A Walk in the Dark Chapter 12 by Maggie Finson

Author’s Note:Just when things seemed to be settling into place Dahlia’s more than a little weird world view had to take another setback. And no, she is STILL not a happy camper.
 

This is a short chapter, but it's a busy time of year as you all know. I just wanted to get the explanations started here. And thanks for all the comments on the story so far. As Lillith says, those help me to keep writing.

Maggie

I looked at Kae’song, then at Lord Kevin, closed my eyes and told the building headache to go bother someone else. Then I looked back, okay make that glared at, the mage. “Give me one reason for not just killing you right now for what you’ve done to me and Sam.”

I punctuated that with one of my throwing knives (yes, I had figured out how to hide them even in an outfit like I was wearing) thunking into the table to quiver between the second and third fingers of his left hand. “And it better be a really good one or you’re going to need to kill me to keep me from trying that.”

“Interesting.” Kevin nodded then actually chuckled before the mage could say anything. “Here for such a short time and already threatening a potent mage. It might be a good idea to learn some circumspection, dear lady.

“Though she already is quite formidable, my friend.” He finished and sat back to see what would happen next. “Oh, yes. Very formidable.”

I held up a hand to stop that. “I want Sam here to hear this one, too. He deserves to know why you yanked us out of our world and changed us into what we are now.”

“Fair enough, lady.” Kevin answered and waved one of his retainers forward. That fellow seemed more than a little reluctant to approach even with the protection of his lord to depend on.

I sighed and waved the man forward. “Oh for the god’s sake, I’m not angry at you, man and I don’t kill innocents in a fit of temper, just ask my maids when you meet them. You’re safe enough from me.”

Kevin gave me another searching look, nodded and told the man, “Send a servant to fetch the lady’s consort if you would, Trace. I believe Kae’song is going to be rather busy for the next few minutes.”

“You are a most unusual Dhro’aaa, Dahlia.” Kae’song told me and I could see both amusement and surprise in his expression. “I am most impressed and pleased, but I know that is no help at the moment, please sit calmly, sip some of this excellent wine, and Kevin and I will do our best to explain once your — husband arrives.”

I didn’t even flinch at that or bother to argue the point. I had made the pledge to Sam, and for some reason I still had problems working out, had meant every word of it. And it still felt good when I thought about it. I was sooo messed up. But at least that part of the ‘messed up’ was singing and very, very happy about the situation. Gah! Go figure.

So I politely sipped my wine and fingered another throwing knife I had in an easy to reach place.

“How do you hide those things so well?” Kevin questioned while giving me a puzzled look. “I usually detect weapons when they enter a room, but I didn’t notice the one you so adeptly set between my friend’s fingers or the one you are so lovingly fingering now until you touched either one.”

“A girl is entitled to a few secrets, don’t you think?” I asked sweetly then grinned. “But I do need to work on people noticing when I touch them.”

“Indeed, my lady.” Kevin smiled and nodded. “Oh, indeed. It might help to hide that blissful expression on your face when you touch them.”

I couldn’t help it. I had to laugh at that one.

“You two were an experiment.” Kae’song told us after Sam had joined the group at the table and been given his own cup of wine. “Highcaste Dhro’aaa are magically gifted in varying degrees, or have other exemplary skills such as being warriors, thieves, assassins, or with the females, priestesses. A lot of good could be done if those skills could be used for something other than simply killing and terrorizing other beings.”

“I seem to be pretty good at that terrorizing part.” I shot back. “And I don’t like it.”

“That speaks well of you, lady.” Kevin put in then gestured to the mage. “But please, allow Kae’song to finish what he is trying to tell you.”

That was it, something in me snapped and had to work to keep myself from screaming. What came out was a hissed, very scary whisper. “Lady! Me? That’s part of the problem here! I was a man! A Human male with a woman I was planning to marry, to be a husband to. Now I’m some fantasy female sex dream who frightens babies if they see me. Why?!!”

“I hadn’t expected that to happen, Dahlia.” Kae’song answered once I’d calmed down a little. He waved off my argument on that one before I could get it properly aimed and went on. “Please believe me when I tell you that I was probably more surprised than you when you turned out to be female after the transformation. It wasn’t planned, or planned for. Something in your own being, your soul, spirit, whatever you choose to call it decided that. I had intended to end up with a pair of high caste Dhro’aaa males. Why is not important now.”

“To make little Dhro’aaa.” I growled at him.

“Nurture against nature.” He nodded. “But we would have had to capture two females of your new race to manage that. We would have done so, but when things turned out as they did, it was clear there was no need for that.

“There are those of us who believe that the Dhro’aaa can be other than evil creatures, Dahlia.” He went on. “But to find if that was true we required some of the race not steeped in the culture of their people from birth. Now that is not needed, you and Sam both fight the natures your forms impose on you here and your acts in Haran proved that without doubt.

“You could have chosen a good man to kill, and terrorized other innocents while completing your task.” The mage told me with a little smile. “Instead, you found the worst man you could, were merciful when you killed him, and bothered no one else.

“Except for that brawl in the tavern.” He chuckled and I had to grin in spite of my anger at him. “So my theories are in part vindicated. I took both of you from your home world because by doing that I effectively got innocents in Dhro’aaa form.”

I nodded, still not buying it, then something else he’d said earlier hit home. My brain said ‘WTF?’ and I turned another glare on the mage. “Okay, but hold on here. You’re saying something in me wanted to be female?”

“No, Dahlia.” He sighed, and gave me a strangely affectionate look. “Something in you needed to be female.”

I wanted to argue, I really did. But I looked at Sam, felt our connection, our love for one another, and couldn’t do it. “I’m not going to make babies for you to experiment on.”

“No.” Kae’song nodded and shrugged. “There is no need for that now. Any children you and Sam have will not be tampered with. I give you my oath on that.”

“Maybe I’ll kill you tomorrow, Kae’song.” I shook my head and sighed as I retrieved my throwing knife. “Right now I’m too tired to try it.”

“Take your lady home, Samthien.” Lord Kevin said softly. “If she still wishes to kill Kae’song once she’s had some rest, we’ll deal with the matter then. Is that acceptable for the moment, lady?”

“It’ll do for now.” I answered while my head swam with trying to deny and agree all at the same time with what the mage had told me about my transformation. “It might be a few days, though.”

Or a few months, years, lifetimes…