Killian stepped back from the intense stare of the drow woman and seated himself upon a barrel. The sudden change in her emotional stance had startled him, and he had to centre himself. He decided to stall for a moment before asking any more questions. He gestured to a nearby barrel with a motion that was far more casual than he felt.

"Please, have a seat."

Lilien strode over to the barrel and sat on it as Killian reminded himself not to stare. She was very attractive and, in his experienced opinion, quite provocatively dressed. For someone who seemed to want to avoid the gaze of people she was certainly dressed the wrong way. He reminded himself to look at her eyes rather than her cleavage as she settled herself atop the barrel, the intensity of her enflamed eyes making that thankfully relatively easy. She seemed so alive to his sight.

"Where to start then?" Lilien pondered her words carefully. Among the things she did not particularly want to reveal were the fact that she had once been a man, she felt awkward enough about that as it was, the truth about her world of origin and the fact she hadn't known magic at all before Hort had allowed her to learn it. The fact that she had accidentally cast a spell in the first place to start all of this mess was as good a starting point as any, and helped to cover up the fact she came from a world without, as far as she knew, any real magic. "I was drawn to Hort's realm when I accidentally cast a spell I had thought was merely a strangely worded chant. I and four of my friends were pulled there by that spell where Hort waited for us, alone. It seemed that he had been trapped in his own realm by his peers for some time and had spent this time dreaming of escape and revenge." Lilien curled her hands into fists. She was surprised at how calm she sounded despite all the anger and fear she felt boiling inside her. Killian seemed to be regarding her with a calm and detached interest and Lilien guessed he was trying to take in her words and analyse them so that he might better understand about their mutual enemy.

"He first, however, decided that since he had been bored for so long that my friends and I could serve as a source of amusement for him. He…" She swallowed, calming herself before continuing. "He changed my friends and I to better suit his tastes and warped the minds of my friends so that they became his slaves. I don't really know why he wasn't able to alter my mind as well; just that it seemed he couldn't. His immediate desires satisfied, Hort then went on to create his army. He seemed to know what he was doing and in an incredibly short amount of time had populated his realm with a significant standing army. He tormented me for his amusement during this time, making my friends do degrading things for him and forcing me to watch." Lilien tried not to look Killian in the eyes. It was harder to talk about this than she had thought, even omitting as much as she was, and the sympathy she had caught in his eyes only made it worse for her. "He then used some of his own subjects to create a gate, twisting their tortured souls into his escape route. He expended one of the Firstborn for that, and it scares me to think that they each contain a power like that I witnessed with the sacrifice of that poor unnamed child." Lilien hugged herself and shuddered at the memory of that hideous act. "It was not too long after that when he decided to simply release me. I don't know why he did; he is sometimes as capricious as he is cruel." She dared to look up again and looked Killian in his bright eyes as she attempted to import the meaning of her words to him.

"Hort is cruel, whimsical and arrogant. He toys with the minds and bodies of others for his amusement. He seems to derive pleasure from tormenting others as much as he does in victory and overcoming trials. He is disturbingly intelligent and annoyingly insightful and powerful beyond what I had previously dreamed possible. He has an inevitable charisma about him that makes you unable to feel anything but some sort of passion towards him. While I have strived to hate him others have fallen in line with him out of a devotion that borders on love. Yet he is also kind and honourable in his own way. While undeniably malicious in nature, he rewards those who please him with a generosity that rivals the cruelty he visits upon those who fail. As much as I hate to admit it, it is easy to see why someone could follow him with such passion as I have seen from his followers. And I fear for whoever it is that has incurred his wrath, for to me it seems that they will inevitably fall beneath his wrath and be subject to his judgement for whatever it is that they have done to rise this driving passion I have seen in him."

Killian blinked. He gave himself a moment to absorb Lilien's words, bolstered by the intensity of her calm confidence. While what she had said definitely frightened him, he could not bring himself to believe she was lying. That or she was far better at manipulating people than he thought.

