Deceptive Appearance
Vane had an amazing view of the countryside, but that was about all the loathsome floating city had to offer. Royce did not see why her elder sister preferred to live here among the arrogant magicians of the guild, yet alone poise as their leader. Xenobia was a terrible actress, always loosing her temper and sending citizens to the dungeon for petty purposes. Phacia's gentle, calm personality would much more suiting when it came to emulating the guildmaster, but she loved being locked away with the priests and priestesses of the peaceful Goddess Tower.
Royce uncomfortably sat in the office of Lemia Ausa. Of course, the real Lemia was chained up somewhere, but the room looked the same as the true guildmaster had left it. Pictures of the daughter, Mia, littered the walls among portraits of the Four Heroes. Royce chuckled when she noticed darts had been thrown in Ghaleon's bromide. It was obvious Xenobia had it bad for Ghaleon, but he so obsessed with finding Althena that he was oblivious of her sister's devotion to him. Xenobia was known to take out her frustration by torturing animals or children, so it was no surprise she threw darts at the one she loved… and the one who caused her so much grief. Royce would never let herself become so angst-ridden over some man. It only would cause her misery.
The door swung open as Xenobia stormed into the room and slammed it behind her, knocking a picture off the wall and muttering to herself. She was still in the form of the big, muscular Lemia. "Damn peasants, whining about how unfair the new guild policy is… well, some time in the dungeon will teach them to be appreciative… oh, hello, sister."
"Greetings, Xenobia. How is the progress?" Royce leaned on her elbow she'd placed on the armrest of the chair, eager to compete with her sister to see who'd done more for the cause.
"I have located four more possible girls since we last spoke, three of which we captured," Xenobia said nonchalantly as she slumped into her. "How are things at Black Rose Street?"
"I am doing well, actually. You must be aware the student, Nash, will find us the true goddess."
"Yes, I spoke with him, actually. Nash's lack of impressiveness would lead me to believe your forecast is wrong, dear sister, but who am I to doubt? Ghaleon would not choose an incompetent pupil, so he must have more useful qualities than his 'charming' personality. I am not under the impression that you have persuaded Nash to join us."
"Oh, he will, I am sure of it."
"You have been wrong before," Xenobia stated coldly, her eyes narrowing into a glare.
"I have a way of guaranteeing he will not betray us, but I require your assistance," Royce leaned back and swung her feet onto the desk. Xenobia raised an eyebrow.
"Go on, sister."
"I intend to cast the Amor Hex on Nash," Royce stated. Xenobia raised her hand to her chin thoughtfully.
"The most powerful of love spells… are you aware of the consequences, little sister? You must give yourself to Nash… and a piece spell that strong will surely reflect off the magician and bind you to him, as well. Is it really necessary?"
"If I lay with Nash, the spell will be set and he will be unable to resist for there is only one way to break it. I am aware of what will happen to me. I can handle the petty feelings for the man that will result," Royce said as she twisted a piece of her stringy blonde hair around her finger as if she could care less.
"Very well, your mind is set. How many I be of assistance in your plan?"
"Nash's affections lie with Lemia's daughter."
"Mia? Yes, the weakling child. She is no threat for she spends her days in her room crying and wallowing in doubt. I still don't see what this has to do with me," Xenobia snapped, her short attention span being stretched.
"You have the gift of deceptive appearance… I need you to help me appear as Mia," Royce sat up, a determined look consuming her face. Xenobia smiled coyly as her ego was boosted.
"Is that all? You ask of me a simple task." She rose from her seat and pulled a book of her shelf. "My servant will show you to a guest room where I suggest you meditate. Perhaps you foresight will be of assistance. I will arrive at your quarters as soon as the spell is prepared. Go now."
Royce blinked and gazed at her reflection in the tall, oak framed mirror of her temporary quarters in Vane. She rose her hand to run it through the soft mass of black curls. She blinked, staring deeply into eyes the color the sea at night. The face looking back at Royce was that of Mia Ausa. Despite Xenobia's temper, she was Lunar's finest when it came to magic involving form changing. With her sister's help, Royce had taken a body identical in appearance to Mia. The seer admired her work in the mirror.
Mia was wretched a girl. It was a shame she wasted her potential by being a sniveling little brat. Royce had really done her work making the prude magician's body appear as an attractive, although trashy, seductress. She wore a short, black skirt that wrapped loosely around her waste and a skimpy bikini bra of the same color that only covered her plump breasts with triangular cloth held by strings tied around her back and neck. Royce pulled the dark locks of Mia back into a ponytail high upon her head, letting ringlets trickle down the sides of her pale face. She pulled on an ugly, pastel purple robe and fuzzy blue slippers borrowed from Mia's wardrobe that had been provided by Xenobia.
Everything was in place. Xenobia was seeing to it that the real Mia would be out of the way, along with the student Nash shared a room with. Royce had spent the last few hours preparing to cast the hex on Nash. Now, she was almost girlishly giddy rather than her pessimistic, cynical self. She practically skipped out of the room, gliding down the hallway in Mia's pajamas.
"Good evening, Majesty Mia," said a guard posted at the end of the guest wing.
"Looking good, soldier," Royce tried her voice for the first time. She winked and swung her hips as she passed, glancing over her shoulder at the puzzled man.
Royce found her way to the dormitory that housed Vane's male students. As Xenobia promised, she met no interruptions on her way. With no trouble, the seer found Nash's room and rapped her knuckled against the door. After a minute, the door became ajar with a disheveled Nash peering out. His hair was cowlicked in every direction and eyes were rimmed with sleep.
"Lark, you must stop forgetting your keys if you plan on staying out so late," he mumbled, swinging the door open. He glanced up and perked to alertness when he saw his guest was not his roommate. "Oh… Majesty Mia! What an unexpected pleasure… I apologize for my unkempt appearance, but I was asleep…"
Royce was on Nash in a flash, throwing her arms around him and sobbing in a girlish manner. "Oh, Nash!" she wailed. "It's so awful!" The magician almost stepped back in surprise, but curled his arms nervously around Royce in an attempt to comfort her.
"Shh… it's alright, Mia," he whispered. "Please, sit down." Nash ushered Royce to have a seat on his unmade bed. He sat beside her and kept his arm protectively around her shoulders. "What wrong has been done to you, Mia?"
Royce began to tell Nash a bogus story of how hard it was being guildmaster's daughter, and how frustrating it was with her mother's strange, cruel behavior. Nash listened well, absorbing every word. Royce had him. There was no turning back. Nash would soon be hers.