Chapter 7
Strange and terrible dreams haunted my sleep. I walked through forests and meadows in a land so green it touched my heart with joy. Bright creatures of all shapes and sizes came to me, and I learned their names. They spoke of beauty, of love, and of honor like it were life itself. In the same forests lay darkness who whispered of power, unbridled passion, and chaos. Creatures I named all a cruel reflection of their brighter cousins. Deeper in the shadows lay beings too terrible to behold, and I knew all their names as well.

In the center of a glade, I came across a beautiful woman, dressed in the purest white. Hair like the sun and eyes deeper than the forest that spoke of wisdom beyond mortal comprehension, she beckoned me with a smile. From that smile, I could feel a love that I have never felt before, a maternal love so deep it touched the core of my being. I began to cry. She wrapped me in her arms and rocked me back and forth as if I was a small child. She began to sing a simple childish song about the forest it made me laugh. This beautiful woman looked into my eyes and spoke, “My beloved daughter.”

I opened my eyes. I could feel the sunrise its warmth touching the land. All my senses felt different, my body too no longer what I remembered. Pulling the covers off I wandered into the bathroom, wearing one of my sister's nightshirts didn’t bother me as much anymore as I did my business then stopped. I realized for the first time in my life I needed to sit down to use the toilet. I ran to the mirror, and everything came back to me.

“Holy crap!”

I was proud to say I didn’t scream, just that simple interjection seemed about right. Before stood the girl that I had seen out of the corner of my eye. It was still me but different. My face was softer, any part of the male Morgan wiped away as the enchantment faded. Embarrassed to say I thought myself quite beautiful. Looking down, was something not in my wildest dreams would I consider seeing. Yes, breasts, which of course made sense since a girl stood before me, but they were actually my breasts.

“Holy crap!”

I started to giggle, that voice was still mine but like the rest of me had changed to fit the body. I put my hands on my hips and noticed that they too fit the image. What bothered me the most wasn’t that a girl stood in front of me, no it was the fact that it appeared I lost like three or four inches from my height. Something seemed a little odd, and I pulled back my hair to reveal two adorable elf ears. I officially looked like an extra from Lord of the Rings. I was tempted at that point to take a shower but decided I needed a decent meal before I began that little ordeal.

I moved down the hallway, I could tell I was much more nimble on my feet, my Fae reflexes allowing me to move as no human could. Taking a few steps at a time, I quickly made it to the bottom of the stairs without making a sound. Thinking this could come in handy I was surprised to find Rebecca sitting on the living room couch. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well. I completely forgot that I looked like a girl as I approached.

“Good morning.”

Rebecca collided with me bringing me to the ground. She began to cry, huge sobs wracking her whole body. I realized that I had been missing, no wonder she was freaking out. She thought I was dead or ran away. Suddenly Rebecca's voice became shrill accusing me of disappearing without saying a word. Why would I do such a thing to her? I calmly let her rant for a moment then I simply interrupted her diatribe.

“I was attacked near the woods.”

She stopped a look of shocked embarrassment on her face. I gave her a simple explanation of the attack. I told her that I had no real memories of wandering around the woods until last night. No, I skipped the part of me being a Fairy Princess, yea that would have gone over well. I told her that this morning I woke up in my bed with no knowledge of how I got there. Also, true.

Rebecca looked at me, then nodded and went to find the phone to call the police to tell them that I returned home. I could tell by her emotions that she had doubts about the attack as if what I did was to hurt her.

“We should also have you checked by a doctor. Do you have any bruises, are you hurt?”

I told her I felt fine just tired and hungry. What crossed my mind at that point was Rebecca made no comment what so ever about me being a girl. Go Fae magic! Now that would have been an uncomfortable discussion. I was told a police officer would come by later to talk to me and that I should take a seat on the couch while she made me some breakfast.

After we shared a quiet meal I realized I needed to make a call. My cell phone was dead, so I left it on the charger and picked up the upstairs phone in the guest bedroom.

“Abigail.”

“Who is this?”

“It’s Morgan.”

“Oh my god…oh my god…oh my god…is it really you? Where have you been?” She began to cry. “I’m so sorry…so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“Abs, calm down, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s…complicated.” Knowing this won’t work over the phone and definitely not ready to go outside looking like this I asked. “Can you do me a favor and come to my house? We can talk then.”

“Morgan, is that really you? You sound a little strange.”

I laughed. “You have no idea. I am going to get dressed, please come on over, and we can talk about it.” I gave her the address and hung up. Gathering up my courage, I headed to my bathroom to take a shower. Once more into the breach dear friends…

Finding something to wear proved eventful. I will say the high point of the morning was the shower, now I knew why my sister spent so much time in the bathroom. Luckily in the past pillaging of my sister clothes, I found a couple of bags of new underwear that fit. Wearing a faded old shirt from several years ago and a pair of my sister’s jeans I waited for Abigail.

Rebecca came downstairs a few minutes later and commented on what I was wearing. “I see you're wearing your sister’s clothes again. Good thing they mostly fit you. Since your finally deciding to dress appropriately, I imagine you need more clothes for school.” She went over to her purse and handed me a credit card. “Go ahead and buy yourself some clothes. Actually go through your sister’s stuff first, she won’t be wearing it anyway.”

