Queen Nakhta de Renaud, rightful vixen ruler of Vulland, sat on her throne alone. She didn’t know where everyone else was, but neither did she really care. It was nice to be alone for once. Surely someone needed her powerful attention to their pitiful problems? Yet here she was by herself for once without distraction and--

The doors to the throne room burst open as her most trusted advisor Frederick stormed into the room. The feline, a black furred tom a decade older than Nakhta, looked surly as usual. Nakhta had sometimes wondered if the mood was self-inflicted, a result of the tight, finely tailored suit he wore. Though he was taller than Nakhta, her high throne required that he look up at her.

“My queen!” he said. “The invaders are at our door!”

“Are they?” Nakhta murmured, looking down at her claws. “Then let them in.”

“I didn’t mean figuratively, milady,” Frederick harrumphed.

“Then you have to let me know that. Do you think your queen has time to figure out what you mean?” She snorted and shook her head. “So, invaders.” She glanced around the room. “Is that where everyone’s at?”

“Yes, milady,” Frederick said with a nod. “I didn’t want to bother you, but events have taken a sorry turn. In a few hours, those barbarians will be at our very gates!”

“And the army?”

“Routed, fleeing towards us now.”

“Hmph.” Nakhta frowned. “I will deal with this myself then.”

“As you wish, milady,” Frederick said, bowing. “I will inform the captain to fetch your royal wear and weapons.”

“Really, Frederick?” Nakhta said, lifting an eyebrow. “No, no, no. I won’t wade into battle like some common peasant even if I am a rather fetching fencer.” She stood up. “This problem requires the might of the mind.”

“No!” Frederic gasped. “You don’t mean--”

“Magic,” Nakhta said, nodding. “Tell those who matter that the queen is in her study, conjuring up the solutions to problems that should not have warranted my involvement in the first place.”

“But…” Frederick glanced aside. “How do you intend to do it?”

“Moon magic,” she said. “A grimoire given to me long ago for a time such as this.”

“But--”

“Do not question your queen!” Nakhta snarled. “Do these barbarians not mean to seize the kingdom and crown?”

“Yes, but--”

“And will their coming spell the end of all we know and hold dear?”

“Well, of course, my queen, but-”

“Then cease your prattling. I know this will work. Has my magic ever failed us, Frederick?”

“No,” the feline shook his head. “Not that I recall.”

“Good! Now off you go and…” Her ears laid flat as she waved him away. “Do not interrupt me.”

“As you wish, milady,” Frederick said, bowing before leaving Nakhta alone again and alone she would be until she solved this invasion issue. She smiled and stood from her throne. It was as good an excuse as any to dig into her books and she loved books. To the study!

*

The study was small and cozy with only a single window that stared out into the sea. It was also full of books yet there was only one of its number that Nakhta intended to read. She found its yellow spine tucked behind tomes of children’s fairy tales, a good hiding place for a book so powerful. She pulled it out and pored over its auburn cover framed by golden yellow.

“Magic Moon,” she said, tracing her clawed fingers down to the yellow moon at the cover’s center. She stared at the mysterious moon on the cover. What power did it offer? Were the tales true? Why was the moon yellow? Was it because it was made of cheese?

She decided she would only find those answers inside, and so she pulled up a chair to the study’s one fine table and sat down to read. However, after placing the book down, she hesitated. Even without a finger on the tome, she could feel its power. What would be the consequences of its use be? 

The queen snorted. It couldn’t be anything worse than being some barbarian leader’s war bride, a once royal now slave doing menial tasks, or simply a head on a pike. She shivered as she imagined kissing a dirty cheek or having her breasts roughly handled, but it was the notion of having to scrub floors that she once owned and had servants to do that caused her to open the book.

“‘Your solutions lie in study,” she said, reading all that it said on the first page. She shrugged and turned to the next one.

“Study is shall be...” she murmured as she pored over next page. There was so much written here and so little that the vixen queen could comprehend. What she could glean was that it was a different sort of magic than that she was used to. This would take more than a few minutes of reading for her to solve anything related to the invasion. That was fine. She relished the thought of learning a new and powerful type of magic no matter the price.

