#32 Two to the Fifth by Piers Anthony

Author:Piers Anthony [ANTHONY, PIERS]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Xanth (Imaginary place), Fantasy - General, Fiction - Fantasy, General, Fantasy, Fiction, Fantasy fiction, Anthony; Piers - Prose & Criticism, Humorous, Epic, Humorous fiction, Fantasy - Epic, Science Fiction And Fantasy
ISBN: 9780765358943
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Published: 2009-09-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11: Play

I just had the wildest dream," Cyrus exclaimed as he carefully let go of Rhythm so as not to seem to be clasping a child. "I think it will make a perfect play for the Lady."

"Oh, tell me!" the dragon exclaimed, delighted.

He described the dream in detail as they ate hot cross buns and hot nog for breakfast. They had gotten accustomed to the heat of the cave.

"So they decided to have a family in the Dream," he concluded. "He'll still be a man, and she'll still be a dragon, but in the dream they can live together and have dream children and all. It's a happy compromise."

"It's a derivative of your own situation," Melete said severely.

The Lady's ears perked. "Is someone else here?"

"Better let her in," Rhythm murmured to the Muse.

"Let me introduce myself," Melete said, extending her perceptibility. "I am the Writer's Block you returned to Cyrus. I enable him to write his plays."

"Oh," the Lady said. "I had no idea you could talk."

"I normally talk only to him. But you need to hear this too. It's not really a story about you; it's about his forbidden love. He can't let others know he loves a child, so he has sublimated it in the dream, which he now proposes to render into a play. Instead of a child, the lady is a dragon. Its an attempt to justify his illicit passion."

"But she has a spell to make her older," the Lady said. "So it's all right."

"But he knows she's really a child. That's what makes it not all right."

"Oh, come off it. Muse," Kadence said. "They're in love. Who cares how old anyone is?"

'The Adult Conspiracy cares."

"But technically there's no Violation." the Lady said, "Just as there's no man/dragon problem in the play. It's all in the Dream. Forbidden love is forbidden love, and it's great drama. I don't care if there's a parallel. I think it's a great play and I love it."

"So do I." Kadence said.

"Just make sure you get a cute actress to play my Avatar in the Dream, and a handsome actor to love her."

"But I thought you were going to act in it," Kadence said.

"I'll be there, curling around the stage. I'll speak my part, once the audience learns that I'm Marsha. That way I'll be a dragon playing the part of a girl. It's wonderful."

Melete sighed. "Have it your way. But I'll expect something more original for the third play. I have to protect my reputation, after all."

They made an arrangement with the Lady to meet her at the Troupe, and resumed their trek. Now that they did not need to search for Melete, they were free to take whatever paths were most convenient.

They came to a clearing wherein a number of people sat. A man stepped forward to meet them. "Hello, I am a Talent Scout. Do you need a new talent?"

Cyrus was tempted to brush on by, but paused. "I'm not sure I have an old talent, other than merely existing.

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