Faerie Queen for Life

by: Lilith Langtree

Shay Lefae, faced with a deadly illness, is thrown into a world of magic, murder, and intrigue.

"Mr. Lefae, you have AML - Acute Myelogenous Leukemia."

My eyelids drooped and I wheezed a soft chuckle. "Thank you doctor. And may I say that shirt brings out the blue in your eyes."

It was a mouthful for my current state of health. Over the last two months I've been running on fumes. I thought the shortness of breath was due to my smoking three packs of cigarettes a day. I cut down to two. I've been doing good, but my breathing only got worse. After banging my knee on the coffee table the other day, and the resulting massive bruise, I realized that something else was at play.

He gave me a grim smile at my joke, but didn't acknowledge it further. When he saw me take him more seriously he continued. "I'll be frank, Mr. Lefae…"

"Please, Doctor, when you tell me I'm gonna die you can at least call me by my first name."

I had a feeling he wasn't used to dealing with people like me. I was sure there were all types of reactions to hearing the C-word. What can I say. I like the straight poop, but I also like my sarcasm. I bet you ten bucks he doesn't know my first name.

He tried to look nonchalant by leaning forward and moving his pencil cup. With a quick flick of his eyes he found the header tab of my file.

Told ya.

"Shay." Yeah, I'm Shay Lefae. Can you imagine the teasing I received while in school? "The AML has progressed to a point where we can deal with some of the symptoms, but the…"

I really didn't want to hear the rest. "Bottom line it for me Doc. How long?"

I also take it he didn't like being interrupted when he had his speech all planned out. Well, screw'em. It's my life, or rather it's my death. His lips thinned and then pursed.

"Six weeks, three months on the outside."

Shit. Just enough time to put my affairs in order and die neatly. With a nod of understanding I asked, "What can I expect?"

He closed my folder and interlaced his fingers. "With or without treatment, your immune system will ultimately fail and the first virus you contract will kill you. You'll experience further shortness of breath, effortless bruising much like your knee, loss of appetite, enlarged organs, leading to organ failure. It won't be pleasant, Shay."

Looking down at my slacks I flicked an imaginary piece of lint off my leg. "What about the pain?"

"I can provide a prescription for progressive pain management and for easier breathing. That's about it."

~O~

The freedom that comes with selling your whole life is sort of refreshing. I had a closing house come in and give me a lump sum for everything I owned. Granted, I got royally screwed. I knew I was worth about five million after everything was said and done, and their offer was a little less than a million. What the hell, it's not like I was going to be able to take it with me, and I seriously doubt that I'd be able to spend a million dollars in less than three months anyway.

Why didn't I give it to my family? None to speak of. I was a single child. Mom and dad died of natural causes a handful of years ago and I never married. So unless I had a few sprog from my college years, that I don't know about, then there was nobody to leave my small fortune to.

I planned to end it all in Europe. I was one of those people that always said, 'I'd like to tour Europe sometime.' Problem was that I never did. I was so caught up building my company that my attitude developed into a 'vacations are for wimps' attitude. So, at forty-two years of age I had still never even stepped a single foot out of the good ole U.S. of A.

My plan was to start it all off in Ireland and work my way down to Greece. I had some Irish roots. Yeah, the last name is Lefae, it's French supposedly, but I've never been able to find a single relative that ever came from that far south, past Great Britain.

I digress.

I purchased a gigantic travel trunk from the Gucci store in the swank Galleria Mall and filled it up with a week's worth of clothes. I figured I could buy more instead of wasting anymore of my life doing laundry. A few odds and ends later and it was loaded up in my minivan Taxi and at the airport.

It really is amazing what you can get accomplished if you wave enough cash around. Whenever anyone moved to complain about anything, poof, cash, poof compliance.

The automated ticket seller was kind enough to burp out a first class ticket to Dublin. Ready for the weird part? When I went to drop off my trunk, the nice lady behind the counter noticed my name.

"Mr. Shay Lefae?" she asked with a pleased smile afterward.

I nodded and took out my passport to show my ID. She looked over to her left and gave a come hither nod to a FedEx driver who was waiting in seating. With an inquiring look given to the lady behind the counter I asked, "What's up?"

"There's an envelope waiting for you sir."

"You, Shay Lefae?" the FedEx guy asked.

I took one last look at the lady and then back to the guy. "Uh, yeah."

He flipped one of those Instacapture signature thingies they all carry in front of me. "Special delivery to you, sir."

"At the airport?" I answered incredulously.

The FedEx guy shrugged. "I was paid big money to make sure you got this, right here…" he looked at his watch. "Right now."

Who the hell knew I'd be here. 'I' didn't even know I'd be here right now. With a quick look at the sealed cardboard envelope I grabbed the fake pen and signed on the display.

"Thanks, Dude." He grinned. "Easiest five hundred dollars I ever made."

I blinked at that. Someone paid him… I turned to the girl and she nodded at me. Okay, someone paid them both five hundred dollars each to make sure I got this envelope.

"There's a bar right across the concourse for your convenience, sir."

I looked at the envelope and back to the lady. "Um, thanks."

