Edwyns mother learns how to handle her sons abilities and his connection with his sister. Edwyns father intervenes and he begins school

Edwyn wondered if he had really felt the spark within him or not. Was it just the intensity of the situation that caused it? He didn't know. Then Edwyn shrugged. He was fooling himself. He knew what he felt. There was no question. Edwyn had the spark, he thought it, and it was there. He also had the power, and that only meant he also had the power. The witches would have to figure out how to handle a boy that had the power. He was still very young, and there was time. He had messed up and hurt his mother. He saw the fury and disappointment written all over her face as she scolded him. He really made his mother mad. Edwyn wept into his pillow, wondering how he could fix this.

Ann went into Edwyn's room and sat on the edge of the bed as her son was crying uncontrollably into his pillow. Ann lifted him up and held the boy close. “Edwyn, I am sorry,” Ann said.

“I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I know you are only trying to do what is best for Victoria. I forgive you for what you did.”

Edwyn kept weeping, but it slowed down eventually. “You do?” Edwyn pleaded

“Yes, I know why you did it, and I never imagined that you could do what you did with her. If I thought you could or would, I would have explained it more. What you did was inconceivable.” She felt very safe using that big word with her two-year-old. “Even if you were a few years older than you are now, what you did would have been unthinkable. A boy guiding his sister though the ritual of feminine force. That you are two years old.” Then Ann threw her hands up in the air. “I should know by now that doing the impossible is your specialty. It's what you do. So, what you did for her was great, and I thank you for it.”

Edwyn held her tight. “I wanted to help her be the best.”

“I know,” Ann replied. “You love her so much. You want her to be the strongest and the greatest. She is fortunate to have someone like you as her brother that will push her to her limits. So do it, Edwyn. I will get her into school, and she will receive her formal instructions. And you will do all you can to push her further. Keep those teachers on their toes.” Ann giggled. “They all need it.”

Edwyn smiled. “I will. She will lead the witches. Do you think she could become the queen, instead of me?”

“Anything's possible, but why would you give that up for her?” Ann inquired, wondering.

“I am not sure why. I just feel that I have a different path. Victoria's path is helping people here. I feel I will be called elsewhere. That’s why I want her to become the strongest.”

“Then that’s what we will do. We are so privileged to have you, Edwyn. I can't imagine the things you will do.”

She felt so overwhelmed that night as she lay in bed with her husband. She was overwhelmed with worry and concern for her son. Things were okay for him now, but he was only two. How would he deal with being sent to school with the boys when his feminine adventures would be forced to end, and he enters life as a boy? He begins training for life as a boy to become a man. Ann knew he had a path set for him, and he was so strong in his convictions that the men wouldn't be able to deter him. So there would be trouble then. She doubted they could actually hurt him. He fell from a three-story tall tower and was unhurt. There was going to be conflict, but change always brought conflict. If they wanted to go at her son, bring it on. He would bring the priests to their knees.

She looked over at the sleeping husband next to her and smiled a dark smile. “You have no clue what's coming your way.” She said to herself.

Edwyn wanted to be happy that day and knew he had a huge job in front of him. His mother gave him her full approval to help his sister rise to her full potential. He had to push her hard. He had the knowledge, so now he had to impart them to his sister. How was he going to that? Edwyn needed a plan, and he had to start small.

There were a few things that really bugged Edwyn right now. Those things were his sister. In his visions, his sister was more of a joke to the witches. She wasn't very good at the art at all. She was pathetic. She didn't like the feminine side of life in any way. His visions showed Victoria as a scared battle lord in armor holding a sword. His sister seemed more that way here. He wondered if his mission to make his sister into a great powerful witch was doomed. Perhaps that was his job. He saw himself clinging to the feminine side of life while his sister only resented it.

Edwyn was so lost right now. He had to see her limitations and if she could grasp the art of magic and power. Edwyn really hoped that she could.

All Edwyn could do was his best. He went to sleep that night, wondering if he could help his sister become the greatest and the most powerful witch. He dreamed of her being a great witch that the entire Hekatin order would respect and admire.

