Mage Revenge Pt. 04

Thanks to :

AD&D for a world of spells & magic.

Jack Vance, "Eyes of the Overworld" for being a source of inspiration for TSR & myself.

Synopsis :

Set in an alternate reality, fantasy world. Alysa Ascanius, an Arch Mage whose parents were tortured & killed when she was a 12 year old child enacts revenge against the perpetrators decades later. She has started her mission to the Cantran capital with her small entourage supposedly as a diplomatic consul but she has another agenda. Magical changes to men and women have commenced throughout Cantra. The two armies of legions and paladins fight. Will Alysa get her revenge?. The mages enact their plans beyond Cantra but...

Tags : FLR, femdom, hermaphrodite, futanari, loving wives, cuck, feminisation, fantasy, magic, combat.

It's starts off slow but events cascade soon enough. Skipping chapters wont be useful, so reading sequentially from chapter 1 is recommended.

There are no STD's in this fantasy world.

- -

I went to find Gantacus after the meeting with the legion and mage leadership. He saw me coming. He bowed as I came close.

"Alwyn or is it Alysa or is it your majesty the Queen?"

"The subterfuge was necessary as we could have no senior women in the delegation. The fate of my mother twenty years ago made that clear. My story was carefully crafted to give the best result for Monagon. I make no apologies."

"Yes, duty to the state."

"We couldn't risk anyone being captured, tortured and divulging anything. I was the only one who knew the full plan. Everyone had to act as if the delegation was real."

"Well, you fooled me completely."

"Gantacus, you are the best of us. What every man should aspire to. Truly. We need to get tomorrow over and then talk more."

"The machinations and plots of rulers are beyond me. I understand war and combat and the legions. I try to be an example to my legionnaires so that they in turn do the same."

"I want you to stay in Cantra."

He stared at me. Stony faced, no emotion.

"I will see. We do not know each other, or you know me and I have no idea who you are. I respected Alwyn as a fine leader and a friend, as much as a consul of high estate and a simple centurion could be. Now, well... were you just playing a part or was Alwyn just you in male form."

"Yes I was playing a role, but it was me : Alyssa or Alwyn, they are the same. I don't know what to say. Your perception of me was as a man of course."

There were no words that would suffice at this moment. It had to be communication and actions over time.

He glanced at the paladins. "What is their fate?"

I pulled no punches, it was time for the complete truth. "Their changes will continue for four weeks. They will be very reduced in size, strength, manliness and intellect. Men from the castle will be sexless and unable to father children. They will look like but not be tiny women, the size of a young child. Changes on men outside the castle will be much less, but still smaller and weaker than they were. They will be able to father children but will have breasts to feed babies. They will be submissive and loose any aggressive tendencies. The changes are permanent in all cases. Women will grow taller and stronger."

It was really Minnerv's plan but I needed to take ownership as well.

"And after Cantra?"

That was a female only, archmage level secret, the one that we kept closest to our hearts.

I avoided answering. "Stay in Cantra, we can do great things. Truly change and improve their state. Lift up women. In partnership with men, not as chattels."

He sighed. He knew. By not answering, I told him as if I had spelt it out.

He closed his eyes. Opened after a few seconds. "I have much to think about. I am less than a leaf, I am a speck of dust blown about by the winds of great change."

I reached forward to hug him tight. He was stiff and didn't return my embrace.

"You make your own choice. I would love you to stay but the choice is entirely yours. Come and find me in the aftermath of tomorrow."

My intentions were made known. He had only known me as a man and had yet to discover and learn about me as a woman. Woman, mage and soon Queen. I released him and went back to Minnerv's tent to plan for tomorrow.

===

"Your majesty, two full Monagon legions are descending the hills coming towards the city."

"Summon my attendants." The kings voice was weak. He had shaved his beard yesterday as it was too patchy, far from the regal appearance he needed to present.

He got them to dress him in amended regal state military uniform. Raised shoes.

He called for a paladin and templar escort. They went to the battlements overlooking the hills and main highway leading to the city. His city.

The legions were marching at a steady pace, ten abreast down the main highway. Long winding lines of legionnaires. Unopposed. Civilians had deserted the road and environs. Any Cantran military had pulled back to the army in front of the city. The opposing armies were roughly equal in number. The Cantran forces were reduced over the last few days.

He spoke to the paladin in charge. "Take me to the docks." He could escape by sea with the fleet and rebuild with the two armies on the borders.

Suddenly they heard several loud explosions in the direction of the sea. They all ran as fast as they could to the other side of the castle around the battlements. The king was breathless when he arrived.

Smoke and burning fires were rising from every dock leading to his fleet. There was no access to the ships. The masts of every ship was tilted over into the sea, their sails loose and wet in the water.

Twenty witches with 100 legionnaires were arrayed in front of the gate leading to the docks.

He walked back to the other side again.

As the leading edge of the forward legion reached a designated point they deployed left. The legion following deployed right. Soon they were in three rows in staggered formation. Rectangles arrayed towards the city. Cavalry flanked the outside edges. Their generals slightly back from the leading elements between the legions. Small groups of mages in the front and centre of each legion and another larger contingent in the middle with the generals.

Once formed up they stood in the morning sun, their armour and weapons gleaming. A delegation of horses with a clearly visible white flag rode forward towards the Cantran front lines. Two witches, 4 tribunes and a squad of legionnaires.

His generals had their orders. Kill all witches on sight. The only good witch was a dead one. No retreat nor surrender.

Catapults with ceramic inflammable loads atop the first wall fired. The legions were just out of range but it was a display of firepower. There was movement from the mages and the balls fired moved back in a rising arc and landed back on the catapult they had been fired from. The balls shattered, dispersing the flaming liquid, killing the squads of men deployed at each catapult. The flames spread and engulfed the stored ammunition loads which burst into flame too. Expanding the volume of flame which fell both forward and behind the wall.

Angry shouts erupted from the paladins and the Cantran army. Volleys of arrows were now fired at the white flag party now one hundred yards from the Cantrans. They turned to ash 10 yards from the mages. Four volleys were made with no effect. As each volley was fired, a squad of around ten mages unleashed purple lighting and the massive gates on each wall disintegrated. Gate 1 on the outer wall first. Then the second and the third. Finally when the fourth volley was fired both squads of mage from each legion fired off their response to the arrows and the main entrance to the castle collapsed from the intensity of the esoteric lighting. There was no fifth volley. The legions now had unimpeded entry to the city and castle.

