The kingdom has fallen. When the Kingdom of Black Iron invaded the Kingdom of Sapphiric Moon, none could predict that the war would be so one sided that even the capital would fall within three weeks. Even before reinforcements could be moved to the front lines, the kingdom's army was pushed so far that their very backs were against the outer walls of the capital city. Those who could run, scattered into the countryside. Those who had connections, ran into the capital. Those who had neither option, was slaughtered or turned into slaves. With defeat so certain, the deserters became refugees. This is the story of one such refugee. CrossxHealer Chapter 2 You thought it was me, but it was him! By Shiina Ai

"Uwaaaahhh!!!"

Madam Tilda jumped hearing that loud scream. She had stayed around after leaving Fawru with Lia. Despite being the owner of a brothel, she wasn't someone one would call evil. Manipulative, yes, but she never abused her girls. The reason why her establishment was considered top class was because of the higher standard of the girls on offer. A lot of the men actually cared about the girls and she truly made efforts to keep them clean, healthy and happy.

She herself was a prostitute in the past and if not for a rich merchant taking her as a concubine, she would have likely died of exhaustion, abuse or disease. Despite the existence of healing mages, common prostitutes like her back then couldn't afford their services. So she was very concerned about the newcomers and always stayed around for the first few times to ensure they weren't being abused or worse, killed. She had heard hundreds of screams from girls who lost their innocence.

Yet, why was it that the scream sounded like a man's scream?

Could Lia actually be a man in disguise? No, it couldn't be right. Those were clearly a woman's breasts and hips. She checked it herself. It wasn't actually out of pleasure, though she wasn't actually foreign to the idea. No, she checked the condition of all the girls when they came in. She couldn't very well run a respectable establishment with diseased girls after all.

Little did Madam Tilda know, she was actually under hypnotism the entire time. Lia's transformation was not actually complete. So beyond checking her breasts and buttocks, Madam Tilda had not gone further. Lia had no idea how to transform her male protuberance and decided not to bother. Her entire plan hinges on nobody ever seeing her that dangly carrot in her secret place.

Madam Tilda gently pressed her left ear to the door, wondering what was happening inside. By the time about a dozen scenarios ran its course, the other girls had come out of their rooms with puzzled faces, also wondering what was happening.

Lia didn't know it as she had just arrived, but the walls were quite thin. She would learn this little fact repeatedly over the course of the next few days. It was unfortunate that Ina would find that out too, but it couldn't be helped. They would be residents of a brothel and that would not change any time soon.

It was half an hour of manly screams later that the room finally went quiet. By this time, the other girls had also pressed their ears against the door and the wall, wondering what was happening inside. All they could hear now were only sounds of moaning and Lia's gentle encouragements.

"That wasn't too bad, don't you think?"

"You were very good just now."

"Come again soon."

Those were all they could hear from inside the room. They were all Lia's voice. There was no reply from the screaming man earlier.

"He's dead!" was what ran through everyone's minds.

When the door suddenly opened from inside, they were so shocked that they all fell to the floor on their butts.

"Oh you're here, Madam Tilda. Where should I move the bod - I mean the customer," Lia said with a bright smile, a kind of victory smile not normally given by a girl who had just lost her virginity in a brothel.

"Is he dead?" Madam Tilda asked with trembling voice. She had seen a lot of things, been in the presence of many dead girls, but this was the first time a customer died in her establishment. Instead of fear, she was actually lost about what actions she should take now.

However, Lia said, "Heavens no! He's just asleep. You can see for yourself."

Lia went back into the room and shortly after came out supporting Fawru in her right arm. Side by side, the size difference was obvious. For Madam Tilda, it reminded her of the folktale The Maiden Of The Woods. It was the story of how a young girl slaughtered the king of the forest for disturbing her bath. This scene looked just like how she pictured that last scene where the maiden carried out the carcass of the king of the forest. The only thing missing was the red dress.

How could she carry such a big man by herself? That was on everyone’s minds.

“Madam Tilda? Where should I put the body?” Lia asked with Fawru’s left arm on her left shoulder as he was stood slumped on her right shoulder supported by her right arm.

“Uh umm... is he truly still alive?” Madam Tilda asked, wanting to make certain of it herself, but afraid of what she might find.

“Certainly! Still breathing, still pulsing and... his vitals are as good as ever. In fact, his manhood is actually poking me! Why are you still hard?” Lia cried out, feeling his big and hard sausage rubbing against her constructed butt. Not waiting for a reply, she decided to drop Fawru in the front hall.

Everyone watched with mouth open as the small Lia dragged Fawru’s limp body away. Many wondered how someone with such a small body would be able to carry such a big man away. Some still believed he was dead.

He was still alive.

And he would come again.

And he would ask for Lia by name, eventhough he could barely remember what happened the last time he was there.

He wouldn’t be the only one.

Lia would become a very popular girl indeed.