Edwyn woke up before his sister went off to school. He put one of her white dresses on and met her on the way out the door. He told her goodbye. His sister left with her best friend to go to school, and he was left there, wondering how he could help her. So he set up some lesson plans and resolved to find out how much of the ancient language she knew, and he would proceed from there to some basic spells.

Then Edwyn went to his mother and asked for her help. What better support to get than one of the highest level witches of the Hekatin order. He asked innocently, “Mother, I think I need your help here. I may have gotten myself more involved than I can handle.”

“Edwyn, what is your problem?”

“Trying to teach Victoria magic. I know the art and how it works. I know everything about the language and its history. My problem is how to teach it to Victoria, and whether she can handle it.” Edwyn said, looking very overwhelmed.

“I am sure Victoria can handle it,” Ann replied, wondering why Edwyn was unsure she could handle the pressure. ”Just start simple and move from there to more advanced areas. Not everyone learns as quick as you.” Ann said, trying to get her son to understand that.

“That was my plan. But I am afraid I will fail. I know, I will try my hardest. But let me explain. I have visions of Victoria's future, and it isn’t Magic. Victoria is a warrior holding a great sword. Wearing armor, battle scars on her face, in my visions. Victoria would be a great warrior. But the problem was that she was a terrible witch in these visions. She doesn’t know it much at all. She's almost a joke to the Hekatin, she was a witch, but not a good one. That may not be her destiny. And it makes me sad because I want her to be a mighty witch.”

Ann tried to understand. “I see what you are saying,” Ann said very soberly. This was an unwelcome revelation. How could Victoria reject this? But maybe with your help and your insight, you can change her destiny. You have the will and your love for your sister, so all we can do is try. You changed us, we were going to do something monstrous. Let's see what we can do.”

Edwyn agreed this was his plan, after all. He had to try and see if he could change her nature.

He saw his sister in her gleaming armor, people clapping as she rode past them in her gleaming armor, her sturdy leather, knights gauntlets holding a sword as she rode past a loving people cheering her and her troops on. She even had a battle scar down her face from her eye down to her chin. She didn't reject the witch's arts. She just didn't devote herself to it because she had more masculine pursuits like fighting. That didn't bother Edwyn at all.

What bothered him was that in this reality, how it affected him. Seeing Victoria win all of that fame and everlasting glory in battle physically hurt him in this world. It caused him such depression and despair because, in this reality, it was violently stolen from him. He was entrapped in a feminine life that he hated. It was a life that he was ill-suited for because, like her, his life was supposed to be devoted to battle, and he trained hard to achieve it. Only to see it ripped from him and watch Victoria live his life. Edwyn suspected that he made it impossible to do now, Edwyn was so strong and powerful by two who knows what he can accomplish by ten. Edwyn didn't mind if she wanted that path here, but he suspected his sister would need more, and she needed to unleash her feminine force. There were some people that badly needed her to be able to control them. His sister had to be able to control the Hekatin. They were an evil force in this world that badly needed to be restrained. Edwyn saw it in Celestia and Lady Fawn, and a few others. He saw it even in his mother's eyes. If he was unable to do this, then he would have to have other options. He was laying his hopes on his sister.

So how could he help his sister? He felt he seriously needed to do this. There were other threats his sister would face, threats to her and her family.

Then it hit him like a tsunami. They could start some basic physical training. Like running, jumping, and some basic fighting. Victoria was almost five, and he was two. But something fun could be put in. Edwyn smiled, then she may be more willing to let him teach her the feminine arts of witchcraft. The other problem was that she was meant to become the King, and that held little appeal to him.

He didn't feel the least bit threatened by her achieving her goals here. He knew his position was not in danger in any way. Her success would help him. Edwyn saw the first reality, and her victory in war and politics came at the expense of his life and his goals. That was something that brought her great pleasure to steal his life from him and live the life meant for him right in his face. So he suspected that the powers that be made his destiny so powerful that her success wouldn't come at his expense this time. They would need to work together. Edwyn suspected something nasty was coming. This was something horrible

Edwyn had spent most of the day trying to find a way to help his sister learn what he felt she had to, and it took this long for him to find the answer. So he gathered the books and papers and developed the lesson plans.

