Dorin's Decision

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Sorry about the late chapter (again), I'll have more in a little bit!

It was no surprise to Ahsch when Ariin ambushed him as he and Sti’el went to rejoin the group in the forest segment of the demi-plane.

“Any changes you’re planning to make to your various girls?” she asked flirtatiously, a smirk on her face.

Ahsch gave his sister a flat look. “You know I like a variety of appearances,” he replied. Then he raised an eyebrow at her. “And you wouldn’t much benefit from any of the more… utilitarian effects anyways - no outsider would.”

Ariin giggled. “I know, but I just can’t help but ask,” she teased.

Rolling his eyes, Ahsch walked around his twin, who fell into step just behind him. As he reached the clearing where everyone had set up their camps, he cast a glance around, his gaze lingering on Dorin, then Ivrine, before he considered the entire group of satyrs.

With a deep breath, he gestured for his sisters to rejoin the group, and reached out to Dorin through Daydreamweave. Since Ariin was the only one to come and tease me about it, I’m assuming Mahat hasn’t informed everyone about the results of my meditation.

The servant glanced up, a slightly confused expression on his face. It would appear so… he hesitantly replied.

Ahsch gestured with his head for the human to come over. “I gained two new Innate Magics,” he said once Dorin was close enough to hear his hushed tone. “One of them allows me to… change people.”

Dorin frowned, but his eyes quickly widened as realization set in. “Oh… like what Krutune was asking for?”

Ahsch huffed a short chuckle. “Yes, but also what concerns you more personally.”

The servant’s mouth opened, then he flushed and looked away with a small grimace. Slowly, the flush grew deeper. “I… I thought about what you said.”

The hrafthi gave a reassuring smile. “You don’t have to look so guilty, Dorin,” he said. “I asked - and offered - for a reason. Please, tell me what you want.”

Slowly, hesitantly, Dorin looked up. “I… I think I want… it,” he said. “To… to change like you suggested.”

Ahsch beamed, feeling almost giddy with the realization that he could help someone. “Okay!” he said, and watched as the anxiety and fear that had crept into Dorin’s eyes with the confession melted away into relief and validation. “I do think that we should hold off doing anything major until you can meet Talhort and his wives; they’re the experts about all of… well, that, and I think any advice and suggestions they could give will be worth the wait.”

Dorin’s face fell slightly, an almost petulant frown coming to his face. “So you got all excited and brought up your new magic just to tell me to wait?” he asked, his voice just shy of confrontational.

Ahsch put his hands up, eyes going wide. “No, no, no! I just mean we shouldn’t… er… look, it’s a big step to go from ‘having thought about it,’ to doing a full transition. I’m all for starting now, just… for one, the magic is new for me, and while I have an innate understanding of it, I can’t predict everything that could happen with it, so I don’t want to jump into the deep end and find out that there’s a riptide just waiting to drag us under. And I mean it that Talhort and his wives will probably know a lot about complications or surprises that we can’t think of. But if you want to start… well, something, I guess, I’m more than happy to!”

Mollified, Dorin thought for a moment. “I guess…” he - or should I start thinking ‘she?’ Ahsch wondered - flushed slightly. “I’ve… never really liked being.. Having…” A cough. “Could you remove my… uh… hair? Below the neck? And prevent me from needing to shave?”

The realization that Dorin had always been clean shaven, without even a hint of stubble, the whole time Ahsch had known him, was sudden. Blinking away the revelation, Ahsch thought for a moment. “Yeah, that… that’s actually really easy. Everything aside from the hair on top, your eyebrows, eyelashes…” he chuckled awkwardly, “...er… nose hairs… everything else?”

Dorin flushed again. “I… maybe keep my…” he gestured vaguely towards his crotch. “I’m not sure…”

Ahsch flushed a little too and waved away his servant’s words. “Understood!” Looking around, Ahsch quickly went over to his campsite and dug around in one of the bags, quickly pulling out a pack of trailmix - dried berries and nuts. After concentrating for a moment, he sighed, then dumped out a handful. After a moment, he held it out to Dorin. “Eat that - by this time tomorrow, you should be rather hairless.”

Dorin took the handful of mix, stared at it for a long moment, then closed his eyes and threw it in his mouth, tossing his head back to get it all in one mouthful. Chewing quickly - eagerly - he swallowed in a moment. Then he blinked. “Huh, I can feel the magic spreading a little,” he said. “Tingles a bit.”

Ahsch smiled. “Good to know.” His gaze darted over towards Ivrine, then back to his servant. “Do you want anything else right now?”

Dorin thought for a moment, but shook his head. “No. I think you’re right, and going slow is the better option, much as I hate to admit it. I’ll wait to see how this feels tomorrow, and then… well, we’ll go from there.” He paused, a concerned expression crossing his face. “This… it’s all reversible, right?”

Ahsch smiled. “Yes, entirely. Say the word, and I can imbue something to ‘go back to the default,’ as it were.”

Dorin nodded. “Okay. I hope I won’t need that, but… that’s good to know.” He gave Ahsch a small bow. “Thank you for this.” When he straightened, he nodded in Ivrine’s direction. “I’ll let you go talk herd-stuff with the queen.”

Ahsch blinked. “How did…”

Dorin laughed. “It’s my job, My Lord.”

Watching the human walk away, Ahsch shook his head, then headed over to join Ivrine, who sat with Xitia, Felori, and Stisea. The four looked up as he approached. “Ahsch,” the herd queen greeted him as Stisea stood and hugged his arm, staying clung to him as he sat with the satyrs. “What can I do for you?”

Glancing around, Ahsch performed a little bond magic and bound their conversation to the confines of Ivrine’s small campsite. Satyr ears flicked as the Mana flowed out and the spell took hold. “Long story short, I just gained a divine Innate Magic from my domain of bodies. It allows me to grant changes to people, such as superior strength, endurance, flexibility… or things like sexual characteristics.”

The satyrs frowned at first, but Xitia was quick to conclude, “Wait, you’re saying you could give us penises?”

Ahsch nodded. “Or make you male.”

Three sets of wide eyes turned to Ivrine, who looked long and hard at Ahsch.