The Third Red 1: The Enemy Within

Eric awoke to the sound of a rooster cawing again the next morning. This time he got up, not wanting to need to rush like he did yesterday. After changing into a fresh tunic and putting on his school robe, as well as the Heir’s Heirlooms he went to the Great Hall. Chosan already sat at the main table with most of the Presteeg family. Though Eric noticed that a certain young girl was missing, Myra.

“Ah good morrow Eric!” Chosan said as his nephew sat down next to him. “I was just about to send Gerg to go fetch you and Myra. Seems she still needs fetching.”

“I’ll go get her Lord Chosan,” Gerg said as he placed a plate on Eric’s spot.

Eric watched the servant boy leave to fetch the girl. He then busied himself with the toast and sausage, which he was grateful to find warm.

“You looking forward to the play tonight, Eric?” Chosan asked as he took a piece of toast from his large plate.

“I suppose,” Eric admitted. “I’ve wanted to see Oserus and Verida since… since I first heard it.”

He thought back to that time. A time when Margery had read the play aloud to him since he’d been too young to read back then. She taught him the letters, tracing them into the dirt outside their cave. Eric looked down, he just wished he could talk about something that didn’t involve his mother. She’d done everything for him. It felt as though everything revolved around her. Even after she was gone from this world.

“Mighty good!” Chosan said as he ate his toast before looking at Myra’s empty seat. “That girl best get here soon, or she’ll be eating cold food.”

Eric looked over at her seat as well, remembering his cold breakfast yesterday. Then a thought occurred to him. He got up and seized more sausages and toast so that his plate held as much food as Chosan’s.

“Whoa! Hungry, are you?” Chosan asked. “Usually I am the one taking big piles like that!”

“I’m taking this to Myra!” Eric said as he walked toward the door behind them.

“Well, aren’t you a sweet cousin!” Chosan called after him.

Eric frowned and made his way back across the courtyard and up the stairs to the second floor of the Lord’s Wing. As he ascended the steps with the plate in his hands, Eric saw Gerg coming down.

“I woke her up, she should be down in a moment. Would you like me to carry that for you?” the servant boy asked.

“No thank you,” Eric said before continuing.

He finished the short trek to the girl’s room as she emerged from it.

“Eric?” she said, noticing him with the plate full of food.

“I thought I’d get some breakfast up for you while it was still hot,” Eric told her, holding the plate out.

She gave a small giggle, her cheeks going a bit red as she took a piece of toast. “Thank you! You’re so nice! My brothers never do me favors like that.” She looked down sheepishly.

“Come on,” Eric said.

They made their way back to the hall, eating the food as they went.

“Can you train me again after school?” Myra asked.

Eric nodded. “I’d be happy too. Then we can go to the play.”

But things went awry for their plans together. It started just before Music Class, where Rikal began to lecture Eric on their way in.

“Look, Lord Eric,” Rikal started out in a pained tone. “I appreciate you teaching my sister nature sorcery. But I don’t want her getting the idea that she could stand up to a man. Don’t give her false hope. She needs to accept her place as a woman. They are supporters, we are fighters.”

Eric frowned. “Women can be fighters as well. My mother was and so is my grandmother.”

“Your grandmother is a dragon,” Rikal pointed out. “That’s different. Your mother was lucky to have her around when she took that foolish role as a Maiden of Mayhem, trying to fight on her own. Pfft! She probably would have never survived long enough to meet your father if not for your grandmother being around.”

Eric scoffed at the Lend Hand’s statement. Why did so many boys have to look down on girls? There was something funny about that.

Noticing Eric’s scoff, Rikal sighed. “Look cousin, I’m just trying to look out for my sister.”

“She can look out for herself,” Eric said. “She did against the Dishonored. She doesn’t need you to protect her all the time.”

They didn’t say another word as they walked into the Music classroom. As they entered Eric saw Karia speaking with Madam Garlifa.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to cancel it then,” the tiger lady said sadly.

“What? No!” Karia exclaimed. “There has to be something we can do!”

“We don’t have time to find someone, teach them all the lines of the character and then perform it!” Madam Garlifa said.

“What’s going on?” Eric asked.

Karia looked at him sadly. “Belena is too sick to perform in Oserus and Verida tonight!”

“Uh-oh!” Eric said. “Is there any way I can help?”

“Do you know anyone who knows all the lines spoken by Oserus in the play of him and Verida?” Karia asked.

