AN: Once again, sorry for the long wait! There's some fun stuff coming up that I've very excited to write, so hopefully the next few parts will be out much quicker! Thank you for all the lovely reviews 3 Yes, Terri's friends are April Rhodes and Howard Bamboo (on the show, he's Terri's assistant at Sheets n Things). Read on to find out more about Arthur!

I stared down at the shaking boy who used to be my squirrel and bit my tongue so I wouldn't forget myself and speak in Kyrrian. Arthur, Terri had called him. His eyes were squeezed shut and he had clasped my jacket around himself with trembling fingers. His pale, sallow skin was coated in a sheen of sweat. One leg lay bent at a strange angle, but the other seemed to have no life at all. He was mumbling and gasping incoherently, but I could detect a Kyrrian accent to his sounds.

Terri had lowered herself gracefully to kneel by Arthur's head, and she cooed a little while she stroked his soaked bangs off of his forehead. Howard and April seemed angry that Terri had put on such a fantastic display of magic in front of so many non-faerie folk and chided her for it.

"Terri, you fool!" April hissed, still wobbling a little as she moved to block Arthur from the views of the intrigued wedding guests nearby, "Must you be so arrogant?"

"We're lucky the party is in full swing, and not that many people noticed," Howard worried as he cast his gaze around our immediate vicinity.

Arthur finally opened his eyes but seemed to need to squint before he recognized anything. His focus fell on Terri and he cringed away from her. Terri narrowed her eyes at his reaction with a huff, but they quickly widened as she glanced at me, and then back down to Arthur. A shrewd, suspicious look settled on her face.

"Lad," she addressed me in Ayorthian, "You speak Ayorthian, but you resemble the coloring and general looks of a young boy from Kyrria, like Arthur."

I was surprised that it had taken her this long to realize that I didn't really look like Mercedes, like an Ayorthian. Luckily, I had my excuse prepared. I just hoped it was prepared enough.

"I was orphaned as a baby while my parents were traveling. I was adopted by an Ayorthian family; Ayorthian life and language is all I know."

I waited with bated breath, praying she wouldn't begin testing my knowledge of Ayorthian culture and politics. I had learned enough from Mercedes to stumble my way through, but as flighty as Terri seemed to be, I could tell she could be quite clever if she had a mind to be. There would be no fooling her.

Terri beamed at me, her voice once again soft and sweet. "Oh, isn't that beautiful!" I wasn't sure what was beautiful about my being an orphan, but I breathed a quiet sigh of relief anyways. Terri turned to Arthur again, switching to Kyrrian. "You see, Arthur? Other people have hardships as well. You needn't feel so alone and despise your life so!" Arthur just shook his head feebly and tried to curl away from her.

"E-excuse me, Terri," I tried to keep my tone meek and worshipful, "But what has happened? Was this boy my squirrel all along?"

"Yes, he was, my dear child. I gave him the gift of the simple and carefree life of a squirrel for three years. I must have lost track of time, so the lucky boy had four instead of three!" She saw my concerned glance down at the boy. "Oh, you needn't be worried. I think he's just a little shocked and adjusting back to his human body."

Terri patted Arthur on the head affectionately, but then stood and stepped over him, closer to me, leaving him groaning on the floor.

"Now, child, I believe you were trying to say something before April so rudely interrupted us?"

I forced myself to wrench my gaze away from the pitiful boy lying on the ground and remembered the reason I had sought out Terri in the first place. Now I felt even less sure than ever. I wondered what reason Terri had for turning Arthur into a squirrel and knew I had to tread carefully so she didn't bestow the same fate upon me.

"Lady Terri, since you are a faerie, I wonder if I might please beg for your help."

Behind Terri, April snorted and rolled her eyes. Howard stared at me with wide eyes and shook his head back and forth. Their reactions added to my apprehension, but I had no choice. I hadn't a clue of how to break the spell myself. My only option was to seek Terri's aid.

Terri's eyes lit up and she beamed at me. "You see, April," she said in a triumphant yet simpering tone, "the humans do want my help." Her gaze never left my face. "Of course, sweet Christopher, what is it that I can assist you with?"

I phrased my request carefully, hoping to give nothing away. "I need more courage and conviction, Lady, if it so pleases you. Whatever anyone orders me to do, I do, whether I wish to or not. I've always been like this, but I don't wish to be."

Behind Terri, April's eyes widened and she cackled with glee. "You see! This lad is afflicted with obedience! Isn't that one of your gifts, you fool? And he doesn't like it!" I resisted the urge to glare at the drunken faerie. The last thing I wanted was an angry Terri on my hands.

