Transformation Story: The Gift of Tavrokranos

 The Gift of Tavrokranos

‘I think we should at least finish sorting the last of the wedding gifts,’ Polyxene called to her husband as she went into the room that held them.

It was now more than two months since she had married Kallistratos, the second son of the lord of Napalouma some distance to the east. His brother was in line to follow their father, so it seemed sensible to bring Kallistratos to Palioslimin to rule after Nikias, who lacked a son had passed. It would bind the inland town to the coastal one. Polyxene had been rather unhappy at an arranged marriage but having seen her prospective husband, commander of his father’s bodyguard and heard him recite poetry to his own accompaniment on the lyre, she felt that he was someone she could settle for.

In fact, in the weeks since they had married, Polyxene had found it was a far better relationship even than that. Her husband had proven more than capable at bringing her pleasure in their chambers and though she was not certain, she felt it likely that she would soon be bearing him a child. She prayed though that perhaps that could wait a little longer. Polyxene felt she was not quite ready yet to give up the nightly delights her husband could bring not just with his large cock, but his fingers and tongue too.

Polyxene had been rather surprised at the wide range of gifts that had arrived for her wedding. She guessed some, if not a lot of it, had been political and that there were towns that saw benefit in being friendly towards Palioslimin. She wondered too if it had been in part because of the stories circulating about how her father had “vanquished” the tavromachos; the minotaur as some now named it. It had been by his wits, rather than his strength of arms that had brought victory. However, the story, probably being regularly elaborated, seemed to have boosted Nikias’s reputation as being both a strong and wise ruler. The stories, like the one in the version Kallistratos had recounted to her, said little of the “hostage” that had brought peace. The storytellers, it sounded, had even forgotten that it was a young woman who had been sent, let alone her being Polyxene’s cousin; Nikias’s own niece, Elpida.

While they may not have been the best of friends as they had grown older, perhaps had even become rivals for the attention of specific men who caught their eye, Polyxene still thought of her cousin kindly. As time had passed, she missed her as a companion. There were occasions when she wondered if Elpida was simply eking out a hard life on that island of Tavrokranos or if she was living an easy life as a hostage and spared the tedious gatherings and events Polyxene had to attend.

The wedding gifts remaining were all stored in a small room off the main bedroom. All the perishables had long been used up and the textiles and practical ceramic and metal gifts put into service in this house up the valley from Palioslimin, that Polyxene and Kallistratos had been given. What that remained then were the more ornamental items that Polyxene imagined she would have to find somewhere to display in case the gift-giver even visited. Among these, what struck her immediately was the amphora. She wondered if it had been forgotten when the other drinks given had been put to use. However, even in the low light of this storage room, she saw that it was not like a typical amphora. It seemed to have been carved from grey-white stone, which, as she touched it, Polyxene established was marble. As she looked it seemed even to give off a slight glow and she imagined there were elements; perhaps crystals within the stone, that did that. It also felt very cold; much more than she would expect for something sitting around even in a shaded room.

Polyxene tried to lift it. She managed to get it off the floor enough to realise that it actually contained liquid that was sloshing around. Usually this would be wine. She was surprised that that had not been determined already. Then she envisaged that the beauty of the container had led some to simply assume this was an ornament and not a practical container. She could certainly imagine that when it was empty, rather than putting it to use in the kitchen or storerooms, she would have it set up in the dining room or perhaps the garden. While neither she nor Kallistratos were worshippers of Dionysus, they certainly did not eschew a good vintage of wine.

Polyxene got Taras, one of the stronger slaves, to fetch the amphora and take it to the wine cellar built into the rise in the hill. She then instructed the lead dinner servant, Zophyros, to serve it with the main meal that afternoon. Sipping it, she was pleased she had, as it proved to be so refreshing.

‘This is good stuff,’ Kallistratos said as he took the first mouthful of the wine at the dinner table.

‘It is watered, you know,’ Polyxene had already discovered that for herself.

‘Yes … I don’t know, but I have the sense that the water is why it is so refreshing; so cool. Where did it come from?’