Eric’s eyes widened. “Aye, me!”

“What?” Karia exclaimed. “You do?”

Eric nodded. “I’ve read the play loads of times. I know all the lines of Oserus.”

Madam Garlifa shook her head. “I’m sorry, Lord Eric. But Lord Taro Volk has forbidden boys from performing in plays.”

Eric’s heart sank. He’d often wanted to act, but thanks to Taro Volk’s laws restricting boy’s activities to combat and anything contributing to the war effort that was unlikely. That gave him yet another reason to dislike the head of the Volk family. He and Karia took their seats beside Rikal. Eric looked down at the desk and noticed the gold ring on his left hand. The ring enchanted with the power of shapeshifting magic. An idea occurred to him. But he looked at Rikal, who being a beast sorcerer would have a good sense of hearing. He needed to wait until he was gone.

“Hey! I have an idea,” he whispered in Karia’s ear.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you before History, this is not be meant to be shared,” he said.

“Oh,” Karia seemed intrigued.

“Alright everyone!” Madam Garlifa called. She looked directly at Eric. “We have a show to put on. Pick up your instruments and begin playing.”

Everyone walked over to the instrument table and picked one up. Eric continued to use the harp, running his fingers through the strings while enduring the loud drums, trumpets and others. All the noise soon roused Clauwing who began screeching in Eric’s head.

Stop! Stop! So loud! Rawt! The beast screamed.

Soon another sound, the bell, rang. Eric and Karia strode into an empty hallway to be out of earshot of anyone on their way to History Class, there Eric told Karia his plan.

“I have this ring here,” Eric said holding it up to Karia whose eyes widened for a moment. “It allows me to shapeshift, what if I turned into a girl and were in the play?”

Karia’s surprised face turned to one of hope and uncertainty. “Oh, um-” She thought for a moment, making sure to whisper as well. “-that might work, I’ll tell Nedela and Linara.”

They went on to their shared classes. History was spent listening to Brother Bagaldan going over the achievements of various warriors during the early centuries of the war. Then in Casting Class, the students practiced Spirit Sorcery. Eric felt envious as he could only watch as other students summoned the white transparent forms of their ancestors. When he tried to summon his mother, he met the same result as last time. Nothing.

Eric sighed and looked at the floor. His failure to summon Margery’s spirit caused him to fear for her soul. He worried once again that she might have gone to Panarus instead of Spirakus, and turned into a monster like Corgo. The thought of that was too much for Eric, and he sniffled slightly.

“Oh, it’s alright.” Karia walked up to him as she noticed his eyes glistening. “You just need more time to overcome the pain.”

“Yes. Most likely,” Spell Master Varapos said as he approached them to observe their progress. “You will learn to summon the spirits of your ancestors in time, Lord Eric. Though I wish I could say the same for you, Karia.”

As he moved to another pair of students, Karia looked down at the floor like Eric.

“What did he mean?” Eric asked. “You can’t summon your ancestor’s spirits?”

She shook her head.

“It’s because my parents were both orphans. They never knew their own families, didn’t even have a name. Something like that prevents you from having a connection to your ancestors. So, I can’t summon my ancestor’s spirits even though I have the power,” Karia said sadly.

“I’m sorry,” Eric said.

Karia shook her head. “It’s alright. I can still control my own spirit. And honestly, it’s allowed me to focus more on my illusion and core sorcery.”

“Yes, there are other ways Spirit Sorcery can be useful besides summoning ghosts,” the lion boy Morum said as he approached them.

Eric narrowed his eyes at Morum. He hadn’t forgiven the Beast Man for calling Margery a traitor yesterday. Though Morum’s golden lion eyes seemed sympathetic.

“You may not be at peace enough to be able to summon a spirit yet, but you can do other things with that power,” Morum said.

“Like what?” Eric asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice as he struggled to be civil.

“Like create spectral weapons which can be used to slay demons,” Morum told him.

The lion boy raised his right hand where he wore an enchanted ring like Eric. In his furry hand, a sword of white light appeared.

“Spirit weapons are a good substitute if you don’t have sorsteel,” Morum said as he gave the sword a swing.

Karia in turn gave a yelp. “Don’t come near me with that!”

Morum scoffed as he closed his fist, causing the sword to vanish. “Don’t worry your pretty red head.”

Karia blushed a bit at the compliment but frowned at his next words.

“I’ll only use it against a real foe or a demon.”

