"Hold on!" Mike twisted backa round to stare at the Wizard. "I didn't think you were serious! It sounded like some kid's game! I was just being nice. I don't want to be a horse!"
The young Wizard scowled. "A game? You think fighting monsters, battling evil is a game?"
"Well.." Mike wasn't sure how to answer. This WAS a game, sort of. A Dungeons and Dragons adventure come to life. But he did not think it would be a good idea to mention that. "He looked like a little kid, and you sure don't look like any Wizard."
The young man on his back answered. "It was a curse. We were part of a team of adventurers that got hit with powerful spells. Master Gil and I both ended up as boys, though his greater age protected him from childhood. And we were the lucky ones. The others became an Oak tree, a doe, and a swarm of flies."
Mike twisted around again. "Looks like the Wizard just changed you back. Why do you need me?"
Aaron reached out and placed a hand on Mike's shoulder. "This won't last. To break the curse, I must find a horse that is not a horse to willingly be my mount. An animal lacks the ability to make such a choice, so the only solution is a centaur. Such as you." He slid his hand up to Mike's neck and rubbed it. The senation was pleasant.
The Wizard sighed. "When you agreed, it was enough to meet the requirements, even if you didn't really understand. We have been looking for so long."
Mike frowned. "It couldn't be but so long. Aaron's still a little kid, and you're still..."
"A boy." The Wizard waved a hand in annoyance. "And so we remain to all others. Aaron has played in the mud and I have shoveled horse shit for longer than you have been alive, centaur. Part of the curse that keeps us young also controls our abilities and how others see us. I cannot perform magic in front of anyone else, at least from the town, and our young freind there talks, acts, and even thinks like a small child. And all who know us have thier own memories alter to fit. Aaron now plays with the children of boys he played with when we first arrived. And I have seen horses grow old and die under my care as a stableboy who none remember having been here more than a couple of years."
As Mike turned to face the Wizard, Aaron's other hand started massaging his opposite shoulder. The firm, strong hands felt really good. The centaur took a moment to enjoy the attention, then sighed. "So, what happens if I agree to be a warhorse? You guys all change back?"
The Wizard sighed and shook his head. "Only the two of us were frozen in time. The others have already perished. The flies lived only weeks, and the doe would have little more than a decade before she died of old age, if she did not end up as venison. Even the oak tree was struck by lightning a few years back and is nothing but a charred stump." He looked Mike in the eye. "With your help, I will once again be able to work magic freely, and Aaron can start over as a young warrior."
Mike thought about that as Aaron's hands pressed against his back. This might all be real to them, but in truth, he was playing a game. Being a centaur was sort of different, but being a full animal? "What about me? Are you just going to change my human parts to be all horse? Or is it more than that?"
The Wizard's expression brightened. "Oh, no! It is far more than that! You will be a fine Shire stallion, powerful and sleek. Sought after as a stud for your size and intelligence."
"Inteligence?" Mike raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking my human intelligence? Or smart horse?"
The Wizard looked suddenly startled and Aaron's massage stopped for a moment. What had Mike said?
Aaron leaned forward and spoke softly into his ear. "A very smart horse. With adjustments so that you don't miss having arms and hands, and a voice. And to make up for that, adjustments to make sure you really enjoy being a stud."
Whatever had bothered the Wizard seemed to have passed now, and he grinned suddenly. "Yes, of course. Adventures don't usually last all that long. You will spend most of your life in rolling pastures servicing willing mares, pampered and spoiled."
Somewhere along the way, Mike realized, they had switched from using 'would' to 'will'. That was OK. "How long will I serve Aaron?"
The Wizard looked thoughtful. "You need to be mature and well trained, with experience in battle. A ten year-old Shire, in your prime. How about six years? Serve Aaron until you are sixteen?"
"But I don't have any training." Mike blinked as the young man on his equine back began rubbing the sides of his head. It felt really good, relaxing him. The firm strokes slid down and pushed out along his jaw, creating a curious stretching sensation.
The Wizard chuckled. "All part of the package. You want to try something different, right? Being a centaur is just a human with four legs. You still think and act the same. But to be an animal, especially such a magnificent beast? That is really going to be a new experience."
Yeah, it sure would. Mike looked around the stable and saw a glossy black mare watching him with obvious interest. How he knew she was a mare he couldn't say, but he felt himself start to stiffen.
The Wizard followed his gaze. "Ah, yes. Your first conquest awaits. Would you like her to complete the transformation? Or do you want to be fully a stallion first?"
Complete the transformation? That would mean... Mike became aware that the firm strokes along his jaw were much longer than they should be. Which explained the dark mass which becoming visible when he looked down. He reached up and felt furred cheeks and thick lips. His ears twitched. Blinking, he reached up and found them high on a flatter skull.
The Wizard stepped back and made a gesture. A flicker of silver broadened out to become a large mirror directly in front of Mike. He stared at his reflection - his head was a cross between human and horse, neck almost gone and shoulders drawn in. His hair had thickened in the center to become a recognizable mane, and his nostrils were darker and starting to flare. Then he caught sight of Aaron. The youth had matured even more, now in his early 20s and showing much more muscle and a few scars. His expression was different, too. Hungry, anxious, but also confident.
"You already started!" Mike felt slightly uneasy, but the prospect was still so interesting. What was 6 years in game time?
"Actually, you're the one who started things off." Aaron slipped fingertips into Mike's nostrils and gently stretched the openeings. It was fascinating to watch them flare and soften, gaining muscles and bristles. "It takes willingness on the part of the mount before the first changes can be made. You must have accepted the idea right away."
The Wizard grinned. "So, back to the question. Do you want to finish up before or during your first conquest as a stallion?"