I was planning on getting drunk anyway and my flight didn't leave for another two hours. What the heck.

Luckily the trunk moved like it was on greased wheels, which by the way, it had. Well, I don't know if they were greased or not. I really didn't care as long as it moved when I moved. After procuring a double Crown and Coke I sat myself down at one of those really small tables. You know the ones, you were lucky if it was big enough to hold your drink.

I took a long swig and set it down, then pulled on the labeled tab to retrieve a single sheet of parchment. No, it wasn't paper, and I was pretty sure it wasn't paper vellum. For those of you not in the know, that means it was likely made of dried animal skin. Sorry PETA, it wasn't my fault. I just signed for it.

The script was creepy looking and somewhat old fashioned. Maybe like it was written in a calligraphy pen, or more likely, judging from the blotted ink, a quill.

Greetings Shay Le Fay,

Before you begin your flight to Dublin I would be in your debt if you would visit my office downtown. I've seen you have received disheartening news from your physician, and I may have an alternative treatment available for you. It will cost you nothing, and I ask no favor from you in return.

After reviewing my offer, if you choose to decline, I will reimburse you for the cost of your ticket and will provide you with the use of the corporate jet for the duration of your travels, for no cost.

If you choose to accept the meeting, you will find my batman waiting for you at the airport entrance.

At your service,

Morgan

Free corporate jet ride? I'm there!

Truth is, I probably could have chartered a jet, but those puppies are expensive and won't get me there that much more quickly.

I tossed back the rest of the C&C and grabbed the trunk. The lady at the counter waved at me crowning it off with a big smile. Hell, I'd probably be happy too if someone just gave me five hundred dollars to wave a FedEx guy my way.

Whoever this Morgan guy was, he had money to burn, literally. I rolled my way up to the entrance and saw a couple of chauffeur types standing there holding signs and looking for their riders. Standing beside them was a athletic late twenty-something girl dressed in slacks and a black knee-coat holding a sign with my name on it.

Shay Le Fay.

You noticed it too, huh? The letter and the sign, both had my name spelled wrong. I really didn't give a crap. Morgan, whoever he was, probably had some freaky cancer treatment that he wanted to test on me. It probably wasn't FDA approved or something like that. I'd go, hear him out, give him the thumbs down and take a nice jet ride to Dublin.

Her eyes were on me well before I came to a stop a few feet away. "You're Batman?" Sorry, couldn't resist.

Her face didn't move even a micron. I shrugged in semi-apology. "It was too easy, I know."

The granite that was her face finally broke. "Please follow me, Mr. Le Fay."

I didn't need anymore encouragement than seeing her very well formed butt leading the way. We walked out to the limousines waiting at the curb and to the front of the line where a giant SUV limo sat. Batman, sorry, the batman opened the back. I was about to help her lift the trunk when she bent at the hip and grabbed it herself dropping it inside the vehicle like it was full of Styrofoam. Whoa. That thing had to weigh about a hundred pounds. Okay, no more Batman jokes. She could probably kick my ass.

After picking my jaw up off the sidewalk I followed her to the side door which she held open for me. I gave her a single nod. "Thanks."

The batman bowed her head. "Please make yourself comfortable. Refreshments are to your left. We will be at our destination in twenty-seven minutes."

And the weirdness just keeps on getting weirder. Want to know why? I'll tell you.

The airport to the outskirts of downtown takes a minimum of forty to forty-five minutes to drive. I know, I used to do it almost weekly. Keep in mind, that doesn't take into account accidents, lunch hour traffic, some grandma doing the minimum speed limit on the freeway while she's looking through the steering wheel and seated on a phonebook or two. I'd be surprised if we made it to where we were going in less than an hour.

Glancing at my watch I noted the time, then I noted the Bushmills Millennium Malt. For you uneducated peons out there that's twenty-five year old single malt Irish whisky. Retails about two hundred and fifty bucks a bottle. Needless to say, shit's good. I grabbed a rocks glass and filled it about half way — no need to be gauche. I can always come back for fourths later.

Okay, ready for the really weird stuff? No, seriously, it gets really weird from here on out.

Right when I was about to sip on something I'd only read about in magazines, out from under the adjacent seat pops a fairy. I shit you not.

Man, the drugs they prescribe these days are really good. She stood, maybe six inches tall if that, barefoot, long chestnut hair, wearing a bronze colored skin and dress that pushed up some fairly impressive breasts. I closed my eyes and shook the image from my head.

Upon their opening the fairy was sitting on the rim of my glass holding a really tiny finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. She looked behind her and I followed to see the partition between me and the batman closed.

"We have to whisper," she said.

"Oookay." I was obviously hallucinating.

"You're Shay Le Fay."

I really couldn't believe I was having a conversation with a tiny girl. Did I mention the wings?

At my lack of verbal skills she continued without me. "I'm Collice. You can't drink this." She pointed downward at the whiskey. "It's poisoned."

"Uh-huh." You try talking to a six inch tall winged girl. I dare ya.

"It's a trap set up by Morgan. If you drink that then you lose your will for the next hour. She will control you."

She?

