Futanari Fairytales

by Clayton Overstreet

Two stories. one in which a boy raised as a woman can win his prince and still tame a unicorn. The other where the only girl in the world has to deal with prejudice.

The Boy Princess

By, Clayton Overstreet

Once upon a time in a large and powerful magical kingdom lived a princess named Courtly. Courtly's father and mother, the king and queen, hired the greatest etiquette teachers and handmaids and taught their daughter everything she would need to be a proper lady. They expected their daughter to grow up to be a fine princess and marry a fine man who would rule the kingdom.

Courtly had other plans.

While she certainly looked the part of a prim and proper princess and for many years went along with her parents' plans for her inside she never really felt like one. Or even like a girl. Far more that her mother or even her father she looked up to her uncle, her father's illegitimate brother and the kingdom's huntsman. A big burly and hair many who dressed in leather and spent most of his time in the woods or getting into brawls at the local tavern. Possibly the toughest man in the kingdom. And by the time she was ten it had occurred to Courtly that she was expected to be prim and proper and weak.

This she found unacceptable. However as with many kingdoms a woman's opinion was not terribly respected and truthfully having grown up with many women in the castle she could not blame the people. Handmaids and potential baby makers the lot of them, barely better than livestock, and the peasants were not much better. Courtly did not want to be like any of them and much preferred to imagine herself like her uncle. Tough, rowdy, powerful, and once she hit puberty popular with the ladies.

Fortunately provided she did her lessons as expected and did not make many waves she quickly found that she could be practically invisible and soon she began watching and even emulating the men of the castle rather than the ladies. She saw how they trained and exercised. By the time she was twelve she had sewn herself several fine sets of men's clothing, had altered her dresses and gowns to hide her growing muscles, and had gone through the palace library on male etiquette and fighting and everything she needed to know to be a man. She even snuck out of the castle and managed to pay an instructor in the nearby town to give her actual combat training. He was an old man from a foreign country that had been a former privateer, AKA a pirate who gave a portion of his booty to a kingdom so he was official rather than illegal.

She might have not gotten away with it, but their kingdom while prosperous had neighbors to the north who were rather warlike and had been cautiously encroaching on their borders, rather distracting the court. Looming wars tended to do that. Leaving Courtly to her own devices much of the time and if any of the servants noticed her strange behavior it was not a priority. Certainly nothing to distract the king with.

The war started shortly after the princess's fifteenth birthday. A well trained legion of soldiers invaded from the north and the king sent out his own to respond. And for a time the princess had even less oversight and much ore freedom. Normally she would have been being set up to get married by now, but the way things were looking that would either have to wait until after the war or she would be taken by the other kingdom as a trophy or possibly executed with her family. Either way any betrothal plans were put aside for the moment.

Things were not looking well for the kingdom. They had not actually been to war for a long time and the king was a bit soft and inexperienced in military matters. The northern kingdom had been planning their invasion for quite some timer and the kingdom itself was seaside bordered by mountains.

Then one day a young man leading an army of mercenaries and volunteers came over the horizon and took command, displaying the royal seal as proof of their right to do so. It was of course Courtly in her male persona and she had brought along some of her fellow students from warrior training, a few volunteers eager to serve their kingdom, and some other men she had routinely been getting into fights with in disreputable taverns down by the docks. She took control of her father's forces using her royal authority and merged the groups together and then proceeded to lead them in possibly the bloodiest fight either kingdom had ever seen since they had driven back the barbarian hordes a hundred years before.

It was a slaughter and most of it on the enemy's side. Courtly led from the front and was so vicious in battle it scared her own men. She fought without a shield and instead used two scimitars, cutting a swath through the enemy with her men behind her. She led them north and they claimed several towns in the neighboring kingdom before through sheer luck and determination, seizing the heir to the throne. The northern kingdom sued for peace and the prince was taken to a tower prison cell where he would be held for the next five years as a hostage while they negotiated a peace treaty and other political issues.

Naturally the princess's true identity was discovered far before this final victory and the king rushed to the front to bring her back, but quickly found it difficult to lay down the law to his heavily armed daughter as she stood before him blood stained and a little scarred from battle. At the time she was in her tent discussing the next offensive with her generals and the air among the soldiers was that the king had been tentatively getting them killed and the prince, as she now insisted on being called, was already a war hero. The skulls she had hanging about the place as trophies certainly made an impression and the king never even got to make any sort of complaint or suggest his daughter return home.

Instead he meekly patted heron the shoulder, congratulated her for doing a good job, and quickly got back in his carriage with his tail between his legs.

After the war ended Prince Courtly had no intention of going back to dresses and other more traditional pursuits for a young lady. She returned in triumph and had no hesitation about explaining to her parents and the people that she was officially the crown prince and anyone who cared to discuss the matter could take it up with her swords and her army. There were some who dared, but after the first beheading the complaints quickly stopped. Even as the princess began pursuing more manly adventures, such as the tradition of ravishing peasant maids and quaffing with her soldiers.

It was not as if the prince were producing an army of bastard children like her uncle, who was quickly made one of her top advisors and often took her and her allies out hunting.

As for the king and queen they still reigned in name only. Courtly was the kingdom's hero and had taken firm control of the kingdom. She was tougher than her father and rather badly scared the man and her mother hade no idea what to do about her daughter's change from demure princess to manly prince but support her. She had after all been raised a demure princess herself.

However as powerful as he was Courtly was still the crown prince and had certain responsibilities. Chief among them being the continuation of the family line. A heroic princess turned prince might have been acceptable, but her parents were getting old and now that's he was twenty it was clear that even if they did have another child, something looking quite unlikely, it would be Courtly who would inherit the throne officially. Normally the prince or princess would already have been betrothed if not married by the time they were sixteen and working on the next generation. People back then rarely lived past forty at best and many died much, much younger so as you can guess, children were meant to be had as soon as possible especially among royalty.

His highness prince Courtly however had put that off and while hardly celibate, had been rather insistent on making love to women. She had a dozen concubines and various other lovers, all quite happy with the arrangement, but sadly all female and thus unable to conceive with the only royal heir. And despite everything the laws of the kingdom were clear and she sadly agreed with them. The king was responsible for ensuring the family's continuation. Otherwise by the time she was twenty-five the throne would pass to one of the kingdom's other noble houses.

There was no shortage of volunteers, though it was a bit tentative. Courtly was popular and powerful and the whole prince-princess thing was rather confusing. In addition while politically they might force it, doing so could cause a civil war and damage the kingdom. The northern kingdom was still smarting from their defeat and should Courtly's forces weaken might elect to invade gain.

Courtly on the other hand found that he was rather turned off by the idea of making love to a man. Five years as the roughest toughest warrior of the kingdom had left her feeling quite dominant and while she had many male friends, the idea of making love to a bearded muscled hairy man made her queasy at best. Unfortunately a bastard could not inherit the throne. In addition while she was officially a prince now, there were rules and simply having the royal wizard change her gender was dismissed out of hand. She was just as manly as anyone with her current body and the idea of rearranging things bothered her and her lovers. Courtly had no problem with being pregnant and giving birth himself. It was merely the manner conception that he balked at.

The solution came on the day they were returning the prince to the north. It was the result of a bit of a joke. The princess, now prince, had naturally given up the pretence of being a woman and had a lot of fairly expensive dresses just lying around useless. And the prince, when first captured, had been rather rude. Threats had been issued. Insults about Courtly and her lifestyle. And it had soon occurred to Courtly that while they could not harm their valuable hostage, a bit of light embarrassment was not beyond the realm of possibility.

So it was that the prince of the north had spent five years in his tower prison wearing the former princess's discarded clothing. His days had been spent learning proper etiquette, for a princess, crocheting, and doing other feminine things. It was a popular punishment for those men who were caught complaining about Courtly to have to do the same for several weeks and join the northern prince in his tower for a proper tea party.

The prince was returned to his kingdom, having ridden the whole length sidesaddle and sashayed back to the loving if somewhat confused, embarrassed, and angry arms of his loving family. And while the prince of the north was a fairly burly man with a thick beard, he had a rather firm and attractive derriere. Watching his hips sway back and forth as he walked in his goal like a lady as he had been trained to, it occurred to courtly that if she had become a man it was entirely possible to make a man into a woman.

Not through force and certainly not the prince she had just released. Not only was he too hairy for her liking but the bitchy look he shot her over his shoulder showed more than a little resentment. He certainly would not make a good princess.

Still, she reasoned, there must be someone in her kingdom who would. She knew plenty of male nobility who were quite a bit more feminine than herself. Soft callous free hands. Wigs. Makeup. A fair male who would pass for female and who felt more comfortable in a gown and slippers than in leggings and boots. It was quite a large kingdom and there were other lands as well. Surely threw as someone else like herself. Someone who could produce and heir and would not make her physically ill to make love to.

Courtly called her court to order and made an announcement. "Let it be known that I am issuing a challenge, to find myself a bride from among the men in my kingdom. Fair skinned and beautiful with proper ladylike manners and feminine baring. A beauteous queen our kingdom can be proud of who will help conceive an heir to the throne."

Those at court had rather been hoping for a man to come in and take proper control of the princess, tame her and turn her back into a demure young lady. But five years had pretty much taught them who wore the pants and a surprisingly large decorative codpiece in that castle and it had been a faint hope. They all were well aware that if she could not have what she wanted she would abdicate and let the nobles fight it out among themselves and after the last war none wanted to risk weakening the kingdom's defenses.

So the word was spread across the kingdom and to the lands beyond. To win the hand of the lady prince, all men who thought themselves worthy and fair enough to turn the prince's head. There would be three challenges and the winner would become queen while the losers would face either rejection or the prince's sword. For he wanted a partner who was woman enough to be a partner, rather than a mere roll in the hay. Since becoming monarch Courtly had found plenty of women with more courage and forthrightness than many were expected to have and wanted to encourage that in the generations to come.

"Boy or girl, I want my child to be able to look up to both their parents as a role model." This rather worried the court and made her parents a little sad, but it was hard to deny that their manly princess had certainly been a fine if unconventional ruler.

Not too far away up in the mountains was a small town in a picturesque valley. It was ruled over by a duke and his family. A long and honorable line of warriors who had proved themselves in battle time and again and protected the valley from invaders. The men often served in the royal army growing up and the eldest that survived tended to take the title while the rest found work around the place. In fact the duke himself had served under Courtly in the war as one of her generals and been amply rewarded and honored while his sons had guarded the valley, handling some bandits while he was away.

Well, his two eldest sons anyway. Fine strapping lads in the family tradition.

The duke was happy with his lot in life. His lands were far from the capital city and he was maybe twentieth in line for the throne in the event that something happened to the royal family. His lands were plentiful and his people happy. While he had briefly imagined one of his boys courting the princess in their youth, it had been dismissed quite some time ago, what with the rise of Prince Courtly and if his family was to marry into the royal line he knew it would be a few generations before it happened, if ever. He had no designs on the throne.

Until the announcement came that the prince was looking for a wife.

You see the duke had a secret shame, in the form of his youngest son Daniel. Or Danielle, as the lad insisted on pronouncing it the last few years. It was subtle, but unmistakable and the duke had to admit it fit better.

The duchess had given him two strong handsome sons before she got pregnant a third time. Daniel had been born undersized and a bit pale with his mother's complexion of red hair and freckles. Truth to tell the duke was not even sure the boy was his and could not have cared less as the older two clearly looked like him. His legacy was assured and he often ravished random peasant maidens in his domain rather than make love to his aging wife. She could do as she wished be it with some stable hand or the horses and hounds for all he cared.

She had wanted a girl and had taken an interest in her youngest son where her husband had not. They were together constantly and she taught him all the things a woman would teach her daughter. By the time he was eight the boy had made several tapestries and spent most of his time among the young ladies of the castle. He had started wearing dresses by then, first as a model for his mother and then, all pretenses gone, for his own comfort. His mother insisted he grow his hair long and she combed it every day and even began teaching him to put on makeup.

His father had tried to take him hunting once, insisting on leggings. And it had been a rousing success. If you ignored the fact that he rose sidesaddle. Or later when he took the fur from the three foxes he caught to make himself a stole and a lining for a purple woman's robe he wore. It looked quite fetching.

The boy never grew more than wispy peach fuzz which he shaved off and covered over the light stubble with makeup. He had never grown much body hair and that too had been shaved as clean as could be. By the time he was fifteen the duke began introducing him to visitors as his daughter, rather than explain things and nobody had even questioned it. With his mother's protection Danielle was never even bullied or teased about the whole thing and rather than draw attention the duke gave his youngest son what worked best for them both: apathy. Rumors abounded but they remained rumors and while Danielle occasionally flirted with both the men and women of the castle, the duke was pretty sure it was mostly for shock value and his third child was still a virgin.

As for his other wins, they barely spoke to their brother or saw him outside of meals. They often stripped the meat from bones tossing them to the dogs, drank, and boisterously bragged to their father of the days events. Meanwhile Danielle sat at the other end of the table with his mother daintily picking at his food. They did not tease their sister and instead mostly avoided him aside from a few careful greetings when they spoke tot heir mother. Neither of the men wanted to draw attention to their brother's queer habits or risk their mother's ire. Instead they treated him as the sister he appeared to be and found other ways to spend their time. The duke was aware that a few times they had even defended Danielle's honor when they heard others speaking of the girlish boy, though that had mostly been about family reputation and quelling rumors than love for their sibling.

Now though he saw Danielle sashay her way across the courtyard from his balcony and the duke was thoughtful. His elder two sons had both put themselves forward, intent on winning the princess and the throne. Neither terribly concerned about the other, since at worst the loser would inherit the duke's lands in any case.

Both of them had every intention of following the rules, but the duke had the feeling that there would be a conflict of wills. He had met the princess. Fought under her. She was, if you stripped away the masculine clothing, rather pretty. A fine wife for any man. However while he suspected his sons had plans to "teach her a woman's proper place" that would be more difficult than his boys believed.

Danielle however seemed tailor made for what the princess wanted. They had a year in which to improve, but while his sons had hired a teacher to help them play the part of women, the duke had seen their attempts. Dresses with melons stuffed up the front of the elderly woman screaming at them not to stomp around or swing their arms when they walked. Trying to do so in a womanly way had resulted in one walking into a wall and the other somehow flipping himself upside down. Both had flatly refused to shave their beards let alone anything else.

Considering that the original plan was for Danielle to trail dutifully behind his… or her… mother until her elder brother took the position as duke and then be sent to a small fort in the country where the two could garden, suddenly putting up his girlish boy as a potential prince was quite appealing. If he did not know Danielle was a boy the duke would have thought it a dainty lady walking across the courtyard and he had to admit while flat in the chest, his son had a round bottom which was accented by the corsets he wore under his gowns. Had they been strangers and the duke a bottle of wine or two in him, he might have mistaken the lad for a lass himself and acted accordingly.

His elder sons were more suited to run his lands and maybe woo another local lord's daughter, but the possibility of becoming king or even queen was tempting many of the local lords, young and old. Knights, counts, dukes, landlords, and even the peasantry. The princess had put no specific limits in place upon who could compete in the tests and while many thought they could tame her, others were just has happy to strap on a gown if it meant moving into the castle. The duke had dropped a few hints to his sons that they might be quite suited, but the general reply had been that it could not be that hard to act like a woman.

Dress makers and teachers in feminine arts were descending upon the kingdom already in expectation of the upcoming events Lords had sent for fabrics and jewelers. Wizards and witches. Oh yes, if it could secure them a crown many were up for nearly anything. Possibly including transforming not jus their sons but their daughters as well.

This gave the duke an idea. His wife's family had an ancient magical artifact that might help. He had resisted the idea before. Partly because he had thought that maybe his son would grow out of his lady-like behaviors. Also because he feared that in their zeal to win the throne his other boys might try to use it themselves.

Now though it seemed that his previously embarrassing and useless child could be his key to rising up. For all that he was happy with his lot and did not want to risk his sons, the temptation was there and while he would not put Danielle up against either of his older boys in a race or fight, in a ballroom or a dress shop he would give the odds at ten to one that Danielle would come out smelling like a rose.

It was time he had a talk with his wife.

