Arcana: Everway Family Legends Project

How Rascal Became Falcon

A Plume Family Legend

by Jesse McGatha

"Well then," said Elder Strongheart, the wizened old Plume warrior. "I shall tell you of how the Plume Family became a great family, many years ago at the dawn of the great Civil War. In those days, the safety of the Wise and Wonderful, our sovereign, was entrusted to the Watcher family. The Watcher family was then also responsible for the wellbeing of the city, much as they are now. Having so much to worry about, one can easily understand where their vigilance for His Majesty might be diverted on occasion."

At this there arose a gasp, involuntary but expected, from the family crowded about listening to Strongheart's tale. Such a slip of vigilance was unthinkable in the service of the King of Roundwander, and the thought of His Royal Majesty in danger brought a nervous fluttering to their stomachs and hearts.

"Rascal Plume was a young man, barely of age, who had a reputation for pranks. He often dashed about the city, quietly spying on people and using what he learned in his often-elaborate practical jokes. His sister, Sable Plume, who was much more sensible and respected, often scolded him for making the great families look ridiculous. 'Rascal,' she would say, 'How will the Plume family ever gain any respect if for every achievement one cousin makes, you offset it with some foolishness?' In those days, the Plume family kept a fine aviary, including a large covey of courier doves, which aided the Herald family by carrying messages throughout the realm of Roundwander. Our family also created elaborate displays for all the major celebrations, festivals, and parades in Everway, and possessed fast business relations with the Tailor Family, for whom we supplied feathers of all varieties.

"It happened one night that Rascal was feeling particularly courageous and was searching for something with which to create a particularly elaborate joke. He chose to target the Sunbrow Family, who comprised the priesthood of the Temple of Apollo in Everway. In those days, the Sunbrows were a great family, particularly pompous, dour, and secretive. Rascal felt certain that they were not all that they seemed, and he took it upon himself to humble this great family before all of Everway. Having decided this, Rascal crept off toward the Sunbrow family residence.

"Rascal, being quite athletic, shimmied up a tree beside the Sunbrows' veranda-encircled stone residence, under the cloak of darkness. He hopped over the edge of the third-story veranda, barely escaping the notice of a Watcher in the streets below. Finding a dark skin-covered window, Rascal pulled open the window and made his way silently indoors. Rascal found himself in a guest bedchamber, with a walking stick and travel bag atop the press at the foot of the bed. Any other time, Rascal would have stopped to investigate, but this was not likely to supply the information he really wanted. Instead, he slipped to the door and, hearing nothing outside, crept out into the hall.

"Passing down the rush-strewn and art-lined hallway, Rascal heard the sound of footfalls coming up the stair at the end of the hall. Reacting instantly, Rascal darted into yet another bedchamber, closing the door softly behind him. The footsteps trudged past his door and stopped at the room across the hall. A muffled exchange of voices followed, and the footsteps moved away. Peering after the footsteps as they continued down the hall, Rascal saw that they belonged to a manservant of the Sunbrows. A sudden snore from the bedchamber behind him startled Rascal then, and he froze in fright.

"Peering over his shoulder, he saw a sleeping figure in the rush mattress, and so darted silently out into the hall, the manservant still trudging away. Rascal made his way quickly to the stair and glided down, soon out of possible sight of the manservant. On the second floor, Rascal discovered a door that was ajar the merest crack, with muffled voices peering through it. Pausing at the door, he heard perhaps a dozen voices deep in strained conversation.

"He recognized the voices as those belonging to the heads of various notable families in Everway. As he listened to the bits of conversation loud enough to hear through the thin crack of the door, Rascal was astounded to hear a plot to assassinate the king emerge. Rascal, of course, was appalled to identify these voices talking thusly about his king. Among them, he heard the voices of Gold Sunbrow, Moonbeam Chalice, Serenity Scratch, River Cloud, Deft Willow, and Dirk Watcher. Even a Watcher! With the exception of Dirk, all of these people were the heads of each of their families. There was also at least one other voice he could not identify, though he struggled to make out to whom it might belong.

"At this point, Rascal overheard a chair scrape and the voice of Serenity say, 'I will have nothing to do with this plan. Naught can come of it but our stretched necks.' As a chair scraped across the floor, he heard the unknown voice growl, 'Remember your oath. The death-magic will kill you if you tell a soul our plans.' Then the ring of the librarian's footsteps approached the door swiftly, and before Rascal could do more than leap to the side, the door was thrown wide.

