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Astrid groaned inwardly. This was a complication that she didn't need. She
had no idea who this handsome midget might be, or whether Astra had
returned his evident affection for her (though it seemed unlikely, given
their disparity in height). She would like to get rid of him, whoever he
was, but how?
Apparently the man had spotted the puzzlement on her face. "You don't
recognise me, do you?" he said. It was more of a statement than a
question. He went on: "Of course, that's understandable. When I tell you
that I was six feet tall before I blundered into a magic trap and came out
like this, you'll realise who I am." He looked at her expectantly.
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Now that Velus seemed to have proved his loyalty, she decided that she had no more need of deceit. "I too have been a victim of magic," she said. "I am not really Astra, but am actually a man. Astra, come out and show yourself."
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"I had a blow on the head and lost part of my memory," she said. "I'm afraid that you'll have to tell me who you are."
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If Velus was loyal, then going through the shimmering doorway should do what he claimed, and restore her rightful form. Ducking, to keep beneath the beam, she ran towards the door, as Velus and the stranger looked on bemusedly.
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When she still hesitated, he went on: "Can it be that you are spurning me in favour of this young squire here? Don't think that I haven't noticed how he ogles you."
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"I wish you'd go away," Astrid told him, then clapped her hand over her mouth as she realised what she had said. There was her second wish gone.
-
The import of what the little man had said sunk in.
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