But Terri did not seem upset. She smiled sweetly at me. "This explains why you are such a lovely child. Obedience is a wonderful gift, Christopher. I certainly wouldn't wish to take that from you. Be glad of your admirable disposition."

"But –"

Terri's order suddenly took hold of me, and I made no effort to resist it. Why should I? It felt so amazing to obey! What a blessing this was! Tears of joy sprang to my eyes and I grasped Terri's hands, kissing them over and over.

"Thank you, Lady Terri! Thank you!" I was trembling with happiness.

"Oh, you sweet thing. There's no need to thank me! Someone simply needed to show you how to view your gift in the proper light."

"What about the other boy?" Howard piped up timidly.

"Oh!" Terri started, "Right. Well, Arthur," she spoke to my squirrel-turned-boy in Kyrrian, "why are you being so lazy? Stand up!"

He finally spoke, his voice nasally and raspy, probably from disuse. "I can't," he answered through gritted teeth, "My one leg is broken, and the other doesn't work at all. You know that."

I had to admire his tenacity for speaking to Terri in such a manner, but I supposed living as a squirrel for four years had rid him of any inclination towards timidity.

"Well," Terri tsked in annoyance, "That simply won't do. We can't leave you laying here, a spectacle, ruining the party."

With a wave of her wand, she conjured up a small wooden wagon. Big magic. I knew Carol would disapprove but I watched with awe anyway. She also conjured a simple pair of breeches and a clean, white tunic. "Christopher, help him up into the clothes and then onto the wagon, there's a good boy."

I rushed forward, so happy to have another order to obey. I found each moment without a command quite difficult, found myself yearning for someone to tell me what to do so that I might have the joy of obeying them. I hastened to keep my eyes carefully averted as I helped Arthur into his clothes. I had grown quite attached to him in his squirrel form, and certainly hoped to avoid his rejection now that he was human.

"Christopher will look after you," Terri informed Arthur, who sent a scared look my way. I would have smiled at him reassuringly, but I was trying to pretend I didn't understand their conversation.

"But-but he doesn't speak Kyrrian! And I don't speak any Ayorthian! How will that work?"

Terri had tucked her wand back into her sleeve and was examining her nails. "You'll just have to make do, won't you? My friends and I really must be leaving; we have another engagement to get to." She turned to me. "Now Christopher, please take good care of Arthur. Both of his legs are useless right now, so you must look after him until the broken one heals and he can hobble around as he used to."

I beamed at the instructions and bent over to kiss her hand again, murmuring my thanks over and over. She laughed, the sound soft and musical. "Now take him and run along, Christopher."

I was delighted to. Without another word, I gripped the handle of the wagon and began to pull it as fast as I could towards the nearest exit.

On a logical level, I understood that my joy was false; I was only happy because I had been ordered to be. I still understood why I had hated the gift. But it was all-consuming, and each order that I obeyed had me feeling full of light. I imagined obeying commands in the future, awful, grisly, terrible ones, and positively glowed at the thought. I decided to find Mother. If anyone were to give me casual orders, it would be her. I pulled Arthur behind me in the wagon along the outside of the barn, panting from the exertion. I could hear the wagon jostling over the uneven ground and Arthur's whimpers of pain.

"Slow down!" He called out desperately in Kyrrian. Though I was eager to find Mother, I was glad to heed his order. I slowed to a more leisurely pace, and turned to smile at him. He was gaping at me.

"Do you understand me?"

"Yes," I replied in Kyrrian, "I was only speaking Ayorthian to fool the faerie."

"Smart," he observed.

"Thank you," I said simply, well aware that my plan had been successful, at least on that level. I longed to tell Arthur of my gift so that he could order me about, but I still derived satisfaction from listening to Father's old command to never tell a soul. I distracted myself with his story. "So you are named Arthur?"

"Artie," he amended, nodding.

"Why did she turn you into a squirrel? If you don't mind my asking."

Artie sighed. "When I was younger, I went into the village with my mother one day, and there was an accident. I ran out into the street. I think I was chasing a butterfly or something; I do not really remember. I was so little, and the carriage driver didn't see me until it was too late. He ran me over, and I lost all feeling and use of this leg," He patted his right leg, which hung limply outside of the small wagon; "I eventually learned how to move about with only one working leg. My father built me a special walking stick to help. But it was awful. All of the other servant children made fun of me, and the children of the manor were especially cruel. They liked to push me down and steal my walking stick. I had eye glasses, too, and they liked to take those, as well."

