Darius let out a long drawn out sigh, a small cloud of steam rising from his lips. He stared into the dark forest, the light of a small cottage just visible through the thick trees. The smell of a fire burning wafted pleasantly into his nostrils, but it did not help to put him at ease. Doing business with Brooke was never a relaxing experience, especially when you come with favors to ask.

His boots crushed along the leaf covered path towards the cottage, his gut twisting more and more as he neared the modest home. His belts and buckles clanked softly as he stepped up towards the doorway. He pounded his fist three times against the worn wooden surface than stepped back. There was a long silence before the door creaked open slightly, a pair of fiercely blue eyes peering out towards him.

"What?" Her annoyed voice called out.

"Just here on business, like always"

She sighed, "Fine"

It was not comforting to Darius that she was already grumpy. He watched the door open before him, Brook stood there and gave him a long distasteful look before shaking her head and walking back into her cottage. Darius took a deep breath and followed, instantly hit by all the strange aromas that filled her home. He strained to take his eyes off her seemingly unnaturally perfect form and scanned the interior of her home. Every wall was filled with shelves that contained odd artifacts or jars filled with just about anything one could imagine. A fireplace was built into the wall on his right which was surrounded by three stone circles where she had set three black caldrons, one very large, one not so large and one that was rather small. A small pillar of stream rose out of the small one and he walked over.

"Whats in here? Some magic witches-"

"Its called vegetable soup" she said cutting him off, "And for the last time if you refer to me as a witch again-"

"Okay, sorry, sorry" He mumbled, "What should I refer to you as again?"

"Well other than my name, magician, mage, anything that doesn't carry such negative connotations. So what do you want from me this time?" She asked, a hint of bitterness in her voice. She carried her light frame over to a small round table. If it weren't for his fear of her she would be a sight for sore eyes. Her long, smooth and shining black hair fell behind her bare shoulders. A loosely fitting white shirt hung over each arm, seeming to proudly display her supple bosom which helped to create her hourglass figure. A light black skirt hung low on her hips exposing her taunt abdomen and clung tightly to her thighs and fell down below her knees. Her face, though currently only met him with a sort of grimace, held an almost hypnotic beauty. Her eyes were large, the shade of blue seemingly unique to only her. Her lips were full and often painted red, though could pass without any makeup at all. She pulled out a wooden chair and sat down, her long legs folding over one another.

Darius cleared his throat, "Well, I really need something to aid me in my current uh, endeavors"

"You mean breaking into Whitehorn's castle?" She asked, a mocking grin spreading across her lips.

"How did you-"

"Please, word spread quickly, especially after two failed attempts" Darius gaze lowered, clearly embarrassed, "It would seem the only merit of your skill is the fact that you still have your life" She sighed, "It would seem that the royal guard has just as much trouble being rid of you as I"

"Hm, well after I get what I am after I assure you I will no longer need your skills"

She sighed, "Only ever after my skills"

"What?"

She sighed again, "Oh nothing" She loved to toy with people almost more than anything else. She leaned back into her chair, and closed her eyes, "So I assume you want a little extra help slipping inside unnoticed?"

"That would be the idea"

"Well, I can think of one particular school of spells that would help you to slither around rather easily"

Darius leaned forward, "Yes?"

She nodded, "One can slip under just about anyones nose when smaller than a mouse"

"So you are implying that I could...shrink?" He didn't very much like the idea, especially if this particular woman would be the one controlling it.

"That would be the idea" She smirked.

"Is there no other way? Perhaps invisibility?"

"Nothing that I have access too, and I would sooner shrink myself than give you the ability to turn invisible"

Darius sighed, thinking over it for a minute, "Well how would it be done? I assume you would shrink me down and take me to the castle?"

She laughed, "Oh goodness no. You think I would take a step outside of this cottage on your behalf? Besides if I tasked myself with carrying a tiny you around the urge to simply just eat and do away with you would be too great"

"Funny joke, but then what would you suggest?"

"Am I joking?" She eyed him with a grin, laughing as he shifted nervously under her gaze, "But no I think I have a trinket here somewhere that would be better suited for your needs" She closed her eyes and set her palm down flat on the table. A moment later a flash burst from her palm, "Ah here it is" She smiled now gripping a golden chain. The chain held a round, scarlet ruby that almost seemed to glow in the orange light of the fire and candles.

He eyed the necklace with a frown, "Perhaps something a little less lady like?"

"Oh I am sorry, here let me go smelt down and enchant another one for you" She snapped, "If you are too proud a thief to wear it then hide it under your shirt like you have done countless other trinkets. But in order to-"

He grabbed it from her hands, catching a rather cold glare, "How does it work?"

"You simply rub it between your thumb and forefinger like so" She gasped as he suddenly disappeared from view, the necklace bouncing off the table, "Idiot" She muttered.

Darius looked around in a daze, now sitting square in the middle of the chair. He got to his feet, hearing as Brooke rose from her chair to glare down at him, he prepared for yet another verbal assault.

Brooke knelt down next to him, "Yes lets just rub the necklace before I tell you how to use it properly, you dimwit"

"Well that wasn't so bad" He thought to himself, "It didn't shrink with me, how am I supposed to grow back?"

"Well, had you listened instead of snatching the necklace like a bratty child I was about to tell you" She pressed against his tiny sides with her thumb and forefinger rather carelessly and set him back up onto the table and returned to her seat. She moved a candle and bowl out of the way before glaring down at him again from across the now long landscape of the table. She took a deep breath, trying to decide what to berate him for first, "Now listen closely, in order to use the necklace without putting yourself in the idiotic situation that you now find yourself in, you must put it on first. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, once you use its powers you cannot use them again for an entire day"

"So, I am stuck like this for a day?!"

"Yes you imbecil" She shook her head, "And need I even mention that I hadn't even promised that I would let you have it yet? After all I don't sell things for free, especially particularly rare gems as this" She said dangling the chain over him.

"Well I uh-"

"And need I also mention that you have yet to pay for that dagger on your hip?"

"Well I was going to-"

"And how about the enchanted fruit that never made it to their destination as I asked?"

"Actually I do have a reason for that one-"

"Shut it. As of right now I see very little reason to sell this to you, I am assuming you didn't come prepared with a worthy payment?"

"Your dagger back?"

"Hardly worth the price, in fact I don't see much of a reason to return you back to normal at all" A creeping grin crossing her lips.

"You can't be serious" He muttered, her words from earlier coming back to mind sounding much less like a joke now.

She hummed for a moment, "I don't know, I'll think about it"

Darius sat down holding his forehead in his hands, he had always feared something like this would happen while working with Brooke. He often wondered why she kept seeing him, but generally assumed that it was because at one point he was rather successful at what he did. It could also be that she didn't get much business otherwise. He watched as she stood back up and walked towards the stone fire place.

"What are you doing?" He questioned nervously.

She shook her head, "I'm getting my dinner which you so politely interrupted" She knelt down and dipped a ladle into the steaming caldron and emptied the contents into a wooden bowl, "I assume you will be wanting some?" She asked with a sigh. He shifted nervously on his feet but nodded, "I only offer because at this point you are about the size of a carrot slice" She smirked. He cringed as she lifted him back off the table and set him down on the wide rim of the bowl.

"Thanks" He muttered, carefully repositioning so that he was sitting down on the edge. He tried to figure out exactly how small he had become. He knew the edge he was seated on was only a few centimeters across, though now served to hold him easily. He looked down into the soup below him, indeed one of the carrot slices was nearly as tall as he was. He watched as her massive spoon dipped into the steamy liquid easily lifting out what looked like entire carriage loads of vegetables, reminding him that she could easily do that to him if she wished. He leaned out and managed to grab hold of a pea, struggling to lift it out and onto his lap. He awkwardly bit into it, much to the entertainment of Brooke. It wasn't all that appetizing.

"You know I think this size is much more fitting" She laughed between bites.

"Is that so?"

She nodded with a grin, "So much easier to manage"

"I guess there is no hope in finding some meat in here?" He asked dropping the pea back into the soup.

"I don't kill an animal unless I feel they deserve it" She muttered quietly, "Rabbit, deer or human"

Her words seemed to constantly send a chill down his spine, "I don't know if I would pair humans with rabbits"

"And yet they deserve their fates so much more often" She grinned as he leaned down to try and fish something else out and bumped the table, laughing hysterically as he splashed down into the soup.

Darius gasped as he reemerged to the surface, desperately trying to cling to something that was floating, eventually finding one of those damned carrot slices, "That's not funny"

"Oh and look where fate has dropped you!" She smirked.

He watched wide eyed as her spoon dipped not to far from him, the scale seemingly so much larger when posing a very potential threat to his wellbeing. She lifted the spoon back to her lips, "So you came here to talk business then lets talk business" She started before sliding sipping on the broth.

"I was hoping to do so in a civilized manner"

She shrugged as the spoon slid over her tongue, her lips enclosing around the neck and pulling it back out slowly. She chewed thoughtfully for a few moments, "So" She started after swallowing, "This is how I see it. You want to take this particularly timeless gem" She said swinging the necklace over the bowl, "But you haven't got the means to pay for, or repay me for countless other things for that matter"

"I wouldn't say countless" He mumbled, clearly his word wasn't going to win him much here. He yelped as the spoon slipped behind him. He gripped the carrot slice tightly as it rose beneath him, but at least he could stand now in the chest deep broth. He cringed as her face appeared before him like a massive wall, his eyes instantly falling on her smirking lips.

"Now, I think you should be more worried about whether or not I will return you to normal"

"How can that even be a question!?" He cried angrily, "I know you don't like me but surely not enough to damn me to this!"

She shrugged, leaning her head forward her lips parting slightly. Her tongue slipped slightly out to accept the spoon, he stared fearfully into the shimmering pink cavern. As the spoon slid forward he scrambled back, but her lips touched down just on the edge, slurping on the broth loudly. He felt the warm liquid rush past him like a powerful river, soon leaving the spoon nearly dry. She leant back, a smug smile on her face, "You know there are probably a few people out there who would pay me to keep you like this"

"Look you know the fortune that lies within Whitehorn's castle, if you help me I can get you what ever you want" He yelped again as she slid the spoon forward, mouth gaping wider this time. He scrambled back over another carrot slice as her teeth started to pass overhead. She eyed him playfully, lowering her teeth down on the slice that he used to be on, dragging it backwards as she pulled the spoon away again. He swallowed as he watched it disappear behind her thick upper lip.

"What do you want? Come on this is not a game"

"It is to me" She laughed. She leant forward again and forced him to scramble over a few more bits, playfully dragging more back behind her teeth, "Running out of room there"

"Brooke just give me a chance with this-" He groaned as her lips parted again, nearly closing back over his legs as he was forced to climb up onto the handle to avoid her. She nudged him with her thumb, causing him to slide back down into a little puddle at the bottom of the spoon.

She smiled down at him, "You're not getting this for free"

"My dignity back or the necklace"

"I said you shouldn't be worried about the necklace"

"Great" He groaned, "Well fine what are your terms"

"That you do what ever I want"

"No"

She raised a brow, "No? Oh thats too bad"

"You can't force me to be your slave"

"Oh it wouldn't be slavery, after all you would be working for some sort of gain"

"Getting back my size is not a gain-"

"It is now"

"I refuse to be a slave, especially to you"

She frowned, "Well, if it suits you better you can be dinner instead"

Darius watched as her lips parted once again, "She wouldn't dare" He thought to himself. He felt the spoon vibrating under him as it slid over her teeth. He cringed as a hot blast of air rustled through his hair, her upper teeth passing over head. The air instantly took on a thicker quality, the smell of vegetable soup heavy in the hot and humid air. He looked around nervously, her throat covered by shadow though he could hear it flexing in the blackness. He turned back towards the exit, massive teeth surrounded the opening like stone pillars, her tongue cupping under the spoon as she waited for a response.

"You wouldn't do this, So lets just talk about other option-" He screamed as he spoon tilted to its side. He tumbled down the metal slope before momentarily falling in empty space. He landed with a wet smack, staring down in disbelief as he now laid on her bare tongue. He pressed down against the soft yet bumpy surface in an attempt to get to his feet.

"Wont I?" Her voice now boomed around him, she giggled playfully as the spoon slid back out of her lips.

"Brooke! This is not funny, nor was it ever funny take me out!"

"Hmm, no!" She said closing her lips.

Darius was flung effortless around as she talked, now encased by a almost perfect darkness. He felt a strand of saliva drip onto his shoulder and recoiled away, squirming backwards along the surface of her tongue. She laughed again and started to move her tongue beneath him, he tried to resist the movement but was completely at her will. He felt himself get pressed against the roof of her mouth, her tongue slipping beneath him, humming delightfully as she tasted him. Then to his horror he started slipping backwards, he clawed desperately to move against the will of her muscles but was powerless. His feet kicked in open space as the tongue started to slope downwards, she was sliding him into her throat!

"Okay! Okay!" He roared slipping further feeling her throat now encasing his legs, "I will do what ever you want"

"Anything?"

"Yes anything!" He screamed again.

"You will be my slave?"

"Don't make me say that" He groaned.

"Say it or I swallow"

"Fine! I am your slave now, please take me out"

"Please take me out mistress" She mocked.

He groaned again, "Please take me out mistress" He listened as she giggled with delight, her lips parting in front of him. She let him slide across the long slope of of her tongue before playfully flicking him out onto her palm.

"Thats better, I knew I could talk some sense into you" She grinned down at him.

"So what could I possibly do for you" He sighed.

"Oh I have ideas" An even more mischievous grin crossing her lips now....

"Great" Darius mumbled.

"Firstly, I want to finish my meal in peace" Brooke said returning her attention back towards the bowl, "Hmm, or maybe..."

Darius cringed as her eyes shifted back over towards him again, "W-What?"

"Well, whats the point of having a slave if you don't force him to do the most basic tasks for you" Darius didn't like where she was going with this, he watched as she lowered the spoon next to him, "Get on"

He hesitated a moment but complied, knowing he was just on the physical line between freedom and her stomach. He braced himself as the spoon rose in the air, but instead of rising back towards her lips it slowly dipped into the bowl. He tried his best to avoid the pooling liquid, bumping against the assorted vegetables that flowed over the metal edges. He glared up at her as he found himself once again infront of her face, though his anger only fueled her girlish glee. She set her lips on the edge and slurped the broth past him. She grinned before opening her mouth wide, the spoons tip touching down on her bottom lip. Her mouth filled with light as she held her mouth open, tongue falling to the bottom and throat pulsating as she waited.

"You can't be serious" He muttered.

"Oh you have no idea how serious I am, and remember what happened last time I fed myself!"

Darius groaned, grabbing hold of a pea and tossing it forward, bouncing slightly on her tongue. She laughed, her throat pulsated rapidly as she did, sending hot waves of air rushing past him. Seeing that one pea wasn't going to cut it he leaned his body against a carrot and pushed it up over the lip of the spoon, nearly falling forward as it tumbled over the edge. He continued to glare at her as he repeated the process over and over until the spoon was empty.

"I don't see how that can be satisfying it takes over five minutes to eat a spoonful" He growled as she chewed happily.

She shrugged, "A queen finds satisfaction in the higher things"

"So your a queen now?" He mumbled, sighing deeply as the spoon descended back into the bowl. They continued this for what felt like hours, and she never seemed to get bored of it. That was, of course, until the final spoonful.

She frowned, seeing only a carrot slice and a few other bits laying on the spoons surface.

"Alright, lets get this over with" He panted.

"Hmm.." She thought, a playful grin crossing her lips once again.

"What now?" He nearly cried.

"I think that chewing and swallowing might be too much work for this queen"

"Oh no"

"Oh yes, I think my slave should do that for me"

"Please Brooke that is being just a little too ridiculous"

"I'm sorry, that sounded like complaining? Since when do slaves get to voice their opinions?"

"So you want me to crawl in there and break up your food and then what?"

"Why throw it right down my throat of course!"

"Brooke..."

"I can always just swallow you down with it"

Marcus sighed, "Fine, fine I'll do it" He cringed as her mouth opened before him once again, the prospect of being back inside not very thrilling at all. He strained to push the carrot up the slope and over onto her tongue, getting the biggest piece in first. He stumbled back down the slope and gathered up the smaller pieces and chucked them inside as well. He stared down into her mouth from the edge of the spoon, every natural instinct in his body telling him not to get off that damn spoon. But he did, for fear that he might actually get eaten if he didn't. His feet touched down in the already pooling mouth, her mouth watering as the vegetables sat idly on her tongue. He slipped up the soaking surface and grabbed the pieces that were already small and cautiously made his way towards her waiting throat. He tossed them down, her throat received it and she swallowed. He fell backwards as her tongue rose and her throat condensed, opening back up with a wet smack, a strand of saliva dripping from her uvula.

"Ugh" He groaned as he got back to his feet, shaking some of the thick saliva off his hand. He stared at the carrot, "Now how the hell am I supposed to do do this" He muttered, his eyes caught movement outside, "Oh for gods sake"

"Wha'? I jus wan' o' see!" Her voice boomed around him as she held a mirror to her mouth, playful eyes staring in at him. At least she was thoughtful enough not to toss him around, much, by talking.

He shook his head, blue eyes following him excitedly as he approached the carrot. He tried to strip it by hand but fell backwards with next to nothing, much to her amusement. He looked around, realizing what he could do he stumbled back to his feet. He pressed his body against the orange wheel and pushed it across the fleshy ground, his feet slipping and sliding as he did. Finally after a great effort he managed to prop it up against one of her back molars. He took a moment to rest, ignoring the saliva that oozed and dripped around him, he was already soaked in the stuff anyway. Once he had caught his breath he pressed his entire weight into the carrot slice. After a lot of pushing it finally split in two. He gasped, seating himself on top of her molar, looking up to see her upper teeth hanging dangerously over head, it was an unnerving sight. He quickly stood back up and split the halves in two, and then one more time. He took all the little orange bits and tossed them into her waiting throat. Once again falling and fearfully watching her swallow, worried that he might slip inside himself.

"So are we done" He gasped as she finally let him crawl out onto her hand.

"With that" She smirked, setting him down on the table.

"You have no idea how tiring that was" He panted.

"Nor do I care" She retorted quickly, "Now I want you to wash up, I don't want a sticky slave" She filled a small bowl with water, not taking the time to warm it first. She lifted him and dropped him into the cool water, though it was refreshing compared to the warm pools within her mouth, "And take that dagger off and put it somewhere safe, I might want that back if it ever gets returned to its normal size"

Darius complied, though he didn't like the possibility of it returning to normal being a question of if. He watched her walk over into her bedroom, taking the opportunity to strip in privacy and quickly rince himself over. She reemerged just as he slipped back into his pants, deciding to lay his unnecessary buckles and bags in a pile with the dagger, not wanting to ruin his belongings completely. He saw something dangling from her fingers.

"I see you already got dressed" She seated herself back over him, "I brought you this, I never really liked this dress"

"I'm not wearing that dress" He muttered, "You shrank it?"

She nodded.

"Then couldn't you just make me normal without the necklace?"

"No, you are under the enchantment of that necklace, the only thing that can break it is the necklace...not that I would help you yet anyway"

"Well at least she said yet this time" He thought to himself, "But regardless I am not wearing that"

She sighed and ripped off a large portion of the lower part, "There, if you tie a string around your waist it will be a tunic" She eyed him for a moment than just set it on top of his other pile, "Well it's there if you change your mind" She leaned back into her chair, her fingers drumming across the wooden table as she seemed to be thinking of what she could task him with next.

"Thanks, I guess" He grumbled sitting back against a large metal cup.

"Don't get too comfortable, I just thought up something else"

"Oh great" He watched as she rose back up and returned to her room. He tried to close his eyes and regain his strength, though shot them open once he heard her footsteps returning. He strained to get to his feet eyeing her as she set a tiny brush at his feet.

"So, what do you want me to do with this?"

"Paint my nails" She said as if it were so obvious.

"With what paint? Oh let me guess, my own blood?"

She laughed, "Not a bad idea, but no" She pinched the now tiny brush between her fingers, "I have enchanted this brush with a spell that will allow it to paint your nails without paint"

"What color?"

She grinned, "Ah yes, thats my favorite part, it changes with your mood!"

"Oh wow how interesting, I am glad you are putting your talents to such important work" He gasped sarcastically.

She scowled a bit, genuinely happy to brag about her invention, "Look I have to make a living somehow-" She shook her head, "Why am I even arguing, after all I don't have to ask slaves to do things, I tell them too"

Darius wished she wouldn't keep bringing that up, sighing as he took the brush in hand. She lifted a candle and set it under the table then set out her hand flat next to him. He climbed on, at least grateful she chose not to simply pluck him up as she wished. He watched her body slip by him as she lowered him towards her feet. He looked up over his shoulder, following the long, long leg up towards her face, which was mostly obstructed by various bodily features. Her blue eyes were set on him excitedly though, he just shook his head and walked out across the narrow plain of her foot. He sort of looked at the brush in disbelief, its brown bristles as dry as rock. He tip toed out across her toe, thankful that she bathed on a regular basis. He knelt down and pressed the brush to the shining surface of her big toenail. His eyes widened as a gentle pink paint suddenly appeared in the brushes path. He ran his finger across the painted surface and found that it was already dry.

Brooke may have noticed his amazement and called down, "Pretty impressive huh?"

"Yeah" He mumbled too quietly for her to hear, he may be slaving for her, but he sure as hell wasn't going to complement her. The fast drying paint allowed him to work quickly up the massive toenail that was about the same height as himself. He carefully made his way back down her foot, looking up to see that she was bent over the table, probably reading one of her books or perhaps working on another one of her magical inventions.

He set his legs down on either side of her smaller toe and pushed his way upwards. She giggled, her toes wriggling around him as he tried to keep his grip. He sighed as she finally stopped and pushed his way to her second toenail. The work was meditative really, much less stressful than feeding a giantess. His thoughts eventually drifted back to the single thought that has possessed his mind for the past six years. He allowed himself to think that she would give in and give him the necklace, and now worked out what he would do once he possessed it. The knowledge that he would have to survive at this size for twenty four hours was a set back, though perhaps only a minor one. After all if he were to shrink down at the castle gate it would take him a long time to reach anywhere where he would be safe to grow back.

His train of thought only broke as he finished her small toe. She pressed her feet together to let him cross and he went back to working, and thinking. He sighed, creeping out across her big toe and setting down again.

"Quiet down there" She said with a sigh, giggling slightly as she felt his tiny feet tickle her toes. He ignored her and just stuck to his task, trying not to think about the fact that he was working for this particular woman. He finally inched his way off her small toe and tapped her on the leg to let her know he was done.

Her happy blue eyes appeared over him before a titanic hand reached down and snatched him rather unpleasantly and brought him back up onto the table, "Have fun?"

He smirked, "You wish"

"Well you were just quiet is all, no complaining" She sounded almost disappointed.

"Would you prefer it if I did?"

"Well you're not done yet" She smiled as his head lowered, she set her hands flat on the table, "Fingers need loving too"

Darius sighed as he went to work, at least he was free to walk around on the table, she watched him curiously as he went from finger to finger.

"I've decided I like it better when you aren't so cooperative"

"So what do these colors mean anyway? You said they were based off mood?"

"Well, pink means I'm content" She said drumming the hand he wasn't working on across the table, "The only one you should be worried about is if they turn black"

"I assume that would mean you were displeased with me?" He smirked.

"Oh very clever" She laughed. she sighed, bored once again watching him work, "So what has you so desperately trying to break into that castle anyways? You do realize that even with the necklace it would be near suicide?"

"I've escaped twice already haven't I?"

"Yes, look I won't deny your ability to sneak around like a rat. But surely this time they will have more guards and shrinking can only get you in, surely you must carry something with you on the way out"

"Sure, I suppose"

"Tell me what it is!" She near begged.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Tell me or I eat you"

Darius shook his head, "Oh, well in that case I'll tell you truthfully I'm not particularly certain, there is so much to take" He lied. In truth he knew exactly what he wanted, "There, done...mistress"

"Mock me and I eat you" She said with a grin.

Darius rolled his eyes, and sat back. His gaze held still as he thought back to his plan...his plan to kill King Whitehorn.

Brooke yawned, gracefully refusing to cover her mouth. "Such manners, my queen"

"What did I say about mocking?"

Darius just laughed, "Would my mistress like a bed time story?" She just glared down at him, silencing him for the time being.

"Well I am going to sleep, you may rest out here. And I do suggest you get some rest" She rose without another word, blowing out the candles with a single flick of her wrist.

