was frightened that the Prince might recognize me, but I was
dressed scruffily enough and Bel had nearly shaved my head again. Tory hugged
me after my hair had been whacked off for the second time.
"What can these do for me?" The Prince sounded less
than hopeful as he looked the three of us over.
"This one holds power greater than mine," Bel nodded
toward Ry. "These two can provide shields than no wizard can crack." He
pointed toward Tory and me. "If you stand with them, your protection will
be assured."
"They can protect me in this way?" The Prince was
intrigued and rose from his seat. Rich robes rustled about the Prince Royal of
Mandil as he studied Tory and me thoughtfully, a finger tapping his lips as he
considered us. I was grateful that none of his wizard guards were with him—the
High Commander had called the Prince's wizards away to investigate an attack on
the military station. All of them were loyal to the High Commander, of course,
and left when the High Commander asked.
We'd created the diversion the High Commander was
investigating, blowing out a section of the western wall surrounding the
military facility. Ry had used just enough power to make the rogue wizards
believe their current opposition was behind the attack—a few of the
lesser-talented wizards still opposed the High Commander and his cronies. The
High Commander had fooled the citizens, but other wizards were not so easily
taken in.
"The boy will not be so easily noticed by the
others," the Prince had stopped pacing and was now eyeing me carefully. I
prayed he wouldn't see me as female.
"No, my Prince. He is quite useful, too. He can run
errands and carry messages for you—he has experience in this area, along with
toting sums. I understand he also has good cooking skills." Bel flashed a
smile in my direction. I wanted to kick his shins.
"So, a late-night meal might be had, should one be
required?" The Prince sat down, still keeping his eyes on me.
"The taller one can serve as a bodyguard to me and the
others," Bel bowed slightly. "The wizard we will keep among us—he
will stand in for Pell, who needs to go home to his wife. She is about to birth
her first any day."
"Will the disguises hold?"
"Certainly, my Prince."
"Then it will be so. Boy, come. You will carry messages
for me this afternoon." The Prince snapped his fingers at me. I went.
* * *
"Where did that come from?" There was no
mistaking the contempt in his voice as the rogue wizard looked me over. The
Prince's wizards had returned after checking the hole blown in the wall. At
least one wizard was instructed to stay with the Prince at all times, unless
the High Commander pulled him away. It was a ruse, to make the Prince believe
he was being guarded. Neither the Prince nor I were fooled.
"I needed a boy to run messages and cook for me late at
night when I am hungry," the Prince snapped. "It is such a chore to
have my cook awakened when it is late."
"That is certainly true," the wizard agreed.
"I can only imagine that he will cook for my wizards as
well." The Prince examined his fingernails. "Boy, send for my valet."
He made a bored, shooing motion with his hands. If he were acting, he deserved
an award, I think.
"Yes, my Prince." I bowed low, as required of one
with little or no status.
"Scurry," the Prince waved a finger. I scurried.
* * *
"As required, my Prince." I'd brought the valet, who
seemed less than enthusiastic.
"My nails need work, Alvis," the Prince held out a
hand.
"I will see to it," Alvis settled next to the Prince,
lifted a kit from a deep pocket inside his black robes and set to work. Alvis
was used to this sort of thing, it appeared.
"If you do not need me," the wizard bowed slightly
to the Prince Royal.
"No," the Prince sighed. "Feel free to amuse
yourself." The wizard, dressed just as richly as the Prince, left the room
quickly.
"Alvis, this one can shield us," the Prince grabbed
my arm with his free hand and dragged me to his side. "How large is
dressed scruffily enough and Bel had nearly shaved my head again. Tory hugged
me after my hair had been whacked off for the second time.
"What can these do for me?" The Prince sounded less
than hopeful as he looked the three of us over.
"This one holds power greater than mine," Bel nodded
toward Ry. "These two can provide shields than no wizard can crack." He
pointed toward Tory and me. "If you stand with them, your protection will
be assured."
"They can protect me in this way?" The Prince was
intrigued and rose from his seat. Rich robes rustled about the Prince Royal of
Mandil as he studied Tory and me thoughtfully, a finger tapping his lips as he
considered us. I was grateful that none of his wizard guards were with him—the
High Commander had called the Prince's wizards away to investigate an attack on
the military station. All of them were loyal to the High Commander, of course,
and left when the High Commander asked.
We'd created the diversion the High Commander was
investigating, blowing out a section of the western wall surrounding the
military facility. Ry had used just enough power to make the rogue wizards
believe their current opposition was behind the attack—a few of the
lesser-talented wizards still opposed the High Commander and his cronies. The
High Commander had fooled the citizens, but other wizards were not so easily
taken in.
"The boy will not be so easily noticed by the
others," the Prince had stopped pacing and was now eyeing me carefully. I
prayed he wouldn't see me as female.
"No, my Prince. He is quite useful, too. He can run
errands and carry messages for you—he has experience in this area, along with
toting sums. I understand he also has good cooking skills." Bel flashed a
smile in my direction. I wanted to kick his shins.
"So, a late-night meal might be had, should one be
required?" The Prince sat down, still keeping his eyes on me.
"The taller one can serve as a bodyguard to me and the
others," Bel bowed slightly. "The wizard we will keep among us—he
will stand in for Pell, who needs to go home to his wife. She is about to birth
her first any day."
"Will the disguises hold?"
"Certainly, my Prince."
"Then it will be so. Boy, come. You will carry messages
for me this afternoon." The Prince snapped his fingers at me. I went.
* * *
"Where did that come from?" There was no
mistaking the contempt in his voice as the rogue wizard looked me over. The
Prince's wizards had returned after checking the hole blown in the wall. At
least one wizard was instructed to stay with the Prince at all times, unless
the High Commander pulled him away. It was a ruse, to make the Prince believe
he was being guarded. Neither the Prince nor I were fooled.
"I needed a boy to run messages and cook for me late at
night when I am hungry," the Prince snapped. "It is such a chore to
have my cook awakened when it is late."
"That is certainly true," the wizard agreed.
"I can only imagine that he will cook for my wizards as
well." The Prince examined his fingernails. "Boy, send for my valet."
He made a bored, shooing motion with his hands. If he were acting, he deserved
an award, I think.
"Yes, my Prince." I bowed low, as required of one
with little or no status.
"Scurry," the Prince waved a finger. I scurried.
* * *
"As required, my Prince." I'd brought the valet, who
seemed less than enthusiastic.
"My nails need work, Alvis," the Prince held out a
hand.
"I will see to it," Alvis settled next to the Prince,
lifted a kit from a deep pocket inside his black robes and set to work. Alvis
was used to this sort of thing, it appeared.
"If you do not need me," the wizard bowed slightly
to the Prince Royal.
"No," the Prince sighed. "Feel free to amuse
yourself." The wizard, dressed just as richly as the Prince, left the room
quickly.
"Alvis, this one can shield us," the Prince grabbed
my arm with his free hand and dragged me to his side. "How large is
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