‘It was a wedding gift that got overlooked. I found it this morning. It came in a grey marble amphora. Once it is empty, I thought we may display it here or in the garden, what do you think?’

They spent the rest of the meal discussing what they might do to the house and garden. With the food finished, it was typical for the pair of them to have a siesta until the evening. Today, though, Polyxene found she felt energised.

‘Are you going to rest now?’ Kallistratos asked as he did habitually.

Polyxene rose from her place with a saucy smile. ‘I feel a desire … a need, to do something else.’

She looked down to see the bulge at her husband’s crotch, visible in the chiton that reached to his knees and no doubt pressing hard against the perizoma beneath.

Kallistratos laughed. ‘My thought exactly.’

He sprung up and grasped his wife, but rather than hug her he lifted her from the floor and carried her through into their bed chamber. Polyxene would have had to confess that while her husband was a fit man, it appeared she had under-estimated his strength. He went down into a crouch and put her on to the bed. Then he tugged at the fastening on his chiton and let it fall. He whipped off his perizoma, even quicker. His cock stood out hard and proud and Polyxene was reminded of the crude figurines of Priapus or a satyr. Had she been too tired or distracted on previous occasions to realise how well-endowed Kallistratos was? Saying that, her own perizoma felt drenched with her sexual juice and she felt certain that she was open so far with the lust building inside, that she could already accommodate him well.

Undoing the jewelled fibula at her shoulder Polyxene shucked herself clear of her own longer chiton. Kallistratos strutted around her and then snatched at this robe, pulling it down the length of her to the accompaniment of Polyxene’s giggles. Then he was on the bed and tugged away her perizoma with his teeth. Laughing playfully, Polyxene reached to untie her strophic. Her breasts felt relieved as it seemed as if it had become too tight from them. As she removed it from her bust and torso, her breasts stood proud; their nipples looking thicker and protruding further than she thought was typical. Still, that was not something to worry about when her husband’s cock was rubbing up and down her labia, let alone when it slipped inside and filled her so much; going deep inside in a way that made Polyxene gasp in delight. While they had had good sex, even on their wedding night, perhaps it had taken some time to get to know each other’s bodies; to make it that much better.

As Kallistratos thrust long and wide into her and as she rode it all, Polyxene had no words, instead rapidly coming from her was a deep sonorous sound which signalled her pleasure. Her whole body felt enflamed by what was happening almost as if lightning was running the length of every limb and back again. Her head felt spun around in an exciting space somehow disconnected from time, but certainly locked into pleasure. Soon, Polyxene was arching up as if she could thrust herself deep into her husband. Part of her marvelled at the strength of her body, to almost lift him clear of the bed. However, no matter what she was doing, Polyxene did not dare question it, she simply continued to squeeze all the pleasure out from it all. Then she climaxed, howling with a volume which surely could be heard throughout the house; indeed into the land beyond. In response Kallistratos jetted thick ropes of seed into her with a sustained groan that rattled the furniture and the fittings of the bed chamber and distracted the livestock grazing in the fields outside.

****

Polyxene stepped from the water. Her maid, Rhode came forward with a fresh long chiton. For the moment, Polyxene waved her aside. She held up the polished bronze mirror and began to inspect her body. In the past week she had washed more often, coming to her bath reeking of sex. Both she and Kallistratos had been eager for it whenever in each other’s company either day or night and indeed, he, like Polyxene, found thoughts filled with sex. His latest delightful trick had been to run his tongue, which seemed to large and deliciously coarse, over her pussy and her clitoris that from all its exercise seemed to be thickening. In return Polyxene had learnt to suck her husband, to slide so much of his cock, almost always erect, into her mouth and to curl out her own long tongue to close right around its head. She had imagined it perhaps should be no surprise that a young married couple found so much in each other’s bodies. Kallistratos, though, had said it must be the watered wine. They had finished it all now, but if his theory was true, it had been the perfect wedding present.

