Snatched

Snatched

by Cleo Kraft

Leaves rustled through the forest in the warm autumn air. A woodsman sat beneath a tree and spoke to his friend, the elf.

"I am cursed," the woodsman said tossing a stone into the bushes. "It is my own fault. I should have never wed a sorceress."

"What is the extent of your curse, Zak?" the elf asked with a curious expression.

"All I know is that I must not bed another woman or something terrible is likely to happen," Zak replied in a miserable voice.

"Yes, but lucky you ran away from Grenda when you did," the elf said. "Or you'd have wound up like all her previous husbands."

"Field mice," Zak nodded in agreement. "Not a particularly exciting way to spend the rest of your life but Grenda is clever one with her magic. Perhaps too clever."

The elf took out a bit of dried jerky and began to eat. After a few bites, the elf said,"You know what you need?"

"What?" Zak asked.

"A wizard, that's what," the elf gestured to one side with his bow. "You need a spellbreaker to undo your curse and I know just the fellow. Funder."

Zak spat at the word,"Funder? That old goat? He's as selfish a fool as any ogre I've ever met. I wouldn't trust him to help the King, let alone a cursed man like myself. His magic is evil and his ways are full of treachery and deception. The devil himself cringes at his name."

"Yes," the elf said. "But Funder could undo your curse. He's the only one powerful enough to undo curses in these parts."

"I'd sooner go back to Grenda and be a field mouse," Zak spat.

"Then what about a free-lance mage?" the elf suggested. "Or even an apprentice?"

"Rigbligh, for once you've given me an idea," said Zak He stood up and began walking down the dirt trail. "Come on. We have to get our horses from the stables."

"Where are we going after that?" Rigbligh asked as he followed the woodsman.

"There is an old saying," Zak said turning to look at his friend. "To find a mage you need a page. We're going to visit Arkron."

"At the base of the Koretti Mountains? That's a weeks journey," the elf complained.

"Stay if you wish but I'm going to Arkron," Zak said walking at a hurried pace. "There are no other places worthy of magical learning in these parts and Arkron is capital of both the page and great lore. There will be answers there, Rigbligh. That you can be certain."

The elf hurried along with with short, stocky legs. "Wait for me, Zak," Rigbligh called out. "I'm coming. Wait for me! I'm not the beanpole you are, you know. Slow it down and wait up."

...-------...

The journey to Arkron was uneventful save for some near mishaps in the fire swamps along the way.

The castle city sat in a valley surrounded by live volcanoes. The north end of the valley was all desert and several pyramids stood up against the vast backdrop of the snowcapped Koretti Mountains.

The gate guards let the two travelers enter the brown walls of the city without a fuss.

Some young boys came up and took their horses over to the stables.

"Where to now?" Rigbligh asked looking around the streetscape at the crowds of people selling things along the road.

"To the page academy," Zak said heading towards a large building.

"Ah, I should have guessed," the elf said hurrying along. "You're going to ask some pages about where to find a magic user, right?"

Zak turned and said,"You are half right, my friend. We are going to steal a look at the clerks workbook. Perhaps a mage has enlisted one of these young fellows into his service. If so, the workbook may lead us there."

Inside the page academy, Zak distracted one of the clerks in a long conversation while the elf stole some scrolls.

"Come on," Rigbligh said in a hurried whisper. "Let's go. I think I've got it."

They walked outside and found a local tavern where they seated themselves in a small, private booth. Zak opened up the scrolls on the table and examined them with interest.

"Ah, now...see?" Zak said pointing. "We don't need Funder after all. There's a wizard living up in the hills nearby and he's even got his own tower and everything. We'll just go up there and pay him a visit. Then see about getting this curse lifted off me."

"Great," the elf said. "So we just go up and knock on this wizards door and everything will be okay? Sounds too easy if you ask me."

Zak smiled and brought up a bundle of clothes onto the table. "We're going as the pages," Zak said with a grin.

...-------...

A few hours later the two travelers stood outside the wooden door of an old stone tower. Behind them and down below lay the Valley of Arkron.

"I feel ridiculous," the elf complained in his baggy, gray clothes.

"Shut up and just act like a page," Zak said in a harsh whisper.

The door opened up and two little blonde girls stood just inside the entryway.

