Adult Changeling (Full Book)

In a fresh diaper, and with Forrest out of the room, Roan shucked the sweaty shirt she’d napped in and took a moment to consider her next move. The first thing to do was to put her ward up. Though the house was warm, there was no central hearth. All the seats in the main room were pointed at a larger version of Mariah’s mystic slate. If that was the center of the house, she’d have to hang the ward there.

Her next course of action would need to be to learn more about the world she was in. The Princess had commanded Roan to do a better job of impersonating a human. Roan had only to remember her father’s face – screaming and trapped in glass – to be motivated to please the Royals.

Unfortunately, Princess Akinari had not given Roan any additional tools or knowledge to help with her impersonation. The locket held everything Roan needed to know, but that knowledge was gated behind magic that Roan had no art for. Simple answers were something she could wring from the locket, especially now that she knew her true situation. Broader concepts, like how the humans structured their world, or the meaning of their runes, were beyond Roan’s skill.

Asking Forrest or Hanna to teach me such basic things would probably strain the lie I’ve told them past believing. I pretended to be confused with them, not that my memory was completely gone.

That left the ensorcelled packmates. Though Roan was leery of using them too much – their oaths had made them rather zealous in treating her like an infant – they would be predisposed to teach her very basic things. As long as Forrest and Hannah didn’t see those lessons, she could learn a lot from Bless and Corey.

Roan’s stolen nursery song played in her mind. Unlike the first time, the song was clear and distinct. Roan could feel real Fae magic behind the melody. There was no way the human girl – Mariah – possessed such control over her half of the locket. Some fae must be manipulating the amulet to spy on me. An agent of the Princess, no doubt.

The proper response to being spied on by one of Akinari’s servants was to act like a baby – for Roan to show she was following the Princess’s command. As she was alone, no obvious way to pretend to be a baby presented itself to Roan. While she froze in indecision, the music faded away.

Against her better judgement, Roan looked up and around the room. There was no sign of a connection to Faerie – not that she should have expected to be able to see one. She was a hound, not an elf or a noble who could see magic as colours on the wind. With a sigh, Roan put on a light dress, picked up her ward, and made her way to the main room – the living room, as her packmates called it.

Between the new unsteadiness in Roan’s legs and the fact that someone might still be watching her, it seemed safest to crawl. Having an extra reason on top of her physical incapacity blunted the hit to Roan’s pride. It’s ironic, Roan thought, to be upset at walking on all fours, but it’s unnatural and awkward in my two-legged form. Mariah’s two-legged form, I suppose. I’m glad she can’t see me disgracing her to her packmates like this.

There was no obvious place to hang the ward on the big slate in the living room. Roan doubted her packmates would tolerate the viewing portion of the slate being covered. Finally, she located a hook on the back of the slate that was large enough to hold her ward. With the ward hung, Roan took a moment to silently dedicate the wheel of oak and ash and thorn to the residence.

The effect was dramatic. The Princess’s contribution to Roan’s ward had made it a powerful artifact indeed. The living room was suddenly full of the smell of trees and a gust of cold air rushed out from the slate to every corner of the house. For a moment, Roan could feel every door and window in the house as they came under her power. As Mistress of the Ward, Roan bade all the entrances to bar themselves against all fae influences – except she who had created the ward.

I think that means that the Princess can come and go freely, but I bet she could do that anyway. Locking the house to just Akinari and myself might keep her agents out – unless she sends one that’s an extension of herself.

As the burst of magic faded, so did Roan’s awareness of the house. Like most abstract magic, her wardcraft was rudimentary at best. She wouldn’t be making doors open and close by will alone, like some haughty noble. All Roan could hope for was that she’d be warned if someone tested her protection.

There was no reaction from Roan’s packmates to setting the ward. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. There was one advantage to her packmates’ blindness to magic – saving Roan an awkward conversation of trying to explain why the house had suddenly been full of cold wind.

Hannah came through the front door, looking tired, though in good spirits. Roan grinned at her packmate and threw her arms open in a wide greeting. “Hannah!”

“Hello to you too, cutie. Not Mommy this time?” Hannah set down her bag, kicked off her shoes, and crouched down beside Roan.

“You can still be Mommy if you want.” Roan nuzzled Hannah’s arm, hoping for more of her packmate’s excellent petting. “I – remembered some things today. Only some of my confusion is gone, but I understand better.”

“That’s such good news!” Hannah’s voice and smile radiated excitement, but her joy didn’t reach her eyes.

“My um – physical condition hasn’t changed. Also, if you still want to play – like you talked about before you left – I would like that.” Roan’s second nudge of Hanna’s arm convinced her packmate to stroke Roan’s hair. The sensation was so good that Roan had to fight to keep from thumping her leg.

“I’d like that a lot, but if you’re not in that headspace anymore, that’s fine hon.”

“I want it.” Roan smiled at Hannah. “Did you bring back more of the little monsters?”

Hannah giggled. “I did. Give me a chance to decompress from work, and we can play.”

Decompress? Roan picked the word apart and was left more confused. Does Hannah work somewhere that she’s made smaller? She looks the right size now, but maybe the spell hasn’t completely worn off.

Laughing again at Roan’s confused expression, Hannah patted the girl’s head. “I see you’re still a little confused. I need an hour or so, okay Mariah?”

“It’s my babysitting shift anyway.” Bless entered the room with a mid-sized slate, larger than the little one Mariah had, but smaller than the house’s central slate.

Though she couldn’t read the runes, Roan recognized a schedule when she saw one. Granted, the schedules she’d been given had been drawn on a grid in the dirt, or scratched into a plank, but the concept was the same.

“What’s this now?” Hannah frowned as she looked at the slate. “I thought you didn’t want to babysit. Where’d this schedule come from?”

“Mariah almost got hurt today.” Corey sat against the dining table, self-importantly crossing his arms. “She needs to be watched all the time. I can’t believe Forrest left her alone.”

Hannah blinked in surprise, looking from Bless to Corey and back again. “I’m feeling a little out of the loop. Do you mind filling me in?”

Bless knelt by Roan and reached under her skirt. The fae girl gave a surprised squirm when Bless stuck a pair of fingers in her diaper. “Forrest changed her at least.”

As Bless produced the pacifier from her pocket, Roan tried her best pout. It didn’t deter her packmate. With the soft nipple pressed up against her teeth, Roan had to accept the pacifier or make a scene. Reluctantly, she sucked on the little silencer.

“Come sit by me, baby girl.” Bless took a seat on the couch, tucking Roan against her legs. Corey sat next to her. Hannah took a seat in the large chair, looking a little bewildered.

“I’m ready to be filled in any time,” Hannah said.

“Roan was almost killed on the highway today.” Corey’s expression was grim. Roan winced. He wasn’t wrong – but she wished he would be less dramatic about it.

“It’s my fault.” Bless’ tone was guilty and apologetic. “I wasn’t watching her – Hannah, she didn’t know the highway was dangerous. She ran into traffic when I yelled at her to get off the road.”

“Oh my god.” Hannah put a hand to her mouth. “Okay, the babysitting schedule makes more sense but – I’d like to have some input on it.”

“We all have equal time.” Corey put the slate in front of Hannah on the living room’s low table.

“I wanted to watch her tonight, can I trade you for tomorrow morning, Corey?” Hannah pointed at two of the boxes on the schedule.

Roan peeked at the slate, trying to fix the tiny runes in her mind. She wasn’t sure which was which, but she had a set of runes that said Corey and Hannah’s names now. Bless and Forrest would be the other two.

“That’s fine.” Corey tapped on the slate, erasing and recreating runes from a container the slate offered him. Roan furrowed her brow, concentrating until her head hurt. The top of the grid was morning then.

“That’s great then. I have to say uh – I didn’t expect you two to be so gung ho about this.” Hannah’s expression still had a lot of surprise about it.

“She’s like a baby!” Bless reached down to pull Roan against her leg. “We have to take care of her like one.”

“Mariah needs to be protected. We call do, I don’t want this to cause problems for us, or for anyone else to get what happened to Mariah.” Corey took the slate back and made it dark. “I’ve sent the schedule to all four of our emails.”

“This is – a lot, but thank you both for being so quick to help Mariah. Bless – it’s not your fault that Mariah was on the road, I could have made the same mistake. None of us know for sure what happened, or how much it affected her.”

“Thanks but – I haven’t forgiven myself yet.” Bless shrugged and patted Roan’s shoulder. “I’ve got her until your evening shift.”

“I’ll make a family dinner.” Corey stood and shrugged at Hannah’s questioning noise. “I think it’s best if we all gather together as much as we can. Besides – family dinners are always fun, aren’t they?”

Hannah nodded, smiling. “I always enjoyed them. Okay, then I really am off the hook for a bit! Thanks, both of you.”

Bless lead Roan to her room as the group broke up. The fae girl’s tolerance for passively accepting Bless’ direction evaporated when she was put on the bed again. She spit the pacifier out and looked Bless in the eye.

“I’m not tired, I don’t need another nap.”

Bless frowned, but nodded after a moment. “I suppose that’s fair. I don’t have a lot of toys – but I’ll get some tomorrow. Hmm, how about drawing?”

Bless handed Roan some of the finest paper she’d ever seen. It was more regular and thinner than anything she’d seen come out of the court. A thin charcoal rod encased in wood accompanied the bound sheets of paper.

They have so many wonders. Does the Princess really know about all this? There has to be something in this world that I can use to free Dad and Mariah.

Roan was fascinated by how smoothly the charcoal made lines on the paper. While Bless returned to her work – apparently satisfied that Roan was occupied – Roan tried her hand at recreating the runes for her packmates’ names.

Hannah’s was the first she tried. It had tall sticks at the front and back, with some rounded shapes in the middle. Corey’s was harder to remember. The sideways bowl shape at the beginning was easy enough, as was the forked road at the end. The middle had some odd shapes that hadn’t stuck in Roan’s mind, however.

So absorbed was Roan in drawing the runes, that she didn’t notice Bless getting up until her packmate had Roan’s dress up and was checking her diaper. “You’re just a little wet. I don’t think you need a change yet.”

Roan blushed. Akinari’s curse had implications that Roan hadn’t considered. Without the ability to control herself – she hadn’t noticed her wetting. I’m going to be spending a lot of time in wet diapers. Damn the Princess.

