“These scars look horrible.” I complained, still unsure of why I would have been transported into a magical realm with all the disfiguration I suffered upon my death in my previous life. The gods here seemed to have no chill.
“You know Enpi did her best. You looked much worse when you were in the crypts. Some of that shit was still open wounds. You see why I thought you were dead now, right?” Rogs matter-of-fact tone didn’t help my frustration at the situation. “Besides…” he continued, stroking his chin where the dark river of scar tissue swam across his face in an admittedly attractive way. “Ladies love scars.” He said with a wink.
“I don’t want to be a midnight Casanova. I want to live a normal life without people looking horrified at me when I walk in a room. It looks like half my face was sliced off by an owlbear.” I pouted, but the skin of my lips didn’t work as it should, and it looked more like a scowl.
“Okay, two things. What the fuck is a Casanova, and why does it sound so suave, and two did you mean to say bear? What the fuck is an owlbear?” He looked genuinely disturbed by the idea of the creature I mentioned. Of course this world never had an owlbear. It may feel like D&D, but it’s not that outlandish.
“Maybe I’ll make you an owlbear one day. Lore in my world said they were created by a rogue wizard who decided to mix the two animals because apparently neither were murderous enough on their own.” I shrugged.
He pointed at me with a stern finger and shouted “No! No. Do NOT do that. I don’t care how cool a wizard you are, that’s not right.”
“It may not be what you’re hoping for… but I do know of one possible solution. It would only work once though… If you cast it again, it’s going to just revert you to this body again…” Enpi chimed in reluctantly.
“You make it sound like I could make myself a new body. I can’t say I’m not interested.” I gave her a once over. “You seem to think there’s a catch though. Lay it on me.” I couldn’t help but come off a little excited by the prospect. My current body truly was disfigured. I hated the looks people gave when they shuffled out of my way on the streets. I would take just about anything over the looks of disgust and horror. Enpi and Rogs were the only two who would look at me as if I was still human… Or, Humanoid. I guess they looked at me the same way they looked at the dwarfs and the half-orcs and the likes as well.
“There’s a spell to change your gender.” She paused and looked like she was waiting for me to berate her for the idea. Instead, I was still looking at her with interest and hope. I wasn’t kidding about taking just about anything to change this. She finally continued, a bit more sure of herself, but still pausing at random. “It basically recreates your body as if you had been the opposite sex from birth. You’ll have a fully-” She paused, blushing and cleared her throat. “ehm. Fully-functional female body. It would give you a whole new body. One without the scars!” Her pauses made me giggle.
It seemed like she was more shocked at my acceptance of this idea than I was at hearing it. And honestly, from all that I had learned of magic over the few months I had been here, I could understand the mechanics at play. Augmentation magic was powerful, and I could probably cover up some of the scar tissue, but I would still have the droop in my eye and lips and I would still walk with a limp. My left hand would still not close all the way. I would still be a monster underneath the magic makeup. A new body? That would certainly help with a lot of things that the rest of my magic could only temporarily cover up.
“But… You need to know, if you go and get pregnant, the baby’s body won’t let you change back as long as it’s within you.” She said it very quickly, and I could only barely understand it before my mind threw my mouth open to retort.
“Why would you assume I would be getting pregnant?” was the first thing I could get out of my mouth.
“It was just a warning! You should know the side effects of any spell before you cast it. Especially one like this… And casting it on yourself…” She looked at her feet. “And I rather like you as you are. You may not be pretty or handsome or dashing or-“
“Listen, I know I’m ugly, you don’t have to beat around the bush.”
“Well, with you as you, I don’t have to worry that someone else is going to swoop in and.. How did you say it? Midnight Casanova you out of my life.”
“That’s not how that phrase works at all, but I get the sentiment, and I’m honored, genuinely. But nothing is going to break up the three mousketeers.” I smiled and patted her reassuringly on the back. “Besides, you know I still live at your place rent free, right? And who else would teach me like you both have?”
Rogs waved his arms around his head “I’m RIGHT HERE you two! I would tell you to get a room, but I honestly would rather you weren’t going back to the same room tonight anyways… WHAT THE FUCK IS A THREE MOUSKETEERS?!” he said sounding rather jealous of Enpi’s sudden admittance.
“It’s us. All three of us. We’re best friends. It’s another one of my world’s lore about three friends who go on adventures together and nothing can break them apart.” I turned to Enpi. “You said I should know the side effects, but you didn’t say anything about it changing the way I think.. Is that a side effect?” I asked, more hopeful this might be a way out of my broken skin.