This morning, however, perhaps because there was no more of the heady, tasty wine, Polyxene felt as if she was coming back down to Earth and seeing things her sex-addled mind had overlooked or, at least, seen as having lesser priority than satiating her lusts once more. Her breasts remained as pert as they always seemed to be; her long nipples erect too. She kept her hands away from them, knowing she could easily lose herself in toying with them. Her arms and legs, somehow seemed sleeker but fuller as if she was gaining the strength that she knew Kallistratos had. She had lifted the marble amphora into pride of place in the garden; at the time guessing it was because it was empty, but now she found herself reflecting on the strength she had shown. In some ways matching her growing strength, Polyxene found her finger and toenails were hard; darker too.

Now Polyxene looked in the mirror, wishing there was a better reflection than the polished bronze. She felt sure that her eyes were larger; the whites narrower, though. She did not count herself as a great beauty but did feel her nose had lost some of its elegance; was flatter. Her tongue flicked out to catch a drop of bathwater hanging from it. Then tentatively she reached up to what she felt sure were bumps on both sides of her head. She rubbed them. They did not feel sore, but they could not be ignored. There was another, smaller one at the small of her back. Surreptitiously, that morning, Polyxene had checked her husband only to find that he had similar bumps in just the same places.

Polyxene did not feel this was an illness, unless feeling more passionate and stronger counted as an ailment. However, she was sure it was a sign and she now decided that she had to consult the local priest. Poseidon was the prime god worshipped in Palioslimin, though, up in the hills behind the town, she wondered if the livestock farmers favoured another god; perhaps even Priapus. That thought reminded her of Kallistratos’s cock and how good it felt to have it so hard and deep within her. She tittered, imagining if she went to him now, naked as she was, she would be tempted to slide that beast right inside her just where she felt a hunger for it now.

****

Polyxene stepped away from the small temple. It was to Poseidon, it seemed, because from this promontory, the sea could be seen in most directions. The changes that had come on both her and Kallistratos in the past days could now not be ignored. Both of them had prominent bumps on the sides of their heads and the ones at the small of their backs had become short fleshy tails. While it was difficult to tell if their eyes or tongues were really larger; the darkening of their nails and the changes to their feet were now impossible to dismiss.

The priest seemed to have expected her visit. He had taken the offerings Polyxene had brought with the usual gratitude and had gone through the process of commending them to his god. However, he had gone through the rituals with what to Polyxene felt to be a perfunctory attitude. Instead, it was quickly apparent, he had been eager to talk to her. She guessed it was no surprise that he knew her name or indeed about what was happening to her and Kallistratos. Even if the servants were loyal, the couple had not taken particular efforts to hide themselves from tradesmen bringing what was required every day by a large noble residence.

What the priest had insisted upon was that Polyxene and Kallistratos had been specifically selected to serve Poseidon and that they must travel to Tavrokranos to do so; in the form that he had chosen for them. If they failed to do that then they risked the wrath of the sea god. Even inland his power to control earthquakes meant there was nowhere to escape his retribution on those who defied his will. Polyxene guessed she had known from early on that somehow her and her husband were steadily changing into minotaurs; the prized people of Poseidon. Many she knew would see it as a curse rather than a blessing. However, she understood now that her father had, through choice or compulsion, come to establish a particular connection with Poseidon. It was clear that his family had become of interest to the god and indeed were now a part of his plans.

With Rhode supporting her, Polyxene began the trek back to her home. She knew Kallistratos was not an unreasonable man, but maybe this was beyond what he could calmly expect. As she and her servant approached the house, Polyxene saw that her husband had come down the road towards them. In the next few minutes she recounted all that the priest had said. It turned out that it had been as Kallistratos had expected. He had in fact already begun to explore reaching the island and all that they might take to make their exile there as tolerable as possible.

They had talked for some hours but then had retired to bed, at first simply embracing each other. Then, however, the arousal, the urges that had come with their change, swept into them once more. Polyxene knew that whatever happened to her now, she would be having sex with her husband as frequently and intensely had become the case since their marriage, even if in future it would be lowing rather than pleasurable moans issuing from her excited body.