Obviously I had too much to drink, on top of the pain killers. Perfectly natural to see things. I once saw the walls of my dorm room melt in college. Granted I was tripping on acid at the time, but that's beside the point.

The fairy scrunched up her face in frustration and flew up to my face. She reached in and ripped a hair out of my nose "Snap out of it!"

"Oww!" That stung! Freaky Tinkerbelle bitch!

I took a swipe at her but the thing was faster than she looked.

"Ready to listen now?"

I checked to see if I was bleeding, but everything seemed to be okay.

"Morgan is going to steal your life force to feed her for the next thousand years. You're the only living relative she has left."

I set the drink to the side in one of the fancy cup holders. "Are you a fairy?"

Now she looked kind of ticked off. Her hands flew to her hips and she stopped to hover in mid air. "Fae, not fairy."

"And Morgan wants to steal my soul."

She shook her head. "Your life force, not your soul. Even she's not that crazy."

"Uh-huh."

Collice looked back at the batman again. "We don't have much time."

"Look, I can handle one girl. I'll just walk away when we get to the building, right?"

"She's not a girl. She's wearing a glamour. It's an ogre."

I was about to come back with a Shrek joke, but she cut me off. "We don't have time for more questions. We're almost there."

I checked my watch and saw that was had seven more minutes left, according to the batman… ogre… whatever. Collice just started rambling.

"When she stops the car you have to act like you're stoned. She'll take you up the elevator and to Morgan's lair. This is the important part, Shay. Pay close attention! When Morgan begins reciting the spell you must fight with every ounce of will you possess. She must have your cooperation to make the transference. Do you understand?"

"Fight, right. Got it."

Collice flew up and whacked me in the forehead. "No, you idiot. When she BEGINS to recite the spell, that's when you fight. Otherwise you go along with everything she says. Drink, eat, wear a tutu, whatever. Just make sure you mentally resist her when she begins chanting the spell."

I swept my hand out for her again and missed. "And I'm supposed to trust you why?"

Inches away from my face I could see the detail of hers a lot better. "Mortal, the Fae have been under Morgan's thumb for far too long. One thousand years ago she murdered Queen Mab in her sleep and stole her scepter. Whoever claims that scepter is the rightful ruler of all Faerie. That's when she took the first life force of your ancestors and it has fed her for a millennium."

Then it finally came to me. A thousand years, my ancestors, the misspelling of my name. "Are you saying that Morgan Le Fay is real? King Arthur, her son Mordred, Half-sister, Witch?"

The Fairy, sorry, the Fae nodded. "Arthur yes, Half-sister yes, Mordred was her nephew not her son, and Sorceress not Witch. You believe me now mortal?"

"She's my ancestor," I said, more than asked.

"Yes, the same Fae blood that runs through her, runs through you. That's why she wants you. Only someone with your blood can keep her for the next thousand years. You dying made her speed up her plans. She had a vision or something. I don't know."

A sliver of panic ran through me. For some reason, deep down, I knew the little Fae was telling the truth. Beyond all rational reasoning I was believing her. "What happens to me if I resist her. I mean won't she be pissed or something? I'll still be trapped."

Collice shook her head. "She has to take off her necklace to perform the spell. That makes her vulnerable to your will. You'll take her place and rob her of her will instead. That's why you must be made compliant with the poison. She couldn't take the chance that you'd turn the tables on her."

Take her place? "You mean I'll live for a thousand years. I'll be healthy again?"

The Fae smiled. "You'll steal a portion of her power as well."

I felt the SUV come to a stop and I glanced at my watch. Twenty-seven minutes on the dot. Collice looked nervous.

"Will you help us, mortal?"

I looked over at the rocks glass, took it and tossed the drink under the seat. It made a mess and wasted some good hooch, but it made it look like I had drank the entire thing. Collice flipped in the air and laughed.

"Remember, you have to act stoned."

With that she zipped under the seat and out of sight right as the door opened. I looked over at the batman who was holding her hand out to me. With a blink I looked at the hand and gave her a goofy smile.

"Fanks," I slurred. Dammit, stoned, not drunk.

She took my arm and led me through the front doors of the skyscraper. I tried to look as spaced out as possible as we made our way into the elevator and she leaned me up against the wall. I watched as she took out a keycard and slipped it into the slot above the floor buttons then pushed the twelve and fourteenth floor buttons at the same time.

"I feel funny," I said to emphasize the amount of euphoria I was supposed to be feeling. "You have an excellent ass, by the way."

The batman grunted and took my arm again. The amount of pressure she used made me flinch a little. There'd be a really big bruise there, but not for long. Once I turned the tables on Morgan I'd be cured. The thought of that made me chuckle a little. Morgan Le Fay. Who would of thought? Who would have believed it was possible.

With a ding the elevator stopped and the doors opened to a relatively normal floor of a normal office building, but when I was almost dragged through the doors of one of those offices it was like I was thrown into the past.

Gothic style windows surrounded the two visible outer walls and even though it was bright and sunshiny outside, the interior of the room looked dark and gloomy in comparison.

