This choice: Rhea suddenly feels strange... • Go Back...Chapter #21Saved by sudden shrinkage by: Arnsley   (MAJOR Spoilers for Black Eagles Chapter 12)
Higher and higher Edelgard was raised. She tried to pull away as huge green eyes bore down into her tiny form. The giant Rhea regarded her with glee, her mind swimming with the possibilities of what she could do next to the tiny student.
“Hmm?”
There was a change in Rhea’s expression. She suddenly seemed confused. Out of instinct, Edelgard was moved away from the archbishop’s giant face.
“What is this… Strange feeling?”
Her other hand rubbed her forehead. Edelgard was also experiencing something, a weary feeling over her whole body.
It feels like… What I felt before shrinking. She worried, but she didn’t believe she was about to get smaller. At the same time, it’s different from before. What could this be?
Rhea closed her eyes with a groan. Edelgard was slowly lowered back down towards the table. She spilled out onto the surface when Rhea’s fingers suddenly opened, the archbishop paying little attention to the woman she held. Edelgard lay on the desk for a moment, watching as the huge hand rose back into the air. Rhea hunched forward as she clutched her head, her face twisting into a grimace.
Is Rhea experiencing the same thing as I am? It seems to be more intense in her case. Edelgard observed. She knew she should be taking advantage of this strange situation to escape, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the ailing archbishop.
Rhea hunched over more and more, her body looming over the tiny Edelgard. Her head moved closer and closer to the desk, but it somehow didn’t appear any larger to the small student.
Wait, could it be? Edelgard glanced towards the edge of the desk. Rhea was moving downward, almost giving the illusion that the table was moving upward if Edelgard didn’t know any better. Having experienced the same thing herself, she was quick to realize what was happening.
She’s shrinking! A smile crept onto her lips. She felt a rush of joy upon seeing her tormentor slowly shrink in size.
“What is happening?” Rhea gasped, staring down with her mouth agape. “Everything is…”
Edelgard noticed a slight elevation in pitch in Rhea’s voice, much like what had happened to her when she herself had shrunk. Rhea’s headache had apparently subsided, the archbishop leaning back upright and removing her hands from her head. She looked between her hands in confusion, all else in the room appearing to grow larger to the holy woman.
Why is she shrinking? Edelgard wondered. A fault in Hubert’s spell? Could it be to do with crests? But why were the others unaffected?
She near laughed when she saw Rhea looking up, mouth agape as she receded deeper into her chair.
Her shrinking certainly isn’t undeserved. Edelgard thought, watching with satisfaction as Rhea continued to shrink smaller and smaller. She was still massive, her chest now level with the top of the desk, but Edelgard knew she wouldn’t be for long.
“Am I becoming… smaller?” The archbishop seemed unable to believe her own words. Glancing between herself and her surroundings, she searched desperately for another explanation. Seeing her dwindle while utterly clueless was beyond satisfying for the already tiny Edelgard. The advantage she once held in size and power was literally shrivelling away before her eyes.
“What is the meaning of this?” Rhea glanced down at Edelgard. Her outrage grew when she saw the expression on the student’s face. “Did you have a hand in this?!”
“None whatsoever.” Edelgard spoke for the first time in quite a while.
That may not be entirely true, but I have no idea why this is happening. Still, it could not have happened at a better time. The door to the hallway was shut. Edelgard was still trapped, alone with the archbishop. When Rhea’s eyes sank below the table, Edelgard decided it was time to escape.
As much as I would like to watch her shrink, it is time for me to leave.
Edelgard stood and turned. She headed towards the far end of the desk, not keen on climbing down the side Rhea had previously occupied. She still ached from the ordeal the archbishop had put her through. Edelgard grit her teeth and pushed through the pain with determination, stumbling towards the edge. Fortunately, Rhea did not react to Edelgard’s movement, the larger woman otherwise occupied.
I have to find a way down quickly. Rhea is not going to be in a good mood when she catches up to me.
There was a sound from behind. Edelgard looked back to see two sets of fingers clinging to the edge of the desk. They were small, but still too large for Edelgard’s liking. Soon the archbishop would be joining her on the top of the table. But would she be smaller or bigger than the tiny Edelgard?
She’s climbing up! And she’s still bigger than me. I have to keep moving! If I can just maintain a slight lead over her…
The Imperial princess moved as fast as she was able. She nearly fell but did not stop until she reached the edge. Peering down, she searched for a way to descend, but could see no obvious way out.
There is carpet below, but it doesn’t look particularly soft. And it’s quite a drop…
She glanced to the side. Was there anything on the desk that could help her descend? A well-worn quill stuck out, but she doubted she could use it to float to the ground. The large rolls of parchment looked a bit more promising. They were much bigger than her, but with sufficient force she would be able to move them. They looked long enough to be used to form a ramp to the ground. With little else in the way of options, she made up her mind.
Edelgard stumbled, still unable to run. She doubted she had much strength in her arms, pain continuing to pulsate through them from when she was near crushed. She also started to doubt whether her plan would work, worrying that the parchment might just fold under her weight and send her falling to the floor.
“Edelgard! Halt!”
Though changed, it was obviously Rhea’s voice. It had sounded closer than she had expected, evidently the archbishop had already caught up.
That was fast. She must be more physically capable than I anticipated. Edelgard was almost impressed with how fast the archbishop had caught up.
Doubting she could outrun the other woman, no matter how small she had been shrunk, Edelgard turned to see…   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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