Magic or Something Like it

Fiesty led the neighbor’s goat to the boardwalk that evening. Some of the refugees had worked up acts to amuse the crowds and hopefully bring in some badly needed money. She hoped the owners of the goat would not be at the boardwalk. Fiesty, as a druid, could speak to some animals. For her, goat-speak came easily and so she was off to show the townspeople what an exceptional goat this one was.

She entered the boardwalk and saw a fellow who seemed to be running the show.

Fiesty Meets the Barker

He said to Fiesty. “Humm, what do we have here? A goat! A dirty goat?”

Fiesty tries for a little patience and says "Oh sir, I am bringing this animal in as part of my act."

The Barker said “An act huh. Well, you better keep that goat from causing trouble, and you will have to clean up after it."

Fiesty nodded and went toward the crowd.

Things Start to go bad

Things started to go bad immediately.  Of course there was the eventual clean-up and all the delay that caused. The goat then became shy and balked at all the people. Fiesty drug him up to the staging area. She started off saying how wonderful the goat was while people looked on dully. The night was coming on and they were bored. Fiesty had the goat count out the number she gave with its hoof. Then they started to do some tricks with scarves but that went downhill when the goat ate them. The night was advancing and the crowd was thinning. Fiesty realized it was no good, not a single coin had gone into the hat. With a sigh she waved at Talia to come on and took herself and her goat off.

Talia and the Barker

Talia came to the staging area.

Talia smelled the myriad of food aromas on the boardwalk and her stomach growled. "I want lots of shiny gold pieces for food."

"Well you'll have to work for them, ma'am," said the carnival barker.

"Work? Fae--I mean fabulous people don't work."

"No work. No food."

Talia pondered. What she primarily knew how to do was cause trouble, but no one seemed inclined to pay her for that.

She spotted a barrel of apples. They had been eating many apples back at their home. Talia was tired of apples.

"Unless it was apple pie!" Talia turned to the barker. "I'll turn those apples into apple pie. Will you pay me for that?"

"Sure, lots of customers like a fresh baked apple pie. I can pay you to cook."

"Cook, schmook!" Talia strode up to the barrel of apples. "I'll magically turn the apples into pie, in an instant!"

"Now that little missy, is something I'd like to see," said the barker, cocking an eyebrow.

"Then feast your eyes on this." Talia pulled out her bent wand.

Talia's Bent Wand

The barker laughed and turned to the crowd strolling the boardwalk. "Well, folks, it looks like this little lady thinks she can perform magic."

"I can, and I will." Talia nodded with authority. She turned to the barrel of apples, waved her wand while chanting. "Apple hear me. Apple obey, Apple change my way. Apple boil. Apple bake down. Apple crisp, moist and brown."

Talia flicked her bent wand. Odd green and brown sparks sputtered off the end. The sparks hit the barrel of apples, and there was a flash of white light.

A Flash of White Light

The crowd gasped and backed up.

"See. It worked!" Talia pointed proudly at the barrel of apples. There was a croaking sound. Talia looked down. Instead of apple pie, a big brown frog had appeared there.

"Well, a frog is moist and brown!" The barker laughed, and the crowd joined in.

A Brown and Moist Frog

Talia cursed in Fae language and went off in search of her friends, leaving the frog behind.

Fiesty had second thoughts as Talia stalked away and went to investigate the hat once again. She was surprised to discover several coins in it and scooped them up. Perhaps there was a kinder side to these people after all.

Coins from Kind People