Cedric

Why is it, Cedric wondered, settling back onto his throne-like chair, that everyone, from the lowest peasant to the highest noble, seemed to think their private problems were worthy of the king’s personal resolution? Not exactly an idle thought, since he did happen to be king, and he did get large numbers of audience requests. However, being a practical king, he’d quickly found a way to turn this to his advantage. He’d decided to delegate.

Noble supplicants, he had decided, would be referred to his ministers, since they dealt more directly with most of the issues the nobles might bring up. Male peasants, as well as any female peasants Cedric might find less than attractive, were referred to a specially appointed taskmaster, who put them to work as punishment for daring to take up the king’s valuable time with their petty troubles.

Now, Cedric saw only attractive female supplicants. These found the king to be sympathetic and always willing to help. For a price.

Today, the list of supplicants was a bit shorter than usual. At his nod, his servant admitted the first, who stood nervously before his desk. At his nod, she began to speak.

“Your Majesty, please help me. My husband has served in your army for many years, guarding the frontier. Recently, he was wounded in a fight with bandits. Now he is being told that, since he no longer serves, he will no longer be paid. Surely, Your Majesty, his long service is deserving of some small pension?”

“Of course,” Cedric replied slowly, eyeing the woman standing before him. A little older than he usually preferred, he thought, but not bad. Rising, he approached the woman, circling her and eyeing her from all sides.

“Service should be rewarded,” he said slowly. “However, there are some details to be worked out before I can help you. Why don’t you start by removing your clothes?”

“Your Majesty?”

“I believe you heard me,” Cedric said shortly. “I am not in the habit of repeating myself. Your clothing!”

Hesitantly, the woman shed her rough dress. Eying her naked body, Cedric reached up and stroked one breast, feeling the woman stiffen at his touch.

“You want me to do something for you,” he said. “Well, I expect something in return.” Slowly, his hand slid down the woman’s stomach. Just before it reached the juncture of her thighs, she stepped back.

“Your Majesty,” she said, “I cannot. I have a husband. What you ask is wrong, and I can’t do it.”

“Then leave,” Cedric replied, turning away. Behind him, he could hear the woman dressing. When the door closed behind her, the king seated himself behind his desk, signaling his servant to bring the next one in.

And so it went. Many and varied were the requests, but each received the same response. Those refusing to accept the king’s offer were sent on their way. Those who chose to accept were given a day and time to appear before the king in his chambers.

For Cedric, it was a suitable arrangement. A strong, lusty man, it took several women through the course of a day to satisfy his appetites. This way, he need never endure the same woman twice. Unless, of course, he chose to.

“Last one, Your Majesty,” his servant said, moving to the door to admit the final supplicant of the day. As the woman entered, the king’s eyes widened.

Though she wore a plain, rough dress, this woman was no peasant. Standing straight and proud, this was easily the most beautiful woman Cedric had ever seen. For a moment, he stared into eyes of emerald green, nearly entranced. Then, shaking his head, he nodded for her to begin her plea.

“Alone, Your Majesty.” Even her voice, Cedric decided, was beautiful, being soft and melodious, yet strong and sure. “What I have to say is for your ears only.”

Quickly, Cedric dismissed his servant. Once the door had closed again, he smiled at the woman standing before him.

“I assume you have something you wish of me?” he said, smiling. To his surprise, the woman shook her head.

“Actually,” she replied, reaching up to the buttons of her plain dress, “I have something to offer you.” The dress dropped from her, and the king could only stare.

“Offer?” The question was spoken absently, the king too focused on the sight before him. Slowly, his eyes took in the long, firmly muscled legs, swelling to firm, toned thighs and wide hips. Above, he admired a slender waist, rising to a chest that supported large, firm breasts with pronounced nipples. Slim shoulders supported a slender neck, above which reposed a face of surpassing beauty, framed by shimmering waves of jet black hair.

“Yes,” he heard vaguely, “offer. This is not, however, an offer you can accept with your own clothes on.”

Nearly stumbling in his haste, Cedric rose and tore off his clothes. Naked, he circled the desk and moved toward the woman standing naked before him.

“And what exactly,” he asked, openly leering at her, “do you have to offer?”