“What’s this you’re drawing?” Bless leaned over and made a surprised noise. “Are you trying to write? Is that Hannah’s name?”

“It’s supposed to be.” Roan sighed. She’d clearly missed some of the intricacies of the runes if Bless had to make a guess at what Roan had done.

“Why just Hannah and Corey’s names?” Bless sat on the bed and stroked Roan’s back.

“Those are the ones Corey pointed to. I wasn’t sure of the other two which one was yours and which was Forrest.”

“Give me the pencil for a minute.” Bless took the stick – the pencil – from Roan’s hand and carefully drew four sets of runes. She put a finger to each one in turn, naming them. “Bless, Hannah, Corey, Forest.”

“Oh, thank you!” Roan eagerly took the pencil back and carefully copied Bless’ name.

“What a smart baby!” Bless grinned and kissed Bless atop her head. “I have you for most of the day tomorrow. Do you want to work on your reading and writing some more then?”

Roan nodded. “Yes please. Thanks Bless.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. You’re still getting a nap after lunch though. I don’t want a cranky baby on my hands.” Bless’ infantilizing statement was accompanied by head-pats – Roan accepted the combination as overall neutral.

Carefully, Roan transferred the names to a fresh page, and copied each in columns below, as many times as they’d fit on the page. When she was done, a thought struck her. She looked up at Bless.

“Bless? How do I draw my name?”

“Of course, I didn’t realize, but we should have started with that one.” Bless returned to the bed and drew Mariah’s name on a new page. Roan wished she could ask for her own name, but that was too risky even with the oath binding Bless.

While Roan started on Mariah’s name – which was almost as tricky as Forrest – Bless checked her diaper again.

“Smells like you might be getting that diaper change sooner than I thought. Don’t worry, I don’t mind changing your diaper, no matter what’s in it.”

Roan stopped in the middle of drawing in horror. I mind though! I mind quite a bit! She could still feel the second kind of pressure, thankfully, but had been putting off the awkward conversation about going to the bathroom.

“Uh, I’d rather not do that in my diaper. I can go to the bathroom for – poop.”

“I have to change your diaper either way, since it’s wet.” Bless shrugged. “You can just do your business. It really won’t bother me.”

“It’ll bother me.” Roan sat up and tried her puppy eyes on Bless again. “It won’t take me long. I’ll go and come right back.”

“Oh no you don’t. You’re not to be alone for any reason.” Bless stood and took Roan’s hand. “Come on, baby girl. I’ll take you and we can put you in a new diaper when you’re done.”

Being lead to the bathroom was a humiliating experience. Actual dogs didn’t mind watching each other do something so disgusting, but that didn’t mean that faerie hounds did. Faeries didn’t need to do it at all, Roan wished there were any way out of having an audience for what was still a new and embarrassing bodily function.

Bless was determined, marching Roan past the kitchen where Corey was working on dinner and into the bathroom. She put Roan on the toilet and discarded the damp diaper. “I’ll get a fresh one while you’re going. Don’t get up from there, understand?”

Roan nodded. As soon as Bless was out of the room – with the door left open – Roan put all her energy into finishing her “business” as quickly as possible. Though she wasn’t quite done when Bless returned, the most embarrassing noises were out of the way at least.

Bless insisted on wiping Roan’s rear, which Roan honestly wasn’t sure how to do on her own. A quick lie-down on the changing blanket had her in a fresh diaper, courtesy of Bless. There was a bit of time left to draw before dinner, and Roan welcomed the chance to distance herself from the humiliation she’d suffered.

Dinner was chicken, potatoes, and a mixture of vegetables that smelled like they’d been preserved for a while before Corey had cooked them. Though Roan knew of human’s favorite fowl – chicken – she’d was excited for a chance to try it. Roan took the seat that Bless directed her to, and was grateful to see the brightly colored cutlery in place of iron implements.

“You put out baby utensils for her?” Forrest raised a brow and offered Roan an iron knife. “Do you want a real knife, at least?”

As the knife approached Roan, she could see glimmers of red as the iron heated in response to her presence. The Princess’ curse had made Roan more fae, weakening the protection her mortal form had offered against iron. Roan had no doubt that touching the knife would burn her badly enough that everyone would forget burn she’d taken from the candle.

“No uh – thank you. I like these.” Roan hastily picked up her colored utensils, doing her best not to flinch away from the iron knife.

Luckily, Forrest didn’t pursue his inquiry further, merely shrugging and taking back the knife. When Roan’s child-knife proofed too weak to cut the chicken, Bless cut Roan’s portion into bite sized chunks for her. Dinner passed pleasantly enough, with conversation among the pack. Roan wished she could contribute, but contented herself with paying attention so she could ask questions on another evening.

The biggest disappointment of the meal was the chicken. The meat was almost offensively bland, though it was hard to tell under all the spices Corey had used. In contrast, the potatoes were rich and the vegetables were tasty, if soft. As the meal drew to an end, Bless insisted that Roan eat at least two more bites of her chicken. Roan reluctantly ate the two smallest bites, which her packmates found quite funny for some reason.

“Thanks for making dinner, Corey. We should do these more often.” Forrest stood, deftly stacking plates on his arm. “I’ll handle the dishes.”

“In that case, I’ll handle this cutie.” Hannah ruffled Roan’s hair delightfully. “Corey, you’re on for tomorrow morning, right?”

Corey nodded gravely. “I have an alarm set that should get me up before Mariah does.”

Bless gave Roan an anxious hug before handing her off to Hannah. In Hannah’s room, Roan endured a diaper check – she was a little wet again – and took a seat on the bed with her packmate.

“How are you feeling about all of this, Mariah?” Hannah gave Roan’s arm a squeeze. “Bless and Corey had a dramatic change in their attitudes. Are you alright with how they’re taking care of you?”

I can hardly complain, since I ensorcelled them into the way they’re behaving. Even if I wanted her to, Hannah can’t convince them to change how they’re acting. Roan nodded, “The thing on the road – when I almost got hurt – was frightening.”

“I didn’t realize I was wet until you checked.” Roan sighed and blushed. “There’s a lot I don’t remember or understand. It’s comforting that they want to take care of me so much.”

“Even so, you sound a lot more put together than you were.” Hannah scooted close to Roan and stroked her back. “Did you get a portion of your memory back?”

“I know who you are – who everyone in the house is – better now. I remember what happened on the road and I understand why it was dangerous.” Roan smiled weakly. “I can learn things, but I can’t tell you what happened to change me.”

“That’s both more encouraging and concerning than I was expecting. I wish we could afford to get you checked out by a doctor, but the walk-in clinic would never be able to handle something like this.” Hannah shook her head. “You need some kind of specialist, and I’m sure your insurance wouldn’t cover much of the cost.”

Hannah’s words about medical treatment were a confusing buzz of unfamiliar words which Roan filed away for later investigation with the locket. The thrust of her packmate’s statement was clear enough, the pack couldn’t afford to have Roan treated for whatever they imagined had happened to Mariah.

That’s for the best. I don’t know what a mortal doctor would make of me, but nothing good would come of it. Roan leaned into Hannah. “Thank you for taking care of me. I’ll do my best to learn enough to do my work as soon as I can.”

“Let’s not worry about that until you’re feeling better.” Hannah petted Roan’s head. “I know you said you wanted to play with toys tonight, but I feel strange suggesting it after the discussion we just had.”

“I’d like to play with the little monsters some more.” Roan nuzzled Hannah’s neck. As she’d predicted, the mortal woman’s skin flushed and her scent changed. “There’s other ways we could play, though.”

“I – Mariah – oh dear.” Hannah turned to Roan. Their lips bumping together drove a soft gasp out of Hannah. “I’ve had a crush on you for a while – I didn’t realize you felt the same way. This is – we shouldn’t play that way.”

“Why not?” Roan shifted closer to Hannah, lightly licking her earlobe. She whined in frustration when her packmate pushed her away.

“Because you’re impaired. You’re not in your right mind. I’d be taking advantage – it isn’t right.”

“Hannah – you said you noticed I’m less confused. It’s true there’s a lot I don’t remember.” Roan tried to flatten her ears into a pleading expression, biting her lip in frustration when she realized she hadn’t the muscles or the ears for the gesture. “I know what sex is, what love is, and the difference between the two.”

Hannah swallowed nervously. “You say that, but do you really…”

“If it’s because I need help with things like I’m a child and you’re not attracted to me, that’s fine. We won’t play like that if you really don’t want to play.”

Roan put her hands on Hannah’s and looked her packmate in the eye. “I’m talking about us becoming lovers. I think you’re sexy – I want to make love to you. If you don’t, I will stop asking.”

“Oh Mariah, I do – I really do. I’m just not sure.” Hannah squeezed Roan’s hands. “What would the rest of our roommates think if they found out?”

“Unless one of them is already your lover, it’s none of their business.” Roan leaned in, bringing her lips to Hannah’s. She did it slowly, giving her packmate every opportunity to pull away.

Indecision was written on Hanna’s face as Roan approached. At the last moment, Hannah closed her eyes and met Roan’s lips. Soft exploratory kisses gave way to a raw, wet embrace. Scarcely had their tongues tangled than Roan pulled Hannah on top of her, lying back on the bed.

The mortal woman was delightfully soft putty in Roan’s hands. The fae girl had been interested in female lovers since she’d turned fifty – Roan had more than forty years since then to practice pleasing a woman.

Hannah’s breasts were wonderfully firm under Roan’s hands, but the true delight in them was the way the fae girl could use them to make Hannah’s breath catch in her throat. Carefully flexing her thigh between Hannah’s legs had the mortal girl pressing against Roan with a needy whine. Hannah’s legs tangled with Roan’s – reciprocating the gesture – whereupon Hannah’s thigh squished against Roan’s diapered crotch.

The thrice-cursed diaper! Roan sighed and cradled Hannah’s head in her hands so she could catch her lover’s gaze. “If that’s too strange, I understand.”

“It’s not, it…” Hannah’s face turned red to beat a faerie shapeshifter. “It’s a bonus. I had a girlfriend who wore those – just for fun times like this. I’m not trying to take advantage of your condition, I swear.”

“Oh, you like it?” Roan’s heart leapt in glee. Hannah’s desires might be strange to a mortal, but Roan had numbered a goblin among her lovers. Finding out that her curse was attractive to her new lover delighted Roan. “That makes me feel better.”