I had found my face to be quite the eye sore when I first found a mirror. I had road-rash across my face that scraped away most of my skin down to a thin layer of scar tissue that was enough to cover my skull. It looked like the tire hadn’t popped my head like a watermelon, but it had certainly grabbed my face and pressed it into the asphalt as it drug me another couple feet. The scar tissue ran down the whole left side of my face, to my chest, and up the bottom of my left arm. I was amazed my eye was okay, though it sounded like that was part of the restoration magic Enpi used on my revival, and that it had very much not been okay when she found me.
I had scared children everywhere I went since, and it was grating on me enough that I felt like being a woman would be much less bothersome to me than the stares of horror I would get in my current form. And like she said, it sounded like I just needed to cast it again to bring myself back to this body if I didn’t enjoy being a woman… Oddly enough, I was getting a little excited about the idea of it.
Enpi looked over at me and shrugged. “I mean, it probably will change some of your thoughts a little bit, but I’ll be honest… You kinda already are pretty fem. In your personality that is… Take that as a compliment, because I have no intention of digging into what that means about you in front of Rogs.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean, En?!” the large man spouted off. “You compliment him a whole bunch, and just throw me under the bus? What am I, some sort of asshole to you?” his words were clearly hurt, but they only explained clearly to me why she said what she said. She knows I wouldn’t take being called masc or fem as a dig at me. That I was oddly comfortable in my own world view, despite being in a new world and being a terribly ugly view.
“Where do I learn this spell?” I asked her. She was a druid healer. She had life magic. But there were several kinds of magic from what I had learned. Life magic, Death magic, Elemental magic, Augmentation magic… There was of course more, but being the one taken from my world and dropped here by the gods, it seemed like the ‘Isekai’ lore was accurate in that I had become a wizard that could use all forms of magic, and was decently adept at it out of the gate. As long as I studied them, learned how to use them, and understood their effects and the ways in which the spells worked, I could do almost anything. It was pretty amazing, I had to admit.
Only Wizards could cross the boundaries of different types of magic, and each of the spells was a learned process, unlike the more innate spells that other casters would use. Druids like Enpi could cast either Life magic OR Augmentation magic, but not both. Warlocks could cast whatever magic their god granted the powers of. Most of the evil gods granted Death magic. Some of the “Good” gods granted Life magic. Many of the gods offered Creation magic, or Augmentation magic. Then there were a few other gods here and there who specified in more… niche magics. Definitionally, this spell seemed more along the lines of Augmentation than life, so I figured En had only ever heard of it, and didn’t have any idea how to cast it.
“The library.” she said, confirming my theory that it was not Life magic.
“And… If I don’t like it, I can go back?” I questioned.
“You’ll honestly have to look into the details in the scrolls. I’m not familiar enough to know for sure.” En sounded peeved at my pestering, but more that she was having to admit her lack of knowledge on the subject of magic. She truly loved magic and was well versed in several iterations she had no ability to use. As far as a Wizard’s best friend, she was the best one I could hope for. We left the local tavern and headed for the library together.
The library signage was mostly written in common. Common, as a language, almost seemed closer to Latin than English. The humans sounded foreign when they spoke it, and they looked at me with incredulity when I needed poor Enpi or Rogs to translate for me. They would ask why I spoke Elven and not common, and the answer was always the same, from either Rogs or En. “Oh he lost his memory in an accident. He’s working on learning common, but he’s not good enough to speak it fluently.” And then they would just nod at me.
It had been months of this, and at this point, I could mostly understand what others were saying to me, but I couldn’t figure out the right formation of my mouth to speak Common on my own. I was never good at second languages, and this was only different in how often I got to practice. I knew I would need to know it eventually, but for now, I felt pretty confident that Enpi liked having me around. Not to mention Rogs liked having someone to be overly masculine with. I bet he would hate this spell’s outcome, depending on how much it did change the way I thought and felt about his more machismo jokes and comments. I worried about the details, but honestly… The outcome sounded pretty nice.