“There are other ways to deal with those corrupted spirits you know,” Karia muttered under her breath.

“What happened to your grandparents do you know?” Eric asked, curious.

“Oh, my father’s parents were soldiers and killed by the Demorians when he was too young to remember them. My mother doesn’t know who hers were, she was simply left at the orphanage by a hooded figure in a robe. But neither of them are sorcerers and me and my sisters are,” Karia said. “So, we think my grandparents on my mother’s side, at least one of them was a sorcerer.”

Eric had heard that sorcerers having a child without magic was rare, but not unheard of. Some considered it shameful to have such a child, and would cast it out. Eric found himself repulsed by the idea that a parent could abandon their own child. They must have been wicked people. If only they could see their granddaughter now, they might be proud.

***

After Casting, Eric once again joined Karia and her friends for lunch. They met outside to make sure no one would hear their plan.

“Since Belena is sick we need someone else to perform in the play tonight,” Karia said. “Eric has volunteered.”

“Lord Eric?” Nedela exclaimed, looking at him.

Eric nodded. “I know all the lines of Oserus. I’ve read the play a lot while living on Dragoran.”

“Well, it looks as though the play is back on then! Wahoo!” Linara squealed in delight as she jumped for joy.

“Are you both forgetting that boys aren’t allowed to perform in plays? We’d be breaking Sortar’s laws. If we’re caught, we’ll be fined, or worse locked in the dungeon!” Nedela said.

“Oh, I certainly don’t want to dance in prison!” Linara put a hand over her mouth.

“Yes, and after that trouble we got into throwing eggs at Ritara Greddy I don’t want to take any chances,” Nedela said.

“You threw eggs at Ritara Greddy?” Eric asked.

“Yes, she said some mean things to us when we were young,” Nedela said. “Your uncle bailed us out of the trouble. But I learned to stick to the rules that day.”

“No one has to know he’s a boy,” Karia said. “He can shapeshift to look like one of us.”

“Oh, that sounds fun!” Linara beamed.

“You actually want to break the law?” Nedela was astounded. “Your parents can’t afford to be fined, I thought you would have learned like I did! We can’t go causing trouble!”

Karia frowned. “I hardly see this as causing trouble! It’s not fair that so many boys are forced to do naught but fight. Do you really want to cancel the play after all we’ve worked for? We need plays like this to spread cheer around Sortar, and Oserus and Verida is one of the most loved! Do you want to disappoint everyone?”

“Of course not,” Nedela said. “But I don’t want to get in trouble again either! Remember we almost lost our you-know whats.”

“We’ll be fine!” Linara said without worry. “As long as no one knows but us!”

Eric stepped forward. “If anyone finds out, you can pretend you had no idea. Or at least one of you can.”

Nedela hesitated. “Oh alright. I suppose it really isn’t fair for boys not being able to partake. We’ll do it for smiles across Sortar. But you need to show us you know all the lines before we commit.”

Eric ate his lunch quickly, then recited all the lines of Oserus before lunch ended.

“Oh, how I’ve missed my wonderful city! Not at all Amar. The honor is mine! Your good wishes are very welcome, sire.”

“Ooh! You know them well! I think you’ll do very well indeed!” Linara clapped with a grin.

The bell rang yet again, signaling the end of lunch. Eric went to Potions and Dueling Class. After Dueling Class ended, Eric walked alongside Dargin as they stepped out of Rayzar’s Ring.

“Say, Eric. You wanna come to Goblin Underground?” Dargin asked. “We train and you get taste of real battle.”

“Maybe,” Eric said. “But not today, I have something I need to do with Karia. We’ll see about tomorrow when there is no school.”

“Good, hope to see you then!” Dargin said before walking off.

Eric headed to the front of Castle Scholar. Myra, her brothers, and their family were there. Chosan came along momentarily along with several other young sorcerers.

“Are we ready to go home?” Chosan asked as he approached.

“Not me Chosan!” Eric told his uncle. “I have plans.”

“Plans, do you? To do what?”

“I’m going to spend some time with Karia and her friends,” Eric silently hoped that Chosan wouldn’t ask what they were doing because he couldn’t lie if he wanted.

“Ooh,” Chosan grinned. “Got your eyes on some ladies I see. Maybe you’ll end up marrying one of them.”

Eric grimaced nervously. Not long ago he’d been against the idea of marriage, because it would mean Rubara would leave him. Now… he wasn’t so sure.