They sat down, and Edwyn said firmly. “I knew you wanted this. I think you will need to be very strong. I will teach you this, but I also want to help you become a mighty witch and learn spells. I know you will like that less, but I think it's very important for you to learn.”

Ann saw what he was doing and walked in to give her input. “I agree, Victoria. You will need to be strong, so please take these lessons seriously and become a powerful witch. You will also need these skills.”

It was all so boring, just a bunch of reading the ancient text and trying to understand it all. It was old books and learning about stars. It wasn't all fun. Victoria saw it was necessary and said, “Yes, I will try, Edwyn. And thank you.”

Edwyn flew into his sister's arms and gave her the biggest hug. “I love you so much.”

Victoria gave him a sly smile, “And you did all of that in that flowing gown, how?”

“I just did.”

Then both children burst out giggling. Danala began giggling too and said, “You are a pretty girl Edwyn.”

Edwyn giggled back. “I think we will have to find some clothing more appropriate for physical training. You can wear some of my pants, Victoria.”

Then they went outside, and Edwyn led Victoria with some basic jumping exercises with him leading. They ran through a basic course and jumping over some logs and blocks Ann placed on the course. Then they went swinging on a rope to the other side. Victoria was having fun and getting tired. Then Edwyn led her through some strength training exercises of lifting rocks, and they finished the session with some basic sword fighting. That was more fun than anything really practical. They don't even teach the four-year-old boys anything like that yet.

Then Edwyn led Victoria into his mother's rooms and took a few of her heavy old books down. Edwyn asked Victoria, “How much of the old language have you been taught?”

Victoria shook her head, “Hardly any at all. Some of the girls know more than I do.” The little girl frowned. “It's so hard, Edwyn. I just can't do it.”

Edwyn smiled, “I think you can do it. I know it's really difficult, and learning a new language isn't as exciting as fighting. IT has its own power. And Victoria, I want to tell you that I think this is the most important thing for you. I want you to become fearsome when you are older. I think you will need to become a fearsome witch. You become a fearsome warrior. But the real power is the witches. You must get powerful enough to have a voice in them. Or they will just use you. So please try for me.”

Victoria agreed to try. So Edwyn wrote down a half dozen old symbols on the paper. Ann carefully explained what each of the symbols meant and the sound they represented. Edwyn slowly tried to explain how to change it to make another word come together.

Edwyn saw the slowly dawning comprehension within his sister's eyes as she began understanding. Near the end of the lesson, Edwyn saw his sister began to put together her own words and simple phrases.

Then they started working on some simple spell casting. It was something Victoria had not got to yet. Things went much more smoothly with Ann supervising the lesson and adding input when required. Ann smiled near the end when Victoria heated a bowl of water to boiling point on her own. Then she conjured a snake. Edwyn clapped with pride.

Ann smirked and said that he thinks that with Edwyn helping her, she may be put in the advanced class with the six to eight-year-olds pretty soon.

Little over two years had passed. Victoria's rapid progress annoyed the teachers, but they knew there was nothing to be done about it. She soon progressed by past the four-year-olds within a month, and she was moved into the class with the older six to eight-year-old girls. She continued to make rapid progress with Edwyn and Ann giving her additional intensive training at home, and it paid off big time. She learned the ancient language by five, and many girls saw her physical skills increase rapidly. Not that she was a small girl in any way. That was her area, but it became even more apparent with Edwyn helping her get stronger. Her family did everything to hold her physical skills back in the original timeline.

By six, she was almost at the end of the six to eight-year-olds and could start casting some impressive spells and was helping the younger girls in her class. She was ready to be moved up to the eight to twelve-year-olds.

Edwyn was four years old and ready to begin his formal training. Then his father summoned him.

Edwyn wore a dark purple gown this day, and he was hoping to have some fun with his sister Victoria when she returned. It didn't turn out that way, though. His father had decided to make an unannounced visit and had him summoned to his office. Two of the guards found him in his mother's bedroom and took him to his father, who was sitting there waiting. His mother Ann was also standing there waiting silently. He saw that his mother looked sad.

