Chapter Ch 17 Big Day
" Morning my love" said Purk.
Hazel blinked, her eyes opened, sharing a loving smile with her new mate.
"Today's your big day, my king. Yay!" She cheered, in a soft whisper.
"Are you excited?" asked Hazel.
He was excited, he felt it all through him. Purk was grinning so wide it hurt his cheeks. He turned to face her.
" Yes, of course. Today, my love, we officially start our duties as the new King and Queen, of course I'm excited." He replied.
Hazel giggled sheepishly. He looked with one eyebrow cocked.
" What is so funny?" he asked.
She waited before answering. " I'll say, you're definitely excited." Hazel said, trying to hold back laughter.
Grinning a side smirk, purk begun tickling with his snout.
"Ha ha ha ha, I'll show YOU, who'sfunny!" He said, flipping her on her belly. Soon their burrow filled with laughter, and deep grunts.
Queen Torlia, called for her tributes one last time to her bidding. Four brave tributes and one general stood in a line before her. She walked the line before turning to speak.
" Well, my tributes, I have one last order for you. We need to set up for my son's ceremony, the coronation of the new King."
"Right away Queen" replied several tributes.
Favourable Tribute, Roz, was one of them who replied.
"Good. I would like some of you to split up a murula tree into planks. You can use stones for stairs to the platform. If you set up the horn too, that will be wonderful. Also, only two thrones today, not three this time. The coronation is a completely different situation. My King will bring his tusk sword, to knight his son." Said the Queen.
She would miss her tributes greatly. They had fought, trained, and protected her and their clan for many years. These particular Tributes, have served the King and Queen eight years or less. Some had served much longer, like the general. Otherwise, depending on age and rank, determined if they qualified for tribute. Today, they would serve the new King and new Queen.
As tradition would go, the males who grew to full maturity, found they had a choice to make. No male hog could stay in the clan and take a risk in mating with the Queen. If the bloodline was ever tainted by strange seed or polluted by incest, the Clan would be ruined. The males would choose a life of an exile or servitude. By dedicating their lives to servitude, they freely gave away all rights to mate. If any broke the covenant, they would be put to death by tusking. A horrible act of a group of warthogs, goring the guilty party with their tusks. Queen Torlia dismissed the tributes to their places. Tribute Roz led the group out, along with General Tribute Zarfed flanking the rear. Before disappearing to the arena, General Zarfed stopped to say one last farewell.
" My Queen, may I say it has been an honour serving under you. It seems like yesterday when all three of us, you, Muck, and I were young piglets. Never did I ever think, I would have the pleasure of becoming not just the General, but your friend. You and the King will always have a special place in my heart. I promise to serve your son, with the same zeal as I served for you." He said, turning quickly.
He trotted out from the royals courtyard.
The tributes worked for long hours, before the stage was complete. Roz,went back, to report to the Queen. It was time for the ceremony. The King and Queen dressed in a nice grass robe tied about their necks. They were made of dried twine and florals freshly picked. They had twigged, and thatched crowns upon their heads. The Queen took her time preparing herself for a grand event. She had shined her hooves up for the evening. Queen Torlia wanted to look her best for the son. The King and Queen walked side by side into the arena, as they peered into each others eyes.
"Do you remember the first time we walked like this, my bride?" King Muck asked.
Queen gave a soft grunt and smiled.
"Yes of course. I believe it was our consummation night. You were so young and handsome." She replied.King grunted.
" You're crazy, because I am still handsome." He replied, laughing.
Their laughter echoed all the way over the arena.
" I just want you to know, I would do it all over again. I'm proud of the Queen you have become and will always be in my heart." Said the King.
The queen teared up a bit, smiling without any words. They made it quickly to their thrones for one last sit. The crowd had filled the arena, once again, with loud warthog clan members. They went silent as King Muck approached the horn. He took in a deep breath and blew hard. Its sounds bellowed out deep and low. He blew for a solid beat before stopping. It resounded throughout the entire area and beyond some. King begun to speak.
"It is my greatest honour to call for my son and new bride to the stage." He said.
Prince purk and hazel approached, clinging close to each other. They turned to face their king with their backs to the crowd. King Muck placed his tusk blade in front of him, then to the ground.
"Let the coronation proceed. I King Muck, King of all hog hill Clan dub you Prince purk, to be the new King and ruler of this clan. May you rule justly, bravely, Honorable, and mercifully. May you love and cherish your Queen, may you be blessed with many piglets to come. As I retire from my position and pass it on to you this day. Come forth, so I may place my sword on your shoulders." Said the King.