“I’m glad.” Hannah kissed Roan hungrily, pawing at the fae girl’s breasts. She was nowhere near as skilled a lover as a faerie, but she had an urgency to her passion that lit fire to Roan’s nerves.

They rolled about, bodies tangled together on Hannah’s bed for a while – until the mortal girl begged off and reluctantly parted. Roan was intrigued, despite her frustration. So it’s true. Mortals delay becoming lovers at the beginning. If it’s to build anticipation, that’s certainly working.

“You’re incredible. There’s – nothing childlike about what we just did. You’ve got me convinced.” Hannah took a moment to catch her breath, stroking Roan’s cheek. “I’m still not sure the others would understand. Can we keep this our secret for a while?”

“Of course.” Roan was already keeping so many secrets that one more was no burden at all. She took Hannah’s hand in hers and kissed her lover’s palm.

“Don’t start again, my resolve is hanging by a thread.”

“Very well.” Roan could feel her eyes sparkling with anticipation at all the things she wanted to do to – and with – Hannah. Enjoying the mortal tradition of anticipation, she carefully put Hannah’s hand on the mortal girl’s chest.

“I think it’s time to change you anyway.” Hannah patted Roan’s diaper. What would have been embarrassing from another packmate was soothing from Hannah. Her lover’s excitement and flush hadn’t faded at all when her attention turned to Roan’s diaper.

“Afterwards, can we play with the little monsters?” Roan climbed off Hannah’s bed, taking up her now-familiar position on the changing blanket. “I won’t be able to keep my hands off you if I don’t have something to do.”

“Yes sweetheart, we absolutely can.” Hannah shook her head in wonder as she changed Roan. “This is a dream come true.”

Once she had a clean diaper on, Roan learned that the little monsters were called dinosaurs. It was another odd word to file away. Luckily, she’d always been a quick study. Despite that, it was a relief to devolve into simple play with the dinosaur toys instead of constantly taking in information about the mortal world.

Roan was genuinely sad to be put to bed, especially as she was trading Hannah’s gentle and sexy caregiving for Corey’s grim protection-oriented care in the morning. Despite those misgivings, she smiled as Hannah tucked her into the blankets. Her situation in the pack felt far more stable than it had been, the Princess’ interference notwithstanding.

As she bid Hannah goodnight, Roan grasped her locket and queried it for answers to the day’s questions until she fell asleep.

If there was anything to praise about humans, it was their adaptability. Roan’s adopted household settled into their new normal in the space of a day. Though Corey and Bless were still quite intense in the attention they paid to Roan, she found the fuss a worthy trade for always having a packmate around. Bless’ lessons in particular were invaluable. Knowing the basics of human rune language and society helped Roan ask better questions of the locket she wore.

Whenever Corey or Bless would insist on Roan taking a nap, she used the time to interrogate her link to the mortal girl she’d supplanted. The human world – once a confusing mix of myth and misunderstanding – took shape in Roan’s mind. Delusion seemed to be the main theme of the mortal realm, which explained why humans were so easy to fool with magical tricks. Mariah’s memories in the locket were adamant that she was “free” and had no allegiance to any nobility. Careful investigation on the circumstances of Mariah’s life, showed Roan that there was a definite ruling class, and that Mariah had pledged herself to several aristocratic houses in various ways.

Roan had to laugh when she found herself wishing for the simplicity of the faerie court during one of her dives into Mariah’s political knowledge. It was a sign that she’d learned enough about human politics, Roan decided. Her goal had been to definitively discover what her pack’s place was in the human world – and she had. Mariah’s social class was shockingly lower than Roan’s initial assessment. Knowing that her adopted family couldn’t afford to have an unproductive member for long, Roan redoubled her efforts to absorb information about Mariah’s work.

On the face of it, Mariah’s job was simple. She served drinks in exchange for money. However, Mariah was also expected to mix the drinks – a process that involved memorizing hundreds of ingredient combinations and the use of a human alchemical engine. Despite how intimidating the task sounded, Roan felt that she had no choice but to try.

Forrest seemed the best packmate to broach the subject with. The next time he was assigned to watch over her, Roan waited until he was done changing her diaper and had put away all his work things.

“Daddy – Forrest, I need to talk to you about something.” Roan was sitting at Forrest’s feet while he read his magical slate. He’s Browsing his Phone. I have to remember. People will think I’m strange if I don’t use the right words.

 “What’s up?” Forrest put his phone away and sat up, giving Roan all his attention immediately. It was a small gesture, but emblematic of the way Forrest honored people he cared for. Mariah must be a great woman to have collected such wonderful packmates.

“I think it’s time that I go back to work. I’m not sure if I can do everything – that Mariah did – that I used to do. I want to try though. I’m hoping they will let me do at least part of my work.”

Forrest’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

Roan nodded eagerly. “I can read and write now, I remember how to make a latte, and there’s always cleaning to do there. I can do all the cleaning so that the others don’t have to.”

“What about getting to and from work?”

“I was hoping – that someone could take me.” Roan felt her cheeks heat. It was hard transitioning from someone who had raced across the breadth of Faerie, to a pseudo-child who couldn’t make her way to a shop. “If no one can, that’s understandable. I can be very careful about going on my own. I understand about cars and roads now.”

“Mariah,” Forrest sighed and rubbed his face. “You’ve made a lot of progress, I agree. That doesn’t mean you’re back to where you were. I’m worried about you getting to work if you – well, the way you talk about cars and traffic isn’t the way you would have before.”

“We need the money, don’t we?” Roan sighed. “I don’t want to be a burden. Forrest, please. I know it’s more work for you to help me do this, but I want to make less work for you later.”

Forrest bit his lip when Roan mentioned the money. She winced internally. The pack’s resources were lower than she’d guessed. If doing Mariah’s work wasn’t possible, Roan would need to find something valuable that she could sell. Or I could ensorcell some other mortal. Someone outside the pack has money that my pack could use. Roan surprised herself by quickly rejecting the idea of enchanting someone to rob them. Stealing from mortals and making fools of them was a subject of much laughter back in Faerie, and Roan had laughed along as much as anyone else.

“You’re not wrong about us needing the money. I’ll talk to your boss and see what she says. I can take you in tomorrow if she agrees.” Forrest sighed and looked at Roan pensively before asking, “What about your diapers?”

“I…” Roan blushed. There was no good way to hide them, she knew. The clothing that Mariah wore to her work would cover, but not conceal a diaper. That was doubly true of a wet diaper. Roan had already made the experiment by wearing Mariah’s work trousers while Hannah was watching over her.

Roan set her jaw and shrugged. “It will be embarrassing if people know I’m wearing them. I hope they’ll get used to it and be kind, eventually.”

“Mariah, you’re one of the bravest and best people I know.” Forrest pulled Roan onto the couch and into a warm embrace. “Luckily your boss is a pretty good person. I’m sure she’ll be kind – hopefully the others will follow her lead.”

Taking such a big compliment for Mariah made Roan’s chest hollow with guilt. She hadn’t earned Forrest’s praise – especially since any gallantry on her part was a feather against the bolder of debt she owed the pack for stealing Mariah from them.

“Thank you. Especially for offering to talk to my miss-, my superior for me. I know how busy you are without having to take care of me.”

“Mariah, I’ll always take care of you.” Forrest squeezed Roan tightly. Though the comfort he offered was as unearned by Roan as his praise, she refused to feel further guilt. Roan needed love and closeness as much as Forrest did – it didn’t matter that she wished he was her father or that he thought she was Mariah. A hug was a hug.

Roan and Forrest cuddled until dinner, much to Bless’ amusement. The pack’s usual placid dinner conversation was supplanted by a lively debate about Roan’s ability to go to work. Bless and Corey were appalled at the idea, pushing Forrest and Hannah into an equally extreme position of support to oppose them. In the end, Roan used Corey’s oath to sabotage his opposition – reminding him that the household needed the money and that Roan working would protect them all.

