Princess, no QUEEN Isabel strode confidently through the gates of the castle, dozens of armed men at her back. Her mother was dead, and for her wicked and sorcerous ways she wouldn’t be mourned by Isabel or anyone else. The evil queen had tormented the peasantry, subjecting them to her cruel magics, to the nobility she had applied a capricious and often nonsensical justice which had left even the most powerful lords quaking in fear that they might be next. Rebellion and civil war had seemed almost certain, made worse by the warlords and bandits already roaming the lands and the foreign enemies at the borders. Isabel had been made into a figurehead for the rebel movement, unwillingly at first and slowly as she’d seen her mother’s cruelty she’d come around to them. In a way her mother’s untimely death of entirely natural causes almost seemed… anticlimactic.

“Bring me the castellan,” she said firmly as she sat in her mother’s throne. At only nineteen she would be the youngest queen in the history of the realm, with her mother’s icy blue eyes and jet black hair a part of her worried that some would see her simply as her mother come again…

“Now the old queen is dead, long live the queen!” Lady Tabitha proclaimed with a smile as she walked in behind the soldiers. The older woman had been her principle advisor in organizing a network of allies that as it turned out had been unneeded. Still she hoped that the rebel lords would come around to helping her restore peace and order.

A pale and flabby man in a dirty brown robe was thrown in front of her. Her mother’s castellan was widely reviled in the kingdom for his part in aiding her mother’s spells, it was often he who would lead her soldiers down to the peasant villages to take young men and women for her vile experiments.

“Have all of my mother’s victims been sent home?” She asked in a cool voice, causing the pale slimy creature before her to tremble.

“All but one!” he said with a yellowed smile, “and you’ll have a doozy of a time getting HIM out!”

“And why is that?” She asked, angered that her orders had apparently not been followed to the letter.

“Christoph,” the castellan laughed, “your mother has been trying to kill that little insect for the better part of a year!”

Her brow furrowed, “Explain and be quick.”

The castellan shrugged, “it’s not a quick story my queen.”

“Then I suppose we shall make time,” she muttered, wondering what horror of her mother’s she was about to uncover, “begin.”

“Well your mother she had this idea about making a giant soldier see?” The castellan said with a grin, “a potion we cooked up… well obviously I wasn’t going to try it, half of those potions kill you in a terrible manner as I’m sure you know.” The soldiers and Lady Tabitha looked uncomfortable, Isabel forced herself to be steely eyed as he continued.

“Well I went down to the orphanage with some of the bullyboys, the nuns were pretty upset as usual but this one fellow, he was older, too old to still be at that orphanage, about your age your majesty… but I suppose he earned his keep somehow… anyways he ran out with a knife and killed one of the men, and the way I saw it that made him our volunteer.”

“And this potion?” She asked quietly, “what did it do to this poor man?”

“Well it didn’t make him bigger that’s for sure!” the fat man chortled, “he’s teensy tiny now! He’d fit in your hand! Your mother was just going to step on him and put him out of his misery but he scampered off before she could get him and he’s been running around the castle snatching crumbs to stay alive ever since.”

“That’s monstrous,” she breathed, “I’ll set our best alchemists to fixing him. Where is he now? Bring me this poor man-“

“Oh he’s in the walls,” the Castellan said, gesturing around, “lower levels mostly, he’s like a rat… and he’s also why this castle has no rats, spiders, or other pests, he cut his way through them in the first week. I think that’s why your mother never put much effort into tracking him down honestly.” He grinned viciously, “no fixing that one either, even your mother didn’t really know what she was doing. He’ll be living like a mouse until someone steps on-“

“Enough,” she said, “take this… creature down to the village and let the townspeople deliver justice as they see fit.” That was as good as a death sentence and the castellan squealed for mercy as he was dragged away. She stood up and motioned for Tabitha to follow her, “We will go down to the dungeons and find this poor young man, he will live a pampered life of luxury to repay my family’s debt to him.”

“A fitting show of the new direction the crown is taking your majesty!” Tabitha said with a smile.

…

Christoph regarded his supplies, since being shrunk he’d found it best to stockpile food at waystations throughout the castle complete with spare clothes and weapons. He was outfitted in a hand sewn tunic made from a discarded wash rag, with a needle fashioned into a sword at his belt he almost looked like a proper warrior.

