Chapter 1
Once upon a time there lived a very powerful goddess, Elowen. Though she cared for the land and kept it in order, she longed to live as one with the humans she tended to. So, she took the form of a mortal, and blended in among the mortals. During her time as one, she fell in love with a king, but was heartbroken upon realizing he loved another: his queen.
Enraged by the king's rejection, the goddess cursed the King's bloodline for his male firstborns to be infertile. With this, she hoped the kingdom would slowly crumble with no more heirs to the throne. However, they simply passed down the role of king to the next children, which remained a tradition until hundreds of years later…
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Year 1423, a very peaceful morning in the Flarite kingdom.
"Your highness, you shouldn't go in! His Majesty is working!", one of the knights blocking the way to the king's study exclaimed. Enraged, the crown prince trying to barge in shoved the guards away.
"Ron, Let me go! I need to speak to my father!" He protested as the two knights fell to the ground. He immediately flung the doors open, eyes wide in shock and annoyance.
"Father! What in the name of Elowen is going on, huh?!" He panted, slightly out of breath from the previous tussle.
"My, all of this commotion so early in the morning Caleb." The king replied evenly, continuing to flip through his paperwork. The prince scoffed, storming over to his father's desk. He slammed it, enraged, the papers the king was reading flying off from the impact.
"What's this about marrying my little sister off?! Explain it this instant, old man!" He demanded. The king sighed, standing up to walk towards the couch.
"A prince should keep his composure at all times, Caleb." He noted. Once he sat down, he gestured for Caleb to do the same.
"I have instructed the maids to bring us some tea."
Caleb dragged himself over. He sat down with a huff, folding his arms over his chest.
"Now tell me. What is going on?" He asked, after recomposing himself (barely).
"Son, as my firstborn, I want you to be my heir. However, I assume you already know that you are infertile…" Caleb raised an eyebrow as his father trailed off.
"Yes because of-"
"Because of the goddess, Elowen's curse." Caleb scoffed, glaring at his father. "Yeah, the whole 'infertile firstborn' thing. I'm just filling in as the crown prince till Matheo's old enough. Now what does that have to do with marrying my little sister off?"
"The kingdom of Eron", the King silently muttered.
"The Kingdom of what?"
"Nevermind. I will tell you once the preparations for your sister are finished." The king dismissed, rising from his seat to resume his duties. "Now go, I have a meeting to attend to."
"What?! Are you seriously marrying off Ellaine?!" Caleb cried to his father, ignoring him as he headed towards his table.
"Fine then. If that's how it's supposed to be, I shall be the crown prince no more." He proclaimed dramatically. He bowed mockingly before turning away and striding towards the door. As he expected, he felt himself being dragged down as his father hugged his waist, sobbing frantically.
"NO! Not you, I can't have you abandoning your role! Not now!" A smirk crept onto Caleb's face, delighted his plan worked. "Now father, what is it you want to tell me?" He asked innocently, looking down at the king
Meeting his son's gaze, he realized he fell right into the prince's trap. I swear, he thought, he's too much like his mother.
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"Your majesty I'll leave this here." The butler lays down a large piece of paper in the table, a map of the land. With the kingdoms drawn on the map, Caleb examines it closely and sees his father pointing at a specific kingdom. The kingdom of Eron.
"The king of this empire is the man Ellaine will be marrying into; in five days the king will be throwing a ball to select noble women that are of marriageable age that will catch his eye and be the potential queen of Eron. Hence, the queen selection, there he will pick his queen among them. I will be sending Ellaine to Eron to catch his majesty's eye and be selected as the next queen." His father explained.
"How does that benefit us?" Caleb asked—confused, still not understanding the intent of his father.
His Majesty hands him a very old looking book, brown with gold borders around it. The book had no title written on it. So, he opens the book very gently as it might rip with just the smallest tug. Written on the very first page of the book is "Zel?" Caleb asked.
His majesty then answered. "A very mysterious, yet magical fruit, also known as the fruit of fertility. Not many people know about it, but it belongs to the kingdom of Eron.This fruit is gifted to the queen of Eron by the king himself after their wedding. For the Queen to consume on their wedding night and be blessed with fertility. However, this fruit only appears after every fifty years and this is the year that the tree is bearing its fruit. That is the reason why the king is now looking for a queen. We believe that if you eat this fruit, it can cure our bloodline's curse, and you can be the rightful heir to the throne."
Bewildered by his father's words, Caleb took a step back, "So, you're doing this so I can become king?"
"Caleb, my son, you have led many battles to victory. You have helped a lot of people because of your wisdom and have improved our kingdom for the past few years since taking on the title of crown prince. You are fit to rule." His majesty answered, hoping that his son would understand. "Your sister is also happy to be able to help you and our kingdom." He added.
"Ellaine is?" Caleb asked, pitying his little sister.
"Yes, she is. So please understand that we're all doing this for you.", as he lightly pats his son's shoulder.
"I understand father." He replied.
In relief his father let out a sigh, "Thank yo––", but it seems that he shouldn't be relieved yet.