Forrest and Hannah were obviously confused at how quickly Corey switched sides in the argument. Roan caught Forrest watching her suspiciously – which made her worry the phrasing she’d used to trigger Corey’s oath was too out of character for Mariah. Luckily for Roan, if not the harmony of the pack, Corey’s magic compulsion pushed him to be quite harsh with Bless. Forrest had to abandon his suspicions while he and Hannah corralled Corey’s tongue.

~~~~*~~~~

The next day, Roan stood nervously in Mariah’s workplace – Coffee Shop – while Forrest spoke to Karen, the shop’s proprietor. An elm tree on the shop’s sign was something Roan took as a good sign, for elm was had long been a friend of the fae. Unfortunately, there was no actual elm in the shop or nearby. While Forrest was occupied with the shop’s mistress, Roan was left to endure the judgmental stares of the other workers. Baristas. They’re baristas, and I hope I am one as well. Roan lacked the art to give Forrest the gift of the bard’s tongue, but she whispered the blessing for it under her breath anyway.

“I think it’ll be fine. Thank you for giving me such a detailed explanation.” Karen, the shopkeeper raised her voice from the whispers she’d been exchanging with Forrest. Karen was a stout woman, putting Roan in the mind of a tall dwarf. Her brown hair was in full rebellion against the tie that was meant to pull it in a bun at the back of her head. Though Karen’s clothing was as plain as any other mortal Roan had met, her face had the stern cast of a woman used to command.

“If there’s any problem, please call me or one of the other people on the emergency contact sheet I gave you.” Forrest dithered nervously, as Roan’s father had before she went on her first real hunt. She smiled fondly at her good-hearted packmate.

“I will. It’s a terrible thing that happened, I’m glad I can help. There’s plenty of work for Mariah to do here, we’ve been short staffed this past week with her gone.” Karen patted Forrest on the shoulder and approached Roan.

“Ready to be back at work, Mariah?”

“Yes…” Roan’s tongue caught in her mouth. In her frenzy of learning all the drinks the shop sold, she’d forgotten to learn what honorific Mariah used for her mistress. Forrest had called Karen by her given name, but he wasn’t her servant.

“Good. Alright everyone, listen up.” Karen turned to the other baristas, who responded with simple affirmatives – except for one man. Roan was grateful to the blonde barista for speaking formally enough to address Karen as Boss.

“Mariah has had a rough time since her house was broken into – she’s not going to be completely up to speed. She’s going to need a lot of retraining, which I will mostly handle. I want everyone to be patient with her when she’s asking questions, understand?” Karen’s speech did not have the effect it would have if Roan’s father had been speaking to his Hounds. The other baristas reactions ranged from resigned to rebelliously annoyed.

“Can’t you hire someone else? You put a job ad out already, right?” The question came from a woman who’s hair was half black, half green. “Do we really have to work with Mariah now that she’s gotten all retar…”

“Alice!” Karen snapped with volume and tone that made each of the workers straighten their spines – Roan included. “If you ever finish that word in my shop you’ll be out a job and out the door five minutes later. Am I clear?”

“Clear.” Alice crossed her arms sullenly.

“The inclusive language on the shop’s website isn’t just for our customers. Whatever Mariah needs to relearn, she can still clean. If you’re busy and she’s not able to help you, have her take your cleaning instead.” Karen sighed. “I don’t expect my staff to be friends with each other but you have to be civil. So help me, if one of you sets this business up for a lawsuit, you will not like what happens.”

The baristas – even Alice – nodded and responded with a chorus of “Got it”, “Yes”, “Understood.” Roan was so nervous watching their reactions that she nearly jumped out of her skin when Forrest hugged her.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.” Forrest patted Roan’s arm. “I have to go Mariah, I’m late to work as it is. You have your phone and you know how to call me if you need to, right?”

“I remember. We practiced last night.” Roan gave Forrest her best confidant smile, hoping he wouldn’t worry about her all day. “Have a good day at work.”

“We’ll see.” Forrest chuckled ruefully, waved to Karen, and was gone.

Roan turned expectantly to her mistress – Boss – and waited for instructions. Training was the first order of the day, with mixed results. Karen seemed pleased with Roan’s progress, though her opinion was not shared by the other baristas. Alice in particular rolled her eyes whenever Roan asked a question.

The shop filled up with customers and conversation before Roan had as much as an hour of training. While the training had done wonders for putting Mariah’s memories in context, Roan was glad to be tasked with cleaning tables and ferrying supplies from the store room. As she worked, she mused on the shop’s odd organization. Her fellow baristas would have been considered rude and insubordinate in Faerie – Alice in particular would have earned several lashings over the course of the morning. At the same time, the baristas were highly regimented about how they were allowed to serve the customers and even when they could take a break.

Karen had no sooner sent two baristas on a break when a dozen new mortals entered the shop. They looked expectantly at Roan, who’d been caught out in the main ordering position by the Register as she swept the floor. As the first customer stepped up to the counter, Roan looked for help.

“Alice, can you…”

“I’m busy.” Alice was pouring ground coffee to brew, quite a bit more slowly than Roan had seen other baristas do it. “Just take their orders. I saw Karen show you how. Again.”

Karen was in her private office. The polite blonde barista was on break. Worst of all, the customer in front of Roan was showing signs of impatience. Roan wasn’t sure what would happen if the customers lost their patience, but with the way her fellow baristas apologized for small delays in service, she was sure it was something terrible.

“Welcome to Elm Coffee Roasters.” Roan smiled at the customer. She’d been annoyed to hear her fellow workers greet everyone the same way, but she now appreciated how the repetition made the words stick. “What can I do for you?”

“I want a quad tall breve, no foam, with whip, two Splenda, and three pumps peppermint latte.” The tall man sighed and drummed his fingers on the counter.

“Okay, a latte…” Roan found that option quickly on the register’s rune-panel, but stalled immediately after. “What size would you like your drink?”

“Tall.” The customer sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry, that’s not one of the sizes I have listed here…” Roan braced herself to be yelled at as the man took a deep breath.

“He means a small.” The woman behind Roan’s rude customer leaned in to interject. “He thinks he’s in a Starbucks.”

Roan quickly pressed the small button, smiling gratefully at the woman. “Thank you.”

“I suppose you need me to repeat my drink.” The male customer sneered at Roan.

“No sir.” As someone who had been trained to perfectly carry long verbal messages, the rude man’s order was no effort at all to remember. “You wanted a quad small breve, no foam, with whip, two Splenda, and three pumps peppermint.”

It cost Roan time to enter those options, especially since some of them didn’t matter to the rune screen. Roan spent precious time hunting for Splenda until she remembered it was a sweetener and that the shop didn’t charge based on sweetener type. As she scribbled the appropriate runes on the customer’s cup, she was glad to see that her memory had impressed the customer enough that he was no longer openly annoyed. The customer that had helped Roan left extra money in the jar after she ordered, which helped Roan win back some of her fellows’ good will.

By the time Roan had cleared the line she was had a knot of tension at the base of her neck. Human work is unexpectedly relentless. She was happy to move away from the register and find other places to clean.

“Mariah, do you have a minute?” Karen beckoned Roan to a quiet spot behind the counter.

“Of course, boss. Do you need me to do something?”

Karen waited until Roan was next to her and in a low voice said, “Do you need to change your diaper?”

Roan’s cheeks burned. She’d been hoping it was her turn for break, or even that Karen would have some words off praise for how she’d handled the line of customers. Instead of her work being recognized, she’d been reduced to her infantile curse. Worst of all, a quick tug on her waistband revealed to Roan that she was indeed wet.

“I do, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.” Roan mumbled.

“It’s okay, no one is upset, especially not me.” Karen’s expression landed somewhere between a sympathetic smile and a concerned look, ending as a grimace. “Your jeans look a lot more full than they did this morning.”

“I’ll take care of it right now – if that’s allowed.” More than anything, Roan wanted the conversation to end.

“Of course. Go ahead, and take your break after you’re out of the bathroom. You get ten minutes.”

“Thank you, Boss.” Roan stopped herself from making a bow, turning the gesture into a respectful nod before she scurried to the bathroom.

It was a wonder Roan hadn’t noticed she needed a change before Karen did. Her diaper was sodden to the point that it make her trousers sag down. Released from the fabric, it dipped alarmingly between her legs. After quickly disposing of the diaper, Roan checked the changing supplies Hannah had packed for her. Using the wipes was an awkward experience, though being clean improved Roan’s mood substantially.

Roan struggled to put a clean diaper on from a standing position. Her packmates had made it look so easy, though they had the advantage of a better angle on a person that was lying down. In the end, Roan did her best to wrap the diaper around herself and secure the tapes. All that was left was to hope her diaper wouldn’t leak, and to avoid drinking liquids.

The other employees had stepped out of the shop during their break, so Roan followed suit. Relief washed over Roan at the sudden drop in volume. She took a moment to watch the sparsely planted trees sway in the wind. That the humans had covered nearly every inch of their city in stone was a culture shock.

Wistfully looking down the street that would lead her back to her pack’s home, Roan retraced the journey in her mind. The Car Forrest had brought her to the shop in was only allowed on the dark stone. After nearly being hit by one, Roan was glad for that rule. The lighter, raised stone paths didn’t made a continuous route back home, even without considering that the roads divided them. Still, Roan was confidant she could get home on her own if she had to.

The slow realization that someone was staring at her pulled Roan out of her reverie. The walking paths had no shortage of people during the city’s busy hours, but one person in particular wasn’t passing by. He stood by a metal post, wearing a coat too heavy for the warm afternoon. The shadows on the man’s face were far deeper than his hat could explain – Roan gasped when she realized she was looking at an illusionary glamour.

“What do we have here, a changeling?” The man’s lips barely moved, he was two dozen feet away, but Roan heard his words as clearly as if he was whispering in her ear.

“None of your business.” Roan hissed through her teeth.

“I’m making it mine. The town’s overcrowded as it is. Shove off to wherever you came from.”

“I came from Faerie.” Roan mumbled. “Just days ago.”

“Lies!” Something reflective flashed under the man’s shadow glamour. “Do you think I’m so stupid I don’t know you’re in an adult body? You’ve been out of Faerie for a score of years, easily.”

“I’m not lying. Leave me alone, I have to go back to work.”

“You’ve been warned. Clear out or I’ll clear you out.” The man turned and expertly wove himself into a group of humans, vanishing from Roan’s gaze.

Roan sniffed at the air out of reflex, forgetting how useless her human nose was. To her shock, she was flooded with smells. The scents of human bodies and the clothes they wore were easy to eliminate from the subdued version she’d been smelling at home. Picking out the scents of human industry was more difficult, but nothing a trained fae bloodhound couldn’t handle. Stepping up to the metal post, Roan picked up the man’s smell. Leather and a cloying plant smell stood out the most, lavender most likely. His body scent was unique, at once human and not – it had a smokey character blended into what would have been a normal man’s musk.

The rest of Roan’s work time passed in a blur. She couldn’t concentrate enough to take an order, so made herself as useful as possible bringing supplies to her fellows. Scrubbing the counters and tables was mindless and let Roan mull her breaktime encounter over in her mind. Whoever the man was, he wasn’t a faerie – more likely he was a changeling like Roan. His human scent had been too authentic to belong to a conjured disguise.

“Don’t you hate it when hair dye runs out that fast?” Uma, one of the other baristas, smiled sympathetically at Roan. “Was it City Girl brand? I have the worst luck with them.”

“What do you mean?” Roan caught a lock of her hair and pulled it in front of her face. Mariah’s black hair was represented in only half the strands Roan saw. The rest of her hair was a bright red-brown – just as Roan’s coat had been before she’d been transformed.

“Your natural color is so pretty though!” Uma leaned on a table. “If I had red hair I’d never go brunette. Just goes to show that the grass is always greener on the other side, huh?”

“Oh right, of course.” Roan stifled a laugh, terrified that it would come out as a hysterical cackle. “I wanted something different, I guess it didn’t work!”

The iron in the shop glimmered menacingly in the periphery of Roan’s vision. At the beginning of the day she’d been glad to see that the only overt iron in the shop was centered around the alchemical engine – the espresso machine – and resolved to wear gloves if she needed to touch it. Now everything in the shop that had a hint of iron smoldered in Roan’s vision.

“There’s my girl!” Hanna flung the shop door open exuberantly and gave Roan a hug. “It’s time to go home – or did they need you to stay longer?”

“No, she can go.” Karen looked up from a list she was making. “I got distracted, sorry. Great job today Mariah, thank you for working so hard.”

“Of course, boss.” Roan nodded fervently at Karen. “I’ll be back tomorrow, and I’ll do better.”

“You were fine, go home, relax.” Karen waved Roan away in as clear a gesture of dismissal as Roan had ever seen at court.

Roan sat gingerly in Hannah’s Car, fearful of the iron frame of the vehicle that she could feel enclosing her. She’d not noticed any such sensation in Forrest’s Car, and doubted that had anything to do with the carriages being differently constructed. Her tongue found a canine tooth longer than Mariah’s had any right to be, sending her into a panic. My disguise is unraveling. How fast? How can I fix it?

She answered Hannah’s questions about the shop noncommittally. It was a shame to shut her lover out, but Roan had bigger problems at the moment. Thankfully, Hannah guessed Roan to be tired and commanded the Car to play music and fell silent for the rest of the ride. The car came to a stop well away from their house, snapping Roan out of her frantic attempt to remember a spell of disguise.

“Get out of the driveway!” Hanna pressed the Car’s control wheel, triggering it’s alarm sound. The figure blocking their entry didn’t move. It was a male figure on the larger side. A man – wearing a heavy coat and a hat that shadowed his face.

“NO!” Roan bellowed in sudden rage. “This is our DEN!”

“What?! Mariah, what are you – come back!” Hannah’s cry fell on deaf ears as Roan bolted out of the Car.

“Leave my pack’s land and never return.” Roan shouted at the changeling.

“Impressive ward you have on your house – but it doesn’t cover your vehicles. It’s you that needs to go.” The man passed a hand over his face and the shadows fell away, revealing a face like craggy stone with dull metallic discs for eyes. “I am Craddock Gethin, and I charge you to leave my town for-ever.”

“Mariah, get back in the car!” Hannah leapt out of the vehicle. “I’ll call the police and we’ll – oh my god what’s wrong with his face?”

“Craddock.” Roan spat the name as she would a bit of rotten meat. “Know that I am Roan, a Hound of the Hunt in the domain of Her Majesty Ixinavori, who is the Queen of Glass. Depart this place or die with my teeth in your neck.”

“Where’s your hunt?” Craddock sneered. “A lone hound isn’t much of a threat.”

Roan rushed Craddock. In her rage, she’d forgotten she had a mortal body. Her body had forgotten it’s mortal state as well, for she moved with the full strength and speed of her fae form. Roan hit Craddock like a Car had almost hit her, grabbing his torso and hurling him a score of feet. His ribs made a satisfying cracking sound during the hit – and his body bounced off the stone pathway like a sack of sand.

As Craddock rose, Roan growled. The sound was nothing a human throat could make. It was the unmistakable sound of a hunting hound about to tear the throat of her prey. His bravado gone – Craddock stumbled away from Roan without a parting quip.

Roan turned to Hannah with ice clinging to her heart. Everything terrible she expected to see in her packmate’s face was there – fear, confusion, and horror. Roan touched her face to find patches of fur. The idea of trying to talk Hannah out of what she’d seen was ridiculous on its face. There was only one way for Roan to conceal what she’d done. She knew only a pair of memory charms, and neither of them were subtle. With her full fae power upon her, Roan knew she could blast away Hannah’s memory of her fight with Craddock – along with an unknowable amount of the woman’s other memories.

I can’t do it. No – I won’t do it. “Hannah, I’m sorry, I…”

“Mariah, what the hell is – MARIAH!” Hannah sprinted toward Roan as the changeling girl choaked. The locket’s chain had tightened around Roan’s neck and dug deep into her skin. Roan scratched at her neck to no avail, she couldn’t get under the strangling chain. Her faerie strength fled with her breath. The last thing Roan saw was the house’s stone path – Driveway – looming up at her face.

