With the procession out of sight, Ivan walked the streets feeling sorry for himself. His chance of fame was over, his hopes of riches gone.
Suddenly he heard a cry of "Mia! Mia!" from the nearby Place of Grieving. He ran around the corner and saw a Gypsy girl dancing.
Her face was lit by the bonfire that blazed in the square. Her hair was as blue as the river. Her eyes, too were almost blue.
A crowd looked on in silence, enchanted by the sight of the beautiful young woman dancing before them. She was known as Mia.
Ivan was enchanted, too. He forgot all about his failed play and watched her as well.
Mia was not dancing alone. She was accompanied by a Mercury Djinni, which seemed to understand her commands and perform tricks.
"Come Fizz, dance!" Mia instructed.
The crowd clapped and threw money to the girl and her amazing pet djinni. She then began to sing.
Mia's beautiful voice rang out clearly, until she was interrupted by the shouts of an old woman from the nearby Tower of Kraden.
"Will you be quiet you cricket from hell!"
The crowd was angry and hurled abuse at the elderly woman, whose name was Dora, telling her to put an end to her curses.
Just then, the "King of Fools" procession burst onto the square, carrying Garet. All the thieves, ruffians, and beggars of the city had joined them.
At that moment, a hand reached out and pulled the hunchback from his seat, tearing off his cloak. It was the archdeacon of Sol Sanctum, Alex. The crowd looked on in terror, would the great fire crush the man of God?
But oddly it was Garet who looked afraid.
The two men did not speak to each other. Instead, they communicated using a sort of sign language, making shapes with their hands that no one else could understand.
Much to the crowd's surprise and disappointment, the archdeacon lead Garet away in the direction of the sanctum.