Disclaimer: This story is fanfic only. No copyright infringement is intended. No money is made off of this and characters are...mostly OOC. I've said this before and I'll say it again: Everybody wins when nobody sues!

Chapter 3

The 11 Dancing Princesses....and one Prince

It was slower going with a cow but they managed it. Before they set off, Brian allowed them a bit of a rest and let the cow loose on the haystack. The cow ate half of it before it finally stopped, stood there, farted noisily and fragrantly, and dropped a few cow patties.

Brian took the hint, and looped the golden chain around its neck in a cowbell knot. The chain lengthened magically to just the right length and the cow followed obediently along.

So there they were; a man, a cow, and a swan. They made a very odd company indeed but there was nothing to be done. They were who they were.

The cow slowed them down a great deal as it needed rest and food and water and it slept at night. However, they made the best of it and every night Justin would collar Brian the owl and Brian would therefore fly off and hunt for voles and rats and even the occasional rabbit. Justin would skin and otherwise prepare them and between the both of them they would eat them during their rest periods. As they walked along during the day, they would blatantly steal hay or field grass or corn plants (they would sneak a little ways into the field so it was not obvious) and feed it to the cow as they walked along. The let the cow drink deeply at every stream or lake they came across.

It was a slow, rough, and dishonest journey they travelled but there was nothing to be done. They had no choice.

A week later, they reached the capital city. The cow had filled out a bit but it was still very skinny. And they still looked a motley crew of Brian, a cow, and a swan riding on the top of her back.

Brian asked directions and soon made his way to the king's stables.

"I would like to stable my cow here," he said, "I want to try the challenge."

"It's 10 guilders per week," the stable master said shortly.

"I don't have the money at the moment," returned Brian carefully, (the guy was built like a brick shithouse) "But I will pay you after I solve the challenge, plus a few weeks after that as well as I need to journey on after that."

"No one has solved the challenge yet. I doubt you will either," the stable master said rudely.

"Well, I will give it my best attempt," returned Brian, as he braved on, "Isn't there anything I can give you as collateral?"

The stable master thought for a minute and then said, "Your cow and your bird will be collateral. If you fail, you will be dead and I will sell them to the butcher to get my money back."

The swan gave Brian a sharp look.

"You give me little choice. Agreed," said Brian, "However, you need not look after my swan. It stays with me."

"Don't worry," said the stable master, grabbing the cow's chain and leading it away, "I'll make sure it's delivered to me after you are dead."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," muttered Brian sarcastically, but he turned and left the stables with Justin following close behind him. He gave Brian a sharp peck in the ankle, which Brian could tell meant he was pissed off.

"I know, I know. Lay off OK? I have a good feeling about this. We can do this. We have each other."

Justin gave a decidedly pissed off honk.

"I know, I know! I had to make a snap decision. Geez! I'm sorry OK?"

"HONK!"

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Quite soon after, Brian stood before the king and queen. They were King Carl and Queen Debbie. They were slightly older but still handsome and stately people. They also could be very judgmental but this was not always a bad thing.

"So, you want to accept the challenge!" King Carl boomed, "Who are you and where do you come from?"

But Brian had had a few minutes to think outside before they let him in and had come up with a plan.

"My name," Brian said, "is Britin. I come from the Eastern province but news of your problem has travelled far. So I thought I would come and solve it and gain the prize."

"And what makes you so cock sure you can solve what so many have failed?" asked King Carl.

"Because...I have...the magic," said Brian/Britin mysteriously.

Everyone in the court oooh'ed and ahhhh'ed impressively.

"Quiet!" yelled King Carl, "And what magic is this?"

"At sunset I become as a different man. At night, I am a gorgeous blond with blue eyes. And my swan turns into an owl. At dawn, we change back into this form again."

"An interesting magic indeed. But how will this help you solve what happens with my daughters and son?"

"I am hoping this will give me extra insight into the situation, your Majesty," said Brian...or Britin as we must call them both from now on.

"That's highly unlikely," scoffed the king, "How do we even know that this magic is real? I should have your head cut off right now for trying to deceive me!"

"Carl!" barked Queen Debbie, "Simmer down! You'll hike up your blood pressure!"

"Wait until sunset," said Britin, "I will need a sheet but other than that I will transform right here for you."

"Why do you need a sheet?" asked King Carl suspiciously.

"The transformation....isn't pretty," said Britin ominously...and untruthfully.

"So be it! Take them to a room, lock them in and bring them back just before sunset. If he tells the truth, he can stand watch outside my daughter's and son's room. If he fails and is shown a liar, he will instantly be killed!"

"Fair enough," agreed Britin, and allowed himself to be led from the room.