~~~~*~~~~

Roan woke on something soft. She sniffed, but the only smell apparent was laundry soap, and that was faint. The scene upon opening her eyes left Roan cold. Hannah was sitting on a chair next to the bed upon which Roan lay – with a cruel iron tool in her hand. It looked like a bird beak,  with two short, opposed blades. The tool’s short reach marked it as a torture device rather than a weapon.

“I’m sorry.” Roan cast her gaze away from her packmate and lover. “I didn’t mean to deceive you. Please – end it quickly. I know I don’t deserve it but… for what we shared together…”

“What are you TALKING about?” Hannah threw her arms around Roan. The fae girl yelped in terror as the tool smacked against her arm – but it was merely warm. As was Roan’s diaper.

Wonderful. I fight a battle with no ill effect but a little bit of iron makes me wet myself. Roan gingerly put her arms around Hannah. “I – I thought you were going to torture me with that iron implement.”

“Are you insane?” Hannah threw the pincers away and grabbed Roan’s face. Her own face was tear streaked and blotchy. “Why would I do that? Mariah, what’s HAPPENING?!”

“I…” Roan sighed and closed her eyes. She knew she should lie, ensorcell Hannah any way she could, even flee the house if she had to. Instead, she put her life in Hannah’s hands. Hannah had wanted to be her mommy once – Roan was about to find out if there was any truth to that feeling.

“I’m not Mariah.” Roan opened her eyes to see even more confusion on Hannah’s face. “My name is Roan. I’m a faerie – a changeling of sorts. Mariah’s in Faerie, held prisoner in the Court of Glass.”

“WHAT!?” Hannah’s shout echoed off her bedroom walls loudly enough to hurt Roan’s ears despite their pitiful human sensitivity. The silence that followed made it clear that no other member of the pack was home. Roan stared at Hannah, and the mortal woman stared back.

A rude noise broke the silence. When Roan realized what she’d done in her diaper, she wished Hannah had killed her with the iron tool. Neither Roan nor Hannah had words to pierce the tension that froze the room, while the smell of Roan’s messy accident made itself known.

Wind ruffled the faerie garden like a great hand ruffling fur. Mariah woke to the sound of tiny bells. Silver flowers had bloomed at the top of her cage; their crystalline stamens clattered musically against the metallic petals. It would have been a soothing escape from having to think about her predicament, if Mariah didn’t feel urgent pressure.

Being put in diapers made it seem like her whole life revolved around bathroom needs. It didn’t help that the place she was in had no sense of time. Going to sleep in afternoon light and waking up in the same, made a full sleep seem like a nap. It was impossible to tell how long she’d slept, other than that she felt rested.

Sitting up in her cage or crib, Mariah tested the bars again. The bush that had been grown over her was as unyielding as ever. Another urgent surge of pressure brought tears to Mariah’s eyes. There was pressure in more than her bladder; Mariah bit back a scream. She’d been dreading that need ever since she’d first been diapered.

Her only consolation was that Podra hadn’t shown much interest in micro-managing her. Mariah had imagined she could sneak off and hide her stink somewhere in the garden. It wasn’t a great plan, but it was far better than using her diaper. Now she was stuck in a cage, and a small one at that. Miserably, using her diaper was actually the better option than having to sit next to her mess.

She tried crying out for Podra, using the fairy’s name, as well as calling her mommy. There was no answer, which was gut-wrenchingly terrifying. Podra was the only one who knew she was in a cage. If she’d gotten bored with her duties, or been taken away in one of the Court’s weird games, a dirty diaper would be the least of Mariah’s worries.

The fear and distracting worry undid Mariah’s resistance. In the grossest moment of her life to date, she squatted down in her beautiful flowering bush cage and pushed a mess into her diaper. It was worse by far than being surprised by her first period in middle school. There was so much of it, too much hot, sticky, smelly mess.

Mariah sobbed, holding herself gingerly on her knees so she wouldn’t have to sit on her diaper. Though she still didn’t enjoy doing it, wetting her diaper was something she had gotten used to. The faerie diapers absorbed well. Other than the embarrassment, the experience wasn’t bad.

I’m NEVER going to get used to this. I have to get out of here! I have to escape this insane place!

The sound of a familiar voice made Maria’s heart leap in hope. Podra was somewhere nearby. Desperately, Mariah rattled the wooden limbs of her cage. “Podra! Mommy! Help!”

As if by magic – and on second thought, quite possibly by actual magic, Podra emerged from around a tree. Mariah had never been so happy to see one of the inhuman fae. It didn’t matter that Podra was one of her jailers, or that she had dangerous magic that could make Mariah dizzy. All that mattered was that Podra could get her out of her messy diaper and back to being clean.

“Mommy’s here, baby Mariah. What do you need?” Podra smiled with a blessedly human-like expression on her green face.

“Mommy please, I need my diaper…” Mariah’s jaw dropped as two more figures came into view. Humans. A man and a woman, older than Mariah but not exactly middle-aged were trailing behind Podra in a daze. They were pale skinned, but their clothes marked them as something other than American.

The new arrivals looked at Mariah in shock. She knew what they were seeing, a full grown woman in a bower cage or crib, wearing a baby dress and a filthy diaper. As first impressions went, it was apocalyptic. Not only that, but as soon as Podra realized that Mariah needed a change, she’d be stripped in front of them.

Mariah sobbed. Her control was gone. She fell to the ground on her side, not caring that there was some squish where her butt landed. Terrible shudders wracked her body as she cried in despair.

The cage peeled away as Podra lifted Mariah, making soothing noises. When that lame attempt to calm Mariah failed, there was a rustling noise in the green woman’s bosom. Pale pink blooms opened up across Podra’s cleavage, releasing a soporific fragrance. The magical scent stopped Mariah’s sobs, leaving her listless in Podra’s arms.

She was glad to be dazed and away from herself when Podra put her on the changing table. Slow thoughts made it easy to concentrate only on the slowly curling clouds in the sky. Dimly, she was aware of her diaper being removed and the muck being cleaned off her rear. Mariah closed her eyes as the fragrant enchantment intensified.

When she was aware of herself again, Mariah was in a clean diaper. Someone was holding her with arms too soft to belong to Podra. She opened her eyes to see the human man that had been following Podra. He was kneeling in front of her, looking over her head. She was leaning back against the woman. They were speaking English, though they trailed off before Mariah could make out what they were saying.

“I think she’s waking up.”

“Jaysus, they’ve got her in bits, haven’t they?”

“She’s wrecked, poor thing.”

“What – where’s Podra? Are we alone?” Mariah wormed her way out of the woman’s arms and sat on her knees, doing her best to pull her ruffly infant’s skirt over her diaper.