“Queen Claribel I will destroy you yet,” he promised himself, he didn’t even care about growing back to his normal size anymore, he just wanted revenge for the things he’d spied during his time as a rat in the walls of the keep.

“Christoph!” a woman’s voice called, “Christoph please come out!”

Please come out? That was a new one. Did she think he was so tired and weak that he’d fall for it? He rolled his eyes and ran through the old rat’s nests to the Queen’s dungeon and peered out through his favorite peephole.

He cursed as he saw the black-haired young woman, so Claribel had perfected her youth serum… he’d hoped eventually old age might kill her if nothing else but now… he would need to come up with a better plan to end her, the world depended on it. She had another woman with her, a lady he didn’t recognize, no doubt one of her lickspittles come to beg for mercy.

“Christoph we just want to talk,” the woman said.

“What do we have to talk about Queen Claribel?” He sneered. The two women started, one thing that hadn’t shrunk was his voice, he was still as loud as he ever was, to them it must have seemed as though the wall was talking.

“I-I’m not-“ The young woman began, “My mother, Queen Claribel, is dead… I am the new Queen, my name is Isabel and I’m here to undo my mother’s evil works. I’d like you to come out so I can try to make amends.”
“Hah!” he chuckled, “Even if you AREN’T Claribel, why should I trust any vile disgusting spawn of that woman?”

Isabel frowned, “A certain amount of skepticism is fair but you mustn’t call your queen such names-“

“Well I wouldn’t want to offend,” he shouted, “I’ll refrain from mentioning your majesty’s whorish clothing and fat bosom.”

“F-fat-“ Isabel was shocked and unconsciously she brought a hand up to cover herself, was her dress cut THAT low? No, he was just being rude.

Christoph felt a pang of regret, judging by the fact that she wasn’t conjuring a fireball or screeching obscenities at him this really WASN’T Claribel. In truth the new Queen, if that’s who she was, was stunning. He’d hated admitting it to himself but he’d lusted after Claribel too, and this girl was her twenty years younger and without the crazed look in her eyes.

“I am going to… overlook that,” Isabel said, “If you don’t trust me yet Christoph I completely understand, my mother was a monster and I understand we have a certain physical resemblance.”

“It’s almost uncanny,” Tabitha admitted.

“You’re not helping!” Isabel hissed, “I will order the servants to leave water and food down here for you until you’re ready to come out. I want you to know you’ll get to stay in the castle and every need you have will be satisfied for as long as you want.”

“I’ll pass on your obviously poisoned food,” he called, “and I got everything I wanted when Claribel and that fat pale worm were in charge I think I can outmaneuver you.”

“That fat pale worm is likely being strung up in the town square right now,” Tabitha said, “if it makes you feel better.”

He couldn’t help but smile, if that was true the new queen had already made at least one good decision. Still she was almost certainly evil, one didn’t have Claribel as a mother and turn out normal… right? And she was the spitting image of her mother! No, this new evil queen would be the focus of his efforts from now on.

…

Isabel sighed, it had been a long day, her coronation had been a rather emotionless affair, and while the lords of the kingdom had all pledged fealty there were any number of roving bandits and foreign agitators she would now need to deal with. As she kicked off her shoes and began to disrobe she heard a scuttering noise in the corner of her bedroom. At first she dismissed it as a mouse but then paused.

“There are no mice in this castle,” she said aloud. She whirled around and spotted the tiny man on her dresser. He seemed shocked and the two of them made eye contact across the room. He was blond, lithe but muscular, with a boyish face that she found adorable. He leapt over the side of the dresser, causing his makeshift garment to flap upward a moment, Isabel giggled to herself as she saw that whatever else he hadn’t been able to make himself tiny underwear.

She rushed to the dresser and peered around the side, there was a small mousehole in the wall and she had a feeling that’s where he was. With a grunt she forced the dresser away from the wall and knelt down next to it.

“Christoph are you in there?” she asked softly, “Do you want to come out yet?”

“I’ll never surrender to your evil!” he shouted back.

She was tired and feeling a bit playful, “Christoph,” Isabel began, “were you watching me change?”

“I was looking for a weak point,” he shouted back.

She rolled her eyes and walked over to her nightstand where the chambermaid had left a few biscuits and a glass of milk for her before bed. She left one by his mousehole and took a bite of the other before climbing into bed.

…

When she woke up the next morning she walked over to the wall and was pleased to see a few bites missing from the biscuit she’d left there the night before.

