The creature hissed again, turning several different colors with rage. "A Bard? I hate Bards! A Bard is responsible for doing this to me!"
Then it fell into place. This is Carlotta, the sist King Amber! Naitachal was part of the group that thwarted her plan to take the throne from her brother a long time ago, long before King Reynard. Kevin, the bardling, and Naitachal's student, performed the spell that unmade her human form and returned her to her fairy status. But that Unmaking didn't do this to her.
There must be more to it than that.
"Yes, I know," Sir Jehan said solemnly. "There is a surprise I've been saving for you. Perhaps it will please you to know that the Ambassador from Althea is none other than the Necromancer Dark Elf Naitachal!
Soon he will be here, and you will be able to do with him what you will."
The blob was silent for several long moments. "Then obscene, cackling laughter poured from the thing's mouth. "You jest!" Carlotta said. "Naitachal? Cap- tured? Here?"
"Yes, he is," Sir Jehan said quickly. "I knew you'd be pleased."
"Indeed," Carlotta said. "But why didn't you tell me that before! Seven hells bedamned, you've withheld information from me again!"
"Oh, but it was only meant to be a little surprise,"
Sir Jehan said quickly, in a panic. "Certainly there was no harm."
"Perhaps not," Carlotta said, unable to keep the glee from her voice. "When will they be here? I must know."
"Momentarily," Sir Jehan said. "I sent my men over some time ago."
Carlotta let loose another peal of obscene laughter, and rocked back and forth on the enormous buttocks, waving her hands, cackling, like some kind of disgust- ing perversion of a nursery toy. Apparently, this substituted for jumping about for joy. The sight Alaire's stomach churn, but he was too fascinated to look away.
"Ever since his bardling student Kevin unma I've wanted to get even," she said, in a self-satisfied tone. "They turned me back into a fairy and all I could do was flee. They spoiled the very plan that would have made me Queen of Althea centuries ago. And ever since I've had to hide here. I'd almost forg Naitachal would still be alive. He would be the only survivor of that pathetic little group. And he's coming here. To see me. How wonderful!"
Sir Jehan was smiling and nodding, nervously glanc- ing around himself as if looking for unseen intruders.
Alaire crouched still further into the shadows, praying that he wouldn't be seen.
The blob continued "You know, your grandf was not as stupid as you are. He knew a good deal when he saw it. He had the vision to form the Magi-. cians' Association as soon as I suggested it to him. But perhaps that is only to be expected; he was, after all, a mage, and you have nothing in the way of magical abilities. You don't even know if you've really impris- oned a Bard in the matrix."
Jehan grimaced. "Of course he's a Bard! Soren guaranteed it!"
Carlotta snorted; it was not pretty. "What does that fat magician know about Bards anyway? He's never even seen one. Suinomen hasn't seen one since I had your grandfather prohibit them from entering the kingdom. How did this one get in, anyway?"
"He was in disguise, acting as Naitachal's secretary, and careful not to reveal his true nature. Soren has assured me he is indeed, a Bard." Jehan folded his arms across his chest, and tried to look impressive. He failed.
Carlotta snarled at him. "You should certainly hope so. You and your little dog Soren, too. Mistakes are intolerable. Without my plan, you would be herding dieren, and this entire kingdom would be just the same backward barbarian bastion it was when I arrived."
"And a cunning plan it is, my Queen," Sir Jehan said ingratiatingly. "When Grandfather eliminated all the mages except the ones in the Association, you proved that we could manipulate the throne as we pleased.
With your knowledge of drugs, we managed to Archenomen's mind enough to make him turn against his own son. Now, we are only a half-step from gaining his Crown."
"And don't forget what this cunning plan was all about," Carlotta said, interrupting him. "I don't plan on looking like this forever!"
"Soren knows what he's doing," Sire Jehan soothed.