"Okay, I'm ready to go for it!"- Lamronius nodded. - "It would hurt
me?"
"It will! And take some time to transform! For you it is irreversible."
"Then get started!"
Rohen raised his hand, clenched his hand into a fist and froze in tension.
Lamronius felt as if something invisible was being separated from him
and myriads of tiny specks of dust were peeling off in the form of transparent
thin trails, evaporating into nothingness. He really felt pain all over his body,
his head was dizzy and his legs were giving way. Something was moving
inside, his eyes were tingling, and the heart was twitching and fluttering. At
some point, his breathing stopped and the star-shaped pupils crowded out
the entire iris, but then he began to breathe again and noticed that he had
become a little shorter. The transformation took a long time and was
completed when Lamronius leveled his eyes with Rohen's gaze.
"How do you feel?" The all-powerful magician asked sympathetically,
touched by what he had created.
Lamronius, shocked by the significant changes, looked at his reduced
body and wings, spreading his arms to the sides. Even the clothes became the
right size.
"Am I not ugly now?" - The Ruler asked in fear, feeling his face and hair.
"Handsome! The spitting image of Lantas!" - Rohen laughed.
The mirror, which suddenly popped up out of nowhere, showed the
reflection of a young man of attractive appearance with large blue eyes.
"I look so much like my son!" - Lamronius was amazed, examining his new
appearance. - "And it's so unusual to be smaller."
"Twin brother!" - Rohen chuckled cheerfully.
"Why did you give me his appearance?"
"This way there will be more chances to achieve her love. This image is
most dear to her."
Lamronius looked at Rohen in confusion.
"But why don't you send Lantas himself instead of me, since she needs
this image so much?"
"You left your crystal in her, and besides, your heart thawed. You just
need to experience love again."
"Is this so important to you?"
"This is important for Lamori! You like this title, don't you? So you need
to correspond to him."
"And when do we go to Zaria?" - Lamronius asked.
"Any time!"
Rohen touched his shoulder, and they found themselves in the flowering
garden of Azaren palace.
Lamronius looked around in surprise.
"Oh, what splendor!"
"Yeah! You'd better pretend to be Lantas for now, but some might guess
that you're not him. I'll take you to Farenia's room."
The princess lay in bed in deep sleep.
"I had to put her to sleep because she was suffering a lot and crying, and
we couldn't calm her down," - Rohen leaned over her, as if listening to
something.
Lamronius admired the princess: her black wavy hair spreaded over the
pillow, framing her soft, rosy face.
Rohen touched her shoulder and Farenia woke up.
"Lantas! You came!" - She jumped up and reached out to Lamronius.
He hugged her and his heart fluttered.
"Will you stay with me? Or just came to visit?" - She glanced at him with a
gentle gaze, not noticing the substitution.
He looked back at Rohen, but he was no longer there.
"I'll stay!"
"Where is our baby?"
"He's with friends,"- the Ruler had to dodge.
"I don't want to live on Xantari. I'm afraid your father will squeeze me to
death. It's a shame you don't want to move here!"
"We'll figure something out."
Lamronius felt awkward after her words; it was unpleasant to realize
that she was afraid of him. And now he cannot find the strength to admit who
he really is. He became wildly uncomfortable: he would have to lie and fuss
all the time, and this is not at all easy - he is in someone else's guise. He
doesn't know a lot about Farenia, and he has no idea what to talk to her about.
If he reveals his true identity, she will immediately kick him out.
"You are so weird today!" - The princess remarked. - "I've had to go through
so much, but you won't caress me, you just stand there in your thoughts. Does
the Lamronius crystal annoy you too?"
"Why should it annoy me?" - The Ruler was alarmed and hugged Farenia.
"For some reason he infuriates Lariel!" - She was indignant. - "What are
these unpleasant vibrations?"
"I never pay attention to this. Don't worry about the child, he doesn't
bother me."
Lamronius decided to use his caresses to distract her. She happily kissed
him back. He wallowed in her mana, enjoying the closeness, and appreciated
that their equality in size provided more pleasure for both of them, not
regretting his transformation one bit. But how can he admit to her that he is
not Lantas?
He changed not only in appearance, the all-powerful Rohen did
something to his personality. Or did love for a young beauty transform him
so much? Power, status and many important matters lost all meaning for him.
Now he only wanted to be near his beloved and revel in communication with
her. The days flew by as if in a dream; Lamronius was captivated by Farenia,
and she noticed his increased interest.
"What happened to you, Lantas? You don't take your hands off me, like
in our first meetings. Your caresses have become more passionate and
refined. You're not in a hurry to go home, you're not worried about our son."
"Are you tired of me?" - Lamronius was saddened.
"I'm not tired of you, you're just different in bed, and your energy has
changed. If it weren't for your appearance, I would have thought that you
weren't Lantas at all."