---

 

Once we returned I left my five — minions(?) with Sam to get them settled into some kind of quarters and went to find Kae’song.

I found him in his own chambers this time, with no guests that I could see but the scent of recent sex and a rustling in the draperies told me that someone was there besides him. “Hello, Kae’song.”

“Lady Dahlia.” He arched an eyebrow and tried not to worry about whoever it was hiding. It would have worked with just about anyone else, I suppose. “I hope you aren’t going to make a habit of barging into my chambers this way?”

“Some simple wards would help.” I answered then looked directly at the drapery. “Come on out, Alis, I know it’s you in there.”

“There are wards in place.” He told me with a sigh as Alis, the Lady Alis Bertold, mage extraordinare stepped out of the hiding place with a resigned look on her beautiful face and wearing the clothing she’d been born in. I looked, but her beauty of face and form that would have had Dylan goggling and drooling only amused me as Kae'song gamely continued. “You blew right through them as if they weren’t there at all.”

“Oh.” I shook my head at that one, but it wasn’t the weirdest thing to happen with me recently so decided to chew on that one later. “Oops.”

“I hope you’ll be discrete about this, Dahlia.” Alis told me and actually blushed when she did.

“Oh, none of my business if one or both of you are getting around spousal obligations to have a little private time to yourselves.” I answered and sat down in one of the uncluttered chairs. I mean I don’t have a lot of room to talk just now, do I? I was human and a MAN not all that long ago and now I’m cheerfully letting my former best friend boff me at least every other night we’re home. I just say, go with it, have fun, and well, whatever.”

This was really embarrassing, and I nearly offered to come back later. But the damage had been done, the ‘mood’ ruined, and I had news that both of them needed to hear anyway.

“But that ‘best friend’ is now your husband.” Alis pointed out, which threw me off the tracks all over again.

“Well… Yeah that is a point, but I’m not a prude or a tattletale. I give you both my word and oath that I won’t be the one to spill the beans about your private time.” I sighed at their blank looks and clarified the expression. “I won’t tell anyone?”

“Ahh, one of your ‘otherworld’ colloquialisms.” Kae’song nodded then gave me an expectant look. “I would gather that you have some important news from the way you barged in?”

“Oh, yeah.” I gave them a slightly embarrassed smile and nodded. “Just wanted to let you know to expect a messenger for me from Clan Pthon sometime within the next week or so. I met one of their priestesses on the way back and sent a message with her.”

“I see.” Alis actually grinned at me. “And I suppose this priestess willingly delivered your message?”

“It took — a little persuading.” I admitted. “I almost let Sssirinthss eat her and kind of broke her hand.

“Well she started it,” I defended myself at the looks the pair were giving me and knew I sounded like some little girl caught pulling another’s hair, “trying to throw a spell of some kind at me.”

“I’m sure she did, dear.” Alis soothed then couldn’t help but add. “We all know that you are the veritable picture of decorum, tact, and diplomacy.”

“Well, you don’t have to tease me about it, you know.” I pouted for a second then couldn’t help myself from breaking into a giggle. Okaaaay, just when did I start doing that? “I know I have some, uhh, rough edges and things. I’m working on that. Really!”

“We know dear, we know.” Alis, was getting dressed during the conversation then looked up as if the thought had just occurred to her. “Did she happen to tell you her name?”

“Mrrthiss Saaa Pthon, of Clan Pthon.” I answered.

“Well.” Alis actually stopped getting dressed for a moment and gave me a look that held both admiration and amusement. “If you must send a message, sending it with the daughter of the Clan Lord himself is a good way to make sure it is at least listened to.”

“Oh boy.” I closed my eyes for a moment and felt another headache trying to worm its way into my brain. Great, just great. I may have just made one of the more powerful local Dhro’aaa into a mortal enemy.

“Did you at least cure the broken hand you gave her?” Kae’song questioned carefully.

“I offered but she left before I could.” I answered quietly then brightened. “But I did heal the acid burn on her cheek.”

Kae’song lowered his head till one hand held his forehead and I heard a slightly muffled question from him. “Acid burn?”

“Sirin was drooling.” I answered simply.

“Do you know, Dahlia?” Alis was barely holding in her mirth. “At times having a conversation with you is more entertaining than sex?”

“Oh, yeah.” I tried to ignore that and added. “I seem to have acquired five — minions?”

“That would only be if you took their blood oaths, otherwise they are henchmen.” Alis told me, still working to restrain the laughter I could see in her eyes.

