NTR Quest - Odyssey 24 - How would Amun look as a girl? (Patreon)

Teuta circled Amun once. Jeane inspected his face from behind you. Cyyani meanwhile simply lounged in her seat with her bare feet up. Amun kept lowering his head, so you had to continuously ask him to lift his chin for them to get a good look. His skin was on the lighter side of the Aniyub tone, so redness was showing easily in his face.
“What do you guys think?” You asked, as if addressing a council.

Jeane leaned over your shoulder and spoke first. “His face is surprisingly quite good. I never noticed until you mentioned it. His skin seems soft. So in short it is a good foundation for makeup. I think the transformation could be incredible.”

“Your experience with makeup is good enough?”

“Aside from being a woman, as Ciar our skin is very fair so it requires a lot more subtlety and care, otherwise we'll end up looking like jesters.”

You nodded. “Teuta? You were looking at his hair.”

“Is purple a usual hair color? It's so unique.”

Cyyani opened her eyes. “Our mother's hair was purple. It's neither common, nor uncommon.”

You lifted a brow and glanced over in Cyyani's direction. “You're direct siblings?”

“My mother only had one other lover, besides our father. That's how my other sisters were born. Other than that Amun is my one and only precious older brother.” It did not sound like she was being sarcastic. Aniyufar was simple too strange to judge by your own standards. You glanced over to gauge Amun's reaction to her words, only to see that he was mostly ignoring her. You scratched your head.

“The hair is perfect. I'll 'implore divinity'  to grow it out and make it fuller.” Teuta remarked.

“Oh. This is my first time seeing you perform a 'miracle.'” The common difference, as far as you know, between miracles and magic were that magic was explainable as a persons own Aura. In terms of miracles, even a beggar could perform them in the right circumstances. The direct circumstances and requirements of performing a miracle was the assistance of a higher power, in whatever form that happened to take.

“Can you still do this after forsaking Irisia?”

“Irisia doesn't make decisions directly. Those with authority from the Temple are given holy items and those items act as a conduit. Only under extreme circumstances would divine power be withdrawn.” Teuta smiled gently while lifting her wrist and jingling a bangle of three flat rings. On each were an engraved eye, closed. The rings were the symbol of the Irisia Temples on the mainland. Jeane stared attentively beside you.

“I am also curious to see it.” The Elf remarked.

Teuta closed her eyes and passed her hand back and forth over Amun's head without touching it. Finally, she ran her hand through his hair and extended it below his shoulder.
“Wow! If you can do that, can you change his physical appearance as well?”

Teuta shook her head. “Something like shaping bone or skin is only possible with direct authority. Healing is one thing, but alteration is another.”

You looked to Jeane. “There are mages that can. I am not one of them at the moment.”

“That's fine.” You leaned back on the bench and looked down at Amun who was kneeling on the ground. He seemed to be fussing a bit over his newly lengthened hair. You smiled.
“What's wrong?”

“It is too soft...” He complained.

“I brought 'life' back to it.” Teuta grinned.
“Not that it was bad to begin with. Better than a bath. I'll start preening and trimming here and there.”

“Good. Jeane, are you ready?”

“I have everything I need.” She approached Amun with a small metal case.

Amun looked at you uncomfortably. “I do not like the idea of deceiving Djir.”

“I know. But, do you know what Djir said to me before I met you here in the garden?” His ears perked to show that he was listening far more intently than he had been.
“He said that since I saved your life it's fitting that it should belong to me. Do you understand?”

He lowered his head sadly, then twitched as Teuta jerked it back. “Please keep your head up.”

Amun did not nod, but showed understanding to you through his deep, dark eyes. “I see.”

You nodded to Jeane. The Elf proceeded and opened her case. Teuta and Jeane worked together to have him lift, turn or keep his head level at their discretion as they saw fit. Since Jeane was in front of him directly you could not see precisely what they were doing. Cyyani remained beside you with her arms crossed. The girls lounged back and kept her feet up with her eyes closed.

“What do you think about all this?”

“It's obscene.” She admitted.

“But he's probably cuter like this than as a corpse.”

“I see...” You paused to think.
“It seems like you actually do care about your brother.”

She opened her eyes just enough to narrow them at you. “The person that left was him, not me. My brother is a precious person and what Djir did to him is unacceptable. That's the guy that you're constantly making kissy faces with, by the way.” She waved a hand at you dismissively.
“Still. Thank you for trying to keep him alive, and for caring. Even if it's just to this extent. It shows you are still at least worthy enough to become a husband of mine.”

