In Which Ashe Meets Someone Aspen Knows

July 25, 1177

There was no shortage of tales in which the hero or heroine underwent an unexpected physical transformation, but many of those characters spent the entire story looking for a way to reverse the process, leaving the young audience to conclude that in the improbable--but apparently not impossible--event of such a thing happening in their own lives, the only logical way to proceed was to find a way to return the previous state.

However, this hadn't been the case so far. Maybe it was the fact that no one would miss Aspen the orphan girl, or maybe there had been even less attachment to the former body than originally thought, but the change hadn't proven inconvenient so far. Had Aspen the orphan girl asked for it? Not explicitly, no. Would she have, had she known it was an option? Good question--or not, as it didn't matter much now.

Some fine motor tasks were a bit more difficult with larger fingers, and people did tend to request more heavy lifting... and while it was embarrassing just thinking about it, Lord knew how alien a feat taking a piss had become. But on the plus side, it was nice to be able to reach high shelves and not having to crane the neck upward when addressed by pretty much anyone. The clothing was much more practical too, and being able to move the arms around without having to compensate for those pesky breasts? That almost made it a done deal in itself.

Really, if she--er, he--thought about it, the most difficult part of the whole ordeal was rearranging the pronouns in her--his--own head. That wasn't too unreasonable, was it? After seventeen years of thinking of oneself female, it wasn't as if one could make the switch by sheer whim. But oh well. It would come, and she--he--wasn't too worried about it, at least not while there were other things to worry about.

Having only placed fourteenth in the preliminary run, for example. Fourteenth might have been enough for a berth in the jousting round, but that didn't make it a great finish by any means. So much for thinking he could fare in this tournament on the basis of speed. Ah, but maybe that was nothing. The running was over, after all, and all that training time with Jadin and them had been much more focused on the jousting and swordplay. Also, given that many of the larger men barely finished the run at all, maybe it was an overall balance of skills that would triumph in the end.

Not that that guaranteed he wouldn't get tossed on his ass in the first charge...

"There you are!" The hairs on the back of his neck stood. "I knew you wouldn't just disappear like that, I knew you wouldn't let Lorn--oh."

He turned his head just in time to see Rona's face fall and her disappointment was a cannonball to the gut. But what had he expected? Recognition, and that somehow without the implicit shock? "I'm sorry, I... well, you kind of looked like someone else from a distance, and with your back turned."

"It's all right." Expectant, Rona's brows rose. Oh right. They didn't know each other. "Er... my lady."

She sniffed--satisfied, though not quite happy. But why should she be? "You do look a lot like her, though... well, aside from the obvious. Is your surname Torgleid?"

She surprised him by smiling as he nodded, her eyes lighting like a pair of amber stars. The kind of eyes they write songs about, Jadin had said--as if mere songs sufficed. "Are you related to Aspen?"

A week earlier, Lonriad had taken one look at him and asked that exact question. It was the only reason he'd kept the surname. "I'm her cousin."

"Her cousin?" Rona's head tilted, artful curls flopping along, rose petal lips pressing into a pout. "Really? I don't think I've ever seen cousins who looked so much alike."

Well. Lonriad hadn't forced him to explain that. "Oh... we're double cousins. Our mothers were sisters and our fathers were brothers. Twins, actually," he added for good measure.

"Who were twins? Your mothers or your fathers?"

Or maybe it hadn't been such a good measure after all. Don't give her a stupid answer, don't give her a stupid answer... "Both?" Idiot!

"Hmm." Rona fiddled with some trinket between her fingers. "I wonder why she never mentioned anything like that. It's fairly remarkable, isn't it?"

"Er... not really. It was a small village. That and her parents moved out here before we were born. She might not even know I exist."

"So the mysterious Aspen grows even moreso." She gave a defeated sigh and glanced up at him, a tear threatening to fall. He ached to wipe it aside but he was supposed to be a stranger. He kind of wanted to tell her but he doubted she'd believe him. And it was a selfish thought, but maybe she'd never want him if she did. "Sorry, what did you say your first name was?"

"Didn't. It's Ashe." Odd how the mind worked under pressure. Seventeen years of hating being named after a tree and the first alias that had come to mind when Jadin had asked was another one. Frankly, he was just relieved he'd thought of something more believable than 'Oak' or 'Cedar'. "One of our grandfathers was quite the gardener."

"I see." Her discomfort held back by only a grimace, Rona stepped to the and nudged him on the arm. "Would you turn around? I have something for you."

"Your brother's not making you distribute favors, is he?"

"No. This is really for Aspen, but I suppose you'll have to do." Her soft hand brushed beneath his ponytail, bringing with it something cold and hard. "She used to be my maid, did you know? She was my best friend too, but I never got a chance to tell her."

Was she? With Rona behind him, Ashe indulged himself with a smile. "I'm sure she knows."

"Maybe." The length of chain looped around his neck, but Rona crossed the ends and fed them forward. "Sorry, I just don't want it to get in your way. But anyway, my brother fired her because Lord Severin's son slighted me and Aspen was the only one who had the guts to tell him off. This probably sounds stupid, but I thought she'd come to the tournament. I thought she'd maybe sign up just to get back at my brother, and then she could have set me free if she won."

Huh. And why hadn't Aspen thought of that weeks ago? "That's not stupid. Stranger things have happened." I'll say.

"Yes, I suppose." After a third loop around, she fastened the chain and stepped back. "That's not uncomfortable, is it?"

"No, it feels fine." He reached for the object around his neck and pulled it forward for a glance. It didn't look like anything special--just a rusty old garden key. "What is...?"

"Just a silly good luck charm of my mother's. You can give it back to me later."

"Of course." Grinning, he turned around. Good luck wasn't so silly if it was coming from Rona. "Thank you."

"You're welcome--though you do understand it's more for Aspen than it is for you, correct?"

And here she was, words away from crying again. He never would have guessed she'd miss Aspen so much. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. I wish I could tell you.

"Yes, you did say that. Regardless, I appreciate the favor."

"Yes, well..." Rona cut herself off with a sniffle. Poor darling. "I should really get back to the stands."

She turned away, but before she could take a step he'd reached for her hand and pulled her back. Why had he done it? He hadn't meant to... "Wait. I..."

I what? Here he was, holding the sweet hand of a woman he'd loved for so long, a woman who had only just met him. If she'd been uncomfortable before then what word could describe this? "Uh... do you mind if I...?" Not sure what else he could do, he raised her hand in the direction of his mouth and prayed to every god he'd ever heard of that he wasn't being too forward.

Rona swallowed. "I don't see the harm in it..."

Nodding, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to her hand. It was hard not to linger but he kept it brief, chaste, courteous. It took all the strength he had just to let go. "It was nice meeting you."

A little doe-eyed, perhaps a little bewildered, Rona blinked. "Likewise."

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