The Sorceror and His Little Queen by Imouto Kitten

Chapter 1: The Sacrifice

As I stepped into the market square, I wore not the robes that marked me 
as a practitioner of the arcane arts and the sorcerory sciences, but 
rather simple brown leather trousers and a tan tunic, and my eyes and 
hair, usually a vibrant purple to match fine Amethyst of the kind the 
clergy and nobility would horde for themselves, had been glamoured to a 
more mundane blue and brown respectively. The people of this land were a 
superstitious sort and rather distrustful of those who work magik, and 
it wouldn't do to cause a panic by revealing my true nature.

These people had nothing to fear from me, but their general fear of 
magik wasn't unfounded. Though spellcasters of my caliber were rare, 
only one or two being born each century, there was no shortage of 
stories of self-styled dark lords going mad with power and enacting a 
reign of terror, and not all of the stories were legend exagerated to 
the point of being unrecognizeable to what actually happened, and even a 
once per generation genius could be quite dangerous. There was little 
even the town guard could do to harm me, but a riot caused by me 
unmasking myself would ruin years of planning and I was so close to my 
current goal.

At over six feet tall, I towered over most of the townspeople as I 
surveyed the market square in search of my quarry, though my target's 
small stature made spotting her in the crowd difficult.

Fortunately, though the treasure I sought was so rare and so fragile 
that many in my position wouldn't bother, she was also willing to seek 
me out and before I could spot her, nearly 5 stone of young girl 
impacted my midsection with a cry of, "Fritz!"

Glancing down, the child coming only to my chest, I see hair like spun 
gold in a pixie cut framing a cherubic face, blue eyes shimmering like 
sapphires, cheeks with a permanent blush to match cherry blossoms in 
full bloom, and a smile bright enough to make the sun seem dim by 
comparison. Glancing further south, I see that she's wearing a simple, 
sky blue dress appropriate for the summer heat draped over her lithe 
form and simple, brown leather shoes upon her dainty feet. All-in-all, 
the young beauty I found wrapped around me certainly had looks worthy of 
one named for one of the archangels., and at that thought, I felt a pang 
of guilt at what I intended to do to this girl.

Shaking my head to clear it of negative thoughts, I greet the child, 
"Good to see you too, Gabi!" using the same familiarity she greeted me 
with despite me being nearly as old as her father as I run my fingers 
through her silken lockes and lean down to kiss her forehead, channeling 
just enough of my mana through the little girl to get a reading on her 
vitals and to leave her with a pleasant tingle from head-to-toe. When my 
scan reveals that the child, having just recently celebrated her first 
decade is in the waxing of her first cycle, due to release her first egg 
in the next day or two and due to experience her first bleeding in 
roughly a fortnight, I smile and, careful to conceal the act from 
passersby flourish my free hand to conjure a single white rose, the stem 
devoid of thorns and present it to her, "A lovely flower for the 
loveliest, little lady in the kingdom."

With a giggle, she accepts the present and gives it a sniff 
beforereaching up her arms like a child who has just learned to toddle 
rather than a girl on the cusp of womanhood. Humoring her, I pick her 
up, her arms going around my neck and her legs wrapping around my waist 
as I make my way to her father's stall.

There were many ways a sorcerer such as myself could enhance their 
arcane abilities, and nearly all of them involved some kind of 
sacrifice, be it literal such as the ritual slaughter of a prime 
specimen of livestock or something more obtuse, such as the labor that 
went into artificing or the time spent studying magical manuscripts. 
Naturally, the greatest boons required the greatest sacrifices, and many 
a self-styled Dark Lord had found that human sacrifice to be a very 
tempting way to gain power quickly, especially if they could gain enough 
political influence to have access to those convicted of capital crimes 
or to promote violent conflict. Of course, many who had chosen such a 
path failed to realize that they often sacrificed their humanity, 
sanity, and even intelligence in the process and often ended up being 
their own undoing.

I had scouted the girl nestled against my side for a much different kind 
of sacrificial ritual... one that would actually create life rather than 
cutting it short, and one that most with my ambitions would deem too 
troublesome to attempt. That the child was a virgin was important, but 
it wasn't enough on its own, the child had to be innocent and had to be 
on that cusp between child and adult, old enough to theoretically 
concieve, but not yet tainted by her monthly bleeding.

"Ah, Friedrich, I should've known my favorite customer was in town when 
my little Gabriella ran off without warning." greets a heavy set man 
behind a display of fine silver jewelry.

"Yes, Mister silverschmidt, little Gabi seems to have a sixth sense when 
it comes to me." I greet the slightly older gentleman, lowering my 
passenger to the cobblestones.

"Come now, how many times do I have to tell you not to be so formal with 
me, especially seeing as you're practically family given my daughter's 
insistence that she's going to marry you when she comes of age?"