Some men in the Cantran lines threw down their arms at the sight of the mage's response and ran back to the city. Commanders ordered archers to shoot them.

The small white flag party of mages stopped 20 yards from the Cantran front lines. A magically enhanced female voice came from one of the mages. The speech matching the movement of her lips.

"Lay down your arms and you not be harmed. Fight and you will be killed. We demand the King appear here within the hour to parley with his generals and cardinals to negotiate their surrender."

It had been loud enough for the nearby city to hear.

Behind them, halfway between the two armies, legionnaires had spiked the legion standards into the ground and setup a table and chairs.

The parlay party turn and rode back to the standards. The general ordered one more volley into the backs of the parley delegation. The mage response this time was to cast several chain lightnings into the archers. Their twitching bodies collapsed to the ground. A green bolt of energy leapt from the hands of a mage and unerringly found the chest of the general who had given the last order. His body turned to green slime and pooled where he had been standing.

Fully a third of the Cantran army turned and ran. No one stopped them this time as the archers were all dead. Mostly general infantry ran, fewer from the paladins and templars.

The returning mages were unharmed. This time the arrows targeting them had turned to white doves and flown away.

The general in charge sent a squad to paladins on horseback to pass the message to the king. He now understood very well indeed how the Monagon legions had never been defeated in decades. He had been briefed on what to expect and tactics to try. However the new, improved paladins and battlepriests had lost their godly powers several days ago and were now arrayed in the ranks of the army with their fellow paladins and templars.

A free for all rush to get into the ranks of the legionnaires and to target the mages was as good a tactic as he had come up with now. Whether they would survive the volleys of arrows, spears and spells to cover the intervening distance was problematic. Surely the mages would be restrained in casting when the armies were in chaotic melee. His covering fire from the catapults had been neutralised. Giving them many targets would split and disperse their firepower. However the god cursed witches probably had tactics to prevent that too. Ambushes and skirmishing hit and run tactics were also discussed but not relevant under the current circumstances.

His armour felt very heavy and he was tired simply from wearing and supporting it. Some men standing in the ranks had also collapsed under the midday sun. Weakened and shorter than they were a week ago reduced the effectiveness of each man. Helmets were ill fitting and hard to see out of. Many had taken them off.

He hoped the king surrendered and negotiated whatever terms he could get. He had seen Gantacus first hand easily defeat Maghin who was their best. He had no confidence that one to one even the best paladins could beat legionnaires. All that would be achieved in fighting would be his death and the same for his men. The war was lost, hopefully the king realised it too. They had two armies at the borders but even if they were here he doubted the outcome would be any different.

==

The king had moved to the grand entrance hall. He had just seen the mages in action. Twenty years ago they were unrivalled in combat. Then they were just two mages and a squad of legionnaires. Now he faced two whole battle hardened legions of 10,000 men and from what he had been told almost 100 of the witches.

He had no good options. Negotiate whatever terms he could and surrender. Escape with his life and his sons. He felt old, was so tired and it was hard to think. Four paladins rode into the grand entrance at a gallop. Everyone scattered at their entrance.

"My liege your presence has been requested at the battle front."

Requested? He was sure it had been demanded by the witches. They were the ones controlling everything.

"Get the prime cardinal, he is coming too." He caused this situation twenty years ago. He would pay for the consequences for his actions.

He limped off towards his horse outside the entrance.

Two of the paladins escorted him through the streets, through the gates and to his army. The other two went into the castle to find the cardinal.

The king waited with his army generals until the cardinal arrived with his escort. They rode slowly out to the legion standards, dismounted and moved towards the table. There were 2 chairs on their side of the table where the king and cardinal sat down. The Cantran generals standing behind them. Minnerv and Alyssa were also seated. Two archmages in charge of each legion's detachments of mages and the legion legates were standing behind them. A squad of 20 centurions were in an arc around the back of the Monagons.

The king started to speak but Minnerv held up her hand and he found he was silenced, unable to utter a word.

Maghin and Olivant were marched out to the table. They appeared to be unarmed but both were shorter and thinner than the last time he had seen them - as was everyone else in the city.

No one spoke for several seconds.

"I am Minnerv, this is Alyssa. We were both here twenty years ago. I was one of the mages and Alyssa was the daughter whose mother you killed."

The king and cardinal paled. Whoever they expected to be at the table it wasn't these two.

"You were treacherous then and today nothing has changed."

"I, Minnerv, as the appointed legion commander here in Cantra and delegate of Crastus Agranus, King of Monagon, demand your unconditional surrender." She paused.

Your soldiers will lay down their arms here and throughout the city. They will return to their homes and families. Your two armies at the border and throughout Cantra will do the same. Admirals and sailors of your fleet will depart their ships and return home or stay at the naval barracks."

The king found he could speak again, "And if we resist?"

"You and anyone who does will be killed."

"Triotan, your empire, cities, assets and people are all now part of the Monagon empire. You are no longer king and your reign ends today."

"We wish a peaceful transition. Law and order will be maintained. Any who resist will be judged and punished according to their crimes. You and your sons, your generals and admirals will be imprisoned and judged at a later date. The cardinals and bishops will join you in jail."

"Change has come and the primacy of men over women in Synessia and Cantra is over. Henceforce women and men will work together. To the betterment of all"

Triotan tried to speak and found he was again mute.

"The legions and mages will assist the people of Cantra and they will need help. Women are allowed to move freely without the consent or escort of men. Men are no longer the heads of households. Women and men will work together. All women will be allowed to work and be educated. In fact we need and expect them to do so."

"Alyssa will be Queen of Cantra. She will be coronated tomorrow in the grand hall of the castle."

Triotan was turning red with the effort to speak, but nothing except gurgles and froth came out of his mouth.

Minnerv stood and moved around the table towards the Cantran army waiting in front of the city.

Her loud voice carried to everyone. "Soldiers of Cantra, Triotan has abdicated his rule and is no longer king. His last act as monarch was to tell you to lay down your arms, stay peaceful and return home."

"New laws will be published in every square and throughout Synessia and Cantra. Breaking the law or resisting will be punished."