The only occupant of the room stood next to a table full of myriad beakers, full of multicolored liquids straight out of a movie set. She was dressed in black, of course. She was evil after all. But her clothing consisted of a ankle length skirt, a corset, and lacy gloves that covered her forearms. Her really high heels clicked on the solid wood floors as she approached.

God she was hot. Her breasts, which while not overly large, were pushed up and together, halfway out of the corset, and on her forehead she wore a circlet of tiny gems, making her look like royalty.

She gave the batman a questioning look, and I noticed out of the corner of my eye a confirming nod. "A quarter of the bottle." Morgan smiled and it wasn't really pleasant.

"Lay him in the chair."

Something akin to a barber's chair sat waiting for me, and the batman led beside. "Sit and relax, Shay Le Fay."

I followed orders, sighing dramatically when my head rested against the back. Nervous energy ran through me and it took most of my will not to let my hands shake. I sat in wonder at what the lady was doing. My eyes tracked her lazily as she picked up a small dish and walked over to me. After setting it on a table next to the chair she reached to her neck and slid a necklace off that I hadn't noticed before. The pendant that hung from it was in the form of a circled inverted pentagram.

Setting it on the table she picked up the dish and held it in both hands. "Shay Le Fay, the last person alive that carries my blood, do you give yourself willingly to me? For the spirit to be willing, your body must first grow weak; just long enough for your will in flight to pass from cheek to cheek."

I paused for a second after and then nodded while inside my head I was yelling, 'No! You psycho hose beast!'

At my reaction she took a pinch of multicolored sand from within and sprinkled it over my head. "Then let us begin."

Archaic Latin came from her lips next. Why do I know it was Latin? I was raised old school Catholic. I understood every word she said.

The chanting started and I closed my eyes, straining against the pressure that was building in the forefront of my head and spreading inward. 'Fuck you! I'm not going without a fight,' I screamed internally.

I felt one of her hands on mine and the other lay across my forehead. The pressure increased ten-fold. My mind felt crushed under her onslaught to the point where everything started going black. A void of endless emptiness filled me, and I was slowly losing my sense of the world around me, all but Morgan's face looming over mine.

Her cheek brushed against mine and then again on the other side. Then I knew I'd lost. Everything that made me what I was, all my experiences, all my will to live drained from me. Lowering my eyes to her mouth I watched as she inhaled my essence, a blue mist from my mouth to hers. That's all it was, she was breathing me in.

With every last bit of energy I had left I ripped my white knuckled hands away from the arm rests and grabbed her head tightly. She wouldn't escape with everything. I pulled her down to me, my lips smashed against hers, and I inhaled.

Her eyes slammed open in fear. I drank her in. I breathed her into me and then blew with everything else I had. The only thought that lived inside me screamed, 'DIE!'

The last sensation I had was my hands being torn away.

~O~

I stumbled back grasping at anything that would hold me upright. Vertigo flooded me. A table turned. Glass broke. A roar. Warm liquid splashed across my body.

~O~

"Princess…"

"Back off, you lummox."

"Maybe if we move her off…"

"Touch her and I will pix your penis."

Sounds were making it through my head. I still wasn't able to move, but the feeling was coming back to my limbs.

"Collice, you seemed to be under the impression that I somehow fear you."

"Okay, let me put it this way. Touch the Princess and I'll tell your wife that you've been experimenting with that body of yours. I'm sure she'll be pleased that you've been cavorting with mortals — male mortals at that."

A sound of frustration followed. I was finally able to figure out who was talking to my Fae friend. It was the batman.

"I've already told you, I was under a compulsion. I could not disobey Morgan in the slightest."

A cool towel lay on my forehead. I just noticed it because it was taken away and refreshed only to be used again to mop at my face.

"Look, maybe you can do something other than bothering me. Perhaps cleaning up the mess that you made of … that. I highly doubt the Princess will want to see her mortal body ripped asunder."

I heard footfalls back away. "She'll destroy me either way, Collice."

"I've been watching her for over a year now. It's not in her nature to be cruel. Clean up the mess, Ogre."

The levator palpebrae, arguably one of the weakest muscles of the human body, is paramount in the operation of a task that most of you take for granted. It was what I was trying to will into motion for the last minute or so, and at last I accomplished the seemingly Herculean task of opening my eyes.

"Princess — at last — how do you feel?"

Princess? During Collice and the Ogre's conversation I had a sinking feeling that they were talking about me. The thing here is that wasn't my first thought upon seeing the Fae hovering above me. It was her size. She was enormous! Well, for being only six inches tall at our previous meeting it was pretty big. She was a full sized girl now. My eyes tracked to her left hand which was holding a smoldering cigar that was smelling up the place.

"Oh, is this bothering you?" She flipped her hand over and the cigar disappeared in a burst of sparkling dust. "Sorry, it's been so long since Morgan forbade us simple pleasures. My apologies."

More of my body seemed to have rebooted as I was able to move my finger a little and my mouth opened. "Whaa…"

Collice nodded. "Try not to overexert yourself, Princess. Your body has been through a serious shock. You should be back to normal soon enough."

I struggled anyway. I'm stubborn that way. "Whaa… hapnn?"

"What happened?"

I managed a very weak nod.

