The Blood Pact Ch. 30

I ran to one of those strange windows that encircled Master Oringel's chamber and looked down on the palace courtyard. Swarms of guards were headed for the royal wing.

Nikelle?

She must have gone straight to the king's chambers. She really did have a death wish. That bitch just couldn't let anything be easy for me. Still, with everyone's attention on the king, I might be able to slip out of the place unnoticed.

I returned to the back door and cracked it open an inch, just as I always did when exiting the tower. I knew it was foolish to think that there would be anyone out in those deserted passages, but this once, my paranoia was rewarded. At the sound of voices, I drew back, leaving the door open just enough so I could still hear them.

" -- fucking assassins. I was right in the middle of lunch," a familiar voice was saying. "They have no sense of timing at all."

I knew exactly what he meant. If Nikelle had just waited a few minutes, I could have slipped out ahead of these fools. As they drew closer, I caught sight of a brown cloak and green armor through the crack in the door: Lord Ruvano's men. That must have been Yanthas I'd heard.

"The whole barracks was in such a state, I didn't understand half of what those royal guardsmen were saying," the other said. He was almost definitely Jorven. "What were they even talking about?"

"Hell if I know," Yanthas replied. "They weren't making much sense as far as I could tell. All I heard was something about detaining a woman if she came through here." Definitely Nikelle. "We'll just stop any skirts we find and let the boss sort it out. There's not gonna be anyone down here anyways."

As they moved beyond my ability to hear them, I closed the door all the way and leaned back against it. Fuck! I'd never get past them now. And if they did detain me for Lord Ruvano, he'd be sure to want to know why I was down in these passages during such a crisis. If he found the wand on me, I'd lose any chance of ever seeing it again. I'd have to put it back, return to the chambers, and hope that another chance would eventually present itself.

But that could take forever -- or never come at all.

I needed to use the wand now. Practice or no, becoming Mathis again was the only way past those guards.

My heart was pounding in my throat as I plodded into the main chamber and stood before the mirror where Master Oringel had once transformed me in preparation for an evening with Lord Ruvano. It seemed like such a long time ago. I'd been so scared at the time, not so much of the magic, but of simply becoming a woman.

Looking at my reflection now, I could barely even remember myself as anything other than a woman. Even disheveled and dripping wet, I was still beautiful. I was a noble, a baroness. I had the favor of a powerful Marquis and the friendship of his wife. Did I really want to go back to what I'd been before; nothing more than a rowdy and uncouth stable hand?

I didn't really have any other choice. I'd put too much planning into this to give up now. This was all I'd ever wanted, wasn't it? I couldn't hesitate now.

I swallowed hard and drew forth the wand. It felt like nothing more that the twig it appeared to be. Maybe Lord Ruvano had replaced it with a duplicate. No, that was stupid. He had no reason to do anything of the sort.

All the same, a test probably wouldn't be such a bad idea. Time was limited, but I could still manage that. But what to try?

I lifted the hem of my shirt so I could plainly see the daintily laced shoes on my feet. I couldn't believe I'd grabbed those when I'd hurriedly gotten dressed. I never had much liked them and they didn't match my dress at all. That would make them as good a place to start as any. If I messed this up, I wouldn't be out much.

I pointed the wand at them and, doing as I remembered Master Oringel explaining, imagined them not as simple little feminine shoes but as Mathis's favorite old pair of boots.

At first, nothing happened. Maybe it was a forgery after all. However, remembering how hard I'd needed to concentrate in order to use a blood dagger, I tried again with much more force. Suddenly, a warm, almost-living sensation pulsated from the wand. I couldn't quite tell if it was just my imagination or reality, but I almost could have sworn that the tip of the wand was surrounded by a rotating array of unearthly lights.

It was then that I began to feel a tingling sensation from my feet, as if the material of my shoes was moving, shifting, rearranging itself. I could not yet see any change, but it must have been working! It was really working!

With my loss of concentration, I could feel the magic slip from my grasp. Clenching my jaw, I focused for all I was worth. I could see that worn old pair of boots in my mind and as I envisioned them, my dainty little shoes grew, darkened and became weathered. The soft doe's leather became rough and thick. The soles thickened and became stiff. The uppers grew higher and didn't stop until they'd olgun porno nearly reached my knees.