As I continue my conversation with the jeweler, I think back on how I 
came to know Mister Silverschmidt and his daughter. It had taken 
hundreds of hours of scrying and many refinements of my queries to 
locate the perfect candidate. I had considered a farmer's daughter or a 
street urchin for the ease with which I could take in such a child with 
few, if any, questions asked, but with how frequently children raised 
around livestock witnessed the animals' mating behavior, and how often 
the children living on the underbelly of towns and cities stumbled into 
brothels or were even recruited to work in such establishments, few 
remained innocent long enough to reach the critical time in their 
growth. I had turned to the prospect of a nobleman's daughter or even a 
princess, but quickly dismissed the idea for involving too much courtly 
intrigue and risking too much unwanted attention if I simply abducted a 
girl of such high birth.

And so, I arrived at a merchant's daughter as a compromise between 
sheltered enough to remain innocent for the requisite duration, but 
still accessible enough to minimize complications. I could've just 
abducted a child that met my requirements, but had instead opted for the 
slower path of endearing my target to me in the hopes that genuine 
affection would both strengthen the ritual and earn me an apprentice who 
could become a powerful ally in time.

And so my search had lead me to Gabriella, an only child of a widower 
whose wife had died bringing the child into the world after a hard 
pregnancy and I had spent nearly half a decade winning the trust and 
affections of both father and daughter.

Again, I felt a pang of guilt at how I planned to violate that trust and 
take advantage of Gabi's affections for me. While I knew she had no 
concept of the more physical side of romantic love, I was also certain 
that she was genuine in her desire to become my bride and would likely 
reject any potential suitors her father presented to her out of hand, 
and under different circumstances, I'd be quite happy to wait until she 
came of age and would gladly pay whatever bride price her father 
demanded for her hand, but I didn't have that kind of time, and while I 
was sure she would cooperate fully, I would be asking her to sacrifice 
so much and couldn't even give her warning of what she'd be sacrificing. 
The ritual, strictly speaking, wouldn't harm her, and with the 
affections I had developed for her in the time I had known her, I'd 
abandon my plan entirely if it would, but not only would she lose her 
virginity, but she would lose the chance to grow up like a normal girl 
and would lose the ability to choose when she had children. At least she 
had confided in me that she wanted lots of children and to become a 
mother as soon as possible, and while I knew she had no idea what that 
entailed, it put my mind at least somewhat at ease that she wouldn't 
hate me once the ramifications of the ritual eventually became clear to 
her.

"-And here is that ingot of silver you ordered last week." says mister 
Silverschmidt, placing a silk wrapped bundle on the counter between us 
and unfolding the cloth to reveal the hunk of shimmering metal within.

As I absentmindedly count out the coins for my purchase, I make a 
proposal that might let my plans move forward, "It might be forward of 
me to ask, but perhaps I could have Gabi over this evening to give you a 
chance to visit the tavern and enjoy the profit you just made off of 
me."

Immediately, Gabi's eyes sparkle even more than usual even as her father 
looks unsure, "I don't know if that's such a good idea." Of course, such 
would be a natural reaction for any decent father to make to a grown man 
wanting to take his only daughter home with him, even if the man is one 
he's had dealings with on a regular basis for several years

However, before I can even think of opening my mouth to try and persuade 
him, Gabi's eyes start to glisten as she begs, "Please, daddy, can I 
please spend the night with Fritz?", and naturally, the sight of his 
daughter seemingly on the verge of tears is more than enough to melt the 
merchant's heart.

Before he can talk himself out of giving in to his daughter's whims, I 
interject, "I swear on my life that I won't allow any man to lay a 
finger upon sweet, little Gabi without her permission while she's in my 
care." careful to word the statement just right as oaths have a power 
all there own, especially when uttered by those steeped in the secrets 
of sorcery, and though neither father nor daughter realized it, I had 
just granted the child quite a bit of power over me, though I was 
certain that in doing so, I would only enhance the planned ritual.

"I guess not much harm can come of it." says the slightly older man as 
Gabi lets out a squeal of delight and throws her arms around me.

Careful not to let my fingers brush against her, I pocket my purchases 
and call out to my chosen girl, "Come, Gabi, my horse is tethered at the 
edge of town." the little angel grabbing hold of my hand, her actions 
qualifying as her giving her permission for me to lay my fingers upon 
her.

We walk hand-in-hand, neither of us saying a word as the townspeople 
bustle around us for the minutes it takes us to make our way through the 
crowds to where my horse is, the absence of a saddle seemingly the most 
noteworthy aspect of the earthen brown steed.

Still, despite the mare's unassuming appearance, Gabi can't help crying 
out, "She's beautiful!"

"How did you know Blitz was a mare?" I ask the child, fearful that she 
might have learned something that would make her unfit for the ritual.

"Surely, a boy couldn't be this pretty." comes the earnest reply, and I 
sigh in relief at her naive response as I watch her trying to climb atop 
the beast which stands nearly twice her height at the withers.

"Would you like some help?" I ask, and as she nods her ascent, I lift 
her under the arms to sit her upon Blitz's back before climbing up to 
sit behind her, smiling as the horse makes no protest at her new rider, 
a sign that little Gabi is as pure and innocent as my needs require.

We travel at a relatively slow trot as we leave town and venture into 
the surrounding forest, and it is only when the town is miles behind us 
that I drop my glamor, giving Gabi her first glimpse of my amethyst 
lockes and orbs.

