The priest of the Father sang the praises of the new year and made a suggestion to those present: “Finally, we should resolve to be better people in this time of new beginnings. Make a resolution to stop those sins you are most guilty of, and take better care of your neighbors.”

Annie ignored most of what the priest said. It boiled down to “give us more money and listen to your betters,” neither of which were things she had any intention of doing. But the idea of a resolution sounded like a good idea to her. She even knew what she wanted in the new year: first, to stop doing crime. She’d never been more than a petty thief and an occasional whore, and she’d mostly stopped doing both, but she resolved that she would do no crime in the new year. The second one would be more difficult, but by the end of the year, she wanted her body to be the right one. It might take her more than the one year, but she could make a start and she was stubborn enough to make it happen. All she had to do was resolve.

Three months later, she’d made progress on finding out how to change her body. There was a spell that would do it, but it wasn’t going to be easy to have it done. It was a powerful spell, that only the most powerful of casters could even perform. To make matters worse, the caster had to concentrate on the spell for a full hour to make the change permanent. Annie had no idea how to find a caster who could do it, would do it, and that she could somehow afford. She had no intention of becoming some caster’s slave once she was finally in the right body, and she couldn’t think of any other way to afford such powerful magic.

Her life really started to change that night in the pub. When she came in, Johan, the pubkeeper called her over. “We have a singer here tonight. I’ll bring him his supper, but you’re to keep his mug filled. Small beer or cider, I don’t want him drunk.” Annie nodded and started on her work, waiting on the tables.

The singer showed up about an hour later, just as the pub started to get busy, so at first, Annie paid him no attention. He was starting with simple songs, getting a feel for the room. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t place it.

When she finally had a minute, she went over to the singer to ask whether he wanted cider or small beer. Before she made it to him, she stopped short. It was no wonder he sounded familiar; it was Eadric, her older brother. She stepped back, hoping no one could see her while she thought for a minute. The last time she had seen him was when he left for work the day she’d left home. She’d had no contact with any of her family since then. They still thought she was a boy! Well, man, but still.

She took a deep breath and walked over. “Do you want cider or small beer?” He was performing; he might pay her no attention.

“Cider, please,” he answered, smiling at her. He bent back down but then his head snapped back to her. “Tha—“

She cut him off. “It’s Annie,” she said, her stomach in knots. Please, don’t make a scene, she begged in her head. She didn’t think she could take it.

He blinked and then, to her surprise, broke out into a delighted grin. “Runs in the family, I guess,” he said. “Changing our names, that is. I’m Talespinner, now.” Then he gave her an even bigger shock; he set down his lute and gave her an enormous hug. Once she relaxed and started to hug back, he whooped and twirled her around. “We both have to sing for our suppers, but we’ll talk after, right? You’re not running away on me again, are you?”

She could see the shadow of fear behind his delight, but she could reassure him. “No, I’ll be here,” she said, brushing away the tears in her eyes. “It’s so good to see you.”

Now that she wasn’t so scared, she could see how good he looked. He was still thin, but he didn’t look half-starved any more. His hair was still shoulder length, it looked like he was considering growing a beard, and his clothes were unpatched and of good quality. Whatever he was doing now, it agreed with him.

She went to get him his cider. Johan looked at her. “Am I going to have to break up a catfight?” he asked. “He has his wife with him.”

“Is she here?” Annie asked. A wife! Ead-Talespinner really was doing well.

Pointing to a table that she’d clocked earlier as adventurers, he said, “The redhead there. Seriously, I don’t want no trouble.”

Annie looked for the redhead, thinking that Talespinner certainly had a type. Then she giggled. “How did he get her parents to agree? They didn’t want him anywhere near her.” She hadn’t been at the table earlier when Annie had gotten their first round, but there was Rue Dehrad, big as life and looking as good as her brother did. Time had turned the baby fat she’d still had last Annie had seen her into wiry muscle. “She looks like she can protect Talespinner now, instead of just doing it.” At Johan’s look, she said, “He’s my big brother. I haven’t seen him since I left home, but just look how good he looks. And they’ve been in love since they were little; I’m not sure he knows other women exist.”