When all was finished, I let out a gasp and released tensed muscles I hadn't even realized I'd tensed. I'd done it! The rough leather of those cavernous boots scratched my smooth legs. I didn't remember them being that large, but then Stephanie was much smaller than Mathis was. There were also other features which I hadn't even thought about consciously that had been recreated in perfect detail, like the way I could feel the indents where the soles had conformed to Mathis's larger feet. Maybe this wouldn't be quite so difficult to master after all.

Looking rather ridiculous in that wet dress and wearing men's boots many times too large for her, I gave Stephanie's reflection one last gaze and bid her goodbye.

Grasping the wand in both hands, I pointed it at myself this time and closed my eyes. I imagined Mathis the way I remembered him: tall, strong, not quite handsome but certainly not ugly, always dressed in those simple working garments, his blond hair hanging to his shoulders, trim waist and wide shoulders, arms well-muscled, callused hands, stubble that never quite needed to be shaved.

I could feel the magic washing over me. My body shifted, not quite as smoothly as when Master Oringel had done it, but definitely a far cry from the transformation that had been forced on me by Nikelle's compulsion. There was no pain, but I felt compressed and stretched at the same time. The two natures of my being tugged at each other with my heart and soul trapped in the middle. A living thing was not as easy to change as a pair of shoes. However, I would not give-up now. I bared my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut until my muscles ached.

The pressing force of the magic became a crushing weight. I fell to my knees but even then I did not lessen my determination. I held the wand in a white-knuckled death grip as I kept it trained unrelentingly on myself. My mind replayed the likeness of Mathis over and over again. There was no other thought in my mind but his image.

Then with a start, the magic snapped back into the wand. My eyes sprang open and I lurched forward with a gasp that sounded much too gruff to my ears. With my breath coming in gasps, unrestrained tears of joy began to roll down my cheeks as I reached out to touch the glass of the mirror. Where before there had been Stephanie, there was now Mathis, dressed in those same old dingy working clothes of his and looking exactly as I last remembered seeing him in that very same mirror. It had been so long, it was something of a shock to see that unfamiliar face expressing my emotions for me. Of course, Mathis never would have cried at such stupid sentimentality. I pressed heavy palms to my temples and sucked down the tears as I sat back on my heels.

It took longer than I would have liked to get myself under control. The tears just wouldn't stop and my eyes were red and puffy by the time I finally ceased. I hoped no one would notice. However, I should have been grateful that was the least of my worries in regard to side effects from the transformation. The last time Master Oringel had turned me from Stephanie back to Mathis, he'd said it took time. He'd left me dangling all night, fearfully wondering if I would ever reassume my true form again. That stupid bastard had only been fucking with me yet again!

As I shifted my weight and tried to reacquaint myself with this once familiar body, I nearly cried out in joy at what I found between my legs. Instead of that infernal pussy, I again had my old cock back. I grabbed it just to make sure it was really there and it instantly hardened, sending a shiver of excitement through my whole body. How I'd missed that -- the ease and simplicity of masculine arousal -- no need for lengthy foreplay, just simple straightforward pleasure. It was with great reluctance that I pulled my hand away from the now fully engorged cock. As much as I would have liked to go all the way right there, I didn't have the time for such frivolities.

Rising to my feet, my whole body felt overly large and heavy. The room looked smaller too. Moving my arms was like maneuvering two huge tree branches. The heavy boots I'd fashioned with the wand now conformed to my feet perfectly and the leather didn't feel the least bit harsh against my skin, but the bulky things were like two anchors on my feet. With each step I took, that waggling cock would also rub painfully against my pants or the inside of my leg. I tried adjusting it a few times but couldn't quite seem to find a comfortable position for it. Had it always been that difficult to sort out? The hair on my chest and legs also itched fiercely against my clothing and set me off on several fits of frantic scratching.

How had I ever been able to live like this? I felt like a brutish troglodyte. Maybe I could use the wand to do something about the hair. That at least would make things a little more bearable. And never having to shave porno again was certainly something I wouldn't complain about. If I ever wanted to grow a beard in the future, the wand would allow me to do so in seconds.