“Minions then.” I sighed and muttered. “I was afraid of that.”

“I will see that they are properly outfitted, Dahlia.” Kae’song answered while shaking his head. “You can pay me back later for the expense.”

“Thanks.” I told him then rolled my eyes. “One more little thing…”

“If this ‘one more little thing’ is anything at all like the first two tidbits, I rather doubt the Lady Alis will be able to contain her hysterics.” The mage chuckled. “Much as I hesitate to ask?”

“There is this girl in the village of Kaenae,” I answered. “she’s about eleven, maybe twelve years old. Her name is Lila and I think she should be checked for potential.”

“What kind of potential?”

“Don’t ask me.” I shot back. “I’m still new at all this magic and gods stuff. Magic? Extra willpower? It was just that something about her stood out is all.”

“We’ll check on her.” Kae’song nodded then gave me an inquiring look. “Is there anything else?”

“No, that pretty well covers it this time around.” I answered quietly.

I could hear Alis chortling from behind the door once I’d left and closed it behind me. “Oh, Kae’song. That one is either going to be an uncommon power or will at least amuse us while she lasts. Quite possibly both.”

“So glad I could lighten up your day.” I muttered and headed to my own chambers.

Sam was waiting for me there. “Got the boys settled into quarters just down the hall and arranged for them to have a decent meal. How’d the meeting with Kae’song go?”

“Don’t ask.” I grimaced. “I promised not to tell anyone.”

“That bad?”

“Damned if I know.” I sighed and flopped ungracefully into a couch and shook my head. “I seemed to amuse him and Alis this time around for some reason.”

“Well, look at it this way, love.” He joined me on the couch and put an arm around my shoulders. “You picked up five minions, beat up on what I got the impression was a reasonably powerful Dhro’aaa priestess, offered to let Sirrin have her for lunch… I can see how someone like Kae’song and Alis might see the humor in that.”

“I suppose.” I admitted then couldn’t help myself. I burst into tears and started shaking.

“What?” He turned me to look into my face, concern clear on his face. “I know their laughing isn’t something that would have you doing this. What is it?”

“I duh–don’t know!” I cried into his chest, hating the girliness of what I was doing even if it did feel good. “What’s happening to me? Some of the things I do, the ways I act, and react. What the hell am I becoming?”

“Shh, shhh, shh.” He soothed. “I know this is hard on you…”

“Not the girl thing.” I sobbed. “Even though that would be hard enough.

“Not that at all just now.” I swallowed and forced myself to go on. “I held all this in on the way back today. W–wouldn’t do for the new recruits to see me crying, shaking with terror, and carrying on this way, would it? But Sam, I’m scared! I’m doing things, thinking of doing things, and enjoying them, that I’d never have done as my old self! I’m not a bad person am I?”

“No. You’re not a bad person, Dahlia.” He quietly answered then shrugged. “If it helps I feel the same things you are right now. I don’t think we’re exactly good people any longer, but that doesn’t make us bad ones. I hope.”

“So do I.” Came my snuffled answer.

“We’ll deal with things as they come up.” He assured me. “Just like we’ve been staggering through life since we found ourselves here. I know that doesn’t sound all that encouraging, but at least we’ll do it together.”

“I guess so.”

“I know so.” He responded with a strength I had always known he possessed, but it had never made me feel so safe before.

I’d like to say that the tears and shakes stopped after that. They didn’t. Another little bit of my remaining shreds of masculinity fell screaming into the sea of femininity that I was swimming in while I got it all out of my system.

And okay, okay, I know I wasn’t all that much of a masculine paragon to begin with, but a girl — I mean guy — Whatever, has to have some pride, right? Oh, never mind. This gives me a real headache.

Sheesh.

* * * *

“Lady.” The voice yanked me out of a nice restful sleep — that hadn’t included a visit with ‘Mother’ thank you and I sat up to see my maids, Marisol, Evangaline, and Brigid alternating glances of mixed apprehension and amusement between me and the rooms behind them. I heard a cacophony of feminine screams, curses, and pleading from outside.

“What is that racket?” I questioned.

“Did you warn your — umm — new recruits not to wander around unescorted, Lady?” Marisol responded with a question of her own.

“Uhh…” I looked at a now wide awake Sam and he grimaced while shaking his head in the negative. “I guess not. Why?”

“Well.” Evangaline giggled then swallowed that and tried to hide her amusement. “It seems that they went on an expedition a short itme ago, Lady.”

“What did they do?” I wearily asked while getting into a robe and slippers Marisol offered me.

