Our carriage soon passed the entrance of the defense walls of our palace. The guards bowed the moment they saw us and let us through. The road felt pleasant, and it was 15:55. My mother, uncle and father were waiting for us at the entrance of our palace. The five of us stepped out of the back of the carriage. Oliver lay unconscious in the arms of Lillian.

“Artar, you’re finally home, and did you have fun?”

“Yes mom, the city was amazing as always and the nobles greeted us cheerfully. We even bought a dress for Lillian and the owner gave it for free!”

“A dress for Lillian? Interesting… So the owner gave it for free? That’s very kind of him,” she smiled at me, “Come on, what are you waiting for? Show mommy Lillian’s new dress.”

I looked at Lillian, but saw that she held Oliver in her arms. I completely forgot about him. I turned my eyes on uncle Gilbert, but he didn’t look happy. I ignored him and grab Lillian’s dress. I stepped in the carriage and took the dress, I showed it to mom and she was screaming like a little girl, “Oh my god! That dress is adorable! Those diamonds and that dragon… and that color! Oh, I love the color black! I have the keep you away from the prince this evening or the girls wouldn’t even dare approaching Artar.”

Lillian became shy. She blushed and smiled at my mother.

“Sorry, but you cannot keep me away. My duty is to protect the prince.”

“I see darling, on duty as always. I guess I can’t keep you away from him then,” she teasingly said.

She noticed Oliver laying in Lillian’s arms and asked, “what in earth sake’s happened to your nephew Oliver?”

“That’s what I want to know as well,” my uncle added.

I felt ashamed and non-nonchalantly said, “oh Oliver was having an attitude, so I patted his neck and he fell asleep.”

My mother laughed, but Gilbert didn’t. His face became red, and he shouted, “You little…”

He calmed himself down and forced a smile, “My son… He can be a handful sometime, I’m glad you taught him a lesson,” he noticed the changes in my body and said, “you look better today, the way you should be…”

I knew what he meant but held back and said, “thank you uncle, I’m glad you’re so understanding.”

He grinned but said nothing after that.

My father saw the mood getting tense and suggested, “Let’s prepare for the big event tonight, shouldn’t we? Diana, honey. Take Artar for a bath and dress him up nicely.”

“I want to shower with big brother too,” said my sister.

“Can I also join?” said Eloria, my little maid.

“My lady, me as well…” Added Lillian

“Guess I hop in too,” said Charlotte.

“All right girls, we all can join a bath with Artar, but don’t tease him too much, okay?”

“Yes, my lady!” They all said.

My uncle grinned and I could hear him say, “Lucky bastard…”

Am I going to wash myself up with 5 girls? My entire world turned, and I felt weird. I felt a sudden stress in my stomach; I had completely forgotten I was a girl now! Should I come clean to my mother and explain to her everything? A part of me wanted to share this burden with someone else, but I didn’t know how she would react. I decided I would tell her, but I wanted to do so in private. I just had to find the right moment.

Me and the girls went to our palace’s private bath house. A vast building with many baths. It included a shower, dressing-room, pool, hot tub, sauna and a spa. And those were just a few things to mention. They were about to enter until I stopped them.

“Girls, I’ve got something to discuss with my mother, I would like some privacy,” my sister had gigantic puppy eyes, “including you,” I said.

They looked disappointed, but respected my decision anyway.

My mother and I went into the dressing-room, we both went into the girl’s room. My mother and I were close, and I was young, so she didn’t mind and this was our private bathhouse. So nobody objected. Especially the guests we sometimes had. They didn’t seem to mind. Or they were too afraid to object to me changing in there.

“So, tell mommy what’s bothering you, maybe I can help.”

I instantly felt better, I was blessed to have such an understanding mother. I was now sure; I would tell her everything.

“I suspect uncle poisoning me and turning me into a girl,” I blurted out.

My mother laughed and said, “that was hilarious, but I don’t think uncle would appreciate it if you talked behind his back.”

She saw that my face was dead serious, and that I wasn’t laughing, her mood instantly changed and she said, “wait, you’re actually serious?”

Her eyes inspected my entire body. She studied everything carefully.

“Can you please turn your cloth off for me darling and that hideous hood of yours?”

I became embarrassed and my entire face looked like a tomato. I didn’t object and stripped myself in front of my mother. I took off my lavish cloths and with each cloth my mother stood there, shocked. I stood there butt-naked in front of her and she was staring at my underdeveloped body.

“Oh my god Artar, you’re a girl. Not just a normal one, but a beautiful little girl. You look absolutely gorgeous. Are you sure you were ever a boy?” She said teasingly.

“Mom, you literally gave birth to me… Don’t tease me like that, I wanted none of this.”

“I was only joking honey, but this will be a problem,” her head turned dead serious now, “we can let nobody know you’re a girl now. It’s a serious threat to the safety of our family…”

“Why is that,” I asked.

“Now that you are a girl, you’re no longer an eligible heir. Many people would have their eyes set on the throne. If Gerwig would die, another god emperor would take over his place. That person would naturally be your uncle, Gilbert. He’s his brother, after all.”

“Uncle, that sly fox!” I shouted out, “he had his eyes set on the throne all this time! Why cannot females inherit the throne?”

Mother had a compassionate look in her eyes. She could see the sorrow in her “daughter’s” eyes. See knew her brother-in-law had his eyes set on the throne for a long time, but she didn’t expect to foresee him taking such extreme measures.

