"If it were Velt, you'd try to save her," I said softly.

Princess Asp -- as I had decided to call Ava's new form in an attempt to lessen my confusion -- narrowed her eyes. "Trying to save Velt caused a whole lot of trouble and very little good." Her voice was equally quiet.

Wait, what?

...Well. I needed a new angle, clearly.

Suddenly I was swept up into Mistress Eve's arms, and the walls were shifting around us as she started to speed out of there. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she whispered furiously: "This isn't working, we need to get out of here before--" And then something hit my brain like a wall of bricks.

It was a few moments before my eyes cleared-- my nose hurt like hell, and I could hardly see anything-- ah, my face was pressed against the floor. As I struggled up, I realized entire body hurt, and as I looked up, I saw Valentine holding Sasha's body.

Which meant my body was Eve's... I guess tripping and slamming into the floor isn't good, I was lucky Sasha's body hadn't just gotten sent flying and become paste on the wall-- in fact, it looked like Valentine had just saved her from that fate.

Princess's voice echoed behind us. "I am surprised you'd think I'd come into the room before I had all the traps ready... but I guess you aren't the slave, but the Hero, and I use that term loosely. Now surrender."

I looked over to Valentine and she looked at me uncertainly. Maybe I could convince her to take Sasha out, but probably not, and if there was a second layer of traps, running out of here would have the exact same issue where she could absolutely die.

"Promise me on your honor that you won't kill Sasha." My voice still sounded a little groggy as I looked back and saw Princess Asp walking towards us.

"I give you my word I will do anything in my power to keep you both alive." Princess Asp walked up close to me and reached up to stroke my cheek. "Hand over control of Sasha to me. I can't trust you not to bend to her will once she wakes up."

I hesitated.

Princess Asp's voice lowered to a whisper. "I'm utterly expendable, when it comes down to it. If you want me to be the one doing the talking, you need to make sure I'm still alive."

I closed my eyes for a moment. "I'm not going to kill you, Ava."

"I know." I could hear Ava in Princess Asp's voice as she took my hand and led me over to Sasha's body. She was still out cold, as far as I could tell.

She wasn't going to like this, but... it didn't seem like I had much choice. I reached over to touch Sasha's collar. "She's yours now." With Ava's hand in mine and my intent formed, it didn't take formal wording-- I started crying as I felt the ephemeral connection between us of master and slave slip away.

Without Sasha's Mind Magic, I was stuck in this body.

Princess Asp reached up and ran her fingers through my hair with her free hand. "Good girl. Now we're going to get you properly collared."

I nodded and started to let her guide me down the hall.

"I... is that really a good idea? If the Princess's Fiancee just vanishes or becomes a slave...." Well, I wasn't about to stop her, but still.

Princess Asp came to a stop. "I'm trying to do damage control here, do you have better suggestions?"

"Princess Asperia," a voice I couldn't quite place behind us, and a woman walked up, and my eyes went over to her uncertainly. "Good to see you've calmed your fiancee."

Yeen, the transmuter. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "We found the actual Princess Asperia in the room-- she was put behind an illusionary wall. Physically, I can heal her. Mentally... it may take a bit."

"...okay. Heal her, cloak her, and bring her down to the cells. Explain to Warden that she's been hurt and you've made me her body double, and until we can get her functional again, I'm in charge. The cells are the safest place to keep her and the secret safe for the moment. Don't tell her anything else."

Yeen nodded, and looked over to Sasha with narrowed eyes for a moment, before returning the way she came.

I cleared my throat. "Having your fiancee vanish the moment you swap over probably isn't a good idea for continuity."

Princess Asp nodded, jaw set.

I stroked her arm. We were still holding hands. "It's kinda difficult, being in charge all of the sudden, isn't it?"

Princess Asp looked over to me. "...I guess you'd have experience with that?"

"...yeah. Can you let me talk to Sasha when she wakes up? This'll all go over as best it can if she knows I'm alive and safe."

Princess Asp stared at me for a long moment, then nodded.

Should I mention the necklace? Probably not, at least not for now.

I didn't know how to take it off, and if Princess Asp knew that Sasha had a potential means of controlling Princess Asperia, she'd probably just murder her now, fuck the consequences.

For now, it felt like she was a pressure cooker, and I needed her to let off steam.

I leaned in closer, and whispered in her ear. "Would it make you feel better if you dominated me, Ava?"

Asp reached up to grab me by the back of my head, and stared into my eyes fiercely. "...don't call me that, for now. And... I'd probably seriously hurt you, my emotions are a thundercloud."

I smiled, and moved in closer and kissed her softly on her lips. "The body of the Hero from Another World is much tougher than you think."

Suspicion flickered in Princess Asp's eyes again. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say right now.

But after a moment, she petted my head, gently.

"Let's just cuddle. You've been a good and submissive girl, and I want to reward that."

For a moment I thought I felt my tail wagging.

But no, I didn't have a tail now-- I might never feel that again.