Randy spent the hours leading up to dinner pacing his room like a caged animal. Questions and anxieties swirled in his mind, refusing to settle. The faded wallpaper, patterned with what might once have been cheerful flowers, now twisted into grotesque shapes in the dim light, mocking his unease. He ran a paw over the tarnished silver frame of a broken mirror, touched the moth-eaten velvet of a half-rotted curtain, peered into a chipped porcelain vase — ghosts of a more opulent past. The room gave him the creeps.
Just as the first rays of dawn pierced the grimy city skyline, casting long, ominous shadows, a sharp knock echoed at the door. Two Invincibles stood waiting, their faces as grim and unreadable as stone.
“Mr. Capo requests your presence at dinner,” one of them said, his voice flat and devoid of any emotion.
Randy followed them through the palace’s echoing corridors. Down a grand staircase they went, its once-polished banister now rough and splintered, then into what looked like it had once been a service pantry. It had been repurposed, rather bizarrely, into Capo’s private dining area. Crude statues of Capo himself stood on either side of his throne, their mouths encrusted with gold, grinning eerily from the shadows. Behind the head of the table hung a large, rather unsettling painting of Capo’s face, caught mid-smile, his golden teeth gleaming unnaturally.
A large chessboard, raised on blocks, served as the central table. Champagne corks were arranged as stools for the mice, water bottle caps for the rats. The Invincibles directed Randy to a seat opposite Capo’s own chair — a rather grand throne fashioned from a human, velvet-lined pearl box, placing Capo noticeably higher than his guests. Dinner, Randy realised, was served at the crack of dawn, catering to the nocturnal lives of the city’s rodent inhabitants.
More Invincibles, their uniforms adorned with gold thread, stood stiffly in each corner of the room. Karniga stood ramrod straight beside Capo’s chair. Around the table sat twelve rats and three mice, all dressed in sumptuous, if slightly ragged, attire. Each wore a small golden trident pin. Randy, wearing the dirty jumper his mum had knitted, felt decidedly underdressed.
He’d been seated as far from Capo as possible, which suited him fine. The other guests regarded him with barely concealed spite, all except for the lady rat sitting beside him. She offered him a small, kind smile.
After a few moments of expectant silence, several mouse servants scurried in, bearing milk bottle caps covered with makeshift lids. They placed one before each guest, along with tiny plastic jars of wine. The room fell utterly silent again, every eye on Capo, waiting for the signal to eat.
“We thank the Golden Rule for this glorious meal,” he finally said, and Karniga knocked the floor with his golden trident three times for everyone to start eating.
Everyone lifted the cover from their plates except for Randy, who was still gauging manners for fear of being rude. What a delight he felt when he saw that everyone had sweets on their plates; exotic fruits and candy galore he had never seen, the scent of rich sweetness wafted through the room. Randy couldn’t wait any longer now, he lifted the lid of his plate and he found... cheese.
A single, pale wedge of familiar, boring cheese. Randy stared at it. Randy, who loved candy, who had left a town of cheese, who had vowed never to eat cheese again… had cheese to eat. Bad luck, thought Randy. City punishment? Who knows?
“Capo must hold you in high regard,” said the lady-rat sitting next to him. She had an amiable expression. Then she whispered, “Capo’s Golden Rule says that we must eat whatever he eats at his table, unless you are a guest of honour, then you get to pick whatever you want.”
Randy nodded and smiled feebly. He absolutely did not pick cheese and wanted to say he would trade it for her plate, but he felt it would be rude. He then noticed Capo looking at him and smiling. Again, that creepy golden smile. Against the background of his painting and the two statues, it looked almost comical.
“What is your name?” asked Randy to the rat next to him.
“Oh, excuse me, how rude of me. I am Lucy, the Minister of Education, and yourself, young mouse?”
“I am Randy.”
‘Minister of Cheese Haters,’ he thought.
“Gentlerats and Gentlemice!” shouted Capo, breaking the many conversations that had erupted among the guests. His voice reverberated in the room. “Did you hear that echo?”
“Yes,” they asserted loudly and the sound ping-ponged across the walls again.
“Why? May I ask, is the home of the Golden Rule so devoid of wealth that it should have an echo?”
The rodents stared at him, none answering.
“Why!” he continued raising his voice. “Have I not given you enough? Are we not grateful for our Glorious Golden Rule?”
The room stood silent, except for the fading echo.
“Give me answers!” shouted Capo, the echo again bouncing. “Perhaps Otto, our Minister of Extractions, can explain to me why we aren't seeing enough wealth extracted from humans recently?”