At least that made Johan relax. She dropped off her brother’s cider and headed over to where his wife, her sister-in-law, was sitting. As she walked away, he said, “Make sure to treat your barmaid well. Her big brother is watching you.” When Annie turned around to stick out her tongue at him, he continued, “And here’s the song she always asks me to play.”

She couldn’t think which song he meant until he started playing the silly children’s song she’d loved so much. “Monster!” she yelled at him, but he just grinned and kept singing.

When she got to their table, Rue was giggling. Annie stared at her in surprise; she didn’t think her sister-in-law knew how to giggle. Rue stuck out her hand, “Hi. I’m Talespinner’s wife, Melia. Do I know you?”

Annie took a breath, but then paused. “Melia? Did everyone in town change their name?”

Melia shook her head while the rest of the table snorted. “No, just the two of us. Who are you?”

“I’m Annie now,” she said, but continued, “but you knew me as Thaniel.”

Melia’s eyes widened. “Gods above, it is. Then it’s just the three of us.” She stood and hugged Annie, who returned it. From the strength of the hug, Melia was at least as strong as she looked. “Barmaid, huh? When the pub closes down, you have to come with us and tell us your story. I can’t wait to hear it.” Melia sat back down, while the rest of the group stared at Annie with interest.

Annie looked around the pub. Talespinner had finished the children’s song and was now singing a rowdy song; most of the pub was singing along. She pulled a chair over to the table and sat, angled so she could see if anyone needed her. “I can sit for a minute. Introduce me?”

Apparently, there were four more of the group who would be meeting up with them, but Melia introduced her to a gnome man, Vallin, and a halfling man, Gideon, who was a wizard. Maybe he could help? She’d ask Talespinner, or Melia privately.

The other tables kept her busy, but Annie was able to steal a few minutes here and there to talk with Talespinner, Melia, and their friends. Finally, finally, Johan closed down the pub, and swatted at her with his dishtowel when she started helping him straighten up. “Family doesn’t show up every day,” he told her, his voice gruff. “Go catch up with them.”

Annie gave him a peck on his cheek in thanks. “See you tomorrow,” she called as she danced out of the pub to the stable where her brother and his friends were staying.

He was waiting outside when she got there. “I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything you needed to say without an audience,” he said after they’d hugged. How had she forgotten how good he was at hugging?

“I did want to ask you about your friend the wizard,” she said, watching him carefully. He looked puzzled. “I made a resolution to change my body to how it should be, and that needs magic. Might he be able to?”

“I see,” he said. “I’m not sure, you’d have to ask him, but I think the spell is too powerful for him. For now.” He thought for a minute. “Now that I think about it, when I get strong enough, I might be able to cast it as well. But we’ll ask him; he knows much more about spells than I do.”

“You can cast magic spells? When did that happen?” Her big brother had always been a musician, but a caster?

“Some of the people who taught me music taught me bits and pieces of other things as well,” Talespinner said, his eyes distant. “Most of it, though, I’ve picked up along the way. It’s a good group of people we travel with these days. And we’re all dying of curiosity about you, dearling.”

Annie felt tears prickle in her eyes. Unable to speak for a minute, she nodded, and let her big brother lead her in to his friends.

Once inside, Annie sat down and took the mug of tea Melia handed her. “Where do we start?”

For the first time since he’d recognized her, the smile fell off Talespinner’s face. “Why’d you leave?”

She knew that her brother had no idea what her parents were suggesting, she knew it, but it was still hard to say the words in case he’d known and been willing to let happen. “Our mother and father wanted me to go to work for Emmeron—“ At that name, the others hissed. Her brother stood and stalked away from her.

Seeing her distress, Melia reached over and patted her arm. “You did the right thing. I think both of us wished you had told Talespinner, but there wasn’t much he could do at the time. Even when he left, years later, we almost didn’t make it out. And when he fought him. Well, it was a near thing.”

“Tell me again why we didn’t kill those two wastes of space?” Vallin hissed.

Talespinner turned and nodded. “If I’d known that then—“

“You still wouldn’t have because that’s not who you are,” Melia said.

“They would have sold all four of their children into slavery? They deserved nothing more than death!” Vallin again.

