My Own Villainess – Chapter 32 – Spinny

Pauline

“Ah-ha!” a familiar voice called out. “I knew I’d find you here – my brother asked you to wait for him, again, didn’t he?”

“He often does,” I admitted, closing the textbook I’d been studying and smiling at the newcomer. “Not that I’m complaining, of course, Lady Firanna. It’s not like I have much else to do with my time right now.”

“Coming from anyone else, I’d think that was sarcasm,” Firanna remarked. “But you mean it, don’t you?”

“It’s really no bother,” I assured her. “And I’ve gotten used to it, in any case.”

“Is that so?” Firanna arched an eyebrow at me, before shaking her head. “Well, that’s between you and my brother anyway, I suppose – I’m here to talk to you about something else.”

“Something else?” I asked, confused. “Could it be… someone needs healing?” Firanna and I weren’t exactly close. I’d met with her plenty of times, but we’d never spent much time with one another one-on-one before. Other than my healing talents, I couldn’t imagine a reason why she’d come to me.

“Not yet,” Firanna said, confusing me further. “But I’m sure someone will before long – and there’s a good chance it’ll be Amy, at that.”

“Is there something the matter with her?” I asked, instantly on alert. “Is she in trouble? Is it Prince Jethroo?”

“No to the last two,” Firanna told me, “but as for the first… Well, there’s nothing I can pinpoint, but I find it hard to say that there’s nothing wrong with a girl who acts like she does.”

I laughed, despite myself. “She is a bit odd, isn’t she? With her tentacles and everything…”

“Not to mention all the mannerisms she inherited from Amelia,” Firanna remarked. “That emotionless mask she puts on, occasionally, for one thing. And the way she walks, and sits, and even eats – all picture perfect etiquette. Until she opens her mouth and says something utterly ridiculous, at least…”

“She can be a bit silly,” I admitted, my mind momentarily conjuring her image.

“Ah, so you can smile like that, after all,” Firanna remarked.

“H-huh?” I asked, blinking at her in confusion.

“The smile on your face, when you thought of her – it’s a lot different than the smile you used to greet me earlier. Not to mention the one you wear when talking about my brother.”

“That’s…” I hesitated. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t you?” Firanna asked, arching an eyebrow at me. “Then let me put it plainly – you’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

“I… I wouldn’t call it love,” I murmured, not quite able to meet Firanna’s eyes. “A crush, perhaps…”

“My brother never stood a chance, did he?” Firanna asked, sounding mildly amused.

“I…. I mean… I do like girls,” I admitted, speaking softly. “I think so, at least…”

“You’re not sure?” Firanna asked, frowning.

“Well… I’m fairly sure… I’ve only ever had a crush once before, though – and that was a girl, too, but… Well, I thought maybe it was just a one-off thing? I mean, I think there are boys that are pretty enough, but… I’ve just never been able to imagine myself with any of them, the way I can with… with Amy.”

“Have you told Henry yet?” Firanna asked.

I nodded. “Now that I’m more sure… I… I told him, yes.”

“And how did he take it?” Firanna asked.

“Not well,” I confessed, miserably. “He stared at me for a while, opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything, and then just… stormed out of the room. Mouth still open. I haven’t seen him since – he sent an attendant to give me the message to meet him here, as usual.”

“Odd,” Firanna said. “I would have expected more yelling… but nevermind that. I’m not really here to talk about him  anyway – I’m much more interested in you and your feelings for Amy.”

“My… feelings?”

“Yes, your feelings for Amy. Would I be right to assume there’s a certain amount of… protectiveness mixed in there?”

“Well, I don’t want her to be hurt, if that’s what you mean?” I admitted, a little confused.

“Exactly! And if she was hurt, you’d want to be able to patch her together again, wouldn’t you?”

“Is this… does this have something to do with her plan to hunt monsters?” I asked.

“So you know about that, do you? That makes it easier – I want you to join our party, as a healer.”

“Well, I was there when Professor Devulchas reco… Wait. What do you mean ‘our’ party?”

“Well, I’m joining too, of course,” Firanna said. “It wouldn’t do if I let my fiancee get herself killed while I sat at home doing nothing. And besides, we’re using our first hunt to secure the ingredients for that romantic dinner we discussed.”

“Right, the one for you and… and Bridgette? But you’re engaged to Amy, aren’t you?”

“Only on paper,” Firanna said. “It’s not even official yet – and even if it does happen, it’s not as if I’m expected to remain faithful. Not when it’s just a marriage of convenience. Just as I wouldn’t mind if Amy found herself someone to love on the side. If anything, I’d appreciate it if someone took that role upon themselves. No reason we can’t both be happy with our marriage, such as it is.”

“So… you’re saying that you wouldn’t mind me dating Amy? Even after you’re married to her?”

“I’d expect you to be at least a bit discreet about it,” Firanna said. “Not that it matters if people find out, but the attempt to remain discreet means something in polite society.”

“I… I see…” I murmured. Did I… want that? Did I want to be with someone I couldn’t openly and honestly be with? I… wasn’t sure. It felt like the answer should be no, but when I thought of Amy…

“It’s not as if you have to make any permanent decisions about your future right now,” Firanna assured me. “Though I suppose the decision would be made for you if Amy died on this hunt, so there is that.”

“When did the plan become hunting something, anyhow?” I asked. “I thought you were just going to cook a normal dinner?”

“Clara convinced me it would be for the best if I let her handle the cooking. I’m contributing by helping to hunt the meat – and by paying for our healer’s services. Assuming the best healer I know is actually willing?”

