The unending summer afternoon made the well kept grove of trees a pleasant place to sit, no matter how unnatural it was to have a timeless day. Light breezes flowed through the garden precisely when needed, relieving sweat and sticky heat. Mariah no longer believed the timing of the breeze to be an enjoyable coincidence. Like everything else in Faerie, it was by design.
The perfection of Faerie had delighted Mariah even though she was a prisoner there. As that perfection revealed itself to be a result of the Queen’s diamond-hard control over every aspect of the world, it lost its luster. Mariah found it disorienting to live in a place where a refreshing breeze could feel sinister. For that reason, though she was sorry they’d been captured, Mariah was grateful to have Molly and Connor with her.
The awkwardness of changing Mariah’s diaper and bottle feeding her had faded. Once she was able to relax, Mariah’s conversation with Molly and Connor was delightful. Having not one, but two real people to talk to was a lifeline. Escape had been the first topic of the day, but that conversation had yet to bear fruit. The trio were in mutual agreement that they needed to know more about their captors, before they made any serious escape attempt.
Connor and Molly seemed nervous about anything that might anger the faeries, and Mariah didn’t blame them. Their description of being dragged to Faerie on magical horseback was terrifying. She was glad to have been spared that particular horror, at least.
The conversation turned to more mundane topics, the trio filled each other in on their lives and families. Connor and Molly claimed to not be a couple, but Mariah wasn’t so sure they were being honest. The only question was if they were lying to her or themselves. Molly and Connor protested too boisterously about not being coupled, for people who were merely friends.
With two of them to do the asking, most of the talk centered on Mariah’s life on earth. Wistfully, Mariah told the Irish duo about her roommates. It was nice to vent her irritation with her more prickly roommates, Bless and Corey.
Despite the embarrassment, she loved the sweetness with which Molly teased her about her crushes on Forrest and Hannah. The group’s conversation wandered between friend gossip and intelligence-gathering on Mariah’s home city.
When she could get a question in, Mariah was fascinated by the tidbits of Connor and Molly’s life that they shared. Each detail was an anchor back to her world, but without her melancholy for the home and people she’d lost.
They had no warning at all of Podra’s arrival. The green woman was so silent in her approach, that Mariah experienced her “mommy’s” entrance as Podra simply appearing next to a tree. Conversation stuttered to a stop as the mortals tried to remember what they’d just said – and what Podra might have overheard.
“Baby Mariah looks to be in good health and condition. Thank you, mortal caretakers. I will take her back into my care now. Your services are discontinued until a later time.” Podra produced a gnarled branch from her leaf-dress. It was a beautifully polished piece of dark hardwood – shot through with streaks of amber and crimson.
“Thanks, like. Do we just hang about here then, until later?” Connor asked.
“If it’s no trouble, we’d like to take a walk around your lovely garden.” Molly smiled engagingly at Podra.
“I think not.” Podra raised the branch, holding it like a fantasy wand. Nothing was fantasy anymore, though. Mariah instinctively feared what the wand might do.
“You must be ready-to-hand when you are needed.” Podra waved the wand in an intricate gesture, while singing a few bars of a song. The ground shuddered under the grove’s thick moss. All the trees of the grove swayed and cracked as if in a great wind. Mariah looked to Molly and Connor to see if they were frightened – and beheld a pair of bushes, perfectly trimmed into the likenesses of her newfound friends.
The change had come so quickly – without any cry from Molly or Connor – that Mariah’s mind couldn’t accept it at first. When the surreal horror of her friends’ transformation dawned on Mariah, her mind shut down her ability to feel. She was reduced to staring – empty headed – at the people-turned-bushes, while Podra picked her up and bore her away.
Some time later, Mariah noticed that she was on Podra’s lap. The green woman was smiling at her. Mariah reasoned that she must have been playing the part of a baby well, while so spaced out that she’d lost some time. Wanting to keep Podra’s good favor, she snuggled up to her fae-mommy.
“What’s that, mommy?” Mariah batted idly at the wand as if she saw it as a mere toy.