"Lay down your arms and return to your homes."

An enraged templar screamed and ran towards the table. Green energy bolt, impact, green slime, puddle.

"Lay down your arms and return to your homes. NOW"

The last word was at enormous volume. The soldiers clapped their hands over their ears and quailed in pain. Immediately they threw down their swords, shields and those who still wore them took off their helmets and slowly turned and walked back to the city.

Returning to her chair at the table. "Triotan, your chance to speak and act honourably was twenty years ago. There will be no second chance. We wish to hear nothing you have to say for the rest of your natural life." She gestured and he felt a twinge of pain in his throat. He found that he could utter no noise at all.

"Generals remain here and you will be escorted to prison with the king now." She gestured and 2 platoons of legionnaires lead by a tribune and escorted by 4 mages took away Triotan and the generals into the city.

She turned and commanded the legion. "Make camp here." She turned to the legates. "We will be busy tomorrow and for many days ahead. Possibly we will use barracks in the city. Inspect them and see if they are large enough. Mages will provide food in the short term as we will likely be too much of a burden on the city's resources."

"Ensure the men know that standard legion laws apply and the populace are to be treated well."

A detachment headed up the hill to signal their supply train down and the legions started to make camp.

She turned to the remaining Cantran. "Cardinal" He tried to speak or move and could do neither.

"Judgement has come and you have been found wanting. You have until now been spared the change to all the other men in Cantra."

"Alyssa." Minnerv turned and walked away. Meetings would be ongoing for hours.

I stood and glared down at the cardinal. Just a man. Now powerless.

"It has been twenty years since you killed my parents. You changed my life and set me on this course to where we are now. It could have all been so different." I sighed.

"I have waited all these years and planned all the ways I would torture and punish you. Now, I am an archmage like my mother and in the fullness of my power and you are helpless to do with as I will."

No matter how hard he tried, the cardinal was immobile and mute. A statue. Not a quiver in motion or voice. Only his eyes were free.

"I want it to be over and move on."

I gestured, pointing to the table. "There are two mugs in front of you. The black is poison, drink it and you will be dead in seconds. You will be buried in a nameless grave and I will piss on your corpse."

I continued in a cold voice. "I'm sure that you have noticed the changes in the men in the castle. Shrunken, thinner, weaker, stupider, submissive, hairless, tiny cocks that don't work, growing breasts. It needs a month to take full effect. The king and his sons are less than halfway through their changes. At the end you will be this tall and not the man you once were. But, you will be alive. You may want to pray that your gods intercede in my retribution"

I held my palm out less than 4' from the ground to indicate how far he would diminish.

"Drink the red and that will be your fate too."

He felt his arm free and his jaw.

He looked at the mugs and then at me. I stood waiting for his decision. A minute passed. Finally his arm moved towards the mugs. He chose the red and drank it down.

"Bullies are always cowards, I expected no less from you. Take him away to the prison."

I went to meet Minnerv and plan for tomorrow. We had won.

==

I was coronated in the afternoon with minimal pomp and pageantry in the great hall. Minnerv had placed the crown on my head.

Queen Alysa the first. I had mixed feelings and in no way did I think I was prepared for the tasks and responsibilities ahead.

Minnerv whispered to me. "You will be fine. We are all here to help you."

Many of the Monagans were present. Minnerv, the legion officers, most of the mages, centurions, the merchants, my intern and orderly, Lyria, Penyra, Myriana, Acrylia (once the spy whore Mary). They all cheered loudly.

I couldn't help but grin back at everyone.

I gave a short speech...

"I am here as your newly crowned Queen and I solemnly promise that I shall work for the people and in your service as you will in mine. I swear that all shall be equal, women and men to share and grow in love. We are now all part of a new and better dynasty where we will all prosper. The next few days and months will be difficult as we adapt to changes in our lives. But we will succeed and thrive in a system that rewards merit and competence. We will be a lawful society and these laws will apply to everyone. Religion will be allowed and you are free to choose who you worship. Your criminal king, cardinals and bishops who used their religious power for corruption, personal profit and power are in prison. They will be judged. If we are united, the future will be bright. Trust must be earned and I will work unceasingly to earn yours by my every thought, word and action. To Cantra!"

All of my party cheered loudly. The Cantran's less so.

I saw Gantacus to the back and waved. He didn't wave back or smile. He had clapped but not cheered with everyone else.

All the Cantran nobles and their wives were present. The women were all now taller than their partners. The women were being informed of the full extent that every male in the castle would fall. They could choose to keep their partners or the men could be sent off, looked after and given menial jobs around the city. It was recommended they send their men off as they would eventually be unrecognisable, mentally and physically. They had two weeks to choose. They could consider themselves legally divorced and free to marry again or not. They would be expected to work and the new system of meritocracy would be put in place. They would be interned with Monagon officers and mages helping to re-establish the economy. More administrative assistance was on its way but was many weeks away. Skilled men from outside the castle were being bought in and the women were learning from them.

The women were universally nervous and unsure of the future. Few had any education and their husbands and partners had abused most of them - sexually, physically and emotionally. They were still coming to terms and understanding how great the changes that had engulfed Cantra so suddenly affected every part of their lives. That they were in charge. It would take time.

I had spoken with Ambetha and Peneetha at length beforehand. I wanted them to lead the way with women to take charge of their lives. To put girls and young women in schools. To put women into careers and trades. To work with me directly and be a beacon showing the new life women could expect. I explained I had been Alwynn but Alysa was my true form and self. They were still coming to terms with the complete reversal of everything they had known.

I moved into the royal suite later that day. Ambetha and Peneetha remained in the royal wing also. The rooms were extensive and luxurious. There was plenty of room for us all. We ate together every morning and discussed many things. A fleet of handmaidens looked after my every whim. There were some good parts to being queen.

Ambetha was immensely glad to be free of her husband. She visited him daily in prison. Not to gloat except for the first visit but to make her realise she was finally free of him forever. She felt some pity for Olivant but Triotan and Maghin deserved everything.

Peneetha did indeed have some magical talent. I took some time to teach her every day, and said she could travel to the mage college to become a real mage. Her body was changing like mine and she was growing into the improved mage version of women. Even taller and stronger than other women with a large penis.

The cardinal was some way behind the other men but changing like the rest of them.

