Warrior Princess

Chapter 1

Alex held back his grimace as he worked his way through the crowd.  Well over 500 sweaty moving people in an enclosed space made for an unholy stink one could hardly believe.  Still it was a small price to pay to get into the doors of FantasyCon.  Soon he would get used to the reek and be able to truly enjoy the event.  He had been waiting years for this moment, and worked hard on perfecting his  magical girl cosplay.  While he would never openly admit to wanting to be a girl back home, Cons like this were one of the few places he could be herself.  Or at least, somewhat close to the girl she wanted to be.

As it was, she was particularly proud of this cosplay.  While it wasn't meant to be any specific magical girl character, it did get the idea across.  She chose blue and white for this outfit, with hints of pink here and there.  The skirt was knee length, covered in ruffles and ribbons, while the matching top was a long sleeve affair.  Underneath it all, to give her skin a smoother look, she wore a thin spandex body stocking that was a light flesh tone.  Add in some makeup and a blue haired wig, and the outfit was almost complete.  The final piece  for the costume was the staff.  She didn't feel like a simple wand  was good enough, so she got a broom handle and decorated it.  This was the hardest item for her to conceal, but she got around it by cutting it into sections she could screw together later.  The top piece was a simple heart shape that she glittered up and screwed onto the end, making for a very portable and impressive looking magic staff.

She grinned as she posed for a con goer who snapped a picture of her before darting off further into the crowd.  It took a lot of time to sneak the bits and pieces she needed around the watchful and disapproving gaze of his current foster family.  But since she wasn't anywhere near them, they would never know about the lengths she went through to perfect the illusion.  Especially not about the rather expensive breast forms she bought!  Since none of the other foster kids liked Anime, they didn't want to go to the con.  It took some convincing to get permission to go on her own, as she was barely 16.  Part of the deal she made to get this far had required her to hold down a part time job to pay for the trip and all the expenses.

It was hard, but right now, in this moment, it was worth every bit.  Still, she had to watch her pennies.  She didn't want to waste her hard earned cash to quickly and have to leave sooner than she planned.  Every moment she was in costume felt precious to her, and having to go back home would mean she would have to go back to life as a boy.  “I wish I never had to go back to that life, ever.” she murmured aloud.

Just as she seemed to have lost herself into the enjoyment of the con, a rough hand shoved her aside, causing her to lose her balance and fall.  “Hey watch it you big-”  she began to yell, only to be cut short when the armored con-goer that pushed her was abruptly attacked by another one wielding a sword.

“I'll have your head Volen, if you think you can get away with what you are doing here!”  Screamed the man with the sword as he swung again.

The other man, who looked to be cosplaying as an Orc, merely grunted as he tried to deflect the blade with his gauntlets, only to get a nasty cut to his cheek.   “Back off!”  Volen roared as he kept moving defensively, barely holding back the other man's wild swings with his armored gauntlets.

Alex blinked before jumping up and yelling at the two.  She knew she shouldn't get in the way, this was security's job.  But something told her she had to stop this fight.  “What are you two doing!?” She demanded as she tried to get between the two cosplayers.  Her first move was to swing her makeshift staff at the swordsman to try and push him back.  Although he avoided the hit, he did step back which allowed he rjust enough room to get between them.

“You aren't supposed to fi-” Alex began to say just as a sharp pain radiated through her collar bone. “... in... here..” she quivered as realization slowly dawned.  Her eyes were drawn down, to where the sword had been sunk deep into her shoulder.  Red stained her white collar around where the blade was embedded.  It had cleaved neatly through her staff as if it wasn't even there. “Thats.. a real.. sword?” She thought to herself before her gaze lifted to meet the swordsman's eyes.

“Stupid filthy whore.”  The swordsman snarled, seeming to regard her with utter disgust.

Alex was too shocked to respond.  But she suddenly felt an arm, strong and firm, wrap around her waist while another hand reached past her head.  It crackled with energy that arced out and knocked the swordsman away, leaving his bladed embedded in her shoulder.  As Alex's world began to grow dark the only thing she could think of was how familiar Volen looked to her.

“Rest now, child...”  Volen spoke in a low tone, glancing at a glowing red pendant tied to his wrist.  “I have finally found you.” He murmured, before she lost consciousness.