“A chance to redeem yourself.” Startled by her words, Cedric paused in his advance.

“Redeem? For what?”

“Since you became king,” he heard, “you have abused your position. Your subjects come to you for help, yet you seek only personal gratification. Too many woman have you forced to abase themselves in order to gain your aid. For this, there must be an atonement.”

Cedric shook his head, astonished by this woman’s words. How dare she speak to him this way!

“Atonement?” His tone was scornful. “I am king,” he declared. “I can do as I wish. And there is nothing you can do or say about it.”

“Is there not?” The woman’s eyes seemed to glow. Suddenly, Cedric felt something strange. It was as if something, deep in his body, had begun pulling inward. He could feel his shoulders narrowing, his arms thinning. Even his head seemed to be changing.

“What are you doing to me?” To his surprise, his voice emerged slightly higher in pitch than its usual tone. Silently, the woman continued to stare with those glowing green eyes. Unable to meet that piercing gaze, Cedric dropped his eyes.

Staring down, he watched with growing unease as his chest began to swell. Slowly, soft mounds began to form, growing into breasts before his stunned eyes. His nipples, also, grew somewhat larger, the darker skin surrounding them enlarging to form perfect caps for the globes now gracing his chest. Below, he could feel his waist pinching in, his hips widening.

“What….. what have you done?” The words emerged in a soft, smoky whisper. Stunned, Cedric could only stare as the woman made a strange gesture with her hands. Suddenly, a mirror floated before him. Cedric caught his breath at what he saw reflected in that glass.

Standing reflected before him was a vision. Long, slender legs rose to softly flaring thighs. Wide hips supported a narrow waist, which expanded into a slim chest supporting firm, medium sized breasts. Slender shoulders, a slender, swanlike neck, below a face of innocent, elfin beauty. Wide eyes of deepest blue stared, framed by waves of auburn hair, shot through with hints of gold.

Cedric’s eyes focused slowly on the juncture of those trim thighs. Instead of the manhood he had been so proud of, he now saw a soft mound, lightly covered by the same gold-shot auburn hair which now covered his head. Sensing movement, Cedric turned his head to find the woman standing beside him.

“Why?” To his horror, Cedric’s voice was now pure seduction, soft, slightly husky, every word a whispered invitation. At his question, the woman smiled coldly.

“For too long,” he heard her say, “you have treated woman as nothing more than playthings for your own enjoyment, with no thought to them. Now you will learn what they know, feel what they feel. You will learn it all, and much more.” With a gesture, she directed Cedric’s eyes back to the mirror.

For a second, Cedric felt relief as he saw his new breasts begin to grow smaller. Slowly, he realized that, not only his breasts, but his whole body, seemed to be shrinking. His shoulders narrowed even more, his hips grew slimmer, his legs thinner and much less toned. He was even, he realized, getting shorter. Soon, the figure looking back at him was that of a young girl, her body poised on the verge of flowering into womanhood.

And still the change continued. Slowly, before his horrified eyes, his body continued to shrink.

“Stop, please…..I……..aaaaaa…..bbbbbbbb.” Stumbling, Cedric lost his balance, falling to the floor. Squirming, he rolled onto his back, waving pudgy arms at the woman who now towered over him. He felt a sudden pressure, then dampness, realizing slowly that he had just wet himself.

Smiling, the woman bent and lifted the squirming infant from the floor, cleaning the small body with a soft cloth, then raising it to her chest. Tiny lips wrapped around one nipple, and the infant began to suckle.

Slowly, the thoughts racing through Cedric’s mind seemed to bleed away. Soon, there was no thought, only vague impressions, the sense of being held, the taste of the milk flowing from the nipple in his mouth.

“Cedric,” the woman said, knowing her words meant nothing to the infant girl suckling her, “is no more. Nobody will ever know what became of him. As for you,” she continued, softly stroking the downy hair on the small head, “you will begin a new life. I shall teach you all that I know. And someday, when you have grown to womanhood, you will take my place. I believe I shall call you Celia.”

With a gesture, the woman was suddenly clothed in a rich, dark gown, the infant swaddled in a soft cloth. Another gesture, and the two figures vanished, leaving the room empty.

The reign of Cedric had ended. The life of Celia had only just begun.

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07.09.13