"Uh, we're here to see the wizard," Rigbligh said nervously.

"Come inside," the girls spoke in unison.

"Okay," the elf said and led the way. "Nice place the wizard's got here. Although I always did like towers. You know, sometimes a tower can be quite the little-"

"Shut up," Zak said hitting the elf on the back. "We've got work to do." The girls shut the door and then hurried off down the hall to fetch their master.

"What are you going to tell him?" Rigbligh asked.

"We're pages," Zak answered simply. "Then one of us has to sneak in his library and steal a spell or two from one of his books."

"Why not just ask him if he can undo the curse?" the elf asked.

"Crazy elf," Zak glared. "Wizards don't just help people for free. You've got to trick 'em or steal their spells. Do you know what that wizard would do if he knew I had a curse on me?"

"Congratulate you?" the elf guessed.

"No," Zak said. "He'd use that against me somehow to control me. I can't have strange wizards getting notions like that. Let's not take any chances here. We've got to get a spellbreaker and the only way to do that is sneak in this wizards library and steal it."

A few minutes later, a white-bearded old man in blue robes came floating into the room.

"Ah, I see my young pages have arrived," the wizard said and floated down to the floor. After a sturdy look he added,"Only not so young, I see."v "We're flunkies," Rigbligh ventured. "You see, it's like this. The academy doesn't grade on the curve and we skipped class one time too many and the pagemaster....well, you know how it is. He's not kind to lackies and-"

"Silence!" the wizard snapped and brought out a gnarled cane. "Silence or I'll turn you both into buzzards."

The wizard walked over to Zak and gave him an angered look. "So you'd steal from me, would you, you little vagabond?" said the wizard in a threatening tone.

"Sorry, sir," Zak said apologetically. "I meant nothing..."

The wizard finished observing Zak and said,"You hold an interesting portion of curse magic within you. Did you spite a witch, foolish thief? I think I may have a way to punish you with your own curse. As for you, elf..." The wizard flipped off the hood of Rigbligh, revealing pointed ears.

"Uh, they're fake," Rigbligh lied. "Yeah, part of the disguise."

The two little girls came back into the room and stood beside their master.

"Tina and Tanya," the old man said patting the girls on the head. "Looks like you've got another playmate for tea time."

The girls clapped their hands delightedly and said,"Tea time! Tea time!"

"Shit...." said the elf as he began to shrink down and stiffen up all over.

The girls fumbled through the pile of clothes left behind from the transformation spell and brought out a small wooden doll. A girl doll with a pair of tiny, pointed ears.

The girls skipped out of the room with their new doll and giggled happily as they made their way to another portion of the tower.

"As for you, my little page," the wizard said with an evil grin. "Come with me. I have other plans for you."

Zak followed after the old man down a twisty stairwell. They stood inside a cave that opened up to a forest. "Follow that trail until you get to the next castle," the wizard ordered with a gesture to the north. "There you will find many young maidens who will do with you as they please. You will then learn more about your curse and the punishment you were meant to suffer. Go!"

Zak suddenly found himself walking out of the cave against his will. His feet kept moving and he was powerless to stop.

...------...

"Look Brenda, a MAN!" one of the maidens cried out from the lookout window of the castle.

The girls all rushed downstairs and opened up the gate to let Zak inside. When the door shut, the marching spell wore off.

"Um....hi," he said as the women crowded around him. "I'm Zak. Let's talk this over, okay?"

All at once, they grabbed for him.

"Oh god...NO!!" Zak yelled as they tore his clothes off and scrambled to get at him.

He was taken into a dungeon cell and strapped down on his back upon a wooden table.

With this done, the women set out to have their way with him - one at a time. The first one was a blonde, perhaps in her mid-twenties. Blue eyes stared at him longingly and she lifted her pink gown and climbed up on the table. "Don't be too long, Crissie," a woman called from the outside and closed the door.

"No, wait. You don't know what you're doing," Zak said pleadingly. "I've got a curse on me. Stop.... I'm married...."

Crissie guided Zaks penis into her vagina and crouched down to a sitting position atop him. Then she began to ride him up and down.

"No....no....no.....," Zak begged.

"Uh....uh....uh.....," Crissie answered with a thrilled smile on her face.

