EMMA

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Emma fa Blacksmith. A twenties-something woman who, having no desire to becoming some muscle bound female blacksmith herself, had taken a job at her uncles inn as one of the servers. Like all women of her time, options, marriage, slavery, indenture, hard work or the church, were limited. "At least at Uncle Marks establishment, I can meet people, learn new things" she'd told her mother.

Her mothers knowing look hinted at the 'new things' she'd most likely learn, and soon.

True to her mothers warnings, Emma had soon found herself in beds not her own. Being an adventurous young lass she'd taken a deep breath, then dove into those murky waters with trepidation, and foolhardy courage. True, she did learn things not related to bedwork. Those that most interested her were magic, swordsmanship and women (Breath dear reader, Breath... That's better). Then one morning, as happens to all adventurers some time, her luck took a turn. Waking up she found the old wizard beside her much cooler than the morning chill should have made him. Much much cooler, as in DOA dear reader.

So what is an aspiring young (ah-hem) lady to do? Of course, when the town undertaker arrived, there was still gold on his body, gold by itself never really interested Emma. His books and scrolls however, these had found a new and much younger owner. Months passed as she tried, and failed to open more than the two most basic books. For not a fool the wizard had known his time was near (thus he spent it not in holy meditation, but a meditation of another.. ummm... sort.) but many were the protective spells about his more powerful books.

So, what happens when a girl with an unknown gift for magic tries to teach herself from books she's barely educated enough to read? You guessed it. At least she was smart enough to try each new spell out in the old lime pit outside town. Thus the fireballs, backfires and strange things were never seen, except by her (which of course explains the white hair on a less that thirty year old woman).

Months passed, she ceased 'bed-hopping' (unless the offer was from a comely individual) and made her extra coins showing tricks. Basic little magics. Glowing lanterns that shed no light outside the thin walls of a private table, silence bubbles for private conversations, illusions of light and shadow... Then came the night when, half drunk herself, she decided to try a new spell.... And woke the next morning with a new body.

Of course, in order for even the most powerful Mage to reverse a spell, you have to know how it was first cast, and no one had been sober enough to accurately remember not only her words, but her slurred incantation. Lets just say dear reader that Emma was a prisoner of her own body. Certainly there were dis-advantages, like fleas. That took two weeks of hard study to learn how to repel. Then there was the agility, sight, beauty, smell, hearing.... She learned a lot those next months. Like who did what to whom, where the bodies were really buried, how to find help in a strange city, if you were not exactly friendly with the Guard that is.... and... Just how many would pay dearly for a night in bed with her in her new body.

She wasn't any more intelligent, but her Uncle gave her more free time, once she'd dropped the hint about just who's baby the Mayors wife had really given birth too... She had time to puzzle things out. Things like, she was never going to get her real body back if she stayed in this backwater burg, that she needed real training in reading, writing and most importantly magic. Gathering her small hoard she paid the Priest's wives a visit. Several more months later she was much more educated, in the ways of

reading, writing, the church... and just how a woman pleases another.... Somehow with her change had come some sort of power to attract one of her own sex, but only if there was some interest in the first place.

So finally she was ready. It was a raining Spring morning when she'd said her good-byes, tossed an old pack over her shoulders, strapped an even older sword to her slim waist, then headed for the Capital to find some Wizard, or Wizardress to apprentice herself too. Then... Things happen during trips, when one is strange of body, female, alone and walking.

Don't they.....