Minnerv had placed a third plant in the pool at the bottom of the castle to kill off and replace the original I had implanted. Over a few days it would spread and re-imbue with the new magical essence, the same as in the rest of the city and now spreading throughout the whole country.

Women would be a head taller and stronger. Perhaps more dominant and sexually active but we believed that this would be determined by their personalities beforehand. Women's breasts would substantially shrink. They were warned not to take revenge for their past grievances and treatment by men. Make a new start. Easier said than done.

Men everywhere outside the castle would be a head shorter, slightly weaker and submissive. Their genitals had not shrunk and they were fully potent. They would all grow breasts and be able to breast feed. Women would still get pregnant and deliver babies, however they could no longer suckle their infants. That was now the job of men, to feed newborns and nurture them.

Men would still have all knowledge of their past careers and would be expected to train and educate women. And work themselves. Again we were unsure how this would work in practice. Evolving to a completely new dynamic between the sexes had never been done before. To go from a totally male dominated patriarchal society to one where women were stronger and larger than submissive men was completely unknown. But we were determined to make it work as this was to be our model for everywhere. And if we could make it work in Cantra, it could work everywhere else.

Minnerv had made the difficult decision that the plant magical essence would remove any magic capability in men. She couldn't afford to have male mages who would never support her agenda for a female led society. This would eventually affect any males born with magical talent that would now never develop. Another secret.

The archmages had made the call to make the castle variant of the plant more severe in its effect. As I had described to the cardinal they would loose two feet in height and diminish in every possible way. They wanted to remove the head of the patriarchy snake completely and never be a factor in Cantran life again. To reset their way of life.

We never divulged to anyone outside of archmage circles exactly how the whole cascade of events occurred. Everyone knew it was magically enabled by mages but not how. Or that the system was self perpetuating. Even the Monagan king and council had been told it was just a new complex spell. We expected sex specific characteristics to breed true in the next generation. Our understanding of the nature of these types of spells was improving over time and we were able to fine tune ever more sophisticated changes so we were confident if any long term problems appeared we could manage and keep everything on track.

Changes in mages gave us extra height. Two heads above our original stature. We doubled in strength and were more muscular. Our breasts disappeared but we retained female sized nipples. We were made slightly more dominant and sexually aggressive. There were spells that increased strength, speed and intelligence. These were embedded into the plant but they only affected female mages. It was hard to tell if I was more intelligent. My clarity of thought and memory had improved. I could remember more spells and cast them quicker so there must have been some enhancement.

I was almost 8' tall at 7'11" and taller than most mages as I had been taller as a woman.

I believe the Magistra had given me such a large cock and increased sex drive as Alwyn, to prepare me for my new enhanced form as Alysa. The sex drive was similar to Alwyn's as was my cock size. Mages were now a new species of hermaphrodites with the sexual organs of both men and women. We could make women pregnant or become pregnant ourselves.

I bedded Ambetha when I finally finished changing and it was a wonderful experience for us both. I became her preferred partner although she did seek out other mages who had little hesitation in fucking her. She said that the smaller cooks of local men were insufficient to please her anymore. I tried local men too and very much enjoyed their submissive nature. I preferred taking them than having them penetrate me but tried both. Sex with other mages was interesting as there were many options.

Peneetha was denying her sexuality and remaining celibate. This must have taken immense will power as I needed daily release just as I had with Alwyn. I had counselled her to try other men... or women. There was now no stigma associated with virginity but she refused and put all her energies into transforming and assisting Cantra.

Acryllia, who was a Monagon spy, embedded as a state whore Mary, became my personal liaison to the spy network. I had promised to get her out of her role as soon as possible. Immediately after the battle in front of the city I sent a squad of mages and legionnaires to find her. I removed her whore tattoos and she became one of my casual lovers too. Alwyn had spoiled her for large cocks and I must admit I had some affection for her. Her time as a Cantran state whore had been traumatic and the breaking process at the start of whore's training had scarred her mentally. Our lovemaking sessions were always gentle as I nurtured her back to where she was before. But it was a slow process.

I was growing (!) into the role of Queen, understanding the role better over time. The economy never collapsed, no one died of hunger. We were filling the Cantran legions slowly. The dynamic between women and men was in a constant state of flux.

Our legions stayed in Cantra as they were sorely needed to keep the order. Platoons and cohorts were dispersed for tours around the state. All Monagan males had permanent cancel magic cast which created all sorts of other magic related issues but the alternative was to let them go the way of Cantran men. We weren't ready for that next stage yet.

A hundred administrators and trade specialists were sent over to Cantra to assist while women came up to speed. Most men stayed in their multitude of positions and things carried on.

The Cantran army was reformed as female only in the model of our legions. The new men were found to be unsuitable for life in the military - too small, weak and submissive. Women were planned to be rotated out if they became pregnant but returned after they gave birth as their partners could raise the child. Men could became communal carers for women who became pregnant. This was a state sponsored job for women who didn't have or want a permanent partner. Some just had casual sex ond became accidentally pregnant. Mages were available to cast protection against pregnancy which lasted for a month. They would not do abortions unless there was danger to the mother, rape or incest was involved.

Roughly one in twenty thousand women had magical ability in Cantra. Much less than in Monagan. Two archmages started a school for mages in a wing of the castle. Peneetha started to attend when she could.

Apparently the Monagan king and council was concerned with these changes. Particularly to mages and the Cantran men. The implications to all these dramatic changes were starting to be understood. Monagon had sent trade specialists and administrators to assist with the running and transition to Monagon rule. Minerva and Asthena hadn't divulged the specifics of the magic plant or even that there was a plant. Only that they had a new spell that would enable the conquest of Cantra quicker and with minimal loss of life. The last thing the king and council wanted to do was to tell the mages how to do their job. But the implication of the plant were far reaching. The king's spies were reporting on the events in Cantra without the filter of the mages.

Gantacus never visited. His term of service had expired over a year ago, before we left for Cantra and he had stayed in the legions and in service because that was his life. Word came back to me regularly regarding his movements as I asked the spies to report on him.

Minnerv had promoted him to tribune on my recommendation. He was working in the Cantran female legion and he was under the legate's command who was one of our senior tribunes, promoted to legate. He was also attached to Minnerv's personal command where she had him doing special projects as a problem solver. His main duties were to train the female legionnaire decurions and centurions so they could run the legion. NCO's were the backbone of all armies.

