Chapter 10: Solutions and Problems
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“Artar are you all right?”

I freaked out when I heard my mother’s voice. She couldn’t have a worse timing. I couldn’t let her hear my fresh voice. She would know that something was wrong. But if I wouldn’t say anything, she would keep knocking on the door. I made my voice sound as low as possible. I took a deep breath and answered, “No mom, everything is fine. I just had some stomach cramps.”

“I see darling, I hope you get well soon. Your voice sounds weird, doesn’t it? Do you think it’s smart to go to the city? Maybe you should stay in bed until the evening. We cannot afford you being sick of the party tonight, you’re the main guest. All the important figures of the empire are coming, including my father. I’m sure you’ll two get along.”

I thought about avoiding the city, but if I stayed home she would check my body and discover the “changes”. I had no way of explaining what happened to me. In fact, I have no clue how I even changed. I did nothing weird and nobody used magic on me. I drank nothing weird… except water uncle gave me!

Uncle, I thought, you sly bastard! Why would you do this to me! What’s the point of turning me into a girl. I have to find out and confront him soon, but for now I should stay low profile. Maybe I can fix this problem myself.

“Honey, you still there? Open the door, I want to check on my baby.”

“No, no, it’s all right, I’m fine. I’m done in five minutes and then I’m heading to the city.”

“All right that’s wonderful, dear, but please stay close to Lillian. I know your powerful and so, but I don’t want you to use it and cause a ruckus, unless it’s an emergency. The common folk doesn’t know about your powers yet and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Okay, I promise I won’t use my power then.”

“I’m proud of you! Oh, I almost forget to tell you, I ordered a carriage with a horse that’ll take you to the city, be home before four in the evening. The guests will start showing up around five and I want you to look top notch. I want to leave a great impression on the guests. A lot of emperors and kings are trying to marry into our imperial family. Maybe your lucky and you will find yourself a future wife and some concubines,” my mother teasingly said.

I sighed, that sly woman! She was an amazing mother and very caring, but she could be a handful sometimes. Besides, I had other things to worry about; I had to turn back into a boy. My priority was to keep my transformation a secret from everyone. I wanted to fix this problem myself, only if I really didn’t find a solution would I come clean and ask them for help. I couldn’t let my uncle know that this has happened, but he probably knew already.

I thanked my mother, and she finally went away. I looked in the mirror and sighed, “why do you have to be so pretty, I was happier when you were handsome…”

The positive part was that I still had my cloths, they still fitted, because my body had changed little though, but mainly because I still was a child, a five-year-old, to be precise. The pants were a bit on the short hand, because my legs were slightly longer. The overall outfit was a little loose, but I didn’t care. I looked like a gorgeous tomboy now, mainly because of the short hair, but I could work with that. My body was for sure going to change a lot when I hit puberty so I had to fix my problem before that.

I left the bathroom and went to my room. Luckily nobody noticed me. I grabbed a hood and pulled it over my head. I check myself in the mirror and saw that it worked. This would hide my identity for now. Only if you looked real close in my face, you could see I looked like a girl. I took a few of these hoods and hand them out to my sister and the rest. I would convince them it be best if went anonymously into the city. I would find a mage and see if he or she could undo the effects!

I left my room and walked through the hallways. I then exited the palace and went outside. Standing there were the bunch.

“Big brother, you’re finally back!” My sister happily said, she noticed the thing on my head and asked, “why are you wearing that thingy over your head?”

I sighed and answered, “it’s protecting our anonymity for when we’re in the city. It’s to avoid unwanted attention.”

“My prince,” Lillian said. I still didn’t understand why she was this formal to me. Our relationship improved a lot over the last four years. I guess she is this way in front of other family members, I guess…

“Please, Lillian call my Artar, you’re a wonderful friend and I’d prefer it if you call me that way.”

Lillian face turned red and looked away. A quiet voice came out of her mouth, “Okay, Ar… Artar, I don’t want to sound rude, but I don’t think wearing a hood is a superb idea. Nobody in the city wears one, except for rogues and thieves. I think we would look very suspicious and create a lot of unwanted attention. Besides, our cloths are too lavish. They would instantly know you’re the imperial family.”

Dammit, she had a point. Maybe I should be the only one wearing a hood?

“All right Lillian, you have a point. Nobody has to wear them, but I prefer to. I don’t look like my best today, and I don’t want people seeing me this way. I don’t want to create a poor reputation…” I said.

“Don’t look like your best today?” She said. Her eyes checked out my body and then my face and she said, “but I think you look wonderful today, but your voice sounds a bit off… more feminine and higher I guess?” She looked a little through my hood and said, “you look different, I—”

“Stop your snooping, Lillian,” I said with a firm tone. Dammit, I think I fucked up. Does she know? “We should go to the city.”

She held her head down and bowed, “Apologies my prince. It wasn’t my attention to be overly curious. You just looked so different today that I—”

“It’s all right Lillian,” I said, “let’s just head to the city, okay? I will take you cloth shopping.”

Her eyes lit up, and the five of us went to the carriage.

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