Thus a few days later as his elder brothers were being taught the finer points of applying lipstick and eye shadow, Danielle's mother came to him and presented him with a tiny harp carved from bone. On the front was a beautiful nude woman and the strings shimmered with silver. The queen explained it was a magic harp passed down in her family for years. Carved from the bones of a naiad, a water spirit who had seduced and drowned many men before being slain. The magic of the harp allowed whoever played it to become as beautiful as they wanted to be and had been passed down among the women of their family for six generations. The duchess even admitted that she had been somewhat fat and pimply before using its power to secure her husband, quite the catch at the time.

She warned Danielle to keep it a secret from his brothers and to only use it just before they arrived at the capital city. The other two knew their father was sending Danielle to the city because he believed the young redhead had an edge and neither parents was sure how they would react with Danielle suddenly becoming an actual threat to their ambitions. At the moment both were still full of pride, especially after taking lessons in the female arts, but it was obvious which of the trio had the edge in behaving like an actual woman. The elder brothers thought their manliness would win out and melt the princess's cold heart, but knowing the princess neither doubted that she was quite serious about choosing a feminine lover rather than putting on a pretense of masculinity.

In addition the duke had sent out spies and scouts to the rest of the kingdom and there were a surprising number of others in line to compete. One had been particularly surprised when he had seen an obviously beautiful lady disembark from a ship in the harbor and then genteelly have a whiz up against a wall before adjusting her petticoats and walking down the street swinging her hips. Every day it was becoming more and more difficult to tell if a woman walking down the street was indeed a young woman at all. Others like the duke's other sons were confident or overconfident in their ability to woo the princess with their make charm, dress or no dress.

More than a few actual women had even presented themselves at the castle only to be arrested for trying to cheat the contest. Various objects stuffed into their clothing to simulate male anatomy. Still more had gone to spell casters and alchemists. They used magic to give themselves the necessary parts. In some cases keeping their original equipment too. A situation that his people at court said titillated the princess to no end and gave them an obvious favor. Some had been tested by the kingdom's own wizard and found wanting. Sterile in other words. Apparently it was hard to make a fertile male from a woman and usually required diving intervention. The rules of the contest insisted that the future king, unchanged by such spells to preserve the bloodline, be the one to give birth to the proper heir. The court insisted and it was one of the few stipulations that the princess agreed to.

"Even with this special magic there is no guarantee you will win, my beautiful darling," the duchess told her favorite child. "And I will not have you dishonor yourself by cheating nor endanger your life. I have every faith that you can win this challenge and anyone, man or woman, would be lucky to have you by their side But should the prince foolishly turn you down or the challenge prove to much, please promise that you will come back to me and not push yourself too hard."

Danielle promised, but truthfully she (as she thought of herself) was as eager as her brothers to try and win the prince's hand. They had never been introduced, the duke keeping Danielle to the back at dances and social functions, but Danielle had always found the lady prince quite alluring. She had never really decided if she liked men or women and had been delighted to know that their kingdoms ruler was so much like herself. That there might be a connection between the handsome blond who had impressed even her father with male courage and ferocity to the point that it cowed the noblemen into accepting a female king in waiting.

Barely seventeen the idea of being Courtly's bribe made Danielle's female heart go pitter-pat in her male breast and she was quite determined to be the one walking down the aisle in a beautiful wedding dress. Just the thought of wedding and bedding the handsome prince of the realm took the wrinkles out of her skirt, if you know what I mean. Best of all the idea that her mother's gift could make her even a little more feminine on the outside than she had been… well it was as if all of her dreams were coming true. Danielle would be damned if she would simply bow out and allow her prince to be snatched away by some foreign tramp. She would sooner claw their eyes out.

Absently she played a single note on the harp, going straight for her g-chord. A tingle went through her body and she caught a glimpse of herself in a silver comb her mother wore in her hair. The mirror finish was not perfect, but was her face a bit smoother, her eyes a little wider, and her hair slightly more shiny like copper in the sun?

The duke presented his sons at court the week before the contest was to begin. Up on the dais were four thrones, three occupied in descending order by king, queen, and prince. The smallest, by the queen's side, had once been Courtly's place, but now remained empty as she sat in the traditional prince's seat. Other courtiers and guards were lined up around the room watching impassively. It had been quite noisy at times as various petitioners had presented themselves for trial over the past year, but they had gotten more used to it as time went on and would save their chatter and rumor mongering for private rather than filling the throne room with excited and confused muttering.

It was a strange feeling to take pride in his youngest son for once, but after introducing his other two when he got to Danielle he was justifiably proud at the response he got from the prince and even the rest of the court as she pulled back the veil she had been wearing on the last leg of their journey. Even his sons were stunned by what they saw and the prince rose a few inches out of her throne before catching herself and clearing the shock and admiration from her face.

Danielle had always been feminine but now she was doubly so. Full lips and her green yes glittered in almost sockets like emeralds. Her hair shone in the light like copper save for a silver streak among her bangs and her freckles were dark against a milk white complexion. Her lips were full, bee-stung, and her nose was an adorable snub. Her Adam's Apple was gone and aside from her scalp and eyebrows not a single hair showed on her entire body. Her nails glistened like abalone shells and she suddenly had a heart-shaped birthmark on her right cheek.

Most notably she had breasts. Danielle had gotten a bit carried away with the harp and while she had not gone overboard with the size, personally feeling that a handful was more than enough and anything bigger would make her look wrong with her slight frame, not two but three round lumps the size of a full money pouch were lined up upon her chest. They jiggled slightly under the light blue silk of her bodice in ways that those stuffed with fruits or leather pouches could not.

In addition her stomach was cinched in to a point usually only attainable after squeezing into a corset to the point her lips turned blue.

"Is this truly a boy we see before us?" A stern advisor asked, stroking his long white beard. He had been in service to the crown for many years and had long gone beyond the point where sexuality of any kind meant anything to him. Even still Danielle's femininity radiated off of her like sunshine and he could still recognize a beautiful woman even if he was physically limp.

Danielle did a perfect curtsy, lifting her skirt slightly and showing her dainty toes in her soft silk slippers. "I would never dare to insult the crown my presenting myself as anything less than what the princess asked for." Danielle had always spoken high, but since puberty when her voice cracked it had taken some effort. Now her words while still deep rolled off her tongue with a purr that was all woman and around the room men blushed as despite knowing that they were looking at someone who had been born as male as they felt a stirring in their loins. Even some of the women, particularly those who had long enjoyed their prince's affections, reddened and cleared their throats, fanning their faces.

She was not even wearing makeup.

"You understand that you must present a sample for the wizard to confirm that you are both equipped to perform your royal duties and able to do so."

The duke nodded. "My… children understand and are prepared." He was a tad uncertain. He had not checked to see just how far Danielle had taken her transformation and was mildly concerned that not only had some things been added, but she may have gone and subtracted as well. But the confident grin on the redhead's face eased his worries somewhat. Danielle was strange, but she knew what was required in this situation. And still had the harp and whether she succeeded in the contest or failed understood the word "later". For now she had everything that was required, certain her father would be proud.

The eldest, shaking off his shock at his brother's transformation stepped forward in a red satin gown, head held high and dainty woman's slippers walking softly on the checkered marble floor. She too curtsied and it was good. It should have been after a year of lessons. "I too present myself to her highness." He was whispering to tone down the deep rumble of his normal voice. It had taken a singing teacher months to help the men sound less than booming.

They nodded, impressed at the grace he showed and then they looked at the middle son. Trained in the same way he could have also at least performed the introduction, but he was shocked by Danielle's change and a little unsteady. Disturbingly aroused and slightly jealous he did not step forward but executed a small curtsy and said. "I am merely here to support my brothers." Then he stepped back a little by his father, skirts brushing against his father's leggings. The duke nodded his acceptance of the boy's decision. From the retinue behind them it was possible to see the duchess in her finery smile with pride both at Danielle's affect on the court and her older sons smart decision to back out.

It was not over however. There were ensconced in the palace others who rivaled Danielle's new beauty and the contest had not yet begun or even been explained. While it was clear that of the two of them the elder brother was less beautiful (even if he had braided his beard with tiny ribbons and expertly dabbed with lipstick and rouge), he was large and powerful and it was not only the prince's preference that would determine who won the empty throne and sired the next generation.

A herald stepped forward and unrolled a scroll. "Know ye and all assembled here that those courting the prince Courtly, once confirmed, must pass three tests to affirm their right to claim their place amongst the monarchy. First will be a test of grace and traditional court etiquette as befits a princess. First by the royal tutors and then in public at a grand ball before those assembled nobles to determine their qualifications as a proper queen.

"Second there will be a test of riddles to ascertain the intelligence of our applicants should something happen and they be left to rule.

"Finally there will be a test of courage that only a righteous and pure princess can pass. None of the three are fully required. The three tests will be graded together and only those who pass the most shall be considered. If there me a match then it shall be up to the prince's discretion who shall sit beside him upon the throne."

The duke stroked his beard. Three tests. One to see just how well the men trying for they acted like a woman, both under scrutiny and in public. Training in such things was no easy matter, as his sons had learned. They had learned new respect for women and their brother the first time they had been stuffed into a corset or expected to nearly float while prancing about in women's shoes. He had seen less pain inflicted on prisoners in the dungeons.

In addition if one was going to sit by the prince's side in gowns and a tiara it would take internal strength and fortitude as well. The duke had been among those who had watched the northern prince's return to his people. There had been much laughter among him and his fellows as the young man walked daintily across the border in lace and painted lips. More had come from his own side despite him being their future ruler and his shoulders had hunched and head bent forward under the ridicule.

The idea of living your entire life like that had scared off many potential suitors already and while some men thought they could power through it, being paraded about as a delicate flower before the nobles of the kingdom as well as foreign dignitaries would test any man's metal. The prince had dealt with it by being far too scary and powerful to be mocked. At least to her face. She could pluck a head from a man or woman's shoulders as easily as one might an orange from a tree and many men found it hard to retaliate against her, even if she were not the superior swordsman, confused by the idea of challenging a woman.

A bearded princess would have other issues. Could he stand back and allow his husband to protect her like a maid? And how many heads would have to fall like leaves before the laughter stopped, if ever? Nay, to be the bride of a lady prince a boy princess would need to be of iron self control and secure in their own skin, whether they wore pants or skirts. How many among the suitors would be able to maintain their composure while under the watchful eye of the entire kingdom?

The duke himself was unsure if he could walk through a simple market square in one of his wife's gowns a single time and endure the looks and teasing of his people not only during but forever after. Surely even the naked emperor of legend had not felt such embarrassment. It occurred to him that while Danielle had always struck him as rather weak and fragile on the outside, perhaps his youngest son who spent his time knitting alongside his mother had more iron in his soul than most warriors.

His eldest however still stood head held high and back arched too, determination on every line of his face. The duke felt proud of him as well. A year before, asked to stand in this same spot ion the spur of the moment, he doubted his son would have dared put on a dress and likely would have killed any who suggested it. The same for his middle child. Danielle was long used to such things, and more suited to it, so his other sons' taking up the challenge was quite brave in itself, and rivaled any quest he could name.

Clapping his hand on his middle son's shoulder and giving him a squeeze the duke was also proud that the boy knew his limits. His elder brother was the more physically fit, though not by much and his younger the most beautiful without a doubt. There was wisdom in admitting it and accepting the life lesson. His choice to call it a support of his brothers, even if they saw through it, was also clever and from the look had impressed many in the court. The boy might not win a princess, but surely would make a fine husband for another woman in the kingdom, once he had put on a pair of trousers again.

From what he knew some of those who had backed out or been turned away from the challenge already had been far less dignified in their actions. Fits had been thrown. Some had been executed, letters of apology and wergild, blood money, sent to their families to avoid war over their deaths. So far none of their families had argued the point or been terribly surprised when their sons snapped. Many people would under these conditions. Just standing here in full female dress under the judgment of his peers and knowing that in times to come it would be brought up again and again was more than most men could take.

His cheeks heating at the thought of the stories he would surely her about this in years to come, the duke was proud of all three of his sons as any father could be even had they fought a dragon. What warrior under his command, he wondered, would dare do this rather than face a hundred bandits or a pack of wolves bare handed? Many would sooner face death and balk at putting on a dress let alone dancing in it before the crown with Courtly leading.

Indeed it was a fine challenge to prove one's worthiness to win the hand of a princess.

The riddle contest might be quite troublesome, depending. Mentally he knew his eldest was a man of action rather than thought. He knew strategy but riddles were about more than tactics. Often the answers were both too obvious to notice and made one feel foolish when you heard the answer, or were so complex that when it was answered it was still incomprehensible. Honestly he was unsure if any of his sons were up for such mental gymnastics. The duke had little regard for female wit and thought of Danielle as a daughter. He barely knew her and had no idea if she was smart or dumb as a post.

It might be wise to ask his wife and see if he could give his children some assistance at that stage, he mused.

From what he knew of such challenged the final one would be very dangerous. The current queen had been married easily. As the duke recalled she had been merely the eldest daughter of a count or some such from a distant corner of the kingdom. Pretty enough in the sketch they sent with the paperwork, but she and the king had not met before the wedding. She had been wealthy enough to have a sufficient dowry and the prettiest of the women the prince had to choose from.

However given that Courtly had been the only heir to the throne it would have gotten somewhat more complicated. Or simple. Had she not taken charge of the army and soundly defeated the army of the north she, not the northern prince, would have been imprisoned as a trophy and the kingdom would have fallen. Forced to be his true trophy wife or more likely a mere concubine. Knowing Courtly she might have stabbed him with knitting needles or poisoned him eventually.

All things considered such a challenge to win the prince's hand was warranted and wise. Courtly's strength and reputation was needed to keep the kingdom. Even if she were willing to take on the mantle of princess again it would only incite war with their neighbors if they saw it as weakness. Treaty or not it would be years before they were truly safe, especially after the way they had emasculated their neighboring monarch. It was either her way or the end of their entire government. Catering the Courtly's well known tastes and being her princess would require special skills.

She certainly had made concessions. The duke, if required to marry a man to maintain his position, would have sooner become a pig farmer. And wedded a sow. Looking up at the girl he had seen grow up one his visits to the castle sitting stiff and dressed as a man, it was easy to think of her as a young man. Especially having seen her with swords in hand and face painted with the blood of her enemies. He knew she preferred women, as odd as that was. If it meant saving the kingdom he could not imagine asking one of his own lads to bend over or spread their legs to be mounted by some lusty knight or king.

Well maybe Danielle. He was not certain if she would even object. But certainly not his heir or second in line. He would fight and die to prevent that from happening. Looking up at the thrones where the king and queen sat, it was easy to see the conflicting pressures they must have been under to both save their kingdom and please the nobility that kept their family in power.

It was clear Courtly would have given up her title if need be to maintain her freedom once gained. That she had agreed to even have children was a lot.

Looking at Danielle the duke wondered what he would do with his own daughter if this did not work out. Previously he had imagined the redhead dying old and alone. Now though as she radiated sexuality and smiled eagerly at the blond on the throne, it occurred to him that his youngest might not die alone and isolated after all and as his father the duke would have to arrange either a wife or, possibly, husband for the boy. A father's duty and a task potentially as difficult as winning the prince's hand.

As his children put their seals on the document, rings pressing into red wax, acknowledging their participation and the rules they were dismissed. They would stay in the castle during the contest and return home afterwards should they fail. If his eldest won his middle son would be declared the new duke and like as not the old duke and his wife would take up residence in the castle with them. If Danielle won… well they would ford that river if they came to it.

In the meantime the duke had other things to worry about. Such as making sure his most loyal guards were on hand to protect his sons. Nobody would blame anyone who ran away from this contest in shame and by that logic it would be all too easy to make other competitors disappear. He had heard stories of lands ravaged by giants and dragons where they promised the princess's hand to whoever succeeded and half the time the monster slayers turned on each other in route to even finding the beasts. Why risk one's life in a dangerous competition when eliminating rivals was much easier?

As he recalled the king himself had once had an older brother who had died under mysterious circumstances. Between one son's beauty and the other's obvious strength, they would both make fine targets. Maybe it was the dresses, but the duke felt they both needed at least one guard each until the contest was over.