To be totally honest, I never thought about transitioning when it was something so permanent in my old life, but here with a swish of my wrist to undo it all? I don’t know why I felt more inclined. It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about it before, but more that I’d always thought better of it. It led to more than a little unnecessary bigotry in my old world, and I never felt that “Gender dysphoria” that the people who underwent the changes talked about when deciding they needed the change in their life. Now, I had dysphoria of sorts, but it was less to do with my gender and more to do with my appearance. My body was disgusting. My scars were hideous. I clearly looked like I should be dead from an injury long since ‘healed’. I WAS undead to a degree, and I very much understood when people often whispered the common word I quickly learned meant undead as I passed. I happened to agree with them, and was never angry. I was just becoming rather lonely. I couldn’t talk to people without translators, and I scared off most everyone who would want to try with a simple glance. I wanted something to change. If it had to be my gender, then so be it.
I entered the library and it was like I was home. While the signage was in common, every magical book or scroll was all written in English. They called it “Magic Script” but the only part that was magical was how when I read it out loud, it would sound so far from the “Elven” that I spoke to En and Rogs. I could understand everything about it, though it sounded nothing like the English I had learned in my past life. And while neither of them could understand what I said or read, they explained this was normal. A natural barrier for the language of the Wizard. This library was for Wizards. Anyone who couldn’t understand the magic language simply didn’t have the ability to learn the magic.
En recounted the name of the spell as ‘Mirror-Bound Transfiguration’ and I got to work searching for my hope at a life around others again. It took about an hour to find anything about the spell, but once I found it, I had the spell itself, as well as all of the details of what it would do and how it would change things. It seemed rather tame for what it could have been. The most important side effect was what it didn’t change. “This spell does NOT change your desires. Whom you have wanted, you will always want. Love is eternal and magic cannot manipulate it.” I could easily change back with a few lines that could be spoken in my head almost instantaneously. In fact, it had been tied to magic items before so the words need not be said at all.
I simply had to have clothes to fit my new form, which seemed to be the most recurrent warning that most people provided after testing the spell. FtM spoke of splitting their shirts at the shoulders and stretching their clothing, while MtF spoke mostly of the uncomfortable tightness of their shirts. The suggestion from both was to try the spell at the tailor’s so you could find suitable wears as soon as it went off. I was thrilled at the idea of being able to make myself more visually palatable, and I didn’t care about my clothing being a bit uncomfortable, so I went for it right there in the library. Enpi was sitting patiently at my side, as my body shifted in an instant. Rogs eyes were elsewhere but found my bare ass the moment my pants tumbled to the floor in the ill-fitting way that a mans waist size pants would around a much thinner frame. If I wasn’t so immediately embarrassed I would have been excited at how thin my female body was.
I quickly scooped the pants off the ground and held them over my lower body, and changed back though the damage was done. Rogs was now much more interested in me completing my quest than ever. He even dropped his whole chicks dig scars routine, instead saying “You know, maybe your scars are a bit much, I get why you wanted to change.” This of course earned him a hard elbow from Enpi who was holding back her giggling at my eagerness to test the spell and the unfortunate outcomes of that eagerness. I however was looking slightly uneasy at the large man, and wondered if he caught feelings, or just got a little too excited from his quick glance. I decided it was best to ignore the matter for now. He was sweet, but not my type, and like the book said, it was not a spell to change my heart, only my flesh.
I did notice one thing that almost seemed overlooked by others in the book. The body was a totally new creation of flesh. No scar or blemish transferred over unless it was a birthmark destined from your DNA. And when you do switch back and forth, all wounds are, for lack of a better term, stored on your other body which does not change states until you return to it. In essence, I had found a way to use my old body as a storage mechanism for any injuries I might sustain in battle… I could have them healed out of combat, at a later time, as long as I switched into my male form to take all the damage, my female form would never even show a scratch. No scaring. Forever. Hell, it might even remove the possibility of death by injury! I wondered if I could alter the spell to automate the damage storage effects. This could work for people even if they don’t want to change genders. If I could figure it out, and maybe even create a magic item to bypass the need for an Augmentation caster… Oh the perks of being a Wizard. Casting spells was only second to creating them. And magic items were a close third. This world had just become my playground, and I was about to enjoy it fully.
Rogs was practically giddy when I said I would need to go shopping for clothes. I’d never seen a man so interested in another man needing more clothes to put on. Usually they were focused on taking them off of women. And maybe that was his plan from the beginning, but I quickly dashed his hopes when I asked him to sit out front of the shop while I tried on things. Enpi giggled at the exchange and quickly followed me into the shop. I trusted her to help, while I only trusted him to gawk. Not that I minded a more positive appreciation for my body, but I certainly didn’t love the idea of being stared at before I had a chance to even look myself over. I did hope there was a mirror in the changing room. More so I would get to know what my face looked like than to stare at my own nude body. That would certainly come later, but there was a mirror in the bathroom at Enpi’s home for such a time. I mostly wanted to be in and out of here without a fuss.