“If anyone is listening,” she said sweetly, “I could leave some more food here if you want it.”

“I only took it because I saw you eat one!” she heard a voice shout from inside the walls, “I won’t fall for your tricks, your doom is at hand witch!”

She sighed and decided to get dressed for the day, before taking her nightgown off she DID take a minute to glance around the nooks and crannies of the room.

…

Isabel looked in despair at her mother’s alchemy lab, where her mother had been a talented witch and sorceress she’d been raised far away from the capital in a keep with a tutor chosen for her by Lady Tabitha. While she knew much of writing and mathematics magic was something that was alien to her. She’d hoped that some talent was in the blood but she’d been unable to accomplish anything except mix some odd liquids and create smoke.

As it turned out at least some of her mother’s skill was needed, the swamp tribes had been supplied with a water purification draught by her mother as payment for their loyalty. Without her they were suffering from disease as their acrid swamp became foul once again. She’d resolved to learn to brew the draught herself and give it to them as a show of good faith, but it was harder than she’d expected. She added three frog’s eyes to the cauldron and was rewarded as the mixture began to bubble red.

“Finally,” she muttered. She turned to consult the ancient tome again, she looked back and did a double take, a tiny man, Christoph was on the table opposite the cauldron, he held some kind of powder in a glass flask as big as he was. Holding it over his head like he was tossing a boulder he grinned viciously at her as he tossed it in.

“Christoph what are you-“

As the flask fell into the cauldron the mixture bubbled and then the very liquid itself seemed to fizzle and steam, she coughed as the air became hazy

“Consider your plan foiled!” she heard him shout, by the time the smoke cleared he was back in the walls.

“Christoph!” she practically screamed, “What in damnation was that for!?”

“You were brewing a poison!” his voice came, she thought he had to be somewhere up in the ceiling from the sound.

“It was a water purification potion!” she said in exasperation, “The swamp tribes are dying without it! Not that it matters, it wasn’t going to work anyway.”

There was silence for a moment, “Well you made a poison, so it’s probably a good thing I stopped you.”

“I followed the directions exactly!” She replied, “Three frog eyes!”

“Yeah, but they’ve got to come from one three eyed frog,” he replied, “I watched your mother work in here every day I think I know all of her usual potions from memory.”

Her eyes lit up, “Would you… come down here and make one for me?”

There was another moment of silence. Then she heard a sound like a ball of paper falling to the floor and felt just the light jab of something sharp at her ankle. She looked down in surprise to see Christoph there with his little needle sword.

“Put me up on the table,” he said in a low voice. She hesitantly picked him up and he flinched as her fingers closed around him. They were soft, and warm, and she was gentle… but he hadn’t been picked up since the old queen had shrunk him and being held in a hand reminded him that he was small, that the holes he scurried in and out of weren’t simply a dungeon he’d mastered, they were for mice… mice like him.

“Okay,” he began, “first, you need to put on the witch hat,” he pointed to a black felt hat hanging on the wall.

“Really?” She asked, a bit surprised.

“Magic isn’t science,” he said testily, “she always wore it when she made anything down here, so you should too.”

Isabel hesitantly put the hat on and felt a jolt of electricity run up her fingers, “Oh yes!” she said a bit breathily, “I feel it!”

Christoph looked at the fire in her eyes and wondered if he’d made a mistake, her hair frayed just a bit at the edges… she looked very much like her mother.

“Okay, start with that powder over there,” he said, forcing himself to ignore it.

He walked her through the potion, with an animated flourish she added the ingredients one after another, and as the cauldron bubbled she let out a cackle that was very unlike the young princess and which sent a familiar chill up his spine.

Finally it was done, Isabel had a wide grin, “Wow, I feel like I just ran a mile!” she said, panting a bit. She was covered in sweat, “So one drop of this and all the water becomes pure huh?”

“It should,” he said quietly, “why don’t you take off the hat now?” She blinked and reached up to it, she’d almost forgotten she was wearing it.

“You’re right of course,” she said, though he was very conscious of the fact that it was still on her head, her finger traced the brim, “It does have a certain style to it though doesn’t it? I’d have to find something in black to match it.”

“Your mother had a whole closet of robes like that which will fit you perfectly,” Christoph said darkly as he backed away.

