The transformation from man to boy took a lot out of Mika. He meant to sneak off and find Audrey during the evening to get back to his old self. Instead, he spent his last waking hours enjoying his new endowment as only a 14-year-old could. The sun was already up when he awoke. The scruffy innkeeper, Robin, was standing over him. “I let you sleep in seeing as its your first day, boy, but you’ll be up at the crack of down from now on, understood?”
“Fine,” he sighed, “I mean ‘Yes, sir.’” The boy grumbled and blushed as he realized his nudity, “Uh, sir? Can I have some breeches please, its awful embarassin’ bein’ nude and all.”
“Out here? You’ll just get stink on whatever you’re wearing. I think I’ve got some old breeches near the feed buckets if you need to get decent. Now, I need you to cut some firewood after you muck the stalls.”
The innkeeper went back inside and Mika found his rake. He got to work sifting the dung and soiled hay from each stall. He did the guests’ horses first. Then he moved on to the peddler and his mule. Mika mumbled an apology to the pair, trying to keep their stall a little tidier. He wondered if the peddler was still in there somewhere. If he was, he didn’t seem upset. Maybe the peddler really was happier this way? Would HE be happier as a dirty stablehand? It was a troubling thought. The work was easy if you didn’t mind the smell. Mika liked the animals. Being barefoot and shirtless was oddly liberating.
Mika cut firewood next. His body was scrawny, and not very strong, but he managed to bring Robin a large bundle. The innkeeper told him he was a good lad and gave him an apple for lunch. He munched it happily in his straw bed. With no orders from Robin the transformed stable-boy decided to explore the village.
He came upon a few boys kicking around a leather ball in a field. They were farmers’ sons around his age. They invited Mika to play. The old Mika was terrible at these sorts of games, and spent his youth reading books. The new Mika was a natural. He kicked more balls through the net than anyone.
“So you’re old Robin’s new stableboy, huh? He hasn’t had one since Landros ran off a month back.”
“Yup. Its okay, I guess,” Mika replied. He didn’t want to speak ill of Robin. Whatever power the man had over him he couldn’t fight it. Curiosity got the better of hm, “Why’d Landros run off?”
The boy smirked. “Why do you thin? Everyone in town knows about Robins’ racket. You’re some hoity toity, city-slicker, and so was he. How’s it feel sweeping dung with us hayseeds?”
He playfully dodged Mika’s punch. Their game resumed afterwards, and lasted until the sun hung low in the sky. A sick feeling washed over him. He was late and Master was sure to give him a switching.
And Audrey! How stupid could he be! He should have found her immediately and gone after the innkeeper. The two didn’t like each other but they were partners, right? Mika raced back to Lavenguard’s tavern.