The Interview

I don't know what to expect walking into Ms. Baines's office. The stone walls have wooden bookshelves affixed to them, not one open space between the books. Afternoon sunlight filters in with a calvacade of colors from the stained glass windows all depicting great mages of the past. Candles in wall sconces and a large iron chandelier dangling from the ceiling provide even more light.

Sitting behind a large-- no large doesn't begin to describe it. Humongous is the more the word I would use. Humongous oak desk sits a woman of advanced age. I'd say anywhere between ninety and two thousand years old. Okay yes that's probably an exaggeration but not by much. Her white hair is in a bun so tight that it appears to pull at the skin of her wrinkly face. That and she's incredibly thin. I'd bet it would take just the smallest of wind gust to blow her away like a piece of tissue paper. Her faded blue mage's robe is worn and tattered.

She sits there not even acknowledging my presence. I clear my throat. Nothing. I clear my throat again before speaking. "Hello madam. My name is Ariadne Chapman." Still nothing." Um I believe I have an appointment with you for this afternoon?" She finally looks up at my with her beadie brown eyes. "Whatever missy." She motions with a gnarly hand towards a small wooden chair in front of her desk." Sit your little fanny down in that chair." I do as instructed.

"Do you have your transcripts and other credentials with you?" I inform her that I do indeed have all the necessary documents." Well then hand them over girly. I'm not getting any younger you know." I take all my documentation out of my satchel and hand it to her.

She knocks all the books and scrolls off of her desk and onto the floor than with shaky hands she gets a pair of glasses out of a desk drawer and puts them on. With my paperwork now sprawled out on her desk she reads through it.

"Let's see here, Ariadne Chapman. Yes we've already established that is your name." She looks up from her desk. "I am Ms. Baines. You may refer to me as Ms.Baines. You've already met my lying cheating late husband Reginald when you knocked on the door." Okay I admit I'm a bit confused here." Um your late husband?" She leans back in her chair and studies me for a moment before explaining.

"Yes you heard that right. See Reggie was a bit of a hard dog to keep under the porch so right before he kicked the bucket I used a conjuration spell to transfer his soul into that unique door knocker right outside my office. Kind of my way of getting back at him for his decades of philandering. Now every time someone knocks on my door his very soul feels a bit of testicular torment. The moral of the story, never underestimate a woman scorned."She laughs and I admit I chuckle a bit as well. Poor Reginald.

She leans forward onto her desk and begins examining my transcripts again.

"And now young lady let's see what you have to offer The Academy......."