“Careful with that, baby Mariah.” Podra steered Mariah’s hand away firmly. “The lady Lualdina gave that to me, to help manage our guests. It’s not for babies to use.”
Excitement kindled in Mariah’s breast. Podra’s response implied some very interesting things. First off, she’s worried enough that I could use it that she doesn’t want me touching it. Second, she had to borrow power from Lualdina to transform Connor and Molly. That means she can’t do it on her own.
Mariah’s final realization brought her genuine hope. The wand itself might contain all the power needed to reverse Connor and Molly’s transformation. Depending on its reserves – assuming it had limited uses at all – it might also be a potent weapon against the faerie. She was certain it wouldn’t work on the Garden Mistress herself, and mistrusted its effectiveness against Podra.
Lesser faerie might easily be overwhelmed by something so powerful. The goblin, the animal people she’d met, and other servant fae could be vulnerable. She winced a little at the idea of using the wand on Labdyn – but her fondness for the dog-boy didn’t compare to her desire to escape.
The prospect of not only being able to rescue Molly and Connor from their leafy imprisonment, but to have a weapon against the faerie, gave Mariah determination that she thought she’d long-lost. Her new emotional strength held back the tears she’d been building up for her Irish friends.
They’re not gone, and I can save them. Maybe I can save all of us. We can get home, make the imposter-Mariah tell us how to protect ourselves from faeries, and do whatever it takes to keep them away forever.
That Mariah didn’t fall to pieces was good for keeping up her impression of being a heedless baby. As long as Podra didn’t realize that Mariah was upset over Connor and Molly’s transformation, the green woman would have no reason to suspect that Mariah would try to reverse the process.
While Mariah schemed, Podra decided it was time for another bottle. Mariah sucked at her portion of delicious honey-milk absently, keeping her mind firmly on her plans. It wasn’t until Podra held forth a shining fruit, that Mariah was distracted enough to return to the present.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it, baby girl?” Podra was gazing reverently at what looked like a small, golden apricot. The fruit shone softly from within like a coal. “You won’t get this often, so treasure it when you do.”
“What is it?”
“Its right name isn’t known to someone as lowborn as I, but when we are lucky enough to see one, we call it the Drupe of the Tuatha.” Podra sighed and smiled at the fruit. “You cannot imagine the honor that Her Majesty bestows on you, to give you one.”
“Why would she do that? I thought she was mad at me.”
“The Queen is ineffable, baby Mariah, as are all the Ruling Fae. It is Her Majesty’s decree that you become more like the faerie, and this jewel of the garden will certainly help with that.”
More like these monsters? What does she mean? Will I just look like them – or get their powers? Despite the temptation of magical powers, Mariah didn’t want either. She wanted to be home, safe with her roommates, out of her diapers, and on the phone to her real mother. Not that what she wanted mattered. At no point had any faerie cared in the slightest for Mariah’s desires. Given that she had to eat the fruit anyway – Mariah hoped for magic that could get her home.
Geared up as Mariah was to accept the Drupe, she was shocked and a little annoyed to see Podra pop it in her own mouth. The fae woman chewed, shuddering in ecstasy. Lines of gold traced through the green wood-grain of her face and neck, as the power of the fruit infused her. With a heartbroken expression, Podra pulled the mashed fruit out of her mouth and held it over Mariah’s face.
Though the fruit smelled delicious – and despite Podra’s ecstasy when she tasted it – being fed like a baby bird wasn’t on Mariah’s bucket list. If the Garden Mistress’s human-transforming wand hadn’t been wedged against Mariah’s hip, she might have refused. As it was, she’d had too many reminders of how powerless she was. It’s time to claim some kind of power, even if the way I get it looks disgusting.
How Podra’s mouth tasted was something Mariah didn’t have to discover that day. Instead of the chewed-food disgust Mariah expected, she was lost in a taste more powerful than anything she’d known before.
