A Walk in the Dark Chapter 21 by Maggie Finson

“Lady, do we have to do this?” The former Yannis plaintively questioned while suspiciously eyeing the garments laid out for her.

“Yes you do, Annisathhhe, you do.”

“But these are women’s clothes!” She protested while wincing at the name I’d given her.

“No!” I gave her a wide eyed look of mock surprise. “Really? In case you didn’t get the memo, that happens to be what you are right now.”

“Get the what?” She questioned in her silky voice with a confused expression.

“Never mind, dear.” I sighed. “Just let us help you into those things. You’re going to have to dress appropriately for your new sex, after all.”

“Oh, all right.” She grumbled and got into the underthings, all nice delicate silk calculated to feel wonderful against her hairless skin, the gown of ice blue spider silk that not only hugged her figure but really brought out her beautiful eyes while going very nicely with her dark skin, and stepped into the dainty slippers that matched. Then she gave me another plaintive look. “How do you deal with all this hair?”

“You get used to it.” I patted her shoulder and left before the attendants started her cosmetics and jewelry with the command. “Do what the girls ask of you.”

I heard the start of a muffled protest as I left the room, but that ended pretty quickly. Well, one down.

Ilsa’s striking golden eyes were wider than a frightened mare’s when I checked on her. She gave a yelp of relief as I entered and glared at the girls who were gathered at the other side of the room. “Lady, have you seen what these — girls are trying to get me to wear?”

“Of course, Ilsa.” I answered then gave her an evil grin. “That would be because I chose them for you.”

With a bit more fuss I got her gentled down and into the stockings, dusty rose tunic dress that barely reached her knees and the matching soft boots. “There, that isn’t so bad now, is it?”

“Maybe not if you’re a girl.” She grumbled then blushed. On her light complexion that really stood out and I suppressed a chuckle as she weakly finished. “Oh, right.”

“Good girl.” I gave her an encouraging smile and added. “Now let these ladies finish getting ready without all the arguing, okay?”

“Yes, m’lady.” She answered with resignation if not acceptance in her voice.

“I am NOT wearing that getup!” Jonce, rechristened Janise shook her head, which had her long green hair flying all over in a surprisingly and fetchingly girlish manner.

“Nice girly gesture, Janise.” I complimented, which stopped her cold while gasping like a newly landed fish.

“But, but, just LOOK at the things they want me to wear!” Pointing at the blood red silk gown laid out on the table, along with the other things her grey eyes were filled with outrage.

“They should look quite lovely on you, dear.” I soothed. “Now stop fighting the inevitable and get dressed as you’ve been instructed to do. Let the girls help you and grumble all you like but don’t resist what they’ve been told to do here.”

She let out a long, suffering sigh, closed her eyes then moved towards the garments as if she were headed for her execution. But she allowed the girls to start getting her dressed.

“Get away from me!” Lissara, formerly Llew shouted from near the ceiling when I entered that room. Looking at her perched precariously atop a wardrobe with an improvised staff that was generally used as a hatrack in her hands I couldn’t help but laugh. “Lady, tell these — these GIRLS to go away!”

Oh, yeah, Lissara was going to be the problem child, I could already see that. Shaking my head at both the situation and her stubbornness, not to mention resourcefulness, I gestured for her to come down. “Put that hatrack down then get yourself down here.”

“No.”

“You don’t want to make me come up there to get you.” I threatened and as she still refused to move, I started climbing the wardrobe. Wearing the emerald green gown I’d chosen that morning.

“Wait! Don’t do that, Lady!” She swallowed and added. “It is unseemly for a Lady like you to be climbing around on the furniture.”

“I could say much the same about you.” I answered as I snatched the hatrack out of her grasp. “Now come down and behave yourself.”

She did, with a lot of grumbling and glares all around before indignantly announcing. “Lady, they expect me to wear — those horrible things!”

Giving the pale blue knee length gown a casual look, I shrugged. “So? I think it would look quite nice on you.”

“But it’s, it’s…” She spluttered.

“A dress.” I finished for her. “Yes, I know. And before you start in with the bit about men don’t wear dresses, remember what you saw in the mirror this morning then think it through.”

“You aren’t giving me a choice here, are you?” She questioned weakly.

“None at all, sweetie.” I answered and grinned at her little wince as I called her that. “Now let the nice girls get you presentable and don’t give them any more trouble, all right?”

“Yes, m’lady.” She responded, then gave the still wary girls a little moue of contrition and shrugged. “Sorry?”

The last one, Osetthe formerly Osgol was a shock even after the past couple of days.

She was arguing with the girls, but not about the style of clothing but its color.

“This just isn’t right for me, I tell you.” She lifted the hem of her Purple gown and grimaced. “It clashes with my skin. Don’t you have something else I could wear?”

“Uh hello?” I interrupted the discussion and peered at her. “You were Osgol, right?”

“Yes, m’lady.” She nodded then gave me a sheepish look. “But really this gown just won’t do.”

“You’re arguing color and skin tones already?”

“Lady.” Osetthe let out an exasperated sigh. “Just because I was a male doesn’t mean that I was completely ignorant of things like color, cut, and complexion.”

“I see.” With a nod I asked. “Just which color would you prefer?”

“That one.” She indicated one in glittering black silk that I did have to admit went better with her eyes.

“Let her wear it.” I told the girls and left more gobsmacked than I cared to admit.