I heard that he visited the prison weekly. He was particularly interested in visiting Maghin. By the end of the month all the castle men were less than 4' tall. Their cocks had shrunk to be flush with the body and they had large breasts that appeared even larger because of their tiny stature. They were only intelligent enough to obey simple commands and for tasks like cleaning and carrying. They were completely docile with a limited vocabulary. We started a state sponsored service run by the cities men and they roamed the streets in squads, sweeping and cleaning to make some productive use of them. Even the king and his generals were employed as such. I saw them whenever I checked in on the cardinal. They were completely unrecognisable as their previous selves. Eventually they were moved out of prison into another facility that specialised in their care and employment for menial tasks.

I had left word that Gantacus was to be admitted to my presence at any time, day or night. But he never came.

I was working closely with Minnerv and saw him regularly at a distance around her command in various capacities and with the female legion who I also visited. I was hard to miss as I always travelled with a retinue and attendants, so I am sure he noticed me too.

Minnerv was immensely useful and her dynamic personality enabled many things to be done. She was constantly coming up with creative solutions for problems that stumped everyone else. I was still learning from her.

===

After 3 months we had things under reasonable control and progressing in the right direction. Minnerv came to me in my chambers one evening and we had the evening meal alone together. This was a pleasant change from the constant stream of banquets and ceremonial dinners.

After our meal, we sat back and talked.

She opened with. "What do you think of our grand experiment?"

I had been so involved with the day to day chaos that was now my life, I realised that I had never taken the time to think about the big picture. I had to pause and reflect for several moments.

"It has worked. There have been problems but nothing insurmountable. Women's lives are immeasurably better. Men have adjusted well. Their submissive nature has assisted there. It is very different from Monagan culture and still not fully mature yet. I don't think we will know for years yet how it will fully evolve."

Continuing, I mused aloud. "I know you are also asking about the changes in men, women and mages. Did we get the balance and changes right? Again yes, I think it has worked. I love my new body. Women are slowly accepting and understanding and coming into their own. Domestic violence is down substantially, as is crime in general. The revamped female legion is doing well. They have no combat experience yet, but that will come. The legion system works and they would be able to defeat any opponents I have faced in the past. Mage support would be crucial of course."

"What do you think?" I asked her.

"Much the same as you. But we have a problem. Monagon and the king's council have become increasingly concerned about the changes we have made. Mages are giants and dual sexed. Men are submissive and smaller, women are larger and slowly taking over the running of Cantra."

"They worry about the same begin enacted in Monagon. I'm sure the King has his own spies here and of course the existing spy network reports back to him and me."

"I'm going to start the same process back home. It was going to happen eventually, why not now? The realm is at peace, we have time to train female legions. It would be a peaceful coup. Once started, the process is so quick and all encompassing that we can take control quickly."

I drew in a deep breath. "What will happen with the King and council?"

"I will be Empress. Aurelia, Crassus's current wife and queen will be on the council and perhaps evolve into the local queen, much like yourself here. I know she is supportive of females being in charge. She is already a power behind the scenes. Men will be eased out and replaced with mages and competent women. Mages will run the legions. In many ways we already do."

"I have been testing the submissive nature of previously important and powerful men here and they are easily dominated and guided by me. Without using charm."

"Monagon will always be our central seat of power. Mages, legions, we already have equality of the sexes which works well. This will only be a nudge further in the direction of female dominance."

"It sounds like you are talking yourself into it, but I agree, if it worked here, it will work anywhere. Have you spoken to the Magistra and the council of archmages?"

"Asthena and I discussed it before I came. We determined if it was successful here then we were ready to go in Monagon at any time. Once raised with the Mage council, the only dissenters were the liberals. 90% were for the change"

"I doubt I will persuade you against taking action but if all is well in Monagon why change things so dramatically? Once initiated we cannot go back."

"Crastus and the council are asking difficult questions and I won't lie to them about this. Yes it will be difficult and the balance of power will change forever. But this will will assure our primacy into the future."

"I know a factor in your thinking is the mage wars of seventy years ago but the merging of mages and mundanes has been the major factor in our success from then until now."

"You were always a student of history. But I believe the time is right."

"Of course I will support whatever you decide, but in this case I have my doubts."

"I will travel back in secret with a small party. The party will tell Crastus that I cannot leave for another month and that you need my help. I will lay more of the magic plants as soon as I cross the border and throughout the river and irrigation systems in the capital. I have learnt and refined the process from what we have done here.. After a week I will start the hopefully quiet female led revolution. All the mages will be there to assist."

To act as we had in Cantra was one thing but to do the same in Monagon was very different. Monagon had peace and equality. I was having mixed feelings now that the moment had come. The reasons why we attacked Canta didn't apply to Monagon. Was it ultimately about power and control?

"Well, good faring and keep me informed. I will miss you. It will be difficult for me to travel away from here for a long time. Cantra needs me. The world is changing and I do believe that overall the changes are for the better. However, I cant help but think that we are too self interested."

"There is never a perfect decision or outcome, but the die is about to be cast."

"Did you anoint me Queen because of our relationship and close association."

"Don't be so naive, of course. I need people I can trust, especially here so far away. We are more alike than you know. I see so much of myself in you, Asthena thinks so too. Mages will be in short supply for decades, maybe longer. Keep building your mage school. Bring all new herms here for training. The plant is useful for unearthing those with native magic talent no matter how small and we can use everyone even if they can only light candles."

"Once done, I will set about creating a continuous path of converted states and kingdoms, soon to be queendoms, in our new way of life between Monagon and Cantra. That will make travel easier. Once that is consolidated we will start to work north and south. I plan to use the legions and my mage squad here to work west with the plants, while I work east from Monagon until they meet. But I get ahead of myself. The biggest step we will make is next, Monagon."

"Don't dispel cancel magic on the men here until I send word back from Monagon, we will need these legions at full strength. Blood your female legion soon. Take on small tasks, but they need to be ready as they will be the model for the future."

She left the next day on horseback with several mages and a small squad of legionnaires.

Nineara was left in charge of the mages and the two legions. The female legion was mine.