Her hand fell away from the brim of the hat and his heart sank as her eyes regarded him, “You know a lot about her don’t you?” Isabel said quietly “All of that arcane knowledge took her a lifetime to acquire, you could help me fill in some of the gaps she left, we could really make some changes around here, for the better.”

“I suppose,” he muttered as he edged back. A predatory grin spread over her face as she moved a bit closer to the table.

“Now that you’ve come out of your little tunnels I think we should talk about how it’s going to be from now on.”

“I j-just wanted to help you with one potion,” he stammered, the table was high… could he make the jump to the floor? He looked back at her, in the low torchlight of the dungeon she was frightening, but also stunning, like a goddess looming over him.

“There will be no more of this running around in the walls like a mouse,” she proclaimed, slowly laying a hand down on either side of him, “You’ll stay with me, you’ll teach me my mother’s secrets and I’ll pamper you and keep you by my side always.” She tapped her chin with a finger, thinking, “I saw a birdcage in one of the storage rooms, it’s perfect.”

He turned and sprinted for the wall, she dove for him over the table but her hand just missed him as he leapt over the edge. He landed and grimaced at the pain in his shins, but nothing was broken so he kept moving. Before she could get around the table he was already slipping through a crack in the walls.

Isabel sighed and forced herself to pull the hat off, she was instantly filled with regret and guilt as the high from the magic left her. She glanced down at the crack he’d slipped through and knelt down next to it.

“Christoph,” she said softly, “I’m… sorry I don’t know what came over me, it was like I suddenly just HAD to have you. I promise I won’t wear that hat again!”

“You’ll have to if you want to keep your subjects in clean water,” he called back.

“B-but the hat made me evil!” she said in a panic.

She heard a sigh from inside the wall, “using magic doesn’t make you evil, it just makes you impulsive and it… tears away some inhibitions. The hat just focuses the magic you already have.”

Since shrinking he’d only played with magic a little, you could only watch an evil queen performing witchcraft all day for so long before trying a few spells yourself. He was familiar with the giddy feeling of invincibility, the sudden urge to eat a week’s store of food. He mostly only ever set wards to keep bugs away or the occasional invisibility charm, the kinds of things Isabel was working with were probably far more potent. Still that meant a part of her DID want to catch him for herself…

He heard her sniff as she tried not to cry, and he peered out from the shadows, there was a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Do you think you can make the potion on your own?” He called out.

“I-“ she sniffed, “Yes… if you won’t help me again.”

“So you can stuff me in a bird cage?” he asked, “carry me around and dress me up like a doll?”

“That was just-“ she looked for the right words, “I mean you’re cute, and brave, a-and I just felt like a queen should get what she wants and-“

He didn’t listen to the rest as he ran back into the tunnels. When he’d made it a fair distance away he leaned against the stones and thought over the encounter… she thought he was cute? And brave? Was she telling the truth? Probably, he decided, it would be hard to conceal anything with that much magic running through you… but he still wondered about her intentions for the rest of the kingdom.

“No way I’m going to let her catch me and make me her pet,” he muttered as he disappeared into the deeper tunnels.

…

Some time later when her emotions had calmed somewhat Isabel sat in thought, some nobleman or another was reciting tax figures while she pretended to pay attention. She knew Tabitha would handle it all anyways, her mother had hoarded so much gold in the castle that money was, for the moment, not a concern anyways.

Christoph was so determined to see her as an heir to her mother’s evil deeds, and her first experiment with magic had probably only confirmed everything he ever suspected. She sighed, she really did want him to come out and be her friend willingly… would she really keep him caged up? Well, she had to admit there was an appeal to the idea, maybe just once or twice, for fun.

“Lady Tabitha,” she said as the last of the nobles left for the day, “Do the maids have any mousetraps that would… leave the creature alive?”

Tabitha smiled and rolled her eyes, instantly guessing what it was about, “Are we finally going after a certain little blond mouse?”

“Yes I’m going to try,” she said firmly.

“Ah ha I knew it!” his voice came from the wall behind the throne. She scowled and turned around, hoping to see whatever pinhole he was spying on her from.

“How long have you been spying on my court meetings?” She asked.

“I know everything you do!” he replied defiantly, “I’ve already mapped out all of your evil plans before you’ve even thought of them!”

“Evil plans?” Tabitha asked, a bit amused, “Does our dear Queen do something more interesting when I’m not around?”

“Well no,” the voice inside the wall admitted, “actually compared to your mother’s court this whole thing is kind of… boring.”

