NOVEL SIMPLE Guilt and Consequences
It had been three weeks since I had Been Tortured, transformed, and Raped. And I was starting to get used to my new body... but I still freeze in fear When I see a Guardsman. Even though it was only a few, The wizards Personal guards, I couldn't help it. The kids and Granny were a huge help, and I started Trying to Find a job again... I had been Free for two days when The Twins came to apologise for getting me arrested... And Granny chewed them out.
They had Been Orphans themselves once, Until they were adopted by a wealthy merchant who needed an heir to his Empire, but was quite Unattractive. Honestly, the word Piggish could be used, but that would insult the pigs.
According to the man himself, He was once used to drive away a band of Roving Ogre Women, who were looking for mates... When told by the Guards that escorted him that He was The "most Handsome" man in the kingdom, These Ogres immediately Turned And left... One apparently even Started crying And Became ill. That was when he Realized That He'd never find a Willing Bride, and Looked into Adoption.
As An Apology, The twins brought A large Amount of New Clothes and Fabrics, for the children, Granny, And After learning Exactly what happened after my Arrest, me. But things were about to get worse.
I was In the garden, A small plot Beside the orphanage, Showing the kids How to properly care for the Herbs and Vegetables growing there, and how to differentiate an Herb From a Weed, Whenit happened. I became Violently ill. Petra, one of the oldest girls, Ran to get Granny... while the others started panicking... Heath, the oldest Boy, managed to calm the little ones down, but at only nine, I could see his barely Concealed Fear...
When Granny Arrived, She took one look at me, And told the kids to go inside... Then sent Petra to fetch the local Doctor.
Doc Stewart, a Beastman, Helped folks in the slums for free, and knew what had happened to me... after he examined me using his Scan Magic, He began Whispering with Granny.
"How do we break the news? After all that trauma, I'm afraid The poor kid Might lose Her mind."
"SIGH... I was afraid of that... when Petra told me Eina was Sick, I knew my fears had Come true. Ein was a Tough Lad, And Still has that. She'll be fine."
"Alright. I don't want to seem cowardly, Granny, but would you be in the room when I tell her? I may be a Lionman, But Something about that kid Scares me. As you've noticed."
"I have. And of course I will be there, Eina Will need a hand to hold... poor Child. And no way of knowing which one did it. At least not until..."
"Indeed."
I Was Feeling a bit Better when they Reentered the room. Until I saw the Trepidation on Doc's Face.
"Eina... I have some news. Its something you may be upset about... god, Especially considering you're Only Fifteen... but... sigh."
"Just Spit it out, you cowardly Lion! You men are such Chickens sometimes."
"Okay Okay! I'm sorry. This is just a very delicate situation. Sigh... Eina, I need to ask you... How much do you know about Humanoid Reproduction?"
I realized immediately what he was implying.
"No... NO! You cannot be serious! Please tell me this is a joke!"
"I'm afraid not. Eina, You Are... Well, You're going to become a Mother. As for who the father is, We won't know until the Child Is born. It will be on its Status. I'll Notify a Guardsman I trust to make sure, when that day comes, You receive Legal Compensation for what that particular Guard did to you. Because you Will have proof. I'm sorry it Resulted in this."
I felt Sick, Worse than I had this morning... My head started Spinning, And everything went black. I Fainted.
[Two months later, Julia POV]
We were fools. I had gotten Absorbed by Auron's Pace, And in the process I Accidentally Hurt someone I care deeply for... I didn't realize how much I'd Started Resenting Ein, until I returned to his tent to Ask him to leave... who am I kidding, I was going to stab him with a knife... i... When he wasnt there... I got mad... I have no idea why, nobody did, until Auron Realized something... I was mad, Murderously so, As were He And Seigfried... which was out of character. But Erik Wasn't. When I reported that Ein must have overheard us, and had left... Erik Clicked his tounge... And despite the rage, Auron noticed... So he waited for The next night, and Did a status Check on me, Seigfried, himself, And Erik... And found out the truth. We all showed the Status: Manipulated except Erik... whose Status read: Controlling. Our minds were being affected. In a rage, He killed Erik... And the Effect Ended... And everything came crashing down, the things I'd said, the things I'd planned... Auron and Seig Were dismayed that Their Companion would Do something so Cruel, But I was Devestated... My Lil Bro thinks I wanted to kill him, that I Hated him... And I had.... I realized that Erik's magic Was Using My Resentment to Affect my Emotions... But why did I resent Ein? It took a bit, but I realized it...