"You can imagine Serenity's surprise and Rascal's fright now. Rascal broke into a panicked run, down the hall and around a corner. Seeing a window, he leaped out, deftly tumbling to the ground. Picking himself up, he swiftly darted into the darkness."

"Dark thoughts and dire implications crashed through Rascal's mind as he wandered the darkened corners of the city. He passed swiftly among the shadowed buildings, mostly unconscious of his direction. He considered what this plot he had chanced upon might mean for Everway. Everway was in a period of great stress. The constant influx of ideas, customs, and ideals often put Everway in a precarious situation when the beliefs and goals of different people came into conflict. For many centuries this tension had managed to defuse itself through its conflicting directions, but in the last few years there had been an unusual confluence of ideas too complicated to be explained. What was important was the end result.

"Two loosely-aligned factions had grown within the city, who were at odds over the social and political structure of Everway. One faction was determined to maintain the status quo and the sovereignty of the King over the lives of all subjects of Roundwander. Another group clamored for the superiority of the families through the Council, although there was great debate whether the King should be done away with entirely or made the head of the Council. Each faction consisted of many different cabals who desired different methods to establish one or the other solution. Tensions between these two groups had been increasing dramatically, for unknown reasons. There had even been heated arguments and near-riots in the streets of Everway, barely controlled by the Watchers.

"But now it appeared that even the normally impartial Watchers were swaying their loyalties. Rascal did not know what that might mean but at that moment he did not want to meet a Watcher until he could figure out what to do. The plot he had overheard seemed to indicate that these people planned to assassinate the King as a rallying cry to call their fragmented faction together in an effort to enforce the superiority of the Council, and, hopefully, destroy the Kingship utterly."

Strongheart paused and surveyed the family members surrounding the fire. A few of the younger children were sniffling, the fire glistening in their wet tear-streaks. The older children watched with intent eyes, filled with wonder and shock. The older family members simply looked uncomfortable with the ideas spoken, but simultaneously appeared determined. Sipping from a chalice of water, Strongheart continued.

"As Rascal pondered the situation he found himself, his King, and his city in, he heard a voice call out behind him, 'Hey you! What are you doing there!' Looking about, Rascal noted that he was close to the gaming houses, one of the less savory regions of the city, west of the Walker's Pyramid. Spotting the source of the voice, namely a Watcher charging into the shadowed alley toward him, Rascal panicked yet again and fled.

"Rascal soon lost the Watcher among the twisting ways about the Houses of Mask. The sliver moon had crested overhead while Rascal had wandered the streets and Rascal turned northward, toward home and the Palace. The Watchers patrolling the streets made the journey unusually long. A few spotted him deep in the shadows and chased after him. He lost them with the few shadow balls he had with him. These small, elastic balls were enchanted to cast a shadow of a human being for a few seconds, each time they bounced. Rascal felt no doubt they were watching for him. They must know. "A few hours before dawn, he finally made it to the long row houses of granite that his family, the Plumes, called home. In those days the House of Plume was an open and vulnerable structure, with wide windows along the wall, as well as inward toward the central courtyards. There were wide arches open for visitors to walk directly into the courtyards, and trellises allowed Rascal to climb to the second-story apartments and broodhouses. He stole his way under the darkness of the setting sliver-moon and the jewels of heaven, to his sister Sable's window.

"He tapped gently at the window skin, whispering, 'Sable! I need your help!' just as he had so many times in the past. Only this time it was more urgent than ever before. His pranks had never uncovered something this dangerous to his King and Rascal's own family, once the outcry began. He was worried with fear. Almost instantly, Sable's dark eyes appeared at the window, her eyes flooded with relief.

"'Oh, Rascal, what have you done?!' she cried softly. The clink of boots echoed up from below, and a glow of a beacon lantern flashed over the rooftop. Rascal ducked and gestured to his right, toward one of the broodhouses. Sable dropped the skin over the window as light played across it.

"She met Rascal moments later among the soft cooing of mother doves in their nests and the potent smell of fresh straw. When she saw Rascal she clutched him tightly and began to cry softly. 'Don't cry, sister,' he said, somewhat stunned. He had never seen Sable so upset. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

"'This!' she cried, pulling a scrollcase from beneath her clutched blanket. 'What have you been up to?! How could you think to do this to our city?! You mustn't!' She turned from him, crying bitterly.

