Wood Nymph and the Cranky Saint- Wizard of Yurt - 2 by C. Dale Brittain, Brittain Page B

school to come help me with ‘every little problem.’ He did ask to be remembered to you and said you’d probably see him later this summer.” Every year or so, one of the teachers would visit the young wizards at their posts throughout the western kingdoms. With luck, I would be able to present Zahl-fast, when he arrived, with a tidy solution to the problem of the great horned rabbits.
    “You know,” Evrard continued, “I’ve always rather liked old Zahlfast, but after what happened to me in the transformations practical, I didnt dare meet his eye for the rest of the semester.” In spite of being highly curious about what had happened to him, I didn’t dare ask for fear he’d alude to the frogs again and in more detail. “Therefore, I was shocked when he caled me in to tel me he had a post for me—I’d been afraid he was going to tel me the school had decided to take my diploma back!”
    We both laughed. “But I did pay more attention in my classes this last year,” continued Evrard. “Did you know, Elerius came back to teach a course?”
    “Elerius? You mean they’ve put him on the faculty already?” Elerius, three years ahead of me, was generaly rumored to have been the best student the school had ever had.
    “No, no, he’s stil Royal Wizard in that big kingdom way off at the base of the eastern mountains. He just taught the one course. It was very interesting, some of the old-fashioned magic of earth and stone the school doesn’t teach any more. He said he’d learned it from an old magic-worker who lived high up in the mountains and who taught it to Elerius just before he died.” I was jealous at once. I had thought I was rather unusual in learning herbal magic from my predecessor at Yurt, and here Elerius had not only learned some of the old magic, but was actualy being invited to teach it.
    But I couldn’t say that to Evrard. “So have you just arrived here in Yurt?” I asked.
    “No, I’ve been here for two weeks.”
    I turned to the duchess, who was folowing our conversation with her hands on her hips and a pleased expression on her face. “Why didn’t you tel me, my lady?”

    “I scarcely needed permission from the Royal Wizard to hire my own wizard, did I?” she saiu with a laugh. “Besides, I wanted to wait until after King Haimeric had gotten safely off on his trip before I distracted the royal court with anything else. So, how do you like my wizard? As someone who’s been in Yurt longer, do you have any recommendations? Are there certain books I should buy? Should I get in some crucibles and pestles and special herbs?”
    “Ask Evrard himself what he needs,” I said, but the smile froze on my lips. This likeable young wizard had been in the kingdom for two weeks. Could he be responsible for the great horned rabbits?
    I did a little, very rapid, magic probing, which I hoped he wouldn’t notice, and felt my shoulders relax. If he had made the rabbits, it was certainly not with supernatural aid. I could understand a school-trained wizard, even one I had barely met, better than anyone else, and there was nothing about Evrard which suggested a plunge into black magic.
    At this point, dinner was announced. As we moved toward the table, I noticed the chaplain standing by himself. I had almost forgotten him.
    “Joachim,” I said, “let me introduce you to Evrard, the duchess’ new wizard.” His dark eyes had been distant, but at once they came back into focus. “Evrard, this is my very good friend, the Royal Chap-Iain of Yurt.”
    “I am glad to meet you,” said Joachim gravely, shaking Evrard’s hand.
    The young wizard winced; Joachim’s grip was strong. “I’m happy to meet you, too,” he said.
    Joachim smiled then, which he had not done when he first met me. “I think Daimbert wil be pleased to have another young wizard in the kingdom.’
    At dinner, the count asked us about our trip to the high plateau. I merely mentioned the Holy Grove, because I wasn’t sure now