Caleb then cut him off, "However, I will be meeting this so-called king that she has to marry, to see for myself if he truly is suited for my sister! You say that the ball will be held in five days, right? Then I shall depart to Eron tomorrow. You cannot refuse or I will permanently withdraw my right as the heir." He then said his goodbyes and quickly rushed out the room to meet his sister and mother, leaving his father speechless, unable to say a word.
"Haaa… How did I raise a child like that." He asks himself.
"Hoho. Well, he takes after the empress a lot." The butler replied as he went inside the room.
Meanwhile, inside the empress's quarters the princess of Flarite is weeping very loudly. Slumped down in her mother's lap, bawling her eyes, her dark black hair resting on her back laying all the way to the floor. With polished glass like brown skin that is complemented by her silk lilac dress. While her mother, the empress's elegant and caring hand gently pats her head as comfort.
"Your majesty the empress, the crown prince is here to see you." One of the maids declared.
Startled, the princess, Ellaine quickly wiped her tears and stood up, away from her mother's lap. "Let him in." The empress ordered.
Caleb then goes inside the room, " Caleb, welcome home." Both welcomed him with open arms ready for an embrace. Caleb hugs both of them, with a warm smile, "I'm home mother." He then looks to Ellaine.
"Have you been crying?" he asked worriedly.
"No, I haven't." Ellaine replies arrogantly, disregarding that her red puffy eyes are obviously noticeable.
"I talked to father, I know what's going on. Why didn't you stop him?" as he looked towards his mother.
"I shouldn't be here then if I didn't stop him, did I?" the empress replied.
"She already tried to but he wouldn't listen and insisted on it." Ellaine added as she sniffled.
"We had a fight." The empress said with annoyance in her face.
Caleb is shocked by the turn of events. Since, his father would always listen to their mother, scared that she might get angry at him and would always ignore him for days. Since his majesty loved the empress with all his heart. But this time his father didn't listen and fought with the empress. Caleb then looked to his sister.
"Ellaine…"
"Brother, I don't wanna get married yet." Ellaine muttered crying as she hugged him.
Pitying his younger sister Caleb told them what he said to his majesty, "I bought us some time, I will speak to the King of Eron and turn down the invitation for the marriage and stay there until the selection is over."
"Caleb, he wants you to be king." The empress replied as an objection to his plan.
"It's okay, I am only keeping this position until Matheo is of age." He replied.
"I see, so he hasn't told you yet." Her majesty let out a sigh.
"Told me what?" Caleb asked with curious eyes.
The empress then told him the story of his little brother for the past year that Caleb was away for the war. His brother Matheo, last year when he turned sixteen decided to join the magic tower to study magic and theories of great magicians, announcing that he forfeits his right on the throne leaving the responsibility to rule to his brother. Within that year, he rose to the rank as the next lord of the magic tower at the age of seventeen. Completely cutting off his right to rule. Leaving Caleb, the firstborn as the next king, having the people question the future of the kingdom, for making someone that cannot bear a child be the next king. Which concludes the story of Matheo, the very competent lord of the magic tower leaving his very impotent brother to rule.
"He did what?!" Caleb shouted in anger. "Well, he is my brother alright achieving that great feat in the span of a year." He muttered to himself as he crossed his arms. "But he left us with this problem to solve just by leaving his duties as the next crown prince!" Stressing on the events that had happened. And even putting her sister's freedom on the line for it, that ungrateful brat! He thinks to himself scrunching his eyebrows.
Leaving a sigh Caleb then suggested "I will go to Eron and try to convince the king to give us Zel in exchange for anything except marriage, this will be our last resort. If it doesn't work there is no other way but to steal it––"
"Caleb!" The Empress shouted, cutting him off.
"Mother, but there is no other way." He insisted.
"We cannot start a war because of this. We only defend our kingdom, we never start wars." The empress reminded him with a firm tone.
"I understand. I'll try my best to convince the king of Eron." Lowering his voice implying that he follows his mother's words.
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It was now the time for Caleb's departure to the Kingdom of Eron. The people in the palace are busy getting ready for the prince's departure.
In the bustling morning a loud voice was heard throughout the palace. "I am not wearing that!" It was Caleb.
"Please Caleb, you have to wear it. We cannot send a man on the Eron ball, that is disrespectful to the king looking for a bride." His majesty pleaded.
"Father, even if I do wear it, I'll still look like a man! I mean Just look at me." Caleb's response wasn't wrong. Even though he had put on many disguises throughout his whole life he has never disguised himself as a woman. Since Caleb's body was more of a muscular build and a height being taller than most, with dark brown skin, black hair and blue eyes, he is viewed as a very handsome man by all of the people in their kingdom. And due to swordsman training and battles he had been through, he will easily stick out like a sore thumb, it wouldn't even be convincing.
"Well, I do know that." His Majesty let out a sigh. Then hands him a bottle with a very suspicious purple colored liquid. "Drink it." His Majesty instructed him.
"What?" Caleb asked in disbelief.
"Drink it." His father repeated.