“You sure you don’t want a guard or two?” Chosan asked.

“I’d be happy to come with you Lord Eric,” Omulus offered.

Eric hesitated, remembering a couple days ago when the Dishonored tried to rob him. But he relaxed as he realized he would be in the company of three young sorceresses. The Dishonored all had their sorcery suppressed if they were born with it. They wouldn’t be so open to attacking that many at once, right? Besides, he had to keep this a secret.

“Nay, I’ll be fine,” Eric said. “Thank you though.”

“Very well, but don’t be too long,” Chosan said. “Come back to Soyagone if you can, or I’ll meet you at the Hall to watch the play.”

That would be a problem. How was Eric going to keep this a secret from Chosan? His uncle would wonder where Eric was if he didn’t show up. Eric couldn’t be in two places at once, could he? Well, he couldn’t worry about that right now.

Chosan climbed in his carriage and the others began to ride or walk behind, but Myra remained for a moment. She approached Eric with a frown.

“You promised you would train me!” she reminded him.

Eric looked at the brown eyes of the little girl, which didn’t help as they reminded him of his mother. He looked down at the ground, not meeting her gaze. “Sorry Myra. But I have a few girls that need me more. It’s important. But I promise, when I’m able to we will train again.”

He gave her a weak smile and patted her head. She frowned at him.

“Hmph! Just don’t take too long!”

“Myra!” her mother called.

“Coming!” the girl ran off, looking back at Eric as she did so.

Eric looked down in guilt for a moment, sad he’d had to break his promise to her. He then turned and walked around to the back of Castle Scholar where Karia waited with her friends.

“Well, we have three hours till the play starts,” Karia said. “First, we need to teach Eric to turn into one of us.”

“No… I think first it would be a good idea for him to take a bath,” Nedela said. “You did just get of Dueling Class, right?”

She pointed to his sweat-soaked leather armor and he nodded. They went to a bathhouse near Rayzar’s Ring. Eric emerged a while later in his clean tunic and robe.

“Good, now we can teach him to shapeshift,” Nedela said.

“Oh! Oh! I’ll handle that!” Linara said in her usual excited tone. “I’m the only one of us with shapeshifting after all.”

She walked to Eric and ran her hands through his hair. Eric felt his cheeks light up in embarrassment as she did so.

“You are going to need to have longer hair if you want to look like a girl!” the dancer said tossing her own hair.

“Right, I learned that incantation yesterday I think,” Eric said. “But I might need a little help.”

“Alright. Well, picture it,” Linara told him. “Then say cacava graka and channel sorcery into your hair.”

Eric closed his eyes, focusing on the shape of his hair, the brown hair he’d received from his mother. It felt like a dark cloud loomed over him as he thought of Margery. But he pushed it away, now was not the time to be sad. With immense effort, he drew sorcery from the shapeshifting ring around his finger.

“Cacava graka!” Hair grow.

Eric channeled the sorcery all the way up to the top of his head. He felt his hair become warm as magic flowed through it. Then it grew fast, creeping down his neck like spiders. To his surprise he felt the same thing happen in front. He opened his eyes and saw his hair was growing on both sides, the front blocking his vision.

“Ha-ha! You look like you need a trim.” Linara called with a giggle. “Here.”

She took hold of Eric’s hair from the front. He heard sorcery hissing. Then the long hair in front of his eyes fell off as it was cut. Eric was surprised to see that his hair almost reached the ground.

“I’ve never seen shapeshifting cause hair to grow that fast! It was funny!” Linara giggled as she shortened the back as well.

“We better throw this out. Don’t want to leave trash in our city,” Nedela said as she picked up the long strands of Eric’s hair from the ground.

“You have the hair,” Karia stated, looking him over. “Now you need…”

She pointed to her chest. Eric’s face twisted into nervousness as he realized what she meant. At Linara’s instruction he once more performed shapeshifting. These took a little time as he made his chest a bit too big the first time. He tried shrinking them. But they retracted all the way. H e tried this twice more and the same result occurred.

“Perhaps you are putting too much sorcery into the transformation,” Linara wondered aloud. “I’ve seen it done before though not quite that much!” she added with a giggle.

Eric snorted. “So, put a weak sorcery suppressor on me. That might help.”