A short, shady looking mouse stood up. “Sir, we are doing all we can at the moment, but things are getting tougher as humans wise up to your tactics. Many of us die in traps, poison and glue. Maybe you would like to refer to Filemon, Minister of Traps and Poisons to fix this issue.”
Filemon, another mouse, stood up. He had two scars on his face, his tail was missing and he had no hair on much of his belly. His eye was twitching with barely concealed rage. “How dare you blame me for your incompetence? You know how many of ours die in comparison to yours? We keep a long list of places that are dangerous, if only your stupid rodents bothered to read them.”
“If only my rodents knew how to read,” answered Otto, glancing at Lucy.
“Then it's Lucy’s problem, Minister of Education,” boomed Capo.
Lucy fidgeted. She had a diffident air about her. She glanced and smiled nervously at Randy as if looking for support and then stood up. “Your Excellency, Capo, most rodents are quite hungry nowadays, it is hard to teach hungry rodents, only a few turn up for classes and when they do, they can only think of food. If, for instance, I am trying to teach them how to write ‘apple’, they will only think of eating an apple, instead of looking at the letters.”
“I need a solution,” Capo demanded. “Not excuses.”
“I would suggest as an interim solution,” continued Lucy, “that we add symbols to the places with traps. That way there is no need to learn how to read.”
“That’s ridiculous,” said Otto. “We need to know where to go before we depart, we can’t just go around looking for signs written on walls.”
“And it is a lot of work, going over the list marking places, what if the signs get erased, or we don’t see them?” asserted Filemon.
“I think the signs idea is alright, I want to put it to the test,” said Capo. “And I want the issue solved as soon as possible. Otherwise we will have to increase the percentage of tributes.”
Daniel, The Minister of Tributes stood up and coughed softly, enough to draw attention from Capo. “Excuse me, sir, but there is much unrest in town regarding tributes, rodents complain that they can only pay with extracted goods, some even dared to say that the Golden Rule is not working for them.”
There was silence, except for Capo’s breath, which came out like steam from a pressure cooker filled with rage.
“I think I may have a solution to this problem, if I may?” said Lucy tacitly.
“Go ahead,” said Capo abruptly, almost dismissively.
“Your Excellency, it seems to me that the best solution at this point,” continued Lucy tentatively, “would be to revert to old ways and let your subjects look for food in garbage cans. I know this does not live up to the glory of the Golden Rule, but it would only be a temporary measure until we can get our bearings with better extraction procedures.”
Capo looked at Lucy with fire in his eyes, a fire that instead of burning froze her soul; Lucy went pale. Everyone in the room knew she had crossed a line she shouldn’t have crossed.
“Do you think that we are below humans? Do you think that I and my state are under their yoke? That I am going to allow my rodents to eat their filth? Slaves to eat their trash like a dog would? I am not a servant to humans, humans serve me!”
“But — when we steal from humans, you are relying on them just the same.”
“Steal?” thundered Capo, the echo bouncing around the room, making him even more angry. “You dare to say steal? Grabbing what’s rightfully ours is not stealing, it’s extracting! Remember we were here in this world before them, they came and took our land, so THEY — MUST — PAY!”
Lucy waited a few seconds for the last three words to stop bouncing around the room before continuing.
“Your Excellency, I am just saying we live in foundations made by humans, we rely on them whether we like it or not. This is a time of need and I am just offering an interim solution. Once more mice learn how to read we could even grow our own food and make our things from discarded materials. We won’t even need to rely on humans at all.”
“Oh so reading is going to solve all our problems. Because you are the only one here who is smart enough to read? Well, I can read too, and I say that humans are our slaves, whether they want it or not, make them pay rent for the land they stole.”
The whole room nodded emphatically agreeing with Capo, but Lucy looked increasingly aggravated.
“Mr Capo,” she continued, Randy noticed her body shaking with restrained fear, or perhaps anger. “Forgive me if I am too liberal speaking my mind. You are right about us being here first, but we are deluded to think that they are our slaves. The truth is that humans are bigger, smarter and more organised than we are. We can’t defeat them in wits or in force, so a long-term extraction strategy is doomed to fail, many more will die and starve if we follow this path.”
Capo’s fury was almost palpable, the silence in the room was absolute. Randy completely agreed with Lucy’s arguments, but wouldn’t even dare to take sides at this moment.
“You traitor, you filthy traitor, you dare to question The Golden Rule? You miserable ungrateful rat, daring to imply that I, I! The Glorious Capo is causing this misery? Karniga, take this traitor away to a cell immediately. Deal with her accordingly.”