I looked at the credit card in my hand. This was not something I expected, but I was in desperate need of clothing. Rebecca looked at the clock for a moment then frowned. “I need to go to work today since your home. Will you be OK? I know the police will be over later.”

I looked up at her trying to compose myself. I was unable to answer that question with more than, “Yes, I’ll be fine.”

Unbelievable, her child missing for four days so now she has to go to work. I could tell that she was concerned for me but underneath was a level of annoyance. Rebecca said she would be home by dinner. With a quick hug, and I am glad you're safe she left. Shaking I sat on the couch and closed my eyes remembering the woman who called me her’ beloved daughter.’

An excited knock at the door interrupted my brooding. Opening the door, I found a fidgeting Abigail. Tension slipped away my heart reached out to her. She looked up dumbfounded then hesitantly reached out. Taking her hand gently I guided her into the living room.

“Is that really you Morgan?” She whispered and then her eyes opened wide. “It is you.” Quickly she threw herself into my arms. I held her, savoring her touch. I could feel her emotions straining to overflow. “Is this your true form, you look so different...even more, beautiful than before.”

My true form, in the back of my mind something clicked, but I needed to get my apology out first. “I’m sorry Abigail. I need to explain something to you.”

She leaned back and put her hand on my mouth. “No me first. I did something horrible to you, and I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”

“You did?”

She nodded a tear running down her face. “You looked so shocked, so dejected like you just lost your best friend.”

“I thought I did.” I reached over and with my thumb wiped the tear from her cheek.

She almost broke down right there. Taking my hand, she began to explain. At the end of last school year, a new girl appeared named Felecia. Friendly, fun the pair immediately hit it off.

Abigail knew she would like to be more than friends with Felecia but was afraid to lose her as a friend. In a very short time, they became very close. Unfortunately, it became hard for Abigail and Felecia finally confronted her asking her what the problem was. Abigail broke down and explained to her friend her feelings. Felecia looked stunned. She didn’t say anything just walked away.

The next morning Abigail overheard a conversation between Felecia and another girl. Visceral disgust and hatred emanated from Felecia as she began to explain what Abigail said the day before. Stunned she walked away unable to understand why Felicia would say such hateful things. It got worse. Bullying and name-calling started right after, even to the point where Abigail will no longer get online. I could definitely empathize with her considering my last year at school.

The whole time Abigail forgot that not everyone felt the same way as Felecia and her cronies. Some girls even came forward telling her that was very brave. She even forgot the support from her Aunt. It did not matter, all Abigail could see was her friends face the one she thought would love her filled with disgust. And one night there were the pills.

She must have seen something in my eyes.

“Oh Morgan, I’m better now…Aunt Eshne found me before you know. She got me help. One of her sisters is a therapist. I’m ashamed that I forgot that there were people that cared and loved me. The girls were punished though.”

I raised an eyebrow. I wondered what type of punishment.

“Oh, some of them were suspended for the rest of the school year. Zero tolerance and all of that. I think they ended up having to go to school over the summer, so it’s OK.”

Suspended from school for pushing my friend to the point of killing herself, rage filled me. Suddenly there was a crack of thunder overhead, we both jumped.

I grinned. All I could say was “Oops.”

We both started to giggle, it felt good just being with her.

Abigail continued. “So when I met you at Diana’s store, I was so surprised. Those feelings returned, you were…you are so beautiful.” She smiled. “I wasn’t sure if you would be interested in me and I was just happy to be your friend. You felt different I could see that. Both Diana and my Aunt warned me about it.”

I could definitely see a long conversation with Abigail’s Aunt in the near future.

“We clicked, after that first picnic. I started to get my hopes up. My Aunt, of course, warned me, that I was setting myself up for disappointment. Your ‘kind’ she said was hard to understand.”

“How does she know about my ‘Kind’,” I asked already knowing the answer.

“Oh well see my family are Witches, but I am still an apprentice.” She gave a proud smile. “My Aunt is in charge of the Coven.”

Of course, my best friend is a Witch, a lot of what was missing fell into place. My ‘kind’ right, I am so looking forward to that discussion with her Aunt and Diana.

“Anyway, maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but I just knew you felt something for me.”

“I did, well I do.”

She gave me one of her special smiles. “Exactly, and then we held one another in the forest. And that first kiss.” She gushed, and her face lit up like the sun, then it darkened. “When I kissed you the second time you felt different. You looked and felt like a boy. I was devastated, angry and hurt. It was Felicia all over again.”

I tried to say something, but she stopped me.

“By the time I got to the car, I realized that you couldn’t have known what happened to me at school. And your face, it looked like I broke your heart.” She sniffed. I did too. “I was too embarrassed to return then. I planned on apologizing to you the next morning, but you were gone.”

She whispered. “I thought you hated me.” I reached over, and she silently cried in my arms. After a little while she calmed down, I pulled away and looked into her eyes.

“My turn.”

I began to explain the glamour and enchantment issues I have been having. When I began to talk about the fight with the Unseelie, she began to cry a little. We discussed Sapphira and my new job. I left nothing out. When I finally go to the point where I told her I was a Princess she grinned. “My girlfriend is a Princess that is so cool.”

I rolled my eyes then nodded. “Yea.”

She leaped into my arms pressing her lips to mine. I guess agreeing about the whole girlfriend thing clinched the deal. She was so soft, the kiss felt so good, this body felt so different I lost myself in her.

Everything was once again right with the world.