She poked him in the stomach with two fingers full of light, causing the flow of his sorcery to weaken. That helped, Eric’s chest came out more slowly and he managed to stop his sorcery at the right moment. He then had to adjust the size of his body to be thinner since girls were less muscular. Eric’s body shrank by a fourth. His pants slipped down, causing the real girls to yelp and look away. Eric had to hold them up as he topped his disguise by changing the color of his hair and eyes as well.

It was done.

“Take a look.”

Linara took a small mirror from her school knapsack and showed him his new face. His black hair and brown eyes made him look like an older Myra. This face could have belonged to a sister of his if he’d ever had one. She might have gotten their father’s dark hair and Margery’s eyes. But that would never happen thanks to Corgo who’d taken them both. Eric pulled up the hood of his now much looser student robe, closing it around his body while holding up his pants. His boots now had more room as well, Eric had to be careful not to let them slip off.

“Well, you look like one of us now, but you still need the clothes.”

The “four” girls than made their way to the Market Sector where Eric (embarrassment and more in his chest) bought himself a dress at one of the shops.

“I feel ridiculous,” Eric said when he emerged from the changing room.

“You sure you still want to do this?” Karia asked.

Eric was tempted to say no but nodded to say yes. He’d always wanted to see Oserus and Verida, and many others wanted to as well.

“Good, well don’t worry. You look fine.” Karia told him. “Very… pretty.”

“Uh… thanks?” Eric answered nervously.

“Now we need a girl’s name for you,” Karia said. “How bout, Erie?”

Eric shrugged. “That’s fine, close enough to my own name I suppose.”

Then he remembered something.

“One other thing, Chosan wants me to meet him before the play starts. He planned for us to be watching it together. Any of you know how I could be in two places at once?”

“Sorcery manifestations.”

“But sorcery manifestations are made of light energy. He’d be able to tell the difference for sure.”

“There’s a way to make them look like flesh,” Linara said.

They went into an alley of the Market Sector to avoid prying eyes. Linara taught Eric how to add flesh to sorcery manifestations. First, he needed some pieces of himself, his hair, a small amount of skin, blood and sorcery. So, Eric skinned a small speck from his finger with a sorcery blade, a few drops of blood squirting out. Karia healed that instantly with a small speck of core sorcery from her own finger. He then pulled strands of hair from his head. He looked at it, wondering briefly if his transformation into a girl would affect his manifestation turning into his regular or current form. But as he looked at it the black strands turned back to his usual brown.

“They’ll assume your regular form,” Linara told him guessing what he was worried about.

So, Eric mixed his blood, hair, and flesh with sorcery. All of them grew over each, the flesh covering the entirety so that no red light was visible. The hair sprouted from the top of the manifestations head. Once its body formed Eric handed it the tunic he’d worn today to clothe itself.

“Go to Chosan,” Eric told it in the high-pitched female voice.

“Yes sir! Or ma’am.” The manifestation spoke with Eric’s male voice. Eric had never really known what he sounded like until he heard it just now.

The manifestation walked off to Soyagone. Then Karia brought up one last issue.

“If someone sees your red sorcery, they’ll know it’s you!” she said.

Eric checked his sorcery, blue light formed in his grasp.

“Its still replenishing my second core.”

“Better empty it a bit to be sure!” Nedela said.

A large sorcery ball flew into the sky as Eric emptied his second core which would take several hours to replenish. Now no one would suspect it was him in the play now. With their preparations completed, Eric spent the time they had left rehearsing the lines of Oserus with the girls. Then, when the sun was starting to set, they headed for Happy Hall in Saviors Square. The crowds had yet to arrive so they still had time. Karia and her friends lead Eric inside, up the stage and through a door in the back. Costumes hung on racks in the changing rooms.

For a time, they waited. Then Madam Garlifa came in.

“Well, you must be the replacement Karia found for Oserus?” the Music Teacher asked.

“Yes ma’am,” Eric replied. “My names’s Eri- Erie.”

“Glad to meet you. Karia tells me you know all the lines of Oserus.”

Eric nodded.

“Good. You’ve saved the play,” the tiger lady said before adding. “Well girls, you better get changed.”

Eric took the costume Karia told him he would be using for Oserus and walked into one of the private changing rooms. He put the costume on and waited for Karia to say it was alright to come out. When he did, Eric once again found himself in awe at her.

Karia wore a blue dress adorned with fake jewels. Her character Verida was the daughter of a Lord, and the love of Oserus. After he returned from a long two years at war and earned a small fortune, Oserus hoped to propose to her, but had to go up against the jealous Rovero. The other two were dressed in costume as well. Nedela had changed into a boy’s outfit as she would playing Amar, Oserus’s Lend Hand. Linara still had a dress on as she played a servant girl.