“I know,” Isabel said, rolling her eyes, “Like it matters how much wool we have-“

“Christoph!” Tabitha said, cutting the queen off, “Surely by now you know the Queen isn’t evil, could you please just join the court? We could really use your expertise on a number of matters.”

“I’ll never join you!” He sneered, “Your diabolical empire will crumble and I will remain free!” There was a sound like the scurrying of a mouse behind the walls as he fled through whatever makeshift tunnels he’d made.

“Gods he’s cute,” Tabitha chuckled, oblivious to Isabel’s clenched fists.

“I’m going to catch him,” she snarled, “and then we’re going to be BEST FRIENDS.”

“Or more than friends?” Tabitha said demurely, causing the young queen to blush. “Oh don’t act so embarrassed Isabel I’ve seen him plenty of times, he might be small but he’s quite comely and that little rag he wears lets you see almost everything.”

“Tell the chambermaids that I will award a bag of gold to the woman who brings me Christoph!” She thought a minute, “Alive and unharmed! That last part is very important!”

…

Christoph wasn’t sure what had happened. The maids normally ignored him, usually if he scurried through the kitchen they turned downcast eyes away from him. He had been a painful reminder of the old Queen’s cruel experiments. Now though…

“There he is!” one of them giggled as a dozen young women in maid outfits turned from their kitchen duties to look at him. He was standing on a table and holding a scrap of bread. There was an awkward silence as they all seemed to encircle him before he dropped the bread and bolted back towards the wall.

He dodged a number of hands reaching for them, one of them grabbed the corner of his makeshift tunic and there was a ripping sound as it was torn away. The maids exploded into laughter and there were a few wolf whistles as he dodged the last few hands and ducked inside his mousehole.

He stopped and panted a few minutes, very aware of how naked he was, “What in the name of the gods was that?”

…

Isabel still left a single biscuit outside the mousehole in her room every night, always taking a single bite to show the tiny man who she was sure was watching that it wasn’t poisoned or tainted in any way. Every morning there was more of it missing so she guessed he had received the message, she’d been very strict with staff about keeping any scraps of food out of reach for the past week so the biscuit in her room was probably all he was getting. She wondered if she should start leaving a few pieces of cured meat, if he was running around in the castle walls all day he would soon need something a bit more nutritious than her dessert.

She began her morning routine  and found the usual pieces missing and nodded with approval as she got dressed. She glanced up at the walls and wondered if he was watching. She grinned and waggled her butt once just in case.

Lady Tabitha was waiting for her in the war room, looking over a map of the country, “The bandits have joined with an orc clan,” she said solemnly, “if we don’t do something they’ll pillage half the countryside.”

Isabel swore angrily. Some of her mother’s loyalists had turned to theft and brigandry once she’d taken the throne, and now the matter threatened to escalate into full blown war.

“I want this crushed immediately,” she said, looking over the map, “if their fortress is located in the woods here we can drive them into the hills and force a battle-“

“It won’t work,” Christoph’s voice came from inside the walls.

Isabel sighed, “Christoph this is important, please don’t try to sabotage my war plan-“

“I’m just saying it won’t work,” he said again, “and your evil army will be routed… by that other, eviler, army.”

Tabitha frowned, “Would you be willing to elaborate?”

“There are tunnels all over those woods,” he explained, “we used to use them to keep people away from… the old queen in them, if they’re camped out there they’ve probably found them and they’ll just surround your army once you’re in there.”

“Could you show me where they are on this map?” Isabel said.

“I’m not coming down there,” he said from somewhere above them. They heard the sound of scurrying feet again.

Tabitha smirked, “What if Isabel goes to the other side of the room? Could you show me?”

There was silence a minute while he considered it, “Fine,” he said, “but if she moves I’m gone.”

Isabel growled but slowly walked to the far side of the room and stood with her arms crossed. Across the room she saw his tiny face peek out from behind a crack in the stones she hadn’t even noticed. They made eye contact and she narrowed her eyes as he strutted across the room to the table. Tabitha lowered her hand down for him to climb on, holding it in an open palm and then lifting him gently to the tabletop.

“So they’re here,” he pointed, “here, and here.” Tabitha marked every location on the map with a small quill pen.

“We could probably use the tunnels ourselves to catch them unawares,” she mused, “Thank you Christoph you’ve done the realm a great service.”

