The Mage & I: You Bore Me
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The Mage & I: You Bore Me |
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By Wes Parish © 2008 Wesley Parish is an SF fan from early childhood. Born in PNG, he enjoys reading about humans in strange cultures and circumstances; his favourite SF authors include Ursula Le Guin, Fritz Lieber, Phillip K. Dick, G.J. Ballard and Frank Herbert. He lives in Christchurch, NZ.
At last! I had entered the inner sanctum. Now I would find out the truth. It had taken quite some time to penetrate the Grand Hall, especially to enter without explaining my full purpose. I had been detained for questioning by a beautiful guard, who in the end expressed satisfaction and delight that my chosen dominant gender was male, and my secondary was neuter, while female was tertiary. "Return to me," I was told, "I will bear your children." I squirmed. Neuters can be difficult; neuters can be ... obsessive. "Why?" I asked. "You remind me of someone I saw in my childhood and adored. I heard he was in some way connected to the Grand Hall, so I chose to dedicate myself neuter until I found him and ... and ... and it seems I have. You must be his son! Come back to me and all I am is yours." I looked more closely. Blushes aplenty, but a pleased smile. Her breasts were budding and she was no longer a neuter. She could no longer be a guard, as gendered individuals were not considered reliable; without kin or position in the vast city, she would need protection. She said, "You would bear my child if I were male to your female: I see it in your face." I agreed, somewhat reluctantly. But all that was behind me. I was ushered in and given a seat. The door opened and the Grand Mage himself strode in, imperious. I gazed with awe. He strengthened the Gates of Order against elemental Chaos itself. "What is this important matter you wished to discuss with me?" I took a deep breath. What happened to me next wasn't important, compared with finding the truth. No matter what my fervent admirer declared ... "I have reason to believe, sir, that you are my mother."
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