“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temper.. Arrgh!” Ed neighed in protest as Aubrey gave his rump a hard thwack with a grooming brush.
“Will you just clam it! I’m trying to think here.”
“But a bard must practice his craft…”
“Look, if I can’t come up with a plan to get us restored, the only place you’ll be singing in is a freak show!” he snapped.
Thinking had never been Aubrey’s strong suit, and he cursed himself for not paying more attention when Mika had explained how he had last restored them both. Something to do with that sigil on his foot? But how? He scratched at it, but it remained stubbornly inert.
“Excuse me, boy! Did you see a warrior woman and young wizard come by this way?” A lady ranger clad in leather armor and a crested breastplate stood in the doorway.
“Umm.. did ya remember dey names?” Aubrey ventured cautiously.
“Audrey and Mika. The wizard’s master sent me to look for them. He said they might be in some… trouble.”
The stableboy hesitated for a moment. If word ever got out about his time spent as… Aubrey, he would become the laughingstock of all of warrior-dom, endlessly taunted and mocked in every inn & tavern in the realm. But on the other hand, he was also completely out of ideas for escaping his current predicament, and facing the bleak alternative of living out the rest of his life mucking out stalls.
“Umm.. I’m Audrey.” he finally said in a sheepish voice, bracing himself for a volley of raucous laughter.
The ranger’s expression did not change as she gave Aubrey a long appraising look. “I see…” she said in a level tone. “And my name is Tobi, by the way.”
“Tobi…” Aubrey thought silently to himself. “Something about that name…” and in a flash he remembered where he had last seen that crest. “You’re from that cursed royal house…” he blurted out, instantly regretting it.
The ranger’s face contorted into a frightful visage, brimming with pain & fury and tinged with an edge of madness. Her burning azure eyes shot Aubrey such a withering gaze that he stumbled backwards, and feeling a warm fluid trickle down between his legs, realized that he had just wet himself.
Raising his arms protectively as the ranger reached into her waist belt, Aubrey half expected a sharp dagger to come slicing into his throat. Instead, Tobi pulled out a dull iron ring, and appeared to regain her composure. “Well, let’s see if this thing works as advertised.” she muttered, stepping forward and pressing it against the stableboy’s chest.
Aubrey felt a soft warm glow, then a sudden surge of strength & energy pulsed through his body, restoring her female warrior body, armor & all. Elated, she flexed her muscles with delight, then belatedly noticed that her eyes were still level with Tobi’s breastplate. Looking at her small, stubby hands, she gasped with chagrin as she clapped them against her barren bosom. “What’s this?! I’m still a ... kid?” she yelped incredulously.
“Hmmm…” Tobi frowned as she looked down at the pint-sized warrior. “The Archmage did say that the ring could only reverse some of the stone’s spells. Well, I guess you’re lucky it didn’t turn you into a naked & scrawny stableman.” she chuckled.
Audrey glared at her, then drew and checked out her kid-sized sword, groaning with dismay. She still had all her skills, and was quite capable of delivering a formidable amount of damage. But for the moment, she looked more like an adorable little girl decked out in fancy dress for a festive pageant.
“Are you sure you used that thing right?” she huffed.
“Well, it didn’t come with any instructions. Besides, magic isn’t really my thing, I’m much too impatient for all that reading & memorizing. We really ought to go ask Mika – do you know where he is?”
Audrey sighed. “So, did you see that fountain on your way in?”
“Oh yes, the peeing cherub? Very classy, didn’t expect to see that in such a small village. Looks just like the one we have back in Arlor, except for that odd expression on its face….oh…”
“Yup.” Audrey grimaced and nodded glumly.