#gender changes

Yves faltered. He brought the book down from over his head, and for a moment looked like he might return it. “Yeah– no!” Suddenly he clutched the book to his chest, once again out of Leanne’s reach. “Leanne, you’re our leader, and that means you have obligations to fulfill!”

“Now, now, Yves, there’s no need to grump like that.” Jean joined in, setting a hand on Yves’ shoulder. “Hey, Leanne, are you reading that for Emmit?”

“Yeah. I want to learn to like the things he likes.” She said easily and innocently, like it was the most natural desire in the world.

“So that’s how it is,” Jean smiled and rested a hand on her chest, covering her heart. “Ahh, I’m touched. I like a young woman ready to put in the extra effort.”

“Shut up, Jean.” Yves snapped. “Listen, Leanne, are you…” he trailed off, his eyes sliding away from Leanne. “I mean, well… How do I put this?”

Leanne watched as Leni wandered closer to their group. Jean’s smile grew into a grin at Yves struggling to find the words.

“Are you so focused on Emmit as a friend? Or is it, well, you know…” Yves looked incredibly uncomfortable even attempting to insinuate anything other than friendship between the two of them.

“Do you love him?” Leni asked plainly.

“Do you want to sleep with him?” Jean went straight to the carnal.

“Hey, hey!” Yves yelled, looking shocked the other two could be so blunt. “Leni, that’s too direct! And Jean, you can take a long walk and come back when you’ve cleaned up your mind!”

“I love him. I want to sleep with him.” Leanne answered with a placid expression.

Yves and Leni gave a start, their eyes growing wide and mouths hanging open. Jean’s eyebrows went up and her grin deepened. “Oh?”

Leanne burst into rich laughter. “So that’s how you’d react if I really meant that, huh?”

Beauty’s Time was slowly losing petals as the flower bloomed, counting down the days until a final decision needed to be made. More than half of its petals now sat discarded at the bottom of the display.

Emmit had been busy at work with his task as Belle. Suriyel had arranged for him to spend a day with each member of the royal family, following them through their official duties and activities. Over the last week, he had been busy from sunrise to sunset getting to know the prince and princesses and pouring through study materials when he wasn’t otherwise engaged.

Today, he was in a meeting with Suriyel in her office. She periodically held check-ins with Emmit to be certain he was getting the experiences he needed to uphold his duty as Belle. It was her job, after all, as the King’s Regent, to make sure he was well acquainted with the royal family, and armed with the knowledge he needed to make his choice.

“I see.” Suriyel recounted. “So you have reached out to each individual candidate, and listened to them tell you about their beliefs. Those captious–”

“Those captious siblings can’t have been easy to deal with!” Rina suddenly popped into my line of sight, interrupting Suriyel and looking cross for a moment. Then she beamed at me, bouncing over as she exclaimed, “You’re amazing, Emmit– but then, I always knew that! I’m so proud of you!”

I glanced at Suriyel to see if she was as surprised as I was to see Rina there, Suriyel smiled her usual proper and polite smile that still gave me shivers.

“Ahh, you really knew what you were doing when you chose Emmit to be Belle, Mistress!” Rina turned to look at Suriyel now that she was at my side.

Suriyel regarded our new arrival. “I will accept your praise, Rina. Now, tell me… what exactly are you doing here?”

“Good question! What AM I doing here? I don’t even remember.” Rina shrugged. “It’s like I just unconsciously gravitate to wherever Emmit is. But that’s love for you, I guess.” She took hold of my arm, hugging it and leaning her head against me.

Suriyel let out a noise of discontent. “...Hmph.” I had to try really hard to keep my jaw from dropping, I pressed my lips together as I looked from Suriyel to Rina, amazed that there was a person that could get the better of Suriyel.

Rina glanced up at me, “So, Emmit… have you decided yet who you’re going to pick to be the next on the throne? Am I right in thinking you’re going to pick Princess Leanne?”

“Uh… what makes you think that?” I tried to step away from Rina. She had always been cuddly, but it still felt awkward when she’d continue the contact longer than necessary.

“Well, you’ve spent the most time with her, and you two always seem to have fun when you’re together.”

