While you’d been out . . .

Zeliseth

"You want me, a centaur, to take you into the heart of Allaria?!" I had asked, more than a bit taken aback at the request.

I remember being utterly stunned that anyone with any knowledge of the "Great Kingdom" views on nonhumans would ask me (now decidedly a nonhuman being) to GO there. I then have a moment of bemusement (if only within myself) that I’ve come to accept myself as a nonhuman (and male at that).

THEN, I am staring at them when they tell me just WHY they are here and what has happened with my nation’s . . . dubious neighboring nation to the North!

Good God in His Heavens!!

The fact that that one knight--the last human being I saw before today- -had been transformed himself into a nonhuman was just a bit of icing on the cake!!

. . .

It’s almost a big of boot to the head as my brief flirtation with the Kingdom of the Kind Ones!

. . .

But the thing here is that after what I’ d been through today and who I have met to vouch for these people (Robin Goodfellow for one vouching) AND these people are the only way to meet the woman who has my heart . . .

. . . . .

Uh, sorry. Kind of got lost in daydreams there.

. . . .

Then again, by the looks these strangers are giving each other it somehow strikes me (as strange as it sounds) seems to say that (as insane as it sounds) they’re not surprised about my development.

. . .

Then again, these are people (such an ODD mixture of races) have STRANGE stories themselves. Such strange. . .

. . .

Hm, I believe I’ll fit in fine here (IF I can win Frieda’s hand).

Well enough. One thing at a time! So into a now very changed land which no longer can be called Allaria to "obtain" the knight who’d tried to save me (and I could have fallen for, something within tells me) and his . . . Mate? . . . .wife? We must "obtain" Fred and Alicia and do it in such a way that a massive backlash does NOT happen (and my human sister and her human friends get caught up in it).

Well . . . . I always DID love a challenge . . .

At least I’m going to be able to help as a guide. In my earlier incarnation (a human woman) I’d visited the court and other important diplomatic spots on a few diplomatic forays.

So as I trot along with the others (how natural it now seems) I tell them about some of the major towns and cities we might find supplies to buy and sell (they DO have to maintain their cover) and I’m about to ask about Frieda when . . .

1. "Princess Astra!" a voice calls out. "You’re alive!"

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