But there wasn't any time for that now. I was Mathis again but if I was found in Master Oringel's Tower, there would be no explanation in any of the seven hells that be enough to save me.

Those awkward boots dragging my feet down with each step, I managed to hobble back to the door. When I put my hand on the handle and pulled, it swung open easier than I had been expecting. It was as if the whole world was suddenly made of paper and a single careless move would rip it all asunder. I'd have to remember to moderate my strength or I was going to end up breaking something.

The darkened hallway outside was now clear, but it took me several moments before I was able to set foot outside. I still hoped I hadn't made any mistakes with the transformation. Was this how I really looked or just how I remembered myself? With an overly-cautious hand, I softly closed the door behind me.

Making my way through those subterranean passages, I wanted to take more time to get used to the way this large masculine body behaved, but urgency sped me on my way. The longer I took with this, the less chance I'd have of success. Quickly, getting to the stables before they were locked down became my only concern.

I rounded the last corner before the passage I was following opened out somewhat and became brighter thanks to the small clerestory windows overhead, but then stopped dead in my tracks and hastily ducked back into the shadows. Ahead of me, at a crossing of passages, Yanthas and Jorven were standing guard. Idly chatting between themselves, their duty looked like it was about as grueling as they'd guessed. However, stationed at that intersection, they would easily be able to stop anyone trying to go from the noble wing to the service areas of the palace. Unless I wanted to chance waltzing right out through the front gates -- something I'd seldom even done as Stephanie -- I'd have no choice but to go past them.

But if they were only concerned about finding a woman, getting past couldn't be too hard. Still, something about facing them while looking like this felt wrong -- like they'd be able to see through my disguise in an instant. Even if they didn't detain me outright, a simple search would quickly reveal that I still had the transformation wand. Now that I was Mathis again, I could have left it behind, but I just didn't know if I might need it again. The guards probably wouldn't even know that it was. To them, it would just look like a twig. I stuffed it deep into my pocket all the same.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly composed myself before casually stepping back into view as if I had not just been hiding. It was odd to feel that much air fill my lungs, or failing to see breasts rise noticeably as I did. I tried to make my stride look nonchalant as I approached the intersection. Yanthas and Jorven noticed me right away and watched with hawk-like eyes. I couldn't decide if it would be better to ignore them, or to stop and ask what all the commotion was about. In the end, they were the ones who took the initiative.

"Hey now, where are you coming from?" Yanthas said, his hand resting idly on the hilt of his sword. It hadn't exactly been a demand, but I froze as if he'd just accused me of killing the king myself.

"I...um...one of the...um...just one of the store rooms...looking for some...tack..."

Jorvan snickered loudly while Yanthas smiled and shock his head. I knew my deep masculine voice now sounded strange to my ears, but I assumed that was simply because I was no longer accustomed to it. Had the transformation not turned out correctly after all?

"Is there a problem?" I ventured, probably blushing just as badly as Stephanie ever had.

At that, Yanthas let out a snort of laughter while Jorvan nearly doubled over.

"Get out of here, you nance," Yanthas said, "before I shove my boot up your ass and make your fucking day."

Nance? Oh shit. What the fuck had I been doing? I'd gotten so used to mincing along primly and talking with demure affectation that I hadn't even thought to alter my mannerisms in the least. No wonder they were laughing at me -- no self-respecting man would ever behave like that. I offered the two guards a tip of the head as I hurried past, planting my feet solidly with each step and swinging my arms powerfully, all the time careful to remove all the sway from my hips and shoulders. The laughter died away behind me as I strode around a corner, but the heat in my face burned more fiercely than ever.

The stables were just ahead though. Only a little further and I'd be free. I was just about to step out of the way of three ladies heading in the opposite direction when my step suddenly faltered.

"Delphina?" I said without even thinking. She looked lost in thought, but upon hearing me speak, she Porno izle swung a pair of stern eyes in my direction. Instead of always looking up at her as I had in the past, I now felt like a giant looming over her frail form. However, I was still unable to meet that reproachful gaze of hers.