Danielle had secretly expected to have an advantage in the first contest. Not only was she much more beautiful now, but she had been living as a woman her whole life. The prince's startled reaction had made her heart leap in her chest and she felt sure she had dazzled her potential husband with her femininity and looks. Her brothers had certainly improved, but while she would never say so to their faces they were still far too manly in her opinion. Certainly too much to turn the head of someone who found women attractive. One could train and ride a large hog, but it would never be the same as a fine horse.

Unfortunately her feeling of superiority was quickly smashed. She had always felt isolated. Different from all other men and women. Unique. Her mother her only real constant companion. All the same she had always felt like a girl and knew that she was not, at least on the outside. Part of accepting that was accepting that she was one of a kind and would never meet anyone like herself. The sole inhabitant of her own world.

Suddenly at dinner the evening of her arrival at the castle she found herself one of a crowd. The kingdom was large and seaside. It had been a year since the contest to win the queen's throne was announced and that was plenty of time for it to spread not just to the far corners of their own land, but to distant lands.

Danielle was not quite as unique as she had been led to believe growing up in her father's castle full of big strong manly men. She knew nobles were somewhat isolated, but it turned out that while the requirements had whittled down the competition, there were still plenty of seats taken at the suitor's table. It was quite the sight to see and she and her brother stood staring in shock. She barely heard the herald by the door announce their arrival.

There were about thirty of them in the room. Hair and even skin in all possible colors including some that proved they were not human. Some of them were like Danielle's brother, men in dresses and makeup. Obviously new to it. Some faring better than others as they looked nervously at their tablemates. It was strange to see big hairy men not only in dress, but intimidated by all if their smaller more feminine counterparts.

A few of them were young boys in a similar setup, bundled up in their mother or sister's old dress and sent to the castle. Two of them seemed more at home and wore dresses which actually fit. One a beautiful young lad much like Danielle herself had been, with long brown hair and just the right amount of makeup. The way she moved proved that like her, this young lad turned lady had spent a lot of time fitting in among women. The other one had a lot more makeup, too much really, and looked sad. From the whip marks visible around his shoulders Danielle suspected he was someone's catamite, likely to a close relative to be sent off to the palace like this rather than kept at home for his master's pleasure.

Danielle's heart went out to the lad who seemed rather miserable, but she shook it off. She was there for a reason and sympathy for her competition would not make things easier. In a room filled with people like this there would likely be no shortage of sob stories. Danielle knew she had led a rather charmed life and that in other situations there were people in their own lands that would beat, murder, rape, or even slave out their own sons for not being manly enough or their daughters for so much as making the wrong kind of eye contact. Now was not the time to do something about that.

If she became queen or even, gods forbid, something happened to her father and brothers and she inherited the dukedom, then she would being position to help children like herself. As it was she had a safe home for herself and not much else she could do about it. She was no fighter or highborn enough. Could she help this lad? Possibly, but sad as he seemed as he adjusted his dress strap, he was not asking for it and seemed healthy enough on the outside. Laying her heart out there would merely weaken her position in the contest.

The table they sat at was long and filled the dining hall they were in. One of several in the castle. More than big enough for all of them. At one end, that closest to the door sat the prince and there were plenty of guards and servants standing at attendance to bring whatever food the entire length of the table. Naturally most of it and the other guests were crowded at the prince's end of the table. The king and queen were not present. Maybe at the prince's request or because they felt uncomfortable in the odd company.

At the other end of the table a giant of a woman with bulging muscles who standing would have been nearly seven feet tall sat like a queen. She had breasts, though they barely stuck out from her muscles on her chest. She was dressed in some sort of fur top and loincloth that barely afforded her some modesty and let her bulging muscles. She had claimed the far end of the table across from the princess and was too big to argue with. A lot of the others had gathered around her too, since the places nearest their would be bride were taken and however they held themselves it was an instinct among males to ally with the biggest and the strongest, if only to be in a position to strike if weakness presented itself. A few others, judging by the looks they were giving this giant were not quite so smitten with the princess that they could not appreciate the exceptional woman's form and lust for it.

Danielle's brother, after getting over his initial shock and curtsying to the prince as he passed, who was far too swamped to do more than nod, hurried down to that end. He pranced down there in his silk slippers and without a second thought began to rearrange the silverware. Just as he had been taught.

That made Danielle pause and she too curtsied to the prince, smiling a little as the female man's eyes lingered upon her new chest and she saw mild interest, lust, disgust, and envy on the faces of some of her rivals. The triple breasts were a nice touch, even though it had been an accident. Danielle's mind had wandered while playing and trying to adjust herself below the waist in a way that would take her out of the running. Once they were there though, she had elected to keep it, though it made her corset a bit uncomfortable and she would have to ask her father to send a dressmaker to her room later for adjustments.

At the moment though her mind was sharp and she paused in them middle of the table among maybe five others who had chosen the rather empty part of the room to inhabit. There were several places available and Danielle noticed that all of the plates and utensils were immaculate. They just needed to be rearranged into the proper order. Hiding a smirk she took a seat and daintily did so, careful not to look around openly. When it was perfect she turned to a nearby servant who had noticed her and asked him to take her plate to the part with the food.

"I'll have some boar, sliced please and not on the bone. As well as some greens and that lovely sauce I noticed and I will finish with a bowl of soup. Please take your time bringing me a bowl while I eat the rest."

"Yes, your grace," the man said with a bowl and took the silver plate. One thing Danielle always liked about eating at the palace, the servants knew how to treat an unusual guest. In other castles some might treat Danielle like a duke's son rather than a daughter or stare, either shocked that the rumors were true or trying to see the boy behind the feminine accoutrements. The castle's staff long used to their prince took it as just another day.

As he rushed off to obtain her meal Danielle's eyes watched not the rival's around her, though she kept them in sight, but the walls and the guards. She knew her father kept a close eye on all guests, often through secret passages hidden behind paintings and had guards at the ready. She kept her face carefully blank as she saw one small form in ill fitting armor was sagging a little under the weight. A portraits on the wall's eyes darted along the length of the table.

So, the contest had begun. And from the look of things most of those present were unaware they were being watched. Etiquette. The bane of womanhood, especially among the nobility. Many was the day sitting prim and proper at her mother's side that Danielle had regretted her lifestyle as her father and brothers got to tear into a leg of lamb or pig ribs, not caring about the mess they made or how much they stuffed in their mouths.

Then again even now they had not had to make their own clothing. Bead, knit, crochet, sew, darn, and design. Even personally altering dresses they bought. The duchess and her son turned daughter made most of their fine dresses and were often the talk of the ladies of the land. Danielle had to learn to take offhand comments about how such beautiful dresses were wasted on a boy as compliments rather than backhanded insults. And while her brothers' table manners had undoubtedly improved this year, they purchased their dresses from dressmakers and if they tore or stained the fabric beyond repair or cleaning they merely got a new one.

Seemingly idle hours working as little more than a tailor's assistant to her mother had polished Danielle's appreciation for her own dresses and kept her table manners at their best, to keep from damaging them. Besides, she thought, giggling at the idea, imagine if now she were to drop something among her cleavage? Quite the search it would be and most notable. She suspected they were being watched from all corners for such mistakes even now.

How would they judge? How should a queen behave? Only a handful of the others had reset their eating tools and most because they were just used to it. One beautiful woman with Eastern features whose skin seemed to be made up of tiny green-white scales… a dragon?... had ignored them entirely and had pulled two thin sticks from her hair, releasing a fun into a waterfall of blue-black hair. Somehow she manipulated the two sticks with ease to eat her food while Danielle was sure she would fumble and could not imagine how they worked in a single hand, plucking meat and vegetables as easily as she might use needles to knit. Down the way two golden skinned twins in harem slave-girl outfits, attached together by a pair of golden collars and a chain, let out simultaneous burps.

Danielle did not know much about foreigners, but was able to recognize their clothing at least. Her mother had quite an interest in foreign fashions, though most would never be worn in her castle as far too strange or daring. Were the foreigners being judged upon their own manners? The twins did seem to be of some of the desert tribes and Danielle remembered after the duchess had admonished his table manners the duke often said that in those tribes it was considered a compliment to burp during the meals.

Regardless of how her father behaved Danielle heard her mother's voice in her head. Certainly by the time he was ten young Daniel knew he was her surrogate daughter, but by then the training had taken and it was far too late to join his elder brothers in the ways of young men. And even when she accepted it and became Danielle she was never really one of the girls. She was just her mother's daughter.

Now it was paying off and she had the chance to be a queen. Danielle would not waste it.

Food returned she primly placed her napkin in her lap and began eating as if this was any other meal. Not quite ignoring her fellow guests. She made a point of looking about to see if they were up for polite conversation, but they were too busy ignoring everyone else, trying to catch the prince's eye even from a distance, or eyeing one another with either suspicion or shock. After all how many times in a lifetime would one be in a room with more than two dozen people like this.

Danielle herself was tempted both to try and grab for some of the prince's attention, which he certainly was lavishing at his end of the table. She also wanted to look at her rivals and figure them out. Body language, clothes, actions, and what they actually said could tell a lady a lot. But her mother's voice sounded in her head. She remembered many times when her father had drunk too much with his fellow lords before a hunt and actively pulled maids and servant girls into his lap to ravish them, quaffed his wine, or spit a bit of gristle to his hounds while the duchess sat quietly at her end of the table as mobile as a statue if it were not for her own dainty eating.

Young Daniel had been worried. In the stories husbands and wives were meant to love only each other and nobles were the picture of couth. Certainly his mother's tea parties and lunches with the other ladies were quiet affairs. The times eh invited people over, particularly on the holy days, were the same. Worried he asked his mother about it one night as they occupied their own quiet part of the long dining table.

"At a table of her husband's a lady of the house does not gawk or draw attention to herself. That is what servants are for. They can gather information for you while you seem uninterested. You allow your husband to make his own mistakes and never correct him in public. I am his wife, not some slattern he beds when the urge is upon him. The lady of our manor and a duchess keeps her rowdiness to the bedroom.

"Remember my dear, we are not commoners. A title is more than a name, it is a job. Your father's job is to be a good man, gather his taxes and ensure the lands are properly managed. In between he and the other lords have their fun. As his wife I manage our household and servants and assure proper decorum when necessary. But to reign in his antics would make me a bit of a shrew and while there was a time when I might have been jealous, I find that when I wish to be treated as a bar wench and ravished by a rough man, there are plenty among the castle who serve me well in that regard. Meanwhile my husband is a popular ruler and if I am not in the mood for such treatment it is often a relief if he indulges his passions elsewhere, be it in a meadow with a milk maid, his own bedroom, or the far end of the table after too much mead and meat with his friends."

Danielle would have loved a night in her prince's arms. She had studied the books and knew the sorts of things men and women did together. She had even sent away for some foreign picture books and knew, blushingly, some of the things women did together, men did together, and what could be expected in orgies. Some of the temple carvings were quite interesting though Danielle was not certain she was flexible enough to do quite all of it. Willing as she was to try.

This was a test. A chance to show what she had learned. Like at any apprenticeship. Her mother had taught her well, turned a boy into a girl down to her bones, minus one or two little details. A carpenter would create a beautiful table to show they were ready to strike out on their own. A baker would make a delicious cake. Apprentice, journeyman, and master. She had to be her own masterpiece.

Danielle would love to be the prince's soul concern, but she knew Courtly had been popular with the ladies. She envied them and looked forward to being a bride. But a bride was for one day, maybe a week. A queen was for a lifetime. She was not interested in being Courtly's keeper nor did she expect her to give up other women once they were married, though she would do her best to hold the prince's interest.

She was applying instead to be a queen.

A queen did not jiggle her boobies at her husband over the table like some lusty whore. She knew that they would be together later. Often it was a literal part of the marriage contract. Her job was to be beautiful, to play hostess, and show the dignity of proper breeding and training. The king could be jolly and boisterous as she liked. It was her prerogative as someone who could potentially have her wife's head removed from her body for being a vindictive possessive nag.

The goal was not to win the prince's heart in the course of a meal. Though from the looks of things many of the others were trying to tempt their way into her bed or play the game too hard. Let them flirt and tease. If anything she doubted the princess would risk becoming impregnated and there were plenty of willing maidens happy to service their lady-lord's lust. Danielle's goal was the queens' throne and for Courtly to bare her children. If they were happy together, as she hoped, that would be a bonus, but a proper lady put her duties first and a lady who had learned in puberty how not to muss the lined of his dress with an inappropriate frontal bulge because she had caught a glimpse of Lady Lakewood's heaving and rather ample chest over tea knew a thing or two about self control.

So while making a show of being prepared to speak and even assist her fellow diners Danielle primly ate her meal. Around her some ladies poked at the strange foreign food. Some of the men in women's clothing drank too much and began to forget their lessons. The prince, for all she could tell, showed no sign that he even knew she existed. She was an island in a sea of people, stable enough to anchor on.

She once caught her brother's eye as the candles burned down and the food ran out. He had been keeping to his lessons but had messed up a time or two. Danielle had purposely not stared, but knew how to watch without appearing to watch when she could. They did not know one another very well, but they had been raised in the same castle by the same parents,, to varying degrees. Something in her brief glance sparked understanding in his brain and he looked around panicked and noticed some of the same things she had.

Misplaced silverware at a table full of guests in the royal castle even though they were surrounded by helpful and well mannered servants.

Guards who were wearing someone else's armor and were too skinny and pale and soft to be soldiers of any kind.

A lack of the king and queen, their superiors. Only the prince and their peers.

A hunter and a nobleman was supposed to recognize a trap when he saw one. Danielle's big brother choked back a curse and slumped in his seat, realizing he had made a mistake and let his guard down among enemies Their father would not be pleased when they explained it to him. Oh there was no proof. There would be no public outcry or claims of trickery or cheating. But they both knew a lot of people had mistaken a meal for a test and just lost many marks.

"Does something trouble you my friend?" The giant woman asked, noticing his distress.

Danielle's brother shook his head. "Nothing. It is but strange company and I worry I personally do not belong at this table."

A large hand, heavy as a sack of wheat, patted him on the shoulder and her deep booming voice said, :Worry not little man. In my land we arte taught that there is no dishonor in failing. Only in not giving one's all. It is participating in the battle that gets one into paradise, not whether you win or lose."

He smiled. "A fine sentiment. And one I might not have heard among my own people."

"Well, I am a lady," she rumbled politely. They announced the end of the meal and as everyone rose the edge of the table caught the front of her loincloth and to everyone's shock the end rose a bit and rattled the dishes before she stepped back and let it fall down. She raised her voice, blushing. "Sorry."

"Wow…"

"My lord…"

The others all seemed more interested in what exactly had gotten caught under the edge. The dragon lady, wide eyed, pulled a fan from her kimono sleeve and fanned herself as she flushed. Danielle made a note to arrive earlier the next time they supped together so she could hear the herald's announcements and find out who they all were. Some had arrived after her, but she had been focused on her meal and had noted them, but forgotten the names and titles.

Still as they all filed out, stopping to again curtsy for the prince, Danielle allowed herself a little smile. She had no proof, but she suspected that only a handful of those had gained much from this meal. Only her brother seemed to realize they had really lost anything. She wondered if the prince knew or if his parents were behind it all.

The answer to that came later when she arrived at her room. A maid waited, handles clasped and face down. When Danielle approached she said, "Her ladyship, his highness the prince would like the pleasure of your company on the northern balcony tonight at the stroke of eight."

"Tell his highness I will be happy to meet him," she replied. The maid curtsied and hurried off to deliver the message. Was that a twinge of jealousy in her voice? Mayhap she was one of the prince's lovers or at the very least, desired to be.

Danielle remembered as children how jealous the noble girls were of Courtly, just for being the princess. Daniel had of course never seen himself in line for the throne, but now was in direct competition for the right to sit in it. Funny how things worked. It must be eating up the ladies of the kingdom that they suddenly had a prince who they could have nabbed, but lacked the proper equipment. The whole system was based on boy-meets-girl. Many of the nobles must be eating their hearts out with jealousy for any number of reasons over this whole thing, let alone the peasantry.

Entering her rooms Danielle found her way to the bathing chamber. She needed to clean up and change before meeting the prince for a moonlit rendezvous.

