A Song of Silk and Shadows
By Fakeminsk
(fakeminsk@gmail.com)
(patreon.com/fakeminsk)

Synopsis:
The old king is dead. As the great houses of Sangriferia manoeuvre to claim the Garland Crown, the fate of the realm rests on the slender shoulders of Aubriella Malveil, a young lady of the Crimson Court already burdened by secrets of her own.

Chapter One
One: The Old King’s Death

What happens when a bit of fun collides with happenstance?

“Where is Claire?” Julie fidgeted, absently speaking aloud to her friends.

“Well, she’s only a little late,“ Megan pointed out.

“Yeah, she’ll be here,” Jenny reassured.

"What do you mean he took your voice? You're speaking just fine now" the officer asked.

I glanced down at the tape recorder that was recording everything I'd said so far. Good, I wouldn't have to tell this story ever again. I don't think I had it in me to relive this tale one more time.

All the warnings! I always wanted to write a horror story. This is the one and I don't want it to be tame. It certainly isn't for everyone. There will be fucked up scenes. Check the warning tags, if there are any you'd rather avoid, please go read one of my other stories instead.

One day things changed drastically, a second puberty was added during which everyone developed a second set of genitalia of the opposite sex from their originals. Everyone's bodies adjusts as if this was always the case, but nothing else did.

Clara finds she has become Bi, Oliver finds that he has changed more than expected.

One day things changed drastically, a second puberty was added during which everyone developed a second set of genitalia of the opposite sex from their originals. Everyone's bodies adjusts as if this was always the case, but nothing else did.

A few short scenes about different people and an in-universe FAQ about the changes

Stuck at a crossroads

No signs

No civilization

Nothing

Only the whisper of trees

Lost at the fork

Staring at each choice

Nothing but death is certain

No clue

Muscles stiffen

Blood boils

Screams of frustration fill the air

Which way is it!?

There's no way to know for sure

Heart breaks

Pressure mounts

Suddenly a tiny tug

Lead slowly in one direction

An angel guide

With sad dark eyes

Pleading to go this way

This is the path

Constant in All Other Things 2
Interlude II (1/3)
by
Fakeminsk (fakeminsk@gmail.com)
(Patreon: www.patreon.com/fakeminsk)

“Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent.”
Much Ado About Nothing

I paced in my room, trying to figure out what to do for music. My only options were to find out which instrument caused the problem or see if I could find someone to retrieve the music on my phone. I didn't want to be exposed to those sounds again.

"Who the hell is Prince Nicholas?" I screamed frantically at my friend to gain his attention.

I knew better than to disturb him while he played his video games but this was an emergency.

When his face turned white as a sheet of paper, I knew that name meant something to him. He paused his game and turned to me in horror.

"Where'd you hear that?" he asked in a panic.

For the first time since moving in with Jack, Eddie woke to the sound of an alarm. Having always been a creature of habit he’d usually have Jack’s suit laid out for the day, showered, and dressed himself. He’d be starting breakfast in the kitchen, but that morning his head was pounding. Veronica was right. He did in fact like the wine better than beer, but he didn’t like the dry mouth, the sick feeling, and everything else that went with it the next day.

The month long winter break flew by. Mom spent most of the break trying to make up for lost mother-daughter time with me. Faith ran interference a few times to get me out of it but I really didn’t mind spending more time with Mom. Dad was not quite distant. We still played chess in the evening every now and then. He loved playing against me. And I could still beat him occasionally.

Marc visited a couple weekends and got along great with my parents. He could not sleep over though.

Things didn't improve between Will and I until 8 months into my pregnancy. Over those months, we sort of just devolved into coworkers again.

He'd still kept me off work duties but suddenly it didn't feel like it was for my protection anymore.

"Wait there's really intelligent life down there" I asked still in shock over what I'd just heard.

"It would seem so" Will affirmed.

"But he hasn't seen any yet? Just their homes?" I followed up.

He nodded.

"Could they be extinct?" I asked.

"Possibly. Or they could have simply migrated somewhere else on the planet. We can't possibly know now?" Will answered.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is traditionally a day one avoids shopping centers unless one has a specific deal they wish to take advantage of. Not Faith. Faith loved Black Friday, as it’s known – the hustle, the stampede of shoppers – she loved it.

She dragged me to the mall to buy me more clothes. She was not happy with the style she assumed Shelly inflicted on me. She said, “I can’t accept you as my older sister with the conservative clothes you wear.”

“They aren’t conservative.”

The five of us were seated in a lounge area at headquarters. Will who'd ridden there with us at 6am that morning was now nowhere to be found.

We'd left with nothing but our smartphones since they had assured us that everything would be provided.

I stared outside the window at the grounds below. It was still early in the morning but many people were already hard at work.

=^..^=

She told me to relax and tell her exactly what had happened as she finished hooking me up to the black box that I'm sure I'd seen in movies.

But of course I couldn't relax. Earlier that night, I had killed someone.

I took a deep breath before continuing,

"I.. I was right outside the house" My eyes darted around the room. There was one other man inside the room and if I trusted my memory, two more outside.

But what could I really do? If I told mum, their relationship would almost surely end. Great for them probably, bad for Laura and Lucas.

If I told dad that I knew and tell him to stop? Maybe he agrees and stops but her relationship with her family almost certainly gets strained beyond repair. He needed to keep seeing her as his little girl and this would ruin that.

"Something on your mind pumpkin?" He asked me.

The Trial

I had all the members of the church and those in positions of power within the station lined up in the throne room. I made sure that this trial was broadcast throughout the Empire. Minsha was sitting next to me upon the dais. Looking down at all the people that I needed to judge and sentence, but I had to seem like a was not a malevolent ruler.

Why did I know that? Don't panic. I had to figure this out. I had never been the same person twice and certainly not two days in a row.

My mind darted to her locker code. 14,22,7. I didn't just remember it from yesterday, I remembered it from the start of the school year.

My mind darted from one memory to another before being pulled to focus on the heavy footsteps rapidly approaching my door. A moment later, the door opened with her father peaking through. He looked worried for a moment but his expression slowly dissipated into a neutral one.

When a mountain downpour forces Lydia and Thomas Thompson into a cavern's shadowy embrace, Lydia's touch upon ancient runic inscriptions awakens her latent power and identity. As they emerge to find the enigmatic town of Sælicbrook—a nexus of realms and magic—Lydia is transformed into her destiny as its guardian. But as the cosmic entity Nyarlathotep stirs, intent on unraveling the threads of reality, will Lydia's newfound power be enough to stand against an eldritch horror bent on devouring all? The battle for existence looms, and only the guardians of Sælicbrook can safeguard the world from the impending darkness. Will they triumph, or will everything they know be consumed by the infinite appetite of the Crawling Chaos?

Steven yearns for acceptance. His sister and friends want to put makeup on him. In exchange, his sister offers honorary sisterhood among her tight-knit group of friends. When they see how he looks, they want to dress him en femme and for this his sister promises full sisterhood if he accepts. However, another member of the group is more protective of this sisterhood than the others. Having justifiable concerns about allowing a boy to be part of that circle, she insists upon including an initiation to ensure that he is worthy of their sisterhood. What will Steven have to do?