There was one problem, however. As she flipped through the pages to get a notion of what lay ahead, she noticed that she had to squint to properly make out the wispy words scrawled upon the thick pages. She frowned, for she never had the need for glasses before. The queen was perfect in all ways, including her eyes!

She snarled and glanced around, but there was nothing in the study but books and shelves. If she wanted some glasses, she would have to find and fetch them herself. She snarled. No, she would just have to squint or...hold the book closer?

She brought the book up too fast and bumped it against her sensitive snout. She closed her eyes and turned her smarting snout away as she put the book down. That hurt, especially at her nose! She cursed internally as she rubbed at her nose, not noticing as a small pair of gold framed glasses appeared near the middle of her snout. They tried to fit into place, but instead fell from her snout and onto the desk with a clatter.

Nakhta opened her eyes, curious as to the source of the sound. She saw it was a pair of glasses. She peered at them for a moment, before laughing and placing them onto her snout. They weren’t just some random glasses that had fallen out of nowhere; rather, they were her glasses and now that she had them on, she could see! There was no need to bang her snout against a book when she could peer safely from a distance.

The queen leaned forward and turned back to the first page. She frowned. Was it different? No, no, merely more readable. Good. That meant she could study in earnest and finally makes sense of some of this text. While she didn’t expect to master it within minutes, she did hope that the solutions the book held would be clear before there were barbarians breaking into her study.

So, the vixen queen did read and understand more than usual. As she read, she relaxed a little, some of the regal poised she always maintained slipping away as she slouched and so did some of the refinement to the rest of her form. Her fur, always finely combed and smooth, still looked like it had been combed, but more carelessly so as if its owner didn’t quite care how they looked or others saw them. What muscle she had from what little exercise she already did slipped away, the queen’s form gaining slight weight as her body became softer and slightly smaller. Peering through her glasses, Queen Nakhta blinked as what makeup and eyeliner she applied to her eyelids and lashes swept away. She frowned and reached up to touch not her eyes, but the earrings in her ears. They felt out of place on her and so did the gloves on her hands. She understand the reasoning for wearing them in court, but here she was in her private study. She could look less like a queen in here if she wanted.

Did she want that?

The vixen nodded, swiftly remove her fine gloves and tossing them to the side. She desired to feel the pages as she turned them, soft yet crinkled. And her ears! Those earrings weren’t impressing anyone at the moment. She took them off and pushed them away. She momentarily considered taking her crown off too, but no, that would just be too far. She was the queen, and even if she was the sort of queen who preferred to read at feasts rather than gossip and sneer at others’ looks, the crown needed to be on her head at all times. It reminded her of what she owed to her people. Sure, she would never stoop to their level, but she would always keep in mind what they went through so she could rule and read, but mostly read.

She snorted and smiled at the thought, showing off so many sharp teeth that dulled just slightly as the alignment of her jaw shifted so that she had a small, but certainly noticeable overbite. Frederick kept trying to convince her to get some of those odd things called braces, so she kept telling him that people including him either had to deal with her scholarly looks or not at all.

The door to the study creaked open and Queen Nakhta looked up to see Frederick standing in the entryway. There was an urge to snarl and snap a few cruel words at him but that felt wrong somehow. Instead of chewing him out, the vixen smiled sweetly at him.

“Frederick,” she said, the name sounding funny on her tongue. Or was it her nose? She sounded more nasally than before, perhaps due to the book snout slamming incident. Alas. “I thought I told you no one was to interrupt me.”

“You did, milady but-”

“Are you no one?” she asked.

“Well-”

“Well what?” Nakhta said. “I’m studying, and if just anyone comes barging in here, it’ll ruin my concentration. Like you just did. Where is my attention at? You.” 

She narrowed her eyes at Frederick. Something seemed off about him. Was it her, or was he shorter? And that suit, still fancy yet not so tight on his feline frame. If anything, it was an improvement.

“I know, but the army is here.” Frederick smiled apologetically, his voice shriller than Nakhta remembered. Well, she supposed everyone was on their last nerve with these barbarians tramping about. “I was hoping that you would speak to them.”