"Show off" He mumbled, watching her silhouetted figure disappear behind a massive door. His trained eyes adjusted easily to the dark, scanning over his strange new world. He found his pile of clothing and sat down, resting his head against it, trying to nestle somewhere in the now deep rivits of the old and worn table. His joints already ached from the effort he exerted fulfilling Brooke's petty tasks, he could only hope that she grew tired of these games soon. It was always hard to read her, at times she might come off almost as a friend but probably only because they have been meeting regularly over the past five years. He thought back to how he had first encountered her...

~~~

It was a dark night, Darius sat quietly up in a tree knowing it was best to stay hidden for now. His finger thumbed a shining silver necklace, a large blue ruby hung from its intricately interlocked chain. He had snatched it right from a prince's pocket, a rather pompous prince in fact, who had just finished showing it off to a few fellow members of the local royalty as they strolled down the street. In Darius's mind he deserved every lost penny. Either way he caught a few suspicious points and stares and decided to lay low, or in this case high, for the night.

A few hours later he heard a loud neighing of a horse, he ignored it for a while. He started to hear shouts, nothing much to catch his interest until he heard a women scream. Unable to just sit there anymore he climbed skillfully down the branches. He quickly caught a glimpse of the frightened horse, a thin hooded figure on top trying to avoid the three men blocking the path. The woman shouted again as they tried to grab her, she twisted the reigns to avoid their hands but the cart behind her limited their movements.

He sprinted up the dirt path, pulling a short sword from his back, "Hey!" He roared as he neared the scene. The three men turned, laughing as he ran at them. In quick series of movements he thrust the butt end of the blade into one mans gut, then thrust the blade forward into another's chest, though only enough to cut the flesh. He felt someone reaching behind him and quickly spun his blade behind him, a red mist gently fell over his face as the third attacker fell backwards. He spat at the body, quickly turning to see the other two hobbling away into the forest.

"Is he dead?" The woman asked, he was surprised by how calm she was.

"If not he will be soon" Darius sighed looking down on the ghastly cut across his throat.

"Well I'm sure he deserved it" she commented, once again startling him.

"Aye" He said coming to the horses side, gently rubbing a hand down its neck.

"I could have handled it myself" She muttered.

"I heard you scream?"

"It was a warning, not all women are helpless" Her hood fell back over her head, revealing her youthful face, though her features have not aged a day since, she has lost a particular innocence that she carried that day, "But thanks for the thought" She smiled weakly.

"So whats in the cart?" Darius asked as he strolled next to her.

"Supplies, herbs, elixers, just about everything"

"I can see that, are you going in to town to sell or?"

"No, I'm going home, I use these to make potions and to practice my enchantments"

"So you are a witch?"

She shook her head, "No, I am a magician. You can call me a mage if you like, though I am no witch"

"Sorry, I'll try to remember that" He commented, though he didn't really see the difference.

"So you sell your potions and uh, um-"

"Enchantments?" She laughed, "Yes, well I try too. People around here don't seem very interested in such goods"

"I might be" He offered.

"Do you have money?" He hesitated a moment, "Didn't think so. My services don't come cheap"

To this day he's not quite sure why he did it, at this point nothing she could enchant or create was worth the price. But he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled the necklace out. He dangled it in front of her grinning as her bright blue eyes widened.

"Where did you get that!" She gasped, reaching for it.

"Ah ah ah!" He laughed, "This is pretty pricy"

Her eyes never left the blue ruby that nearly matched her eyes in color, "W-Well I can make...oh wow its so beautiful"

"Tell you what, give me a place to hide out for a night and we can discus it further"

"Hide out?" She gasped, "You're a thief! You stole that!"

"What if I was?"

Her brow furrowed, hardly able to remove her gaze from the gem until he slipped it into his pocket, "Alright fine"

An hour later they arrived at her cottage, "So aren't you a bit young to be a wit- er a magician?"

"I am plenty old enough" She said eyeing him, "Aren't you a bit young to be stealing and killing?"

"Fair enough, so...lets talk business" He said sitting down at the round table once positioned in the center of her room. She numbered off every potion that she could make, at the time she was a fairly unskilled enchantress. None seemed appealing enough to part with his catch.

"My horse" She finally blurted.

Darius blinked, "Your horse?"

"Yes, she is strong and loyal"

"Don't you need her?"

"No, I can manage without her"

He thought hard for a moment, even with the horse it was probably not worth it, he could buy three fine horses with the money he got selling it on the market. He lifted the necklace in front of him, the ruby twisting back and forth as it dangled below his fingers. His gaze shifted slightly into hers, anxiously awaiting his response. He was only a year older than her but with those eyes he felt like he would be denying a treat to a child.

"Alright, but only if I can get a rather steady supply of that potion you said could knock a man out for a few hours"

"Deal!" She squealed. She beamed a bright smile, one that he would never see again, as she gripped the blue ruby in her hands, quickly pulling the chain over her once short hair.

It seemed they had gotten off to such a pleasant start...it was hard to figure when their friendship seemed to go downhill....

~~~

"Hey!"

Darius mumbled and rolled over.

"Hey!" Brooke yelled again even louder.

Darius's eyes flickered open, grimacing as they fell on the still giant Brooke. He sat up, clutching his back which was sore from the hard and uneven bed.

"Time to get to work again slave" she grinned.

"Let me guess you need me to feed you your breakfast?"

"No, I am bored of that"

"Oh I see"

She set a plate of assorted fruits before him, taking a few in her hand as she leaned back into her chair, "Actually I was going to go out into the forest and gather some herbs, and before you start whining no I am not taking you with me, you would be terrible at that"

"Thanks"

"But I do expect you to work. Some dust has gathered under the furniture and I don't want to look at it anymore"

"I see"

"After that well, I don't know I'll think of something" She let him eat for a few minutes before setting him on the floor, leaving the fruits on the floor as well. He watched her walk off, now wearing a slightly more modest green skirt, though wore the same shirt as she had yesterday. She had given him some sticks and a large bucket to pull of the dust into.

He went about his work lazily at first, grimacing as he handled the strange gray fluffy substance. He let his mind wander back to his planning. His mind was already set that he would need to shrink himself sometime before he entered the castle walls, perhaps slipping under the gate by foot or hitching a ride on a cart. Once inside he would have to make it as deep into the castle as he could, the idea of hitching a ride on someones robe seemed more and more appealing.

He worked his way around the length of the room, constantly zig zagging back to the overturned bucket. A few hours later he was actually a little surprised by the size of the pile. As he hopped out of the bucket the door opened, he watched as she examined the room before setting her collected herbs on the table. She leant down to his level.

"Well its not perfect" She opened her mouth as if she was going to compliment him, but held it back. Instead she took the bucket and emptied it outside the window. She lifted him into the air and carried her into her bedroom, clearly she had ideas already by the grin across her lips.

"So what do you require of me now?"

"A foot rub" She said rather blatantly.

"Oh wonderful" She flashed him a grin before climbing onto her bed, setting him down by her feet.

"Well get working" She said impatiently. He sighed, approaching the tall pale pillar that wriggled before him. She sighed as he pressed his arms against her heel, "Ahh thats nice" She leaned back as he continued to work his way around.

"I can't reach any higher" He called up. He was unsure if she heard but sure enough she tilted her foot onto its side. He walked across the cushioned surface, constantly pressing his arms and hands into the sole of her foot, reaching up towards the much softer and delicate arch. There was a strange feeling of intimacy, though it was obviously just an illusion. This was made clear as she suddenly lifted her other foot and pinned him to the bed under her toes. He groaned as they wriggled around him before finally reaching their mark. He felt himself lift off the bed as she pinned him between two of her toes.

"Careful please" He groaned as she lifted her leg onto her other risen knee. She rose and lowered her toes playfully, seeming to get a kick out of how helpless he was. He was slightly relieved when she let him from her toes grip and back into her hands.

"Sorry, I got lonely up here by myself" she laughed, he didn't share her sense of humor, "Though that did feel quite nice"

"You're welcome"

"I didn't say thank you"

Darius rolled his eyes, this was getting old.

Brooke carried Darius back into the living room and set down at the table, "Do my shoulders" She ordered playfully setting him down on her left shoulder. He sighed, kneeling down and gently kneaded the soft pale skin, "Oh yeah like that" She sighed.

He thought this might be a good chance to talk some sense into her, "Can we break from this for a moment and actually talk about-"

"If you keep doing what your doing" She said rather annoyed that he had stopped massaging her shoulder.

"Alright" He mumbled as he started pressing down into her soft skin once more, "Surely you do not intend to keep me like this, if anything because you don't want to have me around"

She shrugged lightly, "Watching you slave away is rather entertaining actually"

"So I have figured, but you must also remember that at one point we were friends? I mean right?"

"That was before I knew who you really were"

"Oh don't say that" He said, rubbing into her shoulder with a bit more vigor, "I know there are some memories that you cherish" His eyes fell down onto her bare chest. It seemed like not so long ago she wore that blue ruby daily, though it had been three years now since he last saw her with it, "Remember when you tried to enchant my sword for the first time?"

"Yes" She said, a slight grin crossed her lips but she quickly stifled it.

"You remember how we nearly burnt the forest down because you added a bit too much fire?"

A peep of laughter broke her lips, she covered them with two fingers.

"And you can't say that the three months I stayed was not fun? Remember when you were learning from your friend Nika?"

Brooke suddenly shuddered, causing Darius to lose his balance and tumble forward down the slope of her chest. He tumbled down onto a softer surface, hardly having time to realize what had happened before he came to a halt. He looked from side to side realizing that he pretty much ruined any chances of getting back on her good side. He now lay directly between her massive breasts, her large blue eyes even wider and her cheeks turning redder by the second. He tried to scramble back up as she reached down to grab him, he noted her fingernails had turned a shade of dark red, near purple. As she reached down her bosom spread apart slightly, the gap was large enough for Darius to slip through. He suddenly found himself lost within her flesh, her fingers desperately slipping into her cleavage to retrive him. By the time she grasped him he had pushed through the underside, now sliding down her abdomen under her white shirt. He came to a rather painful stop on her lap.

"Brook I-" He stammered, but was suddenly lifted off her lap. Without a word she set him on the table, her red nails even darker. She stood up, the chair groaning across the floor loudly. She turned and went into her room, slamming the door shut, "Oh no.." Darius muttered.

~~~

Brook leaned against the door, taking deep breaths. Her lips turned in a frown as she tried to stifle her cry. The events that he had perhaps unintentionally arose were now fresh in her mind. She did remember those three months that he had stayed. It was about two years after they had met that night on the road. Their meetings prior to that were often short, though playful. She had become fond of him, and was always disappointed that his life sent him traveling across the lands. He came back, once again using their deal for the necklace that she wore every day as an excuse to visit. He said that he was tired and wanted to take a break for a while. She offered that he could stay with her while he did, he accepted.

The first two months only served to increase her fascination with him, spending every day together. And she thought the feelings were mutual, he at least seemed to act that way. The third month into his stay an old friend of hers came to visit as well. Nika was a rather strange creature, seemingly human aside from a few major details. Her playful attitude was accompanied by feline ears and tail, and even her canines seemed a bit longer than a humans. Nika was originally supposed to come to help Brooke with her enchantments, which she did. Though she too seemed to take interest in Darius, and he in her. She never told Nika how she felt, nor Darius, why should she have? Wasn't it so obvious?

It all finally came crashing down that night he and her slipped away into the woods during the night. Brooke tried to ignore it but their gasps and playful giggles were proof enough of the love that they had taken away from her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to sleep it all away, her heart shattered.

The next morning they all acted as if nothing had changed, neither noticed that Brooke had taken the necklace off. Brooke hid her sorrow until they left. Darius would return every once in a while, she tried to greet him as she always did, even trying to forget that he had torn her heart away. It wasn't until he started to ask for favors, and give little to nothing in return did she finally start to treat him with distain. She hid her anger behind unpaid debts for items she couldn't care less about. As the months turned into years the unfriendliness became mutual, their relationship only trickled on through their dependence on each others line of work...

~~~

Darius sat down, trying to piece together what had happened. Why would she act this way? Surely she could be angry but he did not expect her to go storming from the room. In fact he actually expected her to just be her playful self about the whole thing, perhaps after a little verbal abuse, and he could of sworn he saw tears in her eyes.

The short fall day soon turned to night, Brooke was still locked in her room. Darius paced around the table, fearful she might do something with her rage. Finally the door swung open and she came back out, walking swiftly. With a flick of her wrist a massive orange burst filled the room, the fire in the fireplace seemed to rage within its pit almost bursting from its stone housing.

"Brooke it was an accident-"

"So you want to go back to normal? Fine." She growled slamming the necklace down on the table, "It's been a day, so I guess you can just leave"

Darius was confused beyond all reason, why would she let him go now of all times? He grunted as she lifted him off the table and set him on the floor with the necklace, placing him under the trinket.

"Go on, rub it"

So he did, and sure enough he suddenly burst up into the air. He sighed with relief now that he could stand a few inches taller than her, "Um, thanks" He mumbled. He looked down at her hands and saw the nails were still a deep dark red, nearly black, "Look that was an accident you twitched-"

"Look just take the damn necklace. Have fun raiding the castle you good for nothing thief!"

Darius wasn't sure what to say but just walked towards the door awkwardly. He looked over his shoulder before leaving the doorway, he went to speak but just shook his head and closed the door behind him. He clutched the necklace in his hand as he walked through the forest. He couldn't help but be a little disturbed by her behavior, it seemed, though strange as that might be, that him being her slave seemed to rekindle some of the old friendship they had. He just guessed her bitterness was always just hidden behind that playful guise. He felt his waist, and then his back, "Damnit" He muttered, his extra clothes, bags, and dagger still lay in a tiny pile on her table. The only thing he had on his waist was a small coin bag, he had just enough to get what he needed.

Brooke flung herself back onto her bed, mind writhing with both anger and refreshed sadness. She had managed to bury her old feelings for him under all of her anger. Part of her regretted letting him go, she had actually planned to keep him for at least another day or two. But she couldn't stand it, she couldn't stand the sight of him anymore.

~~~

The next morning Darius found his way into a dark shop, one he was familiar with but rarely needed the owners services.

"I was wondering when you would show up" A raspy voice called out from the shadows.

Darius nodded, "Do you have my order?"

The old looking man emerged from behind the counter and walked into the back room, "You are lucky I did not get rid of these yet, such items are dangerous to hold for very long"

"I hit a snag, but thank you" Darius said placing a few coins on the counter as he took the leather bag in hand. He opened it revealing the dark purple plant inside.

"Do you plan on killing an army?" The old voice cackled.

"I just need to be sure"

He left the shop in a hurry, stuffing the bag into a deep pocket. He could see the castle walls from here, always towering over the village. He walked out towards another familiar shop, one that he hadn't needed to use in a long time.

"Ahh Rodrick!" He called as he opened the door. A burly man grinned as he turned towards Darius, his face covered in black sut.

"Darius!" He said with a deep laugh, "It has been too long, old friend!"

"Still hard at work I see"

"Always, the world is always in need of a good sharp blade"

"And yours are the sharpest! And it would seem that I too am in need of a good blade"

"That is what I like to hear, I had a feeling you might be coming back so I had already prepared something a little special"

"I can't even imagine" He laughed following Rodrick into a back room.

Rodrick knelt down next to a small box, his long tough fingers gripped it and handed it over to Darius. Darius eyed him for a moment before opening the box, eyes widening at the sleek, long blade within.

"I knew you would like it, go on take it out!"

Darius lifted the dark handle out of the box, dropping it to the ground. He turned the blade over in his hands. The blade itself was as black as night, like a deadly shadow, "How did you manage this? And is it still sharp?"

"A trade secret my friend, and it might be one of the sharpest I have crafted"

"I'm not so sure I can pay for this"

"Nonsense, for you I will sell it for the regular price"

"Well I can do you better than that" Darius said throwing him the pouch of coins.

"Hm, I'll accept but only because money is short these days" Rodrick sighed.

Darius stayed for the night, glad he had at least one real friend to talk too, though he did not share his true intentions with anyone.

~~~

The next morning Darius walked down through the busy streets that led towards the castle, constantly rerunning his plans through his head. His sleek new sword bounced off his back, hidden under a long, hooded cloak. As the village turned to a city the buildings became denser he could only catch fleeting glimpses of the castle walls. He took Brooke's advice and hid the golden chain under his shirt.

He reached his hand to his chest, taking the little crystal in his hand, his thumb unconsciously rubbing across its surface, "Oh no" Was all he could mutter when he realized his mistake. With a flash he was suddenly hurled into another world, a very unfriendly one. The tiny bits of dirt and rocks seemed like massive boulders now, the buildings to his sides rose like mountains around him. And worse yet, there was a busy street full of titans and he was in the middle of them.

Some how his disappearance had gone unnoticed from the people walking around him, he was unsure if that was a good or bad thing. A dark shadow loomed over him, he turned to see a massive boot hovering over head. He scrambled across the rolling landscape just narrowly avoiding the foot. Again and again he scrambled back and forth wanting to get off to the side but the massive feet kept him trapped in the center of the road.

He screamed as a horses hoof landed mere inches away from him sending him tumbling through the air. He looked up as the giant beast passed over head, he felt his neck. "Oh hell!" He screamed. The necklace had fallen off in the commotion. He searched in a state of panic. He turned over the now massive hunks of pulverized dirt looking for the necklace. He caught a golden glimmer out of the corner of his eye, sighing as he saw it. He went to grab it when suddenly a massive brown pillar crashed down before him. He fell back, watching the horses hind leg pass over head. He regained his footing and walked to the flattened earth. He grabbed the golden chain and pulled it upwards, nearly crying out in shock as only a third of the red ruby rose from the earth. He stared down in shock, the ruby had been crushed into three pieces! He gathered the shattered pieces and secured them in his pocket, taking the chain and hanging it back around his neck. He watched as a giant carriage rolled past, finally giving him an opening to the side of the street.

He leant back against the stone wall with a sigh, watching the busy street that now loomed over him. The outside world was so much larger and more intimidating than Brooke's modest home, almost more so now that no one seemed to know he was there. He wondered what she would say to him now? He had once again foolishly shrunken unintentionally, the few miles to the castle would be hundreds of miles to him now. And whats worse was now the necklace was broken, he was sure the shattered crystal would not be able to return him to normal now, though he couldn't be sure until tomorrow.

Darius let out a long sigh, what has he gotten himself into this time...

Darius watched as the street slowly started to empty, lanterns were lit as night started to fall once again. The chill of night was uncomfortable, but not unforgiving and he managed to shrug off the cold as he moved back out into the road. He walked for about an hour before he noticed that one of the vendors had foolishly left a basket full of bread behind. He grinned quickly running over to the basket. He climbed up the wicker side and grabbed hold of one of the massive loafs. He dug his hand into the soft crust and pulled free a large hunk, gladly taking a bite as he sat back and admired the odd landscape surrounding him.

He heard a squeak from below him, surprised he looked down and saw a pair of black eyes staring back up at him, "Oh no" He muttered rising to his feet. He balanced easily on top of the bread and stared down at the mouse, now the size of a cow to him, "There is enough bread here for both of us" He attempted to reason with the rodent, its once tiny front teeth seemed a bit more menacing now, as well as its pink claws. He backed down the loaf as the mouse climbed up the side, sniffing at him.

There was a bizarre stare off, he gripped his swords handle behind him. "How pathetic" he thought to himself, "Arming myself against a rodent" He jumped to the side as the mouse suddenly charged towards him with a ferocious squeak. Darius unsheathed his black blade, heart pumping. The mouse charged again, he once again stepped aside, this time swinging the blade at the mouses side. He grinned as a small red streak split its side, though the tiny beast would still fight. It hobbled back towards him, Darius jumped down between loafs of bread and thrust his blade upwards into the mouses chest. It hardly got a final squeak off before falling to its side.

Darius laughed victoriously as he climbed back up from between the loafs of bread, kicking the lifeless fuzzy carcass. He would not have much time to gloat as he felt he was being watched once again. He turned to see a rather terrifying beast panting down at him. A large brown dog had also stumbled upon the basket. Darius stepped away as its long brown snout dipped inside, sniffing at the now fallen mouse. Its jaws opened as it scooped the mouse into its maw, tossing the tiny creature down its throat with a single flick of its neck.

Darius started to make his way towards the edge as the dog sniffed inside again, carefully sheathing his blade before climbing the wicker wall once again. He rounded the top and turned, to see the dogs head tilted to the side as it watched him, "Easy pup, I'm not food" He called holding his hand out. He screamed as the beast started to round the basket, licking its jaws.

Darius started climbing in a state of panic, fearing the beasts head would round the corner any second. His feet touched ground and he started running, not a moment too soon. The massive figure of the dog appeared around the basket sniffing the ground excitedly. The rapid sniffles approached, he turned his head to confirm his fears. The beast was hot on his tail, simply walking forward and still was gaining on him. He felt the dogs nose bump his back, causing him to tumble forward. He turned and saw the dogs jaw part in a pant, pink tongue slipping in and out over its black lips.

Darius reached back for his sword but was caught off guard as the dog lunged forward, taking his lower half up and onto its tongue before closing its jaw around him. He screamed as the dog rose its head, tossing its neck backwards and opening its jaws. Darius watched wide eyed as he thrown into the maw. He gagged as he was hit with massive blasts of hot air coming from somewhere deep in the depths of the maw. Not wanting to join his fallen enemy he tried to gain his footing but was thrown back again landing with a smack against the beasts tongue. Darius tried to reach back and grab his sword yet again. He pulled it free but was tossed by the dogs tongue moving another few long inches closer to its throat, the sword fell free from his hands. He turned onto his stomach, feeling the beasts throat nearing as he crawled after the blade that lay just few feet out of reach, his feet that is. His fingers strained as the dog went to throw him once again, this time into the throat. His back smacked into the soaking flesh at the back of the canines throat just as he gripped the handle again. He looked down as he fell into the beasts throat, becoming engulfed in blackness.

He thrust his blade sideways, grinning as a loud yelp boomed around him. He saw light once again at the end of the long tunnel of the canines maw. The dog hacked him painfully onto the dirt, and ran away whimpering.

"Thats right run you mangy mutt!" He shouted, shaking the disgusting saliva from his clothes. Still trying to get that rancid breath out of his nostrils. He slid his blade back into its sheath, glad he had decided to get one. From the looks of it the dog had carried him a good distance, anything was a huge leap when your stride is not even half an inch in length. He wandered through the empty roads, ducking occasionally when guard or one of the other late night lurkers walked past. Finally as the night grew old he finally decided to curl up behind a large rock and get some rest.

He awoke a little shocked, the sun high in the early afternoon sky already. How could he have slept so long? He peeked up over his rock and saw the street was already bustling. He could still see Rodricks shop far in the distance, "It's going to take weeks at this rate" He mused, knowing that he would have to hitch a ride somehow.

His answer came as there was some commotion to his right. He saw the crowd start to spread, between some legs he was able to make out a female figure with a long flowing blue dress, two armed guards at her sides. He stepped out cautiously to get a better look.

A grin crossed his lips, it was the kings daughter. She waved at all the people, the guards trailing just slightly behind her stared them down grimly enough to keep anyone from waving back. She was young, he guessed no older than eighteen, though the last time he had saw her was five or six years ago. Now she looked more like a woman, perhaps not a proper woman but a woman none the less. She seemed so oblivious, walking slowly as she greeted everyone at her sides, did she think that everyone liked her and her family? The ones who made it difficult for the average resident to wear clothes of a slightly higher quality than a bundle of old rags?

She started to come closer, Darius hid behind a woman's shoe before making a break for the princesses path. He watched her towering, happy figure loomed over him. She tried to lift her dress from the dirt but it still dragged behind her. He watched her feet step towards him, her long blue dress soon passing overhead. He couldn't help but look up, light just barely penetrating the fabric cavern that stretched up over head. He watched as her finely toned leg reached forward slowly as she walked, he made his way towards the wall of layered fabrics before him, grabbing hold of the lace. He pulled himself upwards before removing his sword and cutting a hole so he could slip onto the other side so he wouldn't have to hang with his weight pulling him towards the ground.

"Much better" He sighed, happy his fortune seemed to have taken a turn for the better. It would seem that he had found a ride that might lead him directly into the most secured areas of the fortress. He watched the two white pillars before him gently lift off the ground, moving forward at a slow pace but easily hundreds of times faster than he would have been able to travel. He eventually became pretty bored as he waited, hoping to see smooth marble floors under her feet soon. It would be hours before that would happen, the princess seemed to love walking around the city, it was actually rather admirable.

He was woken from a near sleep like trance as her feet clanked on some wooden planks, they were entering the castle. The dirt became much more fine and groomed, and they even passed over some carefully cut grass. He was jostled a bit as she made her way up a spiraling staircase. He listened as she hummed to herself, the white floors now slipping beneath him, he wondered if he should jump now or see where she takes him. He was never able to decide this as he suddenly heard a massive door close behind her. Her feet straightened, there was some movement behind him.

"No Elizabeth I can do it myself, thank you" Her voice said sweetly.

"As you wish, Princess" An older sounding voice said, the large door opened and closed again.

Darius nearly shouted as the cavern of fabric collapsed around him as the Princess removed her dress. He grunted as he tried to free himself from the tangled mat of fabric, completely encased in darkness. He eventually crawled his way over the soft ground until he felt hard marble under his hands. He pushed his way forward, eventually seeing a small sliver of light before him.

His eyes burned a moment as he pushed his way back into the open room, looking around in awe of the finely decorated surroundings. Every wall was lavishly covered in tapestries or paintings. In front of him stood an absolutely massive bed, its wooden poles rose all the way to the ceiling, a white curtain surrounded it on all sides. Each wall was also covered in lines of cabinets and drawers, rows of seemingly endless racks of jewelry spread across an entire wall. He flinched as her giant figure emerged once again behind a curved wall where she changed behind. She wore now a rather modest white gown, setting down on her bed.

Darius sighed, a little relieved she did not come to gather the dress she had left in a pile on the floor. He quickly ran around the pile towards the door, annoyed to see that it was built so hardly even a spec of dust could fit under the tiny space under it. He sighed, "Alright how are we doing this?" He whispered to himself. He decided to hide behind one of the legs of a massive wooden drawer. He sat, watching as she stood, looking nervously towards the door before walking over to a drawer on the far side of the room. He was rather surprised when she walked back towards her bed with a book. She disappeared behind the semi-transparant curtain.