******

“Big sister, here, here!” Ina raised her hand high as she shouted, calling for Lia above the noise of the crowd.

A few gave a passing look of interest as Lia came in. Some took a long good, appreciative look, but otherwise kept themselves to their own company. Some others appeared as if they wanted to insert themselves in between the two sisters, but refrained themselves. It was not due to any allusions of public decency, but more due to the fierce glare of the barmaster.

The barmaster, the co-owner of the tavern was a man of big build, strong arms and scarred face. Just looking at him, one would imagine him to be a retired mercenary or a former soldier. In reality, he was actually a cook by profession. He grew up as a farmer in one of the farming villages in the outskirts of Bargan Kingdom. An accident with a married woman and a farming rake left him with a half-scarred face and bruises that still hadn’t healed years later. He left the village soon after, fearing the threat from the married woman’s husband, brother in law, father in law, grandfather in law and pretty much her husband’s entire extended family, including the dog. It was during his travels that he met his current wife, and together, they started a tavern in the southern part of the city.

In the kitchen, he was in charge of roasting and food preparations. Once that was done, he left the kitchen to his assistant, who came in one day begging for work on his knees. If not because he was willing to work for only food and board, the barmaster would have kicked him out for being a nuisance. Outside the kitchen, the barmaster served ale and cider from the barrel while watching out for possible trouble. He never actually had to punch anyone since he opened the tavern. The mere sight of his scary face was enough to make the patrons behave themselves.

Due to that, Lia, who would be considered beautiful by the average men’s standard could walk past the men and sit in front of Ina without being harassed or interrupted. She practically fell on the stool as the waitress made her way to their table. Ina could see the tired look on Lia’s face. Her eyes were droopy, her face was dark and her hair was pretty messy, no longer combed straight like she was when Ina left earlier. Looking at Lia, the young Ina could guess how hard Lia had to work. She felt sorry for her, having to do something so deplorable to put food on the table. It made her feel guilty. Ina wanted to help, but she had no idea what her young self could do.

“Are you okay?” Ina asked our of concern.

“I’m fine. A little tired, but I’ll be fine. Have you eaten?”

“I was waiting for you, big sis.”

“I see, well then. Two small roast beef set, please,” Lia said to the waitress.

Ina wanted to stop Lia when she made the order. After all, roast beef, even in small portions were expensive. It wasn’t something they could afford to eat at this moment. If this was back in Sapphiric Moon, there would have been no problem eating roast beef everyday. Both her mother and this former brother of hers would’ve been able to afford it. After all, they were both highly ranked healers, their power coming from their blood. Ina had always wondered when she would be as skilled as her mother and her former brother. She hoped it would be soon. She wanted to be of use.

“Isn’t it expensive, big sister? Can we afford it?” Ina asked once the waitress left.

“It’s fine. I was paid today. It’s fine to eat well now, at least for tonight.”

“Was it hard?”

“Yeah, pretty hard. It’s not something I’ve done much before. I feel like I’ve been entirely drained.”

“How awful. Was it painful?”

“Not really, it was actually pretty smooth-sailing. My fingers are in pain, though.”

“Oh, but it’s your first time, I thought it would hurt more.”

“Actually it’s not my first time. Back in the army, I used to do that for fellow officers and lower generals. I was pretty much in demand and made some extra income on the side,” Lia said as she patted herself in pride.

Ina looked at her sister with eyes of pity and sadness. “I didn’t know. If I had known that you lost your purity every time you came home bringing gifts, I would never had been so selfish. I’m sorry big sister.”

“Purity?” Lia gave a confused look before she understood what Ina meant, “Hey, aren’t you misunderstanding something? I didn’t sleep with them, I only massaged and healed them.”

“But today...”

“I did the same today too. Mom hasn’t taught you ‘16 Steps of Vein Manipulation’ yet, I assume?”

“What’s that?”

Lia sighed. “Only one of the three sacred arts of our family. You really have never heard of it?”

Ina shook her head as her twintails flew around in the air around her. “Mom only taught me breathing techniques and healing magics. She hasn’t taught me any of our family’s secret techniques yet.”

“I guess it’s my responsibility to teach you now. But even I only know two of our secret arts and I don’t know the location of our family’s secret library. So unless mom can come home and teach us, the third one will probably be lost.”

The waitress arrived bringing their meals, three thin slices of roast beef, a quarter of a baguette, half of a boiled potato and a mug of apple cider. Lia thanked the waitress for the meal, waited until the waitress was out of earshort and told Ina, “Don’t you worry about that. For now, survival is more important. Eat and enjoy your food. We may not have many chance to eat like this again.”

Ina nodded and they spent the rest of the meal in silence.

<-.-> <-.->

*As always, your feedbacks are very appreciated. Praises help me write faster while constructive criticism helps me write better. Looking forward to either.
**This has been half-finished for months, only now did I manage to get enough motivation to post it here.