Her True Form

Yvette collapsed onto a pile of furs and blankets that made up their temporary bed. The room itself was simple, one of the small buildings that looked like miniature mountains. Internally it was almost completely hollow, the ground and walls made of stone. However, its base was far wider than the pointed tip, which was so high that she couldn’t have touched it even if she had stood on Gervas’ shoulders. The only thing the room had was the makeshift bed.

Unfortunately, her stomach was nowhere near as hollow. “I ate too much,” she mumbled, giving a soft groan.

“You haven’t really eaten in three days,” Gervas said with a shake of his head. “I told you to pace yourself.”

“It was so goooood,” she said, giving a soft whine. Her stomach felt as if it was going to explode. It had felt so long since she’d had a full meal, she couldn’t stop herself, she was so sure she’d be fine. Now she never wanted to see another bowl of fruit as long as she lived. Or those delicious slices of meat that seemed to melt in her mouth, covered in some kind of sweet and savory spice. Or drink any more of that-- the thought of the meal made her let out another loud moan. “Am I going to die?”

“Unlikely,” Gervas said before giving a soft sigh. “Though, if you did, I’d have to find a way to drag you back. I did not come all the way here for you to just die by overeating,” he said before walking over and sitting besides her, his weight making the bedding shift and making her groan. He then reached out and poked her stomach. “You really should learn some self control. You only just got better.”

She gave another soft whimper. “I think after this, I will. It hurts,” she whined, shaking her head.

“Don’t you have a spell for this? Some kind of quick digestion spell?” he asked, his voice tinged with amusement before he poked her belly again.

“Stop it,” Yvette muttered, shaking her head. “No. I don’t. I mean, I’m sure someone does. But I’ve never been taught it. I don’t know what it would even fall under. Shifting? Ohhhhh. Maybe I can turn into something bigger. With a larger stomach. Maybe-- h-hey!” she said, turning red when he grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her into a sitting position. “Why?”

“Because laying down will only make it worse. Sitting or standing will help your digestion,” he said. “I’ve seen it before. If you really want to help it, going for a quick walk will be useful.”

She nodded and then leaned back, resting against his shoulder. “Maybe in a little bit. Will you walk with me?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You’ve never really waited for permission before.”

Her cheeks burned red again. “I have,” she muttered, though she wasn’t sure she had. “But can I?”

“Of course.”

“Ursula could smell that I was a… that I wasn’t a normal girl. Why aren’t any of them saying anything?” she asked. She played over the prior meal in her head over and over, though she had been so focused on the food she had barely noticed. The table had been filled with zmaj, nearly two dozen of them. Some of them were apparently Guardians of Hsgrogan. She’d gotten a few wary looks, but most seemed almost as excited as Durandet. Except one. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she swore one of them just kept staring at her through the meal.

But other than that, they’d been incredibly polite and gentle. They’d asked a few questions about the world outside of the isle, but sadly there was little they could share. Still, they did seem happy with the little news they could give. That there was still a world out there, beyond their isolated island. Fortunately, once the meal was complete, the two had been ushered to this small stone home to rest.

“I doubt they could tell,” he said with a shrug.

“But Ursula could, why couldn’t--”

“Ursula has also spent her entire life around normal humans. She’s had a lot of time to learn our scents, to learn what makes us different from each other. For most of these ones, we’re likely the first humans they’ve ever seen. Let alone smelled.”

She gave a small nod before slowly reaching a hand up to her cheek. “Oh. I guess… do I look… right?” she asked. “A few of them were staring at me, weren’t they?”

“Staring at us,” Gervas corrected before his hand reached up and gently rubbed her head. “The first humans in who knows how long, Yvette. Again, most of them haven’t even seen anyone like us. It’s possible that some of them WERE like us before coming here, if unlikely. Of course we’re going to draw a bit of attention. No one is staring at you because they think you’re a boy.”

“But what if--”

“They don’t. You’re just a young girl. A mage as well. But you’re human, I’m human. We’re the strange ones.” He pulled his hand back and then got to his feet. He reached out a hand to steady her, stopping her from falling back once her support was gone. Then, with a powerful pull, he hefted her to her feet. “Besides, you look nothing like a boy.”

“Urgh,” she mumbled, shaking her head and trying to shake away the sudden feeling of dizziness. She leaned on him, though she did feel a little calmer. Maybe he was right and she was just paranoid. They weren’t familiar with normal humans, how could they tell she was anything but a young woman? After all, she struggled to tell with them sometimes. While some of them had forms she could easily identify as male or female, others looked so strange and reptilian she couldn’t have guessed one way or the other. She supposed not everyone who stared at her had to know what she was. “You didn’t need to do that. Why?” she asked.

“We’re going for a walk. It’ll help.”

“I don’t wanna move.”

“Too bad.”

“You’re supposed to protect me,” she said with an accusing glare.

