Continued...      When he was done his parents and Dr. Spockrates all stood there dumbfounded (and who could blame them?) “Doctor,” Edric said finally. “Is there anything you can do for my poor dysphoric child?”      Dr. Spockrates tugged at his beard in evident frustration. “Never having encountered such a case I don’t know, he said. “But I rather doubt it.” And it was then (if you can believe it) that the Fairy of Tranquillity, who was often called Cybele (though she seldom answered to it) appeared. “Hi, there!” she said brightly. “I couldn’t help overhearing the whole thing (since I’m an inveterate eavesdropper ) and, since I happen to have a couple of wishes left over from the previous story I thought maybe I could be of some service.”      “Huh?” said everybody.      “Alaric,” said the Fairy. “What is your fondest wish?”      “To be a girl, of course!!” said the lad.      “Done!” said Cybele.      And with an awesome sss---whooosh young Alaric was transformed into a lovely golden-haired princess. “From now on you shall be called Beatrice,” said Cybele, pronouncing it in the Italian manner. “Which means blessed…for you have been blessed to leave the dull world of masculinity behind and to join the glorious world of womanhood!”      And, with that rather hyperbolous pronouncement, Cybele disappeared.      “Good Gad!” cried Edric. “Now what shall we do?”      No one appeared to have an answer to that but, just then, Sir Roderick the Valiant, from the neighboring Dukedom of Earl suddenly entered. “Sir Edric!” he cried.      “Hmmm?” said Edric.      “I have come to ask for the hand of thy daughter, the fair lady Beatrice, in marriage!”      “Good old Cybele (not her real name),” Alaric muttered sotto-voce. “She never leaves a job half done!”      “Ah!” said Edric. Sudden visions of a most useful alliance with Earl dancing in his head. “Er…of course! Er…how about it?” he whispered to his newfound daughter.      Beatrice fluttered her eyelashes most becomingly. “Oh, sir!” she cried. “I fear you do me too much honor! Nonetheless I would accept the proposal of such a noble (and well-endowed) young knight!”      And, amidst general rejoicing, the Fairest Flower of Ymor and the Young Duke of Earl were wedded and they lived happily ever after.                                                                                         Cassandra Morrison                             Copyright ©2001 Cassandra Anne Morrison