Collice smiled. "You didn't pay attention to my instructions is what happened. I distinctly remembered saying to 'mentally' resist Morgan when she began the spell. I said nothing about physical resistance."

She refreshed the wet towel once more, slightly wringing it out over a small bowl of water and began dabbing away again. "You must always remember to pay attention to what a Fae says. We are very literal with what we say."

With a shrug she continued. "I watched you grab the witch and suck out her soul." She shook her head in disbelief. "And then blow yours right into her body while stealing her life force in the same breath."

Collice set her elbow on her knee and leaned forward. "Stealing someone's life force is tricky business. You have to separate the essence from the soul and then take only the essence. Otherwise you take the chance of absorbing the soul along with it, and that, my Princess, will literally drive you insane. You are very lucky indeed."

I blinked in confusion. "Wh… Prinss?"

Collice raised her head at that and gave me a big tooth-filled grin. "Why am I calling you Princess?"

I nodded, dreading what I was going to hear next, but already knowing the answer.

"Because, you are no longer Shay Lefae the mortal man. You have abducted the body of the most powerful Sorceress in the known world and left her in your old body, however a brief of stay it was. She's most likely sucking Lucifer's cock right about now."

"Dead?" I cringed a little. I felt a little elation at being able to complete an entire word and manipulate my facial muscles. I was getting better, faster!

Collice nodded. "The Ogre was under a compulsion charm to protect Morgan. He went a little nutso when you grabbed Morgan's face, so he ripped off your arms." She gave me a appreciative grin. "Good thing you had already transferred into this body. Morgan was dead in less than a minute after."

"I'm Morgan now?" Cool, a complete sentence!

With a shake of her head Collice answered. "No, you're you. Shay, or I suppose we should feminize your name. You're Shaylee Le Fay." She took an accounting look at me. "Feel like sitting up?"

I simply nodded. She backed away a little and held out her hands to assist. When I reached up to grab a hold I noticed Morgan's necklace hanging by its thong from my left hand.

"You might want to put that on first. It's the only reason you are still alive right now."

I looked at it in wonderment and then frowned. "It's inverted. The sign of the devil."

Collice giggled a little. "It's a pentagram, Princess. Sideways, upside down, or right side up, it's a symbol of protection, and has been, long before it was known as demonic."

I took her word for it and slipped it over my head. She reached back and pulled my hair out of the way until it sat secure around my neck. Afterward she pulled me into a sitting position and I took in the scene before me.

The batman was settling the remnants of my old body into a lined wooden crate. Blood was pooled around the table and splatters coated the surrounding area. I eyed Collice. "We're safe now?"

She returned a nod to me. "The compulsion charm ended when Morgan died. The Ogre was confused for a few minutes, that's where that amulet came in handy. He went into a little tiff before he was in his right mind again, but no Fae can physically harm you while you wear that necklace.

The Ogre, still looked like the female batman that picked me up at the airport, and I was confused as to why Collice kept calling her a 'him'. But that all pretty much went out of my head when I took into account my new body. It's kind of odd looking down and seeing breasts. Well, not the breasts themselves, but the fact that I was the new owner of said breasts.

I was covered in blood splatters. I guess that was why she had the wet towel. Ick. "I need a shower."

"Lir!" Collice called out.

The door I arrived through, opened and in stepped a very tall, aqua skinned, lithe bodied man, dressed in dark blue leathers and armed with a sword that hung by his belt. With a military air, he strode over and knelt to one knee, bowing his head.

"Your Highness."

"Princess," said Collice. "May I introduce you to your Captain of the Guard, Lir."

What exactly do you say to that? Hi? Pleased to meetcha? "Why do you keep calling me Princess?" As an afterthought I realized I was being rude. "Sorry, um, pleasure meeting you, Captain."

Collice provided me with an answer as Lir covertly looked me over. "Remember the scepter I told you about earlier, Princess? The one that Morgan took from Queen Mab? When you destroyed Morgan, the result was leaving the scepter in somewhat of a limbo. Until it is claimed we have no Queen."

I absorbed that. It made sense. Dead Queen. Who's the Queen?

"Since you are Morgan's only living relative and victor of battle, the title, by blood and spoils, falls to you. The only thing you have to do is claim the scepter. Until that time you are considered of royal blood."

Uh huh. "How 'bout I just claim the shower instead?"

Lir's eyebrows shot up. "Highness?"

Collice smiled smartly. "Lir, would you be good enough to help me escort the Princess to her bedchambers."

Lir helped me to my feet and I took his arm leaning a lot of my weight, however little it was, on him, as my legs were still shaky. Collice took my other hand and they led me out of the main door along the modern business like corridor to the Elevators.

When we got inside Lir produced a keycard and pressed the bottom two buttons together. I looked down at the blood slowly drying on -- my corset. Gheeze, there's something I normally don't think to myself every day. I looked warily back up to the doors and Collice caught my nervousness.

"Not to worry, Princess. Express elevator."

Must be what the card is for, I deduced. We waited for what seemed double the amount of time it took us to ascend to the 'twelve-fourteen' floor. I was assuming that we were pretty far underground when we came to a stop. The doors opened to reveal a small room carved out of the earth with a single heavy door across from the elevator.