A few hours later there came a knock at the door.

"Y-Yes?" She called out.

"May I enter? My princess"

"Oh, Elizabeth, yes you may enter"

Darius watched a rather old woman enter through the door, groaning a bit as she quickly shut it behind her.

"Would Ms. Whitehorn like to join her family for dinner? Her father would like to know"

"No, tell him I am tired, and Elizabeth please refer to me as Sarah, at least in here"

"I am sorry Sarah" She said in a slightly hushed tone, "I am just afraid that someone might hear"

"Well then come talk closer!" Sarah called quietly, "I was just reading that book you brought me"

"Hush my dear, the door is thick but not so thick we can speak without caution"

Darius listened rather intrigued, it seemed that the king had grown as paranoid and overbearing as his father had expected so many years ago. His own daughter, his only child, not being able to read at her own will! He could no longer hear the conversation as the old woman walked next to the bed. He sat back, and reflected...

~~~

"You know the king grows ill, my son" Darius's father spoke gently over the light of a small campfire.

"I was unaware" Darius responded, a much younger Darius, only sixteen years of age.

"Then you would also be unaware that his illness might not be an act of nature"

"You are saying he has been poisoned?"

"Shh, quiet, or the others might hear"

"So is that what you are saying?" Darius said in a whisper.

"Yes my son, you know of his son"

"Yes"

"He has been growing increasing impatient in the courts, he seeks to undo all that his father has done"

"But why, the kingdom has never thrived as it does now?"

"This is true, but he doesn't think the money should be spread, he seeks the power of the old kings"

"But the kingdom-"

"He does not care for the kingdom"

~~~

Darius watched the old woman left the room, returning a few minutes later with another servant. They carried a platter, the smell of fresh cooked food wafting quickly into his nostrils. His mouth nearly watered, he could hardly remember the last time he had a well cooked meal.

"Thank you Elizabeth, Wendy"

"Of course your-"

"Please, I beg you I am not my father, would you like to join me?"

"I am sorry but, we can't" The old woman said bowing her way out of the room.

"Oh..." Sarah sighed as the door shut.

Darius nearly felt sorry for the princess, she acted more like her grandfather than her father or any of the other royalty that he knew. He remained hidden.

~~~

"But his father has been doing so well?"

"So well for the kingdom, he has cut back greatly on the personal wealth of the royalty"

"So the prince is only after himself?"

"Exactly"

"Surely the others must see this"

"Of course, but no one is brave enough to stand up against him"

"But if the king dies of unnatural causes, surely there will be an investigation?"

"We can only hope"

~~~

Darius nearly jumped as the metal platter was set down on the floor. His eyes fell on it hungrily, the princess had eaten sparingly. He watched as she rose back towards her bed, gripping the thick leather book.

He waited a few minutes before cautiously approaching the platter, eyes falling over a giant mound of turkey, stuffing, fruits and bread! He nearly broke into a sprint as his stomach yearned for a good meal. He hopped over the lip of the platter and the plate and dug his hands into the meat, moaning in delight as he tore it piece by piece. He grabbed a handfull of stuffing, dipping it in the gravy that she had poured onto the plate. He was so engrossed in the food that he failed to realize he was being watched. That was until a pair of delicate feet suddenly touched the ground before him.

His eyes widened, following the feet up to the Princess, her green eyes staring down at him...

Darius dropped the food, backing away nervously. He nearly fell as he backed off the plate, though realized that running was not going to work. He watched as the girl lowered herself to her knees, eyes wide as she leaned forward.

She reached an arm out to grab him but retracted as he fell back over the lip of the platter. Darius rose back to his feet, trying to decide if he should stand his ground peacefully or with sword drawn. They continued to stare at each other for a full minute. Her face was hard to read, she was clearly surprised to see him though other than that he was uncertain.

"W-What are you?" She finally whispered.

"What am-"

"Are you a fairy?" Her eyes widening as she asked.

Darius nearly laughed, "A fairy?" He repeated, he was ready to deny it but blurted, "Why yes, I am!" He wasn't quite sure why he did that.

"You don't have wings?"

"No" He said, just rolling with the questions, but he sighed with relief when her lips spread in a wide smile, and not the kind that Brooke gave him when she was thinking of ways to toy with him. He watched one of her frail hands lower next to him. He hesitated a moment before climbing up onto her soft palm. It felt as if she hadn't seen a day of work in her life, which was probably true. She climbed back into her bed, pulling the white curtain shut as she did. Darius was starting to wonder what the hell he had gotten himself into once again, he knew nothing of magic or mystical creatures, that was for Brooke to know.

"I knew you were real! My father, he tries to make me forget about magic and other such things but I always knew!" Darius just nodded, "Why have you come here?" She asked excitedly.

"Er-um...just wandering"

She laughed, "Did you just teleport here? Or did you ride on some sort of mystical bird?"

"Sure"

She gasped, "Can you show me?"

Darius froze, he should have known she would want to see some sort of magical abilities, "Um, you wouldn't be able to see" He offered weakly.

"Oh, right that makes sense" She said nodding her head. Darius breathed out in relief.

"Do you grant wishes?"

"Sometimes" He blinked, "No you idiot! Don't tell her that!" His inner voice roared.

She gasped again staring down at him nearly shaking with excitement, "C-Can I get one?" She finally stammered.

"Alright think think think" He thought to himself, "If you please her she will probably stay nice, though who knows what would happen if she gets angry" He thought for a few more moments as she waited for his response, "Well" He started taking a deep breath, "That would, um, depend"

She leaned even closer, "On what?" She whispered.

"On the wish of course"

"Oh, right" She laughed.

Darius just needed to buy himself some time, hopefully get himself into a position where he could get away, "I can only grant one though" He offered up, cringing a bit as he did.

"Oh, yes well of course" She said with a nod, "I will need some time to think"

"That's fine" He hoped she would sleep on it. He was a little curious about her life, and how overbearing the king really was. And since she seemed willing to believe what ever came out of his mouth, this little guise might not be such a bad position for him, "Do you often read in private?" He asked.

Her eyes drifted back towards her book, "Y-Yes I must"

"You must? Why is that?"

"Father says the words in these books are poison"

"Do you think that?"

"I don't see how such lovely tales could be!"

"Are you on good terms with your father? Your mother?" He pressed further.

She flinched, "F-Father sent mother away when I was young"

Of course Darius knew this story already, Sarahs mother was deemed unworthy after she failed to produce a son. She was hung. The Queen after that met a similar fate.

"He does not love me"

"Oh no?" He gasped, as if in shock. Though he didn't doubt it, he was desperate for a son and he was getting old, though it seemed he made sure to keep a Queen that was still in her youthful prime.

"You won't tell? That I have spoken such things?"

"Of course not"

"I am not happy here" She said brushing her hand across the old pages of the book beneath her, "That is why I sneak away and read, I don't see why I cannot be like one of the princesses in these stories"

"I see"

"I-I want to go out into the villages but Father forbids it. He sends guards out with me when I go to walk among our people, he says they are for protection but...but-"

"You think they are there to keep you contained?"

She nodded, biting her lip, "Are the people happy? Surely you must know these things"

"No" He wondered if he was pushing his luck.

"I see, I have seen that, but when ever I ask him why he assures me they are content"

"Do you trust my word?" She nodded, "Over his?" She hesitated, eyes shifting towards the door for a moment before nodding once again.

"Alright, then you must listen carefully. The people are suffering. They have little clothes to wear and often struggle to find food to eat" Her gaze lowered, as if in shame, "Did you know your grandfather?"

"Father says he was a fool"

"Then you would be surprised to know that the Kingdom thrived under his rule"

"That is what Elizabeth has told me!" She said in a whisper.

"Elizabeth?"

"She has been my personal maid since I was a child, I would like to call her my friend but...all of these rules. If father gets suspicious, he might send her away too"

He nearly wanted to ask her to help him in his mission, but would she really be willing to aid in the death of her own father? No, he wouldn't task her with that, no matter how corrupt he may be. He also realized that her own life was in danger. Just as the king murdered his own father, she poses a threat as his only successor.

"It would be wise to stop asking your father questions about his rule"

"But why?"

"You do not want to disturb him" He warned, hoping she would catch the hint without him having to tell her blatantly that her father would not hesitate to kill her if she posed a threat.

"I-I wish I could escape, leave all of this" She dropped her head, "But there is no way, the last time..."

"You have tried to run before?"

She nodded, setting him gently down onto her pillow, "They...They whipped me" She slid her sleeves from her shoulders.

"Sarah wait you don't have to-"

"No, I must show someone" She insisted turning her back to him as she pulled the dress down over her arms revealing her back. Three long scars ran down her back, "This is what happens when I disobey father. And then I am supposed to go back, as if nothing had happened! Pretend that i am happy in this prison! My father loves his new mistress more than he loves me! Because she is only after his power. Please, make me free, that is my wish"

Darius shifted nervously as she turned her head towards him over her shoulder. At this size there was no way he could lead her to an escape, if only he hadn't broken the necklace, as of now he couldn't even save himself from his fate.

"I..." He started, it made him fell sick to his stomach to continue this lie, "My powers cannot simply whisk you away"

"Then...Then Love me" She said turning towards him, her arm draped over her chest, "I am forbidden to seek the companionship of a man, please" She leaned her free arm towards him, he let himself get lifted onto her palm but was unsure to what extent she wanted him to love her. She may have been an adult but she was still young, not to say that he was old but still he felt that it would not be proper.

"If it means you must pretend then do so" Her eyes pleaded as she now looked down on him, "Make me feel like one of the princesses in those stories"

Darius sighed, but nodded, "If that is what you wish" He fell back as she suddenly brought her hand to her lips, pressing against him gently and holding him there for a few long moments. She pulled him away blushing, how could he deny her when he brought such a sweet smile to her lips. She gently dropped her arm from her chest, her young bosom perking up in the slight chill that drifted in from an open window. She lowered him down between her breasts as she continued to slide out of her dress.

"Erm, would you mind putting these somewhere safe?" He said removing his cloak, sword and other clothes.

"Of course" She said excitedly taking the tiny bundle and placing it beside her.

Darius turned, following her long body down over her chest, across her flat stomach and down towards her legs which shifted excitedly as she kicked the dress from her feet. She bit her lip as he backed down within her cleavage. His bare feet stepped down across her stomach, rising and falling in shaking breaths. Her hand gripped him gently as he walked lower, sliding down towards her womanhood. She squirmed as he slid his hand inside, a little unsure how to go about this with such a massive woman. She seemed to enjoy it as he slipped his other arm in, pressing against the moist soft walls. She gasped as she suddenly guided him fully inside with her thumb. Darius squirmed as well as he could as he was overcome by the dark tunnel, muscles contracting around him.

An hour later he laid against her chest, her breathing had slowed down as she succumbed to sleep. He managed to pull himself out. He looked towards her face, she slept with a gentle smile across her lips. He gathered his belongings and prepared to leave. He had spotted a line of drawer tops that touched the side of her bed, he could probably make it to the window from there and find his way into another room. He came to the edge of the pillow and frowned, it would be a dangerous journey.

"You must leave?" A quiet voice called behind him.

Darius sighed and turned back towards Sarah, who was pulling her dress back up over her shoulders, "Yes" He said, hoping she would let him be on her way.

"Oh, well at least let me carry you to the window" She said rather sadly. He climbed into her hand and felt a little relieved that he wouldn't have to cross the mountainous cabinets and drawers on foot. She set him down on the stone window sill with a sigh.

"Well, I guess this is it" He said rubbing his head.

"I-I will never see you again?"

Darius shrugged, "I don't know about that, perhaps if I wander this way again"

She giggled, "Oh, alright. Thank you"

He shrugged again, "Hey, it's what I do" He watched as she turned away, waving slightly as she returned to her bed. He sort of felt sorry for her still, even with all the riches of the kingdom it would be impossible for her to find happiness here. But he would not be the man for her, but perhaps with the death of the king she may be find him.

Darius edged his way towards the long, long drop to the ground, flinching at every gust of wind. He was relieved to see a small stone lip followed along the castle wall which was dotted with windows, now he just had to find which one led to the King.

Darius clung to the wall, fearful that a powerful updraft might send him plummeting down to the ground below. A massive shadow fell over the wall as large dark clouds started to blot out the moon. He went window to window, slowly making his way around the first corner. Every window he came to was sealed shut.

He continued walking stopping suddenly as a little wet circle suddenly splashed in front of him. He was a bit startled, though the reality of his situation did not hit him until he looked up and saw silver lines start to streak through the air. "Oh not rain!" He muttered quickening his pace, a new sense of urgency in his step as he searched for a way inside. He tried to duck the massive balls of water but soon he was overtaken by the wet splashes. Each droplet sent him to his stomach on the rough stone. His body ached with cold and fatigue, his lungs burned. He gasped as yet another pool of water formed before him, soon a shallow layer of water flowed over the lip, putting a painful strain on his legs as he pushed through it.

Hours passed, he hardly even noticed as the over-casted sky grew lighter in the early hours of the morning. He had finally succumbed to fatigue and laid motionless on the stone outcropping. The rain finally let up, he was a little startled when a beam of sunlight suddenly shone down upon him. He lowered his head, shivering in the cold morning, beads of water formed around him, a truly bizarre sight for someone who was used to droplets of water being tiny dots. He eyed the droplets curiously, poking his fingers into them and watching tiny little particles swirl within. His head fell back onto his folded arms, realizing now how hopeless he was at this size. A mere rainstorm had put him on the brink of death.

~~

Darius stared into the crackling flames of the campfire, they had fallen silent for quite some time as he pondered what his father had said.

"You are becoming a man now Darius" His father said, finally breaking the silence, "So I will speak to you as one" Darius nodded, "I know you have been following in my footsteps for quite some time now, the barracks has reported that you hare excelling faster than anyone in your class"

"I try my hardest"

"But, I would sooner have my son a thief than to serve as a knight under this soon to be King"

"But would no one overthrow him?"

His father shook his head, "No, most are too fearful, or blinded by duty to ever go against the word of the standing king"

"What will you do?"

"I will stand for what is right" His father said rather grimly.

~~~

Darius suddenly jumped as he heard a massive creak. He looked to his left and saw a palm pressed against the tall glass pane. The window opened, giant metal frame swinging over head. He recognized the person who had opened it, it was the old maid from Sarah's room.

Elizabeth gasped, old eyes falling on the figure sprawled on the stone outcropping.

"Why does this keep happening" Darius groaned as he strained to get to his feet. He watched her cautiously, he recognized her even from before briefly seeing her in Sarah's room.

"So you are the fairy?" Elizabeth said with a wrinkled grin, her face and slightly rounded figure made her the epitome of a nice old lady. She laid her hand down next to him, smiling gently. He sat down her her soft hand nervously, he hadn't the energy to run anymore.

"She told you huh?" He said once she carried him inside her modest room, much smaller and more bare than Sarah's. She set him down on a table and took a seat next to him.

"Yes she did, and she also told me you granted her a wish. She refused to tell me what it was though" She said, almost as if she knew anyway.

"I see"

"She also told me that she carried you to the window, so I am not surprised to see you here" She laughed softly, "Oh my you must be dreadfully cold after being outside last night" She walked into a closet and reemerged with a small square towel. She offered it to Darius.

"Thank you" He said wrapping the massive piece of cloth around him.

"She was under the impression that you would fly away on some invisible bird, but we both know she is just a bit naive" She grinned, "I know who you are"

Darius suddenly remembered her face, the second attempt! She was there, he had stumbled upon her as he snuck through the halls, it was her scream that alerted the guards and forced him to flee, "I see" He said nervously.

"Don't worry, I will not give you to the guards. However I am a bit curious as to how you have gotten as such? The help of a sorcerer I imagine?"

"You could say that"

"And why are you sneaking about the castle as of late? Any particular treasures? Secret documents"

"Nothing all too particular" He commented, not seeing much of a point to make up a new story.

"Well I am sorry that I gave you away on your last attempt, surely you were the same ghost that fled the castle not three months earlier?"

"Well I am sorry I frightened you"

"It's forgiven. So, and sorry if I am prying, but what was your plan? Do you have some sort of potion to return you to normal so you can make yet another daring get away? Of course you will have some treasure in hand this time"

"I wish" Darius sighed, he went on to explain his predicament starting from when he left Rodricks shop.

"Do you think there is anyone that could repair your trinket?"

"No"

"Hm, well I'm sorry to hear that" She stared at him for a moment,"Perhaps my old eyes are fooling me but, you look oddly familiar, like someone who has walked these halls before?"

"Maybe you knew my father"

"Your father?"

"He used to be a knight, for the kings father. His name was Marcus"

"Marcus" She said as if reflecting, "That would make you Darius?"

Darius perked up, "You know my name?"

"Your father was a hero, of course I know of his son. But you both disappeared years ago"

"He was hung"

Her eyes widened, "No" She gasped in disbelief.

"He refused to follow orders. The new king had ordered them to seize all of the animals from one of the local farmers, they would have never lasted the winter without them. When the king heard of it he accused my father of treason"

"I never knew" She said in a whisper, "And you went into hiding afterward?"

Darius nodded, "My father once told me that he would rather me be a thief than a knight for King Jared, though I don't think he meant it so literally"

"You are not here to steal, are you?" She asked after a few long minutes of silence.

Darius shifted nervously under the question, "No" He finally said.

"You are here to kill the king, aren't you?" She pressed, He nodded slowly.

"I cannot blame you, and there are days where I wish I would live long enough to see his reign end, he has destroyed so much. But I fear that the fall of the king will only make way for his newest Queen" She sighed, "Sarah's mother was so kind, it was a horrid thing what Jared did to her. But he has finally found a women who is more agreeable to his ideals" She looked down at him sternly for a moment, "The death of Jared may avenge your father but it will not save the kingdom, though I wonder which cause you care for most?"

Darius sighed, lowering his head.

"The king will return in two days, I suggest you think about what you will do next, I can release you once he is here and you may do what you wish, I will take no other part in his falling" She looked towards the door briefly as heavy feet walked in the hall outside. "This is a dangerous time for those of us who do not look upon the king fondly"

Darius nodded, though could not believe that the king was not even inside the castle! He has been acting too impatiently, and it has only gotten him in trouble. He was grateful that Elizabeth was at least partially supportive of his cause.

"Perhaps it's best if the princess does not know I am still here"

"I agree, it was foolish of you to lead her on like that. But at least she seemed happy, lets keep it that way. If she knew that her fairy prince was really an assassin it might break her heart. She is a good girl, it saddens me to know that she has little hope of ever gaining control of the kingdom"

Elizabeth let Darius remain on her desk for the day as she went about with her other duties. He grew bored quickly as paced around on the old wooden desktop. Elizabeth returned a few hours later with some food and water and quickly disappeared again. He would wait around for another couple of hours, watching as the sun moved across the blue skies and started to dip below the bare trees.

The door suddenly creaked open, Darius turned to see a younger looking face peer inside. He quickly ducked behind a box that stood near the edge of the desk. He listened as the door shut quietly. Light footsteps entered deeper in the room.

"Hello?" Her soft voice called out, "Darius?" He was a little startled at this. He peeked around the corner to see the girl standing in the middle of the room looking around, presumably for him, "Elizabeth told me you were in here" She wore the same style of clothes that Elizabeth had worn, he thought she might be the same girl that brought the platter of food into Sarahs room.

Darius stepped out from behind the box, still a little wary of the girl. Judging by her features she was probably anywhere from sixteen to eighteen years old. Her eyes scanned the room before finally falling on the desk. She gasped a little as she walked over. She sat down slowly without a word.

"Hello?" He finally said.

"Oh, hi, I am Wendy" She shifted awkwardly in her chair as they sat through another awkward silence, She finally leaned forward, "So is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That you're not actually a fairy?"

Darius laughed, wondering how it would be harder to believe that he wasn't a fairy like Sarah thought, "Yeah"

"So...you really did come here to" She hushed her voice, "Kill the king?"

"I am starting to worry exactly how many people are going to learn my plans" Darius said with a sigh.

"Only me and Elizabeth, we share everything together"

"I see"

"And Sarah too" She smiled a little, "So is what...um...you and Sarah did?"

"We did?"

"Her wish!" She whispered excitedly.

"Elizabeth said she didn't say"

"Oh yeah well Sarah would never tell Elizabeth that! She would never approve!" She giggled.

"I suppose"

She bit her lip, "So if you're not a fairy then why did you do it?"

"I didn't want to drop my cover"

She frowned, "Is that all?"

Darius sighed, "Well of course she is a very beautiful girl but-"

"Can we do it?" She asked in an even more excited whisper.

"Wendy I-" He ran his hand down his face, "I was going to say-"

"Am I not...beautiful enough?" Her excited grin disappearing.

"Why must I be so irresistible at this size" Darius thought to himself, "It's that...well, how old are you?"

"I am sixteen"

"See, it would be wrong, Wendy, it was wrong with Sarah but-"

"So it is my looks"

"No, you are a very pretty girl, but a young girl" She didn't seem to comprehend, "I felt as though Sarah was too young but at least she was still a woman, and really men have married with similar gaps in age but you are much too young. Why would you want to do that anyway? I mean clearly you had intentions before you even met me?"

"B-Because you are a hero!"

"Wendy, I assure you I am far from that"

"But your father..."

"If my father saw me now he would be deeply ashamed. I have stolen and I have killed"

"But you have stolen from the rich! And I am sure you have never killed an innocent man!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Well you were training to become a Knight? That is what Elizabeth told me!"

"That means nothing, you should not hold me in such high esteem"

"Well...At least let me help"

"Help me in my mission?" She nodded, "That's probably not a good idea, for your own well being I should do this alone"

"But I want to help!"

"You do understand that this is still resulting in the death of a person? Regardless of how corrupt"

"I'm not an idiot" She retorted, rather annoyed, "I am like you, he has taken..." She trailed off, a slight shimmer glazing over her eyes.

"I see" Darius sighed, "It appears everyone knows loss at his hand"

She leaned forward, "And we will be the ones to finally step up and fight him"

"Well I would prefer that I do the fighting, but if you could get me into the same room-"

"I can do better!"

"Oh?"

She nodded a grin crossing her lips, "He has chosen me as one of the girls that brings him his meals. I have often fantasized that I might be the one to slip him some poison, but I wouldn't know how to get it" The confidence and cruelty in her voice were rather shocking to Darius, it sounded as though her hatred has only fumed over the years much like his own.

"Just get me onto the table" He said with a grin.

They jumped as the door opened, both sighing to see that it was only Elizabeth.

"There you are Wendy! I see you are pestering our little guest?"

"I'm not pestering!" She whined, shooting Darius a quick grin.

They talked as a group for a little while. And then, much to Elizabeths disapproval, Wendy took Darius back to her room. Darius wasn't all that thrilled either, he had talked her down the first time but she remained rather flirty throughout the night.

~~~~

The night passed uneventfully, to his relief. The next morning he found himself bored once again sitting on a giant wooden mountain. He spent his time running through the old sword exercises that he hadn't done in years, it got him back into the killing mindset. He carved his name into the wood, tiny enough that you would need a very powerful spectacle to notice.

He watched Wendy reenter the room, happily walking over towards him, "Hello!" She whispered, as always careful to not let her voice be heard from beyond her door.

"So he returns tomorrow?" Darius said, trying to keep his mind on the business at hand.

She nodded, "They have already given me the directions to prepare his lunch for tomorrow, he will be hosting one guest so that is all we will have to be careful of"

"Right so you just take me there, put me on that table and I will do the rest. Don't do anything out of the norm, and if I may be honest you should probably make some plans to get out of here"

"What? Why?"

"They will know his death will be by poison, the one I have picked is extremely fast acting, and very unique in the way it kills. Whether they can find evidence or not they will be looking to punish all those who are suspects"

"I see"

"Look you can still back out"

"No" She said confidently.

"You are being very brave then" Darius said, placing his hand down on one of her large fingers, he still worried about the aftermath of his actions but could hope that they would be better than the status quo.

Wendy smiled, catching him off guard as her hand suddenly twisted towards him, sweeping him into her palm. He attempted to protest as she brought him to her lips, pressing them against him as she hummed softly. Darius pushed against them, feeling her tongue slip out slightly, "Wendy, we went over this" He managed to say as her tongue prodded him.

She pulled away, blushing, "I'm sorry..." She had trouble meeting his gaze, "I was just, I-I'm sorry" She set him back down on the table. Darius eyed her, though felt a little bad to shoot her down again like that.

"Look, I am sure if you go out by the barracks there will be plenty of young heros in training for you to meet"

She nodded, "I know, its just" She sighed, "Forget it"

~~~

Morning came, Darius hadn't slept. He watched as Wendy rose from her own rest, smiling at him weakly as she stood.

"Did you sleep well?"

"No" She mumbled.

"Are you nervous?" She nodded, "Good, it will keep your mind sharp. As long as you act as though everything is going normally"

"Right" She said taking a deep breath.

"So I was thinking I will remain here until lunch-"

"I think I should take you with me today, incase you know something happens and I can't get back here in time"

"You know, you're right. Yes lets do tha-" He was cut off as she plucked him from the table.

~~~

"Wendy..." Darius sighed, sitting in his new seat. She had nestled him in her cleavage.

