"Ah, cook, bring us some victuals for this blind man and his dog," the king ordered as they entered the hall.
"Yes,your majesty," the cook said with a deft curtsy while she still carried the freshly washed cauldron in
her hands.
"Oh, don't go to any trouble on my account," the old wizard said.
"No problem at all we have a larder overflowing with food stuffs. We are sorry about our nephew. The young
whelp could do with a lesson in empathy. He has no idea how everyday folk perceive things. I was glad he was
late getting back to the castle, I'm guessing he was engaged in his tet-a-tet with you - what's your name?"
"I'm known as Bran," the wizard said.
"Well, Bran, if he hadn't been late, I'm sure that the Grand Duke would have nixed our treaty with the elves
and centaurs. He just is so brash and bigoted. He speaks without thinking, and acts too. How could he
expect a blind man to see his royal insignia?"
"I confess your majesty. I may have been just the tad bit insolent in pointing out that was blind, as I had
could not see who was addressing me, sire."
"Haha, quite right. How could you see who was addressing you. Still, something must be done about
Robespierre before he assumes a greater role in governance. I wish there was a way to give him a new
perspective."
"You mean like transforming him into a dog?" the wizard asked.
"Haha, that would be rich. Robespierre gone to the hounds, if such things were possible."
"You treat with elves and centaurs and doubt magic?" the wizard asked. He waved his staff, "Jeffy, come assume
your human form for the king and bow nicely - remember to cover yourself."
The king looked askance as the dog trotted over to where his master was sitting and stood up on its hind legs.
As he watched the fur was absorbed into the lightening skin. The paws shifted into hands and feet, and the
muzzle retracted and the skull expanded. Jeff the naked lad covered his exposed genitals and bowed his head.
"My word. Your dog is a werewolf?"
"No, no. Weredog, and he's my apprentice. You see I'm a wizard. I needed a guide dog more than an apprentice,
so Jeffy, uh does double duty. I get my faithful dog, and he gets taught magic. Though something is terribly
wrong - I can sense it every time I look at him. The wizard scratched his head. It's as if this world were all
someone else's dream. I was on may way home to my tower to work out what this premonition means, when your
nephew had me arrested," the wizard sighed.
The king reached out and touched Jeffy. "Damn, it's not an illusion. You really transformed him. You can do
this to Robespierre too?"
"Well, yes, sire. If you wish it, but perhaps just making him into a plow horse, a scullery maid, or a stable
hand would be a better learning experience?"
"A horse, a whore or horsehandler? Hm, Robespierre would hate them all. Let me think, maybe a series of
changes. Give him a taste of elfdom, and centaurdom too. Do you do inanimate things too? I know the servants
talk about him behind his back, and I think it would be a good lesson if he could hear that too. Perhaps as
boots that they're polishing or a codpiece they're washing?"
"Hm, I think I will need to make a list. Then if Jeffy can borrow some clothing, I'll have him run home and
fetch the things I'll need."