The message had been long, overly descriptive, and filled with excessive levels of purple prose, but Theodora was used to her lord’s flights of fancy and his overly formal writing style. It had taken six read throughs and about two hour’s cross-referencing with famous works of literature to decipher the allusions and references. The message wasn’t anything worth concealing - it wasn’t code, it was just how the man wrote. He was ordering her, a loyal knight and representative of his interests in the Eastern Empire, to meet with the governess of the trade port.

Theodora wasn’t really sure what the specifics were, but then, she didn’t really need to. The Eastern Empire was notorious for its isolationist policies; foreigners weren’t allowed past the trade ports in all but a few exceptions. Presumably, her lord was angling to be one of those exceptions.

Whatever the case, her concern at the moment was not being late for that meeting. The knight arrived well ahead of time - while the Easterners didn’t place particular value on being early, they did value being punctual extremely highly, and she wouldn’t risk being delayed by cart traffic or busy market roads. As she walked down the street, she was acutely aware of how much she stood out. Tall, blonde, blue eyed, with distinctly different facial features and skin tone. The natives, on the other hand, were a bit shorter (although perhaps not as short as some of her fellows joked), had a darker hair and eye coloration, and notably different features especially around the eyes. It made her a bit uncomfortable, being the only one who looked like she did…

The Governor's Manor was elaborate by the standards of the East, coated in red paint and with an elaborate, tiered structure and probably too much gold. Theodora raised a hand to knock - this was the governess’ own home rather than a public facility - but before she made contact the door swung open and allowed her in. An Eastern woman in simple robes was at the door. “We’ve been expecting you, Lady Theodora.” she said.

Not the Governess, going by the robes, but a servant of her. Still, worth treating her with respect all the same. Theodora bowed. “At my lord’s request…” she started.

“I understand,” the servant cut her off. Theodora frowned a bit at that - weren’t Easterners supposed to highly value politeness? “We are well aware, and appreciate your punctuality. You may call me Hifumi. I will be your guide during your time here. Come.” she spun on her heel, and started off back into the house.

Theodora followed, taking some time to admire the opulence of the place. It was elaborate but not gaudy - wealthy, and wanting to show it, but with a bit more subtlety than just plastering the walls with gold leaf. Eventually, she was led into an elaborate… bedroom?

“I’m not planning to stay…” Theodora said.

Hifumi waved her off. “Do not worry. It’s simply tradition. A guest, even a business guest, shall be treated as well as one’s own family. You may wait in these chambers for the Governess.”

“Well… I guess it’s alright then.” Theodora said eventually.

“If you don’t mind… there’s another tradition that we ask of guests for the governess.” the servant said.

“Oh? What is it?”

“The next room over contains the hot spring bath.” Hifumi said. “There is some minor ritual in preparing to meet a governor or governess, including this cleansing. I assure you, it is most relaxing.”

“I’ve been in one of them before. You’re right, it is very relaxing.” Theodora agreed. She didn’t honestly want to waste time like that, but she had to be on her best behavior - it wouldn’t do to make a poor impression. “I took a bath before I came… but if it’s tradition, then it’s tradition, and I’ll comply with your wishes.”

Hifumi smiled serenely. “Excellent. Come, once you’ve removed your armor.”

A few minutes later, Theodora stepped into the hot spring room, her armor and clothes carefully put away and wearing only the provided towel. Hifumi was waiting for her in the spring, her naked form masked by the thick curtain of steam. Sweet smelling incense burned in candles dotted around the room. “Can… can I have privacy?” Theodora asked. She was far from ashamed of her body, of course - but some things were just done in private rather than in company.

“Please, relax,” Hifumi said. “I’ll be assisting you with the proper ritual. It’s something like normal soaking combined with a massage, so it does need another person present.”

“Oh, fine then…” Theodora said, dropping her towel and slipping slowly into the bath. At first, the heat repelled her, but as she sank in she breathed a sigh of relief. They had nothing like this back where she came from, a rather flat region lacking the features needed for a hot spring.

“The spring is actually some distance from here. There is a complex series of pumps that pipes it directly to this room, maintaining the heat with the assistance of some magic.” Hifumi explained, as if reading her thoughts.

“It’s impressive that the port has the resources for that kind of thing.” Theodora said, taking a bit to just soak in the heat and steam. The incense, she found, was a surprisingly nice part of the experience. It made her feel so relaxed, like nothing in the world could trouble her.

“It rather is, isn’t it?” Hifumi said. Without Theodora realizing, she’d approached under the cover of the steam. She was right up next to her. “If you’ll allow me…”

Theodora sighed, but acquiesced. She felt Hifumi shift behind her, and start gently rubbing the soap onto her back. She reached around to take some herself, but Hifumi swatted her hand away. “I can help…” Theodora said.

“Nonsense. You are a lady of high standing, are you not? It is my duty to help you prepare, not for you to prepare yourself.” Hifumi gently refuted. “I’ll do it myself, although I appreciate the offer.”

