"Are you ready'.'" I asked the princess, as we watched the milling throng from behind a curtain in the balcony that overlooked the castle's front door.
"I had better be," Hermalaya said. She looked magnificent. She wore a plain white-silk gown under a royal purple cloak edged with silver fur and jewels. On her head was a small crown with one fist-sized golden gem in the center that had made Aahz moan with greed when he saw it. "As they say, first impressions are the most important."
Massha came over to us with one of her bracelets buzzing.
"Everybody else is ready," she said.
"Then I'd better get set," I said. I closed my eyes and gathered up plenty of magik from the strong red force line that arched over the castle. Whoever had built this place knew what he or she was doing. My internal storage filled up in one breath.
I pictured Matfany's face and body, wearing an elegant black suit embroidered in silver, with a vent in the back for his bushy tail. I drew the image over me, until it took the place of my own face. I heard a gasp from Hermalaya.
"Why, you look just like him? It's amazing."
"All part of the service, your highness," I said. "All right, Massha."
She enveloped us both in a smothering, perfumed hug. "Good luck, honey! Knock 'em dead, Big Shot."
"Thanks. Go on, your highness. When you hear the fanfare, step through the curtain."
Matfany had given his personal orders to the royal trumpeters. At exactly midmorning, they appeared on the castle steps, pointed their instruments to the sky, and blew.
Ta-ran-tara! Taran-tara! Ta-ra-ra-ra-rantara!
Hermalaya took a deep breath and pushed through the hanging swathes of silk.
The cheer that went up from the crowd was deafening. It was a long ten minutes before she could start her speech.
"My good and gentle people, I am so happy to be back with you again today. It's been a lonely exile, but what has kept me going was thinking about all of you? It was through the graces of true friends that I have managed to return." She had to halt for cheers about every other line.
I crouched and waited for my cue.
"And nothing will ever part me from you again, my beloved people!"
I sprang. The crowd gasped.
"There you are!" I boomed. I had also laid on an aural illusion that gave me Matfany's basso-profundo tones. Many in the crowd booed at me. I did my best to assume the prime minister's gimlet stare. Most of them subsided. I turned back to the princess, who cowered against the side of the arched window. "I warned you what would happen if you returned, princess! Guards! Seize her!"
The curtain parted, and in marched a full contingent of the castle guard, led by the royal wizard. One of them winked as he passed me. I had lined up the loyal opposition, who were delighted to have a part in helping their princess. They had a hard time keeping from grinning. I groaned inwardly. Everybody likes to ham it up.
"No!" the crowd burst out. "Let her alone!"
"I decreed if she broke her exile, she must die! Take her away!"
The crowd booed as guards surrounded the princess, who did her best to look helpless and forlorn.
"Get your hands off that princess!"
From the entrance to the courtyard, Aahz's bellow echoed over the heads of the crowd. They all turned to see who was talking.
The reaction from the people told me I had given Aahz just the right disguise, though I couldn't see it. He appeared to be a Reynardan with sable brown fur streaked with gold, wearing a silver-silk tunic and blue breeches. He wore a silver circlet on his head.
"And who are you to defy me, the prime minister of Foxe-Swampburg?" I shouted back. I just didn't have the lungs of a Pervect. I amplified my voice with magik. "And who are you?"
"I am Fanmat, prince of Goodenrich. That lady is the rightful heir to the throne, and I have come to see her put back where she belongs."
"Oh, sir!" Hermalaya said. "I could surely use your help!"
"That's what I'm here for, little lady!" * A big sigh of relief and pleasure erupted from the audience. I looked down at them all sternly,
"Sir, justice must be done. I am the rightful ruler here now."
"Then you are the one who has to die!" Aahz marched toward me.
"And who is going to serve that sentence on me?" I demanded.
"I am!" He drew a fancy sword from a scabbard on his hilt and waved it around. At least, a sword is what the crowd saw in his hand. It was only a stick that I had disguised, in case anyone tried to take it away from him. We didn't have to worry about that. The onlookers burst into wild cheers and applause.
"Oh, go back, Prince Fanmat," Hermalaya cried, wringing her hands. "He is a formidable opponent."
Aahz struck a pose. "I am not afraid. I'd fight an army for you." He marched toward us with purpose.
The crowd parted for him. He marched through the courtyard, scowling up at me. When he got close to the steps I shouted down to the guards.
"Close the doors!"
BOOM.' The huge metal-clad portals slammed shut. The vibration nearly knocked me off my feet.
"There, intruder. Turn back! You can't get in now!"
Aahz cheated toward the crowd so they could see his noble jaw set. "You think that will keep me out?"
"No!" the mob chorused in unison.
"Damned straight"
Aahz sheathed the sword and took a leap for the arch of stone that enclosed the doorway. I grabbed him with a streamer of magik and helped him look like he was really climbing the face of the castle. The audience couldn't have been more impressed. They were screaming and cheering the higher he got.
That was my cue. I started dropping pillows and small pieces of furniture out of the window onto his head. They bounced off, but he kept coming, stopping every so often to declaim something heroic. Once in a while he glanced up at me with fury rising in his eyes. Even though he had agreed to Chumley's idea that there should be some missiles thrown, he still looked madder than a wet Catrabbit by the time I ran out of ammunition.
He was panting as he got to the top and swung himself over the edge of the balcony.
"Okay, you coward. Now you're going to get what you deserve! With conversation!"
Aahz drew the sword. I, too, drew the weapon at my side.
"Then have at you!" I shouted. "Usurper!"
Aahz swung at my head.
"Intruder!" I yelled.
I threw up my stick. His clacked off it.
"You're a lousy dresser!" he countered.
He drew back slightly, then thrust again. I swung at the tip. I knocked it upward with a wild wave of my arm, then brought my stick down toward Aahz's knee.
"That's rich, coming from a fop like you! What do you know about governing?"
"What do you know about the love of the people?"
He dropped his sword on mine with such force that you could hear the echo in the courtyard. My hand tingled, but I just managed to hold on to my stick.
I was no swordsman. Aahz was deliberately moving slowly enough that I could see where his blows were coming from. I just did my best to get out of the way. But he couldn't miss the whole time, not with the thousands of people waiting for us I let my guard drop.
"Ow!" The stick poked me hard in the chest.
"Gotcha!" Aahz said, with glee.
"Curse yon!" I shouted. That really hurt. Instead of just warding off his strikes, I started swinging wildly. I managed to connect, bringing my sword down on top of his head.
"Ouch!" he bellowed. In an undertone, he hissed. "Watch it, kid, I'm the good guy!"
I was fuming. "Oh. yeah? Good guy? Then why did you. try and mess up all the deals I made for Hermalaya? Why did you say all those things about me?"
"It's all in the game, kid!"
I felt my temper rise. "I'm not a kid anymore!"