"Princess, if you would grasp the handle and say 'bedchamber' I would be most grateful."

Feeling somewhat like an idiot I did as she asked. While I was still grasping the handle Collice joined it with hers and pulled the door open. Standing at the entrance to a really large bedroom I gaped at all of the royal glory that apparently was my bedchamber. The bed itself could probably hold about a half dozen people comfortably.

"Morgan loved her black lace." And there was plenty evidence of it draped everywhere: armchairs, couches, bed. It was kind of creepy. "We can change it if you desire, Princess."

"Later."

With a nod to Lir they led me to an equally opulent bathroom where a dozen little Fae were flying around in what could best be described as organized chaos. A sunken bath waited for me. Steam rose out of the water which was full of bubbles. I made a quick look around for a shower stall. Of course, if you had servants for your every whim, you didn't have to worry about cleaning your own bathtub. Morgan, I decided, was a royal ass, pun pretty much intended.

Lir made his exit as seven of the flying Fae attended me, quickly stripping me of my clothes with practiced ease while they giggled away. Some gave me polite instructions, as they seemed to be used to doing things Morgan's way.

I really didn't even have time to inspect my new body before I was hurried to the bath and became somewhat brain-dead soon thereafter. Yep, they knew exactly how hot to make the bath. After a short soak, four of them washed my hair, arms and back. At the first instance of one of them about to dive underwater I told them to skedaddle.

Collice lounged on the couch… who puts a couch in a bathroom. Not that there wasn't enough room for one, but seriously, who does that? Anyway, she lounged on the couch looking very pleased with herself.

"Palace revolt go just like you planned?" I asked with mild sarcasm.

Collice grinned wide and nodded eagerly. "Oh, much better than planned actually." She stood and walked to the door. "Some refreshment Princess?"

I really hadn't thought how dry my mouth was. "Please."

Opening the door to the bedroom a crack she whispered something and then returned to the couch. "Morgan is dead, so there is no chance of her returning to avenge herself. Bravo." She golf clapped for me. "You have taken over her body which means that you have access to all of her power. With proper training you will be able to use it quite effectively against your enemies."

With a slosh of water I interjected, "I have enemies?"

"Princess, all people of power have enemies."

Oh, the generic sort. I continued using the bath sponge I was left, which by the way feels really weird. My new body is really soft and smooth. My feet are tiny and the whole business between the legs. Let's just say that I cleaned up and moved on to other areas, before I got distracted. Morgan liked a bald kitty. Nuff said.

"Look, I wasn't really signing up for the whole Queen thing. I'd really just like to get back to my old…" I sighed. There wasn't any going back to my old life, was there? I was still pretty well off. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to hard to start over. I mean I look twenty years younger than my old body.

Collice sat up and leaned forward. The door to the bath opened and a another Fae entered. She was normal height. By that I mean she looked human, except for her hair which was every shade of brown imaginable. She carried a carafe of what I'm assuming was wine and set it on a small table behind me. With a gesture from Collice she poured two glasses and handed me the first.

"Princess, this is Brigit, your Lady's Maid. She will attend to your clothing, make up, jewelry, hair, shoes and wardrobe care, and all related shopping."

Brigit curtsied. "Your Highness."

I nodded to her and she went over to stand by the wine in case we wanted more, I suppose. Collice shooed her away. "I'll serve the Princess. Prepare her clothes. Something for the mortal world. I must tour her Highness around."

With a nod Brigit retreated to the bedroom. When the door closed Collice turned to me. I sipped at the wine. Oh my freaking god. It was good, and I'm not a big wine fan.

"I think a little bit of background might enlighten you, Princess."

I saluted her with the glass and swallowed. "Okay."

"Soon after Morgan took rule over a thousand years ago there was a revolt amongst the Fae. In return for their trouble, Morgan killed everyone of royal blood. Even if you ceded the scepter to a Fae, which you can't by the way, there is nobody to give it to."

This made no sense. "Why not create a new noble class?"

Collice nodded and then took a sip of her wine. "The only person that can grant nobility is the Queen."

I groaned inwardly. "So, I can't even do that unless I accept."

"Princess…"

I cut her off before she could say anymore. "Could you please call me by my name. I was a guy less than an hour ago. Princess is really starting to grate on my nerves."

Collice smiled with a little evil put behind it. "I could, but by royal decree I can only call you Highness or Princess, you could change that…"

"…if I were Queen," I finished. I knocked back the last of the wine. "Great, fine."

The bronzed colored Fae stood and retrieved the decanter to fill my glass again. I could get really lazy being treated like this. I resumed my washing and mulled over the pros and cons of the job, which by the way I had no idea what a Queen did other than wave at her subjects and say, 'We are not amused.' Well, we aren't.

I tossed the sponge and flipped my hand in the air to lose the four pounds of soap suds that were sticking on it.

"What's the up side to this job."

Collice shrugged and thought for a moment. "Nearly limitless wealth, you've seen some of the perks already. Power. A real chance to make your mark on this world and the mortal world. I'm not talking about being famous, but making a change for the good of things instead of for the gratification of your own ego. Your word will be law."

