13. Examination
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Duko sighed as he put the stethoscope to the Wizard's chest. "Breathe in for me, your grace?"
He did so, and Duko winced as he heard the rattle in the old chest. Yes, he indeed was coming down with a cold.
"Well sir," he said later as the Wizard dressed, scribbling down a prescription, "I'm giving you an antibiotic to take twice a day until it runs out. That, with plenty of rest, and you should be back to yourself."
There was a dry chuckle. Duko turned to see the Wizard looking at him, and Duko realized in that instant the Wizard was indeed a very old man as tired eyes looked at him over a pair of spectacles.
"My boy," he murmured, "when you are in my line of work, there is no such thing as rest."
The young man watched as the Wizard strode toward the door, and he remembered what Glinda had said the Wizard appeared to her and Elphaba had. It hadn't been him; that was for sure.
So before the Wizard had gone out the door, he said something rather daring, and he imagined later if the Wizard had been with his guards, he would have been arrested. "Illusion is hard work, sir?"
And the Wizard turned and looked at him…
And he nodded.
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3/20/2006 10:06 AM