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magician on Klah。〃
〃No argument there；〃 Aahz observed dryly。 〃But it's not quite that easy。 To hold the job takes next to no effort at all。 Getting the job can be an uphill struggle。〃
〃Oh！〃 h said； mollified。
〃Now to get the job； you'll have to impress the king and probably his advisors；〃 Aahz continued。 〃You'll have to impress them with you； not with your abilities。〃
〃How's that again？〃 I frowned。
〃Look； kid。 Like I said； a court magician is window dressing； a showpiece。 They'll be looking for someone they want to have hanging around their court； someone who is impressive whether or not he ever does anything。 You'll have to exude confidence。 Most important； you'll have to look like a magician 。 。 。 or at least； what they think a magician looks like。 If you can dress like a magician； talk like a magician； and act like a magician； maybe no one will notice you don't have the abilities of a magician。〃
〃Thanks； Aahz；〃 I grimaced。 〃You're really doing wonders towards building my confidence。〃
〃Now don't sulk；〃 Aahz admonished。 〃You know how to levitate reasonably large objects； you can fly after a fashion； and you've got the disguise spell down pat。 You're doing pretty well for a rank novice； but don't kid yourself into believing you're anywhere near full magician's status：〃
He was right； of course； but I was loath to admit it。
〃If I'm such a bumbling inpetent；〃 I said stiffly； 〃why are we on our way to establish me as a court magician？〃
Aahz bared his teeth at me in irritation。
〃You aren't listening； kid；〃 he snarled。 〃Holding the job once you've got it will be a breeze。 You can handle that now。 The tricky part will be getting you hired。 Fortunately； with a few minor modifications and a little coaching； I think we can get you ready for polite society。〃
〃Modifications such as what？〃 I asked； curious despite myself。
Aahz made a big show of surveying me from head to foot。
〃For a start；〃 he said； 〃there's the way you dress。〃
〃What's wrong with the way I dress？〃 I countered defensively。
〃Nothing at all；〃 he replied innocently。 〃That is； if you want people to see you as a bumpkin peasant with dung on his boots。 Of course； if you want to be a court magician； well； that's another story。 No respectable magician would be caught dead in an outfit like that。〃
〃But I am a respectable magician！〃 I argued。
〃Really？ Respected by who？〃
He had me there； so I lapsed into silence。
〃That's specifically the reason I had the foresight to bring along a few items from the inn；〃 Aahz continued； indicating Buttercup's burdens with a grand sweep of his hand。
〃And here I thought you were just looting the place；〃 I said dryly。
〃Watch your mouth； kid；〃 he warned。 〃This is all for your benefit。〃
〃Really？ You aren't expecting anything at all out of this deal？〃
My sarcasm； as usual； was lost on him。
〃Oh； I'll be around；〃 he acknowledged。 〃Don't worry about that。 Publicly； I'll be your apprentice。〃
〃My apprentice？〃
This job was suddenly sounding much better。
〃Publicly！〃 Aahz repeated hastily。 〃Privately； you'll continue your lessons as normal。 Remember that before you start getting frisky with your ‘apprentice。' 〃
〃Of course； Aahz；〃 I assured him。 〃Now； what was it you we're saying about changing the way I dress？〃
He shot me a sidelong glance； apparently suspicious of my sudden enthusiasm。
〃Not that there's anything wrong with me the way I am；〃 I added with a theatrical scowl。
That seemed to ease his doubts。
〃Everything's wrong with the way you dress；〃 he growled。 〃We're lucky those two Imps left most of their wardrobe behind when we sent 'em packing along with Isstvan。〃
〃Higgens and Brockhurst？〃
〃Yeah； those two；〃 Aahz grinned evilly at the memory。 〃I'll say one thing for Imps。 They may be inferior to Deveels as merchants； but they are snappy dressers。〃
〃I find it hard to believe that all that stuff you bundled along is wardrobe；〃 I observed skeptically。
〃Of course it isn't；〃 my mentor moaned。 〃It's special effects gear。〃
〃Special effects？〃