“Just 'a' husband?” You smirked.

Cyyani scoffed. “You think you've earned the right to be my exclusive man? As you are now I'll have you and maybe a few others from different families. We'll ch-” She twitched. You offered a look of mild concern.
“It's nothing. Just a sudden little headache. Don't bring up kids around me again.”

“You brought it up.” As you said that she closed her eyes and she proceeded to ignore you.

As you two finished talking Jeane stepped out of the way. It seemed Teuta still have one thing to do. She pulled the ribbon that was tying her hair up and wrapped it around Amun's neck. He lifted his chin and tried to hold still as she tied a little bow over his necks apple. With that, and with the robes he was already wearing that hid masculinity quite effectively, Amun was indistinguishable from a woman that you could run into on the street. But, you did not just want to trust your eyes.
“Cyyani. What do you think? Not your feelings, just be honest as an Aniyub.”

She opened her eyes reluctantly and leaned forward. “It's passable. But give that to me.” She pointed to Jeane's makeup case. The Elf handed it over and stepped back. Cyyani knelt down and began working around his eyes. She drew an extended 'cat's eye at the corner and  added a little stroke up at the end of each. You could overhear her talking to him.
“How do you really feel?” She mumbled next to him.

“I dislike it.” Amun admitted.

“Better or worse than dying?”

“I am not sure yet.”

She shook her head. “Stubborn idiot.” Cyyani took her own gold, jeweled ear-rings and stabbed them through Amun's unperceived ears. He did not flinch even an inch. She untied two long strings of colorful beads and tied them into his long purple hair. She stopped when she was done and looked almost sad as she stared at.

“It- It's actually uncanny. If you really were my sister...” She trailed off.

Amun took a breath and stood up. “Well I was not.” He held out his hand.
“May I?” Jeane handed him her hand mirror. He looked into it, seeming very unimpressed.

“Better or worse than dying?” You joked, repeating the same thing Cyyani said.

He looked at you while adjusting his hair and offered the same answer casually. “Not sure yet.”

You sighed, taking his hand. Your fingers locked with his. Though Amun's hands were calloused from training, the nails were painted and the skin on the back of the palm was soft. You could assume most of his body was soft.
“What are you doing?” Amun asked as you began dragging him towards the manor.

“We need to figure out if you get to live-”

“I see...” He interjected, lowering his head.

“Or if all of my people need to team up to stop Djir.”

He blinked and stared up at the back of your head intently as you lead him forward. “I wont help you fight Djir. I- I will fight against you.” He insisted.

“I've already decided you're one of my people. If the need arises I'll make sure to knock you out first so it isn't a problem.”

“Awfully cocky...”

You stopped. “Do you watch me?”

“No?”

“How many hours are in a day that don't include sleep.”

He thought a moment before answer. “Ideally... Sixteen to eighteen.”

You smiled. “How many hours do you think I spend tied up with Djir per day?”

“Four to six.” He answered without having to think. Amun immediately blushed as he said it. You smirked smugly at him, knowing that he essentially counted every hour you were with him on average, despite 'not watching' you.

“You see me and are thinking about me when I'm with Djir, then you stop caring when I'm not so you don't think about it. But what do you think I do with the rest of my time? What have I been doing all my life up to now?”

Amun seemed confused “I-”

You let Amun go and allowed your arms to rest at your side. “Move me.”

“Stop being strange.”

“I'm ordering you to move me. Can you?”

“Of course!” He placed his hand against your chest and pushed. You did not even need to do anything as Amun attempted with his strength to push you back. As soon as he felt you stand like a wall before him without even seeming to brace yourself he placed another hand on your chest and leaned into it more. You closed your eyes and focused your internal energy around the center of your body and your feet. As he strained, you finally opened your eyes and held his shoulder with one hand. He suddenly felt an immense weight over his shoulder like something impressively large was pushing down on him. But you were doing nothing. It was simply your hand resting on his shoulder with no force except the internal energy you let flow into your hand.

“With Soma, I weigh too much for you to push. My hand weighs too much for you to stand. You can't move me and you can't stand right now. Am I wrong?”

Amun gulped. He kept his head lowered. It was accurate to say he could not move. In fact, he was being compressed down further under the weight of just your hand.
“That-” He uttered nervously, unable to finish what he was saying before you lifted your hand and allowed him to finally shoot up as all the resistance he was building against your palm released.