"What you say is certainly troubling. But if I may ask for some clarity here and there?" Killian watched as Lilien let out a deep breath, seeming to deflate slightly as she did so. He guessed she wasn't as calm as she appeared to be, and the earlier display of her fragile emotional state brought to Killian's mind the thought that he had best tread carefully around the possibly volatile woman. "You say he created an army, but of living beings? How is it that he did so? One can not simply create a soul; one has to allow it to come to them through the act of sharing oneself with another. Even the greatest of the gods can not violate this rule. How is it then that he has done as you…" Killian trailed off as he realised that Lilien was blushing, staring quite intently downwards at her feet. The terms 'for his amusement', 'enslaved' and 'Firstborn' quickly passed through his head in the reflexive way his mind had developed to aid him in social situations. Still, he realised he had gaffed. It didn't help that he couldn't tell when the dark elf was blushing due to the darkness of both the room and her skin. He felt a moment of indecision as he wondered how to deal with this awkward situation. Figuring that physically consoling her was the wrong action to take, and wishing he had a female counterpart to help in defusing the situation since in his experience women were more emotionally open to each other, he went for the only other option available to him. "I'm so sorry. Please forget I asked." He saw her shoulders heave as she sniffed.

"It's alright. I guess I would have had to tell you anyway." She was taking it better than he thought she really should. "That doesn't mean I like what he did to me and my friends." Killian decided that he had learned enough for now anyway. He didn't want to upset her further without better resources at hand. It was important that he secure a sense of camaraderie between them so that he could later introduce her to his allies that together they might be able to get more practical information form her without unduly stressing her. Besides, he had to admit that he found her quite attractive and didn't want to ruin his chances of developing a relationship with her himself.

"Look, I won't ask anymore of you for now, ok?" He hated himself for having to be so underhand about this to the obviously distraught and tormented woman who sat before him, but the practical side of him kept remembering what was at stake here. The fact that she so sheepishly nodded thankfully towards him while still avoiding his gaze only made him feel more guilty ."I'm going to go and talk to some of my friends and try and arrange somewhere for you to stay. I'll also try and arrange some alternate clothing for you. I have to admit that a drow in the city might cause an undue amount of concern, so I agree that we'll have to conceal your race for now. I have a friend who is quite the tailor and very discreet, I'll go talk to her and arrange a meeting, ok?" Lilien nodded like an upset child on the verge of recovery and wiped at her eyes. Killian suppressed the desire to laugh at an image so at odds with what he had seen not too long ago with the intensity she had displayed with her speech. He definitely needed to get her some girlfriends. He didn't want their best chance at holding Hort at bay to be wrought with emotional distress because she didn't have anyone to talk to. Killian stood up, his mind sorting through the things he had to do next.

"Just…" He looked up, his thoughts distracted as he looked at the beautiful, pleading face of the elven maiden. He thought he might be falling in love. "Just don't leave me alone down here too long, please?" Should he have wanted to refuse her request he knew right then he would have been incapable. He smiled reassuringly at her.

"I'll go talk to Dorian before I leave. I'll make sure he comes down here until young Thel wakes up. Since you brought her, I mean him," he rolled his eyes at this misstep in his speech which caused him to miss Lilien wincing slightly, "into this mess the least you can do is look after him for me, alright?" he smiled, hoping the jovial tone would help her mood. Fortunately she seemed to understand his tone was meant to try and cheer her up because she smiled. Killian found himself thinking that seeing her smile like that was worth a much bigger risk than possibly making her feel socially awkward, and knew he was falling for her pretty bad. He had to get out of here for his own good now.

"I had intended to look after her even without your request, good sir."

Killian bowed low to her and then headed for the entrance to the house.

"I thank you for your thoughtfulness, my lady. Until we meet again."

Lilien watched as the charismatic man left the room. She kind of liked him, and hoped they continued to get along this well. She just wished he would cut it out with all that polite chivalry stuff. Being treated as a delicate flower didn't suit her tastes too much, but he was so nice about it she couldn't bring herself to tell him to stop doing what obviously came so naturally to him. She sighed. Besides, it wasn't as if such an attitude wasn't entirely applicable to her now. Oh well. She got off her barrel, which was starting to make her butt sore with its rough surface and jagged rim, and retreated to a corner of the room behind some crates. She grabbed up her cloak and wrapped herself in its comfortingly concealing embrace after turning off the lamp so she wouldn't be seen by any casual passers by to the cellar, and hoped they didn't need anything in front of her hiding place, and sat down to have a good brood while she waited for someone to have a conversation with to arrive.

Killian snuck through the corridors of what was technically his house, keeping an eye out for servants. Things would be awkward for his brother if they found him liaising with a known felon. Even if he was the former master of the house. He managed to run into Dorian just as he was coming down the corridor to the cellars Killian had just left and the older brother waved the younger into a side room to reduce the chance of incidental discovery.

"So, what does she look like? Is she pretty?" Killian blinked, his brother seeming to enjoy the rare chance to catch his elder off guard.