" You want me to drink that?!" He asked once again—enraged and full of doubt.
"Yes." His father replied nonchalantly.
"Do you want to kill me?!" Convinced that his father is truly wanting to kill him.
"No, I'm not trying to, just drink it. " His majesty then hands him the bottle. Caleb, unwillingly takes it.
He then opens the bottle and sniffs it. Checking if it has poison on it. Then he slowly lifts the bottle to his mouth and drinks it. As the water flowed down his throat, he could feel the sensation of his throat burning. He then begins to feel dizzy and as he looks down to the ground, he sees it nearing his sight, he thought that he might be falling down but that happens to not be the case. He then feels his clothes getting larger, using his hands to stop it from falling off. That is when he notices that the clothes aren't growing but he is getting shorter, as he feels his chest growing. He is not simply getting a smaller build but him turning into a–– he quickly runs towards the mirror.
"Ellaine?!" Caleb has now turned into an Ellaine. "What is going on? "
"I asked your dear brother for this yesterday, he specifically made this for you. It is a potion that could turn you into a woman." his majesty answered, proud of what his son had done. "Then why am I Ellaine?" Caleb asked, suppressing his anger. His Father then replied in a hushed tone. "Matheo couldn't make the potion without something to base it on… So he used you as a base reference and altered your characteristics similar to your sister. You are not Ellaine but a female version of yourself and since you two are siblings it's not a surprise for you to look like your sister."
His father then made way for the maids and the empress. It seems that they've made up––for the time being. The maids were holding various dresses, the empress then picked a dark teal dress with very detailed flower design among all of them. Caleb then thought that it was a very beautiful dress even for him, someone who isn't very well versed in women's fashion.
The empress handed the dress to the maids, "Try this on." Caleb was then escorted by the maids inside the dressing room dragging his clothes that were too big for him. As they got inside the dressing room the maids then took off his clothes.
Since he is normally served by men, being clothed by women at his age is truly humiliating. But He is now a woman, it is a given that the maids should dress him. "Agghh!" "Please don't!" "No!" screams and pleadings in desperation were heard, throughout the time he was changing.
After a while he then walks out the dressing room, looking very beautiful in the dark teal dress. Caleb feels very satisfied with what he looks like right now. "Change him again, with this dress." The empress then handed another dress, this time with a sage green color. Upset, Caleb wanted to complain but unfortunately, it's his mother, so he then headed back into the dressing room and prepared himself for another embarrassing moment.
Round 2; "Agghh!" "Please don't!" "No!" This series was repeated five more times.
"My! How beautiful! Darling, you look like a goddess." The empress exclaims marveling at Caleb—as if saying no to the last seven dresses didn't happen. Now wearing a burnt orange dress, with white laces, embroidered flower patterns and layers. He looked very elegant and beautiful, the color complemented his brown skin and the dress showed wonderful figure. With this Caleb is finally ready to depart.
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"I ordered the servants to pack for you, there are different designer dresses for different occasions in your luggage , be sure to contact us when you're there, I put the crystal in the suitcase." The empress worriedly rambles , nervous for her son to go to another kingdom.
"Mother, it's fine I'm not a child I can handle myself." Caleb reassures his mother. "But you are a girl right now you have to take extra care of yourself. I have prepared for you five maids to assist you on your stay there."
Shocked that the words " you are a girl" would ever come out of his mother's mouth. Caleb still reassured her that he is fine. "I don't need maids, mother I can handle myself."
"At least bring three of them with you." The empress insisted, stubbornly. "No, I'm fine." He stood firm on his words.
"Then… Can you put on the dresses that I gave you, know on what occasions you can wear them, brush and style your hair?" She asked, knowing what the answer was.
"One." Reluctant, Caleb replied, admitting his defeat.
"Two." The empress added.
"One, that is final." He said, unyielding.
"Fine." The empress grumbled.
"Goodbye, brother, I will miss you so much." Ellaine sniffled, hugging his brother. "Me too." Caleb replied. "It's kind of awkward talking to you looking like that." Ellaine added, teasing his brother with a chuckle, to lighten up the mood. "Haha. Tell me about it." What do you mean awkward this is truly uncomfortable! And this dress is too hot and tight; how can my beautiful lovely sister survive in this. Caleb thought to himself while faking a smile.
Caleb then set on to the Kingdom of Eron to meet the king, for him to convince. His parents and siblings then wished him luck on his journey. Yes, as well as Matheo, he wished him luck too…
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However, for Caleb that isn't the plan.
Do they seriously think that I'm going to talk sense to the king? Bullshit, you can't talk sense to a condescending person especially a King at that. I'm stealing that fruit whether they like it or not. They can't start a war if they don't know who they are starting it with. I just got to steal it secretly without anyone finding out. While I'm at it, now that I'm Ellaine I can just sabotage the selection process and it's a win. Do they really think that I can just give away my sister? Well bad news for them I won't. Just wait and see mother and father. Your son is going home with another glorious victory!
My… what a very dangerous plan. What is going to happen next in his journey to the Kingdom of Eron.
To be continued…