The rat, ensorcelled or not, was for the nonce naught but a rat, while Hal was a wizard! Aye, and one who had conversed directly with the Left-Handed God himself! Such was his position when the rat returned, chittering madly with fear! For behind him, scales a-scritch, came a serpent whose head rivaled Hal’s in size and whose baleful stare threatened to freeze Hal, despite having failed to prevent the fleeing of the rat!

Then did the bard look meaningfully at his empty jack, and table bereft of all but crumbs, and rub his stomach that the tavern-keeper understand that tale-telling be not only thirsty work, it be hungry work too! Sighing, the taverner stood and headed for the kitchen to see what might be left over. His thoughts improved when he realized that the audience was once again assembling coins, that the tavern-keeper not decide to chuck all out lest their custom be not worth the cost!

Betimes did he return with a fresh and foaming jack, and a promise that a proper dish be forthcoming as soon as the cook had prepared it. Hand out, he collected the offered coins from the audience, some of whom asked whether they might also purchase a snack. The tavern-keeper allowed that such might be the case, and smiled as he returned to the kitchen.

The bard drank deep, belched happily as was his wont, and went on with his tale.

The fearsome snake, head now raised threatening upon its neck, had encountered a number of humans since removing his former owner from that estate, and simultaneously converting that unwise man into snake-shit. Yet had he never found himself opposed to such as Hal, who was not only a wizard but an enraged one, who turned his gaze full upon the serpent! Frozen for a moment was the snake, ere it realized that Hal had reached for his sword.

Hissing in dismay, the serpent bent its head back upon its body in the manner that only snakes have mastered, and without further ado wriggled frantically away. And if it in future avoided both rats and men, to seek easier prey such as tigers and bears and crocodiles, well, ‘twas only to be expected!

Dusting hands together in satisfaction while sparing no more than a baleful glance at the rat who’d brought the serpent hence, which thereby was sent scurrying to hide among Hal’s packs, Hal’s thoughts returned to what might happen. Was he truly a full changeling, doomed to never appear out of doors when the moon was full? Or could he do what he’d advised the Left Handed God to do, reverse at least a part of the change?

Ruefully did Hal consider the manner in which his thoughts had turned. Once, he had hated the rat-hands and sparsely-haired forearms! Yet did his new plan succeed, the hands would become permanently part of his body, with the seeming of real human hands!

So: to enwrap the crystal within his left armpit? Or to seek even closer surround within his body? In his crotch, mayhap? Briefly did Hal consider an even tighter bond ere rejecting it!