"Wow, how did you change your hair and eye color like that?" Asks the 
young girl excitedly.

"Twas but a simple glamor, no harder than when I conjure a rose for 
you." And to illustrate, I cycle my hair and eyes through every natural 
color and several unnatural ones before returning to the purple of my 
true appearance. "I am quite a formidable wizard, but I have to hide my 
identity to avoid causing a panic when I go into town."

Grabbing one of my hands and holding it over her heart, Gabi replies, 
"That's stupid, anyone can tell Fritz is a good man and nothing like the 
evil wizards in storybooks." And between the feel of her heartbeat and 
my magical senses, I can tell that she is sincere, not even a trace of 
justifiable fear at being in the presence of a being who could snuff out 
her existence in an instant.

"Right you are, dear Gabi, Right you ar." I say, agreeing with her 
sentiment, "I want to change the world so those like me can walk about 
freely... would you like to help me?"

Of course!" cries the little angel in response.

Smiling at her, "Well we better get going." Snapping my fingers, I drop 
the glamor on my mount as I cry out, "Hold on tight, you're about to 
learn how she earned the name Blitz!" As earthy brown coat and mane give 
way to white purer than fresh fallen snow that seems to glow like 
moonlight, an iridescent horn nearly a foot long jutting from the 
creature's formerly vacant forehead.

Gabi has mere seconds to marvel that what had been disguised as the most 
unremarkable horse was actually a majestic unicorn befor Blitz breaks 
into a full gallup, her speed so great that anyone who saw her pass 
would swear to seeing lightning that travelled sideways, the wind 
whipping through both Gabi and my hair as we progress through the 
underbrush, our steed's hooves sounding of thunder against the hard 
clay.

When Blitz has finished her sprint, we've arrived at an old castle keep, 
the outlying walls and support buildings long since crumbled to rubble
 or grown over with vegetation from the encroaching forest, or at least, 
that is what it would appear to any random passers by who stumbled upon 
my sanctuary.

"Is this where Fritz lives?" Asks Gabi, her enthusiasm slipping, "It 
looks so..." the child trailing off as she struggles to speak her mind 
without coming across as rude.

"Ah, little Gabi," I start, a bit of mischief in my tone, "It might look 
like the ruins of a long abandoned castle, but as you've seen twice 
already today, looks can be decieving."

"So, you glamoured your home like you did your appearance and Blitz?" 
replies the girl, showing herself to be a bright child despite her 
naivete.

Smiling, I reply, "Yes, in this case, to make would be robbers think 
anything of value had been pillaged long ago. May I touch you so I may 
grant you the ability to see through the illusion?"

"Of course, Fritz." she replies, and I place my hand over her eyes and 
channel just enough magic through my palm to grant her the simplest form 
of magical sight.

As I remove my hand, the girl's mouth drops open in awe. My home was 
indeed the ruins of a long abandoned castle, and beyond the keep, I had 
done little to repair the various structures, but now that she could see 
the truth rather than the lie that served as my first line of defense 
against thieves, the ancient fortress looked far more impressive. Gone 
was the rubble littering the grounds and the slime discoloring the 
masonry, the outer wall was in tact, and though still overgrown, it was 
covered not in viney weeds, but in a multitude of flowers of every shape 
and color, including some variations impossible without magic, and the 
gate, instead of the ruddy brown of rust was now as shiny as a brand new 
sword.

And in the middle of it all, the Keep stood, no longer looking like dull 
gray granite, but instead like shiny black marble as it towered over 
nearby trees, an Onyx Chess Rook scaled up a thousand fold.

"Wow!" exclaims Gabi as she finally regains her voice, This looks much 
more like what I'd imagined a wizard would live in."

"Shall we head in?" I ask, Dismounting from Blitz's back and walking up 
to the gate, placing my hand to the breast of the Phoenix crest carved 
into the metal work as I incant, "I, Friedrich of the Amethyst Arcanum, 
Lord of this castle, hereby invite Gabriella Silverschmidt to be my 
guest, to come and go from these grounds as she sees fit, and to be 
subject to all protections found herein. So mote it be."

The crest seems to burst into flame at my words as my aura flares 
purple, the amethysts forming the crest's eyes glowing brightly in 
response, little Gabi watching the display with fascination in her 
sapphire eyes.

"Come forth, dear Gabi," I beckon the child forward, the girl offering 
no hesitation, "Touch the crest so that the wards can know your aura." 
As she grabs the tail of the crest, the purple aura engulfes her as 
well, but as the magic washes over her, recognizing her as my guest, I 
can see blue mixing with the purple surrounding her, turning the aura 
around her indigo and I realize that in addition to the traits I chose 
her for, she possesses a latent magical potential I had never thought to 
scan for."

As the process concludes and the gate swings open, the crest having 
returned to seemingly ordinary metal, Gabi exclaims, "Wow! That was 
amazing!"

Smiling down at the excited child, I reply, "And there are far more 
impressive magics I could show you."

"Really?" she asks as we walk through the gate, Blitz not far behind us, 
though the unicorn soon parts ways from us to munch on apples from a 
small orchard just inside the wall as I lead my young charge to the base 
of the keep.