“Aye, we’re alone for now, as far as we can tell. I’m Connor, this is Molly.” Connor had a worried frown on his freckled face and an unmistakable Irish accent.

“Are you alright, lass?” Molly asked, putting a hand on Mariah’s knee. “You were out of your head for a bit there.”

“No, I’m not alright, and neither are you. Though at least you two aren’t wearing a diaper.” Tears welled up in Mariah’s eyes again, she pressed the heels of her hands against them to hold back any more sobs.

“Well, yeah, sorry to see it.” Connor rubbed the back of his neck. “Did they put you in a nappy because there’s no jacks here, or do ya need them?”

“I don’t need them!” Mariah could feel her body trembling, unbridled rage was ready to pour forth. These are the only other human people around. I need to get it together! “I’m sorry – it’s just been so awful. All these faeries think I’m a baby for some weird reason. I didn’t have a choice about using my diaper. You saw! I was in a cage!”

“Leave it out, Connor. Don’t go antagonizing the poor girl.” Molly looked around the garden, with its impossibly green grass and jewel-fruited trees. “Ya said faeries. So it’s true then. Never thought they were real, but here we are.”

“Me either.” Mariah sighed, slumping down. “They’re insanely strong. Physically, but their magic too. They can knock you out with a flower.”

“We haven’t seen that yet, but we got our fill of hound-men and nightmare horses.” Connor rubbed his face. “They ran us down like a fox hunt. I’d say I should have listened to my nan, but she never believed in this rubbish either.”

“There has to be a way to escape.” Mariah said. “I haven’t been able to explore much, but maybe you two can walk around. I’m not sure why they even brought you.”

“Oh that.” Molly winced awkwardly. “They want us ta be a surrogate ma and da for ya.”

Mariah blinked. “What? Why? Podra is already playing mommy.”

“They stole us away to be consultants, like.” Connor shrugged. “I think ta nanny ya too, when they’re busy.”

“Great!” Mariah grinned at the other two. When they stared at her blankly, she said, “If you’re supposedly in charge of me, we can explore and try to find a way out.”

“We came here on a horse that moved like lightning through a screamin’ forest,” Connor said. “I didn’t see a road to speak of.”

“Then we steal one of the horses. Mariah’s right, we can’t stay here forever.” Molly crossed her arms. “Your plan’s a good one. If they ask what we’re doing, we can say we’re taking the wain for a walk.”

“As long as we’re careful.” Connor nodded his agreement. “They’re dangerous creatures, and no mistake.”

“Agreed.” Mariah shivered. “Did you see the Queen? Or the Lord Huntsman? Those two are haunting my nightmares.”

“Not the Queen. It figures there’s one of those even here.” Molly sniffed disdainfully. “The Huntsman though, he was a terror. You’re speaking of the cat-eyed fellow with the eagle hands, I’m thinkin’. He was waiting for us when they brought us back.”

“He spit when he saw us, the posh bastard,” Connor said. “Not that I want to have a go at him. He’s a proper monster, that one.”

“The Queen is worse.” Mariah shuddered. “Be glad you didn’t see her.”

“Aye, can’t say I need to meet that one.” Molly shifted position on the thick moss spread over the little clearing. “We should get ta know each other, don’t you think? We’ve got nothing to go on but names. I suppose you can guess it, but Connor and I are Irish.”

“I’m American.” Mariah said, to nods from Molly and Connor. “I’m from New Hampshire – I guess the closest city you might know is Boston.”

“We’re from a little village outside Cork,” Connor said. “Pleased to meet you.”

“I like your tattoo.” Molly smiled kindly.

Mariah stared back a the other woman. I don’t have any tattoos. Did those faeries put something on me? “I don’t have a tattoo – or I didn’t until I came here. Where is it?”

“Across your collarbone. It’s a necklace, like.”

Mariah put her hands to her throat and chest. A patch of her skin warmed under her hand as if it were fevered. Light shone from under her chin; Molly and Connor gasped. There was a necklace of delicate gold in Mariah’s hand. She tugged at it, disbelieving. A half a locket slipped into her hand.

As soon as the cool glass of the locket touched Mariah’s hand, she heard a song. Transfixed, she listened while a soothing melody was sung by some unknown woman. The music stirred something in her, strange feelings or memories of cuddling in a pile of other children. There was something else too, a whiff of scent that brought with it a heartbreaking reminder of her roommates back home.

For a moment Mariah thought she could see Hannah’s face. A scene of the living room intruded on her vision, but it was oddly annotated. There was a candle that blazed frighteningly, and every metal item evoked dread. The glass door to the backyard was boarded up. As if she was looking through someone else’s eyes, the scene turned – and faded with the end of the song.

“Shite, she’s out her head again.” Connor was gently shaking Mariah.

“Cop on, she just had a necklace pop out of her skin, how’d you be?” Molly grabbed Connor’s arm in time for Mariah to sway into the Irish woman’s arms.

“Ugh, magic.” Mariah’s head was spinning from the abrupt transition out of the vision of her home. Laying across Molly’s lap, she gagged a few times until the nausea passed. Her limbs felt like wet noodles. When Molly cradled Mariah’s head in her lap and stroked her hair, Mariah was content to stay there and take the comfort.

“Does it wreck ya like that every time? That’s nasty, so it is.” Connor patted Mariah’s leg gently.

“I think I saw my house. Like I was in somebody else’s head. The door was boarded up and – the metal was scary?”

Connor and Molly exchanged a look. Molly shook her head and said, “Couldn’t be.”

“What?” Mariah looked up at them in distress.

“Well, just because we were sensible folk that didn’t believe the old stories doesn’t mean we haven’t heard them. An’ in those stories, often the faeries will leave behind one of their own when they take a human child. A changeling.” Connor rubbed his face. “This is mad, it is. We’re stuck in a children’s tale.”

“There’s some fae pretending to be me?” Mariah tried to rise but her limbs weren’t having it, she sank back onto Molly’s lap.

“Well that’s bleedin’ grand, isn’t it? Don’t worry, we’ll get out of here one way or another. No way am I getting’ stuck in faerie for a hundred years or the like.” Molly reached down and flipped Mariah’s skirt up. Too shocked to react, Mariah watched the woman she’d just met tuck a pair of fingers in her diaper and lift the waistband.

“What was that?!” Mariah’s face burned, doubly so when she realized she was wet. When did that happen? While I was enchanted by the locket?

“I’m sorry – I don’t know what came over me. I felt a compulsion to check yer nappy and couldn’t stop myself.” Molly was blushing as well, not that that was any comfort to Mariah.

“That plant woman – Lualdina, didn’t she say we were ‘charged’ ta take care of Mariah? Seems like she put the come-hither on us.” Conner tugged angrily at a silver chain around his wrist. Molly had a matching one, Mariah realized.

“I – I’m feeling a strong need ta change yer nappy Mariah, now that I know you’re wet. I don’t think I would if the fae hadn’t done something to me.” Molly was wringing her hands anxiously.

“I’m not sure I can walk right now, and the changing table is back – wherever the main clearing is.” Mariah was glad a change was impossible, even if it’d mean Molly would be uncomfortable for a while from the magic.

“Actually, Podra left us with some supplies. I never thought we’d use them.”

“Liar, you said you didn’t want to use them.”

“Because I was hoping the girl didn’t use her nappies except when the faeries made her.”

“It’s not like – I don’t have to use them. I don’t have accidents!” Besides the one I just had… “I don’t know if it was the locket or what, but it’s not like I have a choice. They won’t let me go anywhere else.”

“Well, I’m sure you want a change.” Molly’s voice was strained, like she was trying to resist the words coming out of her mouth. “Lie down a tick and I’ll take care of ya.”

Mariah sighed. She was sure Molly had seen her at her worst, in a filthy diaper. The little accident she’d just had was nothing in comparison. On top of that, her limbs were still feeling lethargic. She wasn’t sure she could manage changing herself. Then there was the problem that whatever spell was on Molly might actually hurt her if she didn’t let the other woman change her diaper…

I think that’s enough rationalizations. I can’t believe I’m going to ask a stranger to change my diaper. “Okay – Molly I’m really sorry about this.”

“Me too, lass. We’ll do what we have ta do to get out of this place.”

“I think I’ll take a quick walk around the grove.” Connor stood up suddenly.

“That’s a fine way to treat it, is changin’ nappies to be women’s work only then?” Molly asked sharply.

“I thought Mariah would prefer to have less of an audience you daft woman!” Connor stared at Molly, and she back at him. They had clearly not been grabbed randomly, Mariah realized, they knew each other, and might be a couple. She couldn’t decide if the two of them being married would make being their ‘baby’ more or less awkward.

“Sure, look,” Molly said. Connor threw up his hands and strolled out of the clearing.

A basket behind Molly held the changing supplies. Mariah covered her face and lay back on the soft moss. From being enchanted or simply her practical nature, Molly didn’t pussyfoot about her task. She tore Mariah’s diaper open and had it off her right away.

Mariah was torn between protesting how thorough Molly was with the wipes and being glad she wouldn’t get a rash. She considered striking up an unrelated conversation to take away some of the embarrassment. As she was picking a topic, Molly spread her cheeks and wiped Mariah’s ring, humiliating her into silence. Lotioned, powdered, and re-diapered, Mariah lay on the moss and wondered when the nightmare would end.

She hadn’t even noticed she was crying until Molly hugged her. Tears had become a near-constant in Mariah’s life. Too distraught to care about how it infantilized her, Mariah snuggled into Molly’s embrace and held on to the other woman.

“There, there, lass. I’m so sorry for the cruel game they’re playing with ya.”

“Thanks for not being mean to me. I know that was disgusting. I’ll do better about holding it when you’re around.”

“I’ve three nieces and a nephew, that was nothing.” Molly hugged Mariah tightly. “I think we both know you might not get a choice, any more than I had about checking ya. Let’s just call it something that has to be done and not dwell on it too much.”

Mariah shuddered. She couldn’t summon the energy to disagree, nor lower her pride enough to agree with Molly. When Connor came back, he owned up to feeling the compulsion as well. Luckily, it turned out that he merely had to do any sort of caregiving for Mariah. It wasn’t necessary for him to change her diaper too. That was as far as the luck went though, since the only other baby item they had on hand was a bottle of fairy milk.

