Decisions, by Charles Matthias

Story name: Decisions
Author: Charles Matthias

Date: early June, 706 CR
Location: Metamor Keep

Overview

Gornul follows Charles around as he performs some errands.

+ Story info (Spoilers!)

Summary

Charles Matthias enters the Deaf Mule to find Copernicus helping Gornul play pool against Michael, with Nahum and Tallis watching. After the game, Charles discusses the recent news that Channing has left, and Zhypar has replaced him. There is some tension, as Zhypar has been given most of the Guild's backlog, and Tallis suggests a connection with Charles's and Zhypar's recent feud. After Charles snaps at him, he apologizes and decides to leave. Gornul follows him out.

Charles visits the carpenter's, where he learns that his dresser is not yet repaired. He pays Fox Cutter a visit, who shows some concern for Charles, bringing up the many strange incidents that have happened since they last spoke, some of which involved some aggression on Charles's part. Charles is angry at Fox's implications, and is about to storm out when Gornul reminds him of Tallis. Charles stops and apologizes for his stress. On the way to his room, Charles greets Saulius, who tells Charles that he has decided to participate in the jousting tournament at the Summer Festival.

At his door, Charles notices Gornul is still following him, and senses something is wrong. Oren had recently yelled at Gornul for having no confidence in himself, so, after bringing Gornul back to Oren's, Charles tells Gornul about how much happiness he brings to the Keep. As Gornul and Oren make up, Gornul smiles at him, and Charles chuckles as he leaves.

Characters

Main characters:

• Charles Matthias: A headmaster of the Writer's Guild. He is stressed from falling behind on work and his recent conflict with Zhypar, and has difficulty controlling his emotions.
• Gornul: A blue dragonette who speaks in pictures. He lacks self-confidence, and ran away after Oren shouted at him over it. Charles helps them reconcile.

Supporting characters:

• Fox Cutter: The Keep's librarian. He suggests Charles is at the center of several different events at the Keep, Fox is concerned about Charles's well-being.
• Oren: An otter morph, a writer, and Gornul's best friend.

Minor characters:

• Tallis: A rat morph and a friend of Zhypar's. He makes a comment about Charles's treatment of Zhypar, which irritates Charles for the rest of the night.
• Nahum: A fox morph and a friend of Zhypar's. He tells Cutter about Charles's bad mood.
• Michael: A beaver morph and a member of the Timber crews.
• Copernicus: A lizard morph who is talented at pool.
• Donnie: The bartender of the Deaf Mule. He is willing to talk to Matthias about his problems, but Charles chooses to leave instead.
• Samuel: The carpenter's apprentice. She is tall with reddish skin.
• Saulius: A knight, and a rat morph. He has decided to participate in the joust at the Summer Festival.

Cameo:

• Laracin: A tamarack morph.

Important mention:

• Channing: The former headmaster of the Writer's Guild. He left the Keep this morning for unknown reasons.
• Zhypar Habakkuk: A kangaroo morph, currently recovering from his injuries. Charles has made him headmaster of the Writer's Guild to replace Channing.
• Lance: A moose morph. He just recently joined the timber crews.
• Mark van Sciver: A child morph, and diplomat for Metamor Keep. He is late from his trip down south.
• Malcolm: The Keep carpenter. He is often too busy on his own projects to tend the shop.

Referenced:

• Phil: A headmaster of the Writer's Guild. Like Charles, he also doesn't have time to work.
• Loriod: The Lord who burned most of the books on the southern continent.
• Chris: A tutor of the Keep who fought Etienne Grenier recently.
• Etienne Grenier: A "fanatic Follower noble" who fought Chris recently.
• Duke Thomas: The Duke of Metamor Keep.
• Rickkter: A newcomer to the Keep. A rumor about his and Charles's first meeting is going around.

Points of Interest

• This is the first time in canon that Donnie speaks.

Story Connections

• Charles's argument with Zhypar is from Dancing with Shadows, which is also when he broke his dressor.
• Malcolm is most likely Charles's carpenter referred to in Writer's Guild.
• The events that Fox refers to are in Keeping the Lamp Lit, Ward, Attacking Cossack, A Place Where There Is No Darkness, and Dancing with Shadows.
• This story takes place a few days after Rickkter fights Zhypar in A Place Where There Is No Darkness.

< First Cycle	Matthias's Second Cycle	Third Cycle >
Stories	Stories in yellow are not part of the cycle proper, but give important context for other stories.
	Winds of Destiny · Fetish · Admissions and Applications · Arduous Tasks · Attacking Cossack · Awake · Colors · Battling a Tree · Best Friend's Burden · Bonds · Keeping the Lamp Lit · A Long Patrol · Busy Schedule · Casting · Clothing · Conquering a Dead Man · A Place Where There Is No Darkness · A Shoving Match · Dancing with Shadows · Decisions · Declarations of Allegiance · Picnic · Delights and Diversions · Dialogues · Diplomacy
Characters	Charles Matthias · Kimberly · Misha Brightleaf · Dr Channing · Elliot · Garigan · Goldmark · Gornul · Hector · Father Hough · Julian · Lindsey · Loriod · Michael · Nahum · Phil · Rickkter · Saulius · Tallis · Chief Tathom · Thalberg · Duke Thomas · Wessex · Zhypar Habakkuk