****

Stepping onto the sand, the various items of luggage were tossed out around the couple before the boatmen quickly pushed off. Polyxene turned to look at the boat returning to the small ship. She had felt that they could not compel any of their servants to land on these shores. Her servant, as much a companion and a friend, had stayed loyal to Polyxene as every day she had changed more. It had been hard to leave Rhode tearful on the ship as they were paddled away. However, now as Polyxene reflected on it, it had been for her own safety. While resembling cattle, Polyxene knew that, in fact, the tavromachos was renowned for eating flesh, indeed probably that of humans.

Though she had avoided considering it, Polyxene remained uncertain whether in effect Elpida had been a human sacrifice. Surely, becoming one of those creatures, she and Kallistratos would be immune. That though would not apply to Rhode and the others. Polyxene could not bring herself to visit her father, in part for fear that he would blame his contact with Tavrokranos for what had happened to his daughter. She had written to him, however, and in particular named the servants she charged him with finding employment for.

Now Polyxene pulled down the encompassing headscarf; unwrapped the cloth covers and removed the billowing dress. The crew had been heavily bribed, but still she and Kallistratos had done all that they could to keep out of sight on the voyage. Polyxene now wondered if perhaps it had been the acceptance of their coming to Tavrokranos which had accelerated their changes. Horn had broken through the skin on both their foreheads before they left Palioslimin and their tails were not only lengthening but gathering hair in the shade that theirs was becoming right across their bodies.

Their ears now hung laterally from the side of their heads and their feet now much resembled those of cattle than humans. While her breasts had become large and heavier, their nipples more prominent, Polyxene was relieved that they had not begun to migrate down her body nor for her to acquire additional nipples. If nothing else she felt some confidence that she would not go from being a cow-woman to being a cow.

Beside her, Kallistratos also stripped off the scarf that had covered his head and the wrappings around his body. Polyxene had become familiar with the lengthening of his face and how his nostrils had become prominent above his jutting jaws. Yet, she still found him handsome, though she was uncertain if that was because with her own body’s changes, how her mind saw and valued things had changed too. Certainly as Kallistratos’s horns edged further outwards, Polyxene realised her husband now almost exuded a sense of strength that had not been apparent before and which she really welcomed.

Kallistratos’s arms, torso and legs had filled out beyond even the muscle that he had developed through combat training. Most strikingly, though, they were covered in hair of white, grey and black and his skin was clearly almost a hide, if not at that stage already. He wore scanty leather clothes that had room if he grew more and his feet were wrapped in heavy boots which concealed that, in the place of toes, he now had large cloven hoofs. A little more self-conscious, Polyxene removed the last of her wraps to expose that she too now had leather clothes, cups laced closed over her ample breasts with thongs, but again with room to expand.

Feeling the breeze on her burgeoning hide, Polyxene tingled and knew that after the constraints of the voyage, she was feeling released and with that came the urge to couple. As her husband’s cock, still larger than before, arose pushing through the slit in his kilt, she saw that Kallistratos was feeling the same. Boldly she took his cock in her now large hand and stroked it. He gasped and chuckled. Here there would be no need to be concerned about when or where they had sex. After the journey Polyxene realised she needed it right now and slid to the sand on to all fours. She raised her tail which must be close to its full length and wiggled her backside as if her husband needed any encouragement. Quickly he was kneeling down and she felt the wonderful warmth of his cock sliding the length of her pursed hairless pussy lips before it slipped so far into her. She was barely aware that with her reshaped mouth and throat; her large heavy tongue so good at lapping her lover, she emitted sounds no human would make.

As she felt so filled with her husband’s thrusting cock and his heavy balls slapped against her rump, Polyxene let something go in her mind. She was not a woman any longer, here on this island, even if the magic had more to do, she was a minotaur. She might have human attributes, but she had become a beast: happy to couple where she was with no shame; no embarrassment. As her husband squirted hot seed into her, the recognition that any offspring produced with be horned and tailed like their parents, went like a jolt through Polyxene. The gate had been closed on her previous existence and there was now only forward; no way back. Kallistratos was bellowing his pleasure and Polyxene’s own deep sounds echoed him. She wondered for an instant if she would finally abandon speech, but then realised as a full tavromachos that gave her no concern.