The tailor asked for measurements in common, and I had to admit that I was unaware of what they might be. Enpi was also a bit flustered at being the translator for this mission, as she had to admit, she had not seen the “Woman” for whom we were buying clothes and couldn’t even estimate. She asked me to go into the changing room with her so we could figure it out together, and this only raised more questions from the store owner, and a deep blush from En. I personally couldn’t help but giggle. And soon I was a woman again. There was a mirror, and I was blown away by what I saw. I had always been thin, but this was another level. The wide hips gave my tiny waist an hour glass shape. My chest was small compared to Enpi, but not small in general. Enpi guessed I was on the larger side of a B cup. My dark blonde hair had been a bit long for a guy since waking up, but now it was a bit short for the woman who looked back from the mirror. A cute button nose surrounded by faint freckles placed perfectly on my feminine, petite face was betrayed by my emerald eyes that hadn’t changed a bit. While they totally fit my face, it reminded me of who I had once been more than any other feature of my new body. I smiled, and she smiled back at me in turn. En caught a glimpse of my face between taking measurements of my hips and a soft, knowing smile took her face.
“This really fits you.” she said, gesturing to my face. I could see she meant my smile by the way her eyes focused on it. I blushed, and began to cover my naked body with my hands out of a flush of embarrassment. I hadn’t noticed until I moved, but I was a bit top heavy all of a sudden, and very much out of alignment. I didn’t tip over, but I felt like I easily might. I couldn’t imagine how En was holding up her own chest with the difference in size.
I took a moment to look her over. She had been an amazing friend for the past few months. Her light green hair draped down her lighter brown skin with a beauty that was only possible of elves. Her normal attire was a blouse of some color or another, and a set of flowing pants that, together covered all of her skin, stopping only to present her strong arms and lithe neck. She had many sets of essentially the same clothes, but always wore the same boots. They were magical, and while they were made of leaves and vines, I had seen her walk across broken glass, hot stone on many an occasion, and even an open fire pit at one point. She made no visual signs of pain as she had done each of the tasks. She blushed when she realized my smile had turned on her. “Not you being naked…” she said, face flushed. “The whole… Being a new you thing. It seems like it fits your personality is what I meant to say.”
I laughed at that, and the store manager asked if everything was okay. En assured him we were fine, and while the dual female voices seemed to only confuse him further, he left us without further interrogation. “I know what you meant.” I clarified. My smiling face still plastered on my lips as my eyes were locked on her. “I just appreciate you a lot. Not only would I have died in that crypt without you finding me there, but I would have never been able to fit into this world, with it being so different from my own. You’ve saved me from so much heartache and strife by being my friend, and I will never cease to appreciate your kindness.”
She smiled back at me, before pulling me into a tight hug. “You know, Rogs would never say something so nice. I think you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.” She paused and I couldn’t tell if she meant in the body I now found myself, or in the friendship I now found myself. “with us. I’m glad the gods brought us together.” she clarified. I squeezed her tightly back and blushed when I realized I was still naked, taking a step back towards the corner of the changing room.
“I still don’t know what I think about these gods, but they can’t be bad if they brought me to you. And Rogs is a nice guy sometimes too.” I giggled again, and En stepped out for more clothes for me to try on while rolling her eyes at my comment.
After a few minutes she returned and as if to reinforce my comment, she lifted one of her hands and her opposite eyebrow “Rogs suggested this one.” she said holding an outfit that looked primed for human trafficking. “I found a few more practical options for you.” She held up a plethora of other cute outfits in her other hand. “And speaking of practical things that fit you. Have you thought of a name? Jake isn’t common, but it’s certainly not very feminine either.”
I smiled and nodded. “I was thinking about Jaqi.” I looked for approval in her eyes, and found it in bundles.
“Yes, that fits quite nicely. It’s also, a little far from the norm, but I think it fits a wizard who knows magic script better than common any day. Though I have to ask how you plan to spell it.” I blushed as I spelled it out for her and she giggled for a minute. “You really had to steal my i at the end, huh?”
