Eighteen-year-old Nicholas Hammerstein is at the cusp of finishing high school in his hometown of Los Alamos, NM. He has a seemingly ideal life and is blessed with loving parents, a cute baby sister, and great friends. Nicholas is a gifted student and martial artist who has dreams of leaving for college at the end of his senior year. But, living in a world of Emergent humans, he will soon find his life turned upside down as his life and the fate of a kingdom hang in the balance. His future and theirs will be determined by how he navigates the drastic changes in his body and the magical and superpowered Mergent population he joins.

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The Legal Stuff: Emerald Princess © 2016-2023 By Sofia Hammerstein
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016-2023 By Sofia Hammerstein. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
 
 
Chapter 27: Dark Creatures

THAT NIGHT AT dinner, Camille and our new friends all pumped us for information on her powers testing and our class schedules. “Now we just need to figure out who can go with Sofia to each class,” Hannah finished.

“Well, I have Magic Theory at the same time,” Camille told her, “and Knag and I both have Magical I at the same time too.”

Lizi nodded at the mention of her name. “We can just go straight from lunch over there,” she assured Hannah and me. “I have the same section of Powers Fundamentals, too,” she added.

“I have the Advanced Martial Arts class with her,” Volango piped in as I watched her munching on what had to be her fourth or fifth banana. Beth was obsessed with them, even if she tried to deny it!

“That only leaves Mythical Fundamentals,” Camille said. “Anyone taking that section?” She asked the friends sitting around the table. I watched as everyone shook their heads.

“Guess I get to be on my own for once,” I said, sort of happy and terrified simultaneously.

Hannah frowned, “How far is it from my history class to there?”

“It’s pretty much on the other side of the campus,” Hailey said.

“Look, it’ll be okay; I’m not ever really alone,” I reminded her.

She nodded, “I guess.”

“So, you both are starting tomorrow?” Esmie asked.

“Yeah,” I said before popping my bottle into my mouth.

Esmie smiled at me, “You are so cute!”

I just blushed and kept nursing the bottle until it was empty, and Hannah replaced it with my pacifier. I just took in the conversations around the table and tried to keep track of everything. Stories of student feuds like Streaked and me, others about villains’ actions in other towns, and horror stories of the EPC and Sanguis Primum continually were told. Something was always discussed that made everything feel completely unreal. When everyone finished eating, I jumped down from the table to return to the dorm. I thought I would get a chance to walk, but Beth picked me up and put me on her shoulders for a piggyback ride. “The view better up there?” She asked me.

I sighed, “I miss this being the view.” Or at least, I sort of said that through my pacifier.

“You’ll get used to it,” she assured me, “trust me.”

I didn’t say anything in response as we walked back to Trident. Once there, everyone ended up in our room for some last details. “Okay, so Sofia can’t change herself. It looks like I’ll be able to be there for a lot of her changes, but if she needs it, can you all change her?”

Camille smiled, “I’ll be happy to help!”

Beth looked a bit uncomfortable, “I’ve never changed a diaper before,” she admitted.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” Hannah said and suddenly put me on the changing table.

“Do you…” I started to say and then felt the warning look from Hannah and the internal warning from Caireen.

‘This is what I’m talking about, Sofia,’ she said.

I sighed, “Get it over with, please…?” I looked at Hannah.

“Okay, Beth, you’ve at least got a good baby here to change. She doesn’t wriggle around like her sister!”

I smirked at that! Lily was a wriggle worm most of the time when she needed changed!

“Okay, the first thing you’re going to do if you’ve got a table is strapping her down so she can’t accidentally roll off,” Hannah instructed and had Beth do it. She was clearly uncomfortable with it but did it anyway. “Now she’s got this skirt on; just push it out of the way underneath her.”

Beth timidly pushed it up, “You’re not going to break me,” I told her.

“Sorry, I…”

“Didn’t grow up thinking you would have to be a mother?” Hannah smirked.

Beth shook her head, “No...” She looked almost a little upset, but she said, “Okay, I’m not going to break you, Sofia… Next is this onesie, I’m guessing?” After that, she gained confidence and made it to my diaper quickly.

