"Ouch, don't do that."
"We cannot have that hair growing between your brows."
"Why, don't you think I'm handsome enough?" He leaned towards her. He was very nearly her height. "You're a beautiful woman. Why do I need to bother with that barbarian queen when I could have you?"
"Have me?! Have me?! No one has me!"
Ray grabbed Jadis and pulled her close. "You called me here because you longed for me. Admit it."
"I called you because you had the strongest feelings for Susan." She pushed him away. "I did not call you for myself."
"I know you're lying."
"Behave and put more of this hair grease on. Your curls are starting to show."
"The women love men with the waving black hair. Why do you make me hide it?"
"Because she might recognize you."
"She loved me before. She only grew cold when she came to my home. It was my father. He was fat. Women do not like fat men."
"She cannot know who you are. You'll have to charm her as the new you. Then you can help me to go where I want. After that do with her as you want."
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Ray puckered his lips at her. "I think before this is over you will be begging me to come with you to this new land you speak of. Then we can reign together. You will be the queen and I will be your king."
"Stop that. Think of Susan." Jadis looked in the mirror and admired her own reflection. "I suppose it's the price I pay for beauty—having men fall in love with me."
"Yes, I have loved you since the moment I saw you." He stood behind her admiring her reflection, then his own.
"You've got to stop that and think about Susan. It's Susan you love. Concentrate on that."
"Only for you will I do this thing." He bent down and kissed her hand. "Only for you, my love."
One thing the witch did not know about Ray. When he fell for women, he fell hard. And he didn't give up easily.
"I am going out to buy some clothes. These clothes you have given me are ridiculous." He looked down at his tweed suit.
"It is what men wear here."
"It is not what I wear anywhere." He approached Jadis and kissed her cheek . "I will see you later, my love."
"I am not your love!" But she was talking to the door.
Ray left the flat and went onto the street. Everywhere all he saw were the same barbarians. He finally came to the shopping district. He found a shoe store. He entered and sat in a chair. A clerk approached him.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, I require some boots. Some very tall boots. I saw some in the window."
"Oh, yes, let me measure your feet." The clerk took a measurement. "I'll be right back."
While he waited Ray browsed the shop. There was a rack of women's shoes. On it was a beautiful pair of heels."
The clerk returned with the boots. Ray tried them on and they fit.
"I will require an alteration. Can You do that?"
"Yes, we offer a service of altering shoes."
"I will need heels put on them."
"But they have heels."
"No, I mean something like this." He showed the clerk the woman's heels.
The clerk looked puzzled. "We can't put a thin heel like that on a pair of boots but I believe we could put what we refer to as lifts on the boots. They will appear more manly."
"Yes, that would be good. Have your men prepare them for me."
"Are you sure you want lifts put on these boots? You are already quite tall."
"I have fallen in love with a woman who is taller than me. Yes, I require them."
"A woman taller than you? I wouldn't think it possible." The clerk wrote out a bill. " We should have them ready in two days."
"Have them ready tomorrow." Ray pulled out a pouch of gold coins. He gave one to the man.
"Yes, we will have them tomorrow."
Ray went on shopping the rest of the afternoon. When he returned to his flat he was wearing a red velvet cape over a tuxedo. Jadis was waiting.
"You have improved your appearance." She walked around him. She liked his style. "But you can't wear clothes like that around Susan."
"I cannot wear that brown cloth. It makes me look like a barbarian."
"Yes, but Susan will like it."
"What do you like? Eh? You like the cape." He twirled the cape around her.
"Yes, of course. It's beautiful."
"I see that you do not dress like a barbarian." He eyed her red velvet dress.
"I do not want Susan to know that we know each other. You must keep it a secret. Never speak of me to her."
"Why not? She will be jealous of my love for you and she will come back to me."
Jadis shook her head. This was not going well. "Forget about your love for me."
Ray took her in his arms and held her close. "I will never forget my love for you. You are all I think of."
Jadis flipped Ray over her shoulder and onto the floor. "Stop this nonsense. Remember your love for Susan." She stood towering over him.
Ray lay on the floor looking up her. "I love a woman with fire in her veins."