“That’s… I mean, I… I should probably ask how much you’re paying, shouldn’t I?” Really, I was more speaking to myself than her, there. Because a big part of me just wanted to agree, right off the top.

“How about… three stags?” Firanna suggested. “Or no – five? Ten? I’m afraid I don’t know what a healer is actually worth.”

“Three will be fine,” I said, feeling a bit faint at the idea of Firanna casually tossing me a small fortune. “I-”

“Pauline!” a… somewhat familiar voice called out. It sounded bit like Firanna’s, actually? Which was fitting, since the girl who shouted my name bore something of a resemblance to her as well. They both had the same blonde hair, for example – but where Firanna’s eyes were an icy blue, this girl’s was a fierce red that reminded me of Prince Jethroo’s. 

“Is this… a sibling of yours?” I asked, my voice pitched low as I shot a furtive look at the girl.

“Not one I recognize,” Firanna replied, her own voice low. Then she spoke louder. “Who are you?”

“Firanna?” the girl asked, if only now noticing she was here. “You’re here as well, then? Annoying – though I suppose it means I won’t have to introduce myself to you separately, at least.”

“What-”

“It’s me you nitwit,” the girl interrupted. “Henry. Or… well, I suppose I’ll need a new name for this form, won’t I? Henrietta, perhaps? Or is that too derivative? I don’t want to be like little miss Amy, shortening her own name and calling it a new one. Though this would be lengthening it… It’s also what mother said they were considering for me, if I’d been born a girl… Though, that said, I’ve always personally been more partial to the name Daphne, myself… Something for me to consider later, I suppose? Perhaps you could even help me choose, Pauline – it would be a nice couple-bonding activity, don’t you think?”

“I… you… that is… Henry?” I squeaked out.

“Not Henry, I’ve decided that much. Which means no Henrietta, I suppose, since then people could just argue that ‘Henry’ is a nickname of some sort. So Daphne it is, I suppose?”

“I… you… Daphne?”

“Yes?” she asked, smiling at me.

“You’re… you’re a… a girl…” I whispered, flabbergasted.

“I am,” she confirmed, twirling a little in place as if to show me. It was only then I realized that she was wearing a skirt.

A skirt.

“I can’t believe you’re wearing a skirt,” Firanna said – causing my hands to leap up to my mouth, as for a moment I was sure the words had left my  lips instead. “A plaid skirt.”

“It was the only thing that fit me in the lost and found,” she said, frowning. “And my pants were much too loose after the change. And what’s so funny about it, anyway?”

“Well, it’s just… I mean, it’s you,” Firanna said. “You’ve literally told me you were happy dresses were for girls, just so that you wouldn’t have to deal with them – and you refused my attempts to dress you up in girl’s clothes how many times?”

“Because girl’s clothes are for girls – which I now am, in case you missed the memo? They wouldn’t have looked right on me before. Now they do.”

“Because you’re a girl?” Firanna asked. “Please. We both know you only transformed yourself because Pauline prefers them.”

“Of course I did,” she huffed. “Why else would I transform myself? I was already perfect before.”

“And now?” Firanna asked. “Now that you’ve given up all that ‘perfection’ and taken on a weak-looking female form? How do you feel now?”

“Well, the loss of muscle mass is a little annoying,” Daphne admitted, “but I don’t think it would have looked as good on me as a girl, anyway – and who’s to say that I’ve given up any perfection anyway, hmm? I’d call this a perfectly lateral move, if anything.”

“A lateral move?” I managed to squeak out.

“Of course. I was perfect as a man, and now I’m perfect as a girl – the perfect girl, if you would. Your perfect girl.”

“I… that’s…” I felt like my brain was overheating.

Prince Jethroo was a girl.

Princess Jethroo had changed her name to Daphne.

Princess Daphne was gorgeous.

…But she was also still Jethroo. Someone who’s interest in me had always seemingly boiled down to how much they wanted to be by my side, without any real care for how I felt about them being there. Someone who pretended to be interested in what I did, only so that they could spend time being around me. Who didn’t seem to actually care about helping people, or being there for others. Someone so possessive that they not only protected me from bullies but also kept me from making any proper friends.

She was also really, really hot, though… Especially in that white button up shirt that seemed to be straining against her chest… But… but that wasn’t enough to sway me!

“I’m sorry, Princess Jethroo,” I whispered. “But if you did this for me, then you should turn back. I’m not… I’m not interested in you…”

“Not interested in me?” Princess Jethroo asked, frowning. “But I did what you wanted, didn’t I? I fixed the thing that was keeping us apart.”

“It’s not… just that… I… I’m just not interested in you, like that, I’m afraid… I. I wouldn’t mind being friends, though?”

“Friends?” she asked. “Friends… Girl friends?”

“Well, I mean, I guess you’d be a friend that’s a girl if you stayed like this? But-”

“Girl friends to girlfriends,” Jethroo murmured, a smile on her lips. “If that’s the path I must take, then so be it!”

“I… what?”

“I won’t turn back! Not while I still stand a chance of securing your heart!”

“I… That’s…” I shot a helpless look to Firanna.

She laughed.

“By the way,” Princess Jethroo added, “have you ever noticed that skirts go spinny when you twirl?”

~~~
Author’s Notes

You know, I wasn’t originally going to write this chapter. I planned to just skip ahead a bit to everyone gathering up at the guild. Especially since it’s not like Amy’s here to witness any of this. But… it just felt like a chapter that needed to be written, you know?

No regrets.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m just gonna lay back and Popcorn.gif as I wait for people’s reactions~