The couple lay on the sand until they cooled and then rose. Polyxene did not realise that sex on Tavrokranos had driven the changes further still and just threads of the woman she had been remained. Her skin was now fully a cow’s hide and she swished her tail as if she was grazing. Around them were items abandoned by the sailors. While she had depended on servants, Polyxene was not one of those ladies who expected them to dress her and carry all her items. As she lifted the bundle of javelins, she was reminded how much strength this change had brought to her. She imagined if there were ever enough tavromachoi to raise an army, the females would fight alongside the males. She shuddered pleasurably as she realised that she was thinking about the future of her people. Her thoughts quickly spiralled into thinking of Kallistratos ruling in Palioslimin; their kind being a master race over the slow-witted, weak humans.

Soon they had gathered up the spare clothing, the leather sheets to make tents, the weapons for both of them and the dried food to sustain them if hunting or indeed fishing proved tougher than expected. Polyxene knew that some of her social class would feel that she had fallen a long way, to be living on a small island no better than a peasant or fisherwoman. However, as they walked up from the beach following a channel that simply seemed the right way to go, quickly she was dismissing the concerns of humans. The tavromachoi lived a different, better way, that she insisted without question.

Polyxene did not know if it was something in her changed character, but she felt certain of where they needed to be going. Still, both she and Kallistratos while they slung packs on their broad shoulders, carried a spear each and had a sheathed sword and long knife at their belts. Polyxene had no idea if they would have to battle the original resident of this island or if he would be willing to share tracts of this place with them. However, while far from being a warrior, Polyxene felt far more ready to face him in the matching form to him, than she would have done as a human. She wondered now back to what Elpida must have thought. As she tried to bring her cousin’s face to her mind’s eye, however, all she could envisage was a bovine face little different to the one she now had.

Up from the beach they were soon among olive trees and then into pine trees. Polyxene realised she had underestimated the speed that her muscular, long legs could make. Ahead, they then saw a stone building. Polyxene had the sense that Kallistratos had been drawn to it too; that they knew without any discussion that it was where they had to head. Was this the palace; the fortress of the minotaur? Their sense of it being essential to visit meant Polyxene dismissed any view that it was irrelevant. She wondered if they had been brought here simply to serve this island “king”. She had to have faith, though, Polyxene told herself, that Poseidon would want more from the pair of them than that. If he had wanted to bring servants there were shiploads of lower-class people he could have swept here.

‘I believe we go in,’ Kallistratos said.

While as a warrior; son of a leader, there had been no sheepishness in Kallistratos, him gaining this form seemed to have strengthened his confidence; his faith in his decisions. Polyxene found that she liked that not because she was submissive under that demeanour, but because she could face him as an equal; ready on the same terms as himself to face the challenges.

The building looked to date back perhaps centuries. Polyxene could see it had been built to mislead and confuse people. However, as with climbing up to this pine woods, she had no difficulty in sensing the right way to go and it was not long before they were stepping into a roofed room made of marble. Long bronze mirrors were fitted to its walls and light came in through shafts cut in the stonework.

Polyxene stopped as she caught sight of a full-length reflection of herself. While she still walked on two legs and had just two breasts despite how ample they had become, it was clear that she was no longer human. However, that excited her. Here she was blessed with the body that a god had felt it appropriate for her to have. She felt that simply being this, she acted as some kind of priestess to Poseidon.

Looking away from her reflection, Polyxene saw at the centre of the room was a low wall edging a pool into which bubbled a spring. The hairs of her hide seemed to prick up and she knew in that instant that it was water from here which had come in that special amphora, that had begun to work Poseidon’s magic on her and Kallistratos.

The room then resounded with the sound Kallistratos’s laugh and Polyxene joined in. It was not really a sound of humour, certainly not of ridicule, rather the sound of triumph that they could now see the entirety of the story they had been living. That chapter, though, Polyxene felt sure, had reached its end.

‘Well, we have found what brought us here; what readied us to live here.’

Kallistratos stooped his now massive form and scooped up a handful of water that to a human would have been like half-a-pail full. Polyxene did the same, unaware that the final changes were now complete and her progress from woman to tavromachos was at its end. It would take no less than the magic of a god to change her back and she had the sense that he would not wish to do that to one of “his” people. Rejoicing in that recognition; that sense of privilege, almost without thinking, Polyxene began to low.

