The Presentation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mason helped Patience from the carriage. The livery stable smelled awful. Evidently, there was no effort spent in keeping the place clean. But the directions from the hostler were clear enough. It was only a short walk down the street to Rangoth\u2019s place.\n\nThe matron exited the coach last, and the quintet stumbled along the rutted street. They stopped at a door between two shuttered windows. Mason read aloud the faded lettering on it. \u201cWizard for Hire. Reasonable rates. Inquire within.\u201d He gave the door a gentle tap.\n\nImmediately, it swung open. Mason blinked at a young woman standing there. He noticed she was taller than he. Even though her eyes sagged with fatigue, she still managed to pull a little smile onto her face. He was surprised to find her quite pretty, though her particular beauty was hard to define.\n\n\u201cSorry,\u201d he said. \u201cI am looking for Rangoth, the wizard. I am Lord Mason. My sisters and I are here for a presentation of performing imps.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is the place,\u201d Sylvia answered with some animation. \u201cYou\u2019re early, but no matter. Come in, and I\u2019ll summon the master.\u201d\n\nAs she hurried away, Mason smiled as he thought about her attitude. She was probably trapped into a life of service with no real future prospects. Yet, she still managed a lively and cheerful air for the sake of impressing a paying customer.\n\nNot so unlike himself, he realized suddenly. For the queen, he, too, smiled and praised her understanding of art and music when she made pronouncements such as \u2018I liked that. I liked that a lot.\u2019 Without the royal patronage, he would be out on the street, no better off than the serving wench he had just met.\n\nHe glanced around the room. It spanned the entire width of the one-story structure that was lit dimly by the twinkle of candlelight from tall, floor-mounted holders. Four small chairs faced a larger, high-backed one standing deeper within.\n\n\u201cIs no one else coming?\u201d Mason asked.\n\n\u201cA special showing for you,\u201d the servant called back. \u201cBut if you like what you see, please tell others. We can accommodate up to a dozen.\u201d She looked back at him. \u201cMy name is Sylvia. And if you would like a refreshment, wait just a moment.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know little of wizardry, but wouldn\u2019t eating and drinking interfere with Rangoth\u2019s concentration?\u201d\n\n\u201cHe does not wrestle with djinns any longer,\u201d Sylvia said as she reentered carrying the handle of a large skillet horizontally. \u201cAnd imps are easy.\u201d\n\nThe sauce in the frying pan sizzled and popped. Mason breathed deeply and inhaled an enticing aroma. He had heard that the food of the streets was more interesting than the sugar-laden fare of the court, and now he was sure of it.\n\n\u201cWhat exactly...\u201d Mason began.\n\n\u201cFried grasshoppers,\u201d Sylvia said. \u201cBecause of the summer rain, they are exceptionally big this year. Three in a serving, and for only...\u201d\n\n\u201cAn additional charge?\u201d Mason asked. \u201cNot interested.\u201d It was always like this. Everyone thought that if you were a lord, the coins in your pocket came from a bottomless pit.\n\nHe and his sisters took their seats. The matron said nothing and remained standing behind.\n\nSylvia sat the skillet on the floor. \u201cIt does get a bit hot in here with the windows closed. We keep it that way so non-payers can\u2019t peek inside. And if you would like something, then now is the best time...\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t see any imps yet,\u201d Patience said.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m hot already,\u201d Althea said. \u201cThis is boring.\u201d\n\nAs if on cue, the door in the rear reopened, and Rangoth lumbered into the room. With an unsteady hand, he settled into the high-backed chair.\n\n\u201cWelcome,\u201d he said in a reedy voice. \u201cPrepare to be amazed.\u201d He looked at each of the sisters for a moment, then smiled. \u201cDemons live in a realm different from our own. If it were not for the flame conduit, we could never interact.\u201d\n\nHe squinted at the three girls. \u201cHaven\u2019t you ever been at a campfire at night and looked into the flickering flames? Been fascinated by them, intrigued by what might lie beyond?\u201d Rangoth dithered for a moment and then rushed on. \u201cWhat you experience when that happens is a demon beckoning to you, asking you to bring it forth.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are not infants,\u201d Althea said. \u201cWe know all this. Get on with the show.\u201d\n\nRangoth ignored the comment. \u201cEach type of demon communicates with its own unique type of fire,\u201d he said. \u201cThe material one burns determines...\u201d\n\n\u201cJump to the imps,\u201d Sylvia whispered. She stooped to pick up a pile of sticks lying next to Rangoth\u2019s chair.\n\nRangoth hesitated. \u201cThe mightiest of demons we call djinns, and ...\u201d\n\n\u201cThe imps,\u201d Sylvia said a little louder.\n\nRangoth stopped speaking. Even in the dimness, Mason could see the wizard had become confused. Well, what did one expect for only a few brandels?\n\n\u201cImps are the ones we will...\u201d Sylvia said at full voice.\n\n\u201cAh, yes. Imps are the ones we will call forth today.\u201d Rangoth got back on track. \u201cAssistant, light the oleander fire.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, Master.\u201d Sylvia piled the sticks into a conical tent, lit a match, and thrust it into the small structure.\n\nAlmost instantly, the little branches caught fire, filling the air with an oily, pungent odor. Sylvia waved a fan to scoot the toxic air away.\n\n\u201cCome forth, little ones. I command you.\u201d Rangoth stared into the flame.