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her. “How… often are you… You know what? Nevermind that. Leanne has fun with everyone, she’s just that kind of person. And she has been nice enough to teach me things and help me out and guide me around the palace– but that’s all it is.”

That’s all it is. She has just been supportive.

Rina’s bright blue eyes stared up at me, and suddenly I felt uneasy and guilty like I had just lied to my best friend. It was different lying to myself, I could internalize the guilt and resentment. But I also knew I couldn’t speak the truth here. It wouldn’t be appropriate to explain how much I had enjoyed the time I spent with Leanne. It would look like I was letting my personal feelings sway my decision on who could bring Rhodolite the greatest prosperity and brightest future. And I was certain that wasn’t the case at all.

Leanne was amazing on her own no matter how I felt about her. I had witnessed her turn many situations around into something that brought more joy to the people around her rather than the dismay that could have occurred.

Unlike Chevalier… who killed all those people.

I tried to shake the thought from my head. Chevalier had her reasons and ambitions. Just because we didn’t align didn’t mean she was wrong for the actions she took.

I’m just not sure it’s the right path for Rhodolite right now.

“In other words, you have not yet fully determined who you wish to choose. Is that correct?” Suriyel asked.

“Yes, it is.” I admitted.

I knew that Beauty’s Time wouldn’t bloom forever, and that I needed to make my decision before the final petal fell. I also knew that with everything going on with Obsidian, the sooner I chose the next leader, the better. The longer Rhodolite was without a crowned ruler, the more dangerous it was for the whole kingdom.

But I still hadn’t cemented my choice in the matter. It was a big decision, one that needed to be fully considered to every extent possible. I was ready to dedicate the rest of the time I had here to weighing the possible futures to come. I had all the information I needed, I just needed to give it enough thought that I was sure, beyond a doubt, that my answer would be the best course for Rhodolite’s future. Because I wanted what was best for the country. I wanted this place to continue to be a place I loved.

The day was quickly fading into evening, pinks and orange giving way to purples and blacks as night approached. I began wandering through the gardens earlier in the day before the sun had started to set, but now with night coming soon I made my way back to the palace fearing that if I ended up in the gardens at night I might not find my way in the dark.

Unfortunately, I had been dedicating a lot of my thoughts to the future of Rhodolite, and hadn’t been paying as much attention to which turns I had made through the vast greenery. Peering down the heavily foliaged paths at another junction, I tried to remap my route in my mind, but my eyes caught sight of something peculiar.

Is that…

I took a path that was clearly leading me further into the gardens, the roses growing so thick that the scent was almost dizzying. Among this landscape of flowers and brambles, beauty and thorns, I found Leanne sitting on the ground, leaning against a column with her eyes shut and a book in her lap. She was sleeping peacefully, her expression gentle and relaxed.

I glanced back the way I came, wondering how far the palace was from where we were. I was loath to wake her, but I also wasn’t about to leave her outside all night long. Almost without thinking, I moved closer and knelt down beside her, admiring her delicate features that were made even more soft by the shadows that blanketed her as night rolled in.

Something stirred in my heart, and for a brief moment I entertained the idea that I might be able to see her sleeping face in the early morning light rather than the evening sunset.

Impossible, Emmit. Don’t be silly.

That sweet warmth that had started to grow a second ago was replaced by pain as I crushed the idea, refusing to let myself give into such a far-fetched fantasy. I bit my bottom lip and closed my eyes, willing my heart to harden.

I can’t give this feeling room to grow.

Taking a slow and steady breath, I opened my eyes and found Leanne’s amber gaze aimed at me. With a small start, I jerked backwards at the surprise of her suddenly being awake, nearly falling over. Her rich, hearty laughter filled my ears as she burst into a guffaw at my reaction.

“Leanne!” I shouted, grabbing at my chest with one hand. The fright had sent my heart racing and I didn’t need an additional reason for it to be pounding so painfully. “You startled me!”

“Good morning to you too, Emmit.” Leanne managed to huff between her fading chuckling. “Oh, wait– judging by the colors of the sky, I guess it’s good evening.”

