The circular room was large,
with a high ceiling that seemed to stretch on forever. In the center
of the room was a high wooden table covered in spiderwebs, behind
which sat seven wizards.
As Merrick dragged me toward
them, I let myself tremble like any proper princess would after
finally arriving at a villain's lair.
Merrick stopped within an
elegantly carved design of stars on the floor before the table, and I
allowed myself a weak attempt at pulling away from his grip.
Merrick offered me a one of
his grins, and let go of my arm. I shuffled back, then stopped as
something pressed against my back. I turned my head, and saw a wall
of glowing green stars that rose from the floor's design and up into
that endless ceiling.
I turned back in time to see
Merrick bow. The wizards at the table watched him, and occasionally
looked at me. Whenever they did, I acted the part of a frightened
princess.
“Apprentice Merrick,
report.” One of the wizard's said, his voice quite reedy.
Merrick kept bowing as he
craned his head back to look at the wizards. “I have traveled away
from this tower and captured a princess using the magic I have been
taught.”
Another wizard spoke,
stroking his red beard. “So we see. Who is she?”
I opened my mouth, but
Merrick spoke before I could. “Princess Isidore of the Kingdom of
Bellstrum, the second-born of King Leopold and Queen Alicia of
Bellstrum.”
I stared at Merrick, unable
to hide my surprise. I hadn't told him my name, and he'd never asked
for it. Was this some wizard magic, or had he known who I was the
entire time? Bellstrum wasn't a large kingdom, so most commoners from
other kingdoms couldn't even name my father.
The red-bearded wizard
nodded. “And how did you capture her?”
“Through the use of
Sandera's sleeping spell.”
The red-bearded wizard gave
another nod, and the reedy-voiced wizard spoke. “What is that
creature?”
Ah, the troll-rabbit. I was
wondering if any of them would notice it. I did nothing to hide my
relief as the beast hit the other side of the starry wall, unable to
get through it to me.
Merrick glanced toward the
creature and gave a shaky laugh. “That was a troll that attacked us
on the way back to the tower. I attempted to transfigure it, and only
managed a partial transfiguration.”
The reedy-voiced wizard
frowned as he leaned back. “That will cost you some marks, but not
an outright failure, as the best was rendered harmless.”
Harmless? That beast was
still trying to eat me! I wouldn't call that harmless.
The other wizards began
asking Merrick technical questions about his exam, and I decided not
to listen. I was here as the frightened princess, abducted from her
carriage and terrorized by a troll. I would act my part, Merrick
would become a full wizard, and we would part company.
Unless of course, I was fed
to a dragon.
After a couple of hours, the
wizard seated in the center of the table lifted a hand. Merrick
stiffened slightly, and the other wizards all turned to look at the
central wizard.
“One final question.”
The wizard began, his voice an aged whisper that strangely seemed to
remind me of the stars. “Did you request Princess Isidore's aid in
passing this exam?”
Merrick stared at the
wizard, before turning those blue eyes to meet mine. The hint of a
smile crossed his face, then Merrick turned back to the wizard.
“Yes. It seemed like the
polite thing to do.”
The wizards behind the table
looked at one another, and then the central wizard smiled.
“Very good, Prince
Merrick. You have passed the final exam.”
“Excuse me?” I said,
glancing between the wizards at the table and Merrick. “He cheats
by asking for my help, and he passes? and why did you call him a
prince?”
The reedy-voiced wizard
spoke. “The princess test is usually how we're able to weed out
apprentices who would use their magic against innocents. However,
sometimes the apprentice does not have the skill necessary to
complete the other options for the final exam. Whenever an apprentice
chooses the princess test, we are careful to monitor their every
action during the test, and then question them on their choices.
Their choices, and reasoning for them, matters greatly.”
The red-bearded wizard
offered a smile. “You would be surprised by how few apprentices who
choose the princess test decide to simply ask the princess for help.
It is an acceptable method for completing the exam, as a wizard who
would ask a royal for help is one who would likely also ask another
wizard for help with a problem.”
The central wizard gave
another laugh. “Besides, I would be concerned if the heir to a
throne didn't ask for permission before taking a princess anywhere.”
I turned to Merrick. “Heir
to a throne?”
Merrick grinned. Could
nothing stop him from grinning? “Prince Merrick of the Kingdom of
Silvercove, heir to King Erick and unfortunate heir to his many
greats grandfather Varrick's magic.”
I shook my head. I'd been
willingly abducted by a wizard, avoided being rescued by a prince,
saved from a troll by having it become a rabbit, only to learn that
the wizard who abducted me was in fact a prince.
Well, it was certainly an
adventure.
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