The Drupe of the Tuatha had no analog to other foods, candies, or drinks Mariah had consumed. It tasted like the first light of dawn on the day after the year’s darkest night. Mariah’s mouth was filled with the tenderness of true romantic love and the manic pleasure of sex. She tasted accomplishment and victory, swallowed satisfaction and delight. Delirium overtook her, spinning her into the secret heart of the world and out among the jewel-bright stars.
When she came back to herself, the she could still feel the effects of the fruit. In her belly, the Drupe was a flame that warmed her and made her feel like she was in peak physical condition. Sounds were sharp and easily discernable. Mariah could distinguish between the chirping of separate birds with ease, and identify the notes of their songs with perfect pitch. The interconnected life of the garden breathed and rumbled around her like a single organism. She laughed for joy, and at the absurdity of finding spiritual enlightenment while diapered and imprisoned by faeries.
Though she’d at least gotten a taste of the fruit, Podra’s face was graven with envy. Mariah loved to see it. The green woman’s distress was only a tiny bit of revenge for everything her captors had done to her, but Mariah savored it like wine. She let loose with all the delight the Drupe had given her, holding nothing inside. To her delight, Podra was clearly struggling to maintain a polite expression.
“I’ll let you enjoy that for a bit, Mariah.” Podra put Mariah on the grass. “Go play. Mommy will check on you soon.”
Too happy to resent her baby status, Mariah scampered away from Podra at a crawl. The moss and grass were like velvet under her hands. Instead of a riotous perfume, the smells of the garden flower were laid out for her nose like a symphony. She crawled as fast as she could jog and never felt tired or awkward. When she came to a stop, it was because she’d found a field that struck a perfect balance between the softness of its grass and the smell of nearby lavender.
~~~~*~~~~
Some things in Faerie were not eternal and unchanging. Though the sun stood at the one-o-clock position, as it had for an unknown number of days, the euphoria of the Tuathan Drupe faded from Mariah. All good things have to come to an end, even here. It’s a good lesson. Podra implied that night is scary here – and that it’ll be night on the Queen’s whim. Everything that’s good about this place can go away in a minute, just like Connor and Molly.
The unknown terrors of Faerie were not attacking her in the moment, however. Mariah held on to the lingering happiness the fruit had given her as a gift. She’d help no-one if she collapsed into depression and despair. Being unsupervised was another gift, one that would be a shame to discard.
Mariah put her hand to the locket around her neck. Hoping that the enchanted fruit had given her more ability to use faerie magic, Mariah called to mind the song she’d heard when the amulet first appeared.
It was a nursery song, Mariah realized, as the woman’s voice filled her mind. She didn’t piece the music’s purpose together from the words or the tune, she simply knew. That was proof enough for Mariah that the fruit had given her some powers.
Show me the changeling, Mariah commanded the amulet. Show me the one who took my identity.
Expecting a struggle, Mariah was shocked to see a crystal clear picture of herself in her mind’s eye. A Mariah who was not Mariah. The girl in her vision was her in every way as far as physical appearance, but that’s where the resemblance stopped. She didn’t sit right or hold her face as Mariah did. The Mariah in the vision was not the girl Mariah saw when she looked into a mirror. It was someone else in Mariah’s skin.
Her revulsion at that thought was derailed by Mariah’s shock at seeing the imposter wearing a diaper. She was sitting on Mariah’s bed, in one of Mariah’s shirts, but wearing only a diaper below the waist. The little window into Mariah’s bedroom showed the captured girl that a changing blanket and a stack of diapers had been placed a corner. It looked like a mixture of stuff from Hannah’s daycare job and Forrest’s Assisted Living building.
“Why?” The question came out Mariah’s lips in her shock. The amulet didn’t know the answer, and so it showed her nothing, erasing the vision of the changeling Mariah. With a frustrated whine, she tried thinking of the song again. Her thoughts were too disorganized to recall the tune. Homesickness and worry for her roommates, warred with shock at the changeling being diapered. That shock morphed into humiliation as she realized that her roommates would believe the diapered girl to be her.
Mariah was about to scream in frustration, when a loud rustling sound in the grass caught her attention. She turned toward the disturbance and caught sight of a blonde tail waving above the grass. Rolling her eyes, she reached for Labdyn. She caught the dog-boy as soon as he emerged from the grass, transforming his pounce into a roll that carried the two of them down a gentle slope.
