The messenger returned while Bufo was changing Patrick's diaper. Marcia was nursing her most recent child, a son that had just hatched that morning, so Bufo happily changed the knight's diaper. He was a doting, attentive father, after all.
Marcia opened the door, her newborn son in a sling around her chest, nursing from one of her massive breasts.
"Yes?" she said to the messenger. The messenger shuffled his feet uncertainly.
"Unfortunately, the court wizards have been unable to find a way to reverse Patrick's curse."
"Oh." Marcia hid her delight at the news. The little brat would have to grow up again! "What will happen to him?"
"We can arrange for him to be adopted by someone else, but we were wondering if you would like to take him in as your son. Permanently."
"Keep this darling little boy?" Bufo said, coming to the door. Patrick was in his arms, wearing only his fresh diaper. "Of course!" The messenger sighed in relief.
"Good. You'll receive a monetary stipend every month as payment for his care. Here is what you are currently owed, as well as the next few months' worth." The messenger handed Marcia a bag. She opened it. It was full of gold! "The King would like to make a second request."
"One moment," Marcia said. Patrick was beginning to cry at the realization he was to grow up all over again, raised by Marcia and Bufo. She took Patrick and placed him in the sling with the newborn, then guided him to her other, also bared, breast. Patrick had no choice but to latch on and nurse. "Okay. Go ahead."
"You took such excellent care of Patrick. And this sort of thing happens more often than you would think. The King was wondering if the two of you would be willing to be our official foster home for cursed knights. You would be paid handsomely for each one you take care of until they can be cured."
"If they can't be?" Bufo asked.
"Then we would request you take them in, like you did with Patrick. It would not always be a toddler human boy. Our knights are turned into multiple ages, genders, and species in the course of their business."
"We accept!" Marcia said. The messenger looked at Bufo. After all, Marcia couldn't accept. She was just a woman. The man of the house had to accept. Bufo nodded.
"We accept. Gillpeople love taking in foundlings and raising them as our own."
"Excellent. A new knight will be dropped off sometime tomorrow. He was turned into a baby minotaur girl, and has a voracious appetite for milk." Marcia laughed.
"I nursed eleven half-satyrs at once. My milk production will be more than enough." Patrick unlatched from Marcia's nipple. She looked down. There was an expression on the toddler's face that she recognized. She picked him up and handed him to Bufo. "He will need a fresh diaper soon. The milk always makes him poop."
While the messenger discussed the finer details of the arrangement, Patrick grunted and pushed in Bufo's hands. The timing was perfect. Marcia was thrilled that the tot was being forced to humiliate himself, messing his diaper in front of the messenger. After a few minutes, Patrick finished. His diaper sagged and smelled. The messenger, eager to get away from the stench coming from the former knight's diaper, ended the conversation and left.
Bufo whistled happily as he carried Patrick over to the changing table. Marcia followed him.
"Bufo, I have a request to make," she said softly. Bufo paused the diaper change with the diaper open, exposing Patrick's soiled privates. He looked at his mate. "When we take in these foster children, it will be a lot of work for me. We already have over twenty children, after all."
"Yes."
"If you grant my request, it will make running this household far easier."