by L M Gregory
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Just... Anna is different. You must have noticed that."
I flushed and tried to cover it by taking a big drink of the water Tom had brought. "I noticed," I said. Would Tom mind what Anna and I had done? Or more, what Anna had done to me. I hadn't reciprocated. Yet.
"Other women expect me to be the big Tom. The one... I don't even know how to explain it. Just. On top, I guess? Anna wants that position. One time she asked if she could put her fingers in my butt. Can you believe that?"
I choked on a piece of bread. What? Why would anyone put fingers in their butt? Although. Maybe that's what men did with other men? Not fingers, but... I flushed again. "I don't know," I said.
He sighed. "I suppose it doesn't matter. I have responsibilities. I can't just give them up. Can I?" he asked.
I considered his words. Tom’s question almost sounded like he was asking permission to set aside his duties. Could I say yes or no? Not really. Wizards had little power beyond the need society had for us. "I think," I said carefully, "that part of being an adult is making choices knowing they could affect others."
He nodded. "Yeah. That's what I am afraid of."
I finished my meal while Tom talked about less consequential things.
"I'm still not sure how knowing where the elves are is going to help me," I said. Though I feared I did. Anna wasn't going to collect what I needed and nor was Tom. Which meant I would have to.
Tom gave me a knowing look. I ducked my head and sighed. "I'll need clothes."
"Anna will bring something by." My heart raced at the thought, and an ache grew between my legs. It would be nice to see her. Nice. Right. Who was I kidding?
"Thank you for your help, Tom." I touched the bulging muscle of his bicep. The ache in my midsection expanded like a flower opening in my body, spreading to my entire body as my breath caught, and heat rushed to my cheeks. I snatched my hand away.
He waved his hand at me, lost in his own thoughts, he didn't seem to even notice.
Good. I guess.
"I should go," he finally said.
"Okay. Thank you, Tom. Really."
He smiled. "I'll bring dinner around tomorrow." And he left.
Leaving me alone. With only my thoughts.
And desires.
* * *
I woke to find a still hot loaf of bread on the table. A pile of clothes sat on one of the chairs, with a note on top of it.
That had to be Anna. Paper was expensive, I should know, I'd made enough of it. No one, outside of Anna's father, my master, and the village scribe had access to it. For Anna to use it so casually for a message showed just how much her wealth didn't register with her. I'd made pages of the stuff, and almost all of it was sold or used by my master for his notes. I'd started my own spellbook with a few pages, but even as the person crafting it, I had to be careful.
Shaking my head, I stood, letting the sheet drop since I was alone. I shivered and grabbed it back up. Cold! A mumbled spell heated the room in a few minutes. I didn't dare light the fireplace. That would be a sign to the villagers that the place was open, and that would bring my master running.
I wonder what he was thinking about me being missing? I snickered. If he even noticed.
I grabbed the note while walking past to the table. Sitting, I grabbed the loaf and took a bite. Our baker really was good. Maybe all bakers were? Or maybe bread was just good. I'd heard that some villages without wizards made do with mixtures that were not as savory. But my master and I were able to coax the fields into growing more than enough wheat for the village with enough left over to sell. Oddly, it still didn't seem like enough for the peasants—like my parents—to get the title to their lands. There were always more taxes to pay than coin to pay it. How did that work?
I shook my head. I'd considered the problem before but didn't know enough. My master insisted I stay out of politics. It was the only way to survive as a wizard. But part of me wanted more. What good was all the power I had if I couldn't use it to help people?
I returned my thoughts to the note.
Dear John, Hm, is that even right anymore? Maybe we should call you Joan? Dear Joan.
I blushed.
I brought some clothes that should fit you. They might be a little tight, but it will work. Good luck with the elf cum. I'm tracking down some information on orcs. Maybe I'll even join you on that one. Stay safe. Anna.