“They managed to get into the concubine’s bathing chambers.” Brigid added with a halfway exasperated sigh. “And jumped into the beauty pool with some of the girls.”

“Beauty pool, Concubine’s bath…” I trailed off and lowered my head into a hand. The concubine’s beauty pool had been designed by Kae’song for the women who were chosen to be his — companions in lieu of a wife. It endowed any girl who used it with an amazing amount of grace and made her more beautiful than she had been. In short, Kae’songs concubines were of surpassing beauty for a reason. “Please tell me that what I think happened, didn’t.”

“If we did that, Lady,” Marisol actually giggled then worked a contrite expression onto her face, “we would be lying to you.”

“Mother give me strength.” I almost pleaded in a whisper then looked up. “All right, let’s get this farce over with. Take me to them.”

Once I’d followed my maids into the aforementioned bath the first thing I noticed was a gaggle of breathtakingly lovely young women on one end who were giggling, pointing, and whispering to each other. Slowly, I turned to where they were gesturing and looking.

To see five equally lovely young ladies wearing shocked, woebegone expressions and unsuccessfully trying to hide their considerable attributes. Kae’song was a lech, but at he had good taste in his leching.

Letting out a long sigh, I gave the five ‘new girls’ a looking over and shook my head. “You guys just never learn, do you?”

I interrupted pleas for me to ‘fix this’, ‘put us back the way we were’ and other things with a cutting motion with one hand. “QUIET!”

That, at least went right.

Turning to the now silent concubines and gesturing to the five miscreants I pleasantly asked. “Could you get these five some robes and slippers, please?”

That started another round of protests from my five that I silenced with a glare that had them cowering away. “You WILL wear whatever these girls round up for you and you will NOT argue about it. Clear?”

Once that was accomplished one of the concubines timidly asked while prodding a set of male clothing with a delicate foot. “Do you wish for someone to bring these to your chambers, Lady?”

“I don’t think they’d fit these idiots if you did.” I sighed again and finished. “No, just have someone return them to stores for now, at least until someone can get this mess figured out.”

Turning back to my five minions, or whatever they were just then, I gestured to the door leading to the hallway. “Out, now.”

None of them were anxious to do that and it took another glare from moi to get them moving. I stalked out and started down the hall without looking back. “Close the door and come along — girls. Don’t dawdle.”

They didn’t and were in fact crowding so close to me that I almost got my heels stepped on once or twice before we reached my chambers to find a bemused Sam waiting at the open door. He looked at them, did a head count, and gave me a questioning look.

“Don’t ask, but yeah, it’s them.” I grumbled as my followers gratefully escaped the hallway and the last one even closed the door.

I glared at them one at a time, then as a group and ordered. “Robes off now.”

“But, Lady…” One of them started to protest with a look to Sam who absolutely refused to turn his eyes any other direction.

“Take. Them. Off.” I repeated. “Then just stand where you are.”

They did so, with assorted blushes, scowls, and looks of fear in their eyes. I took the time to look at them again and could tell, sort of, who had been who but I wasn’t letting them off that easy. Besides, they needed something to take their poor little minds off their worries without letting them ignore things.

“All right.” I seated myself and nodded. “We can start with introductions. By that I mean telling me just who you were before taking your ill advised swim.”

The first one to step forward was lovely little Dhro’aaa, not as tall as I was, but more — umm —rounded. Her ice blue eyes held misery as she hesitantly told me. Her hair was shorter than my mane, but not by much. “I am — was, Yannis, Lady.”

The next, a stunning half elf with cornflower hair cut to her shoulders who was actually a bit taller than me, with a lithe, svelte figure stared almost frantically at me from curiously gold colored eyes and gulped. “I am Ilsu, Lady.”

“You were, Ilsu.” I answered as gently as I could but waved her back so another could step up.

The next was a full elf, a woods elf, I knew somehow, and was clearly embarrassed by her firmly rounded and very feminine shape. Her green tinted hair fell in waves across slim shoulders and down her slender back. Her grey eyes were wide with distress as she quietly told me. “I — was Jance, m’lady.”

“Next?” I gave the remaining pair an expectant look until the full high elf of the lot stepped forward, trying to shake her spun gold shaded mane out of her face while sighing in resignation. “It’s Llew, Lady.”

I looked into her soft green eyes and nodded while waving the last on forward. She was another Dhro’aa, shorter, slimmer, but still undoubtedly female and with more than enough of that appeal that our kind possessed in the physical department. Her hair was actually just below her ears and her dark eyes gleamed like onyx as she told me. “Osgal, Lady.”