As Gantacus hadn't come to see me in months, I eventually summoned him to my quarters. I dismissed the handmaidens so we were alone.

I embraced him immediately he arrived. I was nervous and wanted our... whatever it was, to go well. I was almost two feet taller than him and dressed as a Queen, albeit informally. Towering over him was an understatement. I remembered him as being taller but I hadn't been close to him for months. My hug had prevented him from bowing or saluting as is more common with the military meeting royalty.

"Sit, I want to catch up."

"Your majesty." He completed his interrupted bow once I sat.

"Please, no formalities, call me Alysa in private. I have seen you from afar but we never seemed to cross paths."

"I must admit I have been avoiding you. You are the Queen now and I am a simple centurion."

"Gantacus, you are a nephew of Minnerv's and if anyone is royalty, it is her, even if she doesn't have a title. We all dance to her tune. And you are now a senior officer, a tribune."

"Thank you, it has made life easier. And the pay is better. I assume it was you?"

"Yes but Minnerv would have done it regardless. We need men like you."

"How is the female legion coming along?" I wanted to relax him before I drifted to more emotional topics.

"Very well, the women are stronger and taller than the average male legionnaire. They learn fast. They know all the basic drills. But none of them have any martial experience and that is the most important thing. Boys play rough games as they grow up, wrestle and fight. These women have never done that and if they showed any sign of the slightest disobedience they were beaten. They have all the wrong reflexes in this area, but they are slowly coming around. In mock battles against their male counterparts they get torn apart but there is consistent improvement."

"So it has been an interesting challenge for you."

"Legionnaires go through recruit training as part of their two year stint in the legions, then they are posted to a legion. Here we have close on 5,000 recruits so we had to start from nothing or less than nothing actually. We had to revise training particularly the first few weeks. They were big and had some raw strength but no endurance or fitness. Running every day and route marches. They sleep every night like the dead, they are so exhausted."

"I believe they are randy little sluts." He looked embarrassed.

"They have a high sex drive and they are distracted when men are around. They are wearing the men out, they have never had so much sex. We found we had to let the women play otherwise they became sulky and irritable. And they would sneak out at night anyway. They are incapable of abstinence. I ensure the mages cast protection against pregnancy otherwise we would loose them all in a few months delivering thousands of brats. When no men are available they pleasure themselves."

I smiled at that, I knew how they were as I was the same. "Yes, we expect a wave of pregnancies in the city in a few months."

"Are they ready for real fighting?"

"They are probably ready for some light action if reinforced with men and led by male legionnaires."

"How about I rotate a third of them into a legion and send the male legion reinforced with women to the border. The men swapped out will go into the female legion and they can assist in training. Our neighbours have been increasing their border skirmishes lately and probing to see if they can take advantage of the regime change. The new men are not what they were as soldiers, but we have no other option until the women are ready. Sending mages has helped but I think they need a real lesson. A one month tour and then the next batch go out."

He looked very uncomfortable when I mention the altered Cantran men. The mages were calling them newms. It was already being used on the streets as an insult.

"That would work well I think."

"I'll let Nineara know and get it done."

A pause, he was staring at me.

"You have grown and changed, I saw parts of you in Alwyn but now you are so different. And a Queen."

"I am the same inside, or like to think so. Authority changes people, I have seen it before. The sycophants are as thick as flies on a corpse around me all the time. I have a small circle of those around me I trust, mostly mages. Ambetha and Peneetha have become good friends."

"Not much has changed for me."

"I missed you and wished you had visited."

Another pause.

"I assume you have seen Triotan and Maghin. They are sweeping streets in groups. They look like tiny girls with big breasts."

"Yes. I have seen them."

"I tried to talk to Maghin once. He didn't know me and his speech was that of a small child. I haven't been back since. The memory still upsets me."

"What was the alternative?" I couldn't change the past.

"I understand the logic, but to see it first hand is confronting. It is a new way of fighting and I'm not comfortable with it."

He was seated next to me on the couch as that was the way I had prearranged the seating leaving him no choice. I grasped his hands in mine.

"I know you have spent very little time with me as Alysa but in all the important ways, Alwyn was, is me."

"Now I'm a woman again and permanently. I do have feelings for you, romantic feelings. I appreciate it's difficult but I would like to try to see if we can make something of it."

"I suppose that I'm going to have to get used to being with women bigger than myself. I hear that mages now have something extra."

"Would you like to find out?"

I couldn't wait any longer. I had been erect and wet since he arrived. I'm sure that he could smell my arousal. I swept him up in my arms and carried him to my bed.

I kissed him as I lay him down on the bed. I undressed slowly, leaving my groin until last. My erect cock above my very wet vagina. About the same size as Alwyn's had been, 12" or so, I had never measured it. Double the length and girth of a normal man's.

I pulled his pants down and sucked his cock into my mouth. Unlike me he wasn't quite ready and I licked around the head and pumped the shaft with one hand. He was a good 7". I thumbed one of my nipples. Mage breasts had disappeared but our nipples were the same and still sensitive. My lovers since I became a herm had no problem playing with my cock. I shafted the women and most time let the men fuck me to get me warmed up and then I fucked their ass after they sucked me. All of the men since I transitioned had been newms. Standard "Queen" protocol was for the handmaidens to get the men to clean their ass before they came to me. I always fucked them and got them to suck me clean afterwards.

I would ease Gantacus in gently as he was not just a casual fuck. But I couldn't and didn't want to alter my high sex drive. It was who I was. If I had a cock and a vagina, then more to play with. But he was strictly hetero as far as I knew and had heard. I would avoid using my penis tonight unless he initiated it.

Once I had him fully erect, I undressed him completely. Naked, he was a fine specimen. A few scars but in perfect condition. Lean and muscled, I loved looking at him in clothes or naked. I rubbed my hands over his torso and lightly twisted his nipples. He was of course aware that mages were sexually dominant in bed, so knew what to expect. He had very standard inclinations but as he had slept with Penyra, our resident nympho on the journey over, she would have expanded his sexual horizons.

I kissed him again. He was letting me control the pace, no problem there. As our tongues danced we embraced and caressed each other. I grabbed him again and rotated him so I was below him.

"Fuck me. I want to feel you in me."