“Oog.”  Alex groaned as awareness slowly trickled into her mind.  She felt strange, as if her body had fallen asleep and wouldn't move.  “Must be anesthesia...” she murmured aloud as she tried to force her eyes open, noting how odd her voice sounded.  Perhaps it was the cool, earthy scent in the air, or the strange texture of the sheets she had started to feel on her skin, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't a hospital bed.  Sadly the room was too dark to make out any detail.

Soon Alex became aware of the weight on her chest, and the fact that she wasn't wearing much of anything beneath the sheet.  The realization was enough to get to get her to snap more fully awake and force herself to try and sit up.  The action was quickly regretted as sharp daggers of pain tore through her shoulder, and reminded her of her injury. “Fuck!” she swore loudly as she crashed back down against the pillow.

She grimaced as the pain ebbed.  Clearly she would have to take it easy.  As she moved her good arm to rub her face, she froze as her hand brushed against the large mounds of flesh on her chest.  “No.. it couldn't be?” she murmured as her hand explored further.  Several moments of discovery would prove that, indeed she was now actually, physically female.

Alex was torn between being elated by the discovery, and terrified by the implications of how and why.  On one hand, it was something she had always desired.  On the other, how this had happened, and why it was done was troubling her.  It wasn't until she heard the sounds of heavy footsteps outside what she presumed to be the room's door did she snap out of her train of thought.

The door creaked open slowly, and dim candle light spilled into the room.  In its yellowish glow, the opulence of the room was revealed to Alex at last.  However, she didn't have a chance to examine the paintings and tapestries that lined the walls.  Three figures stepped into the room.  The first two were tall and slender women dressed in white robes that contrasted heavily with their dark skin.  Alex nearly missed the long pointed ears each woman possessed, which confused her further.  The first carried a candle while the other held a steaming bowl.  The third couldn't be any more different.

He was large and lumbering, with white facial hair and deep green skin.  He was clad in brown robes, and held a pipe in his teeth.  Going by his pronounced tusks and wrinkles, Alex pegged him as an elderly Orc.  He carried a number of small wash cloths and a towel in his arms.

“Huh, She's awake.”  He rumbled as he set down his load on a nearby chair.  “Set that down for now while I get a look at how she is faring, you can take care of that when I leave.”  He stated firmly to the two Elven women before he strode over to Alex's side.

Alex frowned at the trio briefly before looking up at the Orc and asking.  “Where.. am I?  And what is going on here?”

The Orc chuckled deeply as he knelt beside Alex.  “Already asking questions, are we Alex?  Very good.  You are in Castle Eisenguard, under the protection and care of Lord Volen.  The kingdom in which you now reside in is Harathis”  He paused as he reached out to touch Alex's face and turn it to get a better look in the dim light. “Hmm.. show me your teeth.”  He asked before continuing.  “As for what is 'going on?'  Quite a number of things, my dear princess.”  He leaned in to get a good look at Alex's teeth before leaning back. “The color is back in your gums, a good sign.  Barely noticeable tusks, but that is expected for a half blood.  They wont ever be large enough to be visible unless you open your mouth.”

Alex gave the Orc a severely confused look.  “Half blood.. what are you.. talking about?  And how did you know my name?” she frowned as the Orc simply chuckled.

“Ah, I apologize.  It is a long story.”  The Orc grinned widely and puffed his pipe.  “Let me start  at the beginning.  I am Gron, eldest shaman of the Shield Breaker clan.  Years ago, my granddaughter sought to heal this land.  For, you see, it was dieing and the people were starving while the lords that ruled it warred with each other senselessly.  In seeking the cause, she discovered a great many things were making things worse, but no one would listen to her pleas.  For you see, back then we Orcs were seen as a savage and simple race.”  Gron paused to chuckle again.  “Well, some of us still are, and we are still regarded as such by the so called 'high born' races that rule the surrounding lands.”

“In her desperation, she sought the counsel of the spirits to guide her to a solution.”  Gron continued.  “These spirits guided her and told her a way to summon a great warrior that could aid her in her endeavors.  The warrior was like none any had ever seen.  He had the mind of a scholar, the cunning of wolves, and the ferocity of a dozen soldiers.  He taught Volen the finer arts of war, and how to fight in ways the local lords could never even conceive of doing.  With this warrior, Volen swept away the ignorant lords and united the people of these lands.”