“You’re cute! Your name is cute, your face is cute. Deal with it, okay buddy?” I blushed, covering my face with my hands to hide my embarrassment.
“I know it seems a little.. well a lot much, but if the outfit Rogs picked out fits you, you could get some really good favors out of him for simply wearing it once or twice.” She smiled wickedly, gesturing at the scraps of cloth now hanging from one of the walls. I giggled, but I had no plans to wear that in public. If it fit I might buy it to wear to bed. Maybe I could tempt Ms. Perfection with my new body. She did seem a bit more interested in my curves than she had come off in the library.
“Girl, your mind is amazing and deviously similar to mine. And honestly, that outfit is something I would have loved to see a girl wearing in my last life, but since I got here, your modest approach to clothing has become much more… appealing.” I blushed as the last word slipped out. At least I hadn’t said sexy. I was certainly thinking it. The way she was able to pull off a blouse and pants that covered her whole body, no jewelry, no special flare, no fancy done up hair and no makeup. Elves just had that magic about them. That was a fact, but she was something special even among her people. She smiled, pleased with herself as I began struggling with the clothes she had brought me. She quickly set to help me, her hands reaching places on me that made me shiver. I was quite sensitive all of a sudden. Everything was different, and nothing seemed to work the same way anymore. I even noticed the buttons on the shirts were on the opposite side. I had never even thought about such a weird thing as that. Somehow even in a mystical magical world I was understanding the plight of the pink tax and women’s pocket sizes.
Eventually, with En’s help, I had found a few pairs of clothes that fit me, and felt okay to wear in public, despite the new skin I was showing. And I had plenty of bras and underwear that fit me as well. I walked out of the dressing room in one of the sets of clothing, and showed the shop keep what I would be buying. He looked rather taken aback at the two women leaving the dressing room. “Are- Wasn’t there a man with you?” He asked En. I actually understood it without translation! It was a truly wonderful feeling.
She didn’t bother repeating it anyways, as she replied “No. She was in there with me.” And gestured to me. I thought better of shifting back to my old body and instead opted for a cute little wave. I dropped some gold and silver coins on the counter and started walking for the door. The look of confusion was fairly entertaining. It seemed that while Augmentation casters were rare, they were not known to pull magic like that.
“You know, I get why I was supposed to stay out here, but… I could have at least helped pick out a few outfits.” Rogs complained when we got to the front door.
“Oh so this wasn’t your idea?” I held up the skimpy clothes that I had added to the haul on a whim.
His face went white and then dark red. “Y-yeah, but I could have actually helped find something more like.. that.” He gestured to my current fit, a pair of tight jeans and a long sleeve shirt that exposed my flat belly in a very flattering way. It felt a little awkward being so exposed, but honestly, it wasn’t far off from my old outfits, so I ignored it, and tried to rock the new fashion.
“And here I thought you would like this one.” I said, running my hand down my side and slipping my pinkie finger into the hem of the jeans before sliding my hand forward, and pulling the front of my jeans a tiny bit lower. I exposed nothing on myself, but his eyes following my hand exposed quite a bit of his lack of resistance to my new form. I sighed and put my hands on his shoulders and waited for him to look up from my chest to my eyes, which took just a second longer than I would have liked.
“Rogs, you’re an amazing friend and one of the best guys I know. You’ve been able to handle being around En for how long, and not being a creep? Please just think of me as you always have, because this spell doesn’t change the way I think or feel, just how I look. And while you’re a very handsome guy, you weren’t my type before, and you aren’t my type now. I’m sorry if that seems rude to have said so soon after you’ve just met this side of me, but I want you to know where we stand, so you’re not trying to get in your best guy friend’s pants.” I smiled, and he nodded slowly, slightly frowning, but seemingly understanding the assignment.
“Thanks, Jake…” He said almost reluctantly. “I think I needed to hear that. As much as you currently turn me on, I prefer you in my life as a friend than not at all.”
“Okay, she just said not to be a creep, Rogs” Enpi said. “And you can call her Jaqi from now on.”
Rogs looked me over again and his face twisted with a surprised look. “Settling into that body quick I see. Okay! Jaqi. I like that. It feels like it fits your personality somehow.”