“Protecting you and letting you do what you want are two entirely different things,” he said firmly. “My job includes protecting you from yourself if need be.” He reached up and gently rubbed the corner of her eye.

Her cheeks burned a little redder and she stared up at him. “W-why did you do that?”

“Just making sure you weren’t going to start crying again. Come on,” he said before gripping his hand in hers. Slowly, he led her outside of the abode and back into the city.

Outside their small temporary home a large chiogn was standing guard. His scales were a light golden color, seeming to glimmer in light created by the torches lining the street. Unlike the others they had seen, he was wearing a thick layer of chainmail over his body, with a sword strapped across his back that was nearly as big as her. Yvette cringed and quickly moved behind Gervas who she felt tense up. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice wary.

The creature looked down at them and then bowed his head politely. “Hello,” he said, his voice gruff and hard, making her ears hurt a little bit. “I’m your guard for the night. I am--”

“Why do we need a guard?” Gervas asked.

The man stood up straight, looking down at them with a look that Yvette swore was amusement. “Because how else will you sleep if you’re getting poked and prodded half the night?”

“What?” Yvette asked, her hand tightening around Gervas’ and she felt her anxiety rising. She wished she’d asked him to bring his spear now.

“Chosen Durandet asked me to ensure that none of the children came and bothered you while you slept. You’re new here, that makes you interesting. More than a few have already expressed a desire to meet with you.” The man then frowned and she couldn’t help but notice the way his face shifted to annoyance. “A few of the older children, as well. Those who should know better. She wishes for you to be able to rest and recover from your journey before overwhelming you with visitors.”

Gervas nodded, his grip loosening slightly. “I see. We’re going for a short walk, to help the meal settle. Is that allowed?”

“Of course,” he said, a grin forming on his mouth once more. The sharp teeth behind the smile made her feel uneasy, but she pushed those thoughts away. “The way your mage friend was eating, I’m surprised she even can walk anymore.”

Yvette’s cheeks turned scarlet and she lowered her head, quickly moving her face behind Gervas. “I-I was very hungry. I’m sorry. I-I wasn’t that bad, was I?” She felt a ball of dread forming in her stomach. “I made a terrible impression, didn’t I?” she asked.

“What? Oh, no, I’m sorry,” the man said, his voice filled with remorse. She peered out from behind her guardian and could see the creature had averted his eyes, his smile gone and his shoulders slumped slightly. She could barely believe how much less scary it could make him seem. “I was merely jesting, child.”

“I’m a full mage. NOT a child,” she said indignantly, glaring back at him.

“Of course you aren’t,” he said, straightening slightly and an amused, if friendly, smile returning on his mouth. “Enjoy your walk.”

Gervas gave a quick nod before turning and pulling her away by her hand.

“I’m an adult,” Yvette muttered, her cheeks burning.

“He’s zmaj. To him, you probably are a child,” Gervas said and, to her annoyance, she could see the amused grin forming on his face, far too similar to the one the zmaj had worn.

“He didn’t call you a child,” she said quickly.

“It’s an experience thing,” he said before glancing back. “Besides, I wouldn’t worry about it. After all, you’re right. You are a full mage.”

Her chest swelled with pride. “Right! I--”

“Most mages never really mature past being a ‘child’,” he added. “Can’t even have a full meal without getting a tummy ache.”

Yvette blinked a few times before giving a small scowl. Most annoying of all, her stomach was feeling a lot better now that they were walking, proving his earlier fix correct. She pulled her hand free from his. “You know, if it’s based on how we act, I don’t think you’d qualify past child either.”

“Oh? And why is that?” he asked, that grin on his face only getting wider.

“Children are always paranoid something is out to get them. The big monster under the bed, or hiding in the trees, or--”

The smile on his lips melted into a frown before he cut her off. “It’s not paranoia if it’s true.”

“Oh, of course,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Every noble wants us dead. Every rustle in the bushes is probably a fay planning to lead us to our doom. Every mage a threat. You’re always paranoid. I bet right now you’re, hmmm...” She glanced around while they walked through the small streets. To her surprise, they seemed almost empty. Occasionally she’d see a few of the tenogn racing in between the structures and, in one case, climbing up one of the walls in order to leap out of sight towards a larger one. Small torches lit the streets on raised poles, but they were few and far between, causing thick shadows all over. However, the dim light allowed her to see the beautiful stars high in the sky, glimmering like little jewels, with the moon being the largest. “Measuring the chances any of them would ambush us. Wondering how many of them you could beat if they did.” She glanced towards his sword. “How many weapons are you still wearing? How many are you always wearing? You haven’t even taken off your armor.”