“How’d you know I was coming?” Labdyn looked shocked, so much so that Mariah had to laugh.
“You were crashing through the grass and making an awful noise. Of course I knew.”
“You never noticed before.” Labdyn looked worried, even sad. Mariah shook her head and petted his ears. Immediately, his expression smoothed into a happy smile. Well, as much of a smile as he can make on a canine face, anyway.
“They gave me a weird, powerful fruit. It made my ears sharper.”
“Oh, that’s good! It’ll make it easier to play. Well, when you grow up enough to play something besides baby games, anyway.”
It was intolerable that Labdyn would think she was a baby. Mariah was caught off guard by the strength of her reaction. Previously it hadn’t bothered her – much – to have him think of her as a baby.
Her thoughts flashed back to the changeling, and she understood her change of heart. Connor and Molly had been forced to treat her as a baby – and they’d been introduced to her in a messy diaper. Podra was babying her to a disgusting degree. On top of that, her roommates were seeing her in diapers. It was too much. She needed someone in her life who knew the truth.
“I’m not a baby.”
“This game again? Okay, of course you aren’t.” Labdyn chuckled and licked Mariah’s cheek.
“I mean it!” Mariah wiped her cheek and fixed Labdyn with a stern look. “I’m not a baby. Listen to me, Labdyn. It’s a cruel game the Queen is playing with me. I’m an adult. She thinks I’m a baby, and so do Lualdina and Podra, but I’m not.”
“Oh.” Labdyn nodded. It was a relief that he accepted her explanation without question. At the same time, it was worrisome that he so easily accepted a cruel game as an explanation. Is that all there is to Faerie? Playing cruel games with each other? Will Labdyn be cruel someday too?
Labdyn sniffed Mariah’s armpit, making her squirm. “So you’re weak and slow because that’s how humans are?”
“I’ll show you weak and slow!” Mariah grabbed Labdyn’s arms and wrenched, trying to wrestle him onto his back. She turned him easily, rolling triumphantly onto the dog-boy. Mariah’s sudden success had her feeling like a superhero.
Her success was quickly negated, when Labdyn snapped out of his surprise and fought back. Mariah learned two things as soon as the struggle was joined. The first was that the Drupe had made her stronger. The second was that Labdyn was still more powerful than she, but by a narrow margin.
They wrestled and tickled and scuffled their way across the field. Giggles became laughs until laughter overwhelmed their ability to wrestle. Panting and sweaty, Mariah cuddled alongside Labdyn while he lolled his tongue out, panting like the dog he was.
“That was so fun! You are stronger now. It’s good you’re an adult, even if you wet your pants.”
“I don’t either! Not until I have to.”
“You’re wet right now.” Labdyn nuzzled Mariah’s neck and gently licked her.
Shivering at the lick, Mariah squeezed her legs together. Her diaper was a little wet, though not so much that she needed a change. What was concerning, was that she didn’t remember wetting. It must have happened when she was high on the fruit, Mariah decided.
“It’s still not my fault. Podra keeps me in them all the time. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“I don’t mind.” Labdyn licked Mariah’s neck again, a longer lick that went from collarbone to ear. Mariah shivered, her breath catching in her throat. “The smell doesn’t bother me.”
“What are you doing?” Mariah was acutely aware of the way she was pressing her chest against Labdyn, but she couldn’t bear to pull away.
“Kissing you.” Labdyn licked Mariah along the other side of her neck. Suddenly, there was wet on her crotch that had nothing to do with her earlier accident. “I thought it’d be a century before I’d get to make love to you.”
“We-we’re going to make love? Just – just like that?” Mariah thighs were trembling, there was no question about what her body wanted. Her body wanted Labdyn on top of her, within her. It wanted him warm and furry and slightly musky, in his heady mixture of athletic boy and dog. Her body wanted his toned arms and powerful chest to be flexing over her, while another part of him stretched her open until she ached.