Edwyn stood there innocently, wondering why his father wanted him. He was smart enough to guess what that was.

“You will be started your education very soon, Edwyn, so we need to discuss some things and make some rules.”

Edwyn spoke up, “It's the dresses, isn't it?”

“Yes, I have let it go on because you were so young. I watched my son wear his sister's gowns for two years now. It is time for it to stop.” Richard stated. “You are a boy, and you must start dressing and acting like a boy. I will no longer allow you to wear your sister's dresses. Is that understood?” Richard knew he could speak to his son like any other adult.

“I understand.” Edwyn wondered if it was too much power for a king to be able to determine how someone must dress. Richard was also his father, but this was still a king's command. His guards were bound to obey it. Edwyn then asked,” And if you or someone else commanded that I be dressed and trained to be a young woman, would that have to be obeyed?”

“Why in the five isles would anyone command that?” Richard asked, very confused.

Edwyn shrugged, “I don't know, I am just curious.” It made total sense to Edwyn now. “If a vindictive king who had a grudge against me ascended to the throne in my place and wanted to humiliate me, that might be a way.”

Richard stretched his neck, trying to figure this out. “You will be the heir, Edwyn. There's nothing to worry about.”

“Of course not,” Edwyn agreed. “I won't wear those dresses anymore.” He intended to continue wearing them when he was able. They couldn't stop him from wearing what he wanted. At least not all the time.

“You will be starting your education very soon. I have informed the priests at the temple to expect you, and they will be teaching you all about how to be a boy and become a man.”

‘Oh great,’ Edwyn thought sourly. ‘I will be learning their nonsense. This will be fun.’ “I can't wait, Father. When will I be going,” ‘to be bored out of my mind.’ He thought the last part to himself.

“Monday, tomorrow actually,” Richard said, smiling. “Now I have more people to meet. Don't let your mom put you in any more dresses.”

Ann took his hand and headed out. “Okay, I won't let her.”

He whispered, “Yes, indeed, I will when we can get away with it.” Edwyn smiled, walking back to his mother's bedroom.

He dreaded this. Edwyn had little hope that he would learn anything from those fools in the temple.

His mother took his gown off and redid his hair to be more like a boy, and she put him in a pair of dark boys' pants and a button shirt. Edwyn frowned sadly.

Then he shrugged, “This had to happen sooner or later. But we will continue to have fun when time allows it, mother. I will keep helping my sister. I am so proud of her, and I hope we can keep having our sister's time.

“I will see to it that your sister will still have time for you to help her. She is so grateful to you. You still must understand that Your sister will have her own friends and things to do rather than hang out with a boy, Edwyn. She has got some of her friends and social life. But we will make time for you, Edwyn. She needs it.”

Then Ann added, “She has been wearing a corset. She will have to get used to it.”

“Yes, I wonder what those are like,” Edwy said. He hated that girls were required to wear those stupid things. From what he saw of the one his sister would be wearing, a girl couldn’t bend or move much in them. There was little reason to have to wear them. He still wondered what it was like wearing such a feminine garment.

Edwyn snuck into his sister's room and held the thick boned corset in his hand. She had several of them in her wardrobe. He shivered a little remembering Stone entering his bedroom holding one, fully intending to beat him and put him in it, and how he resisted everything only to find himself in it. That was an event that was possible in around twelve years from now. It was in his visions.

He put his sister's corset down and went back into his bedroom again. Edwyn didn't know why such things brought such anger in him. He felt his rage simmering by now.

The next morning, Ann dressed him for school. He wore a pair of black pants and a regular blue button shirt and a pair of shows. He was walked to the temple to begin his formal education as a boy.

He walked up the long flight of steps up to the boy's temple where the primary was there waiting. He called himself Apollo for some reason and led the boy into the younger kids' classroom. There were a bunch of boys sitting on the benches waiting for the day to begin. They ranged from four years old up to seven years.

Several priests came in. Apollo walked in with his scarlet robe and his purple sash around his waist.