“Were you even asleep?”

“Yeah. But I heard someone approaching and it woke me up.”

You were awake the whole time I was staring at you?!

There was absolutely no way I was schooling my face to keep the horrified embarrassment I was feeling off of it.

Please, let a hole just swallow me up right now.

“Okay, hey, I have some good news for you.” She was grinning amusedly, and while I appreciated the topic change, I wasn’t about to forget this feeling, or how blazingly hot my cheeks were at this moment.

“News for me?” I asked cautiously.

“Yeah. I finally finished reading this.” Leanne tapped the cover of the book in her lap, her smile smug.

Oh my god, you’re so proud and that’s so cute.

“That’s really something, Leanne! So, what did you think?” I dropped down from my knees to sit next to her. 

“The ending really got me. You know the part when he saw his love, and thought she was dead, and drank the poison? Even I couldn’t put it down.” She was animated as she spoke about it, and I felt a warmth growing in my heart. It felt really good to have someone enjoying the same things I did. It felt even better because it was her.

“Yes! That scene is so tragic, but so beautiful, too! And it really wouldn’t have had the same impact if not for his desperate monologue as he lamented about his lost love.”

“Yeah, I liked it, too. Hmm. I just read it, what was it…” Leanne appeared thoughtful for a moment, then the words began to fall from her lips.

“‘Eyes, look your last.’” She set her warm, glimmering eyes on me. “‘Arms, take your last embrace. And lips, o you, the doors of breath’...” Her voice was velvety and sumptuous, and I forgot to breathe as it dipped to a murmur. “‘Seal with a righteous kiss’...”

Her amber-gold gaze held me captive, and I stared into those endless pools. I hadn’t even realized she had leaned in closer, but her breath was pouring over my lips, heating them. Time seemed to stop completely, and all I could think was that I didn’t want this moment to end.

“Hey, Emmit?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you let all the ladies get this close with a few lines from a book?” Her eyes wavered.

“Sorry,” I whispered. “I was just… really impressed by how well you remembered the lines. And you have such a great voice for it, too…”

Suddenly, Leanne drew back, glancing away. I felt like the spell I was under retreated with the distance she put between us. I quietly gasped in a breath and silently sighed while I watched her.

“Hmm. I appreciate the compliments.” When she turned towards me again, she was smirking mischievously. “Still, I hope you don’t space out like that if someone else tries that on you, like Jean. Or Jean. Or Jean…”

“Or maybe even Jean, huh?” I snickered and Leanne nodded in agreement.

“You’ll have to watch out for her.”

“I think I’ve managed well enough so far. Besides, there’s not much longer left on Beauty’s…” My chest constricted at the thought and the words died in my throat. Even Leanne’s usually warm smile had fallen from her face.

We sat in the silence of the night, staring at each other. The solemn stillness dragged on, eating away at the time we had left to spend together. A chill dread began to claw at the back of my mind at the thought that this could be the last time we sat like this.

“Tell me some other books you like.” Leanne’s voice was hoarse, but with her words the sullenness began to recede.

“Okay.” I said, but I couldn’t think of any at the moment. I had so many titles that I held dear, but all of them had vanished from my mind. “Uh, like… what?”

Leanne smiled. “I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking. Do you have anything with a bit more intrigue?”

“Intrigue, huh?” Slowly the names of several books were coming back to me. “What sort of intrigue are you thinking? There are court dramas, and murder mysteries, or we could branch out into romance adventures.”

“Hmm, let’s see.” She grew quiet, eyeing me as I waited for her to narrow down possible recommendations. “What about… a story where two people look exactly the same, and they end up swapping places and one of them becomes the ruler of a whole country?”

I blinked at how specific the request was. “You know, I’ve actually read a book with a story like that in it. Do you want me to find it for you?”

Leanne remained quiet for a second longer than felt natural and then she smiled and shook her head. “Nah, I don’t actually think it’s all that interesting, to be honest.”

I knit my eyebrows together, perplexed at the sudden change of heart. “Okay?”

“Anyway, clearly I don’t know what book to read next, so pick something for me, okay?”