"That's awful," I said quietly.

"When I was…twelve, I think. It's kind of hard to remember. Well, Terri appeared. She was just suddenly…there. My parents were so happy to find out she was a faerie and wanted to help me. But she said that she wanted to give me a simple life, free from the cruelty of humans. We just wanted her to fix my leg. She said she would give me three years in this comfortable new life, and then turn me back. My parents begged her not to, but that idiot turned me into a squirrel! Of all the things to do!" Artie broke off angrily, shaking his head. I nodded in sympathy. I knew, on a rational level, that Terri was a fool of a faerie, dangerous and impulsive, but I would be forever grateful to her for giving me my gift of obedience.

"Don't worry," I told him, "You can stay at our manor until we can find your parents." Artie managed a weak smile, looking very miserable, indeed.

We met Mother at the gates of William and Emma's farm. I called out to her as she started to step into her carriage, and she turned to face me in shock. She didn't seem angry to see me out of Dalton's; she actually grinned when her eyes found me.

"Porcelain!"

"I ran away from Dalton's," I told her, not caring if the confession upset her.

She barked out a laugh. "I knew you had gumption. I guess there's some Lady Susan Sylvester in you, after all. Except you don't have my impeccable bone structure. And are you still a mouthy little brat, or have they transformed you into a proper young gentleman?"

"How shall I show you?"

"Demonstrate your finest bow."

I swept into one gracefully, thrilling at the order. Hopefully, it would be the first of many.

Mother noticed Artie. "And who is your lazy friend?"

"This is Arthur," I told her, wishing she had demanded the answer from me instead, "And he is not lazy. His leg is broken, and the other is lame. I befriended him on my travels and hope to bring him home with us."

Mother pursed her lips and fixed Artie with a beady stare. He was trying to squint back at her, but I could tell he needed another set of eye glasses.

"Well, Porcelain, as touching as I find it that you've managed to find friends just as odd as you, the cripple isn't coming with us. What use is he to me?"

"P-please," Artie choked out, "I'm willing to work. I have no place else to go."

"That is not really my problem, Gimpy," Mother replied as she turned towards our carriage.

I followed after her. "Mother, Arthur is my friend. Please do this as a favor to me."

She turned and faced me with a calculating look. "Well, quid pro quo, Porcelain; what do you have for me?"

"Anything," I said eagerly, clasping my hands together and bouncing on the balls of my feet, "Only tell me what to do and I will obey you." I cheered silently. I could both save Artie and satisfy my thirst to obey more orders.

Mother stared at me for a moment, before a triumphant smirk spread across her face. "Outstanding. You are appealing enough, I suppose. Stupid of me not to have thought of you before. Get your friend into the carriage, Porcelain. We'll leave straight away."

"Shouldn't we bid farewell to Emma and William?" I asked as I wheeled Artie forward.

"That greaseball and his ginger bush baby wife? They're too busy sobbing over some gift a faerie gave them. It is a pity…I heard three faeries were at this wedding, and I saw no sign of them."

Once the carriage driver and I had lifted Artie inside and we had all settled in, we began to move. Artie soon fell asleep, and Mother finally addressed me.

"You are just in time to put your deportment training to good use."

"Just tell me what I must do."

Mother remained silent for a good while. I began to fall asleep.

"I am bankrupt."

Her words jerked me awake. "Excuse me?"

"I sold an estate I don't own to some very crafty trolls, and they've found me out. When we return to Frell, they'll be waiting there for me, and I'll have to pay them. We will be left penniless, and I'll have to sell the manor, all our furniture, even this carriage. And, Porcelain, I shall have to sell even you."

"What do you mean?"

"You must marry so that we can be wealthy once again."

She meant so that she could be wealthy again. Though I understood how horrible this was, I could not have cared less at the moment; my entire being thrilled at the command. "Yes, Mother. I will do it gladly. When?"

"You ask when and not to whom? Are you so anxious to wed that it matters not who your wife will be?"

"I am not anxious to wed, Mother. Only to do your bidding."

Mother stared at me in shock. "What did they do to you at Dalton's? It is no wonder you ran away."

AN: Well, Kurt is really screwed this time, isn't he? Poor guy can't catch a break.

Yes, as most of you guessed, Arthur is Artie! LOL how did he get in this story?

Next chapter: Kurt meet's his bride-to-be, Sue's got some tricks up her sleeves, and a marriage proposal is made.