〃Don't you remember anything； kid？〃 Aahz scowled。 〃I told you all this when we first met。 However easy magik is； you can't let it look easy。 You need a few hand props； a line of patter 。 。 。 you know； like Garkin had。〃
Garkin's hut； where I had first been introduced to magik； had been full of candles； vials of strange powders； dusty books 。 。 。 now there was a magician's lair！ Of course； I had since discovered most of what he had was unnecessary for the actual working of magik itself。
I was beginning to see what Aahz meant when he said I'd have to learn to put on a show：
〃We've got a lot of stuff we can work into your presentation；〃 Aahz continued。 〃Isstvan left a lot of his junk behind when he left。 Oh； and you might find some familiar items when we unload。 I think the Imps helped themselves to some of Garkin's equipment and brought it back to the inn with them。〃
〃Really？〃 I said； genuinely interested。 〃Did they get Garkin's brazier？〃
〃Brazier？〃 My mentor frowned。
〃You remember；〃 I prompted。 〃You used it to drink wine out of when you first arrived。〃
〃That's right！ Yeah； I think I saw it in there。 Why？〃
〃No special reason；〃 I replied innocently。 〃It was always a favorite of mine； that's all。〃
From watching Garkin back in my early apprentice days； I knew there were secrets to that brazier I was dying to learn。 I also knew that； if possible； I wanted to save it as a surprise for Aahz。
〃We're going to have to do something about your physical appearance； too；〃 Aahz continued thoughtfully。
〃What's…〃
〃You're too young！〃 he answered； anticipating my question。 〃Nobody hires a young magician。 They want one who's been around for a while。 If we…〃
He broke off suddenly and craned his neck to look around。
〃Kid；〃 he said carefully； studying the sky。 〃Your dragon's gone again。〃
I did a fast scan。 He was right。
〃Gleep！〃 I called。 〃Here； fella！ 〃
The dragon's head appeared from the depths of a bush behind us。 There was something slimy with legs dangling from his mouth； but before I could manage an exact identification； my pet swallowed and the whatzit disappeared。
〃Gleep！〃 he said proudly； licking his lips with his long forked tongue。
〃Stupid dragon；〃 Aahz muttered darkly。
〃He's cheap to feed；〃 I countered； playing on what I knew to be Aahz's tight…fisted nature。
As we waited for the dragon to catch up； I had time to reflect that for once I felt no moral or ethical qualms about taking part in one of Aahz's schemes。 If the unsuspecting Rodrick the Fifth was taken in by our charade and hired us； I was confident the king would be getting more than he bargained for。
Chapter Four
〃If the proper preparations have been made and the necessary precautions taken； any staged event is guaranteed success。〃
ETHELRED THE UNREADY
The candle lit at the barest flick from my mind。
Delighted； I snuffed it and tried again。
A sidelong glance； a fleeting concentration of my will； and the smoldering wick burst into flame again。
I snuffed the flame and sat smiling at the familiar candle。
This was the first real proof I'd had as to how far my magical powers had developed in the past year。 I knew this candle from my years as Garkin's apprentice。 In those days； it was my arch nemesis。 Even focusing all my energies failed to light it then。 But now。。。
I glanced at the wick again； and again it rewarded me with a burst of flame。
I snuffed it and repeated the exercise； my confidence growing as I realized how easily I could now do something I once thought impossible。
〃Will you knock it off with the candle！〃
I jumped at the sound of Aahz's outburst； nearly upsetting the candle and setting the blanket afire。
〃I'm sorry； Aahz；〃 I said； hastily snuffing the candle for the last time。 〃I just…〃
〃You're here to audition for court magician；〃 he interrupted。 〃Not for town Christmas tree！〃
I considered asking what a Christmas tree was； but decided against it。 Aahz seemed unmonly irritable and nervous； and I was pretty sure； however I chose to phrase my question； that the answer would be both sarcastic and unproductive。