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Just before sunset....

The anticipation in the throne room was buzzing to a fever pitch. They were about to see real magic or an execution so of course everybody who was anybody was there to watch. Bets were plentiful.

Britin was led into the room in chains. His hands were cuffed behind him and he wore leg irons. The swan waddled gamely in behind him.

"Why is the prisoner shackled?" asked King Carl, "Did he try and get away?"

"No, Your Majesty. I came in to bring him, gave him the choice and he opted for it!"

"Opted for it! You big tease! I positively insisted!" groaned Britin, in pure pleasure. "What?" he asked to some stares, "What can I say? I'm a sucker for hot guys and cold steel!"

The swan gave him a not so gentle peck in the ankle and a sharp ‘HONK!'

"Uhhh...oh, right! Ummm...when I turn into my blond self though, I might not like it....quite so much. My personality's a bit different at night."

"Let's hope there'll be an improvement," quipped the king drily.

The sun was now just touching down, so Brian/Britin was unchained and given a large white bedsheet. He picked up the swan and draped the entire thing over the both of them.

The sun was halfway down.

With shaking fingers, Brian picked at the collar and freed Justin from it. Then he held onto the now wild and honking swan tightly and hurriedly buckled the collar onto his own neck.

The sun slivered and sent the last ray of the day into the world.

An unholy wind blew into the throne room and the sheet billowed and flapped as the transformations took place. The honking were terrible and to add effect, Brian made horrible cries of pain none of which he felt. For a second the two men were there together under the sheet.

"Love you," they both mouthed silently to each other.

And then Brian was transforming, the sheet was flapping around again and the people were all holding each other for sheer fright.

Then it was done, and a completely different young man was pulling the sheet off and there was an owl instead of a swan.

Justin/Britin pulled his way free of the sheet awkwardly and it pooled messily down around his feet. He stepped free. There was dead silence.

"Uh....hi there!" he said, somewhat breathlessly.

There was deafening applause and even the king looked somewhat impressed. Queen Debbie was smiling and applauding madly. Justin bowed appreciatively and casually bent and re-adjusted the collar to fit slightly more snug and comfortably on the owl. He whispered quickly to the owl and it immediately took off and flew majestically out a window.

"Oy! Where's it going?" cried the king.

"Oh! Well, when my bird is an owl, he's happier when he's night hunting. I sent him out and told him to have fun hunting rats but to be back before dawn." This was a lie.

"Oh, I see. Well, are you ready to try the challenge? This is your first night to try and find out where my children go and wear out their dancing shoes."

"Of course," answered Justin/Britin, "But I was curious..."

"Yes, Sunshine?" asked Queen Debbie.

"Well....have you ever just tried asking them where they go?"

"Oh well....you know teenagers!" answered King Carl, "They bottle right up and fly off the handle when you ask them any old thing."

"I see," said Britin. Inside, he thought, ‘So that's a no then.'

Aloud, he said, "Lead the way. I'll do my best."

"Guard!"

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From how everyone was talking, Justin thought he was going to be babysitting a bunch of kids. So imagine his surprise when he was shown to his own single bed in an adjacent room where 12 (count ‘em) twelve!!...fully grown young adults of marriageable age, the youngest who was the Prince named Gus who was 18 years old.

They all treated him very hospitably and made sure he was tucked in to his bed very comfortably. A few were a little grumpy about having yet another interloper invading their space. However, these received pokes and winks from the others, which Britin found very odd.

However, before he could address this in any depth, Prince Gus was approaching him with a glass of Jim Beam.

"We give all the contestants a nice drink as a present of hospitality. Please accept this with our compliments."

Well, there was nothing Britin could do without seeming incredibly rude, so he sipped and then drank deeply, and then thanked them all.

After awhile though, his eyes started to get heavier and heavier. His neck started to ache. He leaned back into his pillow, which seemed incredibly soft and comfortable. He watched everyone else get ready for bed. More and more and for longer times, his eyes closed. His head lolled. He was asleep.

Gus had been keeping watch and saw him fall asleep. He held up Justin's hand and then dropped it to make sure he was really out.

Out of earshot of his sisters, he whispered, "Sorry..."

Out loud, he said, "He's sleeping."

"Thank God!" bitched the eldest. "I hate these outsiders who stick their noses in our business!"

"There was a general consensus of agreement.

"But don't you feel bad at all? We've sent all these young men to the chopping block! We're as good as murderers!"

"They've sent themselves there by butting their noses in where they don't belong. Greedy fortune hunters who get what they deserve! We've told you all this before Gus! Besides, what if one of them wanted to marry us!? The princess speaking shuddered. "They'd take us away from our hunks down below. Now get dressed and stop whining. We've been all over this before!"