“You both look great!” Eric said to Karia and Linara, before looking at Nedela and pondered what to say, not wanting to ignore her. “Um… nice disguise.”

Nedela snorted then spoke in a boy’s voice. “I suppose you having to transform into one of us is likely as embarrassing.”

The farmgirl smiled as she finished speaking, so Eric assumed she was joking. They all chuckled. Though this was pretty embarrassing. They took care of their final preparations after the clothes, putting make up on. Nedela brushed Eric’s face, giving him a fake scar.

“Good, now you just need a cart full of demon heads. This way.”

Karia took Eric by the hand and guided him down the hallway to a small room filled with props. Karia gave him a wooden sword painted silver to resemble a real one. Eric tucked it in his belt then was handed the handle of a cart holding many severed monster heads.

“Just in case you need help. I’ll connect our minds so that I can speak to you with my thoughts and direct you.” Karia said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Eric said.

She pointed a finger at him. “Coneta mital.” Connect minds.

A feeling filled Eric’s head as though there were a storm inside it.

Can you hear me? Karia’s lips didn’t move, her voice spoke in his head like Clauwing’s often did.

Clauwing? Karia asked in response to Eric’s thoughts.

My inner beast. You might-

Hey who’s up here? Eric’s inner beast spoke. There’s a sweet voice somewhere in here! I wonder if it tastes good?

Karia squealed as she heard the beast’s thoughts within Eric’s head.

“Hey be nice! She’s a friend!” Eric aimed for Clauwing with his thoughts.

To himself, he thought, she’s one of the first friends I ever had. So beautiful, smart, and has a true heart. An image passed of the first time he’d seen her. When Taro had nearly executed Onro Sebeer, she’d stopped the Warlord so bravely.

Karia giggled. Thank you, Eric. I’m proud to be one of your first friends.

Eric clenched his teeth. She’d heard that?

Sorry, she said in thought. I’ll make it so that I don’t read every one of your thoughts.

“Cease Soron!” she said aloud, taking away their connection before casting the spell again with a new word. “Coneta mital limat.”

Eric felt it again. But this time he didn’t feel her presence as strongly.

Eric!

Yes? Eric thought.

You need to concentrate your thoughts harder so I can hear them.

Alright!

Good, here comes Nedela.

Eric turned and saw the farmgirl dressed in the boy’s outfit coming their way.

“We best get out there… Erie. Or, to call you by your character name, Oserus.” Nedela told them.

Eric nodded. “Right, Amar.”

Pulling the cart of monster heads, Eric followed Nedela out. They came onstage, facing a large audience seated on benches. Eric saw Chosan in the front row with the flesh manifestation pretending to be him.

I’m on stage! Eric thought hard, the stares of the people seeming to weigh on him. What do I do?

Turn around! Karia’s voice said in Eric’s head.

He did so and saw something on the wall. It was an illusion of Sortar at a distance. Eric recognized the white walls, the structures of Soyagone and Grehold on the sides, as well as Volkaron high atop the front wall, and the crown tips of the Palace in the distance.

Now speak your lines!

Eric began to speak as Oserus. “Oh, how I have missed my wonderful city!”

“Even from here tis is a magnificent sight to behold, Sir Oserus!” Nedela spoke her lines as Amar. “I had never thought I’d visit here in all my life. There is so much in Sorceria I never thought I would see! But since I’ve followed you, I’ve seen more than I could have ever dreamed of. It has been a great honor to serve you.”

“Not at all Amar,” Eric said. “The honor is mine! Soon we shall be at the King’s Palace, and he shall reward me for slaying those terrible demon with a great amount of land. I shall be a Sorcerer Lord with a castle soon enough. When you become strong you shall become one of the first knights in my service.”

“Tis is a great honor. You have been kind to me, my Lord.” ‘Amar’ said with a bow.

“I enjoy you… lad.” Eric patted Nedela’s shoulder. “First, we must go up to palace and collect the reward. Then we shall attend a dance party tonight. I have a girl I wish to be my Lady.”

“A girl my lord? Have you met her before?” ‘Amar’ asked.

“Aye. She has been my love since I was but of three and ten,” Eric said.

That was practically the same age Eric was now. Of course, the character of Oserus was five years older at eight and ten at in this play.