How could a note make me flush so much? Damn it. I needed to learn to control my reactions. My master said that while wizards avoided politics, sometimes nobles refused to leave us alone. Controlling our emotions was an important part of maintaining the impartial and separate existence that wizards had spent centuries cultivating.
Shaking my head, I licked the last of the crumbs off my fingers and considered the clothing. At least what Anna had provided seemed simple enough. I'd seen the elaborate outfits she could wear. There was no way I could have pulled that off.
The stockings Anna had sent over were easy enough. During the winter months, I sometimes wore similar garments rather than waste time and energy on heat. I slipped the linen stocking over my legs and set them in place with tight garters wrapped around each thigh.
Instead of a crazy outfit, Anna had sent over a simple white smock, which I slipped on over my bare skin. The neckline was cut low and tight across my bosom. Bosom. I had a bosom. I sighed and grabbed the gown, which fit over the top. A belt wrapped around my waist gave me more shape.
I glanced at myself in the mirror. The low cut gown and smock left a considerable amount of cleavage exposed. Of course it did. No wonder Anna's father wanted her married off. Though, what probably fit her right, was too small for me. I suspected I exposed a lot more of my breasts than she did. Which might come in handy given what I was going to do.
My face bloomed with heat. Was that it then? Had I decided to go through with it? Neither Anna nor Tom were willing to get the ingredients I needed. That left me. And the only way I knew to get semen was...
I groaned.
This was going to be a long day.
* * *
Clomping along the trail in my wooden shoes wasn't the easiest thing in the world, though I'd reshaped them with magic to better fit. I'd left the dress exposing my bosom; it might come in handy given my plan.
What was my plan? Here's a vial, would you mind filling it?
My face burned. Yeah. That would work wonderfully. How did the wizards who collected ingredients get this one? I seemed to recall something about prostitutes. Which made sense. Or as much sense as anything. Coin could ease any transaction. I should have grabbed some from the tower before fleeing. Though something told me my master wouldn't have been amused by that.
The flow of magic shifted around me. Everything was magical. The more intelligent, the more magical. It made detecting sentient beings easy, such as the two tails I'd picked up. Though I'd only seen elves a few times, I recognized the way the magic whirled around them, interacting with their own magic. Even non-wizards had magic. They just couldn't use it.
I paused in my trek to let what I assumed were guards approach me. Sneaking up on a wizard was difficult, but I suspected sneaking up on an elf encampment wasn't a good idea. The forest elves could be touchy according to my readings. City elves might have been easier to approach, but the nearest city was two or three days away. I didn't have the resources for that kind of travel. I was pushing it going a half-day out.
"Human?" a lilting voice asked.
Two small shapes stepped out of the shadows of the trees. Short and slender, with the thin faces and pointed ears that stretched well above their heads, the two who greeted me were likely full elves. The cities contained far more half-elven people than the forests. For some reason, whatever affinity elves had with the wild places diminished when interbreeding with humans or other sentients.
I bowed. "Greetings," I said.
"Can we help you?" The forest elves were not hostile. If they were left alone. Many centuries ago, some humans
had felt that the traveling elves were likely thieves and that reputation held to this day. But most nobles had learned to leave the elves alone. Their abilities with nature meant they could destroy the productivity of a forest for decades. Villages needed the food, wood, and herbs that grew in the forests. It was all interconnected. Leaving the elves to their business left behind thriving forests.
Flushing, I didn't know how to explain my... need. So, I stalled. I sent a light flare of light into the treetops. "I am a wizard and require certain ingredients I had hoped the elven people could help me collect."
The two guards looked at each other. Then back at me. "I didn't think human women were allowed to become wizards," one offered.
I nodded. "Normally, that is true. And the story of my journey might be of interest to some."
Their ears perked up. That was my in. Elves loved stories. All stories. I hoped my tale of a woeful, accidental transformation might interest them. They glanced at each other, seeming to communicate without words. No, not magic. Just the normal abilities of two people who work together. My master and I often did something similar.
