Hot Dry Summer

Drought-hammered containerized vegetable garden in a vacant (but soon to be developed) lot at the southeast corner of Sherbourne and Gerrard.

  

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The Ruler of a small but pleasant realm hurried down a short hallway that connected her chambers with those of the Wizard, her most skilled improvisor. 

When she got to his cramped quarters, she found him sprawled on a settee, smelling strongly of some foul elixir and snoring loudly.

"Wizard," she said, shaking his shoulder. "Wake up. I need you."

The Wizard slowly opened one eye. "Umfmm?" he asked.

"C'mon," said the Ruler, pulling on his arm, trying to get him to sit upright. "Wake up and get up and clean yourself up. I've got company in my chambers. The senior Emissary from the Power. Bawling like a baby and refusing to leave. Chappie's on holiday and the Emissary's alone in my chambers right now. Get up! Get up!"

The Wizard sat up, groggy but apparently responding. The Ruler stepped back to give him room to stand. 

"Get yourself washed and come to my chambers, fast as you can," she said, and turned to leave.

Back in her chambers, she could see that the Emissary from the Power had composed himself. In fact, he seemed quite at home as he poked around the documents on her desk.

"I'm sure that if there are any that pertain to you," said the Ruler, "I'll arrange for their delivery to your realm."

The Emissary started, stepped back from the Ruler's desk and said, airily, "oh great Ruler, I was just checking for those last templates you still owe me."

The Ruler forcibly tamped down her temper.

"All in good time," said the Ruler. "We'll deliver, as we have always delivered, your templates. 

"Right now," she stalled, as she could hear the Wizard's footfalls in the hallway behind her, "why don't we attend to the wisdom of my Wizard, who has a Bag of Tricks that will truly impress you."

"Good morning ma'am," said the Wizard, bowing his way into the room, "and greetings Emissary." 

In the three minutes or less since the Ruler had last seen him, the Wizard had transformed from his groggy, smelly, rumpled mess. His eyes were bright and clear, his robes smooth and clean.

The Ruler did not know and never asked the Wizard what was the source of his magic. She had brought him into her service years before when he had been working as a dealer in the casino at the Troll Bridge. For her, he had always been loyal and reliable. What he did on his own time was his own business.

"I hear you are interested in some magic," said the Wizard to the Emissary.

"Everyone likes magic," said the Emissary.

"Check this out," said the Wizard, fishing into his Bag of Tricks. "I call this the Multiplier."

He pulled out a many-faceted clear stone.

"You put it like this" he said, holding the stone in front of his right eye. "And when you look at a cherished object, you see that its numbers have increased a thousand times."

The Ruler, catching the Wizard's drift, put a completed template in front of the Emissary. 

"Here," she said, as the Wizard handed the Emissary the Multiplier Stone, "look at this."

The Emissary held the Multiplier Stone up to his eye. Overcome with wonder, he saw thousands of templates where only the moment before there had been but one. This was truly potent magic. He needed to know how to harness this for his own career advancement. He took the Multiplier Stone away from his eye.

Too late, the Emissary realized he had been fooled. 

Working together the Wizard and Ruler lifted the Bag of Tricks over the distracted Emissary's head. 

The Ruler was surprised to find that the Bag of Tricks fit entirely over the struggling Emissary. 

She was truly alarmed when the struggling ceased and the Bag of Tricks collapsed, empty.

"What have you done to him?" asked the Ruler, trying not to feel delighted.

"Sent him home," said the Wizard. "He's used this magic himself. Long, long ago when I was still freelancing, I rigged a similar gadget for the Power. I used some flashlights and a turnstile I'd found at the side of the Yessir Yessir Highway."

"I saw that!" said the Ruler, "I should have known that was your work!" 

An unpleasant thought occurred to her.

"Does this mean he'll be back?"

To be continued ... 

Thanks for reading!

Have a great week!

Karen