Too weak and emotionally exhausted to hold herself up, Mariah leaned against Connor and let him feed her the bottle. All three of them felt better afterwards. Mariah had some of her strength return from the incandescently delicious milk and the care she’d gotten. Molly and Connor were obviously happier too, they’d lost the agitated energy they’d shown after Molly had diaper-checked Mariah.

It could be worse. They’re nice people at least. I’m not doing this because any of us want it. It’s humiliating enough to have Connor feed me a bottle, but it’d be so much worse if I actually enjoyed it.

The meal Bless had made for Roan was the most hearty she’d had so far, and it surprised her with how much it satisfied. Any time mortal food had been mentioned in Faerie, those who’d eaten it couldn’t criticize it enough. The complaints were always the same, it was tasteless, uninspired, and crude. Roan supposed that all those descriptors could be applied to the cheese-covered noodles and small sausages she’d been served. To her human body and tongue, the dish was heavenly. It had heft and bulk that filled the ache in her belly and more.

Humans make their own spice with their hunger, Roan thought, as she licked the smooth spoon Bless had given her. It was the first non-iron utensil she’d seen in the house and while its bright colors and large grip marked it as a child’s item, she was grateful to Bless for offering it.

After eating, Bless insisted that Roan go to bed for a nap. The idea was absurd, but Roan was wary of weakening the mortal woman’s oath by protesting baby treatment. It was easy enough for Roan to collect her hard-won tree branches while Bless was distracted and hide them in her room. With Bless satisfied that Roan was going to sleep, and Roan assured that she wouldn’t be bothered for a while, the changeling girl was finally able to start her ward.

Searching Mariah’s things, Roan found a curved pieces of the smooth material that had made up her spoon. The humans had a lot of that material, almost as much as they had iron. Whatever it was, it seemed versatile and durable. She wondered if the dwarves knew of the stuff. Certainly, she’d never seen it used in Faerie. Is it possible that human artistry is eclipsing fae craft? I’d love to see the look on the Queen or Princess’ face if they had to see humans as equals.

The object was a perfect size to put on Roan’s head, making a hair band that didn’t need to be secured with a strap. The tiny teeth on the interior were also perfect for cleaning the bark off the branches she’d gathered. In short order Roan was sitting in a pile of shredded bark with three clean branches in hand.

Carefully, she peeled the branches apart into long strips. Her fingers tingled as she wove the oak, ash, and hawthorn together into a circle. Her teachers in Faerie would have called it a basic ward, but that made it a fundamental one too. Even in the magic-starved human realm, a circle of oak and ash and thorn held great power.

As she was admiring her ward, Roan felt it shudder in her hands. She yelped as magic prickled across her skin, at once protecting and attacking her. The ward’s power cloaked her like a suit of armored clothing, but drove burr-like sharpness against her skin as it sought the faerie inside her flesh.

It’s not supposed to activate like this! My ward shouldn’t be strong enough to detect me at all, only an undisguised faerie should trigger it, and even then it would have to be someone strong…

The window over the bed banged open and admitted a ruthless winter wind. Snow swirled into the room and spun like a whirlwind into a column of white. Roan barked in fear and alarm, scooting back on her padded rear until she slammed into a wall.

The column of snow compressed itself into Princess Akinari, Lady of Glaciers, Heir to the Throne of Glass. It had been rare for Roan to gaze upon the perfection that was the Princess, she hadn’t been important enough to spend much time in Court. As always, she was awestruck by the perfection of the Princess’ body, shading from deepest blue ice to brightest snow, sparkling everywhere with silvery moonlight. A shroud of mysterious grey cloud wrapped tantalizingly around her, exactly enough to excite the imagination but not satisfy.

The Princess turned her eyeless face on Roan and the hound-girl’s terror returned. Colorless voids stood in for Akinari’s eyes. There was no way to read expression in them, yet the Princess’ power communicated her emotions all the same. Instead of observing contempt in Akinari’s eyes, Roan felt the emotion imposed upon her. The sharpness of Akinari’s distain brought tears to Roan’s eyes and made her crumple before the royal presence.

“You made a ward?” Akinari’s voice echoed like thunder between mountain peaks, rumbled like an avalanche. “How sweet. Are you afraid, little hound? That’s good. You should be.”

Trembling and flinching away, Roan realized she was soiling herself. For once she had the occasion to be glad she was wearing a diaper. At least I didn’t make a puddle on the floor in front of her.

“No greeting for your Princess? How rude. Do you think because you’re in exile that you’re beyond the reach of my mother’s court?” Akinari picked up Roan’s ward and rolled it easily in her hand, unbothered by it’s twisting as it tried to fend off her fae presence.

“I’m sorry Noble Lady!” Roan prostrated herself on the floor. “I didn’t expect you to come here.”

“Of course you didn’t. Why I would I ever be seen in a human hovel?” With a breath, Akinari sprinkled frost across the woven branches. Tiny bits of ice clung to the wood and hardened into brilliant gemstones. She flung the ward to the floor in front of Roan. “There, I have given you a gift to thank you for your hospitality. Hang that over the mantle, and even a Lord of the faerie will not be able to enter here. Lord Ehadenther and his entire Hunt would be repulsed.”

“Th-thank you, Princess.” Roan touched the ward and shivered at the power that hummed there. She was certain there were many exceptions in the Princess’ enhancement for herself and her own agents, but that Akinari had done it at all was mystifying. “To what do I owe such a generous gift?”

“Do not question me, dog.” With the speed of an avalanche, Akinari was on Roan, lifting her with fingers so cold they burned. Roan squirmed against the wall the Princess pinned her against, whimpering. “How has your tenure as a changeling gone, Roan? Do the humans accept you as their child?”

“I think so, Princess.” Roan shivered violently in Akinari’s cold grip, wishing she had her true shape’s coat of fur. “It’s strange though, this family doesn’t match what I had heard of human families – I even had to ensorcell one of them to get her treat me as a child.”

Gleaming teeth of translucent ice flashed in Roan’s vision as the Princess threw her head back and laughed. Akinari dropped Roan to the floor and tittered with a sound of shattering ice. “Even the pup of my disobedient Hound Master is more observant than the supposedly keen-eyed Master of the Hunt. What a fool Ehadenther is. Your suspicions are true, dog. The mortal that was taken from here was no infant.”

“She-she wasn’t? But, then why did Her Majesty accept the exchange? D-does the Queen know?”

“OF COURSE SHE KNOWS!” Akinari’s winter-tempest voice physically battered Roan flat on the floor. “Do you think that my mother, who served the Dagda in his own court, does not know every shape that these apes can take? Would she be fooled by anything a mud-footed monkey can be or do?”

“I’m sorry Princess! Forgive me!”

“It is an excellent humiliation for the daughter of the mortal that wronged me. It serves to show the superiority of my Mother and I to our Court, and it proves the stupid-blindness of the Master of Hunts. As a bonus, it makes an excellent punishment for a bitch in exile.”

“Can’t you please forgive my father, Princess? Please, I beg of you.” Roan pressed her flat, human face to the rough carpet and cried. Princess Akinari had the power to undo all the wrongs that had been done to her and Mariah in an instant, if only her whims would bend that way.

“Oh no, don’t even hope for that. Not this century.” The princess rolled Roan over with her foot and smirked at the whimpering girl. “I’m here to amuse myself, and because I know humans better than even the Queen does. Your little ruse won’t hold forever without some help – and I wish to see it continue.”

“Wh-what must I do?”

“You must continue your impersonation of the human for which you were exchanged, but with some more awareness of this world. Since your predicament amuses me, I will make it a true one.”

Before Roan could ask what the Princess meant, or beg for mercy, she found herself hoisted into Akinari’s icy arms. The kiss the Princess bestowed on Roan’s lips froze her with surprise and burned her nerves with pleasure. Magic flowed through Roan, melting and re-crystalizing her stolen human shape.

Akinari put Roan down on her feet, but the changeling girl felt unsteady, falling back to plop onto the bed in her squishy diaper. She shuddered, looking up at the Princess with questioning eyes. The Princess told me not to ask questions, but I’m sure she’s going to gloat about what she’s done to me.

“Everything you’ve pretended to these humans is now true. Your control over your bladder is gone in truth, and you are just as helpless as you’ve made them believe you are.”

“But not – not the other thing, right Princess? Please, I don’t want to use the diapers for – for…”

Akinari smiled cruelly. “Not yet, no. You still retain that much control. Think of it as incentive to obey me and play the game. Continue as a human adult in this household – one who is shamefully helpless. Fail me, and you lose your last shred of dignity.”

Roan whimpered and nodded obediently. This is getting worse all the time. I never thought the Princess would interfere directly. I’m barred from the only way back to Faerie that I know, I have the Princess on my back, and now I know why everyone’s been looking at my so strangely. A terrible wave of humiliation compressed Roan’s gut. She’d been inserted into a pack of humans and had immediately played the newborn puppy. The others in the house had to be disgusted by her. Bless’ reaction seemed mild, now.

“Perfect, you understand your place now. Don’t forget.” Winter wind slammed the bedroom window open again, this time carrying Akinari out as a sparkle of snow. The window crashed closed. Unlike Ehadenther, the Princess had left no trace of her presence, other than the jewels she’d embedded in Roan’s ward.

Sniffling, Roan stood up to test what capabilities Akinari had left her with. Though she was unsteady on her feet, she could stand and even walk, if slowly. Crawling seemed like a safer option if speed was needed. She didn’t need to use her diaper at the moment, but she didn’t doubt that the Princess had disabled her control there.

On wobbly legs, Roan made her way to the living room and hung her ward on the mantle. There was nothing to gain by not using it, and at least it would protect her and her humans from the Huntmaster’s wrath. With the Princess targeting him, he’d be looking for someone to vent his frustration on soon enough.

Roan took up her amulet and concentrated. I made so many assumptions when I used this before, she realized. Carefully, she queried the amulet about each of the humans in the house, specifically seeking Mariah’s relationship with them. The answers left her cringing in embarrassment.

They’re friends. Packmates. No one here is family, they’re a pack that banded together because they’re young and can’t stand on their own yet. Suddenly, one of their own became a useless baby – and I have to keep playing that part.

Whimpering, Roan wiped her eyes. She tried peeling her diaper off, but her fingers felt thick and clumsy. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. The Princess’s curse had been clear. She was stuck with every helplessness she’d pretended to, and not being able to change her own diapers was one of those.