"I do love my prince from below," said Gus. He fingered Justin's sunshine locks. "But you...." he whispered out of earshot, "You, I'd let take me away from all this."

Out loud, he said, "Why don't you guys all just go this time? I don't feel like getting dressed up and I hate dressing up in girl's shoes. Honestly, I don't understand how you can wear out your shoes in one night!"

"Oh, you wear them out too, Gus! Besides, we've been over this a million times. Your hunk is waiting and they won't let us in without everyone being there! Now hurry up!"

Well, of course, they really gave Gus no choice, so he hurried and dressed in a gold tank top and matching shorts with golden makeup and glitter, as he knew his man liked that. Then he put on the pair of golden dancing shoes that were the bane of his existence as they were made for women but he knew they wouldn't be allowed in without them. So he put up with them.

The eldest princess went over to a tiled rose mosaic in the middle of the fireplace mantle and pressed it. An identical, larger mosaic in the center of the floor opened up like an iris and then dropped bit by bit to reveal a secret stairway that spiralled down. Going from eldest to youngest, all of them went down the stairs and vanished.

There were a few moments of quiet. Then the secret stairway reversed and closed back up. The room was now empty except for Justin who slept his drugged sleep.

Outside the window, on a tree, on a branch, unseen by all was a pair of round yellow eyes that had seen everything. They were attached to a pair of sensitive, feathered ears that had heard everything.

@@@@@

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING YET!!!!!?" screamed the jolliest king in the world.

"Well, I have a few clues but before I could confirm anything, I was drugged," said daytime Britin.

"Drugged...hmmmphhh! A likely story!" harrumphed the king as if it were Britin's fault for someone drugging him.

"Well, it won't happen again!" declared Britin.

@@@@@@@

That night.....

"Hello Britin," said Gus shyly, "Here's an evening Jim Beam for you again. I know how much you liked the last one."

"Thank you Gus," Justin/Britin said kindly, "I sure did." He took it from the young man and took a sip.

Gus just stood there awkwardly looking a little shamefaced. "Um....how was your day?"

"Pretty good. How was yours?"

"It was OK. Lessons were pretty hard today. The tutor doesn't like me."

"That's too bad. Looks like that nasty streak will continue tonight with that monster zit on your chin."

"WHAT!? Where??" Gus grabbed his face and turned to a mirror. He checked quickly and with relief found that Britin must be mistaken. There was nothing there. When he turned back Britin's glass was empty.

"You're being mean, I think," said Gus flirting a little, "There's nothing there."

Britin smiled to himself. A pity. This kid was adorable but he hadn't a snowball's chance in hell with him "You're right. Thank God. I guess I was thinking of your eldest sister's face for a second," he said, flirting back. He had noticed that Gus blatantly did not like that particular overly bossy, overly butch princess.

Gus giggled. "Yeah....sometimes Melanie's a real chore."

Britin smiled back and they chatted pleasantly for a few minutes. Soon though, Britin began to yawn and his head began to droop and snap back up.

"I know I'm supposed to keep any eye on you guys, but I'm soooo....tired. Have to stay up though...Have to...stay....awake..." Justin/Britin struggled a bit more and then fell back onto the bed and passed out. He began to snore gently.

Gus lifted and dropped his hand again and checked his eyelids. He was out.

"He's sleeping," he said as usual.

There was the usual flurry to get ready.

"God, don't you have any guilt in what we're doing? Any remorse? We're killing this young man off! And all the others too! And all so we can just go chase some tail!"

"Hey! You're chasing the tail too Gus! So think about that while you're up there on your high horse! Besides, we've only got to visit them 3 more times before the curse is broken and they can come up and marry us! Can you just hold your water...for three more days!!?" yelled Melanie.

Gus glared. It was at times like this when he really hated his sister. "I'd hold it a lot better if this innocent man could hold onto his head!" he declared defiantly.

However, he got ready with all the rest of them and soon Melanie was pressing the rose in the mantle again. The stairway opened and all of them trailed down through. The stairway closed.

The instant the noise stopped, Justin opened his eyes and sat up. His admiration for Gus now knew no bounds.

He pulled out a piece of paper from his shirt, perused it for a moment, and then plucked out something from the folds. He folded it up again and put it back lovingly into his bosom. He got up, pressed the rose and went down the stairway.

@@@@@@

Dear Justin,

After we transformed together under that sheet, I did what you told me and flew around the castle till I found the prince(esses)' bedroom.

I heard everything. The Jim Beam they give you is drugged so don't drink it. Pretend to fall asleep. Wait until they all leave. Then go to the mantle and press the rose tiles you find there. The mosaic on the floor will open like a stairway. Follow them, find out where they go and bring back proof.