Purk stepped away from hazel and knelt beside his father's hooves. The King turned, with his mouth he picked up his sword and tapped Purk's right shoulder, then left before placing the sword at his son's lowered head. The Queen stepped over to the King, helping to remove his crown. She carefully transferred it from his head to his mouth. Torlia quickly stepped back out of the way to watch. The King slowly placed the crown snugly on his son's head. It fit perfect,just as it did so many, many years ago when he was first crowned. Warm tears rolled down his father's cheek. His heart swooned with pride and joy. His time as King was done, and he could retire as a happy hog till his last breath
"Arise, O' King Purk, and look to your people." said his father.
Purk was trembling, but found his footing. He looked tall and bold, standing towards the crowd. The arena was filled once again with hoof stomping, wild grunts, and squeals of joy. Turning to face his bride, King purk watched as his mother appointed hazel as new Queen. Torlia gave over her crown. The old King and Queen stepped to the side. She called for Tribute roz and haze to dress the new royals in their robes.
They were brightly adorned with all newly picked pink and yellow flowers. King purk and Queen hazel took to their thrones and sat proudly upon them. The arena was bursting with glorious sounds. All of a sudden, a loud purple spark burst into the sky above them. Everyone looked up in amazement. The colour as a vibrant hue. It rippled like a stone tossed in water.
Suddenly, King purk doubled over on his throne. Everyone gasped and paused, looking fearfully at their new King. He hit his face to the ground in excruciating pain. Soon other's, too, began to do the same. The clan's sounds had quickened to a fearful panic. There was not one warthog that didn't fall to the ground in pain. Purk felt ill. It felt like his insides were spilling out of him.
He tried to look over at hazel, but couldn't move. The pain was making his sight fuzzy. His head was pounding something terrible. His front legs spread out in front of him with a painful splitting feeling. They began to change into that of a man's. Starting from his shoulders down. It turned into large muscular biceps, then into triceps, then into veined forearms. His wrist popped, and a hand grew from his hoof. The hoof rolled off and spun to a stop. Screams of pain were filling his ears. His heart was at a rapid speed.
Purk clenched his chest with his new hands and screamed out of his mouth in a different form. His chest morphed into lean ripped pecks. He had a belly button now and his waist grew wider. He felt his groin move up and the pain was unbearable. Reaching towards it, he held it in his hands. His eyes shut tight as he wished for it to be over. Purk's hind legs turned into thick, muscular thighs, leaving his calves and hooves as they were. Only they grew thicker to help hold up the weight of his new body. He felt his thin tail, he had once held high, drop limp. His face shrunk a bit into a man's face, yet he had a tusk protruding from both sides of his mouth and a flat snout still for a nose. His warty cheeks still seemed the same too, only smaller. Purk's hair was long and black, not wired and all-over like before. It started from his brow and flowed to the back of his head, down to his shoulders, into long locks. He had brown coloured flesh, not hairy leathery black skin anymore. He wasn't the same. Purk didn't know what he thought about it. All his mind was focused on how sick he felt. A rush of nausea filled his stomach. It turned sour and he vomited on the ground. Warm green bile spilled out. Dry heaving a few times more before it ceased.
All around purk, the change happened to his clan. Hazel was sobbing frantically next to him. She was naked, just like purk. She tried to cover up, but couldn't figure out how. Her body trembled and shook. The changes for her were different from his. Hazel had a thin hour glass shapely body. Purk's body had massive, solid lean muscle, compared to her arms and legs. They were toned and slender. Hazel wasn't bulky, yet lean. She had two breasts upon her upper chest, instead of the usual eight nipples running down her under belly. Her womanhood was centred now between her legs and covered by white curly hair. Her face was smaller than Purks, and she had long white hair flowing down past her shoulders. She was scared and sad. Confusion and embarrassment filled every warthog. No one expected this.
Purk reached for hazel, quickly covering themselves up with their small robes. The robes were only big enough to cover their private areas. Purk looked around at the arena. He didn't see anyone, not even his parent's. The arena had cleared out, as warthogs ran off to hide.
Purk's breath was fast and heavy. He was angry for the first time and wanted answers. Why of all days did this have to happen? It was going so well. He hoped it wasn't something to do with the new change of Kingship. He shook his head no.
" That's impossible. Just absurd for me to think that way." He thought.
Nonetheless, he was the King now, and needed to find out what happened. Besides, everyone in the kingdom including Hazel, would be looking to him for answers he didn't have.