The Effects Of Rising Too Early, by Charles Matthias

Story name: The Effects of Rising Too Early
Author: Charles Matthias

Date: Holy Saturday, 706 CR
Location: Metamor Keep (the Baths)

Overview

Matthias takes an early morning bath, and catches up with Michael.

+ Story info (Spoilers!)

Summary

Matthias wants to appear his best for the Duke's dinner that evening, so he goes to the heated pools deep inside the castle, getting up early so that no one else will see him naked. As he sinks into the water, he thinks again about the Eucharist he shared with Kimberly. His reverie is broken when Michael also enters the baths, thinking he is alone. He hides himself in a concealing robe, taking it off quickly before jumping in. Matthias gets a glimpse of his changes, and calls him over and asks him to open up.

Michael admits he is afraid. He says that the change happening so slowly gave him false hope it would stop, and now changing so quickly is overwhelming. He suspects that he will be attending the Gnawer's Support Group regularly, and thinks Matthias might be a bit too happy about his change. Matthias just wants to see him be happy about what he gets, unlike the other rodents he's had to deal with. Michael asks that he be left alone to think it through.

After washing the suds off his fur, Matthias dries himself off and dresses himself, waving to Michael as he leaves, and eagerly awaits the evening to come.

Characters

Main Characters:

• Charles Matthias: A Headmaster of the Writer's Guild. He is washing up for dinner that night.
• Michael: A newcomer to the Keep, currently undergoing his change. He is uncomfortable with his change; he is washing early in the morning so that he does not meet anyone.
  • The changes since Michael was last described: his face has now distended, his lips have curled and his front teeth stick out. His ears have now obviously moved atop his head. His fur is dark and reddish. His legs have gotten much shorter.

Referenced:

• Kimberly: Charles's beloved.
• Channing: A Headmaster of the Writer's Guild.
• Duke Thomas: The ruler of the Keep. He is holding a dinner lately today.
• Hough: The Ecclesian priest who Charles and Kimberly recently had Communion with.
• Phil: A Headmaster of the Writer's Guild.

Story Connections

• The Eucharist from Entertaining Thoughts of Eucharist is described.
• The dinner that will be detailed in Eating at the Duke's Table is described.

Points of Interest

• Matthias has bottles of soap designed specifically for people with fur, as normal soap does not work. The yellow powder is a general cleanser; the jell has a pleasant apple scent.

	Matthias's First Cycle	Second Cycle >
Stories	Stories in yellow are not part of the cycle proper, but give important context for other stories.
	Metamor Keep · Writer's Guild · The Fight That Never Happened · Support Group · Facing Knight · Confession · Evening Stroll · Especially Disappointed · Escaping · Escalation · Errands and Editors · The Secrets in Truth · A Small Repair · Equinox Arriveth · Entertaining Thoughts of Eucharist · The Effects of Rising Too Early · Eating at the Duke's Table · Easter Endeth · Early to Sleep
Characters	Charles Matthias · Kimberly · Channing · Elliot · Goldmark · Hector · Father Hough · Julian · Loriod · Michael · Nahum · Phil · Saulius · Tallis · Thalberg · Duke Thomas · Zhypar Habakkuk