“Go ahead and get another diaper ready to put underneath her,” Lizi suggested.

I turned red as I realized I had become the ultimate doll for all of the girls here. She exposed me with the pull of the two tapes on my diaper. “Wipe her really well front to back,” Hannah instructed. I was having difficulty keeping my composure as I had three friends and Hannah working together to change my wet diaper. “If it’s a dirty diaper, use the back of the diaper to wipe as much off her as you can,” she added.

After a seemingly interminable amount of time, I was in a dry diaper, and the onesie had been snapped shut. “Why don’t we leave the skirt off, Sofia,” Hannah suggested.

I just shrugged since Caireen hadn’t gotten around to attaching the skirt to the onesie. My friends had just seen me at my most vulnerable; what more embarrassment could come? Hannah grabbed my backpack and showed everyone where we would keep my diapers, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, and extra clothes. “It’s a good thing you can do magic,” Lizi noted, “I don’t know how you would have made it around without it.”

“Simple, a diaper bag,” Camille said, shaking her head while smiling. “Most mothers don’t have magical babies, and they get along just fine.”

Eventually, they left to do their homework, and Hannah closed the door to gain privacy. A nursing session was needed for her sake, and I finally logged onto the sweet computer I had on the desk. I discovered that unique games were only available to students here on a test basis and downloaded a couple. Before I could do more than make a character in one, Hannah said, “You want to call Jacob with me?”

I shrugged but walked over to join her at her desk. She used her computer to go ahead and set up a video chat with him.

“Hey, Jacob!” She said.

“Hannah, Ni... Sofia!” He was somewhat excited. “Where are you two?” He started, “Your pictures were all over the news. They said you were wanted for a terrorist attack.”

I sighed, “We’re at a special school for Mergents. We were attacked at the mall and defended ourselves.”

“You’re okay then?” He asked.

“Yes,” Hannah said, “Just in a bit of shell shock.”

“Wait… Hannah, why are you there?”

“My parents didn’t call you?” she asked, a little annoyed.

“My parents grounded me from my phone. They may have called it? So I can’t get to my messages.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“I might have decked a guy for making rude comments about you?” he answered sheepishly.

Hannah shook her head, “Well, Jacob, I’m here because I emerged too.”

“Wow!” Jacob said. I noticed him adjust something on his computer, and I was sure he was zooming in on Hannah. “You have the same eyes as Sofia now.”

“Yes,” Hannah said simply. We spoke together for an hour before his mom banged on his door, and he said goodbye quickly in a panic.

“Something tells me he wasn’t supposed to be on his computer,” I said.

“Nope!” Hannah sighed, “He’s going to be in so much trouble,” she shook her head, “typical Jacob!”

“Wow, it’s late, Sofia. We both have classes tomorrow.”

I sighed, “Bath time?”

She nodded. I followed her to the bathroom in just my onesie and drooping wet diaper. In the bathroom, I noticed that the other girls used two bathtubs, but the one I had used last night remained open. Hannah started a bubble bath for me with some of the soap mom had sent and plopped me inside the tub. While I played with the bubbles, she washed my body and hair. “Okay, Princess, we don’t need you wrinkling away!” She said as she picked me up and dried me with a towel. She wrapped me in it and carried me back to the room in her arms like an infant. The routine of diapering me, dressing me in a footed sleeper, and then nursing me to sleep while singing a lullaby was truly becoming… a routine.

 

IT WAS ALSO becoming routine to wake up in Caireen’s castle. Like yesterday she wasn’t in the room as I woke up. I had some dolls in my crib, so I began playing like I had been with Lily. I had to have been playing for a while when I felt a quick cramp and found myself squatting. ‘I can cry and get her attention… Or just keep playing…?’ I told myself. Right then, though, I found myself squatting a second time and went the crying route.

Caireen was in the room within a minute and picked me up, “Oh no, do we have a poopy diapee Princess?” She cooed at me, “Shhh… I’ll get you all cleaned up in a moment.”

