Altina Hishgrow

If a noodle could feel anything, this is what it would be. Altina Thought to herself while the morning bell rung not once, not twice, but trice. Let the world burn, today she can be late. Her body spilt sideways as if somebody pulled out her spine and left her like a cooked noodle in a soup. Albeit cold soup. Perhaps she should start heating up her chambers? Those skinny humans she employed complained about cold for the better part of past four moons yet up till yesterday, the weather seemed agreeable for her. This morning however, needles and pins of frost kept on stabbing her skin.

Perhaps she should start with a thicker blanket or so she thought when a ground shattering sneeze shook her awake. Merciful Shamu, that she felt in her bones. It was time to break out the stove. She rolled out of bed and let her bare feet fall on the icy floor. With eyes still full of sleep, she hauled herself to a pile of firewood waiting in a corner and loaded an armful of it. A difficult task, with her chest getting in the way…

Forgotten in an instant, the wood clattered to the floor while she run to her mirror and grabbed it’s sides for support.

“What in the name…”

Her bare flesh riddled with goosebumps shined in the morning sunlight. Never had her mirror trouble fitting her reflection but today her voluminous rump escaped it. The wolf had to turn this and that way to see all her eye-catching curves and, merciful Shamu, how magnanimous her curves were! Where once her body been no more than a trunk chiseled of stringy meat and raw, angular shapes of a beast all draped in fur, now her slender frame held a tempting softness of milky, tender skin, plentiful bosom and… Her fingers, fingers, not claws! Traced along her full, juicy lips and cupped her blushing cheeks. All of that framed by a curtain of blazing blue hair, just like her mother had.

“My lord, what nightmare is this? How have I sinned to deserve this? Why do you torment thy servant with what she shall not have… ”

Tears streaked down her cheeks, from her purple eyes. Years ago, she had dreamt of such face, of how she imagined herself to be. But these were naught but childish fantasies.

“Are you not satisfied? I did my best to adhered to your memory. Some of that I had improvised but in all, I judged the result worthy. “

Water started and stoked the flames in the stove with the abandoned firewood. Her white, long dress more befitting a ballroom than someone jostling embers with a poker. Satisfied with her work, the queen closed the stove and went back to her chair in the corner.

“This… you did this… This is real?!”

The wolf groped her own chest and winced with apparent pain and shock.

“Why would I not? I have promised and law is our word. For the aid you rendered my love, I have granted you your deepest desire. This form you had wished for is yours now. As well as the other one and all in between. It is always a hassle whenever mortals shed their skin. I am tired of complaints. Choose whatever and whenever suits your fancy… Do not doubt my words. I reward gladly and without strings attached. Think of your fur and it shall be there. Desire to shed it and thus shall it be so.”

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Of course, the wolf tried. Much earlier than the others did and much easier. A gifted one she was. It took her a moment of raking through her fur and patting of her flattened chest before she shed her fur once more, this time aware of every detail changed. Again, she stood mesmerized by her bare reflection, tracing her palms along each of it curves. In time, her hands came to rest on her abdomen, a question ripe in her eyes.

“No.”

Water answered before Altina could find courage to ask.

“That I did not change. The price of that you cannot pay. Not as you are.”

“It is already more than I hoped to ever happen. I beg of thee, tell me, if I find one who'll grant me a child, what… how will…”

“That is for gods to decide, however if you wish for your child to inherit your gift, then, there is a price… “

“One I will pay gladly if it would spare my child what society put me through.”

“If that is so, little one, answer my call.”

Called by his queen, Vari appeared wobbling before her.

“Your contract with this mortal, rescind it.”

The gob shivered.

“Do not fear, I’ll take your vow upon myself…”

Vari vanished before the Water’s words came to an end, the binding lifted. He did not even look her way as if she were a bad master. After all those years they were together, Altina felt a pang of pain in her chest. She liked the gob and his antics, yet he abandoned her at the first opportunity.

“Forgive me. You have shown great deal of loyalty towards me while my servant had made such an unbecoming show of himself. I think I may let Fire have her way with that one.”

Displeased, she raised her arm, offering her hand to the wolf.

“Come mortal child, claim that what you wish for.”

Altina knelt before the queen and cupped her inhuman palm in her hands. With a kiss she sealed their deal and at once she felt her mana ripped out of her body. Not a quarter, not a half but almost all her power drained into the spirit seal that etched itself on her soul. The queen of waters took all but the smallest silver of mana that kept the wolfs heart beating in her chest and yet, she siphoned even more until the wolf’s heart stopped.

“Fear not child,”

Altina’s lifeless body collapsed into the spirits arms.

“For you are mine as I am yours.”

The water’s hand entered the wolf’s chest and closed around her heart.

“No harm shall come to you, master.”

The heart moved, not by its own volition but by the spirit’s will. Squeeze, release, squeeze, release. The wolf felt each move that alien hand made inside her. She held her like so, until her power returned until her mana gathered inside her once more, until her heart could beat on its own once more. And that was only a fraction of what the queen was due. Had she made a grave mistake in her selfish desire?

Light surrounded them and hands of servants took her away from the Water’s lap and placed her atop the bed of roses.

“…”

“Hush child. You must rest for there are others waiting for their turn. Until that time, make use of my quarters, your strength should recover here much more quickly.”

The wolf’s eyes closed before she could gather her thoughts.

“Well?”

Fire appeared, anxious of the result.

“It will not work. I had to stop at a fraction of what I need, she cannot host the four of us.”

“Then we start over.”

“I don’t think it wise. It may kill her.”

“You wish to stop now? Shall I remind you how you swapped the vials so they would bring you to the one that preferred death than to utter your name? How they cut us off from our love? How...”

“No. There is no need. Go, guard our love’s rest while I deal with this one.”