“Why?” Nakhta laughed. “You want me to rally the troops? Frederick, please.” The vixen snorted. “I may be a scholar, but I am no tactician and you know that! Why don’t you go talk to them?”

“But-”

“But what?” Nakhta sighed. “Tell them that their queen is finding the answers to all their problems. And don’t you dare suggest I put on some armor!”

“I would never!” Frederick looked horrified.

“But…” Nakhta frowned. “You have before.”

“Not for some time,” Frederick said. “I know your preferences, milady.”

“But I swear...never you mind. Do you know my preferences? I doubt that. If you did, you would already be out of here!”

“Right, I--”

“Out!” Nakhta shrieked and Frederick stared at her. The vixen blushed. “Oh, I’m sorry, Frederick, I don’t know what came over me.” She sighed and sat back. “There’s just so much pressure and I...I wish I could do something about these invaders directly but…” She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “You know my preferences.” She motioned to the book. “I’m making progress, Frederick, I promise and soon those invaders won’t be on our minds as well. Trust me, ok?”

“Of course, milady. My apologies.”

Frederick slipped away and Nakhta turned back to her studies. What had she been doing screaming at her most trusted advisor...no, friend, since Federick was more of a friend? Why had she been like that in the first place? She...he hadn’t been like some unsightly rodent eating all the cheese at a feast. And what was wrong with rodents anyways? They could be quite cute and most of them weren’t that tall either. With the right heels, Nakhta could be tall or taller than most but heels...blech. The vixen scrunched up her snout as she turned back to the book, her muddled mind still focused on thoughts of rodents, but mostly on rats. Rats were…

Rats were ok, she decided, turning through the pages and trying to find her place while streaks of light grey began to pervade her fur. Why was she thinking of rats anyhow? She needed to focus on her study of the book and the magic contained within and yet she couldn’t find where she had been reading! She frowned, her greying snout pressing out thinner and longer. Where had she been? She grit her dulling teeth, the two at the forefront of her snout growing out larger and prominently poking out of the top of her jaw while her overbite grew more pronounced. How was she going to save her kingdom, her people, if she couldn’t even find her place in the book?

Nakhta huffed, the crown feeling very heavy on her head now. She reached a hand up and considered taking it off--but no, she was queen of Vulland still. Instead, she scratched an ear that was rounding out, more ovular instead of triangular in shape, her distinctive black fur lightening to that same shade of grey as nearly the rest of her now. Her other ear followed suit and--aha! She had found it. Right here, right? The one with all the diagrams of...cheese?

Cheese…

Nakhta’s nose wiggled at the thought of cheese, its shape shifting larger and rounder and its pigmentation now pink. Cheese sounded good right about now. Geez, actually anything to eat, the changing vixen’s stomach rumbling even as she put on a little more weight than she had before. At the same time, her frame shrank slightly overall while her hips spread wider apart. The hands that clutched the book were daintier yet pudgier now and gloved in grey fur instead of black, her sharp black claws shriveling in favor of pink nails. Only her breasts remained the same size, at least until that extra layer of fat added a little to their mass as well. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her royal dress feeling a little tighter than she remembered and her butt...well, it had always been nice and plump, but now it felt like she was sitting on a cushion.

Was she? 

She got out of her chair, shaking slightly as feet dwindled down, powerful vulpine paws exchanged for thinner rodent soles sans claws. She looked over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes as their red coloration darkened to a warm brown.  What she looked at was the same aged seat she always had sat in when in her study. She sighed and sat back down and the extra plumpness to her rump no longer felt unfamiliar. Her stomach growled and she sighed.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said in a squeakier voice. She patted her stomach. “The rat queen hears you loud and clear.”

As she said this, her tail waved in agitation as it thinned and extended, a majority of its fur falling away in favor of an appendage that was pink, vaguely furred in grey, and ropey and much, much less bushy. She turned her eyes back to the book, but she still couldn’t concentrate. Cheese stayed on her mind and her nose twitched at the thought of it.