“I don’t want to help you,” he muttered, “but those bandits will do worse to the people there than you will…”

“You’re such a dutiful young man!” Tabitha said, ruffling his hair with one finger. The older woman shot a glance at Isabel who was fuming with jealousy from her spot in the corner.

“I am,” he said proudly, “and that is why I continue my resistance against Queen Isabel’s tyranny, even as she ramps up her campaign of terror against me, I will never yield!” He stuck his tongue out at her in a rather juvenile gesture that caused her to growl in frustration.

“Campaign of terror!?” She protested, “I put out a cage with some cheese in it!”

“And I got out of it WITH the cheese because I’m two steps ahead of you,” he replied smugly.

Tabitha just laughed, “I do wish you two could get along,” she gently gripped Christoph and lowered him to the floor so he could return to his hole. When he was halfway there Isabel couldn’t contain herself any longer and rushed across the room, but he spied the movement in the corner of his eye and was back inside the stone wall before she ever got within arm’s reach.

“I’m not evil Christoph!” she practically shouted, “Just come out of there already, we all know how this is going to end!”

“With you in chains when I figure out a way to lead the forces of good to victory!” he shouted back.

She sighed and leaned against the wall, making eye contact with Lady Tabitha who was struggling not to laugh.

“I really like that young man,” Tabitha commented.

Isabel just glared at her.

…

Isabel shifted in her sleep and opened her eyes, she heard a noise in the room somewhere… grunting? She sat up and reached for the oil lamp. Walking over to the mousehole she frowned, the biscuit didn’t have any bites out of it. She swung the lamp up to her dresser where she’d kept a honey cake from the previous evening. She almost dropped the lantern in excitement, there, stuck to the side of the dessert, was Christoph!

“Well well well,” she said with a wide grin as she placed the lantern on the dresser next to him, “Looks like someone is a bit… stuck?” The cake had an amberlike glaze that was runny when it was warm but it solidified rapidly… apparently Christoph had tried to take a piece at just the wrong time, both of his arms were stuck solidly to the side of the gooey pastry.

He didn’t reply he just strained, almost to the point of screaming, trying to pull his arms free. She watched him and enjoyed the show as he continued to panic, finally collapsing against the sugary surface, panting.

“Is this how it ends?” She asked sarcastically, “you got a sweet tooth and now your whole rebellion is over… it’s kind of pathetic.” She reached for him and relished the feeling as her fingers wrapped around his toned body. With a forceful tug she pulled him free, the globs of dessert still imprisoning his arms.

“Let me fix that,” she opened her mouth and he panicked as his entire torso passed her lips. She held him tightly as her tongue teased his body and enjoyed the sweet honeyed flavor that dissolved off of him. With a pop she pulled him out of her mouth and giggled at his shocked expression.

“Uhh… T-Thanks” he stuttered, “Well since you’re not evil... you can let me go now-“

“Oh no, it’s way too late for that,” she said, “I’ve EARNED this, I WON tiny! Now let me find someplace to put you for a minute…” she looked around the room and spotted one of her riding boots and grinned, she’d been in them for hours every day over the past week, and it had been hot. They needed cleaning, but for now she was happy they were dirty. She walked over to them, swaying her hips happily as she did, and peered down into them. With a quick grin at Christoph she dropped him down to the bottom of the boots.

“Isabel what are you doing?” He said, standing up and trying to ignore the strong smell, it was overpowering and there was no way he’d be able to scale them to get out. She just laughed at him and he heard her walk away. Was she planning to leave him here all night?

He heard the clink of metal and saw her face fill the view of the world at the top of the shoe, “Guess what I’ve got Christoph?” His world was rocked as she picked up the boot, he tried to steady himself as she tipped it and sent him tumbling out onto a padded surface. He tried to stand up in a daze and saw brass bars all around him. He gasped as he realized he was in the birdcage she’d mentioned so long ago.

“Oh one last thing!” her giant hand reached in and just like the maid’s hand a few days ago she snagged the corner of his makeshift outfit and simply ripped it off him. The hand withdrew and he felt a sense of finality as he stood naked listening to the clang of the birdcage door slamming shut.

“No!” he shouted in despair, he ran to the door and pulled on it, but it didn’t budge.

“YES!” She laughed evilly, “Look, I’ve got you! You’re mine!”

