A bell suspended from the ceiling started to ring wildly. Morgana looked startled, then angry.
"An aerial attack? Let's see who dares fly over my walls," Morgana said grabbing a sheet and pulling it off
yet another mirror.
Instantly, I understood why it had been covered. It reflected a view looking down on the Morgana's keep from
high overhead. You had the distinct sensation of falling when you looked into it. There was a blue and purple
rectangle moving across the outer wall. Morgana pointed at it with her finger and the image zoomed in. It was
a man on a rug - a flying rug.
"Flying rug?" I blurted out.
"We in the business prefer flying carpet or animated object," Morgana said drily. She eyed the young man in
white silk clothing with a scimitar on his belt and a turban with a jewel on his turban. She rubbed her chin,
and spoke again, "A mortal with a magic carpet. Hard to tell if he has any other magics, but I warrant he's no
wizard or elf. I wonder who put him up to this - someone gave him a magic carpet? Well, I will open my house
to this stranger until I learn his purpose and then I will deal with him. I've always wanted my own magic
carpet, and they are so costly to enchant."
She waved her hands, and we were on a flat parapet covered with flowers and streamers. She waved to the man
descending on the carpet.
"Welcome, great wizard!" she suppressed a snicker as the carpet hovered in front of her. Then strange man was
shorter than Morgana, but because the carpet hovered a foot off the floor, he had to look down on her. He
bowed with a flourish.
"Great enchantress, I am humble Prince Aladdin from far off Agrabah, and I have come to purchase a remedy from
you. We have heard of your miraculous cures, and Princess Jasmine is gravely ill."
"Indeed?" said Morgana raising an eyebrow, "P-rince Al-addin," she said carefully running her teeth across her
lower lip as she thought.
I feared he would never make it off the carpet, but we interrupted.
"Hey! Wait up, Aladdin!" screeched a bright orange and yellow bird as it flew down to roost on the parapet
wall.
"Is that Princess Jasmine?" Morgana asked staring at the strange bird.
"No, of course not! It's just my friend Iago, and -"
Morgana had been staring at the bird, and cut the prince off, "Silence. This bird is clearly a familiar. Which
wizard or witch do you serve?" she asked grabbing the prince by his silk collar.
"Hey, back off! I don't serve any wizard or witch, and I've never heard of a familiar. Yago is just a
talking bird."
"Ahem, Aladdin -er, Prince Aladdin is telling the truth, oh, beautiful sorceress," Yago began, "I was a
familiar but Jafar -well, he wasn't a very good sorceror, and basically got himself sealed in the Cave of
Wonders for 10,000 years or so. So, I retired early, and decided to hang out with Aladdin, his monkey, and his
uh, other friends." Yago had spent enough time with Jafar to recognize his ilk in the sorceress standing in
front of him. He cut himself short of saying "genie." Instead, he wobbled from one foot to the other looking
like an embarrassed sycophant begging for a job, "I, mean, they give me good fruit and all, and well, I being
unemployed as a familiar. Uh, you wouldn't be looking for a familiar would you?"
Morgana laughed and let go of Aladdin's shirt, and turned to face the bird. He felt back on the carpet on his
ass.
"Not at the moment, bird, but I'll keep you in mind, if I do." Saying that she turned to Aladdin, "Okay,
Prince Aladdin, if you really are a prince, tell me why I should help you with your sick princess?"
"I'll pay you," Aladdin said reaching for his leather knapsack on the carpet. He opened it and little monkey
climbed out eating grapes. "Abou? I thought I told you to stay with Jasmine at the palace!" Aladdin said
angrily at his pet. He reached into the bag and extracted a bag of jewels and gold coins. He emptied it on
the carpet and asked, "Would this be enough, Great Sorceress?"
She raised her eyebrow and smiled, "Hm, we may be able to do business? Now tell me what ails your princess?"
The bird flew over and stole a grape from the monkey. They were soon squawking and chittering loudly as they
fought over the grapes.
Then she beckoned the prince to follow her. He did, but still riding his carpet. It suddenly occurred to me
that he was a clever young man. If Morgana could have used her magic on him, she would have, but so far she
hadn't. The magic of the flying carpet must have protective properties. Maybe I can escape with this prince
on his carpet, I wondered as I followed them down the staircase. Morgana and I were on foot, and the visitors
remained on their carpet.