Karniga and two other guards had already set forth to take her away. Lucy looked at Randy.
“Well, Randy, it was nice to briefly meet you,” she said with a grim smile.
It chilled Randy's spine. The rats at the table looked somber, but no one said a thing or raised any objections.
Capo remained silent for a few seconds, scanning the room for further dissent. Then, almost instantly, his face turned into a broad golden smile.
“So, now that we have cleared the room of stupid proposals, I want to present to you my best idea yet. It will ensure that the rodents in this city learn to appreciate the Golden Rule.”
He motioned to the side of his chair and pulled a cable vigorously. A bell sounded faintly in another corner of the palace. After a few seconds' wait, a ginger cat bounced inside the room, circling the table and eyeing everyone with greedy eyes. The rodents stood frozen in fear. Randy was startled, but not afraid. The Invincibles were here after all, and he had seen them boss a cat around easily.
“Relax, my good rats and mice, relax,” he said, approaching the purring cat. “This is Anathema, and she is a good friend of ours. She and her friends are going to make sure the rodents in this city understand why The Golden Rule is important.”
Anathema winked at the group and then sat down placidly in front of them.
“What is the plan?” asked Otto, regaining his composure.
“For twelve days, I am giving Anathema free rein to do as she pleases in the city. Then, on the thirteenth day, the Invincibles will return and restore order.”
“It's truly going to be a fun fortnight,” said Anathema with a sly smile.
Randy saw repulsion in the faces of some of the rats around him but he was the most disgusted of them all. This was so evil, it was difficult to justify.
“Why do this? Why order this cat to kill your own rodents?” Randy blurted out.
“My dear friend Randy,” said Capo with a wicked golden smile. “I am not ordering Anathema to do anything, I've just promised that I wouldn't hinder her for twelve days, that's all. My rodents need to appreciate what life was like before the Golden Rule.”
“But then... then... you are not doing your duty.”
“It is the rodents in this city who aren’t doing their duty. They have forgotten what it means to be under the Golden Rule’s umbrella, they have grown entitled and spoiled. This is just to help them appreciate me again.”
It was a clever tactic, but it felt too evil to justify. Still, given recent events, Randy thought it wise to remain silent.
“Anathema,” Capo said. “Remember the faces of all the rodents in this room; they and their families shall remain untouched by your horde.”
“Certainly,” said Anathema with an insidious smile and she hopped out of the room, giddy with excitement.
“What’s wrong, Randy?” Capo looked at him intently, noticing he hadn't touched his food. He smiled. “Cheese is not to your liking?”
“I think you know full well why I am not a fan of cheese,” Randy said as it dawned on him who Capo really was.
Then a mouse jester entered the room, dressed in garish clothing, playing a small lyre and singing:
"An oracle spoke in olden days,
A Golden Mouse in his wise ways,
Would rise in might, and break the chain,
And free our town from endless pain.
From scraps and waste, our lives he'd freed,
To claim this land, from human greed"
Everyone applauded and cheered, then the jester headed towards Randy and continued:
"And so today, we host a guest,
Who’s come, it seems, to start a quest!
Perhaps for good?
Perhaps for food?
Let the great judge now preside,
Or let the Golden Teeth decide.
For this strange mouse rejects all cheese,
Though built to gnaw with strength and ease."
The table laughed, except for Randy, who smiled tacitly and flushed.
“You are related to Will, aren’t you? Randy Crackers, is it?” Capo said.
“And you are…”
“Servants!” Capo interrupted Randy. “Bring Randy marshmallows, chocolate and roasted sweet nuts so he may eat what he wants the most.”
The mice servants brought the candy promptly and Randy ate with relish while conversations broke in different parts of the table. Then after a little while…
“Now if you'll excuse me. Randy and I must discuss an important matter alone. You will be called back in for dessert later.”
Everyone left except for Karniga; he stood by the door, but Capo signalled him to leave. Karniga obliged, giving Randy one last wary look.
Capo reclined in his chair and beckoned Randy to come sit closer to where he was. Randy had to concentrate hard not to stare at those Golden Teeth. He was curious as to whether they were fake or not but he didn’t dare to ask.
“I am sure you could appreciate today in this room that trust is getting harder to come by each passing day,” Capo said. “I want to trust you, Randy — I think you have the potential to be a really special mouse, just like Will was once.”
Did he know uncle was dead? Impossible. So why is he saying that Will could be trusted before but not now? Something told him the wise thing would be not to say anything.