His eyes only narrowed while they spoke. “Have you noticed how many people are staring at us? How many--”

“It’s like you said. We’re new,” Yvette cut him off. “None of them have made any move to hurt us though, have they? Or do anything to make us uncomfortable or unsafe. We’re human, they’re… well, they’re not, anymore. More than that, we’re outnumbered. If they were going to do anything, they just would. We--”

She was cut off when he suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her close and putting a hand over her mouth. He then motioned into the shadows between two of the structures.

She narrowed her eyes and, after a few moments, she realized there was a figure watching them. Just like the rest of the chiogn, this creature was far taller and wider than either of them. Even in the shadows she could tell they were at least as tall as Ursula had been, while only a little wider. Their eyes glimmered like small, red jewels in the flickering light.

He was staring at her, not them. Her. Her heart began to beat faster and she stared up at Gervas.

Gervas’ eyes were locked on the figure, though his hand slowly moved away from her mouth. “What do you want?”

The figure slowly moved out from the shadows of the homes, stepping into the light. His scales were a very light green, much like the tenogn they’d seen in the woods. She recognized him from their dinner, though. He’d been one of the ones staring at her. Now, more than ever, she was certain that he had been watching HER, not them. His eyes didn’t move from her in the slightest.

But he didn’t look angry or wary. Instead he looked saddened. Almost longing. More than ever, she could see that piece of ‘human’ inside of him, that he had been changed from. Despite the reptilian features, the powerful scales and the hulking frame she felt a desire to step forward and give the figure a hug and tell him it would be okay. The look he was giving her made her heart ache.

Gervas, however, seemed far less interested in such things. He stood between the two, his other hand moving to the hilt of his sword. “What do you want? Were you following us?” he asked, his voice low and cold.

“No. I mean, yes. But not. I...” the figure said, his voice awkward, tripping over every word. “I wished to see you. Mage. I wanted to ask. You, I mean.”

Yvette glanced back to Gervas, before slowly giving his hand a tug. When he looked back to her, she shook her head. As massive as the creature was, there was something incredibly human about him. Even worse, there was definitely fear in the way he spoke. “I don’t think he wants to hurt us. We can talk to him, okay?” she said with a small smile. “I can talk to him.”

“Yvette, don’t--”

“I’ll be fine,” she said with a small grin. She then motioned to the bracer on her arm. “See? I’m still a mage. I’ll be safe. Promise.”

He gave a small, soft sigh before nodding. He let her hand go and she slowly walked forward. “Right. My name is Yvette. What’s your name?”

The chiogn stared at her for a long, long moment before slowly he spoke up again. “My name is Osiron. I was at the feast as--”

“One of the Guardians of Hs… Hissgrog… err...”

“Guardians of Hsgrogan.”

“Right, yes. I remember you. You kept staring at me, didn’t you?” Yvette asked. Once he nodded, she swallowed nervously before speaking again. “I see. Have we done anything to endanger the isle?”

He shook his head. The closer she got, the more nervous he seemed, the more flustered. Afraid. His arms were large enough he could have likely picked her up and snapped her in one hand, yet he looked terrified as if he thought she might do it to him.

Finally she stood directly in front of him and she could tell he was softly trembling. Still, she took a small, deep breath and reached out to take his hand. Even taking his hand firmly in both of hers, she struggled to lift it up. She gave him a small, comforting smile. “Okay, Osiron. A pleasure. Please, if there is something I can do for you, tell me. You have all been so friendly since we’ve arrived, I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”

Osiron stared down at her, before shaking his head. He pulled his hand out of her grasp with ease. “Please, forget this happened. It was a silly thought.” He turned his back to her and started to walk away.

Yvette frowned, staring at his back for a moment. “Wait!” she called out.

He shook his head and stepped back between the structures again.

She gave a sigh and took off after him. There was absolutely no way she was going to ignore that. Whoever he was, if he looked that upset, then there had to be something he needed from her. Something she could do for him. She heard Gervas order her to stop, but she ignored it. She reached out and grabbed Osiron’s hand, giving it a firm tug. “Wait!”

The massive creature stopped after a moment, dragging her forward a few inches. However, once he stopped he glanced back at her. “I’m sorry. This was foolish of me to--”

“It’s not foolish. If you need my help, then just say so,” she said firmly. “I’m a mage. This kind of thing is what I do. If you need a mage, then--”

“I don’t need a mage,” he said, his voice going low and sharp. “We have mages. Please. I do not desire to offend you.”

“You won’t offend me. Just tell me. What is it you need?” She tugged on the hand, trying to pull him back out of the darkness.

Osiron stared back at her for a few moments before relenting, letting her pull him back into the light. He then looked up and down the street before turning back to her. He took a long, deep breath, before lifting his hand free of her grasp. “I do not mean to offend, truly. You are a guest. But… I must ask. Please.”

Yvette nodded, smiling up at him. She couldn’t imagine what a zmaj would ever need from her, aside from magic, but she refused to leave someone suffering like that.

He stared at her intently before, with a nervous gulp, he once more spoke up. “Are… you a boy?”