"You see, Rascal was as confused as you are," Strongheart declared with a quirk of the mouth and eyebrow. "Rascal frowned and opened the case. A sheaf of parchment slid out of the case, wrapped around something hard and cold. It was a dagger." Gasps arose and Strongheart smiled grimly and continued, "The sheaf of papers was a map of the palace itself. This information was held confidential by the Watchers in order to protect the king, much as we hold secret the map of His Majesty's private chambers and much of the palace to this day. Atop the map was a note scribed in a fluid hand, and embossed with a purple seal. 'What does this say, Sable?' Rascal asked, since he could not read.

"She recited without turning, 'Tomorrow, at the height of the Dance of the Paper Lanterns, the King will watch the parade from his private balcony. Your hand must be true against the enemy; I cannot aid you.' Her voice cracked in anguish, 'How could you turn against our sovereign, Rascal? How could you?'

"'Hush!' he cried as he spun her around and looked deeply in her eyes. 'Don't even think such a thing! I must protect our king, not harm him!' Quickly, he explained what he had seen and heard that night. Slowly, relief flooded her face and eyes as she clutched him close and held him for a long time. 'We must make plans,' she finally said, and he nodded in agreement."

"Rascal held his breath tightly as the jingling armor of a squad of Watchers stalked down the marble hall. He dared not twitch behind the resplendent tapestry, as his trembling arms held his feet aloft behind the velvet wall hanging. He prayed the hanging beam seated in the wall would hold his weight. After the soldiers' steps faded past his position, he dropped to the floor and stole down the hallway, into a stair leading upward.

"It was almost time. The laughing, music, and festivities outside was growing louder; the Walker approached. Rascal had slipped into the palace early that morning, just as the palace was awakening. He had spent the entire day avoiding all human contact. He was sure that none knew he was present. Sable's plan required that he approach the King himself without warning. So far he was successful; he was naught but a shadow on the wall and a whisper of wind in the corridors. But now he had to hurry, as he was almost out of time. His silent shadow flew up the stairwell. He was now above the king's private chambers.

"The stair opened on an alcove and then a long hall, terminating in another intersecting hallway. Between them was his target, guarded by two Watchers. It was the purple draperied arch of the royal library. He paused in consideration, as he stared down at the intersection beyond. A large, delicate vase rested on a pedestal there. Rascal quickly calculated the angles, and ducked back suddenly when one of the bored guards glanced idly his way.

"Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his last shadow ball. He had to throw it just right. Waiting a few more seconds, he peeked around the corner to insure neither Watcher was looking his way. Then he stepped out and threw the shadow ball down the hall, arcing it over their heads. The bounce was silent in the hall, as he watched his hopes bounce along with it.

"Behind him, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. His heart raced as, at that moment, he saw his aim strike true, bouncing into the vase causing it to topple in slow motion from the pedestal, against the wall, shattering. He was already halfway to the guards, running silently, when their heads swiveled to see the falling vase and the fleeing humanoid shadow down the side corridor. He thanked heaven they reacted like true Watchers, bolting instinctually down the hall after the intruder. He slid behind their heels into the archway they had just vacated; pulling the drapery to conceal the archway alcove he now stood in. He didn't see the Watcher from the stairs round the corner moments later, nor the glance and wave backward by one of the shadow-chasing Watchers. As Rascal slid deeper into the royal library, the new Watcher took up the recently vacated post of the two other guards, not aware that the archway was supposed to be unveiled."

The children watching Strongheart let out a sharp collective sigh of relief, only then realizing they had been holding their breath. Strongheart smiled at their wide eyes and intent looks, and then continued, "Yes, Rascal was a stealthy one. He had made it to the heart of the king's residence without so much as being spotted. I bet you're wondering why Rascal had to go to the royal library. You see, the royal library was directly over the king's own apartment, and Rascal stole to the balcony of the library to see the elaborate parade underway, progressing southward down Walker's Way to the Walker's Pyramid beyond.

