CW:

Lightly getting pronouns wrong, but then fun talks about curses/Lamentations being very dependent on people's self-perceptions. AKA: what if someone identifies as non-binary and transmasc?

“He’s here already!?!” I stammer as I look to Delphian as Yrelia helps me get my cloak off.

Heart torn between joy and bubbling anger and fear and–

“Yes, they are.” She nods with a smile, but…

Such emphasis on that word. Why? There's only one person coming last I checked. And Delphian and Ophrit insisted h– they would be perfect for this. So… why this word? Wasn’t this a parasite who had all the connections and supplies and sneaky schemes to help us move things forward? Or… Did Yrelia ask Delphian to do that? Try and trick the command?

“And they are so very excited to meet you.” She continues at my head tilt of curiosity. Smirking like… I dunno. My confusion is just… everything she needed to see?

Yrelia moves to step away, but I take her hand and glance back. She gives me a look of understanding and agreement and… her own part in this?

“I’d… like my first lover with me. If that’s alright with them?”

I look back to see Delphian nodding. “Of course. We assumed the entire group would be a bit much for first introductions, but we all move to your songs. Lady Sun Spoken.”

I grin at her formality. Step up to take up her hand too. “Thank you, show us to them?”

She does, leading us back through this manor to a comfortable private study. One furnished with more than enough chairs to seat Lady Ophrit, Delphian, Yrelia, myself and this… final figure.

The monster is tallish. Dressed well in subtle but glimmering hues of midnight greens and shimmering azure. Dark ginger hair pulled back in a bun, and a beard perfectly braided and so long they wear it like a scarf.

Eyes a pretty hazel that sparkle alongside slightly bluish tinted teeth as they smile and stand. Glancing between Yrelia and myself but settling on me.

A monster jeweled up and ready to accept more into the brood.

“Ah, you must be the Lady Sun Spoken and High duenna Inamatorii I’ve been so very excited to meet.” Voice deep but… not too much so. Really pretty and feels almost rhythmic.

“Please, just call me Ina.” I respond, pulling up my most polite and soft Hetaera mask while the curse rears up and prepares to nip.

They gift me a nod that loses nothing of that smile behind it, “Of course. You may call me Redrogal, a Walker of the Paths and recently dubbed Speaker for the Azure Compact.”

A group of Walkers, traders, caravans, and all sorts banding together. A little power gathering between the towns and cities of Arudia, but… often shunned due to their easy inclusion and leadership hosting Arudian Monsters and Parasites.

But with the shattering of the Obelisks, and our schemes, a not so little power soon.

“It is, so very wonderful to meet you.” I say with a smile that struggles to meet my eyes.

The Monster steps forward and offers me a hand. I reach out but soon find my arm gripped. Takes me a second to understand the full-armed shake this Parasite is accustomed to offering allies.

I take hold and let this form’s strength match theirs. Am rewarded with another glimmer in their predatory eyes and grin.

“A steady grip.” They intone pleasantly. “Always a good thing for a Walker of the Paths to bear.”

I let my mask crack a bit as the command nudges me to grin, unconsciously shifting balance to leave my sharpened leg free of weight and ready to strike. Am… probably about to say something wretched when I feel a hand re-weave itself about my free arm.

“Among other things.” My first lover says easily, then when a quizzical look is turned to her she smiles back. “Yrelia, also a Walker of the Paths. Taught this girl everything she knows and have been gobbling up the rewards ever since I snatched her up.”

That sputters out my bubbling anger to more gentle messy things as Redrogal releases me and offers Yrelia the same greeting.

Then Ophrit starts getting us all warm drinks and settling this group to sit comfortably. Giving me time to regather my mask as Yrelia speaks of small nothings to Redrogal and Delphian.

But eventually the drinks are passed out and I'm the center of their focus as they chuckle to Yrelia. “Lady Ophrit and Delphian, despite their endless goings on about the High Duenna, sold her short in their enthusiastic descriptions.”

“I think I did quite well, besides.” Ophrit chuckles while sitting. “Her schemes keep outshining our most fantastical hopes, and pushing us to stride farther than we ever dreamed.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Quite so.” Redrogal nods. “And that's why I am here to push for even more than you’d planned, Lady Sun Spoken.”

“Just Ina, please.” I reply, but lean forward.

How the fuck does this monster think to push? What vile things would it demand I surrender to its–

“But that can come a touch later. First I’d like to make sure I understand why you’re fighting so hard for all this? These wonderful Ladies have been… evasive to that. Also what all happened today at the Conclave? A source tells me that an Envoy of Rell attended and things got quite interesting.”

I nod and start with the Conclave. Worry I’ll get some discomfort at my threats but… Redrogal only laughs happily as I finish the story.

“Oh, how I wish I’d have dashed our plans and attended myself!” They chuckle. “To see Boletii’s smug face as that house’s schemes are laid so low.” They settle backways, seemingly more at ease. “Brilliantly done. It won’t matter how any one person feels. The choice is made. Options set by the Zeridii as either an unsteady future or one so very cold without their help.”

It’s… odd. Something about this Monster. Very much not a woman, and bearing similar delighted ease at their form as the last Parasite I met. And even a few scars that I’ve started to notice across their pale skin. But…

“Can… Redrogal. May I ask a question? One a bit off topic?”

“You may.”