My entire life i felt Wrong... My body was wrong, My class was Right but my body wasnt... And on this Journey, I fought monsters and Miasma, Fought like A Saintess but still Fought... While Ein, the kid whose Class was Unknown, Was protected like a helpless Princess. I envied that. Here I was Fighting, in a body that felt wrong, while My Bro Got protected like a fair Maiden... after my Realization, I felt worse...
Two months into our journey, And Even Seigfried, who Disliked Ein the most put of the three of us, was complaining and cursing Erik's name. No more Warm Dinners, our Clothes and Shoes were threadbare and damaged, and Nothing was Clean anymore...
"Hey. Let's go Find Our Deadweight. Sorry. I mean, le6s go Find Ein. I didn't realize just how much he actually did for us."
"It's too late Seig. He's long gone, And Probably didn't even make it to a town... but if he did... it's where We are going." Auron was reading a letter delivered by Owl. "Hey Jules, Its Ready! The Potion Old Man Galen Was making to fix your body. We can ask around when we get there, and see if Ein made it."
It took another two months to Reach the Trade Town... And I was Pleased to find out that yes, A boy named Ein HAD made it there Four months ago. We were told to go ask around at the Orphanage in the slums, and decided to do so, before going to the Wizards.
I walked into the Orphanage Garden, And Asked An old woman about Him.
"Sorry, But The Lad is Gone. But... Well, its complicated. If you want more info, you can ask my Assistant. She's inside. But don't blame me if you dint get the answers you want."
So We went inside. And Upon seeing us, A young Girl who showed signs of Pregnancy Asked the children to go outside and play.
"Excuse me! I was told you might have information on my Brother. I... I need to find him, to apologize. I... sigh. I said some things I can't take back, Things that were Being Forced out of me by a Traitorous companions Magic... but fed by my actual Resentment... and he left... i... I'm Here just long enough to pick up a potion some Wizard Made for me, but... I really wanted to At least Apologize."
The girl looked at me with hatred in her eyes.
"Well... You're in luck, because That potion Definitely works. But how Dare you come in here All Contrite and apologetic? What gives you, ANY of you the right? I hate to tell you this, But Your Brother is Dead."
"What? How?" I was Shocked by her words...
"Well... he was arrested, Experimented on by a Wizard, then Raped by guardsmen in that wizards Employ, on his orders. He didn't Survive the Experimentation. Or the Rape. Hell, you could Say he Died the Moment He was Arrested."
"What are you saying?"
I was crying now... because I realized exactly what she was saying...
"What I'm Saying, Oh Great Hero Auron, Is that Wizard you are here to see Used poor Ein as a Test subject, torture Victim, And Sexual Plaything... Even AFTER Achieving Success with his potion. Ein Is Dead."
"No... no it... I'm Sorry, Ein!"
"What is this woman Saying?"
"Geeze boss, are you a total moron? Im a musclehead, and even I got it. Think! We never told her our names, yet she used yours."
"So what? I'm a hero, Everyone knows my name. But she's upset our Dear Julia, and I want to know Why!"
"Gods, Use your head man."
"What I mean, Meathead, is that you Are LUCKY Ein is Dead. Because if he wasn't, You wouldn't walk out of here unscathed."
"Is that a threat?"
"Gods, Shut up Auron! I... Auron, that wizard, Galen... could you kill him?"
"What? No. Not without sparking a War with the king."
"Then... I don't want his potion."
"Huh?"
I suddenly felt Arms Around my head.
"No. Dont Do that. Take the potion." And a whisper in my ear "I forgive you, Sis... I almost gave up during his experiments but... I fought to stay alive because the potion was for you... even though I hated you at that time... All is forgiven. But not Forgotten."
I cried on her Shoulder... Ein had always been able to do this, to make Me feel safe with just a hug... I hadn't realized how much I missed that... And now, I would likely never Have that again...
"Okay, I'm confused... Seig, what's going on? First this lady Yells at us, then threatens us... and now shes Comforting Julia..."