Danielle imagined meeting the prince alone in some quiet corner of the castle and perhaps being roughly taken on the balcony in a kiss or maybe more. Guards below unaware of the lusty acts taking place above and her voice carrying across the courtyard to her rival's rooms. A young lady's fantasy. A noblewoman could not afford such a breech of conduct. Not after the careful work she had put in at dinner. Maybe the prince was in earnest, and merely wanted to meet with her. But why chance it? Especially since at least one servant knew where they would be.

So instead she took the moment not only to maintain what she thought of as her lead, but to eliminate a rival. It was a bit sneaky. She was in that frame of mind.

The prince when she arrived was waiting for her on the balcony. To his surprise though, Danielle did not arrive alone. His hand went to his belt knife. They had after all invited many foreign royals to the castle and treachery was always a possibility, even among the locals. "Who goes there?"

"My lord, you summoned me," Danielle said softly, stepping forward into the light from the glass doors leading outside.

"Yes, but who is he?"

"My brother. Surely you remember him from this evening's meal." Danielle turned and smiled as he stepped forward. Once again in men's clothing. "I could not very well meet my lord without a proper chaperone."

"A chaperone?" The prince was surprised by the idea. For all her mannerisms she was after all physically incapable of putting a woman in the family way. In addition while the people understood that she somehow enjoyed the company of women, most that had no direct experience were unable to understand how it worked. Behind the prince's back as well as his partners' it was considered a bit of a joke by many. Two women satisfying each other carnally? Rather an absurd notion.

They were unaware that it was the prince and the ladies themselves who were laughing.

"Well yes my lord," Danielle went on. "I trust that you would be a perfect gentleman, but decorum demands a chaperone when a young man and a young lady are alone together. Lest they succumb to their desires."

That statement could be taken many ways and the prince knew it, judging by her playful smile. So she bowed and said, Ah of course, I am not often in the company of such prim and proper ladies and when I am they tend to let themselves go." He held out a hand and kissed Danielle's when she gave him hers. As he stood up he raised an eyebrow. "Tell me sweet lady, do such desires burn in your, admittedly ample breast?"

"Perhaps more than most, though I have never indulged them with anyone myself. You have quite the reputation yourself prince." They walked out onto the balcony leaving her brother to stand stone faced behind them.

He was a little sad, because he had indeed failed and dropped out of the competition. Not immediately after dinner, but when his sister came to the room to ask him to chaperone her date with the prince. On the other hand it was good to be out of corsets and petticoats once again. Danielle had played on his disappointment at missing the trap earlier and gave him an out that was honorable for any big strong man who was only looking out for his… little sister. She had recognized what he was going through and admittedly taken full advantage of something that their etiquette teachers could never impart.

It was never fun to not be the prettiest girl in the room. Oh boys had their own versions of course. Sitting at the far end while the prince lavished attention on the more feminine ladies had only been part of it. They had known Courtly's tastes when they started. There were definitely bigger, stronger ladies there. Finer beards. More muscles. Even greater baring, despite all their lessons. Danielle pulling off her little coup by spotting the trick was just another blow.

Honestly this whole thing had just confused the man and being in a room full of such strange people had not helped. Some were quite comely, enough hat he could almost forget what they his beneath their robes. Disturbingly so, particularly when one of them with a peach fuzz beard had batted her eyes at him rather fetchingly. Others were as awkward in their attire as he felt, even after all that effort to learn feminine wiles. Meanwhile at the other end of the table sitting among adoring suitors the prince had gaily enjoyed herself and without even trying and it had become increasingly hard to maintain his daydream of taming her and rather it had changed into a rather embarrassing vision of himself bent over their communal bed, skirts pushed up to his waist, as the prince mounted him from behind as he had done to several of the castle maids in his time.

Also the other prettier girls had made him feel… frumpy. A silly little boy in a dress. Meanwhile Danielle and some of the others had carried herself like a real queen. It did not matter that he could outrun, shoot, fight, or anything else her brother might care to challenge him at. Danielle was a real lady, deep down and he had only been a pretender to the throne. Honestly he was just glad to put all this strangeness behind him and it felt good to play the part of fierce guard, though he was not exactly sure what he would do if the prince actually made a move. So he settled for glaring and getting used to the feeling of wearing pants again.

He kind of missed the breeze you got in a dress.

On the balcony Danielle told Courtly, "I was surprised when you invited me my lord, I was unsure if you had even really noticed me."

"Oh I noticed you and you did very well at dinner. You hid the way you noticed the watchers very well."

Blast. So they had spotted that. Should she deny it? No. Something about the evening had been very freeing. Like everyone had at least been being who they were rather than acting. "My mother taught me that a real queen must put her duties above her wants. I would have liked to take your attention from those silly girls, but I was just one woman. I suspect they might have torn me to bits

"Instead I elected to act as a queen should instead. As if I had already won." She smiled dazzlingly and added, "What you do with silly little slatterns is your own business my lord. All it shows is that you are both virile and attractive, provided you think you can satisfy your bride and your heirs are not bastards. Why should I be jealous, when I am their superior?"

"Bold as brass I see, and just as well polished," he said. "Do I detect a hint of a challenge among your words?"

"Words are fine things my lord. And admittedly I am unsullied by man or woman, regardless. The only way I could find out as well as prove myself is where any would. On the field of honor. In this case our wedding bed."

"And you would like to skip the challenge and get right down to it then?"

"I'd like to,' she admitted. "But would never do it. My family's honor would never allow it and neither would my patriotism. I want the throne, but not if it weakens our land. I should only claim it if I prove myself worthy. Wouldn't do to weaken the royal bloodline. Besides in some ways you are as virginal as I, are you not?"

This time and for perhaps the first time since donning pants, the prince's cheeks heated up. "Many would argue that." She coughed and cleared her throat. "Though one must admit to a slight worry about the actual act with someone more…traditionally equipped than those I have known."

"I as well. I have imagined playing both the lass to your lad and the act of fathering a child upon… someone." She giggled. "What a lady does in private is her own, but I wonder at times should I ever get the chance would the one I am with find me disappointing? Would I be able to perform as I must or would I find myself unable? And alternatively suppose my lover is skilled but I find myself unable to keep up or do things that might please. I know that it is possible for either gender to perform many acts, but when the time came would my will hold? Or would I find myself terrified and unable to allow it? Would I be forced to anyway? And might I enjoy things that are… well unnatural?"

The prince smiled. "Indeed. Questions I have asked myself often enough. I always have felt the way I should be even though the world told me not. And when I did it they called me a hero while others whisper words like daggers in my back. At times I do not please myself being a man any more than I did as a woman. I have felt broken at times both as male and female."

Danielle nodded. "I think there are many who feel that way under your roof tonight. Still I have read philosophy and religion and quotes in my father's library from across the globe. A thought that often calms my soul when I think on these things, be it the nervousness of those who do not understand me or the distain from those who think they do.

"As I dress in the morning and primp and paint my face like an artist drawing the same portrait over again I think that perhaps the problem is that I try to be a woman too much. Instead it might be better to not focus on whether or not I am a boy or girl and instead I should merely be me." She twirled. She had changed to a green dress with white lace fringe. Not enough to show more than an ankle, though her brother behind them cleared his throat even at that. "I think we might both be happy if you focused not on being a prince or a princess, but on being Courtly while I focus on being Danielle." She winked. "Besides I doubt the parts that make us a man and a woman are broken. I know mine seems to be fine."

"Do you wish testimonials?"

Danielle's brother stepped forward. "I think that's enough. Much more time together would be inappropriate." And if they kept on this line of discussion it would quickly veer towards unsuitable topics. Another thing his teachers had missed out on, but if his own experiences among 'the boys" was any indication it was only a matter of time before any discussion about the difference between men and women fell to things a "lady" should not discuss at a chaste meeting like this.

Save it for the hunt, the baths, or while drinking in private with the… guys. Or girls. Dainty as they looked sipping wine or tea and eating tiny pieces of food he had overheard enough of his mother's meetings with her lady friends could get rather bawdy. Just less boisterous about it than the men. Unless they were behind closed doors. Then their loud evil cackling was enough to tear the spine from any man and send him hunched and hurrying in the opposite direction, terrified at what embarrassing little detail the ladies might be sharing between them. Cowardice to be sure, but far better than daring to open the door, see their looks, and hear them laugh again. The one time he had done that it was enough for one's testacies to make a hasty retreat up into one's abdomen if not throat.

He had a time or two seen Danielle among them at a distance. Distain had colored his thoughts then. Now… admiration and a better you and me type feeling.

Inwardly he shuddered to think what tales Danielle and Courtly might share like that surrounded by the ladies of the land and the castle maids. Or would Courtly be with the men, quaffing ale and telling exaggerated stories about their latest hunt. Suddenly leaving the contest for the throne seemed less like a loss and more like a lucky escape.

"He's right," Courtly said. She bent and kissed Danielle's hands again. "You understand that this cannot happen again. One brief interview is fine, but I cannot show favoritism."

Danielle knew enough about men that while this had been rather touching and romantic, Courtly actually wanted to have more such meetings with the others. Had there been more before they met and more to come? She felt a tiny stab in her heart.

She stomped it quickly like a spark from a fire on a bear skin rug. It had been good. Private. Proper. The sort of meeting a princess and her prince had in the great romance plays rather than lewd tales. And her heart was singing. Her prince was quite charming and that charisma and easy charisma had been honed on women like a whetstone on a rough blade.

A queen did not fault her champion for mistakes made in practice so long as his sword was true when he swung it for her. Whatever rumors you heard about her lovers no maid who had know the prince had anything but positive things to say except dreamy sighs and so long as Danielle found out why some day, she would keep her envy in check.

Of course she could still have a little fun of her own. And technically it was still within the bounds of propriety.

As the prince let go of her hand she grabbed it and quickly turned it over, bending over and bringing it up to her own plump lips. When she met Courtly's eyes and saw a mix of embarrassment and confusion on whether she was being honored or teased, Danielle's grin threatened to escape the bounds of her face.

With that she straightened up, dipped her potential paramour a curtsy, before turning and letting her smirking brother escort her back to her room. Courtly stayed where he was, either in shock or just waiting for her next appointment. Neither mattered. Danielle would remember that look upon her prince's face with fondness and a ladylike giggle for the rest of her life.

Leaving her at the door her brother said, "Danielle, I know that the family has not always been perhaps as we should have towards you, be you our sister or our brother. Know that however this turns out I have to admit that in your own bailiwick you are possibly the finest of us all."

She smiled and said, "Thank you brother. I only hope you are right. Maybe I was the only one who noted that we were being observed tonight, but many at that table were just as proper in their ways as me and I would be a fool to believe they intend to let me win this without challenge."

"I can't really advise you except to say, follow your blood I've seen father deck another lord and send his teeth fly like startled sparrows. And remember that time lady Anne made aspersions about aunt Lillian for being a spinster and all that time she spends with Madam Lorelei."

Danielle chuckled. "She nearly blinded the woman and to this day if she does not wear heavy makeup you can still see the marks mother left on her face when she was clawing at it. I heard the doctor had to actually use horseshoe tongs to pull one of mother's nails from her cheek." She absently examined her nails, as if contemplating just such a move. Then she said, "But I am a lady and need not measure my… assets against the others in that way. For one I believe your enormous dinner companion would hurt me rather much." They both shared a look, justifiably impressed with the near table flip earlier. "I shall win or lose by my own talents."

Smiling proudly and looking much like their father her brother said, "I am sure you shall triumph. And if the fool lets you slip through your fingers I'm sure you will have many… suitors… flocking to you after this all the same."

Danielle gave him a playful punch in the arm, bruising her soft knuckles on his hard muscles. "You as well brother. You know the ladies like a man who is in touch with his feminine side." She lowered her voice. 'And many might appreciate it if you kept some of the more ladylike garments in your wardrobe for special occasions."

Grinning at his youngest sibling's dating advice he merely nodded and walked away. When he did Danielle leaned against her room's doorframe, ignoring the guard standing nearby as if he were furniture, and instead sighed dreamily as she remembered the feel of the prince's lips on her hands and her own lips brushing his calloused knuckle.

The official start of the competition was anything but romantic. The prince made no move to contact Danielle again, but the royal tutors did. They ran the ladies through their paces and did indeed make allowances for their own traditions. The king only hired the best after all and they had plenty of time to study since Courtly had shed her gowns for battler armor. Ordering a princess to behave was one thing. A heavily armed prince, whether he sported a pair of breasts or not, was another.

Stories abounded around the castle about the king and queen tentatively allowing them to try to rein the princess in after the war. Someone skilled in cotillion and proper balance was ill prepared for finding the girl they were meant to turn into a lady being stitched up by the doctor, cleaning blood from her sword, or gingerly adjusting her codpiece in a mirror. A sight that had made the dance instructor Countess Jane leave flustered to say the least.

That was just the tip of the iceberg and if there was any group of suitors who would listen to palace gossip, it was certainly this one.

Given the chance to inflict their normal tortures on new students and regain a bit of pride in their work, the teachers had no qualms about preparing them for the ball. Especially the peasants and foreigners. As far as they were concerned the prince could learn their ways when and if he married one, or in the case of the twins Danielle had seen at dinner, or more of them. A prospect they looked upon with delight giving some of the heathen foreign customs that would allow them to get back at their former student.

Nobody who has ever been taught royal etiquette has ever seen much difference between the experts on the subject and those who ran the average torture chamber, except the teachers tended to enjoy inflicting pain and humiliation much, much more than the average inquisitor. The dragon lady could tell stories from her homeland of foot binding and caning. Danielle's own experience with corsets and high heeled boots would leave a seasoned warrior in tears. Those from the desert lands could explain the muscles they pulled learning to sit cross-legged for hours in positions yogis would wince at and one nun among the group, a tiny little lady in dark robes, knew all too well the sting of a lead tipped whip as it split her skin.

Imagine the things someone who had to worry both about wardrobe malfunctions and tucking had to put up with to be the best woman they could be. Some from countries where the wrong move could result in harsher punishment than a few stinging words or a whack with a stick.

All the same as they were paraded about like livestock and show ponies it soon whittled down the number of competitors. Some of them had thrown off their feminine shackles specifically to escape such treatment or had endured it once before and were not willing to do so again. Others were shocked by such treatment and left crying and in some cases limping from sheer pain and torture.

To give you some ideas you should see what the bones in a ballerina or long term models foot looks like at the end of their career. Professional dancers, which is a good way to describe the life of a princess and queen, are often more banged up than sports stars. There is a reason so many are depicted leaning on canes while they instruct their students in their old age. Drill sergeants have more concern for their recruit's health and comfort.

A book slid off one coiffured head and hot the floor with a thump.

CRACK! A stick thick as a man's thumb hit the bearded man in question across the muscles shoulder blades adding another purple stripe to a growing collection. Arthur was a fine knight and in truth had fantastic balance in his normal shoes or even on a running horse. But even after months of trying stiletto heels still defied him and tried to lay him low with cracked ankle bones and pinched toes. To his dying day nothing would haunt the dreams of the greatest adventurer in three kingdoms like the thought of opening a wardrobe and seeing his wife's shoes neatly lined up, their leather reflecting candlelight like the fires of hell itself.

"I said stand up straight!" A tutor yelled before the man finally cracked, running from the room bawling, tears streaming down his beard and ruining his makeup. The sound of his heels echoed through the castle halls and he sobbed like a teenage girl left on the sidelines at a barn dance.

A tattooed fair faced witch in a black dress so tight that it showed off what charms she had hidden under the tight fabric (quite impressive both above and below the waist) watched him go with a twinge of sympathy and glanced at his tormentor with recrimination. She had literally sold her soul to demons and clawed her way from the darkest pits of the afterlife after being executed via red hot pokers once for eating children. Rumor had it she was three hundred years old and had seen some of the greatest horrors in those personally.

The poor man's sobs echoing behind she thought to herself that some things just did not prepare you for the evil some people were capable of.

