| The Transformation Story Archive | Horses and Doggies and Cats, Oh my... |
When You Love Somebody
"It's a beautiful night."
He held her more closely as they walked to the edge of the deck. "Not nearly as beautiful as you."
She smiled and kissed him. "And you're at least as handsome." She smiled sadly and looked across the moonlit meadow. "I wish my parents could have lived to meet you. I know my mother would have loved you. They always hoped I'd meet someone so kind, gentle..."
"Rich," he interrupted with a grin.
"Oh, stop," she said, slapping him lightly on the chest. "You know I loved you before I knew you had a penny." She sighed. "I think it was just love at first sight."
He hugged her closely. "I'm sure that your parents are looking down on us right now," he reached into his pocket, "and I'm sure they'll love this." He pulled out the small ring box and flipped open the lid. The large diamond reflected the moonlight brilliantly. "Elizabeth, will you marry me?"
She reached for the ring like she thought it would evaporate at the slightest touch. Tears began to well up in her brilliant green eyes, "Oh, yes! Of course!" He smiled broadly and slipped the ring on her finger. "Yeow!" she cried out, pulling her hand away from the ring. "That hurt!"
He looked startled and bewildered. "What hurt?"
She pointed at the ring. "It felt like an electric shock. This isn't some kind of gag ring, is it?" she asked, not with suspicion, but with panic in her voice.
"No! Of course not!" he said quickly. "I don't understand."
She rubbed her hand. "I can still feel it, too. My hand feels stiff."
His expression changed from shock to growing suspicion. Slowly, he reached out and lifted her hair away from her ear. "Oh no. Oh my God." His face got pale, and he hugged her closely. "I'm so sorry."
"What?" she cried with panic. "What's wrong?"
"Oh God, Beth, I'm so sorry," he said again. "I really didn't think this would happen!"
She reached up with her stiffening fingers and felt her own, now pointed, ear. "What's happening? What is it?!"
He closed his eyes and hugged her closely. "My family is cursed. I never really believed it, but my parents tried to tell me years ago." He sighed. "My fathers family was cursed sometime hundreds of years ago. Any woman who agrees to marry a man of the family is forced to spend a cycle of the moon as a horse." He pulled back from the hug. "I'm so sorry, but I didn't believe it. I never believed it."
She looked at her hands, which were rapidly losing their fingers. It would only be minutes before they were useless. Her expression was one of disbelief and shock. "Oh my God." She looked at him in a panic. "You didn't know this would happen?"
He sat her down on a bench. "Beth, believe me, I didn't realize. I only had sisters, and the curse doesn't follow them. My parents were long married and my extended family is all overseas. Please believe me, I didn't think this would happen."
She started to cry quietly, but somehow largely kept her composure. "This is temporary, right?" she asked in a small voice.
He nodded quickly. "One cycle of the moon, about twenty eight days, give or take a few hours. As long as I still love you then, you'll return to human form."
She numbly looked at her forehooves as she watched the transformation go up her arms. Her head was already changing, and her growing brown eyes were still filled with tears. "I guess this is all just temporary." She looked at him. "A test of our love?"
He shook his head. "I have no doubt of your love, the curse wouldn't have effected you if you didn't. It's a test of mine. And my love is absolute."
Beth still seemed more stunned and shocked than accepting. "Will I remember my humanity?" she asked.
He paused, then shook his head. "I don't think so. My mother told me more than once that she was just another animal for that month, but she remembered everything when she turned human again." He shrugged. "I just thought she was playing with my imagination."
She stood up from the bench as it started to creak against her growing weight. Her smooth skin was rapidly being covered with a coat of pure white fur. "Where will I stay?" she asked. "I can't stay in your house or at my apartment."
"There's an old stable on the back of the property. I was having it fixed up." He sighed. "I planned on buying you a horse for a wedding gift."
She let out a nervous chuckle. "Wait until the end of the month. I'll probably be able to help buy it then." He kissed her gently, then started helping her with her clothes. He popped her belt buckle, and helped remove her bra before her growing body was strangled by them. Her hips were already starting to force her over onto all fours.
He rubbed her growing neck gently. "Is there anyone you need me to call? Family or friends?"
She shook her head. "I don't have any family, really. I only have a few friends but no one who'd notice me gone for a month." She sighed sadly. "You're all I have in the world." She started working her jaw, but only the sounds of a horse came out. Her voice was now gone.
He stayed with her on the deck while her body finished the last of the changes. He spoke quietly into her ear, calming and reassuring her. By the time all was done, she was a fine Arabian mare. He led her to the stable and fixed up a stall for her. By the time that the sun came up in the morning, he'd been with her all night keeping her calm as she let her humanity slip away. It was also clear that she had no idea that she'd ever been human. She acted like any horse would act.
He poured feed into the bin and walked back to the house, leaving the horse behind to eat. He managed to get to the deck before he heard the phone ringing in the house. He raced up the stairs and grabbed it. "Hello?"
He grinned. "Jackson! You have impeccable timing, my friend! Hey now, none of that. Is that any way to talk to the man who is ready to deliver? That's right, I just got her in last night. Have I ever steered you wrong before? She's exactly as you ordered. A perfect white Arabian. Hey, before you start asking for discounts, come over and take a look. Of course she's healthy! When was the last time I steered you wrong? How many healthy foals did you get from the last three? I can't tell you that. If you knew where I was getting them, you'd buy direct."
He chuckled. "Lets just say that I'm cursed with good fortune."