Gideon patted his arm. “It’s in the past and we can’t change it,” he said, his voice quiet. “We can just be grateful that Annie was strong enough to get away and survive.”

“All four?” Annie asked.

Talespinner turned back. “Yes. Fortunately, Anto was already apprenticed and Miri and I were warned before they actually signed the papers. Since we were no longer under their roof and “care”, they couldn’t actually sign us away.”

To Annie’s horror, the others seemed to think that was questionable. “Actually,” Melia said, “they did sign you away, legally, you just had enough warning to run before he could get you.”

Talespinner acknowledged the truth of that. Annie stared at him, feeling awful. “Because of me?” she asked, and she heard her voice wavering.

Talespinner’s whole demeanor changed and he sat down beside her. “No! Because of them and their—“ Her always eloquent brother seemed lost for words, but his friends weren’t.

“Villainy,” said Vallin.

“Selfishness,” said Melia.

“Evil,” said Gideon.

“Anyway, we’re all out and safe, or safer, anyway.” Talespinner put an arm around Annie’s shoulders. “Did you wind up straight here, or did you have adventures along the way?”

Sitting there, she remembered exactly how protective Talespinner could be. No, she wasn’t telling him all the dark places her journey had taken her. She was here, she was safe, and she had family again. “Not straight, I spent some time in Tredan, but I prefer towns to cities, so I made my way here. Nothing very exciting.”

She’d forgotten how her big brother could look right into her soul. Talespinner didn’t look like he believed her for a minute but, to her relief, he didn’t ask her for more. Then, she remembered some of the scrapes she had been in and out of as a child. She’d be dodging his questions for a while. “As I said, nothing exciting. Certainly not spellcasting and traveling around. What have you been up to?”

“When I left, Melia came with me. She didn’t have to, but she was kind enough to do so.” Annie was amused to see that the only person who believed that was Talespinner. “We’ve been traveling around, and we have some connections with the Father’s church. They’ve thrown a couple of jobs our way, including taking down Emmeron. Mostly, we have fun and try to stay out of trouble.”

“We’re not very good at the staying out of trouble bit,” Vallin said. That got general laughs and agreement.

Annie bit her lip and decided it was worth trying. “Gideon, can you answer a question about magic for me?”

He looked surprised, but nodded.

She took a breath. “I’ve been looking into changing my body so it’s right. I was told there’s a spell that can do it, but it’s a powerful spell that has to be cast by a powerful caster and they have to concentrate on it for a whole hour. Can you help?”

“What’s wrong with your body?” Gideon asked, looking puzzled. “You look fine. Talespinner?”

“My body is that of a man, but I’m a woman,” Annie said, keeping it simple. He probably did need the information.

To her relief, although his eyes widened in seeming shock, he didn’t seem upset or disgusted. He did look over at Talespinner, who nodded. “Oh. I didn’t realize— Well, it sounds like you’re talking about one of the higher polymorph spells, which is way beyond me.” He glanced at the others, clearly looking for something.

“Azmuuni University?” Melia asked. Annie’s heart dropped; that would increase any price on it. Everyone else nodded though. “Are you willing to leave town here, at least for a while?”

Annie nodded. “Yes, but I could never afford what some great university would charge me. I was hoping to find someone who would barter with me for it.”

“Think stopping at least a battle and maybe a war is sufficient to barter with?” Talespinner asked, grinning at her. When she just looked confused at him, he said, “That was our first job. Well, really, we were just guarding a traveling party of students and brides, but when we got there, there was a battle about to break out. So, we helped stop it.”

“Mostly it was Talespinner,” Gideon said. “Your brother has a golden tongue, and he’d spent the whole trip learning their story and writing songs about it. A little bardic magic and battle stopped before it started and no one was hurt. They’re generally willing to help us if they can. If it’s just a really powerful spell, they might be willing to just do it for us. It’d make a good training exercise as well. “If we can get someone to do it, maybe they’d let me observe. If you’d let me, of course,” he added, as if there was any question.

“Thanks,” she started to say, then surprised herself by breaking down into sobs. She’d been on the brink of tears ever since she’d recognized her brother, and now to be given her heart’s desire? At no cost to her? It was just too much. Talespinner wrapped her up in one of his wonderful hugs and just held her.