Though of course those who remained at the end had little enough sympathy for those sent packing. People were in this contest by choice. They could quit. Being an ordinary noblewoman forced to learn these things was bad enough. Especially when peasants looked at them as if it was an envious thing to hold their high position rather than have a childhood playing games or doing something comparatively easy as lugging milk pales or chopping wood. Now imagine what they did to you if you had the wrong body parts or tried to act like the opposite sex growing up. Or simply just were not enough like they were supposed to be no matter how hard they tried. Having to tuck "their shame", be is physical or part of their personality, painfully out of sight as if making them hurt or act a certain way would wash it all away. Like trying to undo sins through self flagellation.

Those that survived the harsh treatment. Naturally the goal being to get to the point where they did not even notice any more. Normality. Where women limping into the room on disfigured feet stuffed into shoes smaller than a fist or could dance all night on bloody blistered feet without so much as a twitch in their cheek.

By the time they had satisfied the instructors that they were ready to appear in public as a royal ball there were only thirteen suitors left. The tutors were quite pleased with themselves, though from the looks on the faces of their students it might behoove them to take their extra pay and be long gone from the kingdom when any of them were crowned princess and could decide who was and was not publicly flogged.

Marriage-shmarriage. Even among the losers bounties would be posted and it was possible that they would be hunted to the ends of the earth.

Bitter? Oh, just a tad.

Even the giantess and other barbarian types had their ways of torturing themselves. Tattoos. Piercing. Ritual scars or branding. Rituals to be performed. Not to mention some of their own native dances that involved avoiding flames and blades swung at them by a hair or galloping barefoot over rocks. One suitor from the southern jungles with dark skin whose traditional outfit that was mostly a leaf skirt came from people who learned to jump through bonfires and then let herself be bitten by poisonous snakes.

Even they had been brought to their knees by some of the things expected of a "proper lady" at local balls. Everyone has their traditions.

One day while checking on their progress, though really she was just making an appearance to remind them why they were putting themselves through all of this, the prince showed up with sympathy and (much more appreciated) fine strong alcohol. "Sorry about this, ladies. If it helps any I went through the same training for years."

It suddenly became clear how a princess went from making doilies to becoming the most feared and merciless fighter in two kingdoms. Not to mention why she would refuse to ever go back.

Finally it ended though when the remainder reached a state sought by Xiao Lin monks after years of shoving their hands into hot coals and learning to shove their fist through boards. No flinching. No acknowledgement of pain. Able to dance for hours as whale bone and leather that had to be put on by three other people tried to force the air from their lungs and shove every internal organ below their ribcage up next to their hearts and lungs. Walking in pointy leather shoes designed for people whose toes were meant to be lined up vertically as high heels forced them to essentially walk on tiptoe with their back straight as a soldier's pike. All while in flowing gowns and smiling for real at a room full of people who were judging you in every way.

"The next time I try to win a betrothal, I'm just going to face a ravaging monster," a statuesque blond woman with a well used ax at her side and a breastplate that a normal knight could hide a month's worth of food in said. "In my land there are tales of women trapped behind a wall of fire atop an impassible mountain populated by monsters and cursed by the very gods themselves. I'd sooner run up and down the bloody thing than do any of this again."

The feeling was agreed by one and all.

Danielle had been a little ahead of the pack on this one, but like those in the contest she had been trained as a woman more or less by choice. Raised to it at least. With the option of quitting any time she felt like she could join her father and brothers among sweaty smelly course men. She now knew that despite many things she had complained about, her mother had gone relatively easy on her. She vowed to get that woman flowers and some sort of jewelry when this was over if this was the sort of thing she had been forced to do growing up. At the moment all she wanted to do was take her aching body to the mountain hot springs and sink into the water forever. She sent a silent prayer to the sister that had never been born along with her understanding on why the heavens had blessed their family with only boys.

Lucky bitch. No way would she put her own children through it. Though certainly many people before her had said the same thing only to bow to tradition. Hell she was doing it to herself.

Not wanting to wear out her welcome as her dance partners gratefully guzzled expensive booze like water to ease their pain, Courtly gave them his best winning smile. "Remember, I have to spend the night of the ball dancing with all of you at least once.. At least I can be certain that you won't embarrass yourselves or crush my feet, right?" nervousness went through the crowd. With a playful wink she left. It was a miracle nobody threw anything at the door after her. mostly because the tutors were wisely standing out of reach.

One of them said, "Rest up my students. You have three days before the ball. The royal dress makers are at your service if you lack something appropriate." The last word was quickly becoming a swearword among them all. The tutors filed out leaving them to their own devices.

The last remaining physically masculine member of their troop raised a glass, his corset creaking like the timbers of a ship. "May we all and this castle be sucked into the darkest pits of the netherworld rather than ever do this again." The room raised their glasses to join the toast and as one rivals put aside their differences to join the toast.

The Grand Ballroom did live up to its name. Being a seaside kingdom with lots of visiting dignitaries they always needed a big place for parties. Long tables circled the outside to hold food and drink while servants with platters wandered among the guests. It would not do to have nobility line up.

There were three huge chandeliers hanging above, tinkling occasionally like the slightest tap on a crystal wine glass. The floor was polished back marble so shiny if you looked down you felt like you were going to fall down to the vaulted ceiling. Huge stained glass windows stretched twenty feet in the air and large double doors of frosted glass were open to allow in the warm evening air.

At the moment a band at the far end of the hall was playing a soft melody for ambiance, not for any dancing. The room was packed with nobility from around the land, some entourages with the visiting suitors while most were locals eager to get a glimpse of the would-be queen. One could only imagine what they had heard or envisioned before arriving.

Each suitor seemed to have her personal crowd, pretending to be sociable but really just trying to get a closer look. Some were obviously shocked by what they saw, either because they found them strange or, leaving them much more shaken, by how normal some of them seemed. Could this be a man I see before me? They wondered in half awe and no little envy. For some it seemed impossible. So beautiful and poised. Did they dare reach out and confirm it themselves? Was that it there or merely a fold in the fabric?

Others were torn as they looked upon hulking warriors in ball gowns. Should they laugh? Dare they? Look how they move. Gliding across the floor in a swish of skirt and a wafting scent of flowery perfume. Daintily sipping wine and not so much as mussing their makeup. At the same time powerful and, it seemed to some, more than capable of tearing their heads from their shoulders should they as much as snicker.

Others were just confusing. They could look at it one way or another and either could fit. Like an optical illusion. Viewed one way and they were guys in a dress. Viewed another they were just handsome women. Who could tell? Especially knowing that they were supposed to be both at the same time.

It did not help that there were enough of each kind to set the hearts of all aflutter and tickle the imagination in strange and previously unexplored directions One could look at a beautiful woman or a handsome man and instantly be attracted to them. To have to contemplate what lay hidden under the first impression made many both curious and appalled as they tried to hide what in other situations would be perfectly natural responses. How many ladies in the room had succumbed to the advances of rough and muscled stable hands? How many of the men had seduced or forced themselves upon young women with half the looks of those around them? Only now they imagined instead tearing off the thing layer of clothes to find… well who knew what?

More than two thirds it was whispered, among those who were better at math, had been eliminated already leaving only the thirteen scattered about the room.

The twins, Riva and Rena. From the desert lands they were the daughters of a sultan. Not in line for the throne, two of thirty children and no where near the eldest, their mother had been… well their father had a genie in a lamp that granted his wishes and after years of indulging every lustful idea that popped into his head things had gotten a bit freaky in the bedroom. Taking after their mother the girls had the beauty of the harem and everything anyone could want below the waist. Maybe more. They wore a small outfit that his their breasts and crotches, but not much more under a layer of see through fabric in pink for one and blue for the other. They were chained together because in their lives they had only ever really relied on each other and considered themselves a package deal. Marry one, marry both.

Bone Crusher the giantess. From a lost tribe in a distant land despite being both enormous in every sense of the word back in her home she was actually considered small and weak and very feminine. The fact that her extremities were all thick as trees and she could lift a cart with horse and rider meant nothing there. She still wore only a few skins to hide her large breasts and her loincloth and nobody was arguing with the decision for fear she would simply step on them.

The Dragon's Daughter was exactly what her name implied the result of congress between a dragon and a minor noble in the east. She was a beautiful woman in silk kimonos with long dark hair, almost eyes and white-green skin that was actually like tiny pearls. Her form was alluring seen through her robes, though some of the bathing maids had spread rumors that she was far stranger under her robes than even most of the suitors and had more going for her down there than even the twins together.

Antony of Albion, a warrior of note layered with rock hard muscle and who would have looked far more at home in armor than women's finery. You could actually see permanent marks from such etched into his skin from years of wearing just that. Nevertheless he, unlike many, had proven adept in adopting the ways of women and despite his aggressively male looks, had managed where many others had failed.

Danielle of course was well known to the locals. Who had not seen her along with her mother at various get togethers? Oh they knew she had magical work done. As if the triple mammaries had not given that away. But while she certainly was more rounded than before, she had always been dainty and feminine and most men had at least briefly mistaken her for the duchess's handmaid or some niece they had not been introduced to and many were surprised to learn she had been born the duke's son. Around the room her family was for perhaps the first time not denying or otherwise ignoring that implication and were proudly bragging about how far their youngest had come in the contest already.

"I always knew she was perfect," the duchess said more than once. "Other people just could not see that because of her situation. A deer trying to cross a frozen river hardly looks graceful or dignified, but the same beast bounding through the forest is master of its domain." Danielle had felt her breast swell with pride.

A dark skinned woman from the jungles to the south, Snake in Leaves was a shaman born split down the middle. One breast. One testicle. Under-endowed as a man but also sporting the equipment of a woman. Her tribe saw her as holy and had given her to the local medicine man to train. She was no great beauty by local standards and her skin was wrinkled from exposure to the sun, but she was rumored to be wise and a mighty hunter.

Lilia the witch was well known in the lands. She was seductively feminine with long black hair almost down to her feet and hypnotic eyes and wore a tight black dress that was practically painted on. Three hundred years ago she had terrorized the land, seduced untold numbers and killed even more. She claimed to have repented and escaped from the underworld, but the king's wizard had purportedly bound many of her powers for now. No law written covered crimes three centuries old or what to do after someone had been executed for them. Her sudden growth of a rather impressive maleness that could be seen hanging down her left leg nearly to her knee, was the result of a powerful spell of her own, which frankly any men would have loved to learn.

Almost her opposite was Suma, the nun. She too wore a black dress and was quite beautiful if one ignored the beard. She had been rather attracted to women growing up and had joined an abbey to escape her father'[s plan to marry her off. He had not given up and used power and influence to finally force the marriage anyway. The night before the wedding she had prayed to their goddess for salvation and the next day had been transformed, a fine beard encircling her chin and a functional, nearly divine, member between her legs instead of a maiden's lambs' wool. Her father had been furious but unable to force anyone to marry a man and in the face of definite godly intervention she had been allowed to back out, but men were forbidden from the temple (much to both her regret and several of the other nuns she boarded with), so she had prayed in solitude until word of the princes' contest reached her.

Tulia from an island across the sea was the child of mermaid goddess, or so she claimed. She was the only suitor who lacked male member, but had somehow magically fathered a half dozen children among the islanders of her homeland. Her actual womanhood had been described as a cross between a normal woman and a sea anemone. Many had seen something wriggle under her dress on occasion. Her skin was golden in color and smooth as polished wood with unnatural blue hair. She also was not too bright. Early on she locked her keys in her bedroom and for nearly three hours had been unable to get out.

Terry was a young boy raised by the mistress of a bordello among several other kids. She might have been his mother, but there was a gaggle of them there and the women had been none too careful about keeping track of which was which. Rather than imprinting on the customers as many of brothers had done he instead had imprinted on the ladies. A virgin he was a performer instead of a prostitute and nearly as feminine as Danielle had been. Many men had watched her fan dance on stage and been totally unaware they were looking at a boy instead of a girl and those that knew had not particularly cared. Now fifteen she was old enough to marry and while she had plenty of proposals from men and women, saw no reason not to at least try for the prince.

Princess Julia of the western lands was the result of years of inbreeding. The fact that she was still capable of fathering children was amazing considering that her family tree was a mall of ingrown branches to the point that she had developed breasts I puberty despite being born with a small if functional manhood. She was boney and even at nineteen had a hatchet face that would look good on an old woman, if you wanted to scare children. She was as nasty inside as out and had probably stuck through the contest thus far out of a combination of sheer malice and the fact that nobody was ever going to willingly marry her.

Lastly was Lord Mitchell from a first defunct and then revived branch of the local royal family. He was a count's son who had run afoul of a minor sorceress on the docks one day about fifty years back. They had thought him disappeared and his family had been wiped out in a desperate search for him. It turned out he had in fact been turned into a frog and released into the moat around his family castle. Eventually a passing lady with a fancy for fairy tales had wandered across him and given the frog a playful smooch, shocked when it actually turned him back into a human.

Unfortunately in that time the frog population in the moat had begun to die out. Nobody maintaining it or cleaning it and all. Most of the females had died out and the survivors had been nearly all male, including of course the enchanted count. After his return to humanity it had taken some investigation into alchemy and natural philosophy to figure out why, but in that time following a natural ability among amphibians Mitchell's had begun to change from male to female to make up for the loss. He had been a little more than half way transformed to a she-frog when the spell was broken. His lands had been restored by the crown when he showed up to claim his title but half-countess Mitchell had been rather reluctant to even court a woman once he got his clothes off and found out what had happened. He had mostly lived in isolation until he realized he had the chance to trade his dilapidated castle for a throne in the palace.

If you ignored the goatee and the lantern jaw she was sort of attractive as a woman in her mother's dress and could still pass for a guy too. Though on a personal level the count-countess was rather confused about her and his body, the desire to rule the kingdom, even if it was at the prince's side rather than the top, was more than tempting enough to overcome his embarrassment at his condition and try for. And of course if the prince should die… say in childbirth shortly after his parents' untimely demise in a carriage accident or something… surely as the new king he could have the royal wizard work on changing him back. If not he could make a deal with the northern lands who would be more than happy to do it if they saw an end to Prince Courtly. For now though his future hinged on his dual gender status.

Any one of them would have been enough to set the court talking for half a year. This night with all of them together would be the fuel for legends.

Not that everyone was pleased with things the way they were going. More than a few had hoped that the princess's requirements would not be met. Many thought they could not be, seeing her as a one in a billion freak. They were less than pleased that anyone let alone so many suitors had arrived to meet the challenge rather than forcing her back into her more traditional role. The sudden flood of them had many sneering in contempt and disgust. Backhanded compliments and direct insults peppered the conversations.

That was how they lost Antony before the dancing even started.

It was a shame really. He had done everything right. Walked the walk. Talked the talk. If you handed him a cup of tea the pinkie would be up and for someone with so much body hair he wore a ball gown with style and grace. Could even tell paisley from sky blue and honeysuckle yellow from goldenrod. He wanted to win the prince's hand and it showed.

There are just some things that cannot be taught, they have to be learned. And there will always be a difference between how a big strong man takes being insulted and how someone who has lived with being different all their lives handles things. Maybe if he really was the type to wear women's clothing because he wanted to and felt drawn to it things would have been different. Give him ten years in gowns and listening to the precise insults one hears among the gentry under the best of circumstances and maybe he would have handled it differently.

As it was his response was far from ladylike.

Everyone separated about the room like they were they did not hear the actual conversation, but the story spread quickly enough in the days to follow. Lord Cartholm had perhaps sampled too much wine or maybe not. He had never been the most gracious to women. Either way he made a comment about Antony's feminine skills being helped along the way by regular sessions of being sodomized by horses. "Is that the way you like it, girl, or are you just a weak frilly lass that they have their way with you and all you can do is take it?"

It was obvious this was one of many things he longed to say to the prince, only held back by fear and position. A knight in a dress however had pushed his self restraint too far. Some people might have made a similar comment to a dark skinned foreigner or any woman or someone with a job or family member they did not like. Everyone had their prejudices and feuds.

Antony just was not used to it. He was a big strong handsome man. A warrior most would barely dare insult to his face and from a long line of knights. His attempts to win the throne had been looked upon as worthy by those closest to him. There may have been a few snickers, but nothing he would not have done in their place. Some people just do not have the experience that comes from being ostracized and insulted as I they deserved it. And it was not as if being accused of being raped by horses for one's own pleasure or because they were too weak to defend themselves was a mild insult.