That was fairly obvious. "And the downside?"

"You'll have to protect it as well."

I took the wineglass and a healthy drink from it before setting it back down. "What do you get out of all of this, Collice?"

Her face took on a darker shade of bronze and she ducked her head. "By your will, Princess, if you desire a Lady Chamberlain, or if I may be so bold, a Justiciar, I would gladly fill the position."

I knew that a Lord Chamberlain was a high muckity-muck in the Royal Household everything that went on in the Queens life ran through him before it went to the Queen. "What's a Justiciar?"

She set her empty glass on the end table beside the couch and clasped her hands together. "I suppose the mortal equivalent would be Prime Minister, or the Sheriff's of old. In your absence my voice would be as yours."

"My Vice-President," I offered.

She didn't look all that convinced of the comparison. "In essence, but remember, Princess, that you would be a Monarch. I cannot make law under any circumstances."

Something edged out in the corner of my mind about high offices and noble rankings. "What are the noble blood requirements of the office?"

Collice blushed even further turning her face into almost a copper color. "No less than an Earl, nor more than a Duke, your Highness."

"Insuring your chance at the throne, Collice?"

Hey, I could play backstabbing politics with the best of them. I was CEO of my own business. Nobody backstabs like me.

"Princess?" She was confused. I really didn't know whether to buy it or not.

"You just got through plotting to kill your Queen to put in a Queen of your choosing. How do I know that you won't do the same to me after I make you a noble? Then you'd have someone to pass the scepter to that was Fae."

She looked at me like I was nuts and couldn't figure out what the heck I was talking about. "Princess, you 'are' Fae. You had Fae blood in your veins when you were a mortal, and now that you have taken Morgan's body, you have even more."

She stood and went over to the decanter to refill her glass. Tossed it back and filled it again before turning back. "Princess, I observed you for over a year before deciding to do what I did. It was for the good of Faerie that I took the chance that I would be killed, that my family would be killed for my actions.

"You are a good person, and I think you would make a formidable Queen. I do not want the responsibility for all of Faerie on my shoulders, but I do want to help you bear that burden and that honor. That is why I requested the position of Justiciar. If you like, you may proclaim the position be filled with someone not of noble blood. I would still want to help you."

I almost stood up to stress my point, but … naked. "Collice, I don't want to be Queen."

Her face warmed to me. The passion was gone and replaced with compassion instead. "And that is one of the reasons you will be a good and fair Queen, your Highness. Besides, once you bear your first child and he or she comes of age then you may abdicate your throne. It doesn't have to be forever."

I think I'm gonna be sick. I'm a woman, female, girl, with all the girlie parts.

"Princess? You don't look so well."

Babies, means being with a guy, which in turn means being pregnant, and giving birth. I grabbed the glass and emptied it, then I held it out for more. Sex with a guy…

Suddenly being Queen didn't look all that formidable.

~O~

The parade of Fae that stripped me came back to finish the job. I got rinsed, dried, and pampered amidst incessant giggling. It felt like a sugar overload. Apparently Morgan didn't let them giggle enough. Now it's like someone opened the floodgates.

Lir made a retreat to the elevator cove when I entered the bedroom and saw Collice nodding with approval at the outfit my Lady's Maid had chosen. The giggling Fae were back to help me into my — lace panties and bra. Oh joy. The dress was black, of course. I'm thinking Morgan had little to no fashion sense. I mean I was a guy and I knew enough not to overdo it on the monochromatic thing.

The dress was like a dress/jacket combo thing. I'd say it looked like a skirt with a little tiny jacket up top. It was kind of businesslike, but not really.

"Sorry," Collice began. "I'm sure you'd like something a little less female at the moment, but Morgan doesn't own a single pantsuit. I'm sure Brigit would be more than happy to purchase you a new wardrobe."

The Fae in question chose to pop in for a question. "Your Highness what color would you like to choose for your official reign?"

Okay, out of my depth here. I like flannel, is that a color? I'm kidding. "Um … blue?"

Collice held a laugh, but not very well. Brigit apparently wanted me to narrow it down a little. "Any particular shade of blue, your Highness?"

"Ahhh, tell you what, you pick. But not all one blue. Get some life into this place. But whatever you do, stay away from teal. I hate teal."

Ha! I knew that color. Hated it from the moment Miami Vice came on the air in the Eighties. "Maybe some purples and reds, go crazy, alright?"

Collice broke into a snicker. "Princess, I think she's concerned with the official color of state. She'll need to know for formal occasions."

I sighed. "Okay, I'm not that great with colors. How about a Dark Blue, but not too dark, so people won't get it confused with black okay. I trust your judgment." I don't have a clue who you are other than your name is 'Brih-Jet' but I trust you.

I was then sat down where I was made up, my hair was styled, and I was accessorized. I have pierced ears and Brigit knows how to use them. Thank god that Morgan didn't go through a nose ring stage. I don't think I could handle that.

