The girl grinned. “And wear it while I finish my chores for the day?” Her bucket clanked when a particularly big sapphiredropped.
“Itisa thoroughly useless boon,” Angelique agreed. “Perhaps coins would have been a better choice—small currency, in particular. Too large of currency, and everyone will be convinced it is forgery—and it might affect the economy, which is politics, and we can’t havethat.” She tapped her chin as she thought. “Obviously, I’ll have to put more thought into this for thefuture.”
“It is still a lovely gift,” the young lady said—as a small bouquet of hibiscus flowers dropped from hermouth.
Angelique grunted. “The point of a boon is that itaidsyou—not causes additional heartache.” Under her breath, she grumbled, “Why has no one realizedthis?”
Probably because powerful mages are usually taken from their homes at a young age and haven’t the faintest idea what life is like for an average person. The only reason I know is that I was taken to the school at a late age. But by the heavens above, you would assume they would have thought their boons through—particularly the traditionalones!
“At least it only lasts a day,” Angeliquesaid.
The girl laughed again. “Lady Enchantress, even if I do not get a proper market price, these jewels will feed my mother, sister, and me for a long time. Thankyou.”
Angelique smiled. “Of course. Never abandon your kind and gentle heart, and you will be prized…” Angelique paused as she tried to think of something suitably vague and unhelpful—Evariste had been clear she had to give some sort of verbal blessing as a parting. “…as the jewels areprecious.”
She wanted to grimace.Who came up with all these rules? When you make enchanter or enchantress, do you suddenly have oodles of time on your hands so you can worry about useless things like saying sufficiently mysticalpartings?
The girl curtsied a final time. “Thank you, Lady Enchantress. I am not worthy of the boon you have granted me,” she said, with a rush of tulips, dahlias, and a fewgarnets.
“You are,” Angelique said firmly, trying to mentally return to her role of beautiful enchantress. “Take care, young one, and may your future beblessed.”
The girl nodded and hurried away—her bucket empty of water but full of gems and half-crushedflowers.
When she was no longer visible through the branches of a drooping palm tree, Angelique retreated to her bush. “How did I do, Master Evariste?” she called, not knowing quite where tolook.
“You did everything perfectly.” Evariste’s voice came fromabove.
Angelique peered up through the foliage of a tree, espying her master sitting comfortably on a thick branch. “But?” sheasked.
Evariste shook his head. “There is nothing to criticize, Angel. You performedperfectly.”
Angelique relaxed minutely—relieved. “Good.”
“However—”
I knewit!
“I have never before seen an enchantress commiserate in the inconsideration of a boon,” Evaristechuckled.
Judging by the relaxed tone of his voice, it had been a safe—if not slightly strange—conversation to have with the young woman. It just wasn’t done often. Or maybeever.
What a surprise—I did something unusual again. Shocking. I wonder when that will stophappening?
Angelique cleared her throat. “If I am going to give boons, I would like for them to be something that actually eases the person’s concerns and difficulties—not add tothem.”
Evariste leaned back against a second branch that stretched out behind him. “And that, Angel, is why you are going to be a wonderfulenchantress.”
Angelique twitched her shoulders in her desire to shrug, but she managed to stay still. “Will we go to a new well to grant the second boon, Master Evariste, or stayhere?”
“We’ll stay here,” Evariste said. “Though this time, the guise you take on and the boon you grant will be your choice. Though I suggest you try to vary it for the sake ofpractice.”
Angelique nodded, then started adjusting a new illusion spell that made her into a blonde, blue-eyed maiden. The illusion made her considerably shorter and gave her the wide eyes of a child. She adjusted her clothes to a bunad—a Verglas dress that consisted of a white blouse covered by a vest and skirt—and used magic to coil her hair into an elaborate braid. As an afterthought, she added a few gold necklaces, bracelets, and pins to herhair.
Now, what to do about a boon? I don’t want to use gems, and while I think my coin idea has merit, I would like to discuss it at length with Evariste—I don’t want any countries getting angry at me for affecting their currency. But what could I use as a stand-in for the meantime? Perhaps I ought to give the person achoice?
A good half of an hour passed before Angelique heard someonecoming.
Angelique hurried out of the bushes, wearing the guise of a young—but obviously wealthy and foreign—little girl, and ran to the well so she could reach itfirst.