“Make me happy and one day perhaps you can be my right hand mouse, and with time, perhaps the Golden Rule will pass on to you if your loyalty to me is complete.”
Randy basked on this idea for a while and he couldn’t help smiling. Even if Capo was not a good mouse, he could change everything once he gained power, he could do all the goodness that Capo failed to do. He could indeed turn the city into the perfect place that Will always wanted.
“Why do you think you can trust me? I am not special,” though deep inside Randy thought he was, even if all the events seemed to deny that notion.
“You and I are from the same town. We were both forced-fed on cheese, we both left as adventurers in The Wild — we understand each other.”
“I knew it, you are Tiny Hops, aren’t you?”
Capo laughed, then his expression turned somber. “Do not call me that in front of anyone, I am now Capo, for you, for them, for everyone, Tiny is dead. Don't forget that or I will be furious. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
“No, not particularly,” replied Randy with a sinking feeling, it was strange how Capo could go from a friendly face to a murderous look in a heartbeat.
Randy was so excited to finally meet Tiny, that he almost forgot all previous events at dinner.
“How did you manage to defeat Randal?” Randy said with deep admiration.
“Whenever I want something, nothing stands in my way. Remember this, Randy. If you don't antagonise me, all my glory will be yours as well.”
“If I don’t antagonise you? So I am not free then?” Randy said tentatively with a coy smile.
“Mine is a free state, you are free to do anything that the Golden Rule decrees.” Capo turned around to take a good look at one of his statues in the room. “You see, Randy, Karnel and Will eventually turned against me and everything we built together was almost destroyed. Don’t make the same mistake. Don’t bring me more pain. Don’t end up like Will.”
Randy’s feelings changed from admiration to fear. What does he think that happened to Will? He did not dare to ask; he felt asking about Karnel would perhaps be less dangerous.
“Why do you hold such a grudge against Karnel, what has he done that's so bad?” Randy asked.
“A long time ago this town was ruled by Randal, the enslaver of mice. Karnel was Randal’s right hand, his general. At that time a prophecy said that a mouse with Golden Teeth would come to free the city from tyranny, Randal disregarded this as ludicrous but Karnel the traitor was unhappy with his rule and embraced it. So when I showed up with my Golden Teeth, I quickly gained the support of most rodents and Karnel sided with them. But alas, Karnel is a traitor, and just like birds fly, traitors betray. Soon, he tried to plot against me, the legendary mouse of Golden Teeth who came to save the city.”
Randy was overwhelmed with doubt after this story, Karnel seemed like a nice rat so he couldn't believe he was so bad, and Capo… well… he had freed the town from the awful Randal, that much was true. So who should he believe?
“You are very pensive, Randy,” said Capo. “Don't brood over this, believe in my words, believe in the Golden Rule.”
“I will help you get lots of candy, but please don't hurt Karnel. I believe there is still good in him," Randy said, who thought it was best to be on Capo’s good side, at least for now.
“So noble, Randy. I hope we will work well together. Now, shall we enjoy dessert?”
Capo called the rest of guests back in the hall, leading them were a few sultry young she-mice and some rat musicians with tiny Spanish guitars and drums. The she-mice leapt on the table and began to dance. Randy's attention was fixed on one who reminded him of Paprika, but with a charm, seductive expression and lack of innocence that Paprika did not have. The rest of the rodents cheered and drank beer and wine. Randy decided to give them a miss after trying the first sip. He was amused to see others losing their good sense as they drank on, especially Capo. The only one who seemed unmoved by all of this was Karniga, who stood firm and didn't drink a drop or look at the she-mice.
“I need to go to sleep,” Randy said, who was beginning to feel guilty that he was here enjoying a party while Karnel was in jail.
“I can understand that,” Capo said, laughing and patting him on the back. “You are tired and you have a big day tomorrow. Carlotta!” he beckoned the she-mice Randy had been eyeing. “Do you want to accompany Randy to his quarters?”
Carlotta looked at Randy and smiled, but he saw something in her that scared him. It was not that she seemed dangerous; it was just something Randy felt he wasn't ready to confront, and he turned red at the thought.
“I think it’s best if I go on my own,” Randy said coyly.
Carlotta's smile faded and for a second Randy thought he saw a tad of contempt in her expression before she retired back to the table.
“What a good boy you are, Randy,” laughed Capo, and he beckoned The Invincibles to accompany him back to his quarters.
Randy left with a tight knot in his stomach. He had so many questions for Karnel.