Emma The Red

Emma pulled a hair from her head, uncorked one of the transformation vials, and put her hair into it. The liquid fizzled before turning from murky green to a lovely shade of blue.

She looked down at the maid who was looking up at her with a smile usually reserved for those so intoxicated they couldn see two inches in front of them.

”Drink this. Itll make you feel amazing. ” Emma lied and held the vial to the womans lips. The maid didn even protest as she drank it all down. Emma had to help her, as the poison shed inhaled earlier was starting to lock her muscles in place.

She rolled up on her side and stared at the fire in the fireplace, smiling as her eyes closed as the paralyzing sleep started to take her over.

”Such a pretty fire. ” She slurred, and already her voice warbled as the potion began to take effect. Emma loosened the womans shirt and skirt, as she was likely to choke for real as her body grew and filled into Emmas more voluptuous form.

She didn bother to watch, instead pulling a hair from the maids head before the transformation had truly begun and went into the bathroom. She threw the poisoned washcloth into the sink and let the water run over it, washing out the toxins and allowing her to remove her make-shift face mask.

As she had done earlier, she dropped the maids hair into the vial, and once again the potion changed colors. Without hesitating, she downed the draft as if taking a shot of hard liquor. The mildly earthy taste gave way to a chilling mint that was surprisingly pleasant on the tongue.

Thankfully, the Ele Root that was part of this potion numbed the senses temporarily, so there was no pain as she watched in the mirror as her skin rippled and her body transformed.

Her green eyes faded into soft, dove gray, the shape softening as her face went from heart-shaped to oval. Her red hair paled and straightened, shortening until it came to just above her shoulder blades. Her breast shrank as did her overall size by about three inches. Her toned body softened into that of a young woman whose only exercise had been daily housework.

”Meh, ” Eris remarked with a shrug, arms crossed and leaning against the door frame as she watched. ”Cute if you
e into girls whove been virgins for the last three hundred years. ”

”Beggers can be choosers, ” Emma replied, her voice an octave higher than her previously sultry tone. ”Now, lets take care of this. ”

In short order, the maid, who now looked perfectly like Emma, was dressed in the black dress shed worn to the funeral and wearing all of her jewelry. Emma finished buttoning up the maids uniform that Orianna hadn updated since the late 1890s.

”How do we know they won think shes just passed out? You yourself got drugged last night. ” Eris pointed out.

Emma shook her head, ”Silent Smile is death-like when inhaled, but ingested, its death for certain. Theyll take time to figure out whether ”I ” drank it or if I just breathed it in, which should still give us some time. ”

She left her alchemy set behind in order to make it appear that the fake Emilie had created the poison.

Satisfied that everything was ready, she looked at her patron goddess and took a deep breath. ”Right. Lets do this. ”

”Break a leg, doll! ” Eris smiled, ”Ill be watching the show. ” And with that faded into invisibility again.

Emma took the wedding dress that screamed snow beast with the amount of fluff and puffy sleeves.

In the event of a water landing, your wedding dress can also be used as a flotation device, she thought sarcastically to herself as she folded it professionally and exited the room, taking the maids keys and locking the door behind her.

”How did it fit? ” came a voice down the hall, and Emma turned to see one of the head maids, Velma, coming her way. She approached the woman with the same confidence one would feel when speaking to their supervisor.

”It fits beautifully, but Im afraid to leave it with her without someone watching. ” Emma replied.

The head maid sighed, ”Yes, I understand your caution. Give it here, Ill keep it safe until its time to start dressing her. In the meantime, go down to the kitchens and bring up a very light meal for her. Soup and tea only. The mistress is afraid that giving her anything too hearty will fatten her up so much shell rip the seams. ”

Emma bit her tongue at the remark, keeping a professional and nodding her head in a slight bow with a ”yes, maam. ”

Passing the ungodly dress over to the middle-aged woman, she made her way to the servants hallway, out of sight of the main household as she headed to the hallway. She passed other butlers and maids going about their business, carrying cleaning products, linens, or carting dishes for the Delacroix family to enjoy for an early lunch.

It didn take terribly long for her to reach the kitchens. Several hearth tenders were hard at work roasting various meats and cutting vegetables in preparation for a wedding feast. She could see that a guard was stationed at the door that led to the entrance but only kept him in the corner of her eyes to avoid looking at him directly and drawing attention.

She saw one maid in particular that she recognized from before her banishment. Alyss the maid was stocky in build, with white hair and kind features that looked like she baked cookies for her grandchildren every chance she could.

”Alyss. ” She called, and the older woman stopped cleaning silverware to look up at her. ”Yes, Juliene? ”

”Velma asked that I relay to you that a light soup and tea be brought up to lady Emilie. The mistress is concerned that anything too hearty will have her splitting her seams. ”

Alyss gave a disgusted wave of her hand, ”Pah! That poor girl is skin and bones as it is. But yes, Ill go fetch that now. ”

”Maybe give it a few minutes? ” Emma suggested, ”I just came from the final fitting of her wedding dress, and she looked like she needed some a moment to herself. ”

Alysss features softened in pity. ”Aye. Only yesterday she said farewell to her sister and now shes marrying a prince. Don worry, my dear. Ill wait a minute or two before bringing her up something to eat. ”

Emma smiled, thankful that dear old Alyss was so sweet. ”If youll excuse me, I need to run back to the dormitories. I ripped my hose and want to change before the mistress sees and I lose my head. ”

Alysss eyes went wide, ”Probably literally. Yes, dear, shoo! Go change before the family notices then be right back. ”

”Yes maam, Ill only be a moment. ” Emma nodded and headed for the guarded tunnel entrance. She could see that he had an enchanted monocle in one eye, probably scanning magical output. With her magic sealed she easily flew under his radar and the man even opened the door for her.

Emma smiled her thanks at him and then briskly stepped through. When he closed the door behind her she broke into a sprint, running for her life. She slowed down only when she had gotten close to the tunnel entrance and was in view of others.

Thankfully, the staff dormitory was sparsely populated as nearly everyone was running around inside the family home preparing for the wedding. Her first stop was the laundry room, where she quickly grabbed a shirt and trousers that were too big for her current body but would fit correctly when the potion wore off.

Changing quickly, she stashed the maid uniform in one of the dirty hampers, the loud hiss of the steamers and washing machinery covering any noise she made and leaving the one lone attendant blissfully unaware of what was happening behind her.

She walked casually but with a purpose to the stables, her every step leaving bubbling anticipation in her stomach that this was actually going to work.

The stable boys were busy at the main house assisting the gardeners, so no one was there to notice a short woman stealing pair of boots and an old hat.

Emma piled her hair up and hid it with the large brim hat, drawing the brim low to keep her face concealed.

Tacking one of the workhorses took precious minutes but was soon leading the horse out of the stables and down the dirt road towards the cobbled stone thoroughfare towards Deliverance. A few people glanced her way but no one stopped her or asked questions.

It was past noon when she made it to the city road, and without looking back Emma swung up onto the mares back and kicked her into motion. A trot soon turned into a gallop and they were racing away, seeming to fly over the road at a breakneck speed.

Emma was focused on the road but could still clearly hear an invisible goddess singing along as she galloped away.

”Gone like a freight train, Gone like yesterday, Gone like a soldier in the Civil War

Bang Bang!

Gone like a 59 Cadillac, Like all the good things, that ain never comin back ”

”Will you be quiet! ”

”Come on, sing it with me! Shes gone… ” Eriss voice cackled on the wind, her sing-song voice merely the whisperings of a persistent ghost as Emma vanished from the eyes of the clan.