You nodded and focused as you took a step back. “Approach me.”

He stared you down stoically and rose. He tried to walk forward and stopped as he was met with a new wall impeding his path which was invisible.
“This is Aura. I produce more Mana than you are capable of penetrating with your strength. You can not approach me. This is the difference between us right now and I improve every single day. Do you understand?”
A bead of sweat rolled down his brow. You moved forward without him being able to see you and stopped the bead with your finger as it appears. You wiped it and flicked it away.
“It'll mess up your makeup, so relax. I just didn't want you to have any reservations. When Cyyani said that the three of us could take on Djir, ninety percent of that team is me. Mine and Fiona's is a strength that guarantees Nations. That's the power of a Hero back where I come from.”

“Then...” He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

“But. Cyyani was wrong, as well.” You frowned.
“The three of us could not beat Djir. She's mistaken. Only Fiona and I can together.” You measured his reaction to that. He both seemed relieved and terrified. You relaxed your Aura and Mana and let out a brief exhale. You once again took his hand and wove your fingers into his and lead him towards the manor.
“I can't win against him, but if he tries to kill you I'll try and protect you. If he can't bring himself to kill me then I actually have an edge in that fight if it's just to keep you alive.”

“Why-” Amun gasped.
“Why did Cyyani think she could beat you?”

You glanced back. “Cyyani can't see the mountain through the clouds.” You turned your head back.
“And I'm nice...”

You met Djir in the Manor. He met you as if he was expecting you and eyed Amun. His eyes inevitably wandered down to your hand that held his, but an odd alchemy seemed to be occurring in the Gnolls mind, because he seemed more perplexed than enraged. He crossed his arms.
“What's this?”

You looked up at Djir seriously and said the lines you had considered over and over again in your head for how you were going to sell this.
“I don't like how you have a history with him. Regardless of what you say...” You held Amun's shoulders tightly, bringing him closer to you rather forwardly.
“I needed to remove any competition so I made him like this. This is how it's going to be now. Is there a problem?”

Djir's brows both raised as he stared down his muzzle at the two of you. “If you'd said it... And it wasn't this convincing I would probably be enraged right now.” Djir leaned close and washed hot breath over Amun's face as he stared searchingly.
“But this... This work you've done is like camouflage to me... I can barely even see this person anymore the way you've done him up. So... Is he meant to be one of your women, now? Is that it?”

“That's right.” You nodded, moving your eyes to Amun to see that he was beginning to tear up.
“You're makeup is going to run... I told you to relax.” You sighed. You could tell what the issue was. Djir said that he could no longer see Amun. The boy would likely prefer death. You would have to fix that with time. The main purpose was just to keep him alive in the meantime.

Djir touched Amun's face curiously. “You look even more like a woman when you cry.” He turned his attention back to you.
“I understand. Like the others, this thing is yours now.”

“Good.” You smiled.
“Amun, return to Teuta and Jeane.”

As soon as he left Djir kept staring at you, thinking. “Bold.”

“Is it?”

“You care about him to this extent.” Djir stated.

“But it's not love.” You argued, realizing you've been caught.

“What am I supposed to do if you continue to be near him and care about him like that? How can I know if it's love or not.”

You became frustrated. “If you don't know what love is then you don't deserve to be my partner.”

“Haha?” He chuckled nervously as he covered his muzzle with his large hand.
“I can see that it isn't love.” Djir admitted. He changed the subject, which told you that you won.
“You released your Aura a few minutes ago.”

“I had to show Amun the hierarchy here to make him understand.”

“It's frightening how fast you grow.... If I do nothing but watch, I'll eventually have no way to keep you. What'll I do then?”

You smiled. “When that time comes maybe I should keep you instead?”

Djir snorted and let our a cackle. “Good answer!”

You felt a pang at the back of your skull. An annoying scratching that was all too familiar. “I want to take a stroll outside the walls.”

“I understand. When you're done come see me.” You gave him a nod before walking out the manor, then out the gate without being restrained. As soon as you were outside the walls you looked left, then right, then moved across the street, through an alley, around a corner and down another alley into a dark corner. You regarded a familiar hooded figure. She removed the hood to reveal a black bob haircut  that fell just above the shoulders. Her lips curled into a cocky smirk and her eyes rested on you.

“Fiona.”

“Fin.” She nodded.
“Or... Should I say, Retainer?”

“It's a formality. I haven't pledged to him in that way. I said something I shouldn't have and needed another reason to be introduced to Garm politics.”