“It’s unfortunately the law…”

“But father’s rule is absolute, why can’t he change the law whenever he pleases?”

“Because that would displease the church, besides the nobles and royalty wouldn’t agree. They would rebel against our reign.”

“Why don’t we just crush the church and the nobles who rebel in father’s empire?”

Mother sighed, her child was still so negligent. Artar was still a child, he was a genius for certain, but his knowledge in ruling was still non-existent. Her immature mind didn’t quite realize that actions have consequences.

“That would cause a lot of damage sweaty, being on inadequate terms with the church is foolish. Majority of the citizen of our empire are believers in god. Many worship the pope as a supreme being that ascends even the God Emperor. The pope lacks military forces, but his influences are the decisive factor if the commoners will commit a coup d’état. So that’s out of the picture, crushing the nobles isn’t an option either. It’s an impossible task to rule such an extensive empire on your own. Being on appropriate terms with them as well is a must. If we would destroy them, what would be left of us to rule?”

“So father’s absolute rule is a mere illusion? He’s just a puppet-ruler that’s being influences by the Holy Church and dependent on his subordinates?”

“He has some power, and most of the emperor’s follow his command without hesitation, but what you said is the absolute truth. Commanding absolute power is a mere illusion anyway, every absolute ruler can be overthrown. The task of a good ruler is to sway its followers it’s in their best interest to follow the ruler instead of the hassle overthrowing them.”

Artar vaguely understood his mother’s explanation, but one thing bothered him the most—Why not getting rid of his uncle?
He proposed the idea to his mother, “Why don’t we just kill uncle? We have plenty of proof?”

Artar’s mother had a bitter look in her pretty eyes. She was quiet for a few seconds, but answered the question her former son had asked, “if your uncle dies, your father will as well. Your father used to be ill when he was a child, his heart was poor and his body fragile. Your uncle Gilbert used to be the crown-prince and I his finance. One day your father nearly died, but your uncle saved his prayed to the gods and they heard him. They offered their help in exchange for the life of his firstborn child. He immediately agreed, but the gods deceived him and gave your father an artificial heart depended on his life forces. If Gilbert would die, so would your father. Sadly, the effects are one-sided only, meaning that your uncle would live may your father die. But back to your father. He was very grateful to his older brother, and he grew up to be a strong and healthy man. So strong in fact that I fell in love with him… I canceled the betrothal with Gilbert and married his brother instead, Gerwig. And to top it off, your father proved himself so much that his father chose him as his successor. It devastated Gilbert as first. He lost the love of his life, his title as successor, and he became bitter instead. But time heals all wounds, but so I thought… I wouldn’t think he’d go that far…”

Artar had mixed feelings of her mother’s tale. He didn’t know that his mother and Gilbert had such a past together. He was told that his mother and father met by pure luck, but that turned out to be a lie…

“Why don’t we just imprison uncle instead? Father’s rule is kinda absolute, so that shouldn’t be a problem. What prevents father and you from making a child who’s male?”

“Your father… He’s infertile after he impregnated me with your sister… Imprisoning your uncle could work, but your father is dense. He is fond of his brother and extremely grateful that he saved his life… It would take a lot of effort to convince your father to imprison him, but it shouldn’t be impossible. But let’s for now focus on the event tonight instead. Our priority is to keep the fact you’re girl a secret. If anyone would find out, it could be disastrous.”

Artar’s face became red. He knew that couldn’t be the case anymore. He someone already, but how should he tell his mother?

My mother’s face became puzzled. “Come one, spit it out,” she said, after she saw my uncertainty.

“The mage in the city, Arick, I went by his store and asked for his advice. I told him about my situation and asked if he knew how to reverse it…”

“Oh no, not that mage. He’s a dirty old man, I’m surprised he didn’t molest you with the way you looked. He wasted a lot of your time, didn’t he?”

I nodded and my mother continued, “That’s what he usually does. His powers were once great, but now he’s just a lonely senile man. He’s filth, but not a gossip. I’m sure he wouldn’t spread some rumors. Did he tell you perhaps something useful?”

I suspired in relief. I was too reckless and could have ruined my entire family, but that luckily didn’t happen.

“He kinda did. He spoke about a divine being in the realm of the elves. She supposedly had the ability to grant a wish.”

My mother frowned her right eyebrow and said, “I heard tales in legends about that divine being. I’m not so sure how trustworthy his information is. Any other ways?”

“No, he told me the effects were irreversible.”

“I see that’s shame,” she said, “but don’t be sad. Try to look it positively, you’re a breathtaking beauty, you even look better than me when I was your age. Many girls would envy your looks, even with short hair you’re a real cutie!”

“Thanks mom, helpful,” I said sarcastically.

“Don’t worry Artar, tonight we will dress you up nicely in your finest cloths. You’ll be the star of tonight and I bet a lot of girls and guys, hehe, will fall in love with you the moment they see you. Your voice is higher than the average boy your age, but people won’t suspect a thing because you haven’t reached puberty yet. I think everybody will presume your a gorgeous girl at first, but if you tell them your the crown prince. They will just assume your a very feminine, beautiful looking boy.”

“That could work,” I said.

“I’ll promise you. After the party I’ll tell your father and we will do everything we can to turn you back into a boy.”

“Thanks mom, you’re the best.”

“I know,” she smiled, “now let’s enjoy a bath and worry about the problems later.”

“Mom, I don’t want the other’s seeing me this way,” I pointed at my crotch.

“Oh… That could be a problem, I just cannot send the girls away…”