Mariah’s head and heart weren’t exactly disagreeing with her body. She had a lot of confusion, especially with the quality of imagery her lustful body was supplying. Something in Mariah resisted, not caring how much sex with Labdyn sounded like another faerie delight.
It couldn’t be making love if she didn’t choose it openly and clearly. At best they’d simply have sex. At worst – it would ruin everything good about Labdyn, forever.
“Labdyn, stop!” Mariah grabbed the dog boy by his shoulders and shook him. It had the desired effect, putting him in a passive state of surprise. “What if I say no? What if I don’t want to make love?”
Labdyn cocked his head and perked a floppy ear at Mariah. There was no hurt on his face, no anger. Instead, he stared at her like she was being silly, or simple. “Then we wouldn’t make love. We’d find something else to play.”
Contentment and tenderness exploded in Mariah’s heart. The wave of romantic emotion blew all her horny feelings away. She grabbed Labdyn in the most grateful hug she’d ever given, squeezing him with what was – she was forced to admit – the beginning of real affection.
If Labdyn had been surprised when Mariah shook him, he was twice as surprised at the hug. He adapted quickly, putting his arms around Mariah for a tender embrace. Though he was clearly enjoying the hug, Mariah could feel surprising tremors in her furry friend.
“Are you okay?” Mariah disengaged gently and cradled Labdyn’s muzzle in her hand.
“No one ever held me like that. It was – good. I liked it.” Labdyn’s tongue flopped out of his mouth in a doggy smile.
Oh, you poor boy. Mariah’s heart burst with concern that such a happy, sweet boy – dog-boy, but still a boy – had never been held with love before. “I’ll hold you like that any time you want.”
“Really?” Labdyn licked his chops in an expression that seemed – nervous? “Will you do it right now?”
“Of course.” With less wild abandon and more deliberate care, Mariah took Labdyn into her arms. They hugged for – well, what did it matter how long they hugged? Time didn’t always make sense in Faerie. For once, Mariah appreciated the indistinct nature of fae time.
Stroking Labdyn’s head and ears, Mariah nuzzled his wet nose with the tip of her own. “Can I kiss you – the way that I kiss? I like your kisses. They’re really sexy, but I want to try kissing you my way.”
“I’ve only kissed someone with a face like yours once, I’m not very good at it.” Labdyn nodded his acceptance, despite his uncertain words.
Their first attempt was a disaster. Mariah pursed her lips and kissed Labdyn’s snout in a manner that failed to register even as friendly. Her next two attempts were just as disastrous, with Mariah sucking awkwardly on one of Labdyn’s floppy lips, and him licking her whole face, respectively.
A little more practice, got them to a point where Mariah could nibble at Labdyn’s lips and he could flick his tongue across her lips. As strange as it was to do, Mariah finally felt like she was kissing Labdyn.
Mariah was warm between her legs again, freshly appreciating the toned muscle of Labdyn’s very human-like chest, and the way his fingers clutched at the small of her back. Their little kisses became tongue-explorations of each other’s mouths. In Mariah’s case, she explored very gently. Labdyn’s pointed teeth were intimidating, up close.
The dog-boy peeled Mariah’s dress off one shoulder and cupped her bare breast. His palm was hairless and felt perfectly human. The soft hair on his knuckles and back of his hand was a delightful tease as he swept his hand over her chest.
Mariah’s heart was petitioning her head to let her squirm out of her dress, and let the slow mutual exploration build to a tender climax. Her body had different ideas. It wanted her head to rile Labdyn up again, to make him pin her to the grass and leave her sore and gasping.
Mariah’s mind didn’t answer either petition. It was worried about a presence she could feel, something like the discomfort of being stared at. Though there was no one to see nearby – other than Labdyn – and no sounds besides the wind, Mariah’s thoughts drifted to Podra.
“I think – Labdyn, stop for a second – I think Podra is coming.”
“Huh?” He lifted his head and listed, sniffing. Labdyn’s eyes narrowed, his ears perking up. “You might be right. How did you know?”