"This is the safest place, my uniform comes with no pockets"

Darius shook his head, "Fine, but you know my stance"

"I know" She responded softly before pulling her large white shirt over her head.

Darius rose and fell slightly with each step, he couldn't help but enjoy it a little bit. He tried to close his eyes to pass the long hours as she went about her other chores.

"Did you release him as I ordered?" He heard Elizabeth whisper.

"Yes ma'am" She responded, he could feel little vibrations in her chest as she talked.

"Good, it would be wise to forget about him. I don't know what he will do but we will have no part of that"

"I know"

"You shouldn't chase men like that, it will only hurt you in the end"

"I know..."

~~~~

The moment finally came.

"Alright" He heard her whisper, He felt her hand reach down inside her collar to retrive him. He looked around, seeing that they were inside of a massive kitchen, "What do we do?" The nervousness was pretty clear in her voice.

"First, deep breaths, relax pretend you don't even know that I exist. That will be your excuse if you are questioned, I acted completely on my own"

She nodded, following his advice and started to take deep breaths.

"Next, I will hide in these for now" He said pointing over to a platter covered in mixed fruits. She helped him up onto the platter, looking around, "Third, forget my face, forget my name. This will likely be my end"

"No-"

"Listen, I am trapped in this tiny body, I am not sure that I will make it out this time, nor do I know what I will do"

"Escape with me"

"Wendy, you know that is something I cannot do. You need to forget that I ever existed, Elizabeth was right, I only hurt the ones around me. That is my fate and I have chosen it"

She nodded reluctantly, watching as he slipped between some grapes on the platter. He sighed, sitting down, hand gently rubbing the pouch on his side. A few minutes later he heard a massive door creak open and slam shut.

"Ah! Here is our lunch" A booming voice echoed through the room. Darius nearly growled as the words flowed into his ears, he hoped that he would get to witness the terrible death himself.

He felt as the platter set down on the table.

"Thank you, my dear" His voice said.

"Yes my king"

Darius hoped that she was acting as calm as she spoke, though he couldn't even imagine keeping a blank face while serving a man that had killed your family, as it was the case for Wendy.

"Some privacy please?"

"Yes my king"

Darius peered from behind the grapes, eyeing the king who sat back in his chair, his arm reached over head as he grabbed some of the fruit. A large cup sat by his other hand, he sipped from it between bites. That is where the poison would go.

"The sample that you had shown our queen was more than intriguing" He spoke to the other figure at the other side of the table.

Darius slowly crept out from his hiding.

"Thank you" The voice called.

Darius froze, that voice. He turned, eyes widening. The figure on the other side of the table...was Brooke.

Darius couldn't believe his eyes! What was she doing here? And meeting with the King himself? He ducked as the kings arm swooped over head, he had to remain focused. He hurried his way from fruit to fruit, platter to platter, his destination growing closer and closer.

"It's effects were surprisingly instantaneous"

"Is this pleasing, my King?" She asked, her words making Darius sick to his stomach. Who was this woman? He knew she hated the king nearly as much as himself. She might be a bit cruel at times but she did hold her morals highly.

"Yes, very. How expensive would it be to make more?"

"More? Well, I am sorry to say that the needed materials are rare and often very expensive"

"Well, money is not an issue I believe, though I think you will find that suppliers are more than willing to part with their goods for the better of the kingdom"

"Oh, how wonderful"

"Yes, wonderful indeed, but I do what I must to keep the people happy"

Darius almost wished he was large enough to stab the king himself, but was content to know that his passing would not go peacefully. He neared the cup now. He had crawled his way under the rims of platters and plates and found himself before a small stretch of table before the cup. He pulled the pouch from his waist and prepared to run.

"So, if I may ask, who will you be using my tools on?"

The king chuckled, "Do not worry your pretty self with such things, he stood and started to round the table towards her. Now was his chance, "They will only be used on those who have more than lost their right to freedom"

Darius got to his feet, rushing towards the cup. He bumped into its smooth surface and tossed the pouch upwards, grinning as it went up and over. He turned, seeing that they had not noticed him yet. He made his way back towards the plates. He ducked below and crawled back towards the fruit platter, climbing back up and taking a seat with a sigh, leaning his back against a large red apple.

Suddenly the wall fell from his back. He rolled backwards, his blood running cold. He turned, his fears came true as he now stared up at the King and Brooke who stared down at him in shock.

"Well!" The king roared, "It seems we have a spy in our midst, yet again! This time he will not slip away so easily!" He turned to Brooke, "Now I can give you a demonstration of what we do to enemies of the kingdom!"

Darius watched as the King lifted a large carving knife from the table, approaching him with a grin.

"Wait!" Brooke shouted, the King turned, shocked by the outburst, "I-I" She stammered, "I think this would be a good time to show you my abilities"

Darius and the King both looked at her curiously, though Darius had a mixed sense of utter terror pumping through his veins. He tried to run as she reached down and plucked him from the table. He grimaced as she brought him towards her face, an grin across her lips did not help to comfort him.

Brooke closed her eyes, suddenly a large grape suddenly appeared in her fingers, blocking Darius from view but giving the illusion that he had simply turned into a grape!

Darius strained as his back was pressed against the rounded green surface. He looked up to Brooke, her intentions still unclear. But all his hopes vanished as her lips spread and she started to move him inside!

Brooke slipped the grape into her mouth, pulling out empty fingers as she smiled at the King, who looked very impressed. He folded his arms and leaned back watching as she chewed, a grin spread across his bearded face.

Darius groaned as she pinned him to the roof of her mouth, her teeth crushing down all around him, juices and saliva spraying him in the face. He screamed as her tongue lowered, the bits of grape suddenly falling over him as her tongue moved it back towards her throat, "No...She wouldn't!" He thought aloud as he was suddenly thrust down into her throat, she had swallowed him! He screamed as the muscles pulled down at him from all sides, the sounds of the outside world disappearing to wet smacks, gurgles and the constant drone of her heart and breathing. He finally fell into a larger opening, he assumed the stomach. He gagged as he scrambled in the blackness.

"Most impressive, Sorceress, most impressive" The king laughed, walking towards his chair, "You will do very well here, I have a feeling" He lifted his glass, "A toast to a long and prosperous companionship" He took a sip from his cup, brow furrowing a bit as he felt something solid slip past his lips. He shrugged and turned back towards her, "Tell me, are they conscious?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You know, when they have been transformed?"

"Oh, well, I don't know I've never asked" She said with a smile.

The king laughed heartedly, "I like you, I like you a lot!" He shook his head, "Never asked" He whispered, "Perhaps we could ask him now?" She joined him in laughing.

Darius groaned, she was laughing! She ate him and now she was laughing!

"Well if you excuse me, my King, I think I might retire to my chambers"

"Of course, of course. I will be seeing you tomorrow"

She bowed slightly and left the room, her hand resting on her stomach.

~~~

Darius sighed, this was the end. What ever he had done that night, what ever had caused her to storm from the room, had sealed his fate. He chuckled, not sure if he really wanted to go on living in this state anyway. At least now he didn't have to explain his embarrassing situation any further.

Suddenly the walls around him condensed, tossing him towards the center of the stomach. He groaned scrambling against the softening fruit and other foods. There was an upwards movement and he found himself once again tightly encased in a warm tube.

Brooke looked down with a grimace, Darius squirmed slightly inside of a bowl, "Alright idiot, explain yourself"

Darius looked around in shock, "E-Explain myself?" He shook his head, "No, I don't need to explain anything! What were you doing with the King?!"

"I've told you before I have to make a living-"

"Not with the likes of him! I used to think you had some sort of..of-"

"Well when the royal guard comes knocking I am not risking my life to deny them. Why are you still here? Why were you on that table? Did you lose the necklace again?"

"Not exactly"

"What do you mean?" She growled.

"It broke"

"It broke?" She growled.

"A horse stepped on it"

"A horse..." She shook her head running her hand down her face, "You know what? No I am going to eat you for real this time"

"Well lets do that later, we should probably leave"

"What? Why?" Her eyes narrowed, "What did you do?"

~~~(meanwhile)~~~

The King leaned back in his chair, finishing his cup of wine. The herbs were just start starting to leak through the pouch, enough poison to kill at least fifty men starting to rapidly dissolve into his bloodstream. He turned a grape around in his fingers, chuckling as he reflected on the scene.

"Hey, come fill my-" He cut himself short as a burning pain rushed from his gut. He choked and fell to his knees, cup clanging loudly against the floor. He screamed as the burning spread through his torso, down to his fingers and toes. His eyes watered, and soon glazed over with a shade of red, soon he was literally crying blood. He rolled to his side, the copper smell of blood starting to fill his nostrils.

~~~~

"You did what!" She gasped, "No, no no no this is not good! They will blame me!"

"Right, so I think it is in both of our interests if we leave now"

"No wait, there was guards in the room, they know it was you" She sighed, shaking her head, "No but we should still leave"

"Not a bad idea"

She turned her head, a loud scream echoed through the halls. Brooke gathered her things, she had only brought a small sack.

"I don't want to ride in there" Darius complained.

"Would you rather return to the bag I generously brought you back out of?" She growled.

"Fine" He said, allowing himself to be lowered into the leather sack.

Brooke hurried into the halls, easily losing herself into the commotion.

~~~~

An hour later she burst through the door of her cottage. She set the bag down on the table with a sigh, opening it so Darius could crawl out on his own.

Darius pushed his way out of the bag and sat down on the table, looking up towards Brooke who sat with her head leaning into her hand, "So where do we even begin" She said with a sigh.

"The necklace" He offered.

"Fine, let me see it"

Darius pulled the necklace off his head and pulled the pieces out of his buttoned pocket. Brooke leaned closed to see.

"How the hell did you even manage that"

"I told you, a horse stepped on it"

"And why the hell was it on the ground in the first place?"

"I fell, it came off"

"And this happened where?"

"In town, a few miles before the castle gate"

She sighed, "I hardly even want to ask but, why exactly did you trigger the necklace a few miles before you were even at the gate?"

"It was an accident" He groaned. Head falling as she burst into laughter.

"Oh Darius!" She snorted, "How does this not surprise me!" She caught her breath, face becoming a little more serious, "So, all this time you were just looking to kill the king?"

He nodded.

"Why did you not tell me"

"It was for your own good, what you don't know-"

"Right yeah can't hurt me" She sighed, "But why? Why was his death so important for you?"

"There are parts of my life that I never told you" Darius said grimly.

"Oh this should be rich, the secret history of Darius!" She snickered leaning in closely.

He shot her a glare, "I can keep it a secret"

"Oh no, please go on"

"Fine" He sighed, telling her his real story. He sat quietly, looking down at his feet after he had concluded his tale.

"You were a knight?" She finally whispered.

"No, I was in training"

"Oh" She shook her head, "Darius why did you never tell me this?"

He shrugged, "I wanted to forget"

She folded her hands and lowered her chin down onto them, "So the king is dead?"

Darius nodded.

"Do you feel better?"

He shrugged, "I guess so" He leaned back staring up into her blue eyes, "Actually yeah I guess I do feel pretty good"

She smiled, "Well thats good I guess-" They both jumped as the door suddenly burst open. Brooke rose to her feet, "Who the hell are you?" Eyeing down a young looking brown haired girl. A dark robe hung over her head, her arm was stretched forward, a short dagger hung in her trembling hands.

"You killed him!" She shrieked stepping forward.

"Darius who the hell is this?" Brooke growled.

"D-Darius" The girl gasped looking down at the table.

Darius sighed, "I guess this needs some explanation too"

Wendy lowered the knife, staring down at Darius in disbelief, "B-But you...I watched you"

"It was an illusion" Brooke said, nodding her head towards the chair.

"I wouldn't call it an illusion" Darius grumbled, watching as Wendy sat down in the chair across from Brooke, eyes still widely staring down at him.

"Then what would it be?"

"It was called you actually eating me!"

"I let you out" She shook her head, "So, who is this girl?"

"This is Wendy, don't you remember her face? The girl who brought in the fruits?"

"Oh, you know she does look familiar" She shook her head, "But no matter, why exactly were you helping this idiot?"

"He's not an idiot!" She nearly screamed.

Brooke recoiled a bit, glaring down at Darius, "Please tell me you have not played with this poor girls heart, for gods sake she couldn't be more than-"

"No, he did not!" Wendy blurted, defending him once again.

"Wendy, please" Darius said raising his hand, "I will explain" He took a deep breath and explained how he had made his way into the castle, even telling how he had been discovered by Sarah. He was interrupted by Brooke's laughter.

"Please tell me you didn't really tell her you were a Fairy!" She buried her head in her hands.

Darius let her calm down, "Look I didn't know what else to do, either way she bought it and-"

"Sarah asked him to fulfill a wish!" Wendy giggled.

"Oh my god!" Brooke laughed again, "So what was this wish?"

"That's not important"

"She asked him to make love to her!" Wendy cried out, joining in the laughter.

"No! Darius you didn't!" Brooke laughed even harder, "You certainly have a way of taking advantage of innocent girls"

"What is that supposed to mean? And how is that taking advantage? I was terrified of what might become of me if I denied a princess, and besides she was not a girl she was a woman"

"By hardly even a year!" Brooke took a deep breath, wiping her eye, "Alright so how does Wendy here fit in"

"Well, if you would let me explain without interruption" He continued, "So Sarah carried me to the window, still under the impression that I was a fairy"

"Jerk" Brooke said with a grin.

"He's not a-"

"Wendy, please" Darius sighed, "So like I saying, she carried me to the window. I found that I could easily make my way around the castle wall, and decided to try and find the one that would lead me to the king-"

"And then it started raining and he almost died!" Wendy blurted, then covered her face, "Sorry"

"Right, so as Wendy so kindly summed up, I got stuck out there. Until the old maid Elizabeth opened the window and found me there, luckily she was rather supportive of my cause. Though Wendy was perhaps a little more supportive"

"And so she carried you in on the fruit platter and well, we all know the rest, the king is poisoned and Wendy here thought I ate you and now here we are" Brooke said leaning back into her chair.

Wendy started crying.

"Whats wrong?" Brooke asked, glancing at Darius for a moment.

"I-I-I-" She sobbed, "I never said goodbye to Elizabeth or Sarah" She wiped her eyes, "I will never see them again will I?"

"Can you not return?" Brooke questioned, "They have no reason to suspect you of anything"

"She would be wise to hide now though, someone may have noticed her fleeing the castle" Darius remarked, "And you should hope to see them again"

"You think?" She said, seeming to find comfort in his words.

"I don't see why not"

Brooke rose to her feet, "Wendy you should rest on it, you may use my bed" she held the girls hand and escorted her into her room. She returned and sat down before Darius again with a sigh.

"Well here we are again" He mumbled, "So why exactly did you storm away that night? I mean other than the obvious"

Brooke sighed, "I wasn't mad at you for that"

"Then what? We seemed to be reconnecting?"

"You really don't know?"

"Not a clue"

"Remember, you were talking about those three months you visited, and how happy those times were?"

"You got angry at me for bringing up good memories?"

"Not all of them were good, Darius"

"What then? Honestly?"

"You are really going to make me spell this out for you?" Darius stared at her blankly, she sighed, "I know what you and Nika did"

"Oh...I don't see why-"

"Come on Darius! How did you not know?"

"Know what?"

"That...That I had fallen for you. Darius you broke my heart"

"Brooke, I didn't..."

"I thought you had fallen for me too, but I guess you were just toying with me, perhaps the same way you toyed with the princess, and even that poor girl in there" She said nodding her head behind her.

"I wasn't toying with you Brooke. And I did not toy with Wendy, I have at least enough dignity to not go running around with young girls"

"Then what? You mean to tell me you didn't think that I wanted you? All those days we spent together?"

"I didn't want to hurt you, alright" He finally blurted, "I guess it was foolish but I didn't want us to be, well you know, when I was still leading this way of life"

"Well you did"

"I'm sorry, alright? And Nika meant nothing to me, and I meant nothing to her. She just wanted to have a fling, just some fun since we both knew we would be parting ways soon anyway" He sighed, "So, I assume all of those feelings went out the window?"

She nodded, "Years ago"

"Probably for the best. Look can we at least go back to being on good terms?"

She smiled, "I guess"

"Well that's good, now if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing in there?"

"I'm not proud of it..." Brooke began looking away, "The day after you left two royal guards arrived at my home, I was still furious at you so I guess that helped in my decision when they asked me the Kingdom required my services. They gave me a set of prisoners cuffs and told me they wanted an enchantment that would make the prisoners more manageable. Clearly I could think of only one enchantment at the time"

"They shrink people?"

Brooke nodded, "A few days later the Queen arrived herself to accept my enchanted cuffs, and then I was summoned to meet with the king"

"So what now?"

Brooke sighed, "I don't know, you certainly have made a mess of things. What do you want to do?"

"Other than fix this damn necklace, I really don't know"

"Well, it's a long shot but perhaps Nika can fix it"

"Is she in the area?"

"It is a few days walk"

"Well at this point I will make the treck on my own if I had too, I can't live like this?"

"Aww, but I like you this way"

"I'm sure you do" Darius laughed.

"But no, I will take you there. It has been over a year since I have seen her so I am due for a visit. What about Wendy?"

"I don't know, that is a whole other bag of issues. If we were feeling generous we could go get Elizabeth and Sarah-"

"Why Sarah?"

Darius sighed, "Well my undoing of King jared has left an equally power hungry queen in charge. The Princess is practically a prisoner in that castle. Her true wish was to be set free"

Brooke snorted, "Alright Mr. Fairy" She leaned her forehead down on the table, "So what first?"

"I don't know" Darius sighed, "Clearly I wouldn't be much help at this size"

"But it's not like you would be welcome back into the castle at your normal size"

"How about you?"

"Well" Brooke started, "I have thought it over, if I return soon they might not get suspicious of any wrong doing on my part. Which is sort of true, all's that I did, as far as anyone who was there knows, was kill you. In fact I might even be rewarded" She said with a grin.

"Hmph, I'm sure you would just love that" Darius remarked, "But it is a good point. I assume going to see your friend would probably be an endeavor that would take a week at least"

"Yes, at least. I have never done it but I know that re-melding a jewel is a painstaking process and it is not guaranteed to repair the enchantment either"

"So it would be wiser to collect the parties left behind in the castle first, the sooner the better I would imagine"

"Do you really think they could be in danger?"

"Quite honestly I don't know, but it is safe to assume that the royal family is in a state of panic, Sarah is not exactly a favorite child, and has spoken out against her father before"

"Do you think they will act out so harshly?"

"It has happened before"

"Yes, I guess it has" Brooke sighed, "Alright well we need to think of a plan before morning then"

"Right"

"Do you know the castle well? Or at least well enough so we could get in and out in a hurry?"

"Not really" Darius sighed.

"I do" Wendy's voice called into the room, she winced a bit as they both looked back at her as she crept out from behind the door, "I could not sleep" She mumbled softly as she sat down across from Brooke.

"It would not be wise for you to come with us" Brooke said quietly.

"I agree, but if you could draw us a map Wendy, or give us a basic idea where to go"

"I can do that"

"Great" Brooke said rising to her feet, "I have some parchment around here somewhere" She grinning slightly as she laid her palm out on the table. With a flash a rolled sheet of paper and a pen dropped into her hand, "Ah here it is!" She smiled, Darius just rolled his eyes.

"That...That was amazing!" Wendy gasped.

"Yes very, though the trick loses its effect after a while" Darius said leaning back against the side of a bowl.

"You just wish you were smart enough to do it" Brooke said poking him gently with a finger, "Now Wendy you can draw us a basic map and we will figure out what to do once we get there"

"Okay!" She said taking the paper, starting to scribble furiously she then stopped looking at the pen curiously, "Where is the ink?"

"It is enchanted ink"

"Woah..." Wendy gasped again before getting back to work.

Darius grinned up to Brooke, "You sure like to show off your toys"

She shrugged, "At least someone here can appreciate some hard work"

Darius just shook his head, "Alright so lets think this over. We need to get in, you should be alright in plain view"

"Should be"

"I on the other hand-"

"You are dead as far as they know"

"Right yeah, as you so realistically displayed"

"But regardless you should remain out of view"

"Yeah, so you will have to sneak me in somehow"

"I know a way" Wendy giggled.

"I feel like I don't want to know" Brooke mumbled, Wendy giggled again, "Yeah I probably don't. No you will ride there the same way I got you out. After all if I get questioned for my disappearance I need to have a story"

"How does that-"

"I needed to go back and get some more supplies"

"Well, yeah I guess that works" Darius thought for a moment, "Wendy, would it be possible for us to get into Sarah's room?"

"Not without a key" Wendy said, "There door at the top of the stairway before the royal hall is locked, only those of us who have been permitted entrance can unlock it" She pulled out a key from her pocket with a grin.

"Oh good, so that's one problem solved" Brooke said taking the artfully decorated key from Wendy.

"So now we just need to get her out, Brooke do you have an extra robe or-"

"That won't work" Wendy blurted, they looked at her curiously, "Her father has had a watching spell cast on on her"

"What is that?" Darius asked.

"A problem" Brooke sighed, "It means that they can see her where ever she goes within certain areas"

"Her room is the only place where she can be in complete privacy. But a few miles away from the Castle should put her out of the spells reach"

"So, how exactly does it see her?"

"A few ways" Brooke started, "It's a very complicated spell. Firstly it can see as if through her eyes. Then it can hear what she hears, it will pick up on objects around her"

"So, will just covering her head not do the trick?"

"Absolutely not!" Brooke laughed, "That is a dumb plan anyway, no I think we will need to do something a bit more drastic"

"Done!" Wendy said holding up her map.

"Oh" Brooke said taking it from her, "You know this is actually pretty good"

~~~

Brooke slipped out of her cottage in the brisk early morning. Her sack jingled quietly with the random selection of supplies she had gathered in order to support her backstory. She grinned as she thought of Darius who was undoubtably bouncing around inside rather unhappily. She walked quickly, though did try to keep the sack from shaking too violently. As the sun started to rise higher she finally reached the Castle walls, a twinge of nervousness in her stomach. She tried to maintain a calm complexion as she nodded at a few familiar faces. She rounded the corner and froze, "Oh no" She muttered quickly ducking back behind one of the walls. She found an area that was isolated and opened the bag.

"Are we in?" Darius called up.

"No there is a bit of a problem"

"What?"

"They are checking bags"

"Oh, that is a problem"

"Yeah"

"Do you have any pockets? Or perhaps a smaller bag you could conceal elsewhere"

She sighed, "No, I wore a dress like a fool" She shook her head, "So how exactly did Wendy sneak you around?"

"Erm...Well she uh, stuck me between uh"

"Oh, great"

"I mean there is probably other places-"

"Yeah you will not be going down there" She snapped.

"Well that's not what I was implying but, uh..."

Brooke sighed, "Well I guess you have already been there" She lifted him out from the bag, eyeing him sternly, "But you sure as hell better stay still and I never want to hear about this again"

"I will do my best" He said, hiding his grin. Brooke looked around before lowering him towards her cleavage, spreading her breasts so he could slip out of sight. Darius could only see a sliver of light streaming down between the massive fleshy mounds, much larger than Wendy's whose bosom would not have been able to hide him so completely. He felt the flesh around him bounce and quake as she walked, if he pressed his ear next to her skin he would be able to hear her heart and breathing almost as if he were back inside of her.

Brooke blushed deeply as she walked through the castle gate, handing her bag over to the guard who sifted through it thoroughly before giving it back. She made her way through the castle, which was busy with life but at the same time quiet, many of the people wore black and the many flags and tapestries have been replaced by dark black drapes. She kept her head low, not wanting anyone to stop and talk with her.

She kept the map folded in the palm of her hand, finding the empty chamber she had been assigned to and opened it. She traced her route by finger, trying to imprint the image in her mind before setting off again. She weaved through the halls quickly. Finally she came to a narrow entrance to a tall, winding staircase. She started to climb, gasping as a figure suddenly blocked her path. She eyed the old woman nervously, who eyed her much the same.

Darius was able to look up from his hiding spot, "Elizabeth!" He yelled up.

Elizabeth nearly jumped as a voice yelled up from this woman's bosom.

"This is her?" Brooke asked looking down between her breasts.

"Yeah"

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth's brow furrowed, "Y-Yes, that is me"

"Oh good, perfect timing, are you just coming back form seeing Sarah?"

"Yes I am, but she is very distraught we fear....we fear that one of our good friends has" She shook her head taking a deep breath.

"Wendy?"

"Yes! Do you know where she is?"

"Shh, yes we do, she is safe. Quickly take us to her room"

They followed Elizabeth as she hurried up the steps as fast as her old legs could carry her. They entered the long, carpeted hall way towards one of the larger doors at the end of the hallway. They entered quietly.

Sarah rose to her feet, her eyes slightly reddened and her cheeks still freshly damp, "W-What are you back for? Who is she?" Her trembling voice asked.

"They know where Wendy is! She said that she is safe!" Elizabeth said closing the door.

"O-Oh good" Sarah sighed sitting down onto her bed, "Where is she?"

"Back in my cottage, and I am Brooke" She reached between her breasts and pulled Darius out, setting him down onto a table near the giant bed, "We do not have much time, I will explain everything once we get out of here" She spoke in whispers now.

Sarah's eyes widened as they fell on Darius, "You came back! To free me?" A wide smile crossed her lips.

"Yes we have, Sarah" Darius responded, allowing her to lift him from the table.