“Delphian gently corrected me in the entrance when I used the word ‘he’ for you. Would it be impolite for me to both ensure I’ve got the right words for you but also… ask for you to describe why they fit you?”

Their grin spreads. “Oh, isn’t that an entire affair? But to keep from rambling on… I don’t care for either label. Find something… a bit less restrictive to my tastes. I never felt comfortable as a girl in the flesh, and while more male features fit parts of me ever so much better… The label doesn’t. They and Them are words I've found that free me to walk a path devoid of the aspects of both I detest.”

I… kinda stumble over that. Like… What? That… I mean that makes sense. But women can’t be monsters. At least not the kind this curse cares about. But just because they aren’t a woman doesn’t mean they are a monster! So…

“You’d never call yourself an Arudian Male then?” I ask, so very proud of how my mask doesn’t even falter.

They shrug. “Mayhaps once upon a star-filled night when past words felt so wrong. But… It was because I didn’t know there were other options. So no.”

And like the crack of a whip that wretched command just… stills. Like some big angry and scary thing suddenly asleep.

Oh fuck! Not a Monster to this horrid curse.

Can’t stop the grin that takes to my lips. “That… That’s actually amazing. I never even considered that as an option. I adore being a girl and all the words with it but… that’s just me. Is this a more common thing than I realized?”

Is… is it really this easy? A new perception about a person and the curse goes soft? I mean… it did the opposite for Athem. So…

“More than in past years, but mostly away from the cities and more well-traveled Arudian Paths. People like us often found ourselves struck by the same limits and laws that Arudian males suffered under.” They return my smile. “There are more fluid individuals among the Azure Compact as well, ones who’s self-perceptions shift from day to day even. Take up a bundle of words and change them at their leisure. Even make new ones where the old ones don't fit.”

That… Is going to be a messy way to deal with the Curse. But might help fray its edges. Will have to talk with Aceso about all this! See how she absorbs these new identities and perceptions.

“Thank you for explaining.” I reply as my mask becomes so much lighter to keep. “But... You spoke of wanting to ask me for more than what we’re already planning?”

“Yes. But to the whys of your work. You are… beyond driven. From everything I’ve heard and seen for myself. Even dangerously so to those that stand against your schemes. And… you remind me of many I’ve walked the Paths with, though not in the ways I can place.”

It’s easy to relax now, see in Redrogal all the things I see in Rahdian and… and even Zin. Before he betrayed me and I got cursed.

I look to Delphian and Ophrit in not-very-subtle question.

Can they be trusted?

Ophrit grins, Delphian nods.

Then to Yrelia. Who shrugs, but with a smile as she reaches out fully wraps herself about me. We’re sharing a big chair so it’s easy for her to envelope my small form without unbalancing either of us. “Your decision, love.”

Takes me a few seconds to like… build up the courage. Push past the little titterings of worry that this’ll be a mistake.

“It’s… pretty simple. Actually. I’ve lived their life.” I respond, working to quiet the mess bubbling in my tummy at talking this over again. “Was born in a fertile male body. But back in Lyttoral. Was kept in their Temple till this past year. Then I was claimed by the Weaver and She used Her magic to change me. Give me the body I always needed.”

Redrogal’s eyes widen, then all they can murmur is. “A… a transgender female?”

“Mhm. I had to run, back then, and through… a lot of twistings of things I ended up here. Trying to just change some text on the Obelisks turned into an entire decision to break them to free the Zeridii and everyone else enslaved here in Arudia.” I reply when they have no other immediate words. “And the Zeridii is so much like us, Redrogal. Trying to grow out of a form that hurts. Wanting to find a place in the world that fits. I’ve dreamt with them. Felt our pains harmonize and how much they want those Veletross snatched up go free.”

They swallow, nod. “Thank you. For sharing this with me.”

“Thank you for listening, and… well, everything else. I’m just a silly girl from the Paths trying to fix the messy world I’ve finally gotten to explore. Make sure no one else has to live the way I did.”

Redrogal lets out a breath. “That’s why the Azure Compact was so easy to form. Many of our older members found themselves lost and devoid of options in their youth. Only safe to wander the Paths and just… hope to find others kind enough to walk at their side and gift them the community they lacked. What we built, and are trying to build, is to try and help others avoid that loneliness.”

I nod, lean forward a bit out of Yrelia’s embrace. “Exactly. I got so very lucky when my lovers found me. But others didn’t have that good fortune.”

Redrogal grins. “So now we mean to give it to them. All Delphian and Ophrit have told me you mean to demand for these newly freed sorts is wonderful. Weighted. But… not enough. Things could fall to pieces in a few decades with patient vipers like Veletross about.”

“Especially with me wanting to leave Arudia soon.”

“And, correct me if I am simply ill-informed, but you mean to return to Lyttoral eventually?”

I nod.

“Do you have allies as well connected and well funded as your current hosts?”

I wince. “I… No. But my duenna is a Councilwoman, and… and the woman who raised us runs the Temple there. But…”

They nod patiently as I trail off. “But fully attempting to pull allies from a world over will be taken poorly. Delphian and Ophrit are wondrous in their charms and wit, but all that is drifting snow without the decades they’ve had to build connections and allies.”

“Yeah…” I sigh and smile. “That was kinda a problem for future me that I was kinda hoping she’d figure out along the Paths on our way back.”

“Which is more than understandable with all you’ve been handling in Arudia.” They reply. “So…Let me help with that. Here are my propositions…”