"I'll take you to the camp. Our mage may agree to an exchange."
My breath caught. A mage. Mages were elven wizards. Their abilities more natural than a wizard’s, but ultimately similar results. Even my master had seldom met with one for all his great age. He'd be jealous once I returned to being a man and could tell him.
I grinned. Maybe this transformation wouldn't be so bad.
* * *
The camp blended into the surroundings so well I didn't even notice when we entered. Not until a middle-aged elf stepped out of a doorway did I notice that the door even existed. Their tents, if tents they were, looked like nothing more than bushes.
Taller than my escort, but still short of even my diminished height, the man's long ears wiggled quickly. Did elves communicate with their ears? It was the subject of a few books my master had, but my perusal of those hadn't revealed any secret. If there was communication going on by ears, they hadn't told humans.
My escort bowed. "Mage Darsalton, may I present the human wizard Joan. She says she is here to bargain for spell ingredients." We'd exchanged names on the trip to the camp.
Darsalton. I didn't know the name, which wasn't surprising. I knew the names of few elven wizards. This one's eyebrow lifted on his narrow face. "Wizard? There must be a story behind that." His face betrayed no interest, but I detected twitches of his ears that made me think he wanted this story.
I bowed. "I would be honored to tell you the story if it is of interest."
He gestured to the tent behind him. "Come."
I followed him into the structure. It seemed bigger than possible, but magic could do that. So could simple illusions that weren't magical at all. Since I could barely discern the outline of the tent from the outside, it's possible I simply missed the real walls and underestimated its size.
"Sit young one," he said, gesturing to a cushion that sat near a dead fire pit. The elven guard had followed us inside. Apparently, he or she wanted to hear the story and since the elven mage didn't object, I said nothing either.
Which did bring up another problem. Most elves were androgynous. So slender that it was difficult to tell the sex of one without seeing them naked. Something in the structure of the mage's face and his name made me think he was male. But I might have misgendered him. I'd have to be careful. The guard had more delicate features, but if that was due to being feminine or being younger, I didn't know. There was too much I didn't know. Had I made a mistake in coming?
"Please, tell us your tale," the mage said.
"Of course, honored one. You see, it began not that long ago..."
When the laughter died, my face still didn't release the blushes that had steadily grown while I told the story of my potion mishap.
The mage leaned back. "It reminds me of a story my own master told me. He claimed to have once spent a month as a fox."
I chuckled. "I can see where that would be both disconcerting and educational."
Darsalton laughed. "Yes. I suspect much the same for your condition."
I nodded politely. Disconcerting? Yes. Educational? Maybe. But it was the kind of learning I could have done without.
"Now, the forest guard here said you needed ingredients?"
I shifted on my pillow. While I'd told the tale, more and more elves had filled the space until I'd been speaking to a dozen. I'd hoped once finished, they'd leave, and I could bargain with just Darsalton, but that didn't seem to be the case.
Sighing, I gestured at myself. "To reverse to my original body, I'll need certain magical elements that I fear I used up in the original potion." I swear my face had to be matching my new crimson hair. Carrying on in a rush, before I lost my nerve, I said, "In this case, elf semen."
For a minute, the whole room went silent. So quiet, I feared I'd offended them. Could I get out? They outnumbered me, but I had magic. So did Darsalton. I began to run combat spells through my head. I didn't want to hurt anyone, not permanently. Maybe a wind?
The whole group burst out laughing. Long minutes later, when I feared the blood was about to burst from my face, Darsalton finally wiped tears from his huge eyes. "Your human spells are so odd," he said at last.
"You know another way to reverse this?" I asked, eager. If I didn't have to collect troll or orc semen, I wasn't going to cry about the lost opportunity.
"No," he said, still laughing. "I do not. Oh, maybe I could overcome the spell eventually, but not as easily as the same potion."
I considered asking him to try anyway. It would save me humiliation, but I suspected the price would be higher.