"It is nice to see you again, I see you're mission was successful?" Elizabeth said with a bit of a sigh.

Sarah looked down at Darius, "What is she talking about?"

"It is a long story, but please we need to focus on getting you out, we fear your life may be in danger" He said.

"As do we, do you have a plan?" Elizabeth asked.

Brooke nodded, "I have made up two potions, one to diminish your size to that of Darius, the other to bring you back" She turned to Elizabeth, "I made enough for two"

Elizabeth shook her head, "I am too old to start a new life outside of these walls"

"But...Elizabeth" Sarah started, she grabbed the old woman's hand.

"Shhh, my darling. This is your dream, and your life. I am safe here you are not"

"B-But you could to come with us"

"She is right" Brooke said, "You would be free to stay in my cottage"

Elizabeth sighed, "No, I have lived here through many years and most of which were happy, but maybe when the time is right you can bring the happy days back"

Sarah stood and embraced the old maid, "I will come back, I will"

"I know sweetheart" She pulled away, "Now I must be off so I do not bring any unwanted attention with my absence, good luck, and thank you"

~~~~

Sarah took the glass vial in her hand, pulling the wooden cork, "Alright" She put it to her lips and threw her head back.

"You might feel a bit sick, this is normal"

They watched as Sarah suddenly started to dwindle away within her dress, finally disappearing beneath the thick fabrics.

"Why did her clothes not shrink as well?" Darius asked as Brooke sifted through the clothes.

"No, the effects of potions only interact with the body" She gently pulled a now tiny Sarah from the pile, "But the effects can be reversed more easily, though an enchantment has the capability of being permanent and more powerful" She looked at Sarah, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes" She stammered, taking a small piece of fabric that Brooke offered her, wrapping it around her torso like a towel, "This is so strange"

"Tell me about it" Darius remarked.

"Alright, so now we can hide you in the bag and we are-"

"That wont work" Sarah suddenly blurted, "The spell will see through the thin walls"

"Oh..." Brooke said, a little embarrassed.

"Yes, it would need to be somewhere a little thicker, completely shut off from the light"

"Well, there could be only one place but surely that is-"

"You mean inside of you?"

Brooke nodded, "We can think of something else, we just need time"

"No, there is no other way" Sarah said with a shaking voice, "I am ready to do what ever it takes"

"Well, I know it is at least safe for a little while" She said smiling at Darius.

"You were more than willing to show me that" He grumbled.

Brooke set her palm flat on the table, "So, you are willing to do this?"

Sarah nodded, climbing on, "I am"

"Okay" She looked towards Darius, "You too"

"What?"

"Get on"

"Oh no, not again"

"Yes again, get on!"

"But why?"

"Because I will not put her in there alone, and you are more than capable of accompanying her"

Darius sighed, "Fine...Fine" He climbed onto her hand, allowing Sarah to tightly grip his hand as the rose into the air, "Please be gentle" He said once again staring towards Brooke's lips.

"I will, I have precious cargo this time" She opened her mouth, pressing her lower lip to her hand.

Darius nodded, taking Sarah by her hand and leading her inside, both stepping down onto Brooke's tongue. They slipped their way towards the back of her mouth, her tongue twitching under their tiny steps. Her lips closed slowly, tongue gently rocking from side to side to position them.

"Alright, we're ready"

Brooke nodded, tilting her head back and swallowing as softly as she could, feeling as the two bodies entered her throat and started their decent into her stomach.

Darius sighed, leaning back into the soft, wrinkled wall. The sounds of Brooke's body sloshed all around them, he could make out each step she took as a deep thump. The sound of air rushing in and out was just barely audible over the beating of her heart and the other wet smacks and gurgles beyond the stomach walls. He could not see Sarah, though he could feel her sitting next to him.

"You're not a fairy...are you?" She asked.

He sighed, "No"

"You were the one that killed my father?"

"Yes"

"I see"

"I understand if you want to part ways with us once you are out of here, consider this payment for the emotional damages I might have caused"

"No, I have no where else I would want to go, or could go really" She went silent, "How did you kill him?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, tell me"

"I will start from the beginning, to help you understand who I am, what I did and why" He went on to explain to her everything, his voice drowning out all the sounds of Brooke's inside. He told her of his father, what Jared had done to him, and what he did afterwards. He briefly touched on his and Brooke's spotty friendship, and finally gave a detailed description of the events leading up to and through his assault on the castle.

"So, that night...you acted out of fear? Of me?"

"Not entirely, but truthfully it played a role"

"I guess I understand...thank you for being honest" She sighed, "I know you must think I am rather stupid..everyone does. No one ever speaks to me truthfully, they all talk down to me like I am still a child, like I don't understand what is going on around me"

"Well, you are free now"

"I am, fairy or not you did fulfill my wish" Her grip tightened around his hand, "Thank you"

"So, Brooke...who is she?"

"A friend, well I think she is a friend it's hard to tell sometimes"

"I guess friends don't really eat each other!" Sarah laughed.

"Not usually, but I guess when you have friends with special talents" He chuckled.

"So, will you be growing too? You know once we are out"

"No, well not right away"

"Oh, I see"

"Yeah, I am sort of trapped like this, mostly because I am an idiot. Brooke will gladly attest to that. But later today we will be going to meet with her friend who might be able to help repair my necklace"

"Oh that's good, where does she live?"

"Brooke said it would be a two day walk, which is probably for the best, the further we are from the castle the better"

~~~~

Brooke rubbed her index finger across her stomach, feeling a little strange. She exited the castle uneventfully, smiling as she felt little pokes and prods from within. She hoped that her body would be a strong enough barrier between Sarah and the spell casted upon her, they would undoubtably start looking for her soon.

Once she was out of the city, and away from people she tapped against her stomach, "Can you guys hear me? Are you alright in there?"

Darius looked around in the black, Brooke's voice seeming to emanate all around them, "We can hear you!" He shouted, "And nothing seems to be happening!"

Brooke nearly laughed as a tiny voice seemed to yell to her from within her own head, it was a little muffled but surprisingly she could make out the words, "Alright, well I am away from people but I don't see any good way to get you out until I am back home, is that okay?"

"Yes" Sarah yelled, "That is fine" She had long sense released Darius's hand, leaning back against the wall, "It is so strange inside of here"

Darius laughed, "Indeed it is, no less strange than my first trip!"

"She is an interesting character, I have always wanted to meet someone who could manipulate magic in such a way! Though this is not how I pictured it" She paused for a moment, "It must have been quite scare the first time! You said you were unsure if she actually intended to really eat you?"

"Quite horrified actually" Darius laughed, "I thought she was still mad at me from before, and I guess I don't blame her now..." He sighed.

"She must really care for you"

"Enough to not kill me at least"

"I mean, when I saw you two talking you sounded to me like an old couple" She laughed.

Darius laughed as well, "I ruined my chances with that a long time ago" He sighed, ever since that conversation with Brooke he couldn't help but think of what he lost. In truth he had fallen for her, and he was honest when he told her the reason he didn't pursue her completely was because he did fear he might hurt her. In fact ever since the day he met her on that road he was nearly obsessed with her, it is what kept him coming back. He knew there were plenty of other, more capable mages around than her at the time.

Brooke walked down the path, sighing when she saw Wendy sitting on her front step waiting.

Wendy lifted her head when she heard footsteps approaching, "Where are they?" She asked quickly running over.

"Don't worry Darius and Sarah are fine, we had to change our plan slightly" She said placing her bag on the table. Wendy quickly snatched up the bag and started to open it, "They are not in there" She looked down towards her belly, "Alright we are here, I am going to fish some string down there to get you out"

"You ate them?!" Wendy asked.

"It was the only way to get Sarah out without being seen by the spell"

"And what of Elizabeth?" Wendy asked getting to her knees, looking at Brooke's stomach curiously.

"She wanted to stay behind"

"Oh..." Wendy sighed, shaking her head, "She certainly is a stubborn old woman!" She forced a smile. She suddenly pressed her head against Brooke's stomach, tapping it lightly, "Hello? Sarah? Darius?"

Sarah gasped, "Wendy!" She screamed jumping up and falling back against the wall, "Did you hear that?!"

Brooke sighed, "Please chat after I get them out of my stomach" Prying the excited girl off her abdomen.

She held out her hand again, teleporting a roll of thread into her hand. She unraveled it a few feet before biting it off from the rest of the roll. She tied a few knots at one end, tying the other end to her index finger. Wendy watched as Brooke struggled to swallow the string.

"Darn it" She muttered as the string stuck motionlessly to the back of her throat, she closed her eyes and her lips as she swallowed rapidly, finally feeling it start to go down her throat. "All right it's coming down"

Darius heard the entrance to the stomach flex as it deposited the string inside. He felt around the slimy walls until he found it. He reached out in the darkness and grabbed Sarahs arm, "Alright come here" He said placing her hands on the knots, he tied the bottom of the string around her waist. Once it was secure he pulled on the string a few times, "Bring her up!" He felt as her soaking body slipped away.

"Sarah!" Wendy squealed as she watched Brooke pull the tiny girl from her throat, setting her down on the table only to be quickly swept into Wendy's hands. She pressed the tiny girl to her cheek, "Oh I thought I would never see you again"

Brooke sighed, "Perhaps you should let her get back to normal and washed off before hugging her? I guess it's too late for that"

Wendy pulled Sarah away, wiping the saliva off her cheek, "Gross", she set her back down before Brooke, who then handed Sarah the slightly smaller vial after uncorking it. Sarah struggled to drink down the potion.

"Hey Darius, could you possibly find that strip of cloth Sarah was wearing? I don't think that will do very well in my intestines"

"Yeah yeah yeah" Darius muttered feeling around the stomach as Brooke swallowed the string once again.

~~~~

Darius thanked Brooke as she set him down in his little wash bowl, "Where are the girls?"

"In my room using the bath"

"Together?" Darius laughed.

Brooke sighed, "That would be the first place your mind would jump isn't it?"

"Well it only seemed strange to me that they would be in there together" He shook his head, "I don't understand women"

"And yet you seem to have them going head over heels for you as of late"

"Don't remind me" He mumbled.

"I don't know what you did to get that poor girl so fascinated with you, Sarah, well, I guess that is a little more acceptable but you need to find a way to fix the whole deal with Wendy"

"That is not really my strong suit" He mumbled, "Besides I think she understands, she is just young she will be over me the next time she sees a another handsom man walking down the street"

"Another one?" Brooke asked with a smile.

"Yes very funny" He struggled to climb out of the bowl, feeling Brooke's fingers gently tug him up into the air and back down onto the table, "Thanks"

"Well once they are done we better get going, in fact I will go hurry them up" She said rising to her feet. He watched as she entered her room, the chatter of Sarah and Wendy becoming audible until the door closed. He sighed, "This will be interesting..."

Within the hour they were on there way. Nika lived just on the other side of the wide forested region, just beyond the borders of the Castles reach. She belonged to a people called Neko, whose slightly animalistic characteristics brought much fear and distrust from the regular human. However, the two have lived rather peacefully until Jared had taken over, once again instilling notions of purity of the human race. Though war has yet to break out there have been some violent clashes near the boarders, mostly just common folk racism.

Darius felt rather uncomfortable being carried around everywhere, especially when every five minutes he would be traded between Sarah and Wendy. He was almost forgetting what it was like to be normal anymore. Brooke walked ahead of them with a smile, occasionally glancing back at Darius, who would look back pleading with his eyes for her to rescue him from his giggling escorts. He finally got some relief when Wendy set him on her shoulder, freeing him from their constantly moving hands and fingers. He held onto a handful of brown hair as they made their way up and down the wooded slopes, following an old narrow trail.

Sarah caught up with Brooke, her eyes immediately falling on her chest, eyes widening, "Where did you get that!" She gasped.

Brooke looked down, a blue ruby hanging from an intricately designed chain necklace, "I bought it from Darius the first day we met"

Sarah shook her head, "With what? If I am not mistaken that is the Sky Diamond!"

"The...The what?"

Sarah blinked, "You didn't know?"

"No, I mean I knew he stole it from someone" She said lifting the ruby into her hands.

"You mean...oh my gosh he is the thief that stole it from Jared's cousin! I remember I was young when it happened, but that diamond...it's nearly priceless. What on earth did you buy it for?"

Brooke thought for a moment, "My horse, and a lifelong supply of rapid sleep potion....was that a deal?"

Sarah was near speechless, "Oh my god yes, he could have sold that for...for...well he could have become royalty over that necklace lets just say that!"

Brooke looked down at the necklace in disbelief, "I guess he didn't know what it was worth"

"Perhaps he just has a kind heart?"

"I used to think so" Brooke smiled at her, "I guess he means well"

"I think so" Sarah said cupping her hands to her waist, "I know that night he didn't perhaps mean everything he said to me" She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Wendy had fallen back even further as she stared around at the trees, pointing things out to a little figure on her shoulder, "But even so he had spoken so much more honestly than anyone I have met other than Sarah and Elizabeth"

"Perhaps you should pursue him then" Brooke offered.

"You don't think I am too young?"

Brooke shrugged, "He would get over it, any normal man would. Though I guess he isn't very normal, is he?"

Sarah looked down at her feet, "What about you though?"

"I loved him once, I don't think you can ever love someone twice" She smiled to Sarah, "But it appears your friend Wendy has become quite smitten"

Sarah laughed, "I know, it's very strange I have never seen her act this way before"

"So" Wendy started after a welcome silence, "What is it like to be food?"

Darius laughed, "I'm not too sure yet"

"Yet? You say it as if if you will be doing it again!"

"Well I certainly hope not, but it was strange to say the least"

"What's it like inside?"

"Um...Dark, wet, hot and actually kind of noisy"

"Really?"

"Oh yes, you hear all sorts of gurgles, groans, thumps, drips of goo-"

"Eww"

"Well you're the one who asked"

"How about" She hushed her voice, "Down there"

"Down wher-Oh...I'm not so sure its appropriate to talk about that"

"Oh come on! I'm just curious"

He sighed, "Fine, it's dark, wet-"

"Wonderful?"

"Not exactly the word I would use, but I guess the feminine body is rather beautiful"

"Like mine?" A grin crossing her lips.

Darius sighed, "That is a dangerous question, but yes"

"See, you are still a knight, so charming" She smiled down at him.

"In order to still be a knight I would have had to have been a knight in the frist place"

~~~~

They settled by a stream for the night, "We can follow this right to Nika's house" Brooke said, "If she hadn't shown me this route it would have taken us easily four or more days by the main roads"

"Not to mention the roads would be filled with scouts" Darius said, still atop his shoulder perch.

"Did Darius say something?" Brooke asked as she sat down on a large rock.

"He said the roads would be filled with scouts" Wendy responded.

"Oh, right yeah" Brooke said, grinning at Darius who seemed even more helpless.

"Wendy would you might letting me down? I need to stretch my legs" Darius said pulling himself to his feet. Wendy complied with a smile, sitting down next to Sarah.

"A fire would be nice" He commented as he paced around.

"Huh?"

"I said a fire would be nice"

"Oh" Wendy jumped to her feet, "I will get the wood!" She rushed off into the woods.

"Don't get lost" Brooke mumbled watching the young girl go running into the woods.

"Erm...I better go help her" Sarah said rising to her feet, backing away before chasing her friend down.

Darius walked over to Brooke, noticing his old necklace around her neck again. She smiled and offered a palm for him to climb on. He sat back, waiting for her to bring him higher so they could talk comfortably, "I see you still have that necklace"

"Yeah" She said, thumbing the blue ruby with her free hand, "It still looks brand new"

"I almost thought you had thrown it away or something" He laughed.

"No, it crossed my mind but no" She laughed weakly shaking her head, "I guess we were being a little immature"

"We?"

"Shut up" She looked down at him sternly, though a smile quickly unraveled her straight lips.

"I'm glad we got over it though"

She nodded, scrunching her lips a moment before asking, "Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"What the necklace was really worth?"

"You mean a hell of a lot more than I sold it to you for?"

She laughed, "Yeah, Sarah recognized it, said it was the Sky Diamond, or something like that"

"Figures, I mean I did steal it from a prince"

"She said it was priceless"

He shrugged, "The joy of stealing it was reward enough to me really. But if you want we could cancel all of my debts"

She laughed, "I never really cared about those...you do realize I got that dagger out of a box you gave me"

"I knew it!" He laughed, "That one I couldn't unlock?"

"Yeah"

"You swindler"

"Thief" She retorted with a grin.

"Wi-"

"I will eat you if you finish that word" She snapped.

"Tch"

"Thats it" She plucked him off her palm and dangled him over her mouth, stretching her tongue out towards him.

"Go on" He said crossing his arms, "Do it"

"Um...we got wood" Sarah said stepping over a log back into the clearing.

Brooke set Darius back on the ground, "You're lucky your princess came back to save you"

~~~~

"Thats not going to work" Darius said, watching as Wendy smacked two rocks together next to the small pile of sticks.

"Yes it will" She mumbled, her tongue sticking out slightly as she continued to bash her randomly selected rocks together. Brooke and Sarah watched from a distance.

"You are using two rocks with no-" He fell backwards as a large spark suddenly ignited the pile of sticks.

"Yes!" Wendy squeaked, "I told you! I told you!"

Darius glared back at Brooke who was giggling behind her hand, but just shook his head, "Very well"

They sat around the fire, Darius chose to sit on his own for once, he could only sit on someones hand for so long. He walked around, finally finding a small twig to use as a poking stick. He sat down, feeling as the heat nearly seared his eyebrows. He stared upwards, the tall flames dancing over his head.

~~~~

Darius slept that night in Brooke's bag, it was his first peaceful night of sleep in weeks.

When he woke he yawned, standing within the dark cave. He could see the dim light of morning shining through the trees illuminating all the shimmering droplets of dew. He hopped down onto the forest floor, the leaves spread before him like giant mats. The tiny sticks and leaves looked like logs, the logs looked like giant brown cliffs and the trees stretched impossibly high over his head. He turned and saw Sarah looking down at him with a tired smile.

"Sleep well?" She asked, holding out her hand as always when speaking with the tiny.

Darius climbed up into her soft palm, "Very, you?"

She shrugged, "It's a bit uncomfortable. But I kind of liked that, I can't remember the last time I slept anywhere but my bed"

"Where are the others?"

"Washing up briefly in the stream" She smiled as Brooke and Wendy emerged from the forest.

"Are we ready?" Brooke asked, stretching her back a little, picking some leaves that had clung to her gown.

"Yes lets go, I am so anxious to meet a Neko in person!" Wendy said coming to Sarah's side, "Hello Darius" Not a hint if sleepiness in her voice.

"Morning" He said, feeling as he lifted up slightly, he nodded as Sarah offered to set him down on her shoulder.

They walked through the morning, stopping briefly to eat lunch and then continued until near sunset. As the clearing in the forest became visible so did the enticing aroma of a fire in a fireplace. Brooke sighed as her eyes fell on the small stone cottage.

"Brooke!" Nika's high pitch and unbearably sweet voice squealed as she opened the door, "I had no idea you were coming! And with guests?" She smiled at them, her thin and finely groomed brown tail flicked from side to side excitedly, her ears, also brown, perked excitedly forward as they poked from her light blue colored hair.

"Yes well it was sort of an unplanned visit, we can explain later. But this is Sarah, and Wendy. And I am sure you remember Darius?" She said stepping aside to reveal the tiny Darius perched on Sarah's shoulder.

Nika gasped, her dark brown eyes widened as she saw Darius, "I think I remember him a tad taller" She laughed, giving Brooke a look. She brushed a strand of light blue hair from her face, "So, what brings you out here?"

"What, a friend can't just come to visit?" Brooke said with smile, walking through the door.

"Do they usually have blue hair?" Wendy whispered to Sarah.

Nika laughed, "No, we don't. I like to play with my hair color"

"It's very beautiful" Wendy said with a smile.

"Aw! thank you!"

Darius rolled his eyes as they started to go into a conversation about it, "Um, perhaps we should get a little down to business" He spoke up.

Nika grinned, "I knew something was up, but I'm glad to help as always"

Brooke sighed, dropping down into a padded chair, "Our friend has gotten himself into a little trouble. Do you remember that necklace?"

"Ah, yes the pretty red one?"

"Right, well he sort of broke it while under its effects"

"Oh no. How did he manage that?"

"I wonder the same thing myself" Brooke said throwing Darius a grin.

"So do you think you could help?" Darius asked.

"Hmm, well let me see?" Nika said holding her hand to Sarahs shoulder so he could climb over. She smiled down at him, glancing at Brooke before walking over to a table and sitting down.

Darius pulled the necklace and the three shards out of his pocket, holding them up to her. Nika leaned down, straining a bit to see.

"And these are the only pieces?"

"Yeah it was a clean break"

"Well that's good, if it had shattered you would be hopeless" She tapped her chin, "Yes, I think I can manage this one" She surprised Darius by suddenly hopping onto the table with unexpected agileness. She lifted her hand over her head and dropped it down towards her feet, a line of light suddenly swirling around her body. With that she suddenly dropped to a few inches in height, still taller than the minuscule Darius, "Though this will make it much easier!" She grinned.

"You can do that?!" Wendy nearly screamed as they crowded around the table.

Nika laughed, but nodded, "I can't quite get the effects of say an enchanted jewel, but once you learn how to harness the magic you can do all sorts of things"

"Yes, Nika is much more advanced than I" Brooke said sliding her chair over, "I can make potions and enchantment but my abilities in casting spells by hand are still rather rudimentary. Nika on the other hand is incredibly-"

"Please Brooke you're embarrassing me!" Nika laughed, "And you are very good, you picked up a lot of this stuff faster than I did"

"Only because I had a good teacher"

Nike lifted the tiny necklace and three shards in her hand, sitting down next to Darius as she tried to piece them together, "Yes, I think we will be fine" She assured him, she looked up to the others, "I will have to hold the melding spell for a while" She cupped her hands together, a bright red light suddenly shooting through the cracks of her fingers, "It is actually kind of nice to be able to do it at this size, the energy is easier to condense"

"To, um" Wendy said, trying to follow.

Brooke smiled, "Well, I guess we could go gather up some wood? I see you are running a bit low"

"That would be nice, and maybe collect some fruit from my garden? I'm sorry but I don't have much else to offer for dinner. But I will be here for a while"

~~~~

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Darius staring into the red light seeping through her hands.

"So I never thought I'd see you again" She said with a soft smile.

Darius laughed, "Well it is a pleasant surprise, especially under the circumstances"

"I think I am even more surprised to see you and Brooke together"

"Ah, so you know all the details?"

Nika nodded, "She got mad at me for a while, but she seemed to blame you mostly"

"Yeah, it was pretty bad" Darius said shaking his head, "Bad enough that I thought my life might have been in danger the two times I bumped into her like this" he laughed.

"I can't wait to hear the story, perhaps over dinner you can tell it in its entirety"

Nika sighed, "So, do you regret what we did?"

"In hindsight...well I'm not sure"

"I know what you mean. But, I guess had I known how it hurt her" She sighed again, "So, are you two?"

"No, no" Darius assured her, "It seems she is over me just as she is over being mad at me"

"Maybe, it took years though I can assure you that. The first year afterward, once she would see me again, she would spend hours crying into my shoulder"

Darius hung his head, "It pains me to hear that. But maybe in the end it is for the best, it is good to have her as a friend again"

"And good for her too, she has never had many" She looked over out the window as one of the girls passed outside, "So what about those other two?"

"Well Wendy is still a young girl, and unfortunately can't get this notion out of her head that I am some sort of hero"

Nika laughed, "A tiny one at that"

"As for Sarah, well...She is a princess, literally"

Nika gasped, "And what is she doing with you guys?"

"It will be explained later"

"Oh yeah, so?"

"So um, well I don't know. I guess I can tell you that part of the story now" He started, explaining the night, briefly touching on the events leading up to it.

Nika laughed, "That is almost too strange to be true" She shook her head, "So, do you think there is anything there?"

Darius shrugged, "She is a beautiful girl, and her heart is in the right place"

"But?"

"I don't know if there is a but, I am nearing my thirties and she has yet to reach her twenties"

"Well that is not unheard of"

"I know, but that is for prince's and kings"

"She is a princess though?"

"And I am no prince. And I have tainted her innocence already, I am no man for a girl like her"

"Then who are you for?"

Darius shrugged, "I may never know that one"

Nika giggled, "Well you were mine for a night"

Darius chuckled, "If only more people shared your friendly attitude towards-"

The door opened as Brooke reentered with a pile of sticks in her arms, "How is it going?" She asked, a bit out of breath.

"It shouldn't be much longer" She said as Brooke came near, "But once finished we won't know if it was a complete success until tomorrow once the spell is ready again"

"That is if the anticipation doesn't kill me" Darius grumbled.

~~~~

Later that night they all sat around the table, taking turns explaining the many parts of their story. Darius found the first day or so rather interesting when told from Brooke's perspective.

"You guys should write this down" Nika laughed, "Surely a tale that could be told for ages"

"Like in the books I have!" Sarah said with a wide smile.

"Oh you like books?" Nika asked, "I have a rather big collection"

Sarah nodded, "Father forbid me from reading but I had them brought to me in secret" She looked down towards the table for a moment, the room fell silent after she brought up the king again, "It is so strange that he is gone" She looked over to Darius, "Not sad, mind you, just strange"

Nika cleared her throat as she suddenly placed her hands down onto the table, a long blue bottle suddenly appearing in her hands, a grin across her face, "Let's have a little drink"

"Nika I think we have someone here who is probably not old-"

"Hush, of course she is" Nika smiled to Wendy as she poured a glass, sliding it to her first.