Anyone would understand why anger would transform someone that had spent months becoming the daintiest of flowers back into the raging warrior of old. What most of the room heard was a calloused and mighty fist connecting with Cartholm's jaw and then the sight of the man being raised three feet above the heads of his cronies before skidding across the polished floor for a good dozen yards as people dodged out of his way.

Between the senseless man lying unconscious on the floor and Antony was an aisle between the people. The knight stood breathing hard and red faced, a sneer on his lip and muscles bulging. The move had torn the seams of his dress in several places and mussed his hair. He had grown and filed and polished his nails over the months and he had just broken three of them. All pretense of being a delicate maiden were gone and instead there stood an enraged knight.

He looked around the silent room and caught the eyes of several people. Even the orchestra had paused. He caught the pitying looks from some of his rivals and the disapproval in the eyes of some of the etiquette instructors around the room. And he realized that he had just lost.

It was not as if such things never happened. It was not even the first time Cartholm's mouth had led to his being decked in court or in public. And justly so. Danielle's father actually had a tooth he had knocked from the man's mouth once in their youth before either was even married on his mantle in the same room where he kept his hunting trophies. The gods alone knew what he had said about Danielle since then. Women too had struck him.

The point was that such a strong blow while appropriate for the situation was inappropriate for a lady especially at a ball. His comment had been inappropriate too, but Cartholm was not among those attempting to win the prince's hand. Antony was. And he had just ruined months of effort.

Sure there were two other contests, but failing this one seemed to deflate him as he rubbed his knuckles. Or maybe it had reminded him of whom he was before he embarked on his current quest. It had taken a lot to shed his former personality and ways. A good metaphor might have been that he had stuffed himself into a woman's dress, rather than having it tailored to fit. Though his actual dress had actually been quite well made for him.

As far as he was concerned his attempt to become a bride was over.

The prince stepped from the crowd and applauded. "Well done sir Antony. A well struck blow. When you have changed into something more comfortable and less dishabille, you should come to speak with me. I could use a man like you as part of my retinue."

Antony started to curtsy and then bowed forward from the waist, arms stiff. Something ripped. "It would be my honor your majesty."

Guards were already taking Cartholm from the room and a younger man, Cartholm's son Gregory, pushed through the people. "You struck my father!" Like his father the younger Cartholm had a tendency to speak and act without thinking. And though he was pasty and had a weak chin and could have easily fit into one of Danielle's dresses he immediately began to demand satisfaction preferably in the form of a duel. His anger cooled somewhat Antony tried to talk him out of it, but it quickly became apparent that Gregory saw nothing wrong in what his father had said an felt Antony, the "dress wearing fop" was to blame and that if the king did not have him executed for striking a nobleman then he would demand the right to kill Antony himself.

Some people, Danielle muttered as the king nodded his ascent to the duel, just could not see past the dress a man might wear to the person underneath. It was clear to most that Antony would either kill the boy or humiliate him, but Gregory apparently thought a would-be woman barely worth his time. Antony accepted the challenge and Gregory turned on his heel as his future killer left to shed his shredded skirts go put on pants.

And just like that it was over and the crowd closed in again as if the three men had never been there, though the low grade chatter about what had just happened would continue for some time.

To Danielle's surprise the prince suddenly appeared from the crowd and offered her his arm. "I hate to do this to you, but after I sided with a foreigner against one of their own I feel I should make a concession to the local nobility. So would the lady honor me with the first dance?"

"It would be my honor." She smiled and took his arm as they headed to the middle of the dance floor. Someone had the musicians start up again in a tune you could actually dance to. Others joined them on the floor, but they took up the center with plenty of room.

It was almost worth all the pain Danielle had gone through as Courtly danced her around the room. She was confident and handsome and beautiful at the same time. And while it was a bit rude Danielle felt a bit of a thrill when she caught the prince glancing down at her breasts or staring at her lips. In fact her body responded to it and she saw the prince glance further down and notice, making eye contact.

"Guess I'll have to get used to that with whomever I dance with."

Danielle did not point out that parts of the prince were poking through her tunic as well. "A shame you won't get the chance to see how Antony would have done. He danced divinely."

"I can't say I'm too upset. All that chest hair." The prince shuddered. "No thank you."

"Mm, if you think that's bad I suspect that making love to Bone Crusher might kill you."

"I am well aware," Courtly said seriously. It occurred to Danielle that whatever they had planned for this contest, nobody had seen anything like the giantess coming.

The song ended and they curtsied and bowed to one another before Lilia the witch boldly stepped forward to take her turn. Danielle politely moved out of the way though she could have danced in the prince's arms all night.

She stepped back and heard Lilia say softly, "Is that a protection charm against black magic in thy pocket or art thou merely happy to see me?"

Danielle rather than stay and watch went out to the courtyard. Out in the courtyard she watched the moon and the stars for a while. When she moved she heard an odd sound and reached around to her sash. There she found a bit of folded parchment had been tucked inside. She looked and in tiny writing were the words "The answer is 37."

Suddenly there was a crack from behind her. The giantess Bone Crusher was coming through the door and had turned to fit and something around her hips had hit the door frame, damaging it. "Sorry to bother you. I just danced with the prince and got a little too excited. Thought the cool night air might help me calm down. What's that you have there?"

Tucking the paper back into her sash she said, "Nothing. Feel free to join me. I was just star gazing."

The giantess nodded and looked up. "Ah, a good sign. There is the figure my people call the great one. You can see her muscular frame and round breasts. And you see those two stars on either side of those three stars in a line between what would be her legs? They represent her massive—"

Danielle said, "Yes, I think I can make it out. If you look at that one the legends say that the king of the gods seduced a nymph in the form of a goddess and she was turned into a bear as punishment." It was one of her favorite stories.

Given the company she had been keeping it was easy to imagine the figure she described. Her entire life she had always been somewhat ashamed of what she normally his beneath her clothes. Now that she was among people like her, many of them far more traditionally male and female in certain respects than she had ever been, it was possibly the first time she had ever experienced penis envy. Sure she had become more beautiful recently and grown in up top as any woman might hope, but that was new and she still felt like her old self. Some of them could even, if they wanted to, give birth. As well as father children. Between the mermaid born demigoddess, the powerful giantess, the sexy sorceress, and the others she was up against she felt plain and ordinary.

Like a boy in a dress. Not the lady her prince deserved. She had always felt a little inferior to men and women. Never quite one of them. But she had always been extraordinary. Had drawn looks and whispers. Forced them to make efforts to include her.

Now she was, at least to her mind, rather plain. She had never been the lady in the room with the smallest manhood. Or been so surrounded by strange people that her unusual lifestyle seemed little more than an affectation. More than once she had imagined what it would be like if there were more people like her and she actually fit in. Seemed… normal.

Being ordinary, she thought, was rather overrated and she really wished the others had never shown up. Honestly there had been a moment when all this began that she thought she might be the only one to show up. Present herself to the princess and be swept off on a white stallion from a life where she was an oddity to where she would have actual authority.

Sure she would still be seen as a bit of a freak, but nothing soothed such feelings like the authority to execute anyone who dared actually say it and being reminded of that every time someone said, "Your majesty". That and crawling into bed with a beautiful blond prince and falling asleep spooning with them until sunrise. It would certainly make a nice change from her pillow.

Oh yes, she wanted that throne and nobody, including the juggernaut standing beside her at the moment looking for dual gendered legends among the stars and waiting for her massive hard-on to settle down so she was fit for polite company, was going to stop her.

?

The remaining dozen survived the etiquette tests with flying colors. Truthfully after returning to the party Antony had danced away some of his frustrations too, though it took him a little while to get used to leading in a dance again, much to the amusement of a baroness he danced with first. He was very popular he found among the women of the court and the next day when he literally took George Cartholm's sword from his hand and used it to spank the Youngman until he capitulated, it only added to that. Add in the favor granted him by the prince and the fact that he came into the kingdom riding sidesaddle in dress and makeup did not so much as dent the handsome knight's reputation among the women or his fellow knights as he took his place among the palace soldiers.

Everyone else that was going to drop out because of the etiquette portion already had. It was not a difficult decision. Especially since while it might not be as intense as during the contest, a queen would still have to do a lot of it indefinitely. Not just for a few weeks. Even among those who could take it, it was not something done lightly. A fact many of them had learned the hard way.

The riddle contest took out four more of Danielle's rivals and a fifth removed himself. It might have taken seven, but Danielle had enacted her own plan. Her middle brother had been a little down since realizing the contest was not for him and when their elder brother quit too it was a bit of a blow since if he had become prince the title would have fallen to brother number two. So in a way he had lost two titles, both the family one and any shot at the royal family.

He would have gotten over it, but Danielle had seen he felt lost so she had decided to use it. She had pointed him in the direction of the twins. Rena and Riva had shown off a cultural tradition known as a belly dance at the ball which had entranced many of the men. She had suggested that her brother could casually mention that whether the prince could even marry two people according to the law of the land was iffy. The king's bastard brother was not even allowed to claim an official family connection let alone a title. The idea could cause problems particularly since both of them could get Courtly pregnant and presumably both of them wanted to make love to their shared husband.

Civil wars had started for less.

He on the other hand was at least a minor noble. Danielle had done a little research. In the desert lands they mostly treated women as property and slavers. Not much different than most other places really, but she got the feeling the two were looking for a bit of freedom by coming to their kingdom, or at least attention rather than being just a couple out of a few dozen children.

Two beautiful sexy wives for her brother, devoted and sensual, provided he was willing to overlook one or two minor details. As for them an uncertain future with the prince traded for a sure thing. A year ago the young man might have been put off by the twins unique attributes, but a year getting in touch with his inner woman had taught him more than a few things and after publicly accepting their youngest son for who and what she was, two wives for the middle son who could provide him with children was worth what would be at worst a minor scandal. They were also technically princesses of the blood after all and more than one man at the ball, and even a few women, had been gawking openly at their serpentine dance moves. There might be some minor taunting about him marrying such strange young ladies, but no more than anyone would get for marrying dark skinned foreigners let alone committing bigamy and at least half of it would be pure envy.

Honestly the fact that they had penises was almost a minor consideration and after Danielle had shown her some of their homeland's sexual practices as depicted on their temple walls, it had been forgotten. The twins when asked had told him that as the daughters of concubines they had of course been taught the most erotic of techniques and there was no doubt their father had been far from restrained in that area. Having turned the book she showed up upside down and sideways while craning his neck, her wide eyed brother had been convinced and put forth his proposal.

Thus she had eliminated two rivals.

Count Mitchell managed to eliminate himself.

The riddle challenge was three questions, presented on a sealed scroll to be open and read in private. The king, queen, and prince had each offered up one.

The king's choice was a complicated mathematical formula. Danielle was pretty good with money, but this was alchemist and wizard level math. With letters and strange symbols. She doubted he had come up with it on his own and the whole thing was probably a bit of a temper tantrum about the fact that his daughter was not marrying a normal man.

Failing the questions was not an end to the contest any more than the etiquette test would have been. Sometimes they would add the potential to be executed for losing contests like these, but that was mostly for princes and the thought of killing women like that had stuck in the craw and honor of too many nobles for it to go through. Also many of them had relatives who had been among those who had thought strapping on a dress would be enough to get them through. So it was a point system rather than a live or die moment.

It certainly was daunting though. The numbers, letters, and symbols quickly seemed like they were swirling before Danielle's eyes when she looked at the page. A sarcastic voice in her head said, "How am I supposed to solve this? I'm just a girl. Tee-hee."

The second question was from the queen. "If I told you 'the words I speak now are false', am I speaking the truth or a lie?" That too was a head scratcher. If you say you are lying, then if you are lying you were speaking the truth. If you were speaking the truth, then by definition you were lying. Quite the twisted knot.

Finally the prince's riddle. "Tell me true, what does being my princess mean to you?"

Deciding to tackle that one first Danielle gave it some thought, but as she put quill to parchment she found her hand almost writing itself. She realized it was enchanted. She could not lie on it even if she wanted to and reading over, she realized that she had not written anything she had not thought.

Her answer was partly graphic sexual fantasies. Embarrassing for the virginal young person to even read, but nothing she had not thought about at night alone.

Some of it was flowery language about romantic trips and amazing adventures. Could one not think of such things after hearing about the war hero prince? Courtly was already a legend and to be her bride seemed like an opportunity to experience the world in ways most men let alone girls cold never dream of.

Finally she had listed out ways she would like to use her position. Make the world a better place get revenge for a few sleights. Change the kingdom for the better and help her family and the people as well. She had never really been in a position of power, so she had not given it a lot of thought, but she had seen things she felt were wrong and could use changing. Not just her own situation, though she naturally had a little venom built up there. A punch in the face was nothing compared to some of the barbs thrown at parties by ladies. Using words that meant they could argue what they meant while the tone conveyed everything.

"Madam" could have all kinds of connotations and at the same time seeming completely innocent and even respectful.

As a boy trying to fit in with the girls at times Danielle had it harder than most. The daughter of a duchess could expect plenty of tripe thrown her way. Lesser titles envied higher, higher denigrated lesser, feuds between husbands and sons, and everyone had their own definition of morality and laws. Not to mention things like poaching over borders and all sorts of things. The nobility was a mass of blood debt and petty grievances and a tea party might look simple and unassuming, but so did the ground until to fell inn dropped you into a cave. It was a delicate dance just having a conversation among each other and could set off all sorts of consequences including small wars.

Resentments grew and petty as they seemed written down like this, there they were. Not many but some. Along with a few plans for revenge. Ah well. It was there. Hopefully the prince would not think much less of her. He had after all personally beheaded his own detractors. A few fantasies over some particularly bitchy moments would hardly shock him. She hoped.

Thinking of the prince she remembered the dance they had shared and that reminded her of the parchment. She had put it away but she remembered what it said. Well, there was no way she was going to figure out the king's nearly impossible question. If nothing else she would claim she had guessed.

Had someone slipped the others similar hints? Bone Crusher had seemed genuinely curious about it when she asked and she could not imagine those huge fingers slipping it into her sash unseen. If it was a rival it could be fake. The witch had been right behind her. Well one wrong answer would not be too bad and if she tried to answer it there were literally limitless wrong answers she would have given by herself.

If it was a right answer, maybe they wanted her to look like she was cheating. Which she sort of was, if you ignored the fact that she had no idea if it was right or wrong. She could have gotten just as good an answer from just picking a random number. She wished she could ask the twins. Some books he had read said the desert tribes had invented most high level math along with astronomy and gods knew what else.

Actually it was probably best that she had gotten them out of the way. It also distracted her family who were looking towards wedding plans. As their last runner in the race she had gotten a lot of attention from them. Bone Crusher had been working as a wandering mercenary when she heard the announcement of the contest, so she had no entourage. Others had brought some along. Most just a few guards or friends. Danielle mostly just avoided them lest they try to help their own person by eliminating her. leaving her with her family. Having been ignored most of her life by the men their sudden support and interest was disconcerting to say the least.

Then again she also resented their sudden interest in her new potential sisters. Her mother now had two daughters. Would she need her surrogate after this? Looking down at her breasts, which had seemed like a godsend originally, she realized they also meant there was no way Danielle could ever become Daniel again now. That had always been a fallback plan, somewhere in the back of her mind. Now that she had gone through with the change going back was not really an option. It was not as if anyone would forget. Any more than, if he used the harp again and went full female they would forget that he had been a boy.

If she failed this test like as not she would have to leave the kingdom. Nobody was saying it, but unlike Antony she had no other skills to fall back on. Danielle was a lady and had been raised as such. She could support herself as a seamstress perhaps, but little else. Certainly not a soldier or anything considered manly. And she was far to famous to reinvent herself, even as just a peasant woman. Her family would never allow it anyway. What woman or man in this kingdom would have her otherwise?

No, if this attempt failed she would have to disappear over the horizon and never come back. She was rather proud that she was strong enough not to kill herself, but she did have some honor.

Maybe she could leave with another of her rivals. They were not uncomely and might understand her at least. Not Bone Crusher though, that was for sure. She was not certain she could survive sex with that gargantuan body let alone enjoy it. What she could do to Danielle's delicate body was the stuff of nightmares and would leave her looking like someone who had fallen down a long cliff.