The door slammed open and Nakhta let out a surprised squeak. She turned around in her chair and looked to the short black furred rabbit that had entered. She frowned, the name of the surprisingly feminine yet assuredly male rabbit escaping her mind momentarily.

“Milady,” the rabbit said, his voice high and soft and his expression shy. “I know you said no interruptions but--”

“Ah, Frederick,” Nakhta said. “I’m glad you came.”

“Y-you are?” Frederick murmured, looking away.

“Yes,” Nakhta said. “Go and fetch me some cheese.”

“But, milady-”

“Now, now, no excuses,” the rat queen said. “I’m hungry and it’s hard to concentrate when all I can think about is some good cheese. Or…” She looked to Frederick and readjusted her glasses. “Do the people need to see me or something?”

“No, everything is alright actually. Everyone’s all so calm all of a sudden and…” He laughed nervously. “I see to be the only one worrying around here. I was just going to say that your weight--”

“What about it?!” Nakhta shrieked. “Worry about the queendom, not its queen! Fetch me some cheese!”

“Yes, yes, right away, milady!” Frederick said with a harried nod. He turned to hop away.

“Wait, Frederick--” Nakhta said. The rabbit turned around and regarded her curiously. “No need to call me milady. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Y-yes,” Frederick repiled, again looking bashfully away. “We are indeed, my...Nakhta.”

“Good, good,” Nakhta said with a satisfied nod. “Now fetch your friend and queen some cheese!”

“As you wish!”

With that, Frederick was gone and Nakhta went back to the book. She stared longingly at the diagrams of cheese wheels within before frowning and slamming shut the door. She stared at the yellow moon on the cover. Wasn’t there supposed to be some answers to her issues in here? She frowned. What sort of issues did she expect a book to solve anyways? Not any big ones, like how she had been gaining weight when she had recently been intending on lossing a few pounds.

“Hey!” she said, poking her stomach. “Enough about you! Let’s think about…” She frowned and scratched her snout. “Me…?”

Why shouldn’t she think about herself? She had plenty of problems of her own and yet there were the problems of others weighing on her head. No, her head! She squeaked indignantly and grabbed the crown atop her head and placed it across the table. There! Nothing heavy on her head anymore and now she could think about herself, the rat gaining a bit more pudge to her stomach and limbs. Her regal wear, once fanciful and fine, faded to be constructed of cheaper, thinner material that would look genuine upon first glance. The golden bracelet on her arm became a little lighter if clunkier as it became a cheap digital watch while the golden glasses on her snout became plain and black. She didn’t have to worry about her larger responsibilities of being a…

A what, again?

She frowned and sat back, staring up at the ceiling. Though there were no answers up there, it was relaxing to look at something so familiar. This study...no, backroom was a welcome place of escape for her. She was glad her library had one, and even gladder that nearly no one else used it. She’d shared her secret of it to only one other person, but Freddie wasn’t here at the moment. In fact, where was he...no, she? How long did it take to get some cheese?

Nakhta sighed and sat forward. Her eyes went to the book, but she looked away from it. Instead she focused on the shelves stacked with mostly children’s books, stashed away here so the newer books could shine out front. She shivered. Kids were the last thing she wanted to think about now that it was summer and she was free of them for a few months. They weren’t the worst and they were surely better than running a kingdom or something.

Kingdom?

She raised an eyebrow and turned her head to where she had placed the crown. It was there, an inexpensive plastic prop, but it was all she could afford on a teacher’s wage in preparation of the upcoming Medieval Fair. She wore her costume too. It looked fanciful enough, but she really wanted something more authentic. A metal crown would be a good start, but then again she might not like its weight. In fact, the only seemingly authentic part of her outfit were the earrings by her false crown, something she had been lucky enough to pick up at a merchant from afar...no, it had been the local flea market. Now she regretted spending what she had spent on them since she wasn’t fond of earrings in the first place! In fact, the whole queen get up seemed more and more gauche the more she thought about it. Perhaps she should just go as some peasant as Freddie always suggested. Maybe even a nun.