A strain of a song made Roan look up in wistful surprise. It was her mother’s voice, singing a song she couldn’t remember her mom ever singing. That on it’s own was odd, as it was a common enough lullaby in Faerie. A wrench in her gut accompanied Roan’s realization, someone had stolen the song from her memories.

Why would they steal – the human girl! They gave my song to Mariah. If I’m hearing it now…

Roan grabbed the amulet again and sought a connection to Mariah. The song had already faded, and Roan lacked the art to create the connection on her own. With a sigh, she wondered what cruel games were being played with Mariah back in Faerie. She decided not dwell on it too much.

The front door opened, admitting Corey. Roan hopped up as he was taking off his coat and hurried over to him with a waddling gait. His eyes dropped to her diaper as she approached, Roan winced at the way it announced itself with its crinkling.

“Corey – I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”

“Uh – that’s okay I guess. Are you feeling better? I see you’re still wearing a…”

Roan sighed and nodded. “I don’t know what happened to me, but I need it. There’s a lot of things I’m having trouble with.”

Corey sighed and motioned for Roan to follow him as he took a seat on the couch. “Mariah – everyone is dancing around what happened to you, but you need real help. You need to be checked out by a doctor… and if you can’t keep your jobs, you should move back in with your parents.”

Roan’s heart thudded nervously. The Princess was not going to like any change in her little game that she didn’t initiate. “I – I want to stay here. With my friends.”

“Of course you do, and we’d want that too – if you’re not sick and can pay rent. We have to face facts though, if you’re not going to get better.” Corey looked pained, but resolute. He was serious about ejecting Roan – Mariah in his mind – from the house. It was the practical, sensible thing, but it would also mean disaster for everyone involved, including Corey. The Princess wasn’t going to accept excuses or stay her wrath because someone was being practical.

Something of the terror Roan felt must have showed on her face, because Corey’s expression softened, and he reached out to squeeze her arm. “I’m sorry I’m being so blunt about this, but someone has to be. I’m trying to protect you, to protect all of us.”

Roan’s mind raced, combing through Corey’s words. There was something there she could use. His protective desire was going to doom the house, but it could be turned to Roan’s advantage if she was willing to enchant another of Mariah’s packmates.

“Would you protect us all, and keep us together, if you could?”

“Of course I would. I care about you, about everybody. We’ve been friends for a long time.”

“Do you promise?” Guilt stabbed at Roan’s gut, but she ignored it. It’s for his good, and everyone else’s – including mine. “You promise that you’ll protect us if you can?”

Corey frowned at Roan’s request. It was obvious she was pushing at the boundaries of their relationship, but all she needed was a careless word or two from Corey, and she’d be able to take care of the rest.

“I mean, of course. Like I said, we’re all friends. I…” Corey’s expression fluctuated between confusion, guilt, and concern. “Yeah Mariah, I promise. I’ll protect us.”

The second oath she’d cornered a mortal into was easier to catch and manipulate. Roan wove Corey’s words to her own meaning, making the “us” in his oath the pack of humans, binding him to keep them safe as they were in the moment. In mere moments she had tangled Corey’s vague promise of protection into one of keeping the household together and accepting Roan-as-Mariah’s current sate.

Corey shuddered and groped for the couch to steady himself as the oath took hold. Any faerie would recognized the power that had been laid on them, but for Corey, the awareness of his reaction seemed to leave him as soon as the dizziness did.

“Who’s watching you right now?” Corey took Roan’s hand in sudden concern.

“Bless is, but I was napping, so she’s doing work.”

“She shouldn’t have let you out of her sight.” Corey’s mouth crooked in a disapproving frown. He put his hand on Roan’s crotch and squeezed, making her jump a bit. Her face flamed when she realized what he’d been checking for. “You’re wet too. Come on, let’s find Bless. She’s your babysitter right now.”

Roan stumbled along behind Corey, her wrist firmly in his grasp. She was regretting seizing on his first oath-worthy statement. Clearly, Corey had some very strong protective instincts that were now empowered faerie magic.

Bless looked up in surprise from her carving when Corey barged into her room. “Don’t you knock?”

“You left Mariah by herself.” He pulled Roan forward, the final stumble drove her to her knees.

“You need to be more careful with her!” Bless knelt by Roan in a near-panic and hugged her. “She’s like a baby, she can’t walk very well.”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry.” Corey knelt down as well. “I’ll be more careful. She’s wet though. You’re her babysitter right now, right?”

“Well, more like her mommy.” Bless said. “I’ll take care of her right now. Can you grab me some diapers from her room? I don’t want to push her around anymore.”

“I’m on it. We don’t want her getting a rash or whatever.”

Roan yelped in surprise as Bless pulled her legs out from under her and tore the tapes on her diaper. Now that she’d been re-oriented to her relationship with Mariah’s pack, it was jarring to be so easily handled. She bit her lip in embarrassment when Bless exposed her wet crotch. There would be no end of things to apologize to Mariah for, if she ever met up with the human girl.

Corey was back before Bless had finished wiping Roan down with a cloth. She finished her job with the wipes he’d brought and put Roan on a fresh diaper. Corey stood by, apparently supervising. It was a lot more attention than Roan wanted, and she squirmed as Bless put the lotion on her.

“You’re okay, baby girl.” Bless said, soothingly. Corey took the hint and knelt by Roan’s head, stroking her hair. Between the two of them, they were even able to pick Roan up once she was freshly diapered.

Roan had envisioned her ensorcelled mortals as minions, but they were the ones managing her as they tucked her into Bless’ bed. Her attempt to assert that she didn’t need a nap merely prompted bless to put the soft nipple thing in Roan’s mouth again. It was called a “pacifier”, according to Corey, and it certainly made her feel pacified.

In the end, the best course of action seemed to be to take  a nap. After having the fur terrified off her by the Princess, Roan was feeling tired anyway. Under warm blankets, being watched over by two packmates, she found it easy to slip into dreams.

—–

“Guys, what’s going on?” Forrest’s voice pricked at Roan’s ears and woke her from her light slumber. She looked up to the packmate she’d been calling “daddy” and wondered how she could explain things to him.

“She needed a nap,” Bless said firmly. “You were right, she needs a lot of watching.”

“You say that, but you let her out of your sight twice,” Corey accused, making Bless duck her head bashfully.

“Seriously, what happened?” Forest put his hands on his hips. The other two packmates looked at him surprisingly submissively. If it was part of them being oath-bound, or if they were recognizing Forrest as Roan’s first caregiver, she wasn’t sure. Either way, I should take some responsibility here, since I enchanted them.

“I got confused and went out on the road. It wasn’t Bless’ fault, I was being bad.” Roan smiled hesitantly as all eyes turned on her. “Bless took good care of me, and Corey has been too. They helped me a lot.”

“You sound a lot more put together.” Forrest put a hand to Roan’s forehead. “Are you feeling better?”

“I still need diapers.” Roan blushed, she could feel the truth of her statement in the soggy padding on her butt. “A lot of stuff is hard for me. But I’m thinking better. I’m sorry I called you daddy…”

“You don’t have to be sorry about that.” Forrest looked – disappointed? Had he enjoyed playing the father? Roan wondered if he wanted children of his own. He looked at his packmates, “I’ll take over for now, okay?”

“We need to set a babysitting schedule, she’s not safe on her own.” Corey stood up emphatically.

Forrest blinked in surprise, then shrugged. “Fine, why don’t you and Bless plot one out. Come on, Mariah.”

Roan waddled behind Forrest to her room, where he put her down on the changing blanket. Unlike his oath-bound packmates, Forrest hesitated as soon as he saw Roan blushing.

“Are you okay? You can change this yourself if you want.”

“No I – I tried and I couldn’t do it on my own.” Roan covered her face with her hands. It hurt to admit she couldn’t handle something so basic.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’ll take care of it. Close your eyes and relax.” Forrest’s hands were gentle and soothing. Bizarre as it was, a diaper change was a comfort Roan had grown used to.

“Did it upset you to say I wasn’t going to call you Daddy?” Roan lifted her butt to accept a clean diaper.

“Uh – not really. I was caught off guard, because you insisted on it so much before.” Forrest said. “It was something unusual and intimate.”

Roan opened her eyes and smiled at Forrest. “You’ve been so caring. I appreciate it a lot. I care about you too.”

It was Forrest’s turn to blush. He was cute that way. When he leaned down to spread lotion on Roan, she sat up and stroked his face. “I know you’re not my daddy, but I like it best when you take care of me.”

With a cough, Forrest sat back. “Thanks – uh, I’m sorry Bless and Corey got all weird. I don’t know what’s up with them.”

“I think they’re fine. They’re trying their best.”

“It’s a big attitude change from Bless for sure.” Forrest dedicated himself to finishing the diaper change, carefully powdering Roan and taping her diaper up. As soon as he was done, she climbed into his lap and put her arms around his neck.

“I’m sorry I’m so much work for everyone. I know I used to contribute to the house, and I’ll try to do it again.”

“It’s okay, you got attacked somehow. We’re happy to help you out. Everyone is, surprisingly.” Forrest was holding Roan far more nervously than he had before. It was delightfully like the bashful way her first lovers had held her, when they’d all been too young to be experienced yet.

“Thank you, Forrest. I’ll be good for you, I want to make it easy on you.” Roan nuzzled Forest’s cheek. He nuzzled back, his breath catching. With reluctance written on his face and his gestures, Forrest carefully slid Roan off his lap.

“Mariah – I can’t tell you how much I wish you were in your right mind right now. Concentrate on getting better, that’s the best thing you can do.”

“I’ll do anything for you.” Roan met Forrest’s eyes sincerely.

“R-right. Um, Hannah will be home soon and we can talk about how things are going to work while you recover.”

“Good! I have to thank her too.”

Forrest chuckled. “Too bad it won’t be the way you thanked me.”

Roan cocked her head to the side. “Why not? She’s sexy, like you.”

The blush and lusty confusion that spread across Forrest’s face was delightful to see. Roan laughed and hugged Forrest, but mercifully kept the embrace to a simple hug. With the way he’d relaxed against her, she was sure she could have kissed him, at least.

“I wish I knew what happened to you. Did any memories come back?”

“I don’t remember. It must have been something very strange.” Something I hope you never have to find out about.

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?