"As you know, the Dance of the Paper Lanterns is a fantastic parade celebrating the Walker's return to Everway with the final stone of the Pyramid. The parade had many dancers, marching musicians, and floats from every major family. Dancers with paper lanterns lined the whole evening parade, lighting everything. The floats of the Plume family were the largest and the grandest of all the floats in the parade, made as they were with the fine plumage of thousands of birds that the Plume family scrupulously saved and cleaned throughout the year. This year, the crowning piece of the Plume family was an enormous float of the Walker himself, cowled in purple robes and carrying an enormous stone block over her head, at the rear of the parade. It was so large that it reached to just below the balcony of the King's bedchamber, on the sixth floor. It was almost there right now.

"Rascal wasted no time. He flipped himself over the balcony, to his horror seeing Dirk Watcher and another guard already slipping their knives out of their cloaks. Rascal landed with a soft thud on the king's balcony, and the eyes of Dirk and his fellow guards widened in surprise. With a swift throw, Rascal buried the dagger into the eye of the first assailant guard. The king turned, his eyes flashing in anger, 'What is the meaning of this!' he charged, as Dirk raced to plant the dagger in His Majesty's exposed back. Rascal swept His Royal Majesty roughly aside with one arm, clamping on Dirk's wrist with the other.

"They thrashed in struggle as the third Watcher gaped, dumbfounded. Screams of shock and horror arose from the crowd below as their eyes sought their king, just now rising behind the struggling bodies. Their violent thrashings carried Rascal and Dirk to the rail, Rascal underneath, Dirk suddenly intent on plunging the dagger into Rascal instead. Unable to stop himself, Rascal plummeted over the brink, but he made sure he carried Dirk with him. Screams pierced the air, as Rascal brought up both feet as he fell, planted them on Dirk's shoulders and leapt away at the last possible moment. Dirk landed with a sickening crunch on the pavement of Walker's Way, but Rascal managed to alter his fall to crash and disappear into the feathered foot of the float of the Walker.

"Everyone stared in amazement at the sudden remains of Dirk's body, coursing blood down Walker's Way. Except for two sets of eyes. One belonged to the third guard of the king, who had pulled his own knife and was rushing to plummet it into the back of the unknowing king. At that moment, the Walker float reached the balcony of the king, and the top of the upraised stone of the Walker burst open with forms of many men.

"Sable was the first to rise, however, lifting her bow with a falcon's war cry to bury three swift arrows in the assassin's throat. He collapsed instantly, and the men in the Walker's stone threw grapples to swing across to the king's balcony, hooked upon the library balcony above. They quickly moved to surround him with their bodies. Silver feather earrings dangled in their ears, as they did in Sable's own, who joined them.

"'We're here to protect you, Your Majesty,' she said, kneeling before her king. 'There was a plan on your life. I'm glad we made it in time.'

"He cleared his throat. 'Perhaps we should retire then to someplace safer, Miss...."

"'Sable Plume, Your Majesty's Servant,' she replied, rising. 'Your Majesty is wise. Let us retire.'"

"'Sable!' a man peering over the balcony called. 'Rascal made it! He's okay!'"

"'Get him up here. Quickly,' she ordered, several of her kinsmen already lowering a grapple rope over the side of the balcony to haul him up. She turned back to her King and said as they retreated within the king's bedchamber, 'I pray Your Majesty's indulgence in this matter. My kinsmen,' she motioned to the guards ringing him, 'have already taken the perpetrators of this scheme into hand. I pray that Your Majesty recognize that we could not trust this task to the Watchers.' He murmured acknowledgement. She lifted her head proudly, 'Know that the Plume Family is loyal to Your Royal Majesty. Without the mightiest efforts by all my kinsmen, Roundwander and fair Everway would be without a king this day.'"

Strongheart's voice trembled with passion, and the eyes of the audience watered with closed throats. One little girl leaped into Strongheart's muscular arms. "What happened to them, Granmamma?" she inquired of the old warrior woman.

Strongheart surveyed her charges with tight pride. "They were honored by His Royal Majesty. He granted them the boon of allowing them to become his protectors and warriors, night and day. Sable Plume became the leader of the King's Gauntlet, the personal guard of the king. Rascal Plume was the first Plume to be awarded the Plume of Honor for his service to His Majesty. He became the leader of the Plume Chosen, the secret whisper warriors of the king who covertly protect His Majesty's interests throughout Roundwander and the spheres. That day Rascal changed his name to Falcon Plume, our first hero among many in His Royal Majesty's service."

How Rascal Became Falcon copyright © 2000 Jesse McGatha, used with permission.