Eric walked off the main stage. Karia came past him to perform her first scene in which Verida had to refuse the advances of Rovero.

Another girl dressed as a wealthy boy chased after her, speaking in a male voice. “Oh Verida! No girl in all the city of Sortar possesses beauty to match yours. You alone are worthy to be my lady, for none is as a grand a creature in this city as me. It is fate for us to be together!”

“Let me alone you beast! I would sooner marry a lowly pig than a vain bastard such as you,” Karia said, playing as Verida. “Guards, see him off!”

“I will have you my lovely Verida! I will have you!” ‘Rovero’ called even while pretending to struggle as the guard actors dragged him away.

Karia (as Verida) was left alone with her closest handmaiden, Welricka. Verida pulled a note from her pocket.

“He shall return tonight, Welricka! He has slain many demons and will become a Lord. The my father will let me marry him! Oh, how I’ve dreamed of this day! My one true love and I will finally be together!”

“A happy day, my lady. Your father was ready to force you to marry within the next month if you didn’t accept any suitors by then. This boy of yours is a reckless one. To kill ten great demons is something that is hard even with many fellow knights,” ‘Welricka’ said.

“He shall be at my ball tonight. Oh, I wish to dance with him for all the night!” Karia held the note close to her heart.

Eric was then on stage again, bowing to the girl playing the king.

‘He’ looked at the demon heads in the cart than said in a man’s voice. “You have done a great service to the Sorcerer Kingdom, Sir Oserus. Rise.”

Eric (as Oserus) got to his feet. Actors portraying servants carried out a chest filled with gold coins that were unmistakably fake.

“I hereby raise you from Soron Knight to Sorcerer Lord and grant you this bounty of a thousand gold crowns. I shall grant you a good-sized piece of land where your castle may be built. May it serve as a grand home for you and your sons.”

“Your good wishes are very welcome sire,” Eric said. It felt strange to have to address someone he knew was a girl as a king.

‘Amar’ took the chest of fake gold.

“Now to the ball!” Eric said.

Eric waited on the side once more, the ball began in Verida’s house. Couples began to dance around Verida who waited eagerly, glancing from side to side. Then Eric stepped in and Karia ran at him.

Spin me as I hug you! She told him in his head. Make it look we’re really in love!

“Oh Oserus! How I’ve missed you!” Karia said for everyone to hear as she threw her arms around Eric who swept her off her feet and spun her around.

She released him and looked at makeup covered. “You’ve been scarred!”

Eric gave a nervous chuckle. “Well, fighting be a dangerous business. But the rewards run high for those with the skill to overcome the challenge.”

“Sir Oserus,” said the girl portraying Verida’s father. “My daughter has been waiting for you to return for years and passed nary a dozen suitors from across the Kingdom hoping you would come back as a Lord.”

Eric gestured to ‘Amar’, who pretended to be struggling now to carry the chest of fake gold.

“And a lord I am now,” Eric told the girl playing the father. “Once again I ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

The girl playing the father considered him, stroking her fake beard. “Very well, so long as you have a sufficient amount of wealth you are a suitable man for her. Perhaps I shall even call you son if I like you well enough. You can’t be as bad as that Rovero fellow at least.”

Eric and Karia then took each other’s hands and began to dance. Then Rovero spoke from behind the scenes. He was invisible to Eric and Karia’s characters so they had to pretend he wasn’t there and that they couldn’t hear him as they danced.

“This low born new lord has stolen my beloved Verida’s heart! What must I do to get it for myself? Shall I kill him as he sleeps? Nay, perhaps I can take advantage of him? Yes! I shall take him and lock him away in my own castle. Then I shall take his form for a while, and slowly gain control of Verida. She will be mine.”

Sure enough, Eric left Verida’s castle (or to be precise, walked partway across the stage) Rovero and his men ambushed him and threw him under a trap door.

“You shall not have my dear Verida fiend!” Eric vowed. “I’ve slain ten great demons already! You may look like a man, but you are foul as one of those awful creatures!”

He watched the rest of the play go on until the time came when he was rescued by Amar and went on to confront Rovero. He was back on the main stage with the girl playing the villain, both drew their wooden swords and began to strike at each other. Eric could have easily defeated the girl had this been a real fight. Her blows were slow and weak like Myra’s, but he knew that wasn’t the way the story went and had to remain true to it. So, he let ‘Rovero’ land a hit on his shoulder and let out a false cry of pain before falling down on his back.