You will need help and I have received this help. Today at about midday I fell asleep and dreamed. A very muscular Dom appeared to me. He wore a Muir cap had a walrus moustache and was dressed in leather shorts, boots and a leather harness. On his left arm he wore a leather armband and a leather glove on his hand and on his right hand he wore a woman's black silken evening glove and a pearl bracelet to fasten it on. He gave me the leather armband and the leather glove and told me if I wore it on my left side, I would become invisible. Then he gave me the silken glove and the pearl bracelet and told me if I wore it on my right side, I would be adorned in the hottest club clothes I could imagine. When I awoke, I had them in my lap. I assume they will work on you too.

I've enclosed them in this letter.

Best of luck, hotness. I love you.

Brian

@@@@@@

As Justin descended, he snapped on the leather armband and tugged on the leather glove on his left arm and hand. He watched himself become transparent and then vanish away altogether. It was a strange feeling to be there and yet not be there as well.

Gaining confidence, he hurried on down the stairs that spiralled down, down and around. He was in such a hurry to catch up that he turned a corner and suddenly he was there. Gus was right in front of him and before anything could be done, he bumped into him.

"Who's there?" asked Gus sharply, turning quickly.

Justin backed up and pressed against the wall. He didn't dare to breathe.

"What's the hold up!?" yelled Melanie from the front.

"Someone bumped into me! But there's no one there! It's all very strange! I feel a strange foreboding tonight! We should go back!" Gus yelled.

"Don't be silly! If we do, the curse will never be broken and our partners will be trapped in their curse forever! You're clumsy! You probably just fell against the wall!"

How can you argue with logic like that?

‘Bitch!' thought Gus and Justin.

The staircase went deeply down and then finally ended. They came out of a domed doorway and Justin gasped softly. Instead of a dark cavern there was a whole other world. It was hot and sultry as the summer up above. There was a green sky. They were walking along a marbled avenue lined with trees. At first, Justin thought it was the bright summer moon shining onto the trees, icing them silver. But as he looked closer, he saw that they really were silver! Amazing!

Justin reached up and broke off a twig. It made a loud crack.

"What was that?" Gus cried, who was closest to Justin, "Something's wrong! We should go back!"

"Don't be silly Gus! That must have been a welcome salute from our princes. We must be late! Hurry now!"

The rest of the squealed and hurried along a bit faster. Well, how can you argue with logic like that?

‘Bitch!' thought Gus and Justin.

The lines of silver trees were replaced with avenues of golden trees. Justin was reminded of autumn colors that herald the coming of the shorter days and colder weather that replace the hot days and sultry, warm nights of summer.

Carefully, he reached up and broke off a golden twig Of course, it made a loud crack.

"What was that?" cried Gus, "That was definitely something near! Something's wrong! We should go back!"

"Nonsense!" cried Melanie, "It was just another salute from our princes! Hurry! They're waiting!" And everyone jogged on ahead. Well, how can you argue with logic like that?

‘Bitch!' thought Gus and Justin.

The eleven princesses and one prince leapt and danced and jogged along and soon the walkway was lined with avenues of trees made out of crystalline diamond. The whole display reminded Justin of snow and ice studded trees in the middle of winter. It reminded him of Christmas in July. It was so beautiful he had to be a part of it. Well, that and he needed proof.

Carefully, Justin reached up and broke off a twig. Of course, it made a loud crack.

"OK, someone else HAD to have heard that!" yelled Gus, looking all around but of course finding nothing, "Something's definitely up! We really should go back!"

"Oh Gus! What a worrywart you are this night! Well you go back if you want but we're almost there! It was just another report from a salute! They're just excited! The curse is almost done and we must be late! But you go back if you are going to be such a whiner and worrywart!" And with many other words and barbs they teased him but Gus did not leave because he wanted to break the curse over his own musclebound prince and also because he didn't want to go all that long, silent way back through the strange trees alone.

At last he said, "I heard what I heard....bitch!" and then strode on ahead resolutely and refused to say another word to any of them.

The last word was said to any and all of them and they were all shocked into silence but since they were nearly there, they simply wiped the insult and shock off their faces and hurried on. All of them were a little worried at Gus's straight back and furious face and wondered if they had gone a little too far.

And then there was no time to think of anything else for they were there.

The walkway opened out into a shore and there was huge lake. Waiting on the shore were twelve handsome, young, strong men. Each man was waiting by a small boat.

As one, all the men held out their arms and the eleven princesses and Gus fell into them, each one into their particular sweetheart's embrace.

TBC