“Welcome to the boy's temple, where we will give you the lessons you need to become a strong boy and a fearsome strong warrior in the future. My name is Apollo. I am the primary here at this temple and the representative to the monarch. Brother Gey Chation here will be your primary teacher, and his assistant Montford. If you have any more questions, you may direct your questions to them.

Then Apollo turned and walked out of the room where Gey took over. Edwyn was immediately alarmed and pissed when Gey began his lessons.

“You are boys,” The priest began. Edwyn considered thanking him for informing him of that. As if he didn't know. What great information to have. He was a boy.

“As boys, you are expected to be strong, dominant, and you must rule. You were made stronger and smarter than girls. Girls must obey. That is their rule, you must rule and dominate girls. They can't be trusted, and they don't have the ability to lead. We are the leaders. Girls must obey and be submissive and obey. If they are defiant and refuse, we must teach them or punish them. You have to have the strength to inflict pain when needed.”

Edwyn immediately tuned off to this idiot. He knew his mother was powerful. His sister was very strong and would become stronger. Then he looked forward to the day these men would kneel at his sister's feet, or else. She would destroy their religion. But he also knew his sister had a cruel streak to her. Some of those women weren't all that different from these fools, teaching him that he had to be strong enough to inflict pain on a defiant girl.

Then his mind wandered back to the time he tried to teach his sister magic. What a disaster that was. He was lucky he was fireproof, or he may have burnt himself bad. She caught him on fire. He was admonished bad that day.

He was so sad that he displeased his mother so much. He promised never to do anything that stupid again. His sister had needed a crash course on how to control her abilities, and those lessons didn't normally begin until around six. She was that age now and well into becoming a great witch. She would bring these fools to their knees.

After the long and tedious instruction, they started the physical training a boy would require. Edwyn excelled far above any of the other boys. The boys began some basic strength training. They got down on the ground to do pushups. Some boys could barely put out 10 of them, and Edwyn pumped out twenty and kept going.

The priests took the boys out to a basic obstacle course and showed them what was required to complete it. There was a lot of running, climbing, swinging, and then they had to use their hands to swing themselves across the bars and get on a hanging net.

Few of the boys could even get close to completing it. The more athletic boys got halfway and fell. Edwyn completed it, and the priests realized that he might have to be moved into the older boys' class.

Then the boys were run through a few basic physical combat courses, and this was where Edwyn paid attention. None of the material he had read covered this. He watched the priests run though some basic attacks, blocks, and parries. Then the boys paired up, and Edwyn was paired with a boy named Piet, who was a little heavier and who looked stronger. Piet appeared to be around five, going on six in a few months. Edwyn was still four. He knew that he had to be very careful, or this boy might not survive.

Even at this young age, the boy was an aggressive brute and one of the more athletic boys who completed half of the course and flaunted how strong he was. He had missed Edwyn's performance on the obstacle course. So he said confidently, “let's see how you can handle an attack sissy.”

Then the boy threw a series of heavy punches and swings at Edwyn's body and head. Edwyn blocked and dodged some of them, but many connected and hit his face. The blows caused no damage. If Peit Expected Edwyn to cringe or cry, he was wrong. Edwyn looked up eagerly saying, “That wasn't good, come at me again, I can handle this.

The look on Piets face becomes one of uncertainty. He had expected to dominate this smaller boy and make him afraid, and that had not happened. His attacks intensified.

Edwyn remembered the priest's instructions on blocks and how to avoid attacks. Piet intensified his attacks, and fewer of the blows connected. Edwyn moved his hands to intercept the attacks or move them safely out of the way. He moved his head when required or stepped away. After a few more times, he had it, and nothing the larger boy did come close to touching him.

Then Edwyn said confidently, “I got it, it's your turn now.”

The larger boy said arrogantly, “Go for it.”

The next second, he was on the ground holding his head, seeing lights flashing in his eyes, wondering where that came from. Edwyn admonished himself that he had to be careful. “Sorry, Piet. I will go slower, but you have to know how to handle attacks.”

Edwyn threw a slower series of blows that Piet only halfway blocked. He tried to instruct Piet on how to properly do that, but it only pissed the boy off. He concluded he was talking to a dumb wall and gave up trying to help this idiot and just focused on learning the drills.

