Shape Shifter Story 0.1

Chapter 1


When the blindfold finally came off, after three days of travelling on boat and two by bus, Ashley was in the middle of a crowd, deep within a dense forest. The two men that had brought her disappeared into the crowd only to stand around the edges with the others of their kinds.

They had found her down back alleyways, being slowly chased by a group of men. Before they kidnapped her they had rescued her. But now she was far from home, lost.

She looked around her to see four beautiful ladies stood behind the wooden stage covered with ancient words that she couldn't read, all with two other women standing beside them. They seemed ageless, like statues carved in marble forever watching the crowd.

The closest had thick black hair, tipped with gold, flying lose about her long face. She possessed the beautiful features of her African ancestors, with fierce dark eyes and full lips set proudly. The golden marks running down the sides of her face appeared to be that of thickly sewn together leaves. Next to her stood a shorter woman with golden skin and hair, similarly tipped with orange. Her eyes were black and quick, always moving. The pattern of orange thorns began between those two anxious eyes and finished either side of her thin lips painted pink. The third was a thin, tall dark woman with her black hair cut into a bob. Unlike the others, her hair was only black, setting her apart from the rest. Yet she too had an unusual pattern decorating her dark skin, but her markings were scales creeping across her cheeks and up her long neck.

The final woman stood silently to the side, watching and smile whenever someone looked her way. Her yellow eyes took in everything, resting on the youngsters that interested her. She was more beautiful than the other women, with black hair tipped with a platinum blonde. Her skin was a pale shade of white which seemed to glitter in the dim light of the clearing. In the middle of her high forehead sat a black sun, with the rays extending over her eyelids like carefully applied eyeshadow. Her eyelashes seemed to be those that could be bought in shops, ending in delicate tiny black feathers. A woman stood either side of her, though neither could compare to the first's beauty.

An old man, with a face so wrinkled that many of the youngsters gathered before the wooden stage wondered how he could see through that skin, sat on a dias high above them. His grey head was bowed in thought.

The room hushed as he stood on shaking legs.

"Brothers and sisters," he began in a shaking voice, "I welcome you to our humble home. The circumstances for some of you coming to us are unfortunate, but you must put that behind you. We are here to help you, to teach and train you into your new skills. Some of you will be a Bacchian or a Geo, others Tritons or Phoebian. Each of you must step forward and role the die before each of these four women. They will direct you to the next one, or ask you to stay. I wish you luck on your decisions."

He stood with his gnarled wooden walking stick and was helped away, slowly by four men, each with a strange marking on their foreheads that resembled a tree.

Those sat in the hard wooden chairs before the wooden stage waited for their turns patiently and the group stood behind the four women grew steadily, although that of the Geo and Bacchian were faster than the Tritons or Phoebian.

Ashley was one of the twelve that found themselves behind the beautiful Phoebian. The woman smiled at them.

"Follow me, if you please."

They walked through the dense forest for twenty minutes, each of them too filled with excitement and fear to feel the exhaustion of the pace at which the woman set. She was anxious to return before the night fell completely, with so many youngsters to protect.

A group of seven great sycamore trees grew tall above them when she finally stopped. A single rope ladder hung down from the nearest tree, leading up to a wooden platform caked in golden light. They began to climb, with the beautiful woman first and her two companions following the twelve youngsters that had been chosen.

She continued up a set of stairs carved into the wood of the sycamore tree. A man waited for her, his thick arms crossed across his muscular chest. The twelve could not see his face, for he stood in shadow, yet the power emanated from inside him enough to make each of them turn their young gazes away from his dark form.

"Only twelve?"

"They were all that showed up, my lord."

Even as his high tanned brow furrowed his lost none of his good looks. His golden eyes were thoughtful, although the left was slightly milky in colour and his eyelids were marked by the line left on him in a battle many years ago.

"It is less than half what we were promised."

"The Whites are focusing too much on our kind. Gaia, Bacchante and Titania all got the majority of their promised recruits."

"We will speak to the Rooks, but for now we must settle the new ones in."

"Yes, my lord."

She inclined her head before turning from him.

The woman glided down the stairs to the twelve frightened youngsters. They were mere children, too young to have such responsibilities thrust onto them. She had been younger when she was drafted, yet her heart still lurched every time more were brought to their door. Yet she walked calmly, steadily towards them, a smile on her serene face.

"My name is Queen Phoebe and I welcome you to Phoebus Hollow. Please, tonight you must rest. Tomorrow the King Phoebus will wish to explain your new life here in the Hollow. I know that you will be missing your families, but trust me when I say that I understand. We have all been through the same feelings and you are not alone. Now, Apollonia and Houri will show you to your new chambers. They are only temporary, as you will progress to more comfortable quarters over time. If you have any questions, do not be afraid to ask."

With that, the two women that had accompanied Phoebe to collect their new recruits led the youngsters away, each taking six. Phoebus walked down from his platform, each of the people he passed bowing as he walked past. His black cloak flowed out behind his body as he walked.

Phoebe's breath caught in her throat.

"You surprise me every time, my lady. I wish that that old owl had been as gentle when we first arrived."

"My job is easier. I don't have to break the news to them. I am here to keep them calm, not to change them. Not yet."

"No. That's my job tomorrow."

She looped her arm through his and they walked past the straight faced soldiers, each with the same sun tattoo on their foreheads, although none as elaborate as that of Phoebe and Phoebus. As they slid away from the eyes of their people, her hand fell into his and her head came down onto his strong shoulder. He was taller by her just enough to make the position comfortable. As if they were made for each other.

"Can you remember how you felt when we were told?" His voice was quiet, gentle.

"It's my strongest memory. Before that is a blur; it was so long ago. As if it was someone else. But finding out what we were, that stays with you."

"I can't remember. There have been too many battles, too much running, too many years. I can't even remember my name from before."

"Mine was Hermione."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

"Yes, but I am Phoebe now, the queen of the bird shifters and wife of the king."

"And the best fighter and the kindest woman and the most beautiful."

She smiled, unable to complain at his unending compliments of her.

There was a time, when they had first been told that they would be partnered, that not even his famous charms could cheer her. He had been there for a year or two longer than her and he had proven his worth as a leader. As the most beautiful and most promising prospect, she was assigned to be his mate for all eternity. Neither had a choice, and neither complained for to complain would show weakness and to show weakness was dangerous. Even more so when Phoebe was recruited.

Everything had changed. She had changed. She was no longer Hermione, the daughter of a Spartan farmer. She was Phoebe. She was Queen of the Birds.