“How.. was that supposed to help?” Alex asked tiredly.  “And how does this relate to me?”

“I'm getting there, patience princess.”  Gron grinned.  “With the lands united, the people could finally focus on the woes that plagued the land and, more accurately, divine the cause.  Five kingdoms surround this one.  And each one prospered more with each passing day, while our lands grew steadily worse.  It was he who pointed out the obvious to us all.  Do you think you know what he determined?”

Alex paused to think before she arched a brow and answered.  “The five kingdoms were doing something that was harming this one?”

“Mhmm.”  Gron nodded.  “We determined that they are drawing the very vitality away from the lands outside them in order to make theirs more bountiful.”

“Wait.. if.. they're doing that.. and they are surrounding us.. then.”  Alex began.

“Exactly.”  Gron nodded.  “Volen, now Lord Volen, petitioned the neighboring lands to stop this, or at least render aide to the ailing people.  When they refused, we thought we would have to go to war with these stronger nations.  A feat that even the warrior did not think we were up to the task of attempting.”

“So what did you do?”  Alex asked, her interest piqued.

“The warrior said, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”  Gron stated.  “As such he asked a handful of learned mages to determine how the other kingdoms could do this and to find a way to reverse it in some manner or another.  The result was a massive apparatus, built in a way few understand.  It takes.. something, and converts it into what the land needs to live again.  The pull from the other kingdoms draws it out evenly across the land.  However, the other kingdoms are not so pleased by this.”

“Let me guess, it messes with whatever they were using to fuel their lands?”  Alex stated as a picture formed in her mind.

“As he would say, Got it in one.”  Gron chuckled.  “Of course it didn't solve all the problems in the land.  The warring lords had done many things that contributed to the sickness of the once fertile flood basin.  Not to mention the yellow tide that floods and poisons our crops each year.  We've made due with moving our farm lands to the less fertile portions, but even that only does so much.  Which, leads me to you, dear princess.”

“What exactly does all that have to do with me?”  Alex asked as she frowned heavily, a sinking feeling forming in her gut.

“Why, everything.”  Gron laughed.  “You see, the warrior and my granddaughter had found a sort of love that is rare in this world.  And being under constant threat from certain.. unhappy people.  He thought it best he took his daughter back to whence he came, enchanted to blend in so she could live a normal life until she was old enough to return and perhaps help heal the land completely.  The journey cost the warrior his own life, unfortunately.”

Alex gave Gron a puzzled look before realization hit her like a ton bricks.  “Gods damnit.  That child was me?  But I grew up...”

“As a boy, I know.” Gron nodded.  “An.. interesting side effect of suppressing your mother's side.”  He paused.  “Although the whole situation was probably regrettable in the long run.. I'm sure your mother finds this.. exasperatingly ironic.”

“What do you mea-” Alex froze mid sentence as Volen strode in, being led by one of the Elves that Alex did not realize had left.  However something about Volen was different this time.  It took her a moment to realize the source of her confusion, and another for her to put the pieces together. “Wait.. you're..  MOM!?”  Alex regretted the outburst immediately as her shoulder twinged in pain.

Volen sighed.  With her armor and choker, she had been able to pass as a male Orc, albeit with tiny tusks.  “Damn it old man, you weren't supposed to tell her until I had arrived!”  She growled.

Gron laughed.  “I did no such thing!  I simply gave her the clues and let her figure it out herself!  Its not my fault she figured it out before you had a chance to explain things.  Though.. I'm surprised she made the leap to figuring that you were my granddaughter.”

“Hmph.” Alex grumbled as she laid back against the pillow.  “You made the connection kind of obvious with the last statement about irony.”

“Hmm so I did.”  He chuckled.  “You see, you pretend to be a man so that the other lords respect you, where she was turned into a boy as a way to protect her.”

Volen huffed before she ushered Gron away from Alex's side.  “I understand what irony is, and that is not it.”

“Hmm are you sure?”  Gron asked, with a half amused grin.

“OUT.”  Volen demanded.  “I need some time with my daughter.”  She then glanced to the elves.  “Sariel, you may stay.  Vida, make sure my grandfather stays out of trouble.”