At least I didn’t have to talk that one down from atop a wardrobe.

So how was ‘the first dressing session’ for our new girls?” Sam asked carefully when I returned to the main receiving chamber of our rooms.

“About what you’d expect.” I shrugged then shook my head. “I had to almost pull Lissara off the top of her wardrobe, the others argued but gave in…”

“But?”

“You’ll see when they get here.” I answered. “I’ll let you make up your mind without any previous input from me.”

“This should be interesting.” He grinned. “I recall the first day you had to get dressed for the way you are now.”

“Don’t remind me.” I chuckled. “At least they get to wear real skirts instead of those long loin cloths.”

Oh, I’m sure they really appreciate that.” He answered a little sarcastically.

“Oh, trust me, they will.” I grinned up at him with a wink.

My five — all right, they were still minions, even if they weren’t all that happy about what that seemed to involve at the moment, entered the main room uncertainly then stood awkwardly, nervously, belligerently, and in one case easily in front of us.

Annisette fidgeted with her bodice while refusing to look at anyone. Ilsa kept trying to pull the hem of her skirt lower, which only showed more of her cleavage and the globes of her breasts then would pull the neckline back up. Janise stood there resignedly but in a most unfeminine posture. Lissara glared at everyone and seemed to be daring anyone, anyone at all, to say anything about how she was dressed. Osethhe demurely waited for what was to come next.

Sam gave them each a long look, widened his eyes at how the last one was behaving and let out a low whistle. “I see what you mean, darling.”

“Yes.” I sighed and shook my head while I answered him. “I can see deportment lessons coming up, well maybe not for all of them.”

The rest of the day went with things like this.

“Annis! Stop fidgeting with your gown, all that twitching and lifting your skirt is wrong.”

Ilsa, please stop trying to stretch what you’re wearing. It won’t work and all you’ll do is tear it and end up showing more of yourself!

“Janise!” don’t slump, your breasts aren’t going to go away and doing that only makes them hang and attract attention even more than standing straight would do.

“No, Lissara, you CAN’T try to disembowel every man who just glances at you!”

“Very good, Osethhe.” Well, there was always one odd one in a group.

It was overall, a very wearing day.

“So, how goes it with your new ladies?” Kae’song asked once I had eased myself into a chair and accepted a goblet of chilled fruit juice.

“Don’t ask.” I grimaced then had to chuckle. “Was I that bad?”

“Worse, actually.” He laughed.

“Well, it’s clear that getting them gentled down to what they are now is going to take more than several days. We can’t even start their training until that happens.” I grumbled.

“With one exception.” He pointed out.

“There’s one in every crowd.” I agreed. “Osethhe is taking to things as if her wildest dream just came true. She’s already picking pockets on anyone who gets near her and is starting to vamp some of the males around her.”

“Vamp?”

“Come on to them, ummm, entice them with her charms.” I replied with a chuckle. “If the noises I heard coming from her room last night are any indication, she has already been successful at that, too.”

“Perhaps your Mother’s boon is starting sooner with that one.” The mage mused.

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “Or it could be something else, too.”

“It is uncommon.” Kae’song nodded judiciously. “But there have been cases of men wishing to be women before this.”

“Yes, I know.” I answered and decided if some guy wanted to be a gal in THIS world the way most of it was, they really, really were in the wrong body. Changing that subject I asked. “So, what have you and yours discovered about their talents?”

“Well, the lovely, sensuous, Annisethhe is a potential mage.” He told me with a grin. “Once that one settles into her new sex I think you’ll have some competition for the title of beauty of the keep.”

“Easier said than done.” I groused, but nodded in agreement. “A mage, then?”

“Definitely. I already have one of my better apprentices instructing her in the basics.” He smiled. “She certainly has the aptitude and will for it.”

“Ilsa?” I questioned.

“Determined, but no magical talent that can be pinpointed.” He answered. “Though her coordination and deceptive strength points towards a warrior more than anything else.”

“I would have thought that would be Lissara.” I mused. “With the way she threatens to hurt any male who even gives her an interested glance. I had to take a table knife from her yesterday before she could gut a page foolish enough to wink at her.”

“You have her pegged, then.” He agreed. “But do try to rein in her more violent urges, would you?”

“Trust me, I am.” I grumbled.

“Janise already shows a marked affinity for woodlands and forest.” He went on. “Not surprising given the race she now is. Minor magical abilities, good coordination, and shows much promise with a bow, and short sword. She seems to have an uncanny ability to see tracks and determine what made them and how long ago that was.”

“Hmm. Ranger.” I thoughtfully answered.

“That is what I’ve been told, yes.”

You don’t need to tell me about Osethhe.” I told him. “Thief if I ever saw one.”

“Indeed, and probably a potential assassin as well.” Kae’song responded then took a sip of his own drink. “Her speed, coordination, and ability to blend with her surroundings are nearly as good as your own.”

So, we make an interesting group.” I mused. Three fighters, a mage, a thief, a ranger, and me.”

Seem well balanced to you? I knew it! I just knew it! Mommy dearest had stacked the deck when she’d transformed those guys into gals.

Our conversation was interrupted by a small commotion at the doors leading to the front of the citadel and a disheveled guardsman entered in company with an amused Lord Kevin. The latter bowed formally, and informed me. “Someone to see you, Lady Dahlia.”