Then ‘Verida’ saved ‘Oserus’ by shooting ‘Rovero’ in the back with a blast of sorcery. ‘Rovereo’ screamed.

“Ah your beauty has killed me!”

The villain fell.

“Oh, Oserus! I was a fool to not see through that foul Rovero’s disguise! Can you ever forgive me?” Karia asked.

“Fret not Verida,” Eric told her. “He was a sly fox that could have fooled the wisest of owls. I blame you not my love. Now will you wed me? The real me?”

“Of course, I will Oserus!”

Kiss me! Eric! Karia told him in his head, sounding eager.

She put her hands around his neck. Eric’s heart quickened, freezing him like when he’d stood before Corgo, but far more pleasant. As if invisible chains were weighing him down, he couldn’t bring himself to lean forward and press the girl’s lips to his. But she did, Karia leaned in and pressed her lips to his. Eric stood there stunned for a moment then closed his eyes, enjoying the kiss. There was a cheer from the audience and the play ended. The actors stood on stage for a moment.

Tell them goodbye Eric! Karia told him.

“Uh… I hope you enjoyed tonight’s performance and… see you again!” Eric said.

They waved and the audience made to leave while the actors retreated into the changing rooms.

“You did a good job tonight, Eric,” Karia said after they did so.

“Thanks,” Eric blushed as he ran his fingers over his lips where she’d kissed him. His mother had always said he would fall in love with the first girl he met in Sortar, and that was her. Though he’d met Myra first that had been outside of the city in his own castle. Besides Myra was a little girl as well, and his cousin. It wasn’t uncommon for that to happen though.

“You might have a spot here if we can ever get boys allowed to perform again.”

“That will never happen unless Taro Volk changes, but I can’t see that happening,” Nedela said. “Let’s just not do this again, I don’t like breaking Sortar’s laws and I’m not going to cover for you again.”

Eric changed out of his Oserus costume and back into the dress. He didn’t want to spend any more time transformed as a girl then he needed to. He needed to get back to Chosan and somehow separate him from the manifestation to get his real clothes back. He walked out with Karia and saw to his relief that Chosan was there with the Yagaro Protectors and the manifestation.

“Good work out there all of you!” Madam Garlifa said.

“Yes, it was a great play!” the manifestation said, exactly what Eric would have said if he’d been a spectator.

“Thank you, Eric,” Karia said to the manifestation. “Would you like to come backstage and see the rooms?”

The real Eric grinned at her acting, she was making this look totally normal. The manifestation followed them back until they were out of Chosan’s sight. Then Eric reabsorbed its sorcery back into his body, the hair, bit of flesh and clothes fell to the floor. Eric took the clothes to the changing room to finally get his real body back.

“Rond Circo! Turn back

With that incantation, he undid the transformation. Good thing he knew it from shapeshifting weapons. Now a boy again in his slightly more muscular state he put on his tunic then hid the dress in his enchanted knapsack. He’d come in as a girl and would leave as a boy. When he emerged, however, he saw an unwelcome figure with Chosan, Taro Volk. He and Eric’s uncle were engaged in heated argument.

“You have no jurisdiction over him, Taro!” Chosan yelled.

“He is our only hope! You have him waste time watching plays when he should be mastering the sorcerer powers! I will be speaking with the Queen about this!”

Taro stormed off. Chosan grunted.

“What’s going on?” Eric asked as he approached.

“Taro thinks I’m neglecting my promise to have you taught to fight!” Chosan stated. “The nerve!”

Eric frowned, Chosan hadn’t exactly made his training a priority.

His uncle took a breath then turned, “Well good night, ladies! It’s time for a few days break now. See you in a couple days at the Relief Delivery?”

“Of course, Lord Chosan!” Karia said.

“Where is the new performer? Erie?” Madam Garlifa asked looking around.

“She already left,” Karia said.

“Did she?” Madam Garlifa asked looking at Eric. “Pity. I looked forward to having her in more plays.”

Somehow, Eric had the feeling Madam Garlifa knew. The Tiger Lady turned to Chosan.

“Good night Lord Yagaro,” she said.

“Please call me Chosan my dear feline!” Chosan said. “Say, would you care to attend my nephews Aging Day soon?”

She smiled, “I’d be honored.”

They looked into each others eyes. Eric didn’t have much experience with love, but that looked like it.