Maybe, she mused, the prince had slipped her the answer. He had seemed rather put off by several of her opponents be it Tony or the giantess. She would not put it past him to slip the correct answer to the questions to his favorites. At least those he could stand the thought of. Or maybe his favorite? She felt as tingle at that last thought, though knowing the prince he might have given it to at least one or two others. He was that type of man and it would also hedge his bets. Courtly might like her, but not enough to risk ending up with anyone he found truly vile.

All of this was really a petulant attempt to avoid trying to answer the queen's riddle. In a way it was more annoying than the math problem. It had two potential answers, yes and no, which could be both right and wrong. Or she could try answering it philosophically, but every answer she came up with sounded pretentious. And like she was trying too hard.

Staring at it she thought, was it true or false? Was the statement true or a lie?

Well… if you thought of it like that the answer was obvious. She picked up the quill, dipped it in ink, and wrote one word: Yes.

There. A clever and correct answer however you looked at it. At least she could argue as much. However you took the statement it was a truth and a lie. It was on par with asking Danielle if she was a man or a woman. A lot more complicated and harder to figure out that it seemed.

Also it was the best answer she could come up with unless she wanted to spend months thinking on it.

She rolled the scroll back up and used sealing wax and her ring to reseal it. Then she went to the door where the guard stood. "Please inform them that I have finished answering the riddles and would like someone to come and claim my answers."

"Yes, your grace," her father's man said. He bowed a little, took a few steps back, and then turned to hurry off and find the official.

A few moments later she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and saw a bent figure in a dress and a head scarf. She spoke in an old woman's voice and held out a gloved hand. "I am here for your answers."

Danielle went to retrieve them off the table, but when she got back to the door she hesitated. A quick glance around and she realized what was wrong. "Where is my guard?"

"He rushed to get me and I told him to go to the kitchen for some food."

She frowned. It sounded kind and the sort of thing a peasant would think of. But the duke was not a kind and forgiving man. His guards were fed and changed at regular intervals. Any who skived off guarding his daughter in a situation like this would expect lashes at the least. Maybe he might have stopped for a bite if there were two of them, but with only one guard he would have hurried back as soon as possible. They were not certain how on board the king even was with his daughter's plans. Not to mention all the other potential enemies.

"I think I will wait until…"

"Give me that you little—!" The "old lady" snarled in a much deeper voice, clawing for it. Danielle was taller and raised it out of reach but she unbent and almost got it when the guard and the actual official, an older man with a long white beard, came down the hallway. "Curses!" Abandoning her assault the lady tried to run for it. if Danielle had just given her the scroll she might have made it.

As it was with so many guards on duty it took only a moment before they ran her down and unmasked her. It was of course Count Mitchell. A search of his room showed that he had already managed to steal four other answer scrolls and later under torture he admitted that his plan was to both make it seem like they had torn up their scrolls and steal any likely answers to the riddles.

His sentence would have been lighter, but they also found his scroll and the truth spell upon it revealed his treasonous plans to marry and murder the prince and her family as soon as they produced a viable heir. Whatever you might think the king and queen loved their child. Also royalty takes treason rather badly. Count Mitchell's desire to regain his former gender was eventually rendered moot when they had him tied to four horses in the courtyard by his arms and legs, each headed in a different direction. Strong beasts. The brief moment his body held together did not even slow them down.

The four with stolen answers Suma, Julia, Tulia, and Bone Crusher all dropped out and left the castle by dawn. Not only did they mostly fail to even answer the questions except through guess work, but they felt this revealed a flaw in their ability to handle noble life. A particularly hard blow for the princess among them. Later it was told that Bone Crusher had followed Tulia to her island home while Suma went with Princess Julia. Apparently Danielle was not the only one who had considered the other rivals as backup betrotheds. A shame since Suma was so beautiful and sweet and Julia… was not. She really should have seen through the ruse, but her distain for common folk had been her undoing and she never suspected foul play.

Terry, Lilia, Danielle, Snake in Leaves, and the Dragon's Daughter were the final contestants. The royals revealed the answers to them afterward.

"Three of you managed to solve my riddle," the king said bitterly. "As did two of the others. I would suspect cheating except clearly you were not working together. So unless someone gave you the answer…" He shot a knowing glance the prince's way while the blond kept a perfectly immobile face that was fooling nobody. "I must assume you solved it through either genius or luck."

The queen quickly added, "My question had many potential answers I found yours clever and in some cases quite ingenious. I'd say there was no wrong answer, but some of those delivered by your formal competitors…" She squinched her eyes and shook her head. "I needed a lot of wine after reading some of theirs."

Danielle kind of wished she had stolen a glance at the scrolls too, curious what her opponents had written down.

"As for my question," Courtly said. "Ooo, so many naughty girls. I'm flattered and intrigued more than anything else, I must say. I consider myself rather bold in the bedroom, but some of the things you ladies would like to do with me…"

The king cleared his throat loudly. "Enough of that! We will announce your final test tomorrow. Good evening." He gestured and they were all dismissed.

?

There was no trick or skill to the final test. Danielle and the others wished there was. It was very straightforward and imminently deadly.

Every land has its problems. War. Famine. Curses from the gods.

Their kingdom was far from perfect, but they had a rather nasty monster in one of the forests. One of the foulest beasts to ever walk the world. A unicorn.

Now like many deadly animals unicorns are indeed beautiful and graceful. Long necked with cloven golden hooves and an ivory horn that glittered with rainbows and was as twisted as the monster's black heart. Unicorns were amazingly territorial and while their horns had healing abilities, once you were impaled on one that just meant you wished it did not because even if it pierced your heart you could take hours to die and all that time the beast would be bucking to get you off then stomping on you when it did.

Not only that but they leaked magic. Their natural healing abilities made plants and animals grow fast and to huge sizes. That was bad enough. Giant boars and wolves did not make for good neighbors. But over time they mutated, growing second heads or scorpion tails or the gods alone knew what else.

Lilia told Danielle later, "The same thing happens around dark magic at a witch's lair. Only since we don't heal everything it usually just dies. Usually you just get a blasted wasteland. Unicorns instead help grow and ever spread magical forest full of ever increasing monsters. It doesn't help that the unicorn attacks them too and stirs them up. Injured animals are angry animals."

Unicorns themselves were faster than the wind and stronger than most any beast. They could split stones with a kick of their hooves, never slept, and were nye immortal. One had to remove their head with a single blow or they just healed and usually took it out on their attacker. They were smart too and knew exactly what they were doing. There were tales of good unicorns, but they were few and far between. Most were ravenous murderers who loved to kill just about anything that moved in their territory until the groove of their horn was caked in blood.

Most animals just plain avoided them. Humans as a general rule were not that wise. Case in point…

"You want us to slay the unicorn?"

"Well you'd be bait," the prince said. They gave her a look. 'The nobles insisted. I tried to talk them out of it, but the best is a menace and they wanted to prove that those who wanted my hand could do something good for the kingdom and not just the royal family. They felt that the people would be more accepting of someone who did a truly heroic deed and ignore… other things they might have a problem with."

"Can… we, even do something like that? There are only two ways to catch a unicorn. One is to be the finest of warriors and even they must be really lucky. The other is to be a maiden of purest heart," Snake in Leaves said.

"My court wizard insists it is possible, if of course you are a maiden in your heart and do it for true love," she said.

Lilia nodded. "That is true. Perception is a big part of magic. One must not just believe but know it is true to perform it. It also helps is others do so too." She stood up. "I am sorry your majesty, but that leaves me out. You are beautiful and I've been in enough witches' orgies to know the pleasures of being with a woman, but I…" She shook her head. "Sorry, but I've seen what a unicorn can do. One of the reasons they need an innocent is because the smell of fear drives them practically rabid. Anyone going after one must be utterly confident and hold it's attention long enough for warriors to attack. And it only works once. They aren't stupid. They learn."

"I understand. None of you have to do it. The scores are cumulative and you have all done well so far." She sighed. And honestly I can't do it myself or I would have. I saw what happened to some of the men sent o fight the monster. Sometimes I still wake up screaming. They held me back from fighting it and every day I am grateful." She shook her head. "I'm the heir and even if I wanted to, I can't risk it."

"I can't do it," Lilia said. "I'd sooner head out into the world and make my way fro a century and come back to try and marry one of your descendants in a century or two. Unicorns are immune to magical attacks and I'm terrified of them."

"I too must decline," Snake in Leaves said.

The Dragon's Daughter said, "I could not even attempt it. Unicorns hate two creatures as much as they do humans. Cats and dragons. I might have the fortitude and other requirements, but my blood would call to it as a lodestone does to iron. In fact had I know the beast was here I would have hesitated to enter this country."

"I'll do it," Terry said. They looked at him. His eyes looked a little dead. The prince started to say something. Probably about how young he was or how dangerous she would find it. "I said I'd do it."

The prince pressed her lips together. "Very well. You will be taken to the unicorn's forest and… will face it."

Danielle did not say anything for a moment, but then she said, I need to think about it. Sorry."

"Nobody blames you," Snake in leaves said.

But later Danielle did. Because it was only a few days later that word came. Terry was slain by the unicorn. The watching soldiers, armed to the teeth and with metal nets, had watched as Terry found a place in a meadow and began to sing. She had a terrific voice, despite puberty, and had trained hard to keep it high and sweet. She had assured people several times that she would be fine. She had seen many different things at her family's bordello and had developed nerves of iron.

Everything seemed to be going fine at first, but then it was not. Maybe a spark of fear entered her heart. Maybe her faith in her maidenhood slipped. It was impossible to say. The unicorn suddenly reared and neighed and impaled the boy. Singing turned to screams and his slender frame was dragged off pinned like a melon on a pike, into the woods before the soldiers could even try mounting a rescue. They could still hear his pained shriek several minutes later echoing through the trees and none of them even dared run after. The weight of Terry's body never even slowed it down.

"It was like listening to the pits of Hell. The lad should have died instantly, but the damned beasts powers kept him alive. Begging for death." The captain of the guard recounted the horror to one and all.

So everyone was surprised when Danielle offered to take Terry's place. Everyone tried to talk her out of it, but she was set. "If I don't then this monster will just keep killing. I have seen some of the ladies who raised Terry with her in the castle. They have been lamenting and wailing and sobbing since they heard the news. If the unicorn lives they won't even be able to find and bury his body."

Her parents begged her to let it go. They would send out for a warrior. Maybe they could get Bone Crusher back. Or something.

She was determined. She knew she had done well so far. But so had the others and while she thought she might have an edge from her early success at the dinner table, she realized it was not about the contest any more. She had gotten into this to be the best queen possible. Talked about how she would step aside if she failed. And really she had no real plans if she failed.

"I agreed to see this challenge through. Live or die, I'm going to do it." Inside a voice was screaming that she was crazy, but she silenced it. later she arranged to meet Lilia in private, dangerous as that was. "I don't suppose you have any advice."

"Sorry. Unicorns aren't easy to defeat." Lilia said, "If you make it back, I will gladly bow my head to you as the next queen." The others nodded. "If not I suppose I'll dedicate my victory to you at your funeral."

"Thank you. I suppose. You know, if I do get the position, I might need a new magic worker in years to come."

"We'll talk," she said.

"One thing before I go I just have to know. Are you going to keep… that?" She gestured at Lilia's waist.

She smirked wickedly. "I think I'll keep it. It's kind of growing on me. I'm sure that you understand." She finished with a playful wink and Danielle could not keep from laughing.

Seeing her family's expressions and hearing her mother's sobs as she and her procession headed from the castle did not exactly fill Danielle's heart with confidence. It would be sad, she thought, to miss her brother's wedding. If the kids took after their mothers she could have been a great aunt, helping them. It would have been nice to finally have some people around she could relate to. Resent. Bond with.

One day her eldest brother would be duke and he would get married too. Become duke if their father died or passed the title on. The coronation would be worth seeing, though she supposed she would miss her parent. Now that they had grown closer. At least her mother would have some replacement daughters. Plenty to talk over with her friends while they drank heir tea and traded gossip.

It occurred to her that Danielle had been happily useless her whole life Like any noblewoman. Meant to look good produce babies, and grow gracefully old. She was a lady of the realm, whatever anyone else thought or said. And she would happily die to protect it, the people, and especially her family from a monster. In many ways it was more useful. If she failed the princess would marry someone else and they would defeat the unicorn. Another maiden. A great and powerful warrior. Or maybe they would burn the forest down.

Remembering the sweet young boy she had been up against though and who now lay dead somewhere in the woods, she just had to do this. If she could stop the beast, fantastic. If not so be it. She had to try. There was no quit left in her heart. She was coming back a heroine to marry her prince or she was not coming back.

They arrived at a different meadow than they had taken Terry too. The king's men and horses stopped short, letting Danielle walk several hundred yards the rest of the way while they covered themselves in skunkweed to hide their scent and watched through spyglasses. To her surprise Danielle was not afraid as she walked across the mossy forest floor and stopped in the soft grass next to a pure clean spring. Frogs hopped out of her way and into the water. Danielle wondered if it was anybody Mitchell had known.

Once she was comfortable she took out a small harp. Not her mother's magical one. Just a simple lap harp. She ran the tips of her fingers over the strings listening to the beautiful tones and then taking a deep breath she began to sing. No words, just what music her throat was able to make. Her new voice was fantastic. Sweet sounds filled the air and she remembered when she was younger and her voice had begun to crack. It had been a little thing and she powered through it. But there had been more. Growing hair in odd places and then shaving it off, unsure if she wanted to look like her mom and the other ladies or if she just did not want to look like her father and brothers.

It had been a confusing time. She had not felt right in her skin and at times it was like her body was revolting, both in the disgusting manner as well as just turning against her. Trying to crush the person she was and wanted to be. She had powered through it and in the end she knew, Daniel had been a brief phase in her life. Something she had briefly tried on and discarded. Courtly did not know it, but she helped Danielle get through that time a lot. Seeing a woman shed the princes she was and become the prince she wanted to be and walk through court as that man, head held high. That more than any number of armies she defeated made her Danielle's hero. She shedding blood was easy. Shedding other people's expectations was much harder.

It was like how she had been born the son of a duke and a duchess. It was blood. A family name. Part of who they were. But if she married Courtly, and gods above did she want to marry Courtly, she would be a princess. A new family name. A new title. Different from whom she had been born to be. Passed down her bloodline. To children who would be princes and princesses just like their mother and father, whether they were boys or girls. A maiden becomes a wife. A virgin gets deflowered. A woman becomes a mother. A boy becomes a father. People change all the time. And at the same time they always are who they are inside.

She was Danielle.

She was a girl.

She was a princess.

As if to confirm her belief the bushes parted and the ground shook with like a pounding heart. The unicorn stepped into view. It was beautiful. White and shining in the dappled light filtering between the trees. The horn shimmered with a glow that came from inside and its body flexed with powerful muscles. Danielle almost swooned.

For a brief moment she wondered if she was going to die, but her heart remained firm and her voice steady. It came forward as hesitantly as a child trying to entice a bird to land on their finger. It must have been twice the size of any horse she had ever seen, though the head was actually more deer-like. It… nope. It was a male. Danielle did her best not to stare as it suddenly dropped forward; laying its head in her lap and then the rear hit the grass with a contented thump. She barely moved the harp out of the way in time and managed to keep playing.

It would have been a beautiful scene and one day Danielle intended to sew a tapestry depicting it. At the moment though she was all too aware of the creature's weight and that the wrong move could get her stomped into the turf or gored. Now that the unicorn was close she could see pink stains in its fur and the red line of caked in blood in the spiral of its horn. The last remnants of Terry's blood.

The soldiers were waiting for her signal. The chance to run in and finish the monster off. It would be a terrible battle and could result in more deaths, if they even succeeded. Danielle had another plan. Slowly she grabbed her skirt and began inching it up her leg. Slowly she revealed a long hard shaft and then the head. Tied to her thigh with leather straps. She gripped it and tugged.

The axe came free as the unicorn's eyes were half lidded, the blade gleaming in the sun, edge sharp as could be. Danielle had hunted with her father. She knew how to turn off her awe at the beauty or cuteness of animals and do what needed to be done. Just as her father had to ignore a sob story when he ordered someone put to death.