He hated himself for thinking how beautiful she looked with that smirk on her face, he sighed and fell to his knees, “You’ve got me,” he muttered, “you win.”

“Damned right,” she muttered. There was a minute where she looked at him and then slowly she breathed out and chuckled softly. She unhooked the birdcage from its stand and slowly lowered it to the floor. He watched her finger come down and unhook the latch locking the door shut. Slowly the brass door swung open.

“What are you doing?” He asked cautiously, “you just said it, you won.”

“I did,” she said, “And I want you to know I did, but I’m not my mother, and I won’t keep you as a prisoner no matter how adorable you look in there.”

“So it was all just a game to you then?” he asked.

She shrugged, “A little, I really do want you to come out and spend more time with me… with all of us Christoph. You’ve really been a huge help to me and the whole kingdom, but if you don’t want to… well you’re free to do as you wish. If you just want to keep living like a mouse and collecting scraps you can do that as long as you want, or we can take you back to the orphanage or anywhere else you think you want to go.”

“You didn’t have to take my clothes,” he muttered as he stepped out of the cage.

“Oh, did I offend your modesty? You’ve been spying on me changing since I moved in,” she said dismissively, she allowed herself a quick leer at his naked form, “turnabout is fair play.”

“I was looking for a weak spot!” he protested feebly.

“I see,” she giggled, she jokingly fondled her breasts through the nightgown, “so were you looking for a weak point on my chest, or are you the kind of man who looks for a weak point on a lady’s derriere?” She wiggled the toes on one of her bare feet, “somewhere else perhaps?”

“I uhh…” he glanced at the mousehole and forced himself not to run for it, “Well yes you’re quite beautiful.”

“Hmm…” she muttered before yawning, “Well Christoph, I’m going back to sleep. Would you like to stay here with me or go back in the cold drafty walls?”

He thought over the offer, and over what he had learned from watching her. She cared about the realm, he’d determined that early on, and although he’d initially believed it was purely to use the kingdom’s people for her own foul purposes he’d eventually come to realize she was everything she said. She’d wanted him, and that had given him hesitation but… well maybe she really cared for him too?

“If I stay do I stay in the cage?” he asked hesitantly.

A smile curled at the corners of her mouth, “Only if you want to, maybe the boot would suit you better?”

“No N-“ he stopped himself from saying “not tonight,” the last thing he needed was to plant the idea in her head. “Could… Could I stay in the bed with you?”

Her eyes lit up, “Yes!” she said far too quickly, before he could react she was scooping him up, he found himself hugged to her breasts and slowly worked between them. “How’s that?” she asked eagerly

“It’s warm,” he squeaked as his face went red, he felt her heartbeat as she lay back in the bed. He felt himself becoming enveloped by the massive breasts as she lay back down. He lay still a moment, wondering if she was going to say anything else but he heard her breath and heartbeat slow as she fell asleep. Nestled between the soft globes it didn’t take him long to drift off himself.

…

She slowly opened her eyes and realized she had Christoff’s sleeping form snuggled against her cheek, she giggled as he stirred awake himself.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” she said with a smile.

He started and looked around before remembering the events of the previous night, “G-good morning,” he stuttered, “So… what now?”

She stretched and yawned, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was still in her fist. She realized what she’d done and quickly pulled him back in front of her face.

“Well we should get dressed… or I’ll get dressed, I’m going to get clothes made for you I don’t like those little cloth tunics you wear.”

“What’s wrong with them?” he asked with a frown.

“Well Christoph when you run away they tend to flap up and we can see your umm… parts,” she said with a giggle, “Every lady in the castle has seen it all I think, not that it’s a bad view we all quite like it.”

“Oh,” he said, his face burning red. “Erm… I tried my best but I just don’t think I was meant to be a tailor.”

“I’m sure we can find a toymaker who will make you some doll clothes,” She said, idly she opened her nightstand and grabbed a silk handkerchief, wrapping it around him like a robe. He shivered a bit as the soft fabric ran over his skin, Isabel smirked a bit as the tip of her finger brushed over something hard. Grabbing a small string she tied it around his waist and placed him on the end table to look at her work.

“I think that will do for now,” she said with a smile.

“Am I… going somewhere?” He asked hesitantly.

“Well I thought you would sit in on my morning court session with me,” she said, “You were probably going to spy on it anyway and it’ll be much more comfortable in my lap than in those drafty walls don’t you think?”