I let go of his shoulders with a grin on my face and stepped back. We all made our way back towards the tavern near Enpi’s place. It was the default meetup, because before I had come into the picture she had hated walking a long distance to get home alone after drinking. And Rogs would walk with her, but when they would go to the place closer to his place than hers, he would walk double the length, just to keep her safe. I had been staying with her since I came into the picture, and since then she had a man to walk her home, which freed up Rogs for some interesting escapades with the local barmaids who he decided he liked much better than the ones from the tavern near his place. With me here, he was always finding someone to take home, whether it was the cute girl who brought him a pitcher of bear every Saturday, or the curvy girl he chatted up that worked Sundays. Tonight was the cute girl. And he was out the door with her as soon as her shift ended, leaving us two girls alone for the night.
“He’s a real man-whore sometimes.” Enpi said with a chuckle.
I nodded. “I would never think to talk to women that way. But I was also never very interesting to women in my time, so really I think he has good reason to be that way. And he is handsome, that scar thing, I’ll never understand. Why does he bring up how much ladies love it, while trying to woo a lady? Feels like the wrong way to handle that conversation, but somehow it always works out for him… I won’t be a Scrooge.”
“A what?” Enpi looked at me as if I had just blown a faerie. A half confused smile hanging off her lips.
“It’s… A character from a story that was popular in my world.” I shifted in my seat. “I’m not very… Well versed in the culture here still. Maybe I should focus on trying to speak in common from now on. Could you maybe help me practice by using it day to day?” I asked.
She looked a bit crestfallen. “I like having a little secret language with you. It feels like a sexy little secret between just us two.”
Between the look and her phrasing, I was almost feeling disappointed in myself as well. “I mean; then maybe we can speak common with Rogs, and you and I can keep the Elven thing going?” my heart was picking up the beat a bit and my voice sounded a little too desperate.
She giggled. “It’s okay. If you want to be fluent, you should get more practice. And I would be easier on you about translation mishaps than Rogs would. I understand why you asked me.”
“I asked you cause you’re here! He took off to bag one of his scar ladies.” I smiled, my heart settling back into rhythm.
“True, but that doesn’t mean we have to include him in everything we do. And learning is best done between scholars. Rogs is…” her pause drew a little too long as she searched for the polite term to use.
“He’s a meathead for sure, but he knows common and Elven. He’s no slouch when it comes to learning, even if he pretends he’s only here to cut up monsters with his sword.” I said firmly. He was still our friend, man-whore or not.
“It’s really nice to hear you say that.” Enpi looked at me with a sweet, soft smile on her face, like I had just cracked a code to her heart.
“Say what?” I blushed, the eye contact was overwhelming, and my eyes fell to the table for a moment, as I traced my left hand with my right index finger.
“That you care about him. That you think he’s not just a dumb jar head who is only trying to bag women. That you think of him as a friend highly enough to stand up to his other friend and defend him.” I peaked up at her, and the soft stare hadn’t broken on her end, except for a few slow blinks. “I appreciate having people like you in my life.” she shrugged and her next statement got my mind spinning in want and despair. “If you were an elf, I might just drag you to my bed tonight.”
“What kind of racist statement is that?!” I said indignantly before I could think better of myself, my red face red as a tomato in the dim light, but eyes fully locked on her now playful gaze. “What do elves have in bed that I don’t have?” I said louder than I cared to admit, and a few eyes turned to us. I could only hope they didn’t speak Elven.
“Not in bed specifically, but… A long life.” She sighed. Her playful eyes turned cloudy and sad “I fell in love with someone who lived a much shorter life once before. About 400 years ago. Obviously they aren’t around anymore… Here I am though, still alone.” Her eyes turned towards me with a look I couldn’t place. “All because I couldn’t get over my first love.”
I settled back in my chair, my heart breaking for her. “I understand. Sorry for getting… Honestly, I don’t even know what came over me there.” I said anxiously.
A tear fell down her cheek as she smiled at me wistfully. “I shouldn’t tease. You just seemed like you would make a really cute scene.” She arched her head to the side, looking over my shoulder. “And I do think you have, looking around at the faces behind you.” I turned and the faces she mentioned were quickly returning to their mugs of ale.
One of them was clearly an Elf and had been listening in intently, one ear was still directed towards us as he drank his ale slowly so as not to have to set the mug down and look back at me.
I sighed. “Uff. You are a real menace sometimes, En. And despite that, I would have jumped at your offer had it been a real one… of course I’m sure that was obvious.” I blushed and walked in a huff back to the bar for a refill on my ale. Enpi looked conflicted, but settled in to finish the mug she still had in front of her.