"Gods, you ARE a meathead. Take a close look at that Girls Face."
"Okay."
"Now... Make the hair Short, And Just Focus on the face... And think. She knew our names without introduction... including Ein's name, When we never said who we were looking for."
"But we did, Julia said she was looking for her brother, and... oh! Only We would know Her brothers name was Ein... so..."
I could almost hear the geats turning in his head.
"Holy Shit. SHE'S EIN! And wait... did she say Galen had Her Raped? And Tortured? That Sick Fuck! Now I get why Julia asked if I could kill him! Oh I wish i could! Or go back and kill Erik Again... Oh God, And Her State! Oh that absolute BASTARD."
"Hey, The meathead finally got it! Seriously, Julia, what Do you See in Him? How can someone whose supposed to be a Hero be so... Thickheaded?"
I couldn't help it... I laughed.
"It's not his fault. He just isn't very observant, that's all. But are you okay?"
"I will be. Eventually. I'm not suffering any I'll effects from the potion, anyway. Granny thinks this was meant to happen, though. Shes a Seeress, And sometimes gets Messages from the gods, and the Godess of fate, Alta, implied that this was my destiny, difficult as it is..."
"What makes you say that?"
She looked into my eyes... those familiar Amber pools... And smiled. "Identify me. You'll see for yourself."
So I did. I stepped back, and cast Identify....
Four months ago, Ein's Stat sheet read like this:
Ein Sinclair
Class: *$%@#*×!
Str: feeble
Dex: Average
Wis: Average
Int: Average
End: Feeble
Agi: Average
Luck: -5
Skills: Cook lv3, Mend lv5
Special Skill: @#$*× %&*×@#
Now it read differently.
Eina Sinclair
Class: Nurturer
Str: Average
Dex: Average
Wis: Advanced
Int: Average
End: Godly
Agi: Average
Luck: 50
Skills: Cook: lv5. Mend: lv6. Crafting: Cloth lv8. First aid: lv5. Gardening: Lv5. Stealth: lv3
Special skills: Mothers Embrace. A Soothing Hug that makes all your Problems fade Away.
Iron Will: the ability earned through Suffering. Increases Endurance 100 fold.
Forgiving Heart: The Ability earned Through Compassion, even toward those that wronged you. Increases Str to represent your Sturdy Heart.
Wisdom of Your Elders: increases Wisdom, Obtained by learning from those more experienced than you.
Blessings: Child of Fate. Increases Luck by surviving hardships, and meeting your destiny.
"Oh... I see... then..."
"Yeah... you have a class that your body dosen't fit... apparently so did I. It's a bit of an embarrassing skill name, but... in around five or six months it'll be accurate. Who knew, back then... that it was my Destiny to become a mother? A father I could see, but a mother?"
"Then... you aren't upset at the child? You aren't disgusted by it?"
"No. It's not the childs fault, how it was made. Honestly, I cried a lot at first... I had just Barely started to Really recover from my ordeal when I found out... and it nearly broke me. But I'm fine now."
Auron chose this moment to speak up again.
"So... I guess We aren't retrieving Our Cook then? Sorry about the stupid shit I did before, but... that Sleazeball wizard is expecting us."
"I don't..."
"No Julia. Go. Get yourself the body you need theres more Miasma Sickness Reported daily, We need you at 100% to seal it... And as long as you have that body you cant even use a tenth of your power. Go become the Saintess we need, And then come back. At that time, who knows... I may be ready to forgive the meatheads as well."
"Okay." We said our farewells, and left the orphanage...
"Why are you crying, Jules? It was a happy reunion, right? I think?"
"Because its true what she said. My Lil Bro is gone... I've got a lil sis in his place. And it's my fault."
[Several hours later, Seigfried POV]
We got out of there, and got a room at the inn. It took all my willpower not to Snap an kill that damn wizard, Especially when he started describing his inhumane Experiments, And how he "disposed" of his test subject.... but Auron wasnt as Strong as I was. He decked the bastard. We took the potion and left, knowing the king had already paid for it.
Julia took the potion An hour ago... then ran into the inn bathroom. When she emerged a few minutes ago, We were struck Dumb... she was beautiful. We promised her then and there, No matter what happens, We would be back in six months. But for now, we had a job to do. First step, finding new allies, Ones that can cook.