\n\nNothing happened for a dozen heartbeats. Then, in a blink, more than a score of tiny lights appeared in the room. To Mason, they looked like a swarm of mosquitoes. No, bigger than that. One could make out details. Tiny squashed heads with bulging eyes over stick-figure bodies. Behind each was the flicker of rapidly vibrating wings, that filled the air with an annoying hum. And they were glowing, somehow. More like...\n\n\u201cFireflies!\u201d Patience said. \u201cLarger than normal to be sure, but we see those all the time. They are not imps.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re not witnessing mindless insects,\u201d Rangoth said. \u201cInstead, these are intelligent beings<\/em>. Imps. Watch.\u201d\n\nThe swarm swirled to Patience\u2019s face, and she almost instantly yelled. \u201cOuch! My nose just got pinched.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, fireflies can\u2019t do that,\u201d Rangoth said. \u201cWhat you see dancing and swooping before you are nosetweakers.\u201d\n\n\u201cTeehee. Teehee,\u201d a chorus of high-pitched voices filled the air. The imps darted to Althea, and she frantically tried to bat the little demons away. For a few moments, she was successful. But eventually, she yelled \u201cOuch\u201d even louder than had her sister.\n\nLalage remained silent when it was her turn, and after an even longer time, the swarm gave up and hovered unmoving in front of her.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re no fun at all,\u201d the imp chorus complained.\n\nMason squirmed in his seat. His own presentations to the queen were much more sophisticated.\n\n\u201cSilence,\u201d Rangoth commanded. \u201cYou are the ones who must submit to my will.\u201d\n\nThe cacophony immediately ceased.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s better. We have guests here, and you must perform. Show them you understand basic arithmetic. How much is two plus four?\u201d\n\nThe buzzing resumed, and then grew louder and louder.\n\n\u201cIt is quite simple, idiots,\u201d one imp squeaked. \u201cYou can count each number on the fingers of one hand.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, lamebrain,\u201d shrilled another. \u201cTwo groups of four. That\u2019s eight altogether.\u201d\n\n\u201cBoth of you are as crazy as a gallop of gremlins,\u201d shouted a third. \u201cListen to me.\u201d\n\n\u201cFlowerbreath, you couldn\u2019t fight your way out of a bag made of fishnet.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, yeah? Where did you get that idea? Your mother must have been human.\u201d\n\n\u201cCome on, guys. Settle down. Let\u2019s solve this like we always do. Majority rules. The right answer gets the most votes.\u201d\n\nWell, it was a farce, maybe, Mason decided. But certainly nothing for the queen.\n\nThe buzzing subdued but did not quite go away. Then six of the little lights aligned themselves in a vertical row. A second column joined alongside the first, followed by a third and fourth. Finally, a last row slanted across them all.\n\n\u201cTa da!\u201d the imps sang, fluttering in place.\n\nNo one else in the room spoke. The silence dragged on.\n\n\u201cWell, come on guys,\u201d the imps said. \u201cThis is the place where you give us thundering applause.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh, I don\u2019t think five is correct,\u201d Patience said.\n\n\u201cOoooh, a tough audience. Well, we don\u2019t have to put up with any more of this abuse.\u201d\n\nIn a flash, all the lights winked out. The air was clear.\n\nSylvia looked at Rangoth. \u201cMaster,\u201d she whispered. \u201cYou forgot to maintain control again.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d Althea asked. \u201cThat\u2019s all we are going to see? Brother Mason, how much did you pay for this?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey are nosetweaker imps,\u201d Sylvia jumped in, \u201cnot mighty djinns. They are dominated and have been trained. Didn\u2019t you see?\u201d\n\n\u201cCan you control any other types?\u201d Mason asked. \u201cOnes perhaps a bit more... impressive.\u201d\n\n\u201cOther types,\u201d Rangoth shook from his inattention. \u201cThere was a time...\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, there are lots of other types,\u201d Sylvia looked directly at Mason. \u201cBut they are not appropriate for this young an audience. Hair-jumblers who snarl your curls while you are sleeping. Razor dullers who dull the blades you use to shave your legs.\u201d\n\nShe took a deep breath and continued. \u201cArmpit gluers, panty switchers, and ah, orifice crawlers.\u201d\n\n\u201cBrother Mason, we\u2019ve seen enough,\u201d Patience said. \u201cLet\u2019s go back to the castle and get ready for the evening show. The one you told us about.\u201d\n\nMason realized this outing was a bust. He rose and reached into his purse to pay. \u201cHow much again?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cHalf a brandel each,\u201d Sylvia said. \u201cFor five, that is two and a half.\u201d\n\n\u201cTwo and a half? There are only four of us.\u201d\n\n\u201cI count five,\u201d Sylvia said and pointed to the matron. She took a deep breath. \u201cAnd, of course, a gratuity would be greatly appreciated. Three brandels is a good round number.\u201d\n\nMason grimaced. It was as he had expected. He fingered out the coins, deciding how many to hand over. As he did, the door behind him slammed open against the front wall with a loud bang.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nChapter 1<\/a> Chapter 2<\/a> Chapter 4<\/a> Chapter 5<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Presentation Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 4 Chapter 5<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3537","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3537"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3567,"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3537\/revisions\/3567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alodar.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}