All Chapters of Crossdressing For The Emperor : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

I’d met many kinds of people in my life. It hadn’t been a long life, and I hadn’t traveled far from this small village, but I had seen enough of the world to know that most people, when you got close, were either taking something or waiting for the right moment to take something.That wasn’t a sad thought. It was just something I’d noticed over the years. People need things from each other. That’s natural. That’s human. The priest needs his followers, and the farmer needs his neighbor’s strong arms at harvest time. The old women at the well need their gossip and someone to listen. Everyone is always reaching out to someone else for something, in big ways or small.I had accepted that a long time ago.But every so often – rarely, so rarely that each time felt like finding a treasure in an unexpected place – you meet someone who isn’t reaching out to you at all. Someone who isn’t trying to gain something, or put on a show, or carefully measure out their kindness to make sure they get so

We walked back to the hut without saying much. The forest, which had felt full of life and promise when we started, now felt different. It was like it was watching us, or maybe it just didn't care about small things, like us. I kept listening behind us the whole way, trying to hear footsteps that weren't ours, or the sound of lamps moving through the trees, or voices on the wind. But there was nothing. Just the usual quiet of the night, Carl's footsteps ahead of me, and the soft crunch of leaves under my own boots.By the time we saw the hut, the tightness in my shoulders eased a little, but it didn't go away completely. I knew it would take a while for it to disappear.Carl opened the door, and we went inside. He put his gun by the wall like he’d done it a million times before. Then he sat on the edge of his chair, stretched his legs out, and rolled his neck until it made a cracking sound. I put my gun down more carefully and stood by the window for a bit, just looking out at nothing

The temple felt quieter than anywhere else. It wasn't a big place, but it had a deep stillness, like it had been collecting quiet for years, layer upon layer, the way old wood keeps the smell of smoke long after the fire is gone. I came here when I needed to think without the world bothering me, which had been happening a lot lately. The stone floor was cool, and sunlight came through high, narrow windows in pale beams that moved slowly across the ground, marking time in a way that felt more real than any clock.I had come alone that afternoon, with no real reason other than wanting to be somewhere peaceful. Near the entrance, I lit a small candle at a small altar. My mother had taught me to do this when I was young, and I still did it, not because I fully believed, but because old habits feel comforting, like wearing a favorite coat. I watched the flame for a moment, then went further inside and sat on a low stone bench near the back wall, just letting myself be still.I had been thi

The days after I told Carl everything felt strange, like living in a moment stuck between one thing and another. I expected to feel better, and I did, a little. But there was also a weird tension, knowing that someone else knew. The secret was now shared, existing between us, and it could either bring us closer or pull us apart, depending on how we handled it.Carl had said he wasn't angry, that he was glad I trusted him. But in the quiet hours when I was alone, I couldn't help but wonder what was really going on in his mind. People say things when they're shocked that they later regret or change their minds about, or just can't keep up with once the first feeling fades. I had seen it happen before. I knew how it worked.So, the morning after our talk at the temple, I waited until we finished the breakfast Carl had made—bread and something he called "honey-butter" that I'd never had before and now couldn't stop thinking about. Then I asked, "What are you thinking?"He looked up from h

We ran until the ground changed from the familiar dirt of our village to something wider and harder. My lungs ached with every breath, and my legs felt like they belonged to someone else, but I couldn't stop. Not yet. I could still imagine the sound of soldiers' boots behind us, even though the noise had faded.Carl was right behind me, his breathing steady and strong, like a man who had made up his mind. Every time I looked back, he was there, his face serious. It made me feel both thankful and guilty. He hadn't asked for any of this. He had a simple, peaceful life, cooking and visiting the temple, a comfortable rhythm. Then I came along and turned his world upside down.We didn't stop until the trees thinned and the air smelled different – cleaner, more open, like the air in places where many people live close by. My feet slowed on their own, not because I told them to, but because what was ahead made me forget, just for a moment, that I was supposed to be scared.Salvage Town sprea