A few minutes later Zak spent his seed in the young woman and he felt the fabric of reality snatch his soul and place it in another vessel.

No longer did the leather bonds restrain him. Zak gazed up at the ceiling with a craned neck and long hair dangled down his back. His hands were clutching at breasts that were too big to be his own - yet were. He righted his head and looked down into the face that mirrored his own.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" the man below him yelled and struggled in the restraints.

Zak looked down at the pink gown and realized he had somehow switched places with the girl.

"I'm Crissie," she said in a strange voice.

She used her knees to lift her up off the mans penis and then she rolled off the table and landed agiley on her small feet.

The door opened and another woman came in the room.

"Okay Crissie," a brunette said. "It's my turn now. Scram."

"But....you don't understand," Crissie said. "I'm not myself."

Several other women pulled her out of the room and the door was closed. Inside were heard the terrified cries of a man gone insane.

"Damn, I can't wait my turn," one woman said from within a long line of girls and pushed her way forward.

Crissie walked up the stairs and found her way to the main doors of the castle.

She found a few bags full of provisions and slung them over her shoulders. Then she opened the door and snuck outside onto the trail.

As she walked along, she began to wonder why she'd become a girl and why her male body had been snatched away. She headed back for the city of Arkron and began remembering memories stored away in this girls head. There was family in Arkron. This poor girl had run away from home a few years ago but now she was on her way back to make amends.

"I really am a girl," she said to herself with confidence as she strutted along in her pink dress and dainty black shoes. In fact, she was a grown woman with desires, dreams and aspirations to be a good wife, and mother many children. If only she could find a suitable husband to belong to now. She retained enough memory of her former male life as Zak to make this an overly exciting experience. Having a male mind in a female body was too good to be true, except the mind was female and all that remained of Zak was the soul. A soul that started taking a liking to this female body the moment it entered. Being Zak seemed like an old dream from a time long ago. Her female memories were pleasantly intact and she could draw upon them if she so chose. She was Crissie now. A woman.

...-------...

"My princess!" her father said hugging her.

"Hi daddy," Crissie said in tears of happiness. "I'm home."

"Baby!" her mother said and joined in with the hugging.

"Hi mom," Crissie said after a kiss.

When they were done with the reintroductions, her father said,"You know what? You're just in time. Larry is back in town."

Crissie thought for a moment and asked,"Larry Roaggs? The husband you've arranged for me to wed?"

"Yes my princess," her father said happily. "Now isn't this wonderful? You're back and Larry is back and we can all go over to the bishop first thing tomorrow morning and begin arrangements for the ceremony."

Crissie looked down at her hands in her lap and resumed crying. Life was too good to be true for her and she never wanted to go back to being poor old Zak ever again.

Curse? What curse? This was a blessing. To be a beautiful young woman and be able to get married right away. What could be better?

...-------...

The wedding went without a hitch and the couple moved to a little village called Loriwilwa beside Crystal River and the Steephorn Mountains.

Crissie stood out in her flower garden, tending the roses.

"Mrs. Roaggs?" a small old man called out from the other side of the garden. "Are you there Mrs. Roaggs?"

"Yes, Barney," she called back and set her basket down. "Over here by the well."

Barney was the local messenger and a bit off his nut. He bumped into a tree on his way up the path.

"Pardon me sir," Barney said and began talking to the tree. "I'm just looking for Mrs. Roaggs."

"Over here, Barney," she called to him.

He walked over to her,"There you are. I've been looking for you. Darned if I remember why....."

She noticed a small scroll in his left hand.

"You have a message for me?" she asked pointing to the yellowed paper.

"Why yes! How on earth did you know that, Mrs. Roaggs? You sure can read minds...," he said pulling out the scroll. "Says right here, and these are the words, you can believe it too.... :

Dearest Mrs. Roaggs,

I realize you have probably forgotten who I am by now but I'd like you

to know that I haven't forgotten who you were, my little mouse

face...."

"It's a letter from Grenda!" Crissie exclaimed and grabbed the parchment up and read the rest,"

...It took me some time to figure out where you ran off to and

what exactly became of you but I met a certain wizard and we talked

things over. You can come back if you'd like. I forgive you, Zak,

considering all that has happened over the past few months. Please

come home. I have your old body waiting here for you and we can start

out all over. No more curses, Zak. No more tests. Just please come

home to your wife.