No hesitation, he found my entrance and in one thrust he was in all the way I was so wet. I groaned and thrust my hips up into him. My cock was rubbing along his stomach as he fucked me. In male superior position we couldn't kiss as I was too tall but I caressed his ass and rubbed his back groaning in lust.

He was grunting as I was pulling him into me with every thrust. Lucky herms testes were only slightly proud of their groin otherwise sex would otherwise be painful from this position. I pulled him in tight against me. I loved the feeling of my lovers skin against mine. His ass was pumping still and we were sweating we were going so hard at it. Lucky my bed was very well constructed as he was driving into me as hard as he could. I loved it.

Sex was always better when you had feelings for the other person. Or at least it was for me. I was close and told him to come in me whenever he was ready. He increased his speed and shuddered in me as he came. I had found that I could have separate or simultaneous orgasms from my male and female parts. Whatever organ was being stimulated would orgasm. Having them both orgasm together was the very best experience, surpassing every orgasm I'd ever had as either Alysa or Alwyn. Tonight my pussy was feeling it and it was going to erupt there first. As he released so did I. I was very wet and dripping. He relaxed and lay on me.

I flipped us over again and sucked him to clean him up and get a taste of his spend. I savoured it in my mouth. I move up to kiss him but paused an inch away from his mouth. He tilted his head up and kissed me. A good sign. I was increasing dominant after my change but happy to take lovers as they were inclined. Newms were very submissive and were usually spanked and tied up while I fucked their mouths and ass. Newms had to be broken in slowly for a week or two before I could fuck their ass. With women it was more of a shared experience. Ambetha and I regularly swapped roles and I enjoyed the variety.

I loved kissing, smearing a lovers wet lips against mine and having our tongues inside each other's mouth was a beautiful feeling. It was so sensual and personal, almost more than having sex. I lay back and pulled him into my arms leaning into me. Our heads were close, his resting on my shoulder. My cock was still erect as it hadn't come yet.

He grasped it and started to pump. I moaned encouragement. This might have been a first for him. He reached down and added his other hand. There was still room to spare. He was gripping hard which I liked and I was soon ready to erupt.

"I'm about to come, keep going."

He surprised me and sucked the head of my cock into his mouth. A few swirls with his tongue while still stroking my shaft and I came. He couldn't take it all and some leaked out. He surprised me again and licked it up and cleaned my groin off with his tongue.

"I've never done that before."

"You were wonderful. I loved it. I'm glad that you did, my cock is part of me."

"That's why I did it." He came up again and we kissed slowly.

We slept for a while and we had moved apart in the bed when I woke in the middle of the night.

Lamps on reduced night mode provided some illumination.

I looked at him and he was awake also staring down at my naked body.

"Anything else you want to talk about." I probed.

"I shouldn't have waited so long to see you. I'm sorry. It was a lot of things. You being Queen, I could see how busy you were and there were always people around you."

"My life has changed. Being monarch with problems and things to fix that are never ending."

"I have been trying to reconcile what happened to the men here. You say it is permanent?"

"There is no going back for them. Same for the women and the mages."

"I see Maghin's reduced state. I have nightmares about it. The men, newms I believe they are called now. They actually seem happy. I thought that they would be the first point of rebellion. There is almost no violence. Relationships as far as I have been able to tell are improved. Women are better off. I speak to them in the legion, in the streets and in shops. They are more vibrant, relaxed. Before the change they were nervous, wouldn't talk to you and ran off if you tried. Many had bruises where they had been beaten."

"I tried to speak to the whores the Cantrans provided when you were still pretending you were a consul. They would do anything for me. I asked for a few things I thought they must refuse to test them and I had to stop them as they were about to obey me. They had been brutalised and broken. I despaired that men could do such things."

This is one reason I was starting to love him. He was such a good man. I felt gifted to have him in my life. He had an innate sense of what was right and wrong.

"The women in the legion try so hard as they are grateful for the opportunity to be where they could never have gone before."

"We didn't know how it would go exactly. Most things have progressed better than we thought. Monagon showed us the way that women need to be part of the solution."

"I can see that now. I spoke to Minnerv recently and she was evasive regarding expanding the change to other states."

He asked. "Cantra was an experiment to see the viability of the changes that the mages enabled in men, women and themselves wasn't it?"

That much I could confirm. "Yes."

"And you will be doing the same again?"

"You are venturing into areas I cannot speak of, I'm sorry."

"Mages and their secrets."

"I secretly have feelings for you. Oops, not so secret any more."

"Don't change the topic. I can see it going continent wide and Monagon too. The success here will embolden the mages. They can even keep some token men around."

That was a thought, but Minnerv had always said it was everyone. No exceptions. Even her own family.

"I have thought what would happen if it was everyone, including me. Some senior men in the legion are concerned that this is only the start."

Minnerv was right to be concerned. Ripples of discontent are spreading. They would only get worse. Monagon had to be next.

"There worse things to be than the Queen's kept lover." Immediately I said it I regretted it. How stupid!

"Seriously, is that your plan for me?"

"No, no. I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that."

"Perhaps you did. I had hoped for more from you, for us."

I had to recover the conversation.

"I do have feelings for you, strong feelings and I would love to take it further and see you regularly."

"Perhaps I should get you to cast the change on me now so we can cut out the tedious & messy courting parts. I can move straight to being your submissive newm. You can bring me out to play with whenever you want."

"Now you are being silly. I would never want that for you."

"Tell me that there is no plan to covert Monagon."

"I cannot tell you that."

He sighed. "Thank you for a lovely evening, my Queen. I must go. The legion has early morning training."

He got out of bed, dressed and left. There was no point in stopping him. I wasn't sure that there was any recovery from this. Except to make him a newm. And that I couldn't do. Not to him.

===

The legion with a third women went to the border and was successful in pushing back insurgents, rebels and military probes. The show of force showed them that we were not to be trifled with. A few minor skirmishes where they tried to ambush small detachments convinced them that small or large we were more than their match. Morale was high.

The next rotation with the second third was sent out to another border, south this time. The female legionnaires who came back from the border were better. Improved morale had helped their confidence immensely. They had stories to tell that their fellows didn't. By the time they had all been to the border, I would send the whole female legion next time with male officers and centurions with female decurions. If that was successful then we could call the whole female legion experiment a success.