She laid me on the changing table and worked to clean my bottom off. Routine was the action at this point, and I only squirmed a little as she worked to get me into a new diaper. After a quick nursing session, burping, she said, “I have to get some things done in court today. I want you to come with me.”

“Court?” I asked.

“It’s one of the things you have to do as Queen, sweetie, you’ll see,” She assured me.

One of the servants showed up at that time and bowed before saying, “All is ready for you, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you,” she said. “We’ll be ready in a moment.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said and exited the room.

“Let’s get you dressed properly!” Caireen said with a smile. She sat me on the ground, and I followed her to a wardrobe of fantastic dresses. One of them looked very much like the Sofia dress I had in the real world. She didn’t hesitate to pick that one and began dressing me in a petticoat and then the dress. My hair was piled onto my head quickly, and my tiara appeared in her hands.

“Well, Princess Sofia, I believe you’re ready to see what being a Queen is like today.”

I shrugged and said, “so, do they believe I’m your daughter in this kingdom?”

She nodded, “You are my daughter and my chosen successor here.”

“How can I…?”

“Someday… not anytime soon. Relax!” She smiled at me. “Behave and watch today.”

She picked me up and carried me down corridors and stairs until we came to a small receiving room with couches and a small fireplace. She sat me down and said, “You will wait here for a minute, and then my advisor Elizabeth will let you know when to enter.”

I felt nervous as she went through a door and down a hallway that I supposed must lead to a throne room? The door in my room shut with an ominous thud, and I heard one do so further down the hall. I felt my diaper grow wet from my nerves.

I paced a little bit and sillily practiced curtsying for no reason other than boredom. My dress was pretty, and I enjoyed twirling around in it for a moment too. I wondered how much longer it would be when I was surprised by a voice.

“Princess Sofia,” a lady had snuck up on me and curtseyed, “Your Highness, your mother is ready for you in the throne room.”

The lady was dressed in a simple but elegantly styled emerald green dress. “May I ask your name?”

“I’m Rosemerta,” she said.

Something inside me, for some reson, had an alarm bell ringing. I instantly wondered what had happened to Elizabeth. Caireen had very clearly said it would be Elizabeth coming for me. “What happened to Elizabeth?”

“She’s waiting in the throne room.”

“Mother told me Elizabeth was coming for me. Go get her and have her come.” I said. Something was not right here, and I began drawing in power to protect myself.

Suddenly the lady before me scowled, “Come along, you sniveling little baby!”

As she reached for me, I screamed and fired one of the energy blasts I had been taught to make at her. Rosemerta managed to jump away from most of the blast then, and only a bit of her arm was hit.

“You little bitch!” She cursed and lunged at me again. I dodged her and attempted to kick her in the head with a flying kick. I missed and hit her chest instead. She cursed again, got a hand on my foot, and dangled me from the air. “Little girls do not attack their elders!” She screamed at me and smacked me hard on my face. I felt her try to rip my tiara from my head, but all it did was make it feel like she was ripping my hair off!

I charged up another charge and managed to get her to drop me. Just as I rolled to a standing-up position Caireen and a dozen guards ran into the room. “Seize her!” Caireen commanded.

Rosemerta cackled and said, “Oh no, I don’t think so!” Somehow, I watched as she shapeshifted into a bat, of all things, and then flew out the open door. Caireen missed her with a spell, and we watched her fly away into the distance. “Secure the castle!” She said to her guards, and two of them left to carry out her orders. The others took up places at the two doors inside and out.

“Oh no, Sofia, are you okay?” Caireen asked me as she picked me up.

I could feel my face was bruising, and my leg hurt from how she had suspended me in the air. “I hurt,” I answered simply before I began bawling.

Caireen said, “I need a fresh diaper and a new dress for Princess Sofia.”

One of the guards bowed and said, “Right away, Your Majesty.”

I was still incoherently crying. I thought the castle would be safe from anything!

“Who was that?” I managed to sob.

Caireen shifted me in her lap to where she and I could see her face. I could see her own tear streaks and anger evident on her face. “One of many enemies I have…” she paused, “you remember my anger with the vampire comment you made?”