When she finally calmed down, it was to discover that everyone but she, Talespinner, and Melia had left. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean to—“

“They haven’t gone far,” Melia told her, handing her a soft cloth to clean her face. “Just thought you could use a little privacy. Or at least a few less people. Or,” her smile was mischievous, “really, they’re both allergic to women’s tears and they ran away. Take your pick.”

She looked over at Talespinner, who smiled and waved his hand in a “maybe so, maybe no” gesture. “They’re probably checking on provisions to Drowned Town Lake, where the University is, and figuring out what we’ll need. So, do you want to come with us?”

“I don’t want to be a bother,” Annie said.

“We needed to head that way anyway,” Talespinner reassured her. “It’s time to get some more training, and the church we usually work with is on the way. And I’d go to a lot of bother for my little sister. Maybe you’ll even accept a dowry.”

“You can come in,” Gideon called to Vallin. “He’s onto dowries; the waterworks have passed.”

Annie found herself bedding down with them that night. For the first time in years, it actually felt safe to sleep.

The next morning, she spoke with Johan about her plans. “I don’t know if I’ll be back,” she told him. “I may stay with Talespinner; I may go back to where I grew up. I just don’t know.”

“You’re always welcome here,” Johan said. “I’ve always got women looking for work here; I had one just yesterday, and she’s still in town, so that’s not an issue. Honestly, I doubt you’ll need a job here even if you do come back. That group looks like they’ll spread their prosperity around, one way or t’other. You be well.”

The trip to the Azmuuni University took just over a week. Once there, the group separated out to work with those instructors that were most able to help them. Gideon and Talespinner promised to find someone who could help her. While she waited, Annie found herself the center of a great deal of male attention. After two days of this, she finally broke and asked Hodri, one of the young men paying court, “Why am I so popular? Don’t you know I was born male?”

Hodri’s dark eyes were sad. “Have you heard Talespinner’s song? He wrote it from what we told him; he’s very gifted. And it’s the simple truth. One day, our town was picked up from where we were and dropped here. Most of our families were spending the day in the next town at a fair. We were removed and they were left behind.” He shrugged. “If we are to survive, we must find wives.”

“But,” Annie started to explain, but Hodri shook his head at her. “Your brother is working to change your body to that of a born woman, so you can birth children.”

“Not why I’m doing it,” Annie said, although that wasn’t really the truth. The thought of giving birth to her own child was seductive.

“But possible,” Hodri said. “And your husband’s status would automatically increase due to being related to Talespinner. He’s highly thought of by our people. All of them are. You don’t seem interested in traveling and working with them, so you’re—“ He thought for a minute. “Possible.” He smiled. “Then there’s the fact that you’re a lovely woman just as you are. May I recommend that you either state your lack of interest or which of those men you would consider?”

“Why?” Annie asked. Why did it matter?

Hodri sighed. “Because the quarreling is approaching the levels at which fights will start to happen, and it would be better if that was prevented.”

“I’m that attractive?” Annie said. Most men didn’t give her a second look.

“In every way.” Hodri smiled at her, his usually taciturn face lit with a smile. “I can give you a list of the reasons why I am the better choice, if you would like. I enjoy speaking with you. Or, if you prefer, I can petition Talespinner for the right to court you.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Annie told him, although it would be the proper thing to do.

That night, she asked Talespinner if they could talk privately. “Rylla, who’s the head wizard here, is willing to cast the spell,” he told her as he gulped down his mushroom pie. “She just has to do some arranging first. The spell will require her full attention for an hour, plus it means she can’t cast any of her most powerful spells for the rest of the day, so she wants to make sure everything’s in place.”

That attention to detail, Annie was finding, was a characteristic of the Azmuuni. “That’s fine; I don’t mind waiting if things are in motion. Not why I asked to talk with you.” Talespinner looked surprised, and relieved. “Has anyone talked with you about—“ She wasn’t sure how to word it.

“The fact that just about half the unmarried men under thirty, and several above, has asked me to court you?” Talespinner smiled at her. “Unless you want me to decide for you, I’ve been sending them to you. If you don’t want any of them, just turn them down. If anyone gives you trouble,” Talespinner looked serious at that, “let me know.”