She sighed as her stomach grumbled, the pudgy mouse shifting in her seat as she looked to the door. Where was Freddie? She stood and peered out the window. There was the ocean outside, but also plenty of motorboats and even a plane in the sky. She sighed and leaned on the windowsill, wondering what it would be like to be able to afford a vacation to somewhere exotic and new, a trip to a new country, any country, really, even to ones with weird names like Vulland or whatever. She snorted. Vulland? Was that even a real place?

At that moment, the door opened and Freddie stepped in. The female bunny wore a plain peasant’s dress and carried a plate. Nakhta’s nose twitched as she moved to stand next to her same sized friend.

“There you are,” the rat squeaked. She peered at the plate and let out a wail. “Apple slices?”

“A-and some cheese,” Freddie retorted weakly, pointing to a few pale blocks of the stuff. “Sorry, Nakhta but-”

“You don’t have to call me that, silly,” Nakhta snorted, taking the plate.

“B-but our Live High Kingdom Society is meeting in a few minutes and you always said that it’s best we’re in character beforehand s-so-”

“Whatever, ‘Fredericka,’” the rat said, giggling as Freddie visibly cringed.

“P-please don’t call me that, Ren,” Freddie pleaded. 

“Oh, alright,” Ren said, scarfing down an apple slice. “As long as you don’t call me by my full name. God, what were our parents thinking?”

“I don’t know,” Freddie said. “B-but at least we would fit into a real medieval society if we traveled back in time or something.”

“You think so?” the rat considered, placing the plate on the table. “I wouldn’t want to actually live there. Or actually be queen. Gosh, think of the problems you would have to solve.”

“Y-yeah, like, er…” Freddie paused to think. “A barbarian invasion!”

“Yeah, that’d be a drag,” Ren replied, eating another apple slice. She sighed and rubbed her pudgy stomach. “Almost as bad as teaching a classroom of kids multiplication tables. Still not as much of a problem as losing weight though.” She shrugged. “Hey, thanks for getting this. I needed it.”

“No problem!” Freddie said. She looked over Ren’s shoulder. “Hey, whatcha reading anyways?”

“Oh, this?” Ren picked up the book in two hands and showed the cover to the rabbit. “It’s some...well, I don’t know what it is really. Can’t get a sense of it, but not in a good way. I don’t even think I’m going to check it out. I think the only thing interesting is in the very first page.” Her tail twitched as she struggled to remember what it said. “‘Your answers lie in study.’ Sounds nice and I don’t know about you, but I read books for a different reason now.”

“Escape!” both of the girls said at the same time, then giggled. 

“Yeah,” Ren said. “Not like books like this can afford me a better get up. Or…” She poked her stomach. “Pull off a few pounds. Or…” She giggled. “Stop a barbarian invasion.”

“I-if only,” Freddie sighed.

“Yep.” Ren shrugged. “Anyways, we got, what…” She checked her watch. “Twenty minutes ‘til the meeting? I’m gonna finish up this snack and check out if any of these books are worth considering for the classroom and then I’ll be right out. Good?”

“Great!” Freddie affirmed. “I’ll be out front reading.”

“Reading what?” Ren asked. “More of those pirate books?”

“M-maybe…” Freddie murmured. 

“Ha! I know your preferences!” Ren guffawed and Freddie looked away, a shy smile on her face.

“Hey, you like what you like,” Ren said, shrugging. “At least you aren’t reading about moons made of cheese or whatever this is about. Alright, see you soon.”

Freddie waved and was away. Ren sighed as she sat down with the book. As much as she bashed it, she was tempted to open it again. Maybe it did have its merits but...she sighed and pushed the book away. Maybe another time. She didn’t want to find any answers through study. For now, she wanted to read something light and playful, so she picked an illustrated book entitled The Barbarians of Barley and the Queen of Vulland off the shelves. She opened it up and started to read.

“‘Majesty! Barbarians! Barbarians at the gate!’” she read, and snorted, eating a piece of cheese. Sure, she might have her problems like her weight and her often irritating job, but at least her domain wasn’t under threat of invasion. Well...not yet. The High Kingdom Society meeting was in twenty minutes. Who knew what would happen then?