I nodded and felt my eyes open wide, shaking my head, “You’re kidding?”

She shook her head. “They’re not like your culture thinks of them. They don’t drink blood; they drink the manna within their victims for their own twisted magic.”

“And they can turn into bats?” I asked, “That’s real?”

“Some of them?” She shuddered in anger.

A woman in a servant’s uniform walked in and then to the room carrying a change for me. Caireen laid me on the floor and quickly changed my soaked diaper and dress. “Are you thirsty, baby?” She asked me when she was done.

I had mostly stopped sniffling by then and nodded. Then, without any sense of shame of the guards being present, she carried me to a chair and presented me with her breast. For once, I didn’t even feel embarrassed or need to resist; I just nursed for a long time until she burped me. While nursing, I could feel my manna refilling, and my face seemed to hurt less. She eventually stood up and said, “Court is canceled for today for security reasons, Princess, but I want to meet with my generals and you to come with me.”

With that, she carried me down the hallway she had disappeared to earlier. I nervously sucked on my thumb as another door to the throne room was opened by a guard and my mouth opened in shock. The room was gilded in gold accents with a patterned wooden floor that was extravagant enough on its own. The room was decorated with paintings like European castles often were. Still, this room somehow made the most luxurious castle I’d seen pictures of look like my parents’ house. On one end opposite us stood a set of doors fifteen feet in height and massive. I guessed that is the end visitors came through.

To my left, I saw a raised platform with six stairs leading to the top. There sat a large and a much smaller throne next to it. Both thrones were covered in green fabric and gilded legs and frames. I could see emeralds inlaid to the edges, and I couldn’t help but think, ‘mine?’

Caireen walked to the top of the dais and sat down with me in her lap. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, General Reginald is here with his staff,” a herald stated.

“Send them in!”

I watched as a giant of a man walked in with five other men behind him. They bowed before us and said, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, a million apologies for my failure to protect Princess Sofia. I will be stepping down...”

“No, you won’t,” I found myself saying. Yet, somehow, I knew this was a good guy, and it wouldn’t have mattered who it was; the vampire lady would have made it in any way.

“Your Highness, I failed you and the Queen. There is no other option.”

“My daughter is right, General Slane, even if a little out of turn here,” I blushed at her light rebuke. “I do not believe this attack could have been prevented. This creature managed to get through my wards, something I did not believe was possible. I’m at least as much at fault as you are.” I felt the sadness in her words.

“But…”

“Your oath was until death, or I release you from your service, correct?” I felt Caireen squeeze me slightly in a hug. “My daughter does not wish for you to be released, and neither do I. All I want is to find out who put this creature up to this and make them pay.”

“We think we know that,” he said and motioned an advisor forward.

“Your Majesty, we believe King Camulus and Queen Damara met with this Rosemerta this week.”

“How dare they!?!” Caireen snarled. “Fine, if they want to play this way. Do you know of any other movements by them yet?”

“No, but I would recommend...” After several hours of discussions of plans, we left the throne room to return to my nursery. Everyone was under the impression that they would force us into the marriage since Caireen turned down the marriage offer. If they could seize our kingdom, they would be a force to be reckoned with… and not a good one either!

“I was scared,” I told her as she changed my diaper.

“I can imagine. How did you know that lady was a fake anyway?”

“Well, I had an instinct that something wasn’t right… she didn’t come from your throne room hallway for one… and you told me your advisor’s name was Elizabeth,” I reminded her.

She nodded, “Simple, but you were able to figure out the deception. Luckily for us, they didn’t take that part further.”

“Am I safe now?” I asked.

She kissed my still, slightly sore cheek, “as safe as I can make you. But, truthfully, Sofia, I think this will mean war. I will make them pay as soon as I confirm they were behind all of this.”

I nodded but didn’t say anything more. Caireen nursed me to sleep, and I wondered which could possibly worry me more, a war with what amounts to gods and goddesses in my dreams or going to high school as a baby...

 
 

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