Chapter 2
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When Auden next woke, it was to the warm embrace of an exceedingly comfortable bed. He stretched beneath the covers, shuddering slightly and feeling his toes curl. He let out a contented sigh, and debated snuggling back down into the covers to go back to sleep. He cast an arm out to his side, reaching for the woman he’d obviously spent the night with, judging by her sigh a moment before.

His arm hit the empty mattress. He checked the other side. Nothing. Finally he pried his eyes open to look around the bed. Instead his view was partially obscured by fiery reddish-blonde hair.

“What the…?” He cut himself off, hearing a voice that was not his own. He sat bolt upright in bed, feeling the shifting of foreign weight on his chest. A shrill scream escaped before he could stop it.

The doors burst open and two knights clad in silver armor were there, blades at the ready. The helms turned left, then right, scanning the room. Satisfied that there was no danger, the knights relaxed. “My queen, you are unharmed?” The left knight asked.

“Un-Unharmed?! I’ve been unmanned!” He cried out, gesturing at himself.

The knights gave no response to his comment, instead, the right knight simply said, “We will send for your handmaidens, my queen.”

“What? Handmaidens? I don’t… Someone explain this!” He demanded.

“Your handmaidens and your husband will be better able to explain, my Queen,” the left knight said. Both turned and departed, closing the doors behind them.

He was left again, alone in bed. Everything was spiraling into nonsensical chaos. One thing struck him above the others though.

“What did he mean, ‘husband’?!”

-=-

When the doors opened again, a pair of women in black dresses with white aprons and accessories appeared. He recognized them as maids. “My Queen,” the left maid said in unison with the right maid as they both curtseyed deeply.

“Who are you two? Where am I? Why am I a bloody woman!?”

“I am Daliah, my queen,” the left maid said.

“I am Serena, my queen,” the right maid said.

“Great, I’m Auden, now, would you lovely ladies please tell me why I’m a woman and where the hells I am?!”

“Of course, my Queen,” Daliah spoke up, “You are in your bedchambers in the royal palace of Heartgrove.” 

It started to come back to him now. The quest for the Kingsblade. The throne room. The rapier. Camdyn. “He… he tricked me,” he shouted, throwing off the covers and scrabbling out of bed. He felt the brush of fabric against his knees and looked down to see a frilly nightgown. “W-what am I doing wearing this? Where is my armor, my clothing?!”

“Your old belongings were retired, my queen, as they were too ill-fitting for you. Never fear, your measurements were taken while you slept, and new garments and armor are being produced for you by the royal tailors as we speak.”

“This is ridiculous! I can’t be a woman, I can’t be a queen! I’m supposed to be a man! A king! THE king of this kingdom!”

“I’m afraid that job title falls to me now, milady.” Camdyn stepped into the room, hands clasped behind his back. “Do not worry, I promise to be a kind, loving, benevolent husband and king, my queen.”

“Camdyn! You bastard! After everything I did for you!” Auden shouted, crossing the room quickly. His fury quickly died out as he realized he now only came to chest height with his former squire.

“Yes, after everything you did for me I thought it only a fitting reward that you find the place in life you had been preparing for, Audrey. A delicate queen that allows her king to handle the dirty work.”

“What?! How dare you… I was a renowned hero,” he hesitated a moment, then snapped: “and just who are you calling Audrey?!”

“You, my queen. We can hardly call you Auden now in that beautiful form.” He reached out and ran a finger along Auden’s jaw.

A shudder ran through his body, and a faint tingle spread from the point of contact. “Wh-what are you doing, Cam?! This is outrageous. You have to make this right. Trade blades with me! It’s my right to be king!”

He let out a deep chuckle. “No, milady… I’m afraid once the blades are drawn they are bound to the one who pulled them free. The fact you were able to draw it at all indicates that this was in fact your destiny. Do not worry, I have the utmost faith that you will be a wonderful queen. I’ve even prepared an appointment for you with your new instructor.”

“Instructor? What kind of instructor?!” Auden demanded.

“One to remedy your lack of knowledge in the ways of women, my queen. To make a proper lady of the court out of you. I have been told she’s quite skilled.”

“I refuse! I am a man! I will not abide such lessons,” he protested, folding his arms across his chest. He quickly realized that was very uncomfortable, and lowered them.

“I see no man, only a beautiful woman,” He complimented, drawing closer.

Auden felt his face heat, his heartbeat quickening. ‘Gods… What is wrong with me?’ he thought.

Camdyn leaned in, closing the distance further. Their faces were nearly touching... and then they were, their lips pressed together.

Auden’s mind blanked for a moment. ‘Camdyn is kissing me! A man is kissing me! This is wrong, this is… this is…this is…. Nice?’ The thought caught him off guard, but he still couldn’t bring himself to push Camdyn away.

When Camdyn broke the kiss, he took a step back. “Wonderful,” he said with a big smile. “Now then, my love, please let your handmaids make you ready for the day. While your bed clothes are charming, I am sure you would look much better when properly attired.”

Still dumbstruck from the kiss, Auden touched his lips absently and nodded. “Uh… huh…”

With that, Camdyn took his leave, closing the doors behind him. The handmaids descended on her.

“My queen,” Serena began, “If you will allow me, a bath is waiting. We must clean you up for the day. You have been asleep for quite some time.”

“I’ve… been asleep?” Auden asked, looking down at himself.

“Yes, my queen. You slept nearly a week since drawing the blade while your body achieved its true form.” Daliah bowed her head, motioning to a door off the main bedchamber.

Taking the hint, Auden made the crossing over to the other side room. Moving still felt bizarre with this new body. Everything jiggled or swayed in a foreign and unwanted manner. The sideroom was host to a large bath that took up the majority of the room, which had already been drawn and was steaming. Another door set in the far wall led to what he assumed was another maid’s accessway, explaining how the tub had been drawn already. 

“My queen, please allow us to disrobe and bathe you,” Serena said, approaching her.

“Disrobe-- No! I can’t, this body isn’t…” he protested, but already Serena was beginning to rid him of the nightgown.

As soon as his arms were freed, his hands flew to cover his groin. The two handmaidens giggled.

“You are forgetting part of your modesty, my queen,” Daliah said, motioning at his chest.

Auden looked down, blushed, and raised one arm to cover his chest. “You two… are you only here to torture me?!”

“No, my queen,” Serena chuckled, “we are also here to bathe and clothe you.” The pair advanced on her, each taking one arm, and guiding her towards the steaming water of the bath.

What followed was an intense cleaning, washing of hair and body, nail care, and overall primping. When all was said and done, Auden stood back in his new bedchamber, feeling intensely violated.

“My queen,” Serena said, opening the door to her closet, “I believe I have the perfect dress for you, one of the few that was already prepared while you slept.” She whisked away and returned moments later with a long flowing teal dress with fine embroidery. She also had an armload of what appeared to be familiar undergarments. Auden had much experience removing such things from ladies he had bedded in the past. 

“You… You cannot mean for me to wear those things! I- I am a man!” he protested, despite his florally perfumed, obviously female body. “Can I not simply wear trousers and a tunic?!”

“Of course not, my queen,” Daliah said, “it would be improper for your majesty to wear such common garments.”

Auden let out a long sigh. “I’m not going to get out of this, am I?”

“No, my queen. The king has requested you be properly attired at all times beyond your bedchambers or his. Do not worry, you are in good hands.”

Auden swallowed the lump in his throat. “F-fine… but I intend to smack some sense into that fool of an upjumped squire. I’ll have trousers and my proper manhood back by the time the evening’s out!”

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