"Would you be willing to bargain for the... spell factor?" I asked. I really didn't want to say semen again.
From the look on Darsalton’s face, he knew what I was trying to avoid. Some of the laughter redoubled. I sighed.
"It has been some time since I experienced the voluptuous pleasures of a human female, but I fear my semen might be too potent to use for this potion. However, I believe Sarasantol, the guard who brought you here, would be pleased to offer you his in exchange for the pleasures of the flesh."
I glanced at the elf, who was staring at me in open admiration.
Yeah. Very pleased.
"Thank you, Master Darsalton."
"No, Thank you for the story. It was a great one that will spread far and wide."
I took a deep breath. Great. It would get back to human wizards, and someone would figure it out. I'd be forever the wizard who turned himself into a woman. But I just bowed again and followed Sarasantol out. I guess he was a man.
Sarasantol led me to a nest. No, seriously. Piled high with straw and branches, covered with blankets, the pile looked like nothing so much as a nest. He glanced over his shoulder at me with a shy smile.
I returned it as best I could, but conflict reigned inside me. I was a man; I didn't have sex with other men. Well, I didn't have sex with women either, but I did want to have sex with women. However, I needed elf semen, and I was in the body of a woman.
A body which had smoldered since the suggestion of sex with the elf. I'd gone from masturbation to sexual contact with Anna, to... sex with an elf. It seemed my life was destined for sex. After four years of adulthood virginity, I shouldn't complain. But why couldn't this have happened when I was a man?
"You want to have sex with me?" I asked.
The elf nodded. "Human women are—." He frowned, then made a gesture with his hands, outlining what sort of looked like an hourglass.
"Curvy?" I suggested.
He grinned. "Elf women are hard. It's good, but there is a belief among my people that human women are better." His laughter shook the little grove we stood in. "The women say the same thing. Human males are so much bigger."
I flushed. I hadn't been that big as a human male. At least not in comparison to what I'd seen in the bathhouse. But this subject was getting off target. "You're okay wi
th knowing I am a man?"
The elf shrugged. "Are you?"
Of course, I started to say, but couldn't. I didn't know the answer. It was a question I still debated in my own head, and I didn't know when or if I'd come to a conclusion. "Let's say at the least, once a man."
He took a step towards me. Another. Our bodies touched. Just a brush, but enough that it seemed my body thought things were going to happen. "You are in a beautiful body now. I'd like to experience that. Darsalton knew that." The back of his hand brushed my cheek.
I sighed. "If you sit back, I can use my hand to get what I need." My heart pounded. I wanted to do more. To experience more, but should I? I licked my lips. Probably not. But oh, I ached.
"I'd like more," he said softly in his lilting voice.
I swallowed. There were techniques for extracting usable semen from the vaginal orifice. I knew them (don't ask). Trembling, I stepped into his embrace. His arms went around me, and we kissed.
Since he was shorter than my current height, I actually had to lean down to reach his lips. Not a lot, but still there.
He kissed like an angel. Or so I imagined. His lips were so soft I thought they might break if I breathed too hard. His hands on my back felt comforting and arousing. We moved together to his nest, dropping into the soft pile, still entwined together.
Remembering what Anna had done, my tongue flickered out to tease the elf's lips. He moaned. A beautiful sound. I did that. I laid back to allow him on top. For how long we kissed, I didn't know, but it felt like forever.
And the magic came back. Not as strong with Anna, and even there it hadn’t been overwhelming, but still a steady flow into me.
Our kisses couldn't last forever. My arousal wouldn't let it. My desire flamed, demanding more.
I gently pushed him off so I could strip my clothing off. He watched with his large eyes even more wide, his ears flickering like a hummingbird’s wings. When the undergarment came off, his breath caught. "They're huge!"
Struggling to keep from covering my breasts, which were flushed red from lust and embarrassment, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to my chest. This seemed to be what he and the other elves were obsessed with.