"What the hell do you think you're doing addressing the Marquise like that!" Wilona said. After having seen her charge toward me like that so often during our training, I instinctively started to reach for my knife. Fortunately, I was able to stop myself before actually putting it into service.

"Um, apologies...m'lady," I said, barely remembering to bow instead of curtsy. It must have been fate that we ran into each other like this. After I left the palace, I would likely never see any of them again. If there had been more time, I would have given each of them proper goodbyes, but as it was, this was probably the last change I'd ever get to speak with them. "Um, there's been some sort of alarm in the palace...an assassin-woman or some such...they're detaining ALL the women until she's found...I thought you might want to know."

"Bloody hell," Traemene said, throwing up her hands. "Of all the inconvenient -- "

Delphina silenced her with a raised hand and stepped forward, her eyes boring into me. I dropped my own gaze to the floor.

"Yes, we heard the bells when we were out in the city and returned as quickly as we could," she said. She paused then and eyed me even more critically. "You look familiar to me. Do I know you?"

"Um, no, m'lady." How it pained me to lie to her like that. "But Ste -- the Lady Stephanie is my cousin."

"Ah, that must be it," she said, placing a finger to the side of her face. "I thank you for your forewarning."

"Um, m'lady?" I said as she started to turn away. I couldn't let those be the last words we shared, not after everything she'd done for me. "Stephanie wanted me to give you a message."

Delphina looked at me and tipped her head to the side in a questioning sort of expression. Yes, what message would that be? Hastily, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the dagger that Delphina had given me at the start of my training. Even though it was still sheathed, Traemene and Wilona both tensed at the sight of it. Their hands twitched imperceptibly in preparation to draw their own daggers.

"Stephanie wanted me to tell you..." I said. "She wanted me to tell you that she's left the palace...and that she won't be coming back." Tramene and Wilona looked at each other in disbelief while Delphina's expression remained unmoving. "She, um, wanted to thank you for everything you did for her and to let you know that you -- all of you, will be missed."

Delphina looked the dagger over as she pressed her lips into a thin line. "Are...are you certain of all this?" she said, her voice nearly cracking. Oh gods, I didn't want to make her upset.

"Yes, m'lady. I saw her off myself. She was...truly heartbroken that she couldn't bid you farewell in person." With tears starting to well up in the corners of my eyes, I knew it was no lie. I really was going to miss them.

Eyes fixed on the dagger as she took it from my hand, Delphina shook her head, blinking away tears of her own. "Oh Stephanie," she whispered. "Only an ally then after all. You learned your lessons well. Traemene, give the man a sovereign for his troubles."

"No m'lady, I couldn't accept anything more from you," I said, backing away and bowing low so they couldn't see the tears running down my face. "I'm sorry."

I could feel three pairs of perplexed eyes on my back as I ducked down the first side passage I came to. I couldn't quite decide if fate was trying to be kind to me for a change, or more cruel than usual to have given me that one last opportunity to see them like that.

I'd gone quite some distance before I finally stopped and leaned against the wall to wipe the tears away. Sniffling, I looked up with something of a start to realize I was standing outside the door to my old room. At that hour of the day, especially after the alarm had been sounded, the servant's quarters were all but deserted.

As if in a daze, I stepped inside and sat down on my old bulk. Apart from the sheets having been removed from Griffith's rack, nothing looked to have changed all that much. Absently, I reached under my bed. That old, crudely built chest that had once held my every worldly possession was still exactly where I'd left it. I didn't know why I'd never come back for it before now.

I lifted the lid. Inside were my good shirt and pants, neatly folded and placed to one side. Fingering the coarse fabric, I couldn't believe that I'd ever thought of those worn-out garments as being "good." Next to them was that carven beer stein I'd picked up at a pawn shop for a few coins. At the time, it seemed like quite a deal, but now it looked like the sort of thing I wouldn't have taken even if someone was giving it away. A bittersweet smile touched my lips when I heard it rattle. Into my palm, I dumped out the ivory dice that I always stored inside. Yellowed and worn, they'd once been even more highly prized than the stein, but having lived as a noble, I'd had ivory buttons on my dresses more expensive than those pathetic-looking things.