I sat at the bar for a moment while the bartender was busy bantering with another patron. A regular I recognized. Then a figure sat beside me at the bar. I turned my head, expecting Enpi had joined me to say sorry, and help me order another round, but it was the other elf. The one who had been listening. The one who probably clearly heard the last thing I said too. Oh man. It’s my first night as a woman, and I’m already getting creeped on? I saw his smile out of the corner of my eye and felt his eyes crawl over every inch of my flesh. A shiver ran through me, and his smile only widened. “Hello there.” He said in a deep voice that reminded me of the false bravado voice Rogs would use when he was trying to strike it off with a lady. “I couldn’t help but notice, I heard you speaking fluently in Elven.” His words rolled off his tongue in a way that gave me anxiety. “I just wanted to ask, where you learned to speak our language so beautifully.” He stated.
“I just know it.” I said matter-of-factly, and with a little coldness I didn’t notice I was about to infuse into my words.
“You’re an incredible linguist then. I don’t know of any humans who are so expert in our tongue.” he leaned onto the bar and further into my field of view, the predatory smile still plastered on his lips. He waved to the barkeep, and in common said “A refill of ale for myself and my young friend here, please.”
I sighed. If he was going to hit on me, buying me a drink was the least he could do, I thought to myself while remaining uneasy about the whole thing. I sat quietly until the mug was returned to me, and I made sure I had been given the same one, just to be safe. I don’t think there are roofies in this world, but I wouldn’t put it past a man like this to figure something out. “Thank you sir, but I think I had better return to my friend now. She’s quite lonely by now I’m sure.”
“It doesn’t look that way to me.” he said turning around at the same time, still on his stool. He pointed out Enpi sitting now with a man who seemed to have engaged her in a conversation she seemed all too willing to continue. The smile on her face was genuine and interest was written on her features. She was easily enamored, but I didn’t want to interrupt her if she was going to hit it off with someone. I may like her, but I liked her enough to know if she wanted something I wouldn’t stop her from it. “Besides, she was hardly being friendly with you. Teasing you in such a way just to insight you? Hardly seems like something a friend would do.”
I shifted uncomfortably on the stool, drink in hand, and eyes on the table I had left. A deep sigh and a deeper gulp of ale, and I turned to face the Elf. “Why is it that I think I know what you want?”
“To know more about you? To be your tavern companion? To get drunk with you and enjoy the night together?” he bantered.
“To get in my pants?” I said blatantly, knowing nobody around us would understand our conversation.
He feigned shock at my accusation with a hand loosely over his mouth. “Why I never…” He then transitioned to a wicked smile and leaned forward, his hand moving to my face. The shock of his boldness kept me locked in place, though my face was blatantly showing disinterest. He ran a light touch from my cheek to my chin, then as if trying to pull me closer with the same touch, pulled the finger towards his own face. I didn’t move an inch, and he almost looked disappointed for a moment. “Though, I wouldn’t mind figuring out what else that fluent Elven tongue is capable of…”
My disgruntled face went from in shock to raising an eyebrow and scowling in contempt. “That’s really the best line you got? That’s honestly quite gross. I’m sorry, sir; I’m not the girl you’re looking for; Believe me. In fact, I’m still figuring out what kind of a girl I am at all.” The last sentence coming out softer than the rest, as if talking more to myself.
He shrugged and chuckled. “Hey, a man has to try. You’re too beautiful to let slip through my fingers without one chance at grabbing hold.”
I felt another chill run through me at his remarks, my face plainly sporting my disgust, and turned to the table where Enpi and the man were leaning over the table towards each other as if ready to kiss. Then the rage took over, and I poured the last of my ale down my throat. I grabbed the elf by the collar and dragged him away from the bar and back to his table, making sure Enpi was able to see me clearly as I began to lay it on thick. I sat on the man’s lap and took a sip of his ale while checking once every few minutes to see if En was looking. She did once, but didn’t show that she cared on her face, which only angered me more. The Elf on the other hand was having the time of his life. I could feel his excitement rising as I wiggled my hips.
“It feels like you’re just the girl I was looking for after all, aren’t you?” he whispered in my ear. I giggled, a fake smile plastered on my face to avoid the feeling of needing to vomit.
“You need to work on how you talk to women.” I said to him quietly, feeling his hands wrapping around my exposed waist. Despite everything else I was feeling, and my disdain for the man… It did feel rather nice to be held in such a way. He used his hands to move my hips in small circles, making it clear he wanted more attention below the belt. The bartender ignored us as much as En did, so I pressed my back to the man’s chest and kept my hips slowly shifting on his lap.