“Yes, My lord.”  Vida bowed before she followed Gron out of the room.

There was a long uncomfortable pause in the room before Alex broke the silence.  “So... uh.. Elves.. and Orcs?  And how is it.. you all speak English?”

Sariel tittered in in the background as she start to dip a washcloth in the steaming bowl.  “Didn't her father say something similar?”

Volen managed a slight smile.  “Yes.. well... James did tend to use the word 'fuck' like punctuation.” she took one of the cloths and used to it to  gently rub against Alex's face.  “To answer your questions... we speak the trade tongue... its only.. similar to English.. as I understand it.  But yes, there are many races here.  Elves, Orcs, Goblins, Beastmen and more.  Your father was the only human, however.”  Volen smiled sadly.

“No other humans.. at all?”  Alex blinked, surprised by the revelation.

“Yes.  Humans seem to only ever exist on Earth, and leaving that world is apparently much easier than traveling to it.”  Sariel informed her.

“I was only able to reach it because of my connection to you.” Volen stated as she leaned int to give Alex a kiss on the forehead.  “I thank you for your bravery in saving me, you gave me just enough time to counter that 'so called' hero's attack.”  Volen paused.  “That said... What the hells were you thinking..!  You could have died if I wasn't able to get you back here fast enough!” she growled angrily.

“... I'm sorry?”  Alex whimpered.  “I thought he was an angry idiot attacking someone with a fake sword.”

“A fake...” Volen trailed off and rubbed her brow.  “Why would someone wield a fake sword?!”

Alex spoke slowly as she tried to phrase things carefully.  “It was.. a fantasy convention... some people there dress up as characters from.. stories.  They go there to buy more volumes and.. goods based around their favorites, or to see what new stories are available?  You aren't allowed to have a real weapon during the event...”

“Oh! So it is like Galhan's harvest festival then?  Where people dress as the lord and the harvest god and act out the story then?”  Sariel stated suddenly.

“Uhm.. sorta?  Theres usually not much acting... though there are contests to determine which costumes were best made.”  Alex replied.

“So not quite the same... but close enough.”  Sariel grinned.

“I'm glad someone understands what my daughter might be talking about.”  Volen grunted before peeling away the sheet.  Alex quickly covered herself in embarrassment as Volen examined her shoulder.  “Hmm, not even going to scar.  Remind me to thank your sister, Sariel.”

“Ah, I'm sure no thanks is needed, my lord.  But if you insist, she prefers her thank yous in tankards of ale.”  Sariel chuckled.

“I'll keep that in mind.”  Volen nodded before pulling the sheet back up. “It should go without saying, outside these walls and during such times where outsiders are within these walls....”  Volen began.

“You should be referred to with male pronouns and honorifics so the other lords wont catch on.”  Alex quickly interjected.  “I gotcha.”

“As distasteful as it may be.. yes.”  Volen smirked.  “You are a bright one.”

Alex smiled for a moment before pausing, as she remembered a question she had asked was never answered.  “How exactly did you know my name?  Gron never answered me on that...”

Volen smirked.  “Well.. James did have the foresight to bundle you with a letter for whomever found you.  He was well aware that taking you to Earth would cost him his life...”

Alex frowned.  “But you were unharmed by the journey.. when you went to get me?”

Volen frowned.  “The advantage of sixteen years of preparation and a homing spell to bring me to you directly.  The return trip was far easier for reasons we don't quite understand ourselves.”

“I think its much like swimming upstream.”  Sariel suggested.  “Its not impossible, but it is very difficult.”

Volen grunted and nodded.  “Anymatter, Sariel will tend to you in my absence.  I have many things to do before the night is done.”

Alex looked around for a moment before she nodded.  “Oh.. so it is night... theres no window here, so I wasn't sure..”

“When you are healthier, we will move you to your permanent room.  Until then, you will rest here, where our healers can keep an eye on you.”  Volen stated as she stood, leaning over to give Alex a brief kiss on the brow.  “I know we have much catching up to do.. but it is best if we both get some rest.”  And with that she turned and swiftly walked out.

“And with her out of the room, I suppose its time for your bath.. awkward as it may be.. but I don't think you'll be doing that yourself until you fully heal”  Sariel smirked as Alex blushed.