Theodora could sense that this argument would go nowhere, and allowed it. Soon, though, those concerns slipped right away. That incense, it smelled so nice… it was impossible to stay worried. Especially when Hifumi’s hands were so gentle, skilled. As she applied the soap to Theodora’s body, she also practically massaged it, delicate but strong hands kneading and pressing away the knots and stresses of a knight’s life.

In the daze of relaxation, it was impossible for Theodora to pay much attention to anything but the feeling of Hifumi’s hands on her body. Nothing mattered but those hands. Not even the fact her body was changing beneath them.

It was a slow and gradual change. As Hifumi rubbed the soap in and washed it off, the skin was left a different shade than it had been, nearer to the natives of the Eastern Empire than to Theodora’s homeland. Even as Hifumi reached around to rub the soap into Theodora’s bust, the knight was still far too relaxed, too pleased, to notice the transformation in progress. As the soap washed into the spring and surrounded her body, she began to shrink in size and build - she was a tall, fairly bulky woman. But that was changing, her height in particular decreasing dramatically, while her build became more slim and petite (though no less well muscled). “Ah…” she breathed softly, “Yes, please… whatever you’re doing, please don’t let it end…”

“Of course, my lady,” Hifumi whispered softly, “I live to serve my betters… let me wash away your cares, your regrets and worries…” she said, taking her time and making sure she was very thorough. Her hands roamed the knight’s body, down her stomach and across her hips, before reaching down below. “I must be… thorough, I’m sure you understand…” she said quietly.

“Oh, gods, yes, do…” Theodora moaned softly. It shouldn’t have felt this good, merely being touched. And yet it did. It so very much did. Theodora’s mind went blank as the fingers dipped into her entrance and started rubbing, and her noises of pleasure grew significantly louder as she writhed with ecstasy against her current partner.

Hifumi couldn’t help it - she was enjoying herself, enjoying both the transformation she was delivering and the pleasure in equal measure. But there was no time to make good on her increasing arousal - she had to take advantage of the knight’s current state.

While one hand continued to please her charge, Hifumi applied some shampoo to her free hand and began to run it through Theodora’s hand. As it soaked in, the platinum blonde hair began to darken, and lengthen. “You came to speak of trade, hm?” Hifumi said quietly, as if she weren’t in the process of transforming and fingering the knight.

“Mmm… yes…” Theodora said softly, her eyes fluttering as she struggled to stay upright.

“Your Master and my Mistress already spoke, and came to an agreement. He will have his trade routes… but he needed to offer something in exchange.” Hifumi said. Instead of explaining what, though, she changed topic abruptly. “You have such nice hair… so long, so silky and dark…”

“What…?” Theodora started, but was cut off by a moan again. Theodora kept her hair short, cropped, easy to keep in a helmet. But that was no longer the case as it grew out in a thick, voluminous wave, and rapidly changed color. It transitioned to brown and as Hifumi kept on rubbing, towards the deep midnight black she described. “Yes… yes, thank you…” she managed, no longer realizing what was different.

“You’re such a strong warrior, it’s an honor to be able to make you feel nice…” Hifumi said, “Honorable… strong… just… loyal… the very image of an Eastern samurai…” she said.

“Honorable… strong…” Theodora nodded, but frowned a little… “Wait, wha-” A sudden, firm pull from Hifumi’s fingers below the water cut any kind of complaint off once more. When Theodora came down from the brain-bending pleasure, she was back to her relaxed, dazed, horny state. “That’s… that’s right… just like that…” she moaned her praise of the servant’s work.

“The cleansing is nearly done, and then you’ll be able to meet the Governess…” Hifumi said, moving around to Theodora’s side. It was hard to believe she was the same woman who had entered the hot bath - almost all trace of foreign blood had been washed right off of her, but for the bright blue color of her eyes. She was a beautiful woman of the Eastern Empire now…

“Hnn… please…” Theodora moaned, and Hifumi needed no further prompting.

As her fingers spread the woman’s entrance once again, her other hand dipped her below the water, ostensibly to wash her face. “I appreciate that a samurai like you would allow me to serve you… now, be cleansed, so that we may face our mistress together, Tsubaki…” she spoke in the Eastern language rather than that of Theodora’s homeland, but she knew that Theodora - or rather, Tsubaki - would understand her perfectly.

When the woman came up from the water, her dazed expression no longer held any traces of the foreign influence - even her formerly blue eyes were now a dark, kind brown. “Thank you for your service, Hifumi…” Tsubaki said in her new native language, without a hint of an accent. “I would love to see you again later tonight. But first, I have business to attend to with the Governess…”

“Of course,” Hifumi said, bowing as much as she could in the water. She smiled a bit, as Tsubaki stepped out of the water. Both due to getting a nice view of her ass, and due to how successful she’d been.

The deal had been for Theodora. Or Tsubaki, now. Theodora’s lord had traded her for his prosperity. It was a very nice deal - he got trade privileges deeper in the empire. The governess got a loyal samurai retainer, and a very attractive one at that.

Hifumi, for her part, got something quite different out of it. She spent the next several hours fantasizing, and preparing the samurai’s new room. When Tsubaki came, she was waiting on the bed. It would be a very enjoyable night for the both of them.