“I seem to be getting what I want. Why would I change my tactics now?” He shrugged, one of his hands slipping under my tight shirt and grazing the underside of my breast. My whole body shuddered at the light touch. This body may not change how I think normally, but that sensitivity was giving me emotions and feelings I have never felt before.
“Honestly, this is out of spite, and you’ll get a lot farther with it if you shut your disgusting fucking mouth.” I said softly, my fake smile splitting for a small genuine moan finding it’s way out of my lips and drawing a side eye from Enpi. If I hadn’t been so embarrassed the rest of the bar had heard me too, I would likely have let out a louder one.
“You’re clearly having fun, dear. Why don’t we head back to my place to continue without the audience?” His words were not having the effect on me he clearly hoped they would, but his fingertips finding their way under my waistband and tracing little circles over my pubic bone was making me consider them regardless.
Then Enpi was at the table. She was smiling in such a genuine way that somehow radiated such a terrifying and violent aura, the man stopped his fingers in place, and slowly pulled them from my clothing, raising them level to his head. “Sorry lady. You got her hot and bothered. She just came to me for a little release.” He said, almost as disgustingly as all his comments had been. I looked at her with genuine thanks, but I knew there was disappointment in her heart there for me. I stood from his lap and looked startled at her as she grabbed my ass firmly. She squeezed and fondled while walking us away from the man. She was still scowling at him as we left the bar. I was very confused and even more turned on.
She stopped groping me when we finally entered her house, and in my shame, I never uttered a word. “Listen.” she said, with more softness than I probably deserved. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings by teasing you like that, but… Really? That guy was a creep and a half. You have to take better care of yourself than that, Jaqi.” She finished the sentence by putting enough emotion into my name that I wondered if I had more of a chance at competing with her first love than she had let on.
“Go to bed.” she finally said, after I found myself unable to reply to her, just staring into those beautiful hazel eyes. She sighed, sadness still washing over her. “I- I wasn’t going to do anything with him. He was a regular who’s made passes at me before, and I just..” she stopped, her back to me in the doorway to the bathroom. “He said you would think it was cute if I was being flirty like you were. I’m sorry.” she finished and closed the door. There was sounds from the door, quiet and sad, as if she may be crying.
I had taken her privacy in her own home from her, seeing as it only had a few rooms, and the bathroom was the only one that shut off from the rest of the house. Tears streaked down my face as well. I hadn’t realized how much I had been thinking about her while those hands had roamed my body. I wasn’t listening to the man’s words. I was pretending it was her the whole time. And she would only ever think that she pushed me away, into something stupid out of spite, and not out of the true desire I had for her. En was truly an angel, and I didn’t deserve her. Not even as the friend she had been for me since I got here, really. I slipped out of my clothes and into a pair of pajamas that we had picked up from our shopping spree. Laying in my normal guest bed in the corner. She came out from the bathroom and went to her own bed. For a few minutes, we both lay in silence. I hardly breathed, listening for any shift of her sheets or the crinkle of her turning over in bed. Any reason to say something. But I had no reason, and I still had no words, so nothing came out.
Eventually though, I guess when she thought I was asleep, she did get out of bed. I heard her footsteps softly treading the wooden floor towards me. I froze, not moving a muscle as she climbed into bed with me. She pushed her body up behind mine, and buried her flawless face in my back. She was still wet with tears, as she breathed in deeply, and draped her arm over my body. She whispered so softly, I could have thought I made it up, “If you wanted to be held, you just had to ask, stupid girl.” And her fingers found their way under my shirt. She traced lines up from my belly button, to my chest, brushing ever so gently against the bottom of my breasts, then back down in a squiggly line to my waistband of my pants. She never pressed further, though the contact was enough for me to feel both deeply loved and intensely aroused in that moment. And while my mind begged her to continue, I slowly began to lose consciousness in her arms to the soft repetition of her kindness. The last thought in my head was simply ‘Too good for me’
I woke up the next morning and she was already up, making breakfast. I didn’t know if she had stayed with me all night or gone back to her own bed at some point. In all reality it didn’t matter. What did matter now, more than anything, was not breaking her fragile heart. I got dressed for the day, and we traded genuine smiles, but no words. I had an idea and I needed to realize it.
Leave a Reply