A day had passed and Gregory still hadn’t used the goblyns’ device. The more he thought about the device, the more ambivalent he grew about it. Plus, it wasn’t his only option. Veles had said he’d done something to the bandits using his spell and Gregory had resolved to not do anything until after he saw the results of the wizard’s tinkering.
The caravan was pulling into the next overnight stop. Like all the others, it had outhouses already set up and there even vendors from the nearby town hawking their fresh produce.
Feeling restless, Gregory got out of the carriage and lowered himself to helping Geoffrey with his duties.
Normally, this would be unthinkable. However…
He was scared. He didn’t want to lose the big oaf. It was strange that until now, he never even gave the butler half a thought. The mink had simply assumed his existence and assistance would always be there. He’d taken Geoffrey for granted.
Now he was practically smothering his beloved bear with attention, rubbing his bubbly ass, kissing him whenever he could. It came off as desperate, he knew, but he was desperate. Desperate to have as much time with Geoffrey he could. He wanted… well, he wanted to cry.
Even now, he could still see his handsome bear’s face when he called him ‘my love’ instead of ‘my liege’.
He knew ‘Jeff’ had been trouble. Fat people were generally untrustworthy. Their lack of self-control and/or sloth was a giveaway to their general temperament. He didn’t mind ‘bulky’. At least they were trying. But blubber balls, like Jeff the brown bear, were disgusting and immoral.
He sidled up to the campfire and waited for the bandits to show up in their new forms as Veles had promised.
While he waited, a few obese guards came up, including one trying rather hilariously to fit into a too-tight tunic, and started playing music. It was quite entertaining, and for a few minutes, the Prince was smiling and had forgotten about the existential horror facing his love.
Veles sat down next to him.
“So,” Gregory turned to address the wizard during a break between songs, “Where are these guards?”
“That’s them,” Veles said, wincing.
Gregory stared at the flabby guards in horror.
The fox had intentionally turned them into fatasses. He shuddered. What horrific power this fox wielded! As Veles explained his actions, Gregory nodded. Yes, these fools had been rendered completely harmless. But by the Gods, if it had been up to Gregory, he’d rather have been killed.
As Veles talked about the guards, Geoffrey – or perhaps Jeff - suddenly became very moody and left.
With a sigh, Gregory left the fire to go take care of his companion. Jeff… was interesting. Sometimes he scared Gregory, like when he’d whisper murderous thoughts in his ear at night. But other times… it was like he enjoyed being yelled at and ordered around, getting an erection when Gregory put him in his place.
Mostly he was a silly stupid bear who thought he was smarter than he actually was.
And Gregory couldn’t help but feel some amount of enjoyment when he put the uppity bear in his place. Geoffrey, on the other hand, was mortified when Gregory snapped at him. That was usually how he could tell who was currently in control of their shared body.
He caught up with the polar bear just before he entered his tent.
“Which one are you?” Gregory asked the polar bear outright, “Geoffrey or Jeff?”
“I don’t know!” The bear placed his paws to his head. “I’m slipping away, Greg!”
Jeff, then.
“Jeff,” The Prince said carefully, “Calm down.”
“I can’t! I’m scared!”
“Jeff,” Gregory slipped a paw around the bear’s waist and groped a massive muscled ass cheek, “You are perfect. No matter how you feel about me, I think you’re very handsome. I think you’re scared and I think you like being ordered around.”
“That’s the bear!” Jeff growled, “I-I don’t like that.”
“Why do you have a boner right now?”
“I-” Jeff glanced down and saw his tented slacks and the skin under his fur blushed bright red. “Oh. I’m just a horny bear in general.”
“A hedonist.” Gregory nodded, “I understand. No matter what happens, I will always love you.”
“I’m sorry!” Jeff sobbed, hugging the mink, his erection pressing against the Prince’s furry cheek, “I…I don’t like being a nobody servant! I want to be smart and count things, my love!”
The polar bear slapped a paw across his muzzle, eyes wide.
Gregory smiled.
So, there was major bleed over. Jeff was truly losing this battle of the minds. All he had to do was make sure the bear ‘held out’ until he lost.
“You are a nobody.” Gregory said gently, wiping the tears from his lover’s muzzle. “But not to me. You’re my everything, my love.”
“I love you,” Jeff whispered, thick black lips quivering, staring down at the Prince, “But if I love you, I go away.”
That explained a few things.
Gregory had to hand it to the former fat fuck. He had a will and tenacity few beings had. Not many could survive a Trim from an expert like Glitz. So all the threats of murder and violence were his way of trying to avoid oblivion. Perfectly understandable. While Gregory wanted Jeff gone and hoped he’d disappear forever, he had to give him some respect.
“I have something that might save you,” Gregory produced the box he’d bought from the Goblyns. “But if I use this, we’ll have to prove a service to the fey.”
“It’s fey?” The bear’s eyes widened, “Do not fucking use it, Gregory! Are you daft? Do you know what deal you made?”
“Enough!” Gregory snapped, his anger flaring, “You don’t have much in the way of options, do you?”
“I have Veles-”
“A wizard who is new to this magic! Think, Jeff!”
“I can’t trust Fey magic. There’s always a price!” Jeff snarled.
“Fine! I’ll use it as a demonstration!” Gregory declared. “If something goes wrong, we don’t use it. And you have my permission to slaughter a whole cartful of Goblyns.”
“Are you sure?” The polar bear stared at him. “That’s a big risk-”
“Do you want to go away or do you want to go back to your original form?”
Jeff snapped his muzzle shut.
“I thought so. Wait here.” Gregory pressed the button on the top of the device.
Immediately, a quiet whirring noise filled the room.
A feeling like static built up around them as a strange breeze began blowing towards the box, rippling their clothing. The box vibrated silently in Gregory’s paws, then paused. Air rushed into the tent and it almost felt like the device was drawing a breath.
There was a bright flash and Gregory felt his body tingle as the device discharged whatever it had been built up.
With a sigh, his muscles clenched and crunched, tightening then releasing as they began to grow. It was oddly pleasurable, a sort of runner’s high hit the mink as he bulked up at an astounding rate. His pecs grew thick and pillowy, and his tight abs swelled thick and meaty. Even his normal wiry arms ballooned with mass, and a quick flex revealed biceps the size of bowling balls.
Gregory’s ass wobbled as it swelled and rounded into a proper muscular haunch. The changes swept down his short legs, calves growing wide. He felt giddy, feeling pure power coursing through his veins. He wanted to run, to lift something, the tension in his body growing until all his muscles swelled one last time, leaving him as muscular as Charlie was.
The mink tapped the button, turning the device off, his forearms flexing powerfully as he did so.
Geoffrey was staring at him, jaw dropped.
“See? Perfectly safe.” Gregory winked.
“I…okay,” Jeff gave in, “But only if Veles fucks up.”
“Deal!” Gregory extended a paw, spitting in it.
Geoffrey took it.