"I want a drink!" Darius yelled out, eyeing the bottle.

"Me too, I have never tried myself!" Sarah responded.

~~~~

The night went on and the bottle slowly disappeared. Nika and Brooke had moved off to one corner of the oddly roomy cottage, reflecting on old times. Darius would have liked to join them but was whisked away to another corner with Sarah and Wendy, a particularly tipsy Sarah and Wendy.

Nika tipped from side to side slightly as she talked, finger slipping on the rim of her crystal glass, "Gosh, I can't remember the last time I relaxed like this" She sighed.

"I know, and where did you get these glasses?" Brooke asked, swishing the blue liquid around inside.

"They were a gift" Nika giggled.

"From who?"

Nika smiled, "Oh, the Prince"

Brooke laughed, "No!" She said skeptically.

Nika nodded, "It actually was more of a business thing, you know they have been after me to come work with them at the palace"

"And you always turn them away" Brooke sighed.

Nika shrugged, "I like it out here, the riches never really appeal to me"

"Well at least you live in a place where you are allowed to turn down the kingdom"

Nika shook her head, "Yes, it has been quite a sad era as of late in your kingdom hasn't it?" She turned her head to look over to Sarah and the others, "Seems our Princess has had a bit too much" She commented as Sarah sat slumped over in a chair, asleep.

"Hmm, I am afraid to ask where the other has gotten off too" Brooke shook her head, "Well I think I will take a page from her book, thank you for helping us again" She said covering her mouth as she yawned.

~~~~

Darius sighed, bouncing slightly as Wendy stumbled her way outside.

"It's so beautiful out here" She said, her voice seeming to have a bit of trouble finding the right volume.

"I guess" Darius commented, he was starting to lose his drunk. Wendy found a seat on a log that was artfully placed in the grass before her house.

"I've never known" She paused a moment, covering her mouth as she stifled a burp, "Excuse me" She laughed. Her brow furrowed as she tried to think of what she was saying, "Um"

"You've never known?"

"Oh! Right, I've never known a place that didn't have trees" She said, her eyes looking out over the wide plains that stretched out below the white light of the full moon.

"There are plenty of open areas around the Castle" Darius commented.

"Yeah but...but they always still have them!"

Darius laughed, "You're drunk"

"No..." She smiled down at him.

He leaned back, "Well I can't wait until I can get back to normal, I will throw that damn necklace away"

"I can"

"Is that so?"

"Because It's so fun to have a little knight to have" She laughed.

"For the hundredth time, I am not nor have I ever been a knight"

"Yes you are" She said.

"Nope"

"Stop saying that, you are too"

He just shook his head.

"Did Brooke start that fire for me?" She asked. Darius laughed, "She did didn't she! That bitch!" She nearly fell backwards as she laughed. Darius fell forward onto her chest as she lifted her hands.

He pushed off her skin, "Uh..."

"Hey! What are you doing there!" She giggled lifting him off.

"Wendy lets not go through-"

Wendy suddenly brought him back up to her lips, his time not giving him much of a chance to speak before pressing his face to her tongue, humming as she did. He struggled but was forced to endure this for a few minutes.

"Wendy" He finally yelled as she pulled him away, his hair sticking on end from the saliva.

"What?"

"I thought we had been over this..."

"Oh come on!" She laughed, "Don't act like you don't enjoy it"

"That is beyond the point"

She frowned, "I'm not beautiful enough am I?"

"You know that isn't true"

"It is! Is my hair not blonde enough like Sarahs? Are my breasts not nice and large for you like Brooke or Nika? Maybe I should turn my hair blue and sprout little furry ears!"

"You're hardly even making sense Wendy. You are a very pretty girl"

"I am?" She smiled and went to bring him forward again.

"Stop! Wendy!" He yelled again, she recoiled a bit, "Sorry, but it is simply that I am too old for you"

"Fine, we can wait then! I will be seventeen soon, and then just one more year-"

"No, Wendy"

She frowned, "But...you are so much more to me than you are to them"

"What do you mean"

"You saved me! You avenged my parents"

"I avenged my own"

"But you are a hero! You tackled a tyrant while being so tiny-"

"It wasn't by choice"

"But you still overcame!"

"I did what I did out of hate, I wish you would learn that"

"It is not hate if it is an evil man" She grumbled.

"I am an evil man"

"No! How could you say that?!"

"When I had just gone into hiding I became desperate"

"What are you talking-"

"Stop, let me finish. When I had gone into hiding I became desperate, I had no food, I saw a man walking down the road with a fresh hunt-"

"Stop it!" She cried, "Stop telling me this" She rose to her feet.

"You need to know that I am not who you think I am, for your own good"

She shook her head, storming back up towards the house. She set him back down on the table and nearly ran away towards one of the back rooms that Nika said they could sleep in. Darius sighed and sat down with his back against the tall blue bottle. He couldn't wait until tomorrow.

"What was that about?" Nika's voice called. He looked up as she walked over towards the table, a slightly stumble in her step.

"Everyone else off to bed?" He asked as she set down next to him.

She nodded, a constant wide smile across her lips, "Yeah, I guess my drink was a bit too strong"

"A little weak for my taste"

Nika laughed, her elbows folding before him, her head leaned down on her right arm, "So what happened? Why did little Wendy go running?"

Darius rolled her eyes, "Well she tried to um, come onto me again"

"Oh" She laughed, "I can see that" She reached out an arm and flattened his hair which was still standing up on his head.

"Thanks" He mumbled.

"But I had to talk her down again, she wasn't very happy"

"What did you say?"

"Oh, well as I told you earlier she sort of holds me up at this hero of legend sort of status"

"Right"

"So I had to tell her something to make her think otherwise. So I told her, or at least started to tell, a story from my days not too long after my father died"

"And?"

Darius sighed, "Well, essentially I was desperately hungry and I saw a hunter who had just killed a rabbit...a rabbit for gods sake...and well...I took it"

"By force?"

Darius nodded.

"Did you kill him?"

"No, but that is besides the point I stole food off of that mans table"

Nika lifted her head off the table, yawning slightly, "Tired?" Darius asked.

"No, I don't really sleep much"

"Neither have I lately"

Nika lifted up the bottle, "Looks like I've got about a glass left" She smiled.

"I've lost my drunk" Darius laughed.

"So, you would like to drink some more?"

He laughed, "Gladly"

Nika tipped the bottle against the glass and poured the last of the blue liquid. She held the bottle up over her head, stretching her impressively long tongue out to catch the last few drops. She giggled, setting the bottle back down with a large clang, "Oops!" She laughed.

She took a long sip before setting it back down, helping up up over the rim so he could take a long drink right off the liquids edge. They continued this for an hour, idly talking between drinks. Nika frowned as she swirled the last of it around in the glass, they had resorted to tipping the glass near to its side to let Darius drink.

"Alright, ready for one last one?" She laughed, squinting as she tried to lower the glass on its side accurately. It suddenly slipped from her finger, a large rush of blue liquid suddenly running down the side and onto Darius's face and chest.

He fell backwards with a splash, laughing, "I think we've reached our limit anyway" He reached his hand down and scooped some up to his mouth, "Hey!" He shouted as her tongue lapped next to him.

"What?" She asked, a playful gleam in her eyes, "Can't waste it" She leaned down and sucked her lips across the table. They looked at each other for a moment, "So, you have no commitments this time?"

"When have I ever had commitments"

She laughed, "Good point, because you got a bit on you"

"Wha-" He laughed as her lips suddenly dropped down onto his chest, slurping playfully. She pulled back, a grin across her face, "Clothes are still going to be sticky" He said tugging the wet shirt off of his chest.

"Come" She said, placing her hand down on the table.

"Like I have a choice?" He grinned stepping up onto her hand. He watched as she stood, "Careful now"

"Shut up" She laughed, trying to walk towards her room without stumbling too much. She finally plopped down on her bed, the door securely locked. She set him down on her pillow and stretched out next to him. Her nature towards sexuality was unusually liberal. She never really saw the act of sex as all that personal, just another fun game. She took Darius's soaked shirt and tossed it onto a table. Her finger swirled in tiny circles on his chest.

"I'm not sure what we can do at this size" He said with a shrug.

"That is exactly why I want to do it" She smiled, "Something different" She bit her lip, "So that night you visited Sarah, how was it?"

"Pretty good for her it seemed"

"And for you?"

He shrugged, "It was interesting, though there wasn't much well-"

"You mean she didn't return the favor?"

"No, I didn't ask her to"

"Whats the point then!"

"In her defense she did think I was a fairy" He laughed.

(Things will get explicit below, you know whats going to happen. If you would rather not read scroll past this section, the ending will be marked)

She leaned forward, pecking him slightly on his upper body and face. She rolled over so she could look down on him on hands and knees, rising to a kneeling position as she removed her shirt. He just watched as she tossed her clothing aside, her body type nearly identical to Brooke's, thin yet with generous curves. She lowered her self back down, grinning as he removed the rest of his clothes. She lowered her head, engaging in a strange, oversized kiss of his entire body. She lifted her head slightly, a small strand of saliva clinging from his stomach up onto her tongue. She lowered her tongue down and lapped him dry.

She giggled, "I will show you that this can so be enjoyed on your end"

He watched as her head lowered beneath him, her long tongue scooping his legs into her mouth. She slipped her lips over him further until all but his chest was covered. Her soft lips smiled around him, tongue gently caressing his lower half. Swirling and licking constantly, with a loud slurp she suddenly pulled his entire body inside. He was a little surprised, but not afraid as he was inclosed in darkness. It was strange to say the least, but enjoyable, her tongue moved as if she knew exactly what she was doing. It slipped under him, pressing him back against the roof of her mouth, which illuminated every few seconds as she gasped between sucks, her throat swallowing down saliva as it built up around him.

Once he reached his peak she let him out, placing him down on her chest as she panted slightly.

"Are you sure that was new to you?" He said leaning back against her rising and falling chest.

"Yes, was it good?" She grinned.

"Splendid"

"I actually enjoyed it a lot. Was oddly intimate with you inside of me like that?"

"So you liked that huh?" He grinned, rising back to his feet. She watched him excitedly as he walked down between her hill like breasts and down across the flat of her stomach.

"Do you need some help getting down-" She gasped as he stepped down between her legs, "O-Oh" She gasped again as he reached inside on his own. Darius slipped himself inside easily, feeling her fingers suddenly push behind him. Nika squirmed and gasped in excitement as Darius worked his way deeper, her fingers gently following him inside. She wanted to moan and yell but made a point to keep quiet. Her muscles soon started to contract against him, her breathing escalated a quiet hum rising from her lips as she arched her back in ecstasy.

~~~~(Dirty part over if you skipped)~~~~

"Well that was fun!" Nika said playfully, setting Darius back on her pillow.

Darius laughed, "Yeah"

She nestled under her thick blankets, setting her head down on the pillow next to him, "I hope we didn't go too far again"

Darius shook his head, "Why can't everyone be as laid back about this stuff as you" He laughed.

"Oh I know! I mean if you are my friend I don't see why we can't just enjoy it"

"Do you ever see it being more than that?"

She shrugged, "I guess, if I can find someone. So I guess I am kind of like you"

He laughed, "Yeah. What are you looking for?"

She rolled to her back, "Um. I don't know" She thought a moment, "I guess I want to find someone who makes things? Like someone who shares my love of that"

Darius sat up, "You mean like a sorcerer or?"

"I guess it doesn't have to be. In fact, I want a man who can build with his hands, that would be great"

"You should meet my friend, Rodrick" Darius said with a grin.

She rolled back towards him, "What does he do?"

Darius asked for his stuff back, she gave it to him eyeing him curiously as he pulled his sword out, "This is probably the best damn blade I have owned" He said unsheathing the black blade.

Her eyes widened, "Oh wow, so how did he get the color?"

"He wouldn't tell me" He laughed, "I tell you this guy is a genius when it comes to metals"

"Do you think he used magic?"

"Oh no, definitely not" Darius said putting the sword back down, "He's a smart guy, but refuses to touch that stuff himself"

"Oh..."

"Not that he doesn't like it, just doesn't really care to know how to use it"

"Well, I guess I would like to meet him" She rolled onto her back, closing her eyes. Darius looked over towards the window, the sky was already starting to turn that morning purple.

"I'm not tired" She finally whispered, she rolled back over smiling when she saw he was still sitting up.

"Yeah me neither. Too excited to get back to normal"

"Aw! But I like you at this size!" She grinned.

"How many times have I heard that" He laughed. They went back out into the main room, sitting back at the table to talk some more.

As the sun just peaked over the horizon the first woke up, Brooke opened the door smiling weakly at Darius and Nika, "You two are up early" She said, lifting her hand to her mouth as she yawned.

"Yeah" Nika responded, they had agreed to keep their little fun a secret, "Would you like some tea? I started it a little while ago, I am sure Sarah and Wendy will be needing it"

"That would be great" Brooke said rubbing her head a little, "I think we may have gone a little overboard last night" She laughed sitting next to Darius, "Big day huh?"

"Yeah"

Nika laughed, "You were sober compared to Wendy, that is for sure"

"Oh no...what did she do?"

"I think you already know" Darius muttered.

"Oh, so it involved you?"

He nodded, "I talked her off though, she was a little upset but I blame the alcohol for it"

"I see" She glared at Nika, "I told you she was too young"

"Hey, they all have to learn sometime, best get it out of the way early" Nika handed her a mug of steaming tea.

"Thanks" Brooke said, blowing on it slightly, "So how about Sarah?"

Darius shrugged, "She fell asleep on her chair, I guess she sort of made her way back to bed sometime last night"

"Wow!" Brooke suddenly gasped, "Strong tea"

"Yes, it works wonders"

A few minutes they heard a door creak, Sarah stumbled out her eyes still half closed, "Hi" She mumbled, slumping into a chair.

"Tea" Nika said, practically shoving another mug into Sarah's hand. Sarah thanked her with another mumble recoiling a bit as she drank from the mug, "It's hot" Nika said, trying not to laugh.

~~~~

A few hours later they all turned towards Wendy, her face deeply flushed. She nodded and walked towards the table, thanking Nika as she gave her some tea. She sat quietly as conversation opened up again. Darius eyed her with a smile, but she couldn't look at him.

Finally Wendy leaned forward, "Darius, could I talk to you in private?" She whispered.

Darius nodded, climbing onto her hand, the others pretended to not notice. Wendy left the room and re-entered her small bedroom, setting him down on the bed, kneeling down beside it. She sat quietly, still not finding the right words.

"I'm sorry" She finally blurted, her eyes looked like they were nearly in tears.

"Wendy, it's fine. We all do silly things when were-"

"No, that was unforgivable. You have told me countless times and I haven't listened" She continued, she seemed like she had matured a little.

"Trust me, I forgive you"

She nodded, "It wont happen again. I know you tried to put me down softly before, and I know you were never really a knight, I just wanted you to know how much you meant to me" She lowered her head, "Darius you are a hero to me. And nothing you can say will change that"

Darius understood what she was saying, "Alright"

"But...did...did you kill that man? From the story you started to tell me"

He shook his head, "No"

She nodded, finally facing him, "I love you Darius, and not like that..."

He smiled, "You're a good girl Wendy, I am sure you will make a real hero happy one day"

She smiled, "I hope so" She held out her hand, taking him back in the room and setting him on the table.

Brooke smiled down at Darius, glad to see a smile across Wendy's lips.

~~~~

The day moved slowly for Darius, spending most of it sitting on the round table in the center of Nika's living room. He nearly sat down and watched the progress of the shadows through one of the windows, not paying much attention to the chatter of conversation surrounding him.

Finally as the shadows grew long and the sky started to turn shades of yellow and red Nika approached him, pulling the small necklace from her pocket and handing it over to him. He stared at it for a moment, the ruby slightly misshapen from its original form, before sliding it over his head. The cottage fell silent as he took it into his hand, his thumb hovering over the glistening red diamond.

"Well...This is it" He said before taking a deep breath, pressing his thumb to the stone and rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger....

~~~~

Darius groaned.

He lifted the heavy axe and smashed it down into the block of timber, splitting it in two. He glanced over at the cottage, almost immediately after returning to normal they had put him to the petty task of chopping firewood...something he was almost positive Nika could accomplish without the use of manual labor. He sighed, tossing the two split halves into the pile before leaning the axe up to a tree and heading back inside.

He shook his head, the four girls sitting around the table talking over some more of Nika's extra strong tea. He settled into a chair along the wall and laid his head back, feeling relaxed not having the small weight of the necklace around his neck. His mind wandered back to the castle, he wondered what was becoming of the kingdom now with the King gone and the Queen now at the head. He glanced over to Sarah, nodding his head as she met his gaze briefly. 'She could be Queen' he thought to himself. A life of solitude and neglect had stifled her curious mind, but she did not cave in to bitterness. Instead she reached out with love to the people, she wished only goodness for all who rightfully deserved it. She had been given everything but had no desire for riches or jewels, she was happy living off the fruits of a garden.

He pulled the blade out from his pile of belongings on the floor, twirling it slightly in his hand noting that the black steel still had a slight shine to it, if you were to put your hand close enough you would just barely be able to make out a reflection. He looked closer, the pure blackness gave way to swirls of darkening grays, almost like frozen black clouds swirling across the face of the blade. This was more than just a weapon, it was a piece of art.

Days past, his mind conversing back and forth between his options. Nika and the kingdom she belonged to thrived, they could probably easily take over the human lands if they saw reason, and not just the lands that Jared had ruled over. The Neko lived in an empire that was solid and strong, not broken up into tiny factions and city states as the human lands. Though the Neko had always respected their borders, not interfering with the humans as they fought out their land over the centuries. Darius knew that they could probably just stay here, where it was safe and peaceful. But, he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of longing for what could have been under Jared's fathers rule, Sarah could bring this back.

He found himself more at the background as the days started to turn to weeks, though he was still the object of much affection to Wendy, and at times to Sarah, it was less like the girlish love she had held before. She instead sought to pry his mind for guidance, even at one point asking for some teachings in the ways of sword fighting, though she lost interest in that quickly.

~~~~

It wasn't until nearly a month of being in this sanctuary did Darius approach Sarah about what his mind had been wrestling with. They sat down at the table after their dinner, "Sarah, do you still think of yourself as a princess?"

The room fell silent for a few moments as she seemed to grasp at the question, "I don't know if I ever have" She said, looking at him with an almost concerned look, "Why?"

Darius leaned on his elbows, "Well there has been something I have been thinking about, actually something I had not thought of until Elizabeth had spoken to me" He glanced between her and Wendy, "She had told me that removing the king would avenge my father" He turned to Wendy, "And the lives of countless others" He sighed, turning back to Sarah, "But she told me that it would not save the kingdom"

Brooke stirred a bit in her chair, "What are you getting at? Are you planning to go back and assassinate the Queen now?"

"I'm not sure, for all we know she might have had a change of heart"

"I doubt that" Sarah said softly.

"Right, but maybe violence is not necessary this time. If we could find a way for the people to give rise against her"

"So...you think that I would be fit to be Q-Queen?" Sarah asked softly.

Darius nodded, "When speaking to you I can hear the echos of your grandfather, of a time when our people prospered" He looked down, "But equally it would seem easy enough to just leave that all behind"

Nika nodded, "You are more than welcome to stay here, you will not be turned away because of our differences here"

"I will need some time to think about it" Sarah said.

"Understandable" Darius said, smiling as he laid his hand on top of hers, "It is a lot of responsibility and I don't mean to throw it on you all at once"

Sarah decided to think it over for a while, sitting silently by herself for much of the day lazily staring out the window. Finally Darius walked over, "How are you feeling?"

"Torn" She said with a sigh, "I love my people and my country, I really do. But...there could be only so much we could do"

Darius nodded, "Yes, the royal guard and army are blinded by duty, as my father once told me, we would need to think of some way to give rise to the people and those in the army who are brave enough to think for themselves"

"Could you do that?"

Darius lowered his gaze, "I doubt it" He turned his head as a new conversation formed around the table.

"So...there seems to be all of these ways to make people tiny" Wendy started, the sound of a question already forming in her voice, "So would the opposite be possible?"

Brooke and Nika looked towards each other for a moment, "Well, in short yes it is possible" Brooke started.

"In short?"

"Well, you see it can be quite dangerous on multiple levels" Nika now chimed in, "To make yourself big brings on so many more responsibilities"

"But you could be so powerful!" Wendy gasped.

"Yes, and that is exactly the problem. Once you are big enough, you will be considered a monster by almost everybody who does not know you, and even some that do. You will be powerful yes, but powerful enough to fend off an army? Or even a smaller team of trained huntsmen or sorcerers?"

"I see...but what if you were able to explain to everyone that you meant well? Say in Sarah's case" Wendy glanced over to Sarah and Darius who were now fully interested in their conversation.

"Well, other than having to deal with the Queen and all those working for her, I guess a giant wouldn't be a bad thing to have around" Darius offered with a shrug.

Brooke glared at him for a moment, "And would you offer yourself up for such a mission?"

Darius sat back in his chair, "No. I am perfectly content with my size and I plan to keep it"

"I would" Wendy said with a grin.

"Yes I am sure you would, but no, you certainly will not" Brooke said sternly, "Though this is a bad idea" She said with a sigh, "The sort of magic that is required for this is unstable"

"Meaning?"

Nika took over, "Shrinking is a way of condensing energy, though it takes quite a bit of energy to go through with the act the outcome is easier to control and stable. Growing, on the other hand, is expanding energy, exploding it if you will. It might not take as much energy to get the desired effect but getting that effect is well...explosive. The very act of making an enchantment to do this would be rather dangerous"

"I see" Wendy said with a sigh, "Was just curious is all"

There was suddenly a knock at the door. Nika rose to her feet slowly, cautiously sliding the wooden door open.

"Hello again Nika" A strong yet young sounding voice said.

"Oh, Luthor how pleasant of you to visit, again"

"Who is that?" Wendy whispered.

Nika opened the door widely, allowing a tall man to step inside. His features were slender yet muscular, an intricately decorated breastplate hung on his chest, a purple and gold robe draped from his shoulders. Like Nika he was a Neko, though of a slightly different breed. His ears that poked up through his long black hair were taller and the fur slightly less smooth, much like that of a wolf. His tail as well was more canine in appearance, shaggy and curved slightly upwards unlike Nika's which was slender and nimble.

"I am sorry to intrude once again-" He looked inside, "Oh I am sorry, I did not realize you had guests"

Nika nodded, "Yes, these are my friends from the other side of the forest, Wendy, Brooke Sarah and Darius"

"Sarah?" He said stepping towards her, "Are you the very same Princess of Whitehorn?"

"Luthor?" Sarah said rising to her feet, "I-I did not think I would see you again"

"Wait...you two know each other?" Nika said glancing between the two.

"We have met" Sarah said, "But it was a long time ago"

~~~~

Sarah was only thirteen, her father had only just taken over as king. She had accompanied him out to their court to greet with their visitors, ones her father told her to be wary of. She stared wide eyed at the neko's, their appearance so strange to her. Her eye caught on a boy who looked nearly the same age as her, he waved. She looked away, her father had told her not to interact with them. Shortly afterward she was whisked away...back to her room.

She sighed, sitting on the bed as she was so accustomed to. She eyed the doorway nervously before reaching her hand under her pillow and pulling out a book, one that her grandfather had given her when she was only a young girl.

Suddenly a figure appeared in the window, she yelped dropping the book to the floor and jumping to her feet. She squirmed nervously as she stared at that same boy from in the court, wondering if he meant her harm as her father had warned.

"Hello" He said with a smile, hopping down onto the stone floor.

"What are you doing in here?" She demanded.

He shrugged, "Just stopping by, I saw the window was open"

"If my father knew that you were in here he would have both of us beaten!"

She crouched down and lifted her book, slipping it under her pillow again.

"You like to read?"

"Shh" She glared at him, "But yes, I do"

"Why so quiet?"

She looked away, "Father forbids me to read"

"But why?"

"He says that they are evil"

The boy laughed, "What? That is nonsense" She glared at him again but kept silent, "My name is Luthor"

"Sarah" She said without facing him.

"I wanted to talk to you earlier but you left"

She sat back down on her bed, "I was taken away" She sighed.

He pulled over a chair, "Why?"

"Because that is how it is for me" She locked eyes with him for a moment before shifting her gaze downward.

"I am sorry to hear that"

She shrugged, "Why? How is it for you?"

Luthor explained his own life to her, how he could do pretty much what ever he wanted as long as it was in good taste. She was amazed that he was aloud outside of his own palace without supervision.

"I wish I had your life" She whispered, staring out the window as a red beam of light streamed inside from the sunset.

"Why don't you just leave?"

"Because I can't"

He rose to his feet, "Then maybe one day I will come and rescue you" He smiled before leaning in and kissing her on the cheek, "But I have to go before my parents get worried. I will see you again someday?"