The unicorn was a wonderful creature. Magical and amazing. It was also a killer that might slaughter her the moment it arose and would undoubtedly go on to kill many more if not destroy her entire kingdom. A rabid done might have been the gentlest puppy in the world, but some things just needed to be done. She raised the axe and muttered a traditional queenly utterance appropriate for the moment. "Off with their head…"

Danielle and her guards returned in triumph to the city. Along the way everyone bowed to her, even though her dress and face were stained with glittery silver blood. A runner arrived ahead so the castle residents were there to greet them and they cheered as the prince helped Danielle off her horse and gave her a long and passionate kiss. he also made certain to assign scouts to find the unicorn's victims and return the bodies to their families.

That evening the happy couple dined on unicorn meat, which was delicious and would increase their lifespan by decades if not a full century. The head was taken by the duke and turned into a trophy which was hung in the palace with a plaque explaining Danielle's greatness and heroism.

The other contest rivals all bowed out gracefully and even joined with Danielle's brothers as her bridesmaids. The wedding was huge and spectacular with much cheering.

Together Courtly and Danielle ruled their kingdom in a golden age of love and peace and understanding before passing it on to their children and sailing off for great adventures. Then their great grandchildren started a terrible civil war that wiped it off the map and led to civil war and decades of bloodshed before being eventually taken over by their neighboring kingdoms. Their records were burned and most of the people who had ever heard of them were killed.

Thus explaining why you have never heard this story before.

The End

The Only Girl

Not so long ago in the sunken continent of Atlantis there lived a happy and prosperous populace. They lived in a utopia mostly because of two things. One was that they were isolated. Deep beneath the sea under a crystalline dome the covered the city. Invented by the amazing oracles that were able to see the future and had prepared for the sinking of their homeland centuries before it happened. Now it rested on the bottom of the sea covered over so that nobody above would find it for another thousand years. Maintained by advanced technology and magic the surface dwellers would love to get their hands on. Not that they would ever get the chance. According to predictions they should wipe themselves out by what they called 2050 and Atlantis would rise and repopulate the globe after taking care of all that nasty pollution.

The second thing that made it great was that there were no problems with gender. Because the people of Atlantis were highly evolved and instead of one gender they had both. When they hit puberty everyone grew breasts. Their testicles dropped. They were born with a birth canal and everything that went with it as well as the parts the rest of the world associated with men. Not everyone was the same size of course. Some had muscles and square jaws. Others were more delicate and could not even grow facial hair. And everything in between. Personalities varied from tough to sweet and all the rest. Some had short hair others long. They all wore togas of course.

Ah, but you know all about that. Everyone does.

What our story about takes place deep in one of the cities.

It was late and the sunstone lights were toned down to twilight levels. In a small house a single parents was giving birth with the help of a midwife. The parent pushed, wishing she had someone else there wither but not for a moment regretting dumping her former lover. They had been such a mistake except over the last nine months she had come to love the baby bump. She had never felt more motherly and over the last month had almost exclusively used female pronouns to describe herself.

With one final push they both heard a cry and she felt empty. She fell back with a relieved sigh. After catching her breath she sat up and looked at the midwife. "How is it?"

"It's… it's…" Shock in her voice she turned the still bloody and wriggling baby to face its mother. "It's a girl!"

It took a moment for the words to register and for the baby's mother to realize what she was not seeing. A moment later she let out a terrified high pitched scream.

?

Min had grown up keeping her secret from everyone. She had a good life. She was pretty with long brown hair and eyes with olive-green skin like all Atlantians, naturally having taken the feminine route in her development. Her best friend outdid her though since Illi was considered even at fifteen to be one of the most beautiful and popular girls in Atlantis. She had long white hair and silver eyes that Min badly envied. They had been friends since they were children and Illi had even asked Min out a few times when they were younger.

Min had to turn her down. It hurt. She really would have loved to date the person who meant most to her in the world besides her parent, but she could not even risk hugging her without being careful not to bump hips. So when Illi started dating Jono, the muscle bound lunk who used them-their pronouns from down the road from where they lived, she could hardly say anything even as Illi cooed over Jono's sculpted muscles, large breasts, and enormous… attributes. Min just had to suck it up and support her friend.

For seventeen years she had kept her secret. She would most likely have to keep it for the rest of her life. Even if she thought Illi would still like her both despite being a freak and after having turned her down, she could never do that to someone she cared about.

There were stories. A single gendered person popped up in Atlantis from time to time. More often than not the parents took the twisted creature to the airlock and had it shot out to sea. It was a kindness really. Imagine, going through your life with half a soul, as they said. Reviled as an abomination by normal people. Living with those looks and knowing that people knew. Min had been prepared for that since she first understood that she was not like everyone else, but the idea of people giving someone as wonderful as Illi that sort of treatment when they were obviously so amazing and beautiful and smart and kind… it did not bare thinking about.

If she was ever found out it would be bad enough if Illi decided to stay her friend. If she did not Min would not blame her. No, Min would as always stay in the shadows. Hiding the shameful secret she had been born with. They had tests. Sometimes a person could be born without both a vagina or a penis or even breasts and still live a full and healthy life knowing that they were normal on the inside. But Min was one hundred percent female and while the doctors were bound to keep that secret, every time she went in for a physical she could see the pity in their eyes and knew how the world would look at her the same way if she ever let them know.

But nobody could watch themselves all the time and while she professed to only be Illi's friend, everyone could sort of tell she still had a huge crush on her friend. Even Jono who was none too bright, but who had seen Min making goo-goo eyes at their girl more than once. They did not make a big stink about it because Illi was too good to risk losing and insisted as well that they were just friends, but every time Jono saw the two of them together it stuck in their craw.

Until one day at school they had it and decided to be a little petty. It was, truth to tell, only a small prank, One that would get a scream and a blush from most kids and little else. Jono had no way of knowing how devastating it would be for Min.

Illi and Min were off to the side playing tula ball with about a dozen others on the sports' field, just as you or I or anyone would. They were on the team together after all while Jono played pressure gaff like most jocks. The big ones always call tula ball a kid's game, no matter how popular the pros are.

Anyway they were in the middle of a downward slump play when Jono came running onto the field running up behind Min who was distracted keeping her eye on the lurch turf. She was the only one who did not see the hulking form stomp onto the field. The rest did and stopped. Someone tried to shout out a warning, but it was too late. Jono ducked down and grabbed the edge of Min's toga and lifted.

At first Min was not sure what happened as she was enveloped in white cloth. Her skirts were weighted, sewn special by her mother to keep them from accidentally flying up and with special straps. This had never happened before.

Then she heard the sounds. Cries of shock and horror. Screams.

She pulled them down, yanking free of Jono's hands as the shocked oversized muscle mutant stood there, slack jawed. "You… your penis is… where did it go?"

Someone else shouted, "It's a freak!"

"They're a... what do you call it? Uh, boy?"

"Girl," someone else corrected with revulsion.

"Female."

"What; like my dog? Like an animal?" Because of course only lower life forms like pets and food and fish had two separate genders. Not people.

As Min stood there tears in her eyes the chanting began. "Animal. Animal. Animal. Animal. Animal…" She looked from side to side, surrounded as people who had been watching the game came closer to get a better look. She caught sight of Illi hand over her mouth eyes wide with surprise and sympathy. In some ways it would have been easier if she had chanted with the others. It was better than seeing her pity.

Min turned and ran away, wiping tears from her eyes and sobbing as she went.

Min stayed in her room for the next three days and her parent let her. What else could she do? Neither knew. Being different was not illegal in Atlantis, but if there was anyone else out there like her, they were not lining up to announce that fact.

Were they out there? Other single gendered people. She imagined masculine types like in the history books who under their robes wore stuffed bras or like her, a pair of under-things with a pouch stuffed with sand shaped like a curled up eel. Waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting fish.

She had always wished Illi would pounce on her like that. Just push her against a wall and have their way with Min. And when she saw what was waiting for her Min imagined her friend would not hesitate or think she was weird. She had always been afraid to find out.

Now she knew. It was worse than if she had been missing a limb or had a third eye growing in the middle of her head. Illi was never going to want to come near her again, let alone talk to her.

There was a soft knock on her door and her parents stuck their head in. "Honey, your friend Illi is on the porch. Do you want to talk to them?"

Min's heart froze. Finally though she sighed and nodded. "Sure." She might as well get it over with.

On the walk down she thought of all the things Illi would ask her not to do any more. Spend time with her was a given. The others would want her off the team of course. She would likely be banned by parents who probably had heard all about it by now. Or the it she did not have. They would declare her a sexual deviant. Afraid their children would be exposed to the idea of a person with only one sexual organ.

She was just so different. Female. Lesser. How many times had she heard kids on the playground sling insults like "Dickless?" or if you did something stupid you were "All balls no vag." Sure everyone knew the surface dwellers were freaks. Separated into two genders and always treating each other as if one side or the other was better or worse. Because they were both obviously missing something.

Imagine how sad, to not be able to father children or give birth? To be fully under the sway of your balls or your vagina? To have one side who had no idea how it felt to have monthly cramps or be in touch with their emotions because they had too much testosterone, or who could not understand the embarrassment of a hard-on in public or the feelings behind that? Not to mention dividing everything by gender roles. Only one side allowed to try on a pretty outfit or the other play in a sport. Teased, taunted, and ostracized because they acted like the one they were not born as. Defined by their genitals. No wonder they were always having wars.

Min in their eyes represented all of that. A poor crippled creature denied half of what everyone else got as a birthright. Take away any other prejudices or recriminations for being different, and she was still pathetic. Dickless.

Castrated.

She found Illi sitting on the steps and took a seat next to her, making sure to keep her distance. They sat in silence for a moment.

"So what's it like?"

Min looked at her. "What?" Being treated like a plague victim?

"You know Not having a…"

"Oh." She thought about it. "I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"It's not like it fell off last week Illi," she said a little exasperated. "I never had one. What's it like to have it?"

"Uh…" She thought about it. "Okay I guess. I mean sometimes it does stuff I don't like. I mean when you go to the bathroom standing… how do you…?" She shook her head and stopped before asking. "Sometimes it isn't easy to aim, especially first thing in the morning, and it goes in weird ways. Or it gets stiff at bad times. Jono gets real jealous if that happens while I'm looking at someone else, but you know, I can't help it. Any more than I can when I get damp." She wriggled a bit. "If I was going to keep one though I think it'd be my penis. Less work. Simpler, you know?"

"I always thought it would be. Though really I always just wanted to have both like everybody else. Not feel left out so much." She swallowed. "Not know I was a freak."

"You're not a freak." Illi smiled. "Well you are, but you always were. And not because you don't have balls." She looked down and flinched at the very idea.

"I saw how you looked at me. I know it's weird and sad."

"No! It isn't." She paused. "Is that why you never told me?" Min nodded. "I don't think it makes you a freak."

"Maybe you don't, but everyone else does. I tried to hide it for so long. Then your partner ruined it."

"I dumped them two days ago. Nobody messes with my best friend." She swallowed. "My… girl." Min cautiously turned to look at her. "I won't say I wasn't surprised, but… when I thought about it, I actually thought it was kind of hot.'

"You did?" Illi nodded. A little excited Min cautiously asked, "Do you… want to see it?"

"I-if you don't mind." Biting her lip and checking to make sure her parent was not watching, Min slowly tugged up the edge of her skirt. "Wow… it's… really pretty." She blushed. "I always thought… dicks… were kind of weird. I mean I never imagined what it would look like without one, but it's kind of pretty and delicate, like a flower. To me most people look like some weird sea creature. I was so embarrassed when mine started getting bigger. Swelling in the middle and when my other ball dropped."

Lowering her skirt and patting it into place Min said, "Well I don't know. I like both. And I have seen yours a time or two when we changed. I was always careful but… I peeked and I think you're quite nice. You know, everywhere."

Illi scooted over and leaned against Min, smiling as she stiffened as much as any normal person, only over her whole body. "Well you know, you might change you mind. If you saw it up close. A peek isn't really the same, is it?" Min gulped. Was this really happening? Was that a tent popping up in the girl's robe, showing that she was indeed not put off by Min's freakish deformity? Was the person she loved most in the whole world actually—?

Suddenly a shadow fell over them and she looked up as Jono stood there. Tall with a buzz cut head and muscles glistening in the lights from above. They had brought some of their friends along too.

"What are you doing with my partner?"

"I'm not your—!" Illi yelled, but Jono grabbed her by the arm and yanked her away and pressed her tightly to their side. She tried to fight back but could not get the leverage and was too weak to do anything anyway. It was like a sea lion pup attacking a killer whale.

Feeling Illi's thing poking them in the leg Jono frowned. "You aren't still friends with the freak, are you?"

"If Min is a freak then so am I," Illi said. "I… I like girls."

Snarling Jono looked at Min. "Stupid animal. Look what you've done. You made Illi a pervert."

Seeing Illi try to get away and trapped but stills ticking up for her, Min stood up and said, "Get your hands off of my partner."

"Or what… girl?" They spat the word. Around them some of the other people, all big and members of Jono's team, snickered.

"Or I'll make you." She stepped forward down the step making Jono that much taller.

"Min, don't!" Illi shouted.

Jono was still holding Illi with one arm and could not swing right with their other, but she could do something else. A move instinctual to anyone with a pair of testies. Min did not even have time to flinch as their foot lashed out, catching her right between the legs. The whole group except Illi began laughing, but it caught in their throat as Min grunted a bit, but did not fall over.

Instead she lashed out the same way while Jono's leg was still stuck between hers, leaving their own crotch fully exposed and with Illi being held in their main arm, unable to even block. Jono had been well endowed and with the prettiest person in Atlantis pressed up against his side, her manhood still hard from Min's peep show, they had gotten quite a bit of blood flowing down there.

So min's foot came in contact with Jono's balls and fully engorged erection. Like all tula ball players, she studied several martial arts and could, with proper focus, kick through a brick wall. At the moment she was very, very focused. Something under their toga cracked. Around them everyone but Min including Illi sympathy flinched, covering their parts and squeezing their eyes shut.

Min, not having the experience to empathize, instead brought her right knee up to meet Jono's left breast as they bent over. Her parent always said getting kicked in the books was close to being hit in the nuts. Judging by the way Jono's mouth opened and they sucked in a breath so hard it made a noise even if the air was going the wrong way, they were right. Min knew getting bumped there hurt, but had never taken a direct hit. Looked like it hurt an she had to resist the urge to rub her own chest.

Whimpering almost silently, tears coming to their eyes Jono slowly removed the arm from Illi and crouched forward, hands between legs before tilting over and falling to the ground with a thump almost tin slow motion. The lay their whimpering. Jono's friends looked up at Min and Illi as her white haired team mate stood beside her and took up a similar pose.

Min glanced down at her fallen foe. "Who is dickless now?" Jono's friends picked them up and helped them limp-hobble away.

Suddenly Illi's arms wrapped around her and Min felt them press together. She felt a perfect pair of lips brush her ear. "That was so sexy. I didn't know girls could be that hot. What else have you got?"

"Nothing you don't have and then some."

"My parents always say it's not what you have, but how you use it." She leaned forward and to both their surprise Min wrapped her hands around her neck and leaned back, the leg that had just crushed Jono's family jewels moving up the outside of Illi's thigh. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know. It… it just seems the thing to do."

Illi smiled. "I like it." They pressed together, breasts squished together and the proof of Illi's attraction pressed between their bellies. Min sighed and they kissed. It was a perfect moment. When they broke up Illi asked a little worriedly, "So, um, was that good? How do I tell if you like me too?"

Grinning Min slid one hand down and got a grip on Illi's butt, smiling as she felt the body press against her jump and heard a pleased squeal. "I've given that a lot of thought. I have some ideas, but I've never really had the chance to try them out. Maybe you'd like to come up to my room and… experiment?"

Illi nodded and helped Min back onto her feet. "I'd like that.' Suddenly she lowered her voice. "Promise not to tell anyone, but one of my parents said they were on a trip to a far city once and they experimented… with a man. They met while working together and he let her know and they sort of hooked up for a fling. Way before they met my other parent."

"No! Really? How was it?"

"They said it wasn't bad. Apparently his ass was really tight."