Piet lost his temper at Edwyn around the middle of the instructions on dealing with rushes, and he grabbed Edwyn's legs and threw him down hard and began pounding on his face. Edwyn easily rolled the boy over and struck his temple. Piet was out cold. Edwyn didn't lose his temper, he meant to knock the other boy out. It was Piet that lost his temper and violently attacked him. Apollo saw it and congratulated him for handing the other idiot so well. Piet was punished

And that was the final lesson for the day. Apollo told the boys never to let rage determine what you will do. Keep calm and never lose your focus, or you will do something stupid and lose. In combat, that can kill you.

Then the boys were sent to learn some basic academics. The first was reading and spelling for the afternoon. Edwyn had learned all of this when he was just under a year old. He noticed that few of the boys had a clue. This was their first lesson as the priest wrote the letters on the board and explained each letter and their sounds. Then he put some short words together for the boys.

The boy next to him was having a lot of trouble, and Edwyn helped the boy understand the difference in the sounds and how they are put together. This boy was more teachable. He found his name was John.

Their final lessons were in math, and they went through some fundamental addition problems. This was another area Edwyn had mastered. Edwyn was working on variables and factoring equations by now. That kind of math was giving him a headache. But Edwyn sat here going through two plus three, and things like that.

John was having trouble with it, and Edwyn showed him that two, then another three, and how to add it by using marks on the paper and counting them. Then you get five. Edwyn helped him with another problem, three plus four. He helped John figure that out as well.

The lesson ended with some subtraction, and they were finally dismissed. Edwyn went to check on Piet, and found that he was fine. There was no lasting damage to the boy's head. He just learned not to lose control.

There were some marks on his back from the lashing the priests gave him for being a moron. Edwyn felt that was unnecessary. Being knocked out was enough, but these priests were brutal. Ann was there to walk him home. He took her hand, and they went home.

Ann asked him how it went, but she suspected that her son might not have found much to enjoy.

“It was stupid,” Edwyn said. “Really stupid. I don't believe any of it. I want to go to school with Sis. They tell me I have to dominate and control girls. I won't do it.”

Ann nodded sadly. “That's what boys are taught. I know it's stupid.”

Then Edwyn looked up as his sister came in. He figured it was now time. Richard was still out, and he ran into his sister's room and picked out a dress to put on. Victoria helped him lace the back. “How were your lessons, Viki.”

She looked bored and explained that they went through some waving patterns on clothes, then knitting and then grace, walking with a book on her head and then feminine mannerisms. Then they finally got to chapel to pray to the Goddess. The only class she liked was painting.

That frustrated Edwyn. “I will teach you some of what they taught me. But first, I want to ask you and mom a favor.”

Ann rose her eyebrow. “What favor.”

“Help me with the ritual of feminine force. I think I feel the spark.”

Victoria laughed. “You helped me, why do you need help if you have it.”

“Because I am having trouble. I am a boy, remember.”

Ann helped explain about what his state needed to be, but she sincerely didn't believe he had it.

Victoria helped him through the phrases that he had taught her. But the teachers at her school had explained it better and what the proper inflections needed to be.

Then they started singing the phrases about feminine power. “I am a powerful female. I will be a strong woman. I will be a leader and refuse to submit to men.” These were things that no boy would dare say in his right mind. Edwyn was singing it with a smile, wearing a white dress, and lace around his bust. Ann shook her head, thinking that the ritual had not worked when it happened.

Edwyn's hair began to spark, and the golden power of the Goddess began running down his arms and snapping at his fingertips. His entire body glowed with her power. Both children stopped, and Ann and Victoria just stared at the four-year-old boy.

Victoria did not entirely believe what was before her eyes. Victoria did, however and both children stood before her holding hands. Then Edwyn said firmly. “I want to go to school with my sister and learn witchcraft. You know we have no choice, I must learn.”

Ann couldn't help but start laughing at this. Both of her children looked at her as if she had gone mad. But Ann knew this was a dangerous situation, but she also saw such great humor in this.