Abruptly a bronze door that Polyxene had paid no attention to among the similar looking mirrors, flew open. Polyxene grabbed for her sword as a form the size of her husband filled the doorway. However, as her eyes adjusted, she saw he was just like them. He raised his large hands to show he carried no weapon.

‘You have arrived,’ he said, stepping back.

Polyxene let go of the hilt of her sword and stood. Kallistratos moved in much the same way. As she looked out to the meadow beyond, Polyxene saw there was a female standing there, with the same bovine features that she now had. A child, as cow-headed as herself, suckled at her breast.

‘You look so perfect,’ the female said. ‘I am so glad the wedding present proved to bring you this greater gift.’

‘Elpida?’ Polyxene asked, hoping it was true.

The female smiled broadly. ‘Yes, it is me.’

Polyxene realised her mind’s eye had pre-empted this meeting and had shown her cousin as she truly was.

‘I am Zosime now. This is Krios, my husband,’ she naturally indicated the male.

In turn he gave a gracious bow.

‘And this is Damali,’ she held up the baby. ‘Damali, this is your Aunt Aoede.’

‘Aoede?’

‘New form; new name. I chose it when we heard you on the beach.’

A tavromachos did not suffer embarrassment and Aoede as she became then, nodded with a smile, proud that her singing was that of the sexual climax of a minotaur rather than any human song.

‘And you, brother, “Nileas”, as Poseidon has made you reborn,’ Krios explained.

Kallistratos smiled and nodded, mouthing the name as if you get familiar with it.

‘Come, we will take you to your new home.’

Aoede and Nileas, new members of this small tribe, followed where they were led to a new wooden byre at the edge of the meadow. Soon they were eating raw meat and discussing all the stories that the newcomers brought. Having set Damali asleep in her cradle, Zosime returned naked to the fire. Aoede saw that her cousin was clearly aroused. As if this was a signal, Krios quickly shed his clothes and without saying anything Nileas matched him. Polyxene might have questioned what was happening, but the nostrils of Aoede picked up the strong sexual scent that almost made her drunk. As a tavromachos she had no ability to resist the urges. Her pussy was moist and already she was exuding that strong aroma that she knew would be alluring to the males.

‘Let us welcome you properly,’ Zosime said as she crawled along the ground to her cousin.

Zosime placed a deep kiss on Aoede’s lips, but then turned and headed to Nileas, soon slurping at his throbbing cock with her long, broad tongue. Aoede chuckled and mimicked Zosime, heading over to Krios and lapping at his cock until he began to grunt. Aoede slowly positioned herself and then slipped down on to his cock, pushing him back to prone position. Aoede’s heavily muscled thighs allowed her to rise and fall, squeezing as much as she could from the minotaur’s hard cock. The fact that in the firelight his features were little more than a stranger’s filled Aoede with a real buzz and soon the clearing was filled with animalistic sounds of two sets of creatures coupling with no shame, just pleasure from what their strong, rare bodies could do.

****

Aoede awoke. Dawn was lightening the sky. She knew immediately not simply where she was but what she was now and that she would wake in this form until the day Hades or perhaps Poseidon decided to gather her in. Then the sound came again and Aoede twitched her diamond shaped ears. She sat up from where she lay against Nileas, her husband, to catch whatever she had heard clearly if it came once more.

There it was. From the direction of the pine woods that rose up from the meadow there was a woman calling. ‘Mistress Polyxene! Mistress Polyxene!’ Rising to her feet deftly and as quietly as she could so as not to wake the others, Aoede headed out on to the meadow and then up to the pine woods. She knew the voice: it was Rhode. She could guess at the woman’s story and how she had ended up on the island. Yet, she felt it a duty to Poseidon to provide the next chapter. Rhode would be a servant no longer. While not completely certain of how the magic worked, Aoede was determined that Rhode should drink from the pool and would soon be Xenia, the latest tavromachos to join the growing tribe.

THE END.