She blushed deeply, but could only nod as he made his way out the window again, grinning at her before dropping out of sight...

~~~~

"You have grown" He commented.

"As have you" She said softly, "Are you king now?"

He shook his head, "No, just a lowly prince"

Nika scoffed, "I don't know of lowly is such an accurate word"

Luthor shook his head, "But, Sarah, if you do not mind me prying, why are you so far from the castle?"

Brooke laughed, "It is a long story"

"I would very much like to hear it"

Darius sighed, "I guess we should start at the beginning, I think I can sum this up pretty briefly now" He took a deep breath before once again giving someone a run through of the past two months, though only touching on the important details.

Luthor nodded once he was finished, "Then I am afraid I have some grim news" The room tensed, "Your fears of the Queen seem to be playing out back in your kingdom. That is why I have come here in search of Nika's assistance"

"What could I possibly do about this?" Nika asked folding her arms.

"I will explain" Luthor continued, "You see back in the lands of Whitehorn the Queen has been lashing out punishment seemingly at will, and at times without reason. Her new army has been sweeping across their lands, and even some had said to have seen them crossing their borders into Rudia"

"Rudia?" Darius asked, "But that is a small state? They only have a small flat of farmland, it has little to value?"

"We have speculated that it is a display of power"

"I still don't see where I fit in" Nika mumbled.

"Right, I was getting to that. We have accepted waves of refugees fleeing the Queens wrath, many had tried to rise against her, and many were killed doing so. Those who were lucky managed to get away. Nika I came here to ask for your help in healing the wounded, there are few who are as skilled as you are"

"Right, of course" She said with a nod.

"I would like to help too" Sarah said, "I want them to know that I am not like my Father"

"Then we will all go" Brooke said rising to her feet.

~~~~

They started their way on the worn dirt path towards the village, it was no more than two miles walking. Little under a mile out they saw the lines of tents.

A short time later they had found themselves within the village. Sarah and Nika had gone off to the hospital, leaving Brooke Wendy and Darius to wander around on their own, unsure what to do with themselves. After a few hours of aimless walking a shout caught their attention.

"Darius!" A powerful voice called out.

Darius turned, grinning as his eyes fell on Rodrick, "Rodrick! So good to see you here"

Rodrick nodded, "Good and bad my friend, I am glad to see you have made it out of there"

Darius chuckled, "I was not even aware of what has happened in the past month to tell you the truth"

"No?"

Darius shook his head, "But I will explain it all later, it is a long story" He noticed a massive tan sack slung over his friends shoulder, "What do you have in the bag?"

Rodrick threw his shoulder up a bit, "Just some things that I could not bare to leave behind, I am soon meeting with the head smith around here to see about working again"

"I am sure you will be head of the forge in no time, I still admire the sword you have sold me. I have yet to use it in a fight but I must say I am rather excited to"

Rodrick laughed, "Careful friend, you are nearly talking with the tongue of a murderer!" They both laughed.

"That is why you ignore men like these" Brooke said leaning over to Wendy. Wendy giggled.

"Oh hello Brooke, long time no see" Rodrick said bowing slightly, "Still as charming as ever"

Brooke smiled at him, "Well me and Wendy will leave you two alone, there are some things we need to buy"

They watched the two depart, "I had thought you two had fallen out, you are back together now?" Rodrick said once they disappeared into the crowd.

"Well, as friends at least" Darius said with a shrug, "I guess I should have just taken my chance like you told me too years back"

"Shame, she has quite the figure"

Darius grinned and nodded, "Which reminds me, there was actually someone quite interested in meeting you"

Rodrick tilted his head, "You don't say?"

"A girl, a Neko actually"

"Go on"

"She said she was looking for a man like you, someone good with their hands"

"That is certainly about all I am good at"

Darius nodded, "And she is quite the looker too, and actually an impressively skilled sorceress"

"A sorceress you say?"

Darius nodded again, "And need I also mention that she is also pretty comfortable expressing her-Nika!" He said as he suddenly spotted the Neko walking towards them.

"Hello" She called, stopping before them with a smile, "Who is this?"

"This is my friend Rodrick, remember the one I was telling you about"

"How do you do?" Rodrick said bowing his head.

Nika's eyes widened, her face turning a little red, "Oh, nice to meet you" She stammered, Darius raised his brow at her sudden nervousness, "Erm..uh Darius I was actually coming over to ask something rather personal"

"I will give you some privacy" Rodrick said stepping away, pretending to make himself busy with something else.

"Did you tell him?"

"What?"

"That I wanted to meet him!"

"Yes, why?"

Her face became even more flustered, "Why? Why would you tell him that!?" She whispered.

"I don't see why not"

"B-Because that is not how I planned on meeting him! You will ruin everything!"

"Planned? Nika what are you talking-"

"Shut up! You need to fix this before I lose my chance to talk with him"

"But he is standing right there"

"Yes but I am not ready! I need to...well...Just tell him that I am interested in his craft and would like to do business"

"Why not just talk to him now?"

"Because I need to have something to break the ice"

"But I already broke the ice just go talk to him!"

"No! That won't work!"

Darius sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Fine, fine"

"Besides I am busy I need to go" He watched as she practically stormed off.

"Where did she go?" Rodrick asked as he came back over.

"She had to go back to the hospital I think"

"Oh, she sounds like a nice girl then, the hospitals are really a sad place right now"

Darius nodded, "But she mentioned that she might want to see some of your works, perhaps talk over some possible business things I'm not sure"

"Oh, well that sounds good"

"Yes, well here comes the girls again. I would guess you might get to meet her within the week?"

"Sounds fine"

"Okay, are we ready to go back?" Brooke asked holding a package of assorted herbs and potions.

"Yeah, I will see you soon Rodrick"

Rodrick nodded and said goodbye.

"So we passed by Nika, she seemed to be a little um, flustered" Brooke said as they made their way out of the village.

"Yes, she was acting kind of strange" Darius laughed, "But we have set her up to meet with Rodrick...again"

Brooke laughed, "Again?"

"Well she just bumped into us back there, though the meeting was not as she planned it apparently" Darius said with a grin.

"Oh god" Brooke laughed, "This will be interesting"

Later that week Darius had set up a meeting between Nika and Rodrick. The day came, Nika was busy gathering her things and setting them up on a table as if setting up a shop.

"Nika, you know he is really most interesting in meeting you, not your works"

She shook her head, "I have this all planned out"

"And you also know that he will not be here until this evening"

"Yes, so?"

"Well I am just saying, the sun rose about an hour ago"

"I just want to make a good first impression"

"He is not all that judgmental"

"Still" She sighed, setting out her last trinket. She smiled as Brooke and Wendy walked into the room, "Did you guys get it?"

Brooke nodded, "Yup, though I still think this is stupid"

Wendy shook her head, "No it isn't"

"What? What are you guys doing?" Darius asked.

"Nothing" Nika said with a grin.

"Oh Darius, Sarah is back from visiting the Palace, she wanted to talk with you" Brooke said motioning for the door.

"I see" He said as he walked for the door. He stepped outside and saw Sarah standing out front, a new looking purple dress hung from her shoulders.

"Hi" She said waving slightly.

"That looks nice" Darius said as he came to her side, "Would you like to walk?" She nodded and they made their way aimlessly around the house.

"I have made my decision" She finally said.

"Yes?"

"Well, they had shown me around their palace, their kingdom is truly beautiful. And they are so peaceful, and wise" She stopped, "I want my people to share that feeling"

"So, you want to go back?"

She nodded, "I don't know how we will do it, but I cannot stand to see the people suffer anymore. If I am the one who can bring peace and prosperity back then I will do it...it is just...I want to know if you will be with me when I do it?"

Darius nodded, "I will do everything in my power to help"

~~~~

"This is stupid" Brooke sighed.

"Well it is too late now" Nika laughed, their hands cupped over the blue ruby.

"Is it supposed to glow like that?" Wendy asked, watching from the side.

"Yes"

"How long do you guys have to hold it like that?"

"Until it stops glowing"

~~~~

"That is not entirely what I meant" Sarah said looking him in the eyes.

Darius nodded, "Let us just move one step at a time"

She smiled, "Alright-" She was cut off by a loud thunderous noise.

"Oh no" Darius muttered.

~~~~

Brooke stared blankly forward, it had all happened so fast. She looked down, the detail in the surrounding grass seemed off, of course it did, "Oh please tell me I'm dreaming"

Wendy looked around, "Um, that wasn't supposed to happen was it?"

Nika sighed, "No..."

Darius and Sarah stared blankly at the three girls, now absolutely titanic figures against the tree line. Nika's house had splintered and collapsed, now laying beneath them. They seemed to vary in sizes, Brooke stood out has much larger, an empty chain hung in her hands. Nika was the next largest, around one hundred and fifty feet tall. Wendy seemed to have gotten the least of it, only sixty or so feet tall. Brooke on the other hand was over two hundred feet tall, the true image of a goddess.

Brooke looked to Darius and Sarah, then down at her other larger friends, "This is bad" She looked at the chain, only a tiny semicircle remained of the once large ruby, "This is very bad"

Darius ran over, "What happened?!"

Brooke cringed at the question, "We decided to add a growing enchantment to my necklace"

"It was my fault!" Wendy cried, starting to panic over her new situation, "I shouldn't have pestered, I should have just dropped this stupid idea" She dropped her head into her hands.

Nika set a hand on her back, "It's not your fault, I was foolish enough to actually go through with it"

Brooke sighed, "So Nika do you think your spells could get us out of this one?"

Nika grimaced, looking towards the necklace that still hung from Brookes hands, "I don't know...this is probably the worst that could have happened"

"It exploded?" Darius asked.

Nika nodded, "Yes, well basically. And the force seems to have destroyed most of the diamond"

"And exploded us" Wendy sobbed, "We're monsters now"

"I will see to it that no one regards you as such" Sarah called up.

~~~~

Darius and Sarah helped Nika gather what remained of her home which now lay in pieces. She set her trinkets and other enchantments down on the grass, "Oh it is ruined now" She grumbled, "So much for finally finding someone"

"Don't say that" Darius assured her.

Nika rolled her eyes, "It will probably take months for me to find some sort of way to diminish my size, and nothing I can do will be permanent, this is who we are now"

Darius shrugged, "I'm sure he will just find you more interesting"

Nika smiled softly, "It is kind of you to say that, but who would want to be with someone as big as me...I don't see it working" She looked down at him, he folded his arms over his chest, causing her to smile, "Oh...right...um well I will give it a shot"

"That's the spirit" He laughed, "Besides at this size all of your good traits are so much more defined"

"You think?"

He nodded, "Certainly"

She gasped, "But what about my bad ones! What if my fur is sticking on end" She gripped her tail and ran her hands over it, "Or what if-"

"You are fine, trust me"

She nodded, though still bit her lip nervously, "When does he arrive again?"

Darius looked towards the sun, "Not too long now actually, I will go meet him in the road I guess...or wait" He strained his eyes, "I think thats him"

Nika covered her face, "I am so not ready"

Darius shrugged, "Just be yourself, he is no different than anyone else"

Nika slid her hands down onto her chin, looking at him, "I will try"

"Good, well we will all be over here, I think Wendy still needs to be calmed a bit"

They watched as Rodrick approached, eyeing the scene curiously. He neared Darius, "What happened here?"

"The Sorceresses had a bit of an explosion"

"I can see that, erm...should I still be here?"

"Of course, Nika is over there waiting...she is hard to miss" He laughed nodding towards the nervous Neko.

"I see, well...good luck to me huh?"

"You won't need it I imagine. And don't let the size scare you, I can tell you from being trapped at below an inch in height, women are quite enjoyable at that size"

Rodrick nodded, "I remember you telling me, quite a story"

Darius laughed, "Well, don't talk business too long" He said before departing towards Brooke Sarah and a pretty broken up Wendy.

"How is she doing?" Darius whispered to Sarah.

"Well, she stopped crying" Sarah said with a concerned look.

"I guess I never had a normal life anyway" Wendy mumbled

"Don't say that Wendy, we will find a way to reverse this" Brooke said laying a hand on her back, though she looked to Darius with a grave expression, she sighed, "I should probably go back to my own cottage tomorrow, get what I can and come back. At this size I could make it there in under an hour I'd imagine"

"But I guess since this happened we could talk about a plan to help Sarah" Darius mumbled.

"Please don't feel the need to do that" Sarah said, "I do not want to use you for my own goals"

"He is right" Brooke shrugged, "I could be a heavy weight to throw"

"But for what we will need, I do not think the Neko will invade, the Queen still stands as hardly a minor threat to their empire"

"But in time" Darius said, "If she conquers more land"

"And what about me?" Wendy asked looking around.

"Wendy we cannot ask you to fight" Sarah said coming to her friends knee, leaning against it in a strange hug.

Wendy smiled, pressing her fingers to Sarahs back, "I...I guess I do sort of like being this big" She forced a smile. She looked to Darius, outstretching her hand. He went to deny but Brooke glared down at him from over her shoulder, so he complied. He was now taller than her hand, so she could hold him more like a doll as she pressed him to her cheek. She pulled away and shrugged, "I think I like you better at this size, before I could hardly feel you!"

Darius shook his head, "Such a gentle giant"

They turned to watch Nika and Rodrick, laughing a little as she seemed to be a little reserved, her hands folded in her lap as she spoke with him quietly.

"God she is acting so strange" Brooke said shaking her head, "I don't know what it is, especially with Rodrick"

"I know, he rarely has this effect on women" Darius laughed.

"Are you sure you don't want someone to go with you?" Darius asked Brooke, she seemed almost as large as she had when he was under the effects of the necklace.

She nodded, "It shouldn't even take more than a few hours, I will be back by the time you guys are"

"You don't think you should be with the other two when they go into town?"

Brooke laughed, "Trust me, if I was there they might be overwhelmed, if Wendy and Nika aren't enough to deal with as is"

"If she ever wakes up" Nika said with a laugh, smiling over to where Wendy lay curled up by the tree line.

"So...How was your meeting with Rodrick?" Brooke asked with a smile.

Nika sighed, "He is perfect! The things he has forged with his own hands" She shuddered slightly, her tail flicking side to side, "It's incredible"

"So, did you guys do anything more than talk?" Darius asked with a grin, Brooke rolled her eyes.

"No, we didn't" she gasped, as if it were so strange.

"Really?"

She nodded, "I know it's weird, I mean generally I love to just hop right into that, it is a way to truly get a feel for someone...but with him, I don't know I want to but I don't!"

"Why not?"

"I'm trying to figure that out, I feel like I want to hold it over his head! Like tease him with it but not give in myself, so when we finally do it" She sighed, "I think something happened to me when that jewel exploded"

"You became normal?" Brooke laughed.

Nika scoffed, "Just because you happen to tie all these strange moral rules to sex doesn't mean it's normal"

"What ever, well I am going to go, I will see you guys this afternoon"

"Bye!" Nika said with a small wave. She smiled back down at Darius, she seemed to be beaming.

"So what next?" He asked with a grin.

She shrugged, "Well, I might have told him we would be paying a visit to the village tomorrow. And we might decide to go for a little walk together"

"Sounds like fun" Darius looked over and smiled to see Wendy sit up, stretching her arms upwards and giving an adorable yawn.

She had woken to the sound of horse hoofs, Sarah was riding along side Luthor, who was holding the reins of another horse behind him.

Darius shook the princes hand, "Morning"

"Good morning Darius, here is the horse I promised, will make keeping pace with these titanic women a little easier"

"Aw, but we love to carry around our little Darius!" Nika said kneeling next to them.

Darius shook his head, "I am more than happy to ride" He mounted the powerful black steed, "This is a fine horse"

"The finest I could find" Luthor said with a nod.

As they rode Luthor and Darius talked, Sarah riding silently behind them mostly to keep Wendy company, who could still carry a conversation somewhat easily at her current height.

"So you plan to help Sarah instate herself as Queen?" Luthor asked sitting back in his saddle.

Darius nodded, "It is the right thing to do, I feel that I have failed my father with my life's ambitions and it is time I helped truly avenge his death"

"What do you mean?"

"When I first set out, I was only out for the life of a man. My father died more than a man, he had ideals, he had morals. He died for a cause and I failed to live up to his standards of goodness. In order to avenge his death I must do more than punish the guilty, I must help give rise to a lost age"

"Or perhaps a new age, an even more prosperous one" They looked back towards Sarah, she smiled before turning her head back upwards towards Wendy.

"She is certainly the one to do it" Darius said turning forward, "Her heart is in the right place, and her mind more than able"

Luthor nodded, "We spoke deeply while she was visiting our palace. She said she wanted to copy our systems, no more tyrants no more close minded monarchs. It is the people who choose their ruler, and it is they who get to decide when they are unhappy. She has lived a closed life, trapped in her room, but they could not take her ability to learn and dream. Her mind, though older, still absorbs knowledge like a sponge"

The town soon came into view, a crowd had formed outside as they awaited these strange new giants. Luthor introduced them himself, also alluding to the taller Brooke who was off collecting her tiny belongings. The crowd shifted nervously under the giantesses anxious gaze, a few long minutes of uncertainty hung in the air until Rodrick finally broke through the crowd, much to Nika's delight. With him followed children, their worried mothers hand close at their backs as they sought to play with the giant women. Wendy was more than willing to let them climb atop her lap and hands. Nika, however, was more interested in Rodrick.
Darius found himself just outside of the village leaning his back against a fence. Sarah walked over with a smile, leaning back next to him.

"This is going well" He said with grin, watching Wendy laugh in the distance as a crowd of young children pretended to tackle her to the ground.

"Yes it is, I was not afraid though, knowing Wendy"

Darius nodded, "And I see Nika is off with her new husband to be"

Sarah laughed, "How did you know they would be so well together?"

Darius shrugged, "I know them both pretty well. It seems opposites really do attract. Rodrick is a master with metal and fire, Nika is a master with the arcane and magic"

"Have you put anymore thought...into what I said?" She looked towards him.

Darius sighed, "A little, but I think we should still look to get you in there first"

"A queen has never risen to power without a king Darius"

"There has never been a queen like you before" Darius said with a smile.

"So...you do not want to be my king?" She turned away.

"No, Sarah...Only a fool would turn you away like that" She turned back to him, "But am I really the one you want by your side? Think about it"

She nodded, taking his hand in hers, "I will"

~~~~

As evening came the four set off to the area where Nika's house still lay in ruin, her belongings spread across the hill that sat before its foundations. It became clear that Brooke had not returned.

"Where do you think she is?" Nika asked looking around.

"I don't know" Darius said softly, they would have seen her in the open plains...she must not have come back, "I will ride to her house, on horseback I will make it there in a few hours"

"Should we go with you?" Wendy asked.

Darius shook his head, "I am practiced at going around unnoticed, if I do not return then there may be reason to worry"

"Don't do anything foolish" Sarah said coming to his side.

Darius shrugged, "Come on, you know me"

"That is what I am worried about" Nika laughed, but shook her head her face growing stern, "Just be careful, I hope Brooke is alright"

~~~~

Brooke moaned, reaching to rub her forehead but her hand was cut short. She opened her eyes, her arms hung on either side of her head. They were held up by massive iron chain links. She strained to move but found her legs bound by similar chain, curled under her. Her body ached and her back felt as though it had been scraped across stone. She looked around, trying to recall where she had been.

"I see you are awake" A female voice called, a loud clacking of heels against stone echoed in the wide courtyard where Brooke had been chained to one of the castle walls. She was too large to fit anywhere inside.

"What do you want with me?" Brooke snarled down at the Queen.

The Queen looked up at her, a broad white smile surrounded by blood white lips grinned up to Brooke, "Only to seek out your services"

"I would sooner-"

"Yes, yes, you have told us already...I am sorry your keeping must be so primitive but you can understand we cannot contain you in a simple cell at your current stature"

"Then why don't you just kill me"

"Well, being as you would be such a powerful tool I am willing to give you a second chance...perhaps a little more coaxing is in order? I mean really Brooke, do you truly care about the people of this kingdom?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh Brooke...you don't think that the king had kept close record of every little recluse and shopkeeper?" The Queen leaned her weight to one leg, "We know much about you, and your craft. That is why we were so interested in you in the first place. I can only wonder what drove you to expand yourself in such a way, but all of my magicians were unable to make you more manageable...like the many, many people who have tried to stop our inevitable expansion. But lets get back to you" The Queen nodded towards the giant necklace, "This looks oddly familiar, perhaps a once prized possession of my family?"

"Your family? Are you out of your mind you were never part of the Royal family you were just another mistress the King couldn't hide under his carpet!" Brooke spat, "You know full well that if you failed to produce a son you would have met the same fate as all the others"

The queen laughed, "Of course of course. That is why I am so glad your friend has made way for me. I would have done it myself, to think of going through many more years lying down with that bearded brute, it still makes me sick to my stomach" Brookes ears burned as the details poured over the queens tongue...she knew about everything! "Really I don't want to punish you at all, that is of course you continue to be so uncooperative"

"You will never get anything out of me"

Darius dismounted his horse quietly. The stone of Brooke's chimney had come into view through the trees, but no sign of Brooke. He tied the horse to a low limb and crept towards the cottage. He noticed first that the roof was intact, meaning Brooke had probably not had the chance to start collecting her things. He trotted lightly to the back wall, peering in through one of the windows. Her cottage had been turned over, the door was kicked in. He saw movement from the other side. A royal soldier paced back and forth on a horse, Darius crept around the side, noticing that entire rows of trees had fallen on either side of the path leading towards the road.

Seeing that the soldier was alone Darius waited until he had his back turned before charging at him, leaping and grabbing hold of his armor before crashing to the ground. The young man coughed as he struggled under Darius's weight. Darius tipped his helmet off with his blade, glaring down at him.

"Why are you here?"

"I-I was ordered to stand watch" He stammered eying the black blade with wide eyes.

Darius held the blade to his throat, "What happened here"

~~(The previous morning)~~

Brooke grunted as she was prodded on all sides by tree limbs, trying not to damage the forest too much. Finally the clearing that held her house came into view. Her pace slowed as she heard the strange murmur of horse hoofs. She cautiously moved closer, eyes widening as she saw a group of armed soldiers walking along the path, a few horses stood ties up outside of her home. She snarled, ready to put a swift end to these intruders.

A shout rang out, Brooke decided to hold her anger back, after all they might still think she was on their side. She knelt down behind her cottage, all of the soldiers attention was on her. Her gaze shifted as a figure emerged from her cottage, five men at the woman's side. The Queen turned, though seemed to remain calm, not much could be said for the others.

"Oh, there you are!" Her voice echoed up to Brooke, she flicked a lock of dark reddish brown hair from her face.

"Why are you at my home?" Brooke asked calmly.

"Looking for you, of course" She responded with a grin, "You had served my husband, and I hoped to continue that partnership"

"I sold him things, I did not serve him. And I truly regret ever giving you such a powerful tool"

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that"

"You seem to have accomplished the impossible, being even more of a monster than King Jared!" Brooke spat, leaning over her cottage. The queen backed away nervously, glancing toward a group of robed figures, giving them a nod.

Brooke glared at them, but nearly jumped to her feet as one flung a red sack into the air. Carried by magic it nearly struck Brooke in the face, but exploded into a blue cloud before colliding with her nose. She gasped, the blue cloud suddenly jumped into her lungs. Brooke knew what it was, groaning slightly as she fell to her side unconscious.

~~~~

"T-They carted her to the castle, it took nearly the whole army to do it" The soldier stammered.

"Did you see where they are holding her?" Darius snarled.

The man shook his head, "T-They only asked me to stand guard" He whimpered as the black point dug into his throat, a little red dribble running from the blade, "P-P-Please don't kill me"

"Do you have a family?" The man nodded, "Children?" He shook his head, "A wife?"

"Y-Yes, I-I live with my mother, she is often sick" His eyes pleaded with Darius.

"If you tell anyone you saw me, I will find where you live, tie your mother to a chair, and cut your wife to pieces before your very eyes, starting from her delicate little feet and upwards. Then, your mother will have to watch as I blind and mute her son, but you will keep your ears so you can hear her dying screams!"

Tears nearly flooded from the mans eyes as he nodded furiously.

"Good" Darius stood, "As you were"

~~~~

"He should be back by now" Sarah said pacing, watching as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

"He will be alright" Luthor said confidently.

Rodrick nodded, seated up on Nika's knee as she sat cross legged, "If I know anything my friend it is that he is perhaps too good at sneaking around"

Darius broke the tree line, his horse panting heavily.

"You came alone?" Nika asked with a concerned look.

Darius nodded, "And with some bad news" The others crowded around him, "Brooke had a run in with the Queen, they have taken her prisoner back at the castle"

"Oh no..." Nika gasped.

Darius nodded, "But it is true that they will not be able to use any sort of size magic against her?"

Nika nodded, "Unless they are better sorcerers than I or Brooke"

"I doubt that" Darius said, "But regardless they have the means to keep her contained, I fear to think of what they might do if she is held there much longer"

Rodrick hopped down from Nika's knee, "Do you suggest we break her out of there" He said with a grin.

"I was hoping to not do it alone" Darius responded.

"It would take weeks for my kingdom to give me a force, if at all, to assist you" Luthor said, "But I can see who will be willing to come"

"Will you?" Darius asked, Luthor nodded, "Good, your services will be greatly appreciated. The more we can get the better"

"Then I will come" Nika said with a nod, "I have never used my magic in battle but I can assure you it will be more than enough to keep a charging line at bay"

"I can believe that" Darius laughed.

"And me!" Wendy said with a nod.

"No...Wendy, you will stay back"

"But I can fight"

"By swinging a tree around?"