Ann decided to explain. “Think about this for a second. The Hekatin wants to regain control. They know they must, and their only chance is the power they have that men can't counter in any way. We all know boys don't have that power. The priests have their ways to nullify the witch's power with some charms and such, but it only goes so far. Men lack that power they have the weapons and physical strength. But witches have magic. We have our plans to liberate ourselves. But the witches want to force it and subjugate society to their will. I partly agree because I see the men's brutality and the need to temper it even if just a little, and we want to control our lives and not be afraid. The only advantage witches have is the power. Now, they will meet a boy who has the same power. They will be afraid and horrified. Much like the priests if they knew you had it. You are the son of the Goddess. They don't know it, but they will find you are their only hope. A boy who loves the Goddess as much as they do and wants to see women freed. The Goddess has a scene of humor.” Ann smiled. “They will have to accept you. If they don't, they will never get free.”

Edwyn laughed. “I see the humor in that.”

Ann gathered her things and said, “Let's go see Professor Celestia and tell her about her new boy pupil. I think we can arrange for you to go to the school a few times a week.” She took her children's hands and walked outside and headed toward the girl's school. She couldn't wait to see Celestia's face. Neither could Edwyn, and he hated the woman. He knew what a sadistic horrible woman she was. He hated Celestia with a passion. She was the leader of the plot that had originally transformed or abused him. Another mysterious girl around Victoria's age at the time, seventeen to eighteen, was the instigator of the entire thing, and even Celestia deferred to her at times, but Celestia held the power and moved it all forward. These events would not take place now, but Edwyn knew they would if he wasn't here with his plan. He also knew Celestia was not to be trusted. She was a horrible person.

Celestia would be at her place by now, so Ann got her kids in her personal carriage and told her driver where to take them. They got in their seats beside Ann, and the driver got the horses moving. They went down the streets and headed toward the other side of the town out near the country where Celestia's little cottage was waiting.

They knocked and were invited inside, where Celestia was enjoying some of her wine.

Celestia greeted Ann and was wondering why she decided to make a visit with her two little children.

Ann knew this was going to be a big shock. “Lady Celestia. I have some news that I am not sure how you are going to take. But the situation requires it. I feel that I must admit my son Edwyn into your school a few times a week at your discretion. It is not so much a matter a wanting to, but we need to.”

Celestia just thought to herself that she didn't need any more surprises. She has had enough surprises boys who had the power. Her last encounter with Sarin was enough. She nearly died. “Ann, Edwyn is a boy.? But, tell me what has happened?”

“Edwyn has the power. I saw it, We just performed the ritual of feminine power with him. He has it, just like his sister.”

Celestia was simply speechless and a she also looked afraid. Ann looked at Edwyn and nodded, “Please show her?”

Edwyn muttered a few silent phrases, and his power flashed and glowed through his body. His hair shimmered and sparkled. Celestia looked frightened now. Another boy with the power, and he has a link to Sarin and knows about her. “This is just great,” Celestia said acidly. “And what are we supposed to do with this?”

Ann started explaining some of the events in the boy's life from when he was a week old to his first steps at three weeks. Then Edwyn saying the Goddess was his mother.

Edwyn affirmed, “She is, I see her in my visions and in my dreams. She loves me so much. How else can a boy have this power? But I am so afraid now. I had my first classes at the boy's temple, and I hate it. I hate those people. I hated their lessons on how to treat women. I want to bring them to their knees.” Edwyn said with such ferocity, it surprised Celestia.

Then he looked at Celestia with the same ferocity. “I also know you hate boys. You hate us for how we treat you. Not that I can really blame you, but know most boys don't have the insight or intelligence I have. Most don't have the defenses, so when they are taken to school and taught the nonsense, I was taught. The boys at four have no choice but to believe every word and start adapting to it. You shouldn't hate us, Celestia. You shouldn't hate me.”

“I don't hate you, and I don't hate boys, Edwyn,” Celestia said unconvincingly. “I will admit I am resentful at boys, and I have some feelings. I will work on that.” She didn't want to mention her encounter with Sarin. But she knew that many people here had begun to hate her. Perhaps a boy with this strong of a connection to the goddess can be a great help.