“I see.” Fiona rubbed her chin.
“So you're only pretending to be fucked by him every other night, as well.”

Your face became bright red. “What are you here for, Fiona? I have this under control.”

Her expression softened. “Oddly enough... I agree with you.” Her tone made it sound like she was in disbelief of her own words.

“I came here with every intention to beat the shit out of you and drag you back if you were just acting like Djir's little fuckboy but you're... Not doing too bad. It seems like you know your priorities and you're sticking to your convictions well enough. There's not much I can say, Brother. Congratulations.”

You sighed deeply. “You worried me for a second.” As you said that you opened your arms. Fiona stepped forward and hugged you warmly. A smile crossed your lips.
“Missed you.”

“I guess... I've been acting pretty ridiculous.”

“Why? Why now?”

Fiona leaned back and glared at you. “Because you fucking triggered me, you bastard! How can you do a million things that make me scared as hell of you making your own decisions, then come here and act almost perfectly? You're asking now after you did an about face why I was trying to keep you from making any mistakes?” She leaned back in and rested her head on your shoulder idly as she held you.
“Honestly... I have visions of being failed by you over and over again. In dreams, you are the one that leaves me. I am the one that dies without having any impact on the world whatsoever. Mom too. So what am I supposed to do when I see you making the same mistakes as in my dreams?”

“I had one too, finally.”

“Really?” She looked at you inquisitively.

“Not me, but a part of me feels a connection to Djir.”

“About that... Do you actually love him?”

“I don't know. I'm waiting for him to decide if he loves me enough to act outside his own desires for me.”

Fiona nodes slowly, in thought. “That makes sense. What's the progress on that?”

“Nothing's happened to test him so far. Well...” You corrected yourself.
“Maybe some things have. Small things. Down the line I need to make him choose.”

“Okay.” Fiona smiles.
“I like it so far. So, what do you want to do, Brother?”

“You're asking me?” You were surprised.

Fiona motioned around. “All of this is you and you're actually doing well enough so what can I say? I want your opinion on how we proceed because my position has always been that the three of us are on our own side.”

“It's what you've said from the beginning.” You tried to think.

“Truthfully, I didn't sign up to go to war with a big empire and neither did anyone in the expedition. Those bastards are freaking out back there so we need to do something. We retook historic Aniyufar pretty easily. What's your impression on Garm so far?”

“Garm is an Empire that employs several captured kingdoms and cultures as clients. They employ slavery but it seems like there's some form of incentive in place that prevents it from being overly oppressive to the point that anyone would rebel. Rather, most of the turmoil comes from the power struggles between families in the Senate. Seems like many of them hire and host their own armies and have allegiances to people within the state, rather than a figure within the state. There's also an adherence to the state structure itself, which means that even strong families like Djir and his rival can't act easily if it goes against the established order.”

Fiona closed her eyes and listened throughout the whole explanation. “Some of that is information I couldn't get on my own... That's very useful.”

“I've been present at the Senate with Djir for a while now. I taught myself to speak Garman shortly after coming here so I can know for myself what people are saying without being translated to. People also speak more freely around me since I'm more or less acting as a servant rather than a big player.”

“If it's between Djir's faction or the other one, which do you think is better for us?”

“Djir's.”

She nodded. “Is it because you and Djir have a friendship? You know he'll be on our side regardless of what happens since you are on our side?”

“No.” You shook your head solemnly.
“It's because I know that when Djir does what he wants it's going to destroy this place.”

Fiona's jaw dropped. “S-sorry?”

“This whole empire will fall apart after he does what he wants to do. I think he can succeed but I also think that, based off his plans, it's going to end in a collapse. We wouldn't have to do anything at that point except wait.” You leaned back against the wall and thought of how best to explain it, since she seemed pretty shocked.
“Remember when that one powerful faction tried to unify the scattered Kingdoms in Trysk under one bannder?” She nodded.
“Power can make things work for a while, but you can't force change on people through power. Politics isn't magic. If Djir does what he sets out to do, the norms and traditions he breaks wont go away in peoples heads. Cracks will form and it will end in disaster, just like back home.”

Fiona was not stupid, so she added. “You're saying...”

“It's the same with us and Aniyufar. You've played a nice part as a queen but this was never going to work in the long run. Think about how normal people in that Kingdom look at you. I've been thinking about this so you should also be thinking about that.”

“Getting scolded by you feels so bad...” She whines.
“What exactly is it you're suggesting here?”