“All right — ladies. I started in and felt the winces all of them gave when I called them that. “I can see that some name changes are in order, but we’ll get to that in a while here. First, I’d like to know just WHAT in the NINE hells you thought you were doing?”

“Wuh–we were well fed, had a bit of ale, were clean and dressed halfway decently, Lady.” Yannis or ex-Yannis told me glumly. “When we heard girls laughing and giggling. None of us had really had a dalliance for quite some time, if you discount old Meg, who at times would have paid us to do her, and decided to go investigate if you know what I mean.”

“Men.” I shook my head and briefly wondered where I’d picked that bit of attitude up and prodded him — her or whatever. “So you just took off down the corridor in a place you knew was full of magic and just happened to break into the concubines bathing chambers — who by the way are reserved for Lord Kae’song and his guests, the concubines not the baths - and somehow managed to get the door unlocked. What next?”

“The door wasn’t locked, Lady.” Yannis answered. “In fact it was partly open when we reached it.”

“Is that so?” I questioned, smelling a rat in all this, or at least a meddling spider. “Never mind, go on.”

“When we got inside, the door closed, but none of us were really paying that much attention because of the girls in the pool. They had been splashing and having a lot of fun, but once they saw us they were surprised, then I think pleased.

“Things being what they were, we took off our clothing and jumped in to join them.” Yannis grimaced. “The rest, well — you know.”

“And we weren’t able to dally with them for even a short time.” Ilsu mournfully added. “Before this happened.”

“I see.” I did sympathize, but didn’t think then would be a good time to mention that little fact so simply finished with a tired. “All right, girls. Put your robes back on and have a seat while I think about this.”

They did and I waved a still amused Marisol forward.” Get us cups and wine, if you would.”

Once she was off on that mission, I looked at Brigid and told her. “Go see if you locate Kae’song, and Lady Alis if she is still here and request their presence here, please.”

I looked at the five trembling, newly made females, then to Evangaline. “Their hair is a mess, find a brush or two and see if you help them tame those manes, please.”

“Mind the wine.” I cautioned the five of them as Marisol reappeared and started pouring cups for each of us. “I suspect it will hit you harder now than it did before. Sip it slowly.

The last thing I needed was a gaggle of drunk, depressed, girls stumbling around in my rooms. But they did need something to focus on and to settle their nerves a bit.

A highly amused Alis conferred quietly with Kae’song, shook her head, shrugged, then seated herself while accepting a cup of wine from Marisol.

Kae’song accepted his and nodded to my maid before giving the five newly minted girls a long, perplexed look. “I honestly do not understand how this happened. The pool was made to enhance female beauty, yes, but it shouldn’t have changed your — minions into full females. Oh, they would have come out very pretty and feminine looking but would have remained males where it counts and they certainly would not have changed race. That I could have reversed. They aren’t the first to sneak into my concubines’ quarters so I know it could have been done.”

“But now?” I asked with a sinking feeling in my gut and the thought that ‘Mom’ and I were going to have a nice long talk. “Could have been?”

“It seems that they are locked into those forms and nothing I can think of short of a god’s intervention is going to change that. My apologies.”

“No need.” I took in a deep breath and very firmly said into the air. “MOTHER. We need to talk.”

“It was unseemly for you to have five males, and human ones at that, tramping about behind you while eyeing your backside, daughter.” The familiar voice answered firmly. “Therefore, I made a few little changes so your new minions would be proper companions for you, dear.”

“Nice of you to worry about me and all that.” I answered slowly. “But do you think you could, maybe, change them back?”

“Absolutely not.” She retorted. “I will NOT have grubby human males as the blood sworn companions for MY daughter.”

“Uhhh, please?”

“We will not discuss this further.” Loltlh firmly told me then added. “Though I will grant them the boon of being comfortable with who and what they are now.”

“Guess I’ll take what I can get.” I muttered then my vision cleared and I could see the others staring at me. “What? A girl can’t call her mom around here?”

“Uh, darling.” Sam let out a breath. Most calls to Mom where we came from tended to be private, you know? We all heard that conversation.”

“Oh. Crap.” I let my shoulders slump and looked to the five transformees. “Sorry, Mother is being stubborn, but I’ll keep working on her.”

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you, though, ladies.” Alis smirked. “Our dear Dahlia gets her stubborn streak from her mother.”

“Once. Just once.” I questioned nothing and no one in particular. “Couldn’t something in my life be simple and straightforward? Is that too much to ask?”