“I could – feel her? I can’t explain it.”
“What kind of fruit did they give you? A Drupe of Tuatha?” Labdyn’s tongue lolled out and his jaw shook at his joke.
“That’s what Podra called it.”
“Wow.” Labdyn looked at Mariah in awe for a moment, then licked her, dragging his tongue hard along her chest. Her nipples crinkled with urgent want. “I’m so happy! You’ll be like me. We can play in the grass and make love and hold each other forever.”
I hope not forever. Mariah smiled anyway. Labdyn’s enthusiasm was hard to beat. It was impossible to not enjoy the way he was excited to have a life with her. “You should run off. She’s still mad at you about playing Hunt.”
“Good idea.” Labdyn nuzzled Mariah’s cheek gently. “Next time I find you, we’ll make love.”
Mariah grabbed the back of Labdyn’s jaw and gave him her most daring kiss yet, flicking her tongue between his vicious teeth. “Next time you find me alone, we’re going to fuck.”
Labdyn gave an excited, lustful snarl. Mariah’s little tease had made a beautiful bulge in his thin shorts. Reluctantly, he adjusted his shorts and scampered away. She was left on the grass, panting, with every kind of squirmy feeling between her legs. Including – of course – needing to pee.
Mariah let herself fill her diaper. It was inevitable, and she hoped it would cool her needy body down. The warm, wet feeling in her diaper did nothing to quench the fire in her sex. Her undampened desire was worrisome on a couple of levels, as was the fact that wetting herself wasn’t disgusting anymore. Wetting was becoming a thing she did, which was not at all a good thing. I have to get out of here. With Conner and Molly – and maybe Labdyn.
Podra stepped into Mariah’s vision quietly, but not completely silently as she had in the grove. “What happed to you? Your dress is all disheveled.”
I’m back to playing the baby, I guess. The more I can keep Podra unsuspicious, the better. Mariah shrugged at Podra. “I don’t know, Mommy. I was playing!”
Laughing ruefully, Podra picked Mariah up as if she were weightless. There was no need to test her new strength against the green faerie. Mariah could feel the difference between Podra’s woody arms and Labdyn’s in the way she was held. Podra was on a completely different level than Mariah’s – boyfriend.
Is he really my boyfriend? He can’t be. He’s a faerie – and a dog! Mariah’s mind presented its excellent argument to no avail. Her heart was made up. She was infatuated with Labdyn, at least. If she was feeling more than a crush, she couldn’t admit to it. Her body had a number of interesting ideas about how Labdyn’s dog-nature would improve his ability to bend Mariah over and take her from behind. Those thoughts had to be shut down quickly, before Mariah worked herself up. Having Podra change her diapers was enough intimacy with the inhuman green woman, Mariah didn’t need to masturbate in front of her mommy as well.
“It’s almost time for you to sleep again. Your diaper is wet too. I’ll change you, give you a bottle, and put you back in your crib.” Podra was smiling in a dreamy way as she spoke.
“Do you like taking care of me, Mommy?” Mariah watched her captor closely, curious as to what sort of emotions these creatures could feel. It was still difficult to believe that someone as happy as Labdyn had never been held tenderly. She remembered Podra’s first experience of tenderness too, and how alien the faerie’s reaction had been.
“I love it!” Podra smiled more brightly as she put Mariah on her changing table. “You’re like a plant, but instead of having to wait days or years to take care of you, there are things to do almost constantly. Your little cycles of needing watering, cleaning, and rest are so fast that it’s keeping me wonderfully occupied.”
I’m a high maintenance plant? Great. Mariah laid back and let Podra change her diaper. It was another too-familiar feeling for something that should bother her. Worst of all, it wasn’t as if she wanted to feel constant disgust and distress. Being unhappy all the time would be horrible. At the same time, she didn’t want to be so used to using her diapers that she enjoyed them.
Enjoying diapers would be too weird – right? Plus, what if I’m here so long that I need them when I go home? Ugh, not that my roommates would notice, I guess. How did that stupid changeling end up in diapers? What the hell do my roommates think about her – about me?