Edwyn replied, “Thank you, and I will do what I can to help you with that. I don't want to hate you either.”

Celestia turned her eyes to Ann. “Okay, I accept Edwyn. So it's up to you, how will you get him to the school. That parts up to you and which days.”

“I am the queen,” Ann said. “We must be sneaky. He likes wearing his sister's dresses. So perhaps he can go with you and your friend Danala, and he can just be another girl. Will, you do that, Victoria,”

She knew how important it was. “Yes, I think we would love it.”

“No one must know he's a boy,” Ann said. “If he is exposed, then all is lost. Richard would be furious, and there would be no mercy on any of us for betraying him. So you and Danala help Edwyn fit in as a girl. Will you help him?”

Victoria held Edwyn's hand. “Yes.”

Ann looked to Celestia again, “Wednesday and Friday. Will that be acceptable to you, Celestia?”

Celestia nodded, and it was agreed.

Ann got her children back in the queen's carriage and took them back to the palace.

This was only the beginning. Edwyn wanted to help Celestia increase the girl's studies. They should learn more than knitting.

But first, he had to continue his lessons with his sister, and he would get to teach her some of the physical training they put him through.

His sister changed clothes from the heavy-boned corset she had to wear and replaced her gown with a pair of shorts. Edwyn led her into the big drawing-room.

“Let me teach you some of the stuff they taught me. The priests call these blocks Victoria,” He smiled and asked Victoria to start swinging and punching him. She knew this was harmless, and she threw some strikes at him, and Edwyn carefully showed her how to intercept them, or move the blows out of the way.

Victoria was impressed. Then Edwyn threw some very slow strikes at Victoria's head and watched her learn to block them, cover her head, or parry them the way Edwyn taught her. She had learned it well by the end of the lesson, and then Edwyn put her thought a series of powerful blows to learn that. Victoria enjoyed learning how to throw a strong punch or chopping motion to his neck. Edwyn increased his power and speed, and by this time, Victoria could handle it. She easily blocked Edwards blows.

Victoria was winded by the end and had learned a lot. She threw herself into Edwyn's arms by the end, but it wasn't over yet. It was now time to learn more witchcraft. Victoria groaned, but she realized how vital it was to learn it by now.

Edwyn had decided to show her why he felt it was so crucial for her to become a powerful witch.

“Viki, I am going to show you one of my biggest secrets. It is not my strength or how fast I learn or how strong I am. Those are just some side effects of who I really am. I have a connection with the Goddess, and I can see things. I want to show you some of the things that I saw that may have happened.”

Edwyn approached a hesitant Victoria, and he firmly took her hand in his. Edwyn focused his mind and felt Victoria's mind. He made a connection and sent her his visions of her future.

Some of them were great, showing her as a battle-hardened warrior with a scar. Her holding the sword and wearing a gleaming crown with people loving her. He felt her smile.

Then he showed her some of the things that happened with him. She saw the cruel transformation and her gloating about there no longer being a male heir, and how Edwyn is now her little sister. She saw how sadistic and ruthless she was to him and how she enjoyed his suffering to such an extent. She saw the pain and depression it inflicted on him. Victoria was horrified.

It all ended, and she shouted, “I could never have treated you that way, Edwyn. How could this have happened.”

“I think events in that time required them. But you had become so angry and so cruel. That's why I am doing this.”

Victoria said in disbelief. “Is this why you want to dress up and be my little sister. You want me to love you more?”

“It started that way, but I enjoy our time together so much,” Edwyn admitted. “I enjoy it. I want you to be strong. It's the Hekatin. They are cruel. They pushed you to do that. They wanted you to be cruel to me, so I couldn't threaten you. You need to grow powerful enough to control them. They are out of control, Victoria. This is why I want you to be so strong.”

Victoria took Edwyn's hand firmly. With a determined look in her eye, she said, “Let's do it. I will protect you, Edwyn, no one will never hurt you.” she embraced her brother.

He wasn't that worried about himself as the other people they would wield power over.