He was about to mention something about heading back into the walls but stopped and stared as she pulled her nightgown over her head and reached for a regal looking dress hanging from a hook by her bead. She was right when she accused him of spying on her changing of course, but this close the experience of seeing her enormous form was far more powerful.

Before he could stammer anything else she swept him off the surface of the end table with one hand and delicately began carrying him out of the room. She was humming an upbeat tune as she practically skipped towards the throne room.

Lady Tabitha was the only one waiting there when they arrived, she greeted the queen with a smile and then quizzically looked at the tiny young man being carried by her.

“Good morning Christoph,” she said with a smile, “Has the queen finally managed to convince you of her noble intentions?”

 “I’m just… testing some waters,” he said defensively. “I haven’t ruled out the possibility that this is some long term plan of hers-“

“He got stuck on the icing of a dessert I didn’t finish,” Isabel said with a grin.

Tabitha snorted and tried to keep herself from laughing at the young man’s expense. From the beet red face she could tell he was fighting back embarrassment over the circumstances of his capture.

“This would have never happened with your mother,” he growled as she ruffled his hair with a single finger, “she hated sweets.” He paused a minute, “How did Queen Claribel die anyway?”

“She choked a cherry pit at her winter cottage,” Isabel said with a shrug.

“A cherry pit?” he said numbly, “I spent a year living like a rodent to uncover all of her secrets, and she choked on a cherry pit?”

“If it makes you feel any better I sold all of my family estates and a number of priceless heirlooms to finance and supply an army for a rebellion we didn’t even need,” Tabitha said with a shrug, “at least you picked up some interesting magical knowledge, I learned that mercenary contracts are non-refundable.”  

“I’m going to be the size of a mouse for the rest of my life,” he said numbly, going limp in Queen Isabel’s hand, “I thought that I could use it for SOMETHING, find out Claribel’s weakness, maybe kill her myself even… but she just went off and died in a stupid fashion…” he sighed and glanced at Tabitha, trying to avoid looking at Isabel, “It’s a terrible thing to say but I almost hoped the new queen would be… well maybe not like Claribel but someone I could keep up the good fight against.”

Isabel blinked a few times, “Well I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I just want to help the people of this kingdom.”

“I know,” he said, and she could tell from his tone it was almost hurting him to say it, “You’re… not evil, not even a little.”

The three of them were silent at that before he sighed, “So what now? I suppose I’m really going to be your pet forever then?”

“As amusing as it would be to introduce you as the royal pet I was thinking we’d give you a title like advisor,” Tabitha said offhandedly, “you might be small but your knowledge of the previous monarch is invaluable.”

“Indeed,” Isabel agreed, “If we could after we hear the reports from the other advisors I’d like you to teach me a few more of my mother’s potions, I’m very interested in healing draughts.”

“Yes I know how to make those,” he said, mentally picturing the rest of his life, and with a smile he realized maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

Isabel seemed to be reading his thoughts and matched his grin as she sat on her throne and placed his tiny form on her knee. Tabitha nodded at the two of them as she left the court to fetch the other courtiers and advisors who would be boring them that day with crop harvest reports and the like.

Once they were alone Isabel gave him a small teasing smile, “So Christoph,” she said quietly, “I was wondering… you seem awfully disappointed that I’m not evil, I was thinking when we’re done here maybe if you wanted I could be just a little evil…”

He looked up at the giant queen and gulped, “Uhh, what did you have in mind?”

“Well like I said I won our little game and I want to savor my victory,” she said huskily, “I think I’ll start by playing with my new pet.”

His eyes widened and he felt himself growing excited at the idea, “I-I’ll never talk,” he tried to say playfully but his voice cracked slightly.

“I’ll find a way to get some noises out of you,” she said quietly as the first courtiers entered.

Gently she pushed him up her leg until his back was against her abdomen. He felt the soft motion of her breathing and if he really focused he could he even hear her heartbeat. A sense of peace overwhelmed him for the first time in years as he really let himself relax. As the members of the court presented their reports the queen idly placed a hand down on him, resting her palm on his tiny form like a massive blanket. It felt like the last year of fighting and spying and scurrying through the castle all caught up with him then, as though it was being lifted off him just by her presence. With a content sigh he let himself go limp against her, held in place by her warm hand, and wondered what the future held for the two of them. Glancing up at her he met her own furtive gaze and the two shared a quick smile.