By the time I was done I figured it was time to go to sleep. Hey, it was only one o'clock in the afternoon. I woke up this morning, killed a Queen and semi-immortal Fae Sorceress, took over her body and became a magical princess all in one morning. What the hell have you done today?

I teetered for a moment in the massively high heels, and Collice semi-scolded me. "Quit thinking about it, Princess. You did fine on our walk down here and those heels are the same height."

Bracing against the wall beside the door I gave her a scowl. "Easy for you to say. I feel like I'm going to break an ankle."

She took my hand. "Highness, look at me." I pulled my head up from my constant attention to my pointy heels. "Your body knows what it wants, needs, and how to react to your surroundings. Being diminutive in height, Morgan has walked in heels or lifts for most of her very long life. Trust in that experience." She paused for a moment. "Try putting your attention to other matters. It will help distract you."

I could see her reasoning, and tried to follow her advice. She hadn't really led me astray yet. I closed my eyes and focused on the 'being Queen' problem and then nodded.

Upon opening the door to the tiny elevator room, Lir turned to us and bowed his head.

"We're going public, Lir," Collice informed the Captain. "Glamour will be needed."

He nodded once. "I'll inform the Guard."

I kept my thoughts on what I was going to do about the decision before me and then willed myself to pace the room. It was shaky going at first, but the more I worried about the consequences of my actions, the more confident I became in my stride. It's a trade off, I suppose.

"Princess." Collice interrupted my thoughts. "I am terribly sorry to have to ask this from you, but we need a decision." She strode to me, clasping her hands in front of herself. "The things we will be doing today… if you want to make changes, you will have to have the power to do so. As a Princess of Faerie you will have protection, and will not want for anything, but to make or change policy, you have little power."

More pressure. The one point that led me to my choice was something that Collice hadn't brought up. I don't know if it was on purpose or not. Maybe she was sparing my feelings. I don't really know. The final issue to me was honor.

I had it instilled in me from birth by my parents. Your word was your bond. Actions speak more of you than words. The end results must define your actions. Platitudes, for sure, but wise words to live by in a world full of people that often see themselves the center of their own universe.

From what I had seen, Morgan was evil. I mean it doesn't take a lot of intelligence to see that stealing someone's life is an evil act. I couldn't really imagine it was a daily occurrence in the way she managed her life. The family name was tarnished, and it would take someone of a diametrically opposed viewpoint to make up for that blemish.

"I'll do it."

A firm knock sounded at the door. Collice was almost glowing with excitement, and Brigit answered the door. It was Lir, followed buy four other multi-colored men dressed in more modern garb with very large bulges at their hip and under their arms. Heavily armed guards.

Lir was out of his leathers and sported a dark suit. I had the impression of the President's Secret Service. It worried me a little that I would need so much protection, but I set it aside for the moment.

Collice stepped forward and took both my hands. "Are you sure, Princess? Once you choose, you cannot go back."

I nodded.

With a tooth filled smile she bowed her head.

"So, where is this scepter thing I have to claim."

"It is within you, Princess," was her answer. "Morgan's body never died, so it never appeared." At the look on my face at hearing that I had some sort of royal magical scepter floating somewhere inside me she giggled. "Princess, it is not whole, but it is inside you nevertheless. Are you ready?"

With a nervous nod Collice turned to Lir. "Captain, will you and your guard bear witness to this acceptance."

"We will," he said with slight confusion, but waved the guard forward into a semicircle behind Collice.

She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. I could see them well slightly making them sparkle in response. "Princess, will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of Faerie, and the dominions thereto belonging, and the laws and customs of the same?"

Not knowing what to say I just went with the flow. "I promise."

"Will you with your power cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all your judgments?"

"I will."

"Place your hand to your heart, Princess." Following her directions I did so. "Repeat after me: The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep."

I repeated the words and felt a tingling run through my body followed by a feeling on my forehead. I reached up and felt the circlet on my head as I remembered the same being on Morgan's forehead before. I hadn't noticed it missing, but now felt certain of its slight weight on my brow.

Tears dropped off of Collice's face as she turned to Lir. "Captain of the Guard. It is my pleasure to present Her Royal Majesty, Queen of Faerie, Shaylee Le Fay."

The Guard took to one knee and bowed their heads followed soon thereafter by Collice.

I took a step forward and held my hand out to my advisor. "Collice, stand up, please. All of you, please."

She was the first to her feet. "Your Majesty."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "First thing is we put an end to that. From now on you will call me," I cringed slightly at the feminization to my given name. "Shaylee."

A little giggle forced its way out of her throat. "When we are in private, it shall be as you wish. It would not be proper when we are among your people — Shaylee."

I acceded to the compromise with a smile. "Fair enough." I licked my lips and bore my eyes into hers. "Now, what say we put right our kingdom."

End... for now.

Author's note: This story is a stand alone, for now. Just something that I wanted to get out of my head after reading Maggie Finson's latest Fae story on BC:TS. Check it out, very cute! I may, at a later date take it up again to fill in the numerous plot holes and hanging plot lines. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you'd like to see it more after I finish one of my current two stories then let me know in a comment. Else I'll leave it as is. Now I have to get to work on "Do it Right" before the threats start coming.

~Lili