〃Stupid candle blinking on and off；〃 Aahz grumbled half to himself。 〃Attract the attention of every guard in the castle。〃
〃I thought we were trying to attract their attention；〃 I pointed out； but Aahz ignored me； peering at the castle through the early…morning light。
He didn't have to peer far； as we were camped in the middle of the road just short of the castle's main gates。
As I said； I was under the impression our position was specifically chosen to attract attention to ourselves。
We had crept into position in the dead of night； clumsily picking our way through the sleeping buildings clustered about the main gate。 Not wishing to show a light； unpacking had been minimal； but even in the dark； I had recognized Garkin's candle。
All of this had to do with something Aahz called a 〃dramatic entrance。〃 As near as I could tell； all this meant was we couldn't do anything the easy way。
Our appearance was also carefully designed for effect； with the aid of the Imps' abandoned wardrobe and my disguise spells。
Aahz was outfitted in my now traditional 〃dubious character〃 disguise。 Gleep was standing placidly beside Buttercup disguised as a unicorn； giving us a matched pair。 It was my own appearance； however； which had been the main focus of our attentions。
Both Aahz and I had agreed that the Garkin disguise would be unsuitable for this effort。 While my own natural appearance was too young； Garkin's would be too old。 Since we could pretty much choose the image we wanted； we decided to field a magician in his mid to late thirties； young without being youthful； experienced without being old； and powerful but still learning。
To achieve this disguise involved a bit more work than normal； as I did not have an image in mind to superimpose over my own。 Instead； I closed my eyes and envisioned myself as I appeared normally； then slowly erased the features until I had a blank face to begin on。 Then I set to work with Aahz watching carefully and offering suggestions and modifications。
The first thing I changed was my height； adjusting the image until the new figure stood a head and a half taller than my actual diminutive stature。 My hair was next and I changed my strawberry…blond thatch to a more sinister black； at the same time darkening my plexion several shades。
The face gave us the most trouble。
〃Elongate the chin a little more；〃 Aahz instructed。 〃Put on a beard 。 。 。 not that much； stupid！ Just a little goatee！ 。 。 。 That's better！ 。 。 。 Now lower the sideburns 。 。 。 okay； build up the nose 。 。 。 narrow it 。 。 。 make the eyebrows bushier 。 。 。 no； change 'em back and sink the eyes a little instead 。 。 。 for crying out loud change the eye color！ Make 'em brown 。 。 。 okay； now a couple of frown wrinkles in the middle of the forehead 。 。 。 Good。 That should do it。〃
I stared at the figure in my mind； burning the image into my memory。 It was effective； maybe a bit more sinister than I would have designed if left to my own devices； but Aahz was the expert and I had to trust his judgment。 I opened my eyes。
〃Terrific； kid！〃 Aahz beamed。 〃Now put on that black robe with the gold and red trim the Imps left； and you'll cut a figure fit to grace any court。〃
〃Move along there！ You're blocking the road！〃
The rude order wrenched my thoughts back to the present。
A soldier； resplendent in leather armor and brandishing an evil…looking pike； was angrily approaching our crude encampment。 Behind him the gates stood slightly ajar； and I could see the heads of several other soldiers watching us curiously。
Now that the light was improving； I could see the wall better。 It wasn't much of a wall； barely ten feet high。 That figured。 From what we had seen since we crossed the border； it wasn't much of a kingdom； either。
〃You deaf or something？〃 the soldier barked drawing close。 〃I said move along！〃
Aahz scuttled forward and planted himself in the soldier's path。
〃Skeeve the Magnificent has arrived；〃 he announced。 〃And he…〃
〃I don't care who you are！〃 the soldier snarled； wasting no time placing his pike between himself and the figure addressing