Gantacus had resigned from the legion. His life. He left without word of his movements. He was not in the city. He had permanent cancel magic cast on him so would be immune from the plant indefinitely but he didn't know that. I had resigned myself that he was lost to me but I would take him back in a moment.

Two months since Minnerv had left. No word yet from Monagon. With the other archmages, we made plans to march back with the legions if necessary. Everything depended on Minnerv and the plant.

Apart from that, everything was going better than expected. I was a convert to the changed males - newms, In many ways the male hormonal attitude with pre changed men was tiresome. I never realised how annoying it had been until it disappeared. Newms just got on with the job once told what to do. They still had their intelligence, knowledge and skills which we still desperately needed. Women had risen to the task and were apprenticed to men everywhere.

The navy was a problem. It was very slow going there. Most of the male sailors had started their careers as youths and had enormous experience. You can't just stick a woman on a boat and sail off. To learn the ways of the seas would take years, but there were no lack of volunteers. I anticipated that the navy would still be predominantly male and we would eventually try to have half female crews in a few years. Most of the senior officers were sweeping the streets with Triotan and we were lacking their decades of experience. But it wasn't insurmountable. Most of Cantra's power was in their army, but trade had taken a hit as naval shipping is very efficient. More so than wagon trains.

I had opened negotiations with all our neighbouring states. We had five shared borders. One each to the north and south along the sea coast and three inland to the west. Two had closed their borders after hearing what had happened to the Cantran leadership and refused all communications. One who we had always had good relations with we were trading with but warned them that men needed to stop at the border as we had established magical protections. The other two were cautious but warming to us as we showed no signs of rampaging in to take over. If any of them caused any real problems then we would seed them with the plants. However we were still in no position to expand as all our resources and personnel were occupied.

I estimated it would take Minnerv three to four weeks to get back. Three days to seed the capital and a week for the archmages to cover the whole state. A week for the magic to start taking effect and two weeks for changes to be really impactful and making men smaller and submissive. From there estimates were useless. So approximately six weeks for the real coup to start. As to how long it would take after that was guesswork.

Minnerv and the Magistra had 1,200 battlemages and another 800 of other disciplines. But the capital had a population of 600,000 from the latest census and the state itself was estimated to be around 4 million. It was always thought that there were many more females with magic capability that were undiscovered. The plant would uncover them all. Female giants with foot long cocks are hard to hide. We would take anyone with even a glimmer of magic capability.

By the time the third month had elapsed with no word, we were all worried. Minnerv should have seeded the plants six weeks ago by now and Monagon would have been converted and changed. None of the Monagon males in Cantra had any inkling of what was going on behind the scenes. Mages are good at keeping secrets.

The last rotation of female legionnaires had been to the border. I watched the recombined legion drill. They were good. They still needed work on close quarter combat. The best fighters had advanced three rounds into the six total rounds in the monthly legion champion tournaments. They had learnt to take advantage of their size and strength. The biggest were around 7' tall with strength to match their size. They were practicing daily and were keen to get further every month. I was sending half the female legion out next for a full patrol around our borders which would take the whole month.

A benefit of having female empowerment was that we were now getting a constant stream of female refugees from the surrounding states once word had spread of our revolution. Monagon's mages and legions were known continent wide and feared for the power. Armies had been routed by the mages simply displaying their powers backed by a 5,000 strong legion. Much as had happened with the defeat of the Cantran army.

Monagon's surrounding states all had long term treaties with us and we had taken over their defences as they had no standing armies. They paid us levies and an increasing number of men in the legions were from these states. Once a state joined our ever expanding confederation, they were almost invulnerable to attack from aggressors. Strong incentive, not to mention improved trade arrangements and access to our science and magic.

It was known that mages were almost exclusively female. And that women could find solace and shelter in Monagon and now Cantra. Cantra had been the worst of the worst for having institutional abuse but the other states were far from perfect. We sent spies to spread the word that women in trouble would have protection in Cantra. The trickle had become a stream and the other states had now manned borders preventing women from easily leaving. But that was no deterrence for determined women who were escaping abusive situations. Previous they had no option and Cantra was worse than where they were. Our mages and spies set up an underground network to smuggle women in need out as there was so much demand. We established refuges close to the border to funnel them to us in the capital. Within four weeks they were all changed and new women.

Men from other states such as poachers and bandits now avoided Cantra like the plague. The first few who were tainted after we seeded the whole of Cantra were quarantined. They were only released after it was confirmed that the change wasn't contagious. It was the best border protection measure ever devised once it became known. But still some were persistent, demand and greed meant that some were always prepared to risk it.

By the time the wholly female led, half legion was sent to patrol the border, things were very peaceful.

Internally we were increasing our crop yields. We couldn't export or trade our food or wine due to the contamination of the plant essence but we needed almost everything we produced to feed ourselves anyway. The famers were told not to sell outside of Cantra because we needed it all.

The complexities of an economy were beyond even my expanded intellect. Certainly I had little experience in this area having focused on other specialties throughout my life. I had experts in this area advising me and often it was common sense once they explained their recommendations. Things were improving there also. Simply adding substantial numbers of women to the productivity economy gave it a massive boost.

Men and women had settled into some form of harmony at every level. With a thousand variations. Male brothels were expanding. Rampant female sexuality needed some form of release. As consent was a cornerstone of our sexuality, rape was harshly punished whether by men or women. Females being raped by men was now zero amongst the Cantrans. Rape of males was a minor but increasing problem. The legionnaires were getting all the sex anyone could ask for so rape or abuse was at an all time low from them too.

I was settling in as Queen now. Months in and I had established routines. Ambetha was my regular partner and she had moved in with me. We both had other lovers and regularly shared newms together. Peneetha was still celibate. I had offered to sleep with her multiple times which she had refused. It hadn't changed our friendship or working relationship. She was advancing in magic well, learning from me and at the mage school. She was not extremely powerful, about half of my strength which was around the average for female mages. Minnerv, the Magistra and I were the three most powerful mages. Nineara was also powerful but around two thirds of my capabilities. Nerva, Minnerv's daughter was expected to be very potent and showing precocious signs already.

Word eventually came back from Monagon and it was a delegation of three liberal mages, a cohort of legionnaires and the king's hand. The news was shocking and not at all what we expected.

Part 5 to follow soon.