“No trouble to me,” Annie said, “although apparently there’s starting to be some quarrels.” Talespinner winced. “There’s actually someone I think I like, but it’s all so fast.”

Talespinner shrugged at that. “So tell him, and I want his name, that you want the courtship to take a while. If he doesn’t accept that, turn him down. Or not, just as you wish.”

“It’s Hodri. He’s working on his masterwork as a jewelry smith, and he makes some beautiful pieces. All of the others who’ve been courting me go on about this body part or that one; Hodri praises my mind, my grace,” Annie grinned, “my family connections. You know, like he likes the fact that I ask questions and remember the answers.”

“I’ll have to ask some questions about him,” Talespinner said, dropping his arm around Annie’s shoulders and pulling her in for a hug, which she cuddled into. “Shira’s been filling me in on her favorite candidates; I’m sure she knows Hodri.”

“Who’s Shira?”

“She’s a composer and a musician and she’s been teaching me more about it. You may not have met her; she’s one of the elders and rarely leaves her quarters, but she knows everything that’s going on.”

“That seems to be true of all the grannies here,” Annie said. “They’re a little intimidating, but I’d love to become one myself some day.”

That brought a large smile to Talespinner’s face. Something Annie had realized was that, before, when they lived with their parents, Talespinner’s smiles had always seemed sad. Now, they were bright and warm. His life might be dangerous, but he seemed so much happier. “I’ll talk with Shira and start setting things up. You let Hodri know you want a long courtship, and I’ll let Melia know we have to start getting things arranged.”

“How did Miri ever get you to let her become old Hayward’s mistress?” Annie asked.

Talespinner scowled. “Not what I wanted, but at least she’s happy,” he said, grumbling. Annie didn’t say anything, but her sister had never actually wanted the proper marriage that Talespinner had wanted for her. Annie had overheard her telling a friend that that was for after she had fun as some rich guy’s mistress.

“I’ll find Hodri; you talk to who you need to.” Annie reached over to give her brother a peck on the cheek. “And maybe take a break and spend some time with your wife.”

“Yeah, she probably needs some liniment,” Talespinner said, shaking his head. “She loves coming here to spar; she’s always learning new ways of beating people up.”

To Annie’s delight, Hodri took the news of a long courtship with delight. “It’s the traditional way of doing things for our people,” he told her. “A year of courtship, a year of betrothal, and then a lifetime of marriage. Have you discussed this with your brother? And is it he I speak with, or Melia, or should I travel to speak with your parents?”

Annie shuddered. “Not my parents; I left home so they would never have anything to do with me. No, Talespinner and Melia, and they know about it.”

Two weeks later, she finally stood in Rylla’s classroom. She was an elderly woman, but not at all frail, with iron gray hair piled on top of her head, and an upright stance. Hodri stood in a corner as witness and interested party, Gideon sat behind Rylla taking notes, and Talespinner and Melia stood at the door, swords in hand to protect Rylla and Annie while the spell was being cast. Looking over at her gentle brother, standing straight and tall with a wicked-looking sword in his hand, gave her chills, but she certainly felt safe.

The spell itself took less than a minute to cast. Rylla handed her a mirror so Annie could look at herself, while she held the spell. She had said that if Annie was in any way unhappy with what she saw, it could be undone simply by Rylla dropping her concentration, but that she’d prefer it if it were done quickly. Looking in the mirror, though, the last thing Annie wanted was for the spell to ever be undone. She looked a little like her mother, a little like Miri, and mostly like her, but better. Actually feminine, not just the best she could do. In wonder, she stroked her jaw and felt no bristle, her throat and found no apple, and looking down, she actually had a bosom.

Glancing over, Hodri looked happy at what he was seeing. He gave her a look that seemed to ask if she was happy, and she nodded back, tears in her eyes. Talespinner beamed at her, while keeping an eye on the door, and Melia looked happy as well.

The hour seemed to take forever, but finally Rylla clapped her hands together and said, “It is done. I wish you joy in your new form and in your new life. By joining your life to one of ours, you will repay the energy needed for the spell many times over. Welcome, Annie Nevald, to the Azmuuni.”

Annie hugged everyone in the room and felt like dancing on air. She was finally on track for her life.

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