Love, Grenda."

"Why did she call you Zak?" Barney wondered aloud. "Give me that letter back. I mixed up the mail again. Come on....give it to me."

"No, Barney," she said clutching the letter close to her bosom. "This letter was for me and I have some things to consider. Thank you, you little sweet man. Now please leave me be. I have to have time to think things over." Barney turned and stumbled back down the path the way he'd come.

Crissie walked inside the house and set the letter down on the counter. She opened up the cupboard and brought out some cooking utensils. Within a few minutes she was busy cooking up dinner.

Then, while the stew was cooking, she went outside with a big bucket and washboard and sat beside the well. With thoughts of Grenda in her eyes, she began to do the laundry.

Her arms got sore after awhile of scrubbing clothes so she got up and went to the kitchen while some of the clothes were out drying on the line.

"Crissie! I'm home dear," Larry called to her from the front of the cottage. He came into the kitchen and hugged her and gave her a big kiss.

"I've got the greatest idea," he said sitting down at the kitchen table and kicking his feet up on another chair. "I'll get another job and then we can have that baby you've been wanting."

"You'd do that for me?" she asked setting the stirring spoon down on the counter. She walked over and sat in her husbands lap.

"I'd do anything for you, Crissie," he said and kissed her on the neck. She felt butterflies well up in her stomach.

"I DO want to have a child," she admitted dreamily. The smell of stew filled the kitchen and Crissie leaned over and kissed her man until all she could smell was his own masculine scent.

...-------...

About nine months later, after a particularly unpleasant pregnancy, Crissie gave birth to a baby girl. They named her Chealsie Anne Roaggs. She had little blue eyes and peach fuzz, blonde hair.

Suckling a child was the most comforting experience Crissie could ever remember. The milk flowed abundantly from her breasts and the baby provided welcomed relief to the constant build-up from within.

Crissie walked about the house tending to the baby. Changing its diapers and nursing the baby throughout the day and night. Crissie lost considerable sleep and still had to keep up with the housework.

Suddenly the grass didn't seem greener on the other side. She had become a slave woman to a husband who little cared for her hard work, nor was ever around to help out.

The next eight years proved to be a bitter marriage and Crissie began to think of running away. Yet her life was devoted to caring for little Chealsie and keeping her schooling up.

One day there came a knock on the door.

Grenda stood outside on the porch. She was dressed in black and had an angry look in her eyes.

"Grenda?" Crissie asked bewildered. "What brings you here?"

Chealsie came to stand beside her mother and hugged Crissie by the leg.

"Mommy?" Chealsie said looking up and tugging on her mothers dress with a worried look. "Who's the lady, mommie?"

An angry man stepped into view from behind Grenda. It was Zaks old body.

"Give me my body back!" the man demanded with fury in his voice.

"Mommy?" Chealsie tugged again at her mothers dress.

"Switch, switch, switch them all!" Grenda chanted.

In a spin of soul swapping magic, Crissie became Chealsie, Chealsie became Zak, and Zak became Crissie.

Suddenly Crissie was looking up at a towering motherly figure.

"Mommie?" Crissie asked in her daughters voice.

The mother was back in her own body now. So Crissie was the real Crissie.

The little girl? Well, she had Zaks soul stuck in her body.

Zak? He had the little girls soul in his body.

Grenda turned to the man and said,"I can see this is all traumatic to you, child. So be a deer, won't you? Be a deer and run along now...."

The man shifted in form and clothes ripped to shreds. A frightened doe sped off the porch and dashed away into the woods.

"Hey, thanks for finally switching me back to my real body," Crissie said to Grenda while lifting up her little girl into her arms. "Now, isn't this better, princess?"

"Mommie?" Chealsie said in an uncertain voice.

"You WILL teach this little one to be a better girl than she was as a boy, won't you?" Grenda asked.

"Oh, you bet, Grenda," Crissie hugged her daughter close and kissed her on the forehead. "You bet."

"Good, now that things are settled here, I've got to find me a new husband to snatch," the witch said laughing as she walked down the cobblestone path.

"Snatched, mommie?" the child asked looking up into her mothers face.

"Yes, princess," her mother said ruffling the little girls hair. "Snatched."