"Yes, that will work"

"No, Wendy we will not ask you to fight, stay here with Sarah"

"We could probably mass a small army with all of the people who fled, many of them are more than willing to fight"

~~~~

The Queen grinned to herself as she strolled back up to her throne. She stepped up, smiling down at a small box she had left on the armrest, "Hello again my dears" She grinned down at the tiny squirming figures inside, "So, I hope you have all thought over my warning" She slipped her hand inside and plucked one of the tiny people out. The man squirmed in her hand.

"Now" She started, "Where did the rest of your little group of revolutionaries go?" He glared up at her, but remained silent. She sighed, "Please don't make me be cruel, after all surely one of your tiny friends will give me the answers I want after you" He remained silent, eyes widening in fear as she sighed, "Alright then" She flicked her wrist, tossing the man into the air a few feet from her. He hit the ground with a loud slap, rolling to a stop. The queen whistled, the clacking of paws ran beside her, "Go on" She said to the sleek black canine. The dog licked its jaws as it ran over to the limp and broken figure, swallowing him down quickly before coming back to the Queens side.

The queen sat still for a moment, an idea crossed her mind and she strolled out to one of the tables, setting the box down. She slipped her hand into the box once again, "Now, same question"

"So you can collect and torture the rest of us?" The man spat.

"Oh, don't say it like that...I just want my loyal subjects back"

"You will never have anything-" The man was cut off as she slammed him painfully on the table. She pressed a long fork to his chest.

"Tell me what I want to know...it can only benefit you"

"I am not so self-"

The Queen grinned as she heard the thunk of the forks points against the table. She watched the man squirm slightly before falling limp. She lifted the body from the table, frowning at the little red pool before flicking him over her shoulder, the loud clacking following, "What a waste" She said with a sarcastic sigh, "It appears more traditional methods are not so successful with you stubbom bunch of peons" She tapped her long fingernails against the wooden table. There were only two little prisoners left, out of this batch at least.

She lifted them both, these were only two inches in height, "Alright" She looked towards one, "I'm sorry but you have to be the example here" She opened her mouth and slipped him inside. He screamed and thrashed against her tongue, the other pleading desperately with her. Another idea crossed her mind just before tossing the man between her teeth. She slipped him back towards her throat, opening her mouth for the other to see.

"L-Let him out! Y-You couldn't possibly-"

"Hush, I will let him out, if you give me the answers I want...hurry now I think he is slipping"

"I-I" The man stammered, watching his friend struggling within her throat.

"Don't tell her!" The man screamed.

The Queen closed her lips as she waited, smiling down at the man in her hands. He man lowered his head, she shrugged and swallowed, "Oh...he feels quite lovely going down" She gasped. She sighed again, "Well...I'm sorry but you have just sacrificed not only your companion but yourself" She grinned lifting him into the air. Her lips parted, her tongue dropping to accept him.

"No!" The man cried as he fell, slipping against her tongue, falling quickly into her throat.

The Queen smiled, feeling the little squirms slip into her belly. She got to her feet, leaving the empty box on the table and exiting the room towards her personal chambers.

~~~~

Darius looked out over the line of men. They varied from all ages, he grimaced every time he saw a man who had lived too many years, or too few. Luthor had found twenty real soldiers ready to go in just for a fight, they seemed to be the only ones who could pass for real fighters.

"We are almost ready" Luthor said with a nod, "When we arrive at the gate, or where ever her army might encounter us you must ask quickly"

Darius nodded, "I understand, you are very brave to accept such a fight"

Luthor shrugged, "I believe I am doing what is best for both of our kingdoms"

"Just be careful...all of you" Sarah said nervously, "I still feel sick that such violence will happen on my behalf"

"Not just your behalf" Darius mentioned softly, "These men are willing to fight for their land, and for you...they have all more loyalty to you than they had for your late father"

Sarah nodded, "I hope I can live up to their standards...I must"

The Queen smiled happily to herself as she carried herself up into her bedroom. She shut the door silently behind her and removed her heavy dress, opting instead for a light red one. She admired her taunt curvy figure in the mirror before turning to another box she had set on her bed. She crawled onto the luxurious soft comforter, kneeling over the box with a grin. This was her prize collection. Her emerald green eyes stared playfully over the tiny figures, over one hundred of them, all just fractions of an inch in height.

"Hello, great palace of Rudia" She smirked. Contained within this box was nearly all of the royal family of Rudia, along with their many servants and whoever else happened to be unlucky enough to be captured inside the castle. They had very successfully been able to mimic Brooke's cuffs, and in this case they maximized the power. She laughed gleefully as shouts rose from within, too tiny to be audible. Her mind raced with ideas, a moistening between her legs seemed to answer her questions.

"You know, I have been quite lonely with poor King Jared dead and gone" She grinned, "Perhaps all of you might be able to take his place?" She laughed again setting the box down between her legs. She pulled her red dress over her head and stared back inside as she lifted the box. She scooted back towards her pillows and laid down flat. Her stomach and chest rose and fell excitedly as she slowly tipped the box on its side. The occupants tumbled out onto her bare stomach, much to her excitement.

"Aw! Look at that, a tiny little village all atop my tummy" She grinned, "If you are loyal to your new queen you wont have to go inside of it" She giggled as a man stepped out of the crowd, she recognized him from his rather plump figure as the king. He shouted something, "I'm sorry I cannot hear you...come closer great King" She smiled as he walked up the slope of her stomach, nearing her breasts, "Go on...I won't fight" She urged as he scrambled up the slope. She watched as he crested the hill of her bosom.

"You cannot do this!" He roared, "You may be able to use your foul magic against a city with no defenses, but the others will stop you!"

She rolled her eyes, "I think not, and the Neko will never intervene...and once I am ready they too will meet your fate"

"You cannot supply your greedy plots! We are aware of your magic and we know that it is sapping your resources!"

She shrugged, "Not really...and the smart ones will simply join without a fight"

"As if you gave us a chance to resist!" The king roared again, "You will meet your end soon enough you murderous wench!"

The Queen glared at him, "I know you are not throwing names at me...You are not even an insect!" Her hand lowered towards him, pinching his legs between her thumb and forefinger, "Prepare to be lost in the caverns within me little king, hopefully your people will learn from you as an example!" She opened her mouth and dropped the tiny body inside, hardly feeling it drop against her tongue. She swallowed, a little disappointed that one body hardly sent the excited squirms that she desired.

"Now" She started, staring at the rest, "Pleasure me or you will be joining your king in my stomach!" She lowered her hand down between her legs, grinning as they reluctantly shuffled down her stomach. Impatient with their hesitations she started to grab them and simply slide them within her, her womanhood like an enormous cavern to them. She leaned back, her free hand grazing along her now empty stomach, her other hand making sure no one got out as the massive crowd within her squirmed. She arched her back and squirmed with delight, moaning loudly not much caring if her shouts could be heard from beyond the castle walls...she owned all of this now.

~~~~

Darius watched as Luthor and the others made their way down the path. He turned to where the others stood, staring at him.

"Alright" He said, "So we understand the plan?"

Nika nodded, "I will take you and Rodrick to the castle...we free Brooke and then make sure Luthor and his army survive the night"

"Right" He glared at Wendy, "And you will be?"

She sighed, "Keeping Sarah company"

"That's right"

Sarah rushed towards his side, "Please be careful" She nearly sobbed, "I am so frightened"

Darius rested a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, you will be Queen by tomorrow morning"

He walked over to Nika, who laid out a hand with a smile. He hopped up, nodding towards Rodrick who clung to her other hand.

~~~~

The Queen sighed, staring down between her legs, she felt a few squirming still inside but pulled her panties on anyway. She stared down at the soaking mass, still struggling to gain their footing on her bed, "Now what to do with you?" She slowly gathered them into a bowl, most were still alive or at least conscious, "I'm afraid you cannot escape your current fate" She sighed sarcastically, "I think I know what must be done" She grinned, lifting the bowl into the air. A collective terrified scream broke out as her lips set against the rim. Her eyes watched in delight as the mass started to slip towards her mouth. Her mouth widened as they scrambled near the bottom of the slope, she felt the first couple squirming bodies fall onto her tongue.

The terrified people watched as the queens massive teeth passed over head, struggling against one another as they now stood on the flat of her giant tongue! Her taste buds were as large as their heads, if not larger! The saliva coated suface started to pull them backwards, her tongue turning into a "U" Shape as she funneled them towards her throat. She felt the first tiny specs enter her throat and swallowed, again and again. She nearly laughed as she imagined the populace of an entire castle now slipping down her throat! The power was overwhelming.

The Queen grinned at the empty bowl, playfully tonguing at the few that remained in her mouth, just tiny little crumbs. She rose to her feet, slipping back into her high heels and made her way down the spiraling steps.

~~~~

Brooke snarled as she heard the loud footsteps reenter the courtyard.

"Hello my giant sorceress" She said happily, Brooke glared at her. She had tried to use her magic to free herself but found that a row of sorcerers have been constantly blocking her powers, she was helpless.

The Queen tapped her foot impatiently as four soldiers carted out a tall wooden staircase. At the top a long wooden plank stretched out a few feet from the base. Brooke felt the chains righten around her, the one that had loosely hung over her chest suddenly pulled her back to the wall painfully. The queen smiled as she walked up the wooden steps, two armed guards close behind her.

"Now" She started, "I hope you have reconsidered my offer"

"What offer?!" Brooke spat, her neck straining as she was pinned to the wall.

The queen laughed, "So I take it there is nothing I can say that will get you onto my side"

"Make me queen" Brooke said with a forced grin.

The queen scoffed, "Now we both know that would be silly" She leaned against a wooden railing, "So I guess you might need a bit of...coaxing"

Brooke grimaced, "You may as well just kill me-"

"No, I don't think that will be necessary" The Queen snapped her fingers, a guard ducked into a small square room, "You say you are acting in the best interest of your" She scoffed at this, "Kingdom? A sorceress who has lived along the outskirts all her short life here, trading stolen goods with a murderous thief? You do not fool me Brooke, you only care for yourself"

Brooke only continued to glare at her, watching as the soldier reemerged from the room, a large crate in his hands.

"Thank you dear" The queen said sweetly, kicking the large box in front of her. It sounded strange for such a young women to refer to a man in his mid forties as "dear". "I have these boxes all over, credit given to that fun little toy you had given us" She flashed Brooke a grin, "We have been quite successful at copying them, even altering them, you might be intrigued to know that I had fit the entire population of the Rudian castle in a box even smaller than this one" She grinned as Brooke's eyes widened.

"Y-You will be stopped" Brooke muttered.

"Oh? You would not believe how much pleasure a small city can bring to a women" She sighed, "Though they aren't very filling" She tapped her stomach with her finger.

"Y-You didn't" Brooke gasped.

"Oh I did, and I plan on doing it again, perhaps with two villages this time?" She shrugged.

"Are you insane?" Brooke snapped, "No that is a dumb question, you are most definitely out of your mind"

"Am I? I have accomplished more in under a month than any worthless King that stood before me!"

"You have only murdered and overtaken a small defenseless province!"

"And you think our expansion will stop there?"

"In order to do what you have done your resources must already be strained-"

"A problem that is easily fixed" She said with another shrug, "Now, I think it is in both of our interests if you just stop being stubborn and join our side...I will even allow you control a province all for yourself! You must be interested to know what this sort of power feels like"

Brooke thought back, "Trust me I can imagine, but you are abusing-" She shook her head, "For gods sake you ate an entire..."

"I wouldn't say ate" The queen smirked, "I see my stomach as an advanced dungeon, perhaps if they are lucky I will grant them freedom"

"They were innocent..."

"No, they stood up against their new leaders" The queen shook her head, as if the concept was easy enough for a child to understand, "Anyway, I thought you might be getting a little hungry" Brookes eyes widened as she opened the box.

"I wont"

The Queen grinned, lifting a tiny squirming figure, about a foot in height, "Oh you will...otherwise I will just drop him off the edge here" The tiny woman screamed, "Though I don't think the dogs will mind"

Brookes lip quivered, she prayed for something, anything to happen.

"Don't worry, I won't make you decide right now, you see you have not been loyal as of yet, and well..I don't let that go unpunished" She nodded towards the sorcerers who stepped forward. Brooke gagged as her head was slammed back into the wall, her eyes watered...her jaw slowly opening against her will...

~~~~

Nika followed the larger army through the forest, breaking off from the group when Darius instructed her, they needed to slip behind the conflict. The Neko moved silently, even at her size her steps made nearly no noise as they moved around broken homes and abandoned farms.

"It's so barren" She gasped, "Not a fire in sight"

"Most fled, those who were lucky enough to get away" Rodrick commented.

"You can see the castle from here" Darius said, nodding to the orange glow in the distance, the walls were not visible, just the isolated orange firelight against the black skies. They fell silent, the sudden rumble of cries echoes through the silent night, followed shortly by a high pitch clanging, "They have started"

Brooke gagged, tears flowing freely down her cheeks now. She wanted to make herself vomit as she felt the tiny squirms and kicks slip into her throat against her will, and another pair now fell on her tongue.

The Queen grinned, watching as one of her sorcerers pushed the tiny foot tall prisoner deeper into the massive maw that could easily swallow someone over six feet tall with little thought. The orange torch light just barely shimmered off the flesh at the back of Brooke's throat, which desperately tried to cough and push the tiny people away but reluctantly swallowed them down, one by one. Soon the box was empty, Brooke had been force fed five tiny prisoners.

"So, it does seem that there is an ounce of pity in your heart" The Queen smirked.

Brooke held her eyes closed, the strange giant tears flowed from her eyes beading up on her lower jaw and dripping much like rain drips from the side of a roof.

"You can save more of them, if you wish" The Queen started, smiling as Brooke's blue eyes suddenly locked onto her from behind a glaze of tears, "You must only become my servent, to no one else but me. In fact you will rise in your social rank. I don't see how you can deny me this"

Brooke sniffled, "I will not serve a murderer" She stammered, "My choice does not effect these peoples fate! You would have them sent to similar deaths! You know the spell on the cuffs is irreversible!"

"Oh but they do not have to be deaths, I can still feel that castle squirming within me, some perhaps already slipping beyond my stomach. But my body is small...if I were to perhaps slip some even smaller residents into your depths they would surely be lost forever within you, to stumble blindly in that hot dungeon for seemingly miles before passing from dehydration or perhaps they would drown somewhere deep within your gut!"

Brooke tried to shake the image out of her mind, hardly able to picture what a terrible place it must be for someone so small. She had carried people within her before, but there was always the certainty that she would be able to release them, now it seemed that they were doomed to perish inside of her.

The Queen grinned, "Go fetch me another box"

Brooke watched as the soldier left, returning once again with a smaller box. His feet thumped up the steps as he presented his Queen with another box, just slightly smaller than the one from before. She smiled widely as she opened the top, "Oh excellent choice" She looked up to Brooke, reaching inside. She pulled her hand out, holding a man hardly over an inch in height, "Can you see? There are many of them in here, we had turned many of those revolutionaries into this"

Brooke could only just make out the squirming figure in the queens hand, she screamed as once again her head was slammed to the wall, her jaw creaking open. The Queen stepped forward with the box in hand, she tossed the tiny man from her hand deep into the monstrous maw, he was hardly a spec against her tongue. She laughed as she started to tilt the box over inside, emptying the occupants onto Brooke's tongue.

~~~~

Luthor stood, encircled by his men. They cast off the oncoming forces rather easily, though he worried that the militia was not fairing as well. They had pushed the forces back into the city, the castle walls in sight, he hoped that they would be receiving the much needed aid from Brooke and Nika soon.

~~~~

"Alright, push them in!" The Queen smiled excitedly, stepping aside for her sorcerer.

Everything went quiet, the Sorcerers cloaked flapped as he plummeted to the ground, knocked clean off the wooden platform. The Queen looked up in shock.

~~~~

Nika grinned, "Now boys!" She called out, quickly twisting her hands and bringing them together, the group of sorcerers on the ground collided with each other, "I've got these guys"

Darius and Rodrick twisted the massive wooden spoked wheels that loosened the chains around Brooke's arms, chest and legs. She glared down at the Queen fire in her eyes. The Queen screamed as she reached her hand forward, engulfing her quickly.

Darius hurried down the spiraled steps towards the courtyard, dodging a sword from a panicked guard. He easily slipped the black blade into the mans gut and stepped away, sending him clanging to the earth. The rest of the guards were quick to surrender, especially under the gaze of Nika and a now free'd Brooke.

Darius turned towards Brooke, who had the Queen now pinned beneath her feet, she was going to crush her! "Brooke!" He called out, "Stop!"

Brooke stared down at him as he ran over, holding the tiny people in her mouth still. She looked towards the Queen, realizing how many lives she pinned beneath her foot. She moved it away slowly and burst into tears again.

"It's okay, we've got you" Darius said, allowing her to lift him off the ground.

He was a little surprised when she opened her mouth, "Get them out!" She cried, holding the crowd of fifty or more inch tall prisoners on her tongue. Darius's eyes widened at the scene, but he nodded, taking the box she gave him and stepping towards her lip. He gently plucked the tiny people up and set them inside the box to safety.

"Anyone else in there?" He called, nearly laughing as a tiny figure scrambled from somewhere near her throat, sliding down the slope of the tongue into his hand. He set the final prisoner into the box, "Alright Brooke they are safe"

She shook her head, "S-She made me eat more"

"Oh no..." Darius said grimly.

"T-They are still in my stomach, they were larger"

He sighed, "Someone get me a rope"

~~~~

Darius squirmed, once again enclosed by darkness. He slid into the wide open stomach, blinking in the darkness, "Alright, anyone who is in here come to my voice"

"Y-You've come to set us free?" A female voice called from the black.

"Yes, hurry now, I know there is five of you"

He felt tiny arms cling to his, gathering them up until he counted five. He tugged on the rope.

Nika cringed a bit as she tugged the rope up from Brooke's throat slowly, sighing as she was able to set Darius back on the ground.

Darius set the five tiny prisoners down, "Alright, Rodrick come with me, Nika you and Brooke go do what you can, find that battle!" He smirked at the Queens unconscious body, she had fainted, "And someone coax this whore into throwing up the people inside of her"

~~~~

Luthor batted away blow after blow, his circle had collapsed and they were now fighting time. They turned as a wall of flame suddenly erupted behind the enemy line. A cheer rang out as Nika and Brooke stood over the batte field, the Queens army was quick to surrender.

Darius made his way through the castle, he and Rodrick fighting off the few guards that remained loyal inside. Many had already dropped their spears and armor in hopes of being spared any repercussions that might befall the losing army.

Darius emerged onto the battle field, "It seems we made it just in time" He mumbled looking over the mass of bodies.

"Perhaps not fast as we could have hoped for" Rodrick said with a sigh.

"H-Help" A weak voice called from below them.

They both looked down, a young face stared up at them from beneath the body of an overly large fallen royal guard. Darius and Rodrick pushed the body off him. The young man laid there for a moment, there was a long cut along his chest.

"A-Am I going to die?" He gasped.

Darius knelt down, the wound was a little ugly, though hardly even a flesh wound, the bleeding was almost non-existent, "No, you're alright" He said grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet.

"D-Did we win?"

"Yes, it is over, what is your name...and how old are you?"

"I am Jeremy, I am sixteen...why?"

~~~~

"A farmer you say?" Darius asked with a grin, leaning back against Brooke's stomach as she carried them back towards the Neko territory.

Jeremy nodded, "I had not even held a sword before this"

"Did you use it?"

"Once"

Rodrick laughed, "Until you were pinned?"

Jeremy hung is head, "Yes..."

Darius patted the embarrassed farm boy on the back, "Don't be ashamed, you took down a bear of a man!"

"Do not tease him" Brooke warned, though with a smile.

"I'm not! I was being honest" Darius laughed.

"Brooke! Nika!" Wendy's voice squealed in delight. Her eyes widened as she saw the passengers, "Oh and Darius and Rodrick!" She eyed Jeremy, "Who is this?" She gasped, "Oh are you hurt!" She scooped Jeremy into her hands, "Oh my gosh you were in the battle?!"

Darius smiled up to Brooke, who just shook her head, "Why don't you make sure he's alright? He had quite the fight today"

Wendy nodded, "Right away" She hurried off towards the village.

Brooke set Darius and Rodrick on the ground. Nika quickly swept Rodrick up, grinning slightly as she took off to be alone with him.

"Bye" Brooke said with a sigh as the Neko disappeared over a hill.

"Are you alright?" Darius asked.

"My shoulders ache"

"Want a massage?" He asked with a smile.

"Could you?" She said lifting him back up, giggling as he went to work like he had that night, "Thanks for saving me...again"

"Again?"

She sighed, "Yes, don't you remember when we met?"

Darius laughed, "So you finally admit it!"

"Don't rub it in" She laughed, falling silent again as Darius worked his way across her shoulder.

"So, I guess it's over"

Brooke nodded, "You think your father is finally avenged?"

Darius shrugged, "I think so...though I still doubt he would be happy with what I have done"

"Everyone makes mistakes Darius...you kept me from making one today" She smiled softly, "Well, here comes Sarah"

"Right" Darius nodded, allowing her to lift him back down onto the grass. He waved as Brooke walked away towards a large fire that had been set in the forest.

"Darius!" Sarah said flinging her arms around his shoulder, "You are okay? Everything is well?"

Darius nodded, "Some lives were lost, but now that I have seen what she was truly up too...it seems so many more were saved"

Sarah sighed, "I...I think I have decided"

Darius leaned back, she clutched his hands within hers.

"I love you Darius, I cannot help that. You have set me free, and likewise now you have let my people know freedom once more"

"I hardly acted on my own"

"When I was with Luthor, in the palace he offered me his hand. He told me that rarely a night went by where he did not think of me since we met, and admittedly I had felt the same way about him" She took a deep breath, "And it would seem as well that marrying him would be the best move for me and our kingdom"

"Do you love him?"

Sarah's eyes met his.

~~~~

Brooke sat silently, watching as the logs slowly melted away into crackling red ashes. She heard footsteps crush over the fallen leaves. She turned to see Darius, slowly walking towards the fire. She smiled at him, "So, am I looking at a king?"

Darius knelt sat beside her, "No"

She gasped, "But...why?"

~~~~

"I do love him" Sarah said, her eyes shimmering, "But...I love you too"

"Then how have you decided?"

"I guess I am still split" She admitted, "But, I don't think I can deny what you want"

Darius nodded, "Then I want you to go with Luthor"

She pulled Darius close, lifting herself onto her toes as she kissed him, "I understand" She whispered, "Thank you Darius...for everything"

~~~~

"So, you let her go with who she would be most happy?" Brooke asked.

"Yes, she and Luthor had fallen in love, even he had expressed to me his love for her"

"But what about you?"

Darius shrugged, "There has only been one women for me" He stood, "Brooke...I know what I did was probably unforgivable, but if you are willing to give me just this one last chance"

"Oh Darius..." She said softly.

Darius stared at his feet, "But every day that we grew further apart my heart was torn, I thought I would be content with merely just being friends again but I am afraid-" He felt pressure on his sides. His eyes shifted upwards, that smile, the one he had not seen since that night they had first met.

"I do!" She whispered, bringing him to her lips gently, "Oh Darius I do!" She sniffed as she held him to her cheek, pulling him away for a moment, "But...I will probably always be this way"

Darius shrugged, "I think I like you better at this size"

Brooke laughed, kissing him again and again.

~~~~

Darius leaned back against Brooke's stomach, grinning widely as the oddly warm fall sun beat down on his face. He glanced to his left, Nika lay on her side talking quietly with Rodrick. He turned to his right, Wendy clutched the farmer boy, her new hero, in her lap. He laughed as he noticed the boys hair stood a little up off his head. He nodded as Sarah and Luthor soon joined the group. Luthor called him over, he complied Brooke gently helping him down onto the grass.

"A word?" Luthor asked quietly, smiling towards Sarah. Once they were far enough away he spoke, "You are a good man Darius"

"As are you"

"I wanted to thank you...I know that I was Sarah's second choice-"

Darius shook his head, "No, I only helped her realize that you were her first" He patted the neko on the shoulder, "Just be kind to her" He glanced over his shoulder, "You know I have a knack for removing Kings from their throne"

Luthor looked frightened for a moment, but smiled as Darius laughed, patting him on the back. They returned to the group, Darius climbed back into Brooke's lap with a sigh of relief.

~~~~

The following year Sarah and Luthor were officially King and Queen, though within the short months that followed they had abolished the monarch system. It did not take long to rebuild and then expand their kingdom with the added wealth of the Neko's empire. Soon more kingdoms wished to be part of their system. Sarah kept her friends close by her side, using their continued guidance to help reshape her kingdom.

Elizabeth would have lived to see the rise of Sarah, passing happily not too long after the marriage.

Darius stood silently beside her grave, Brooke looking over his shoulder. He knelt down, she had been buried along with the many fallen heros and knights of their kingdom. He grazed his thumb over her name, somehow he felt that all of this was made possible by this woman. He nodded as he rose to his feet smiling up to Brooke.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked laying her hand down next to him.

He nodded, sitting back onto her hand with a smile, "Yeah lets go home, I'm hungry"

"You get to eat after my foot rub" Brooke said with a grin as they started walking.

"What am I? Your slave?"

"No, even better, you are my husband. You must do what ever I ask and no complaining!"

Darius laughed, "Oh, alright...Mistress Brooke"

"Hey! Mock me and I'll eat you!" She giggled.