"That's not really important right now. What matters is that she's definitely the person we were looking for. She also appears to be under a great deal of emotional stress and is possibly a little crazy, so I need to go and find some people to help normalise her mental condition. I also need to go visit a certain tailor so we can get something a little more effective at covering her up than that cloak."

"So she is pretty." Killian looked over at Dorian's roguish smile.

"The fate of the world is threatened and that's all you can think about?"

"I was just asking is all." Dorian shrugged. There was a brief pause while both brothers negotiated the awkward moment. "So is she-"

"Beautiful beyond my ability to describe. Happy?" Killian couldn't help but feel defeated when he saw his brother's smile.

"Yup."

"Oh, one other thing."

"What's that, brother?"

"She's a drow." Killian watched his brother who to his credit merely blinked.

"You're kidding."

"Would I really do something like that in a situation like this?" Killian gave Dorian his best serious look. Dorian sighed and reached up a hand to massage his temples.

"Yes, but no. No wonder she didn't want to be seen. Alright, you go see your tailor friend then to I assume commission an outfit that can at least conceal her race from onlookers. I'll go and…"

"I need you to go and keep her company." Killian interrupted him.

"What? Why? Didn't you tell her to wait in the cellar?"

"Well yes, but I think she's also a little unstable. I don't want to leave her alone for too long until we can figure out what's wrong with her or at the very least become a little more familiar with her. I haven't exactly cast detect evil on her you know."

"What have you gotten us into this time, brother?" Dorian could feel his headache getting worse. "Alright, I'll go talk to her. You need to talk to your tailor friend and find somewhere to hide her until we can more reliably conceal her identity. Tensions are bad enough around here without drow sightings in the city."

"I think I know how to engage in activity I don't want noticed by the law by now, Dorian." He gave his younger brother the look Dorian always got when he was trying to be a know-it-all. "How's Thel?"

"Sleeping. She seemed to be pretty calm here. Calm enough that she fell asleep quickly after I stashed her somewhere the servants hopefully won't find her… I have Jeeves looking after her if you're too worried. We can trust the old man, after all."

"That's alright then. I had best get going." He was stopped short when Dorian grabbed his arm. "What is it?"

"Don't suppose you at least got her name? I don't exactly want to wander down into the basement and call out 'Miss Drow, where are you?' you know."

Killian pinched the bridge of his nose. Obviously he was tired and distracted and needed some sleep. But that wasn't really a change from his normal state of affairs.

"Lilien. Her name is Lilien."

"Anything else important you're forgetting to tell me?" Killian pulled away from Dorian as he thought.

"Oh yeah, I think she may have been sexually abused by this Hort character. So watch out for that." Killian then dashed off, leaving his stunned brother behind before he got a chance to recover.

Muttering to himself about why he ever listened to his brother anymore when he left him tasks like this, Dorian headed straight for the cellar which he approached as if it had a powerful warding spell around it. He sighed and reached down for the trap door as he stopped mumbling, bracing himself for the field of social combat. Really, a dragon couldn't be that hard to fight could it? He could always go and do that instead… He had never been as good at dealing with women as his brother, despite their shared good looks, and having to deal with an apparently mentally unstable drow woman was definitely putting him on edge. He closed the trapdoor behind him before calling out.

"Miss Lilien? It's Dorian. My brother sent me here to keep you company…" He strained his eyes to see in the darkness and only just managed to stop himself jumping out of his skin when one of the lamps lit itself. Or rather, he noted as he spotted the robed figure, was lit by someone who could see perfectly in the dark. He swore her heard a brief giggle from her at his reaction.

"It's just Lilien please." She wandered over to a crate and sat down on it.

"I was wondering whether you were going to come at all."

"Well when you're told that there is a drow in your basement you tend to take it seriously." Dorian noticed Lilien stiffen.

"He told you that?"

Dorian cursed under his breath.

"Apparently without mentioning he wasn't supposed to. You'll have to forgive me; I'm not that good around women." He heard her laugh a little bitterly.

"I suppose I can understand given the circumstances. What trust is there between brothers if they don't share their secrets?" she gestured to another crate. "Sit down. You're making me nervous." Dorian was just glad he wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the situation. Misery loves company after all. There was a brief awkward silence after he sat near her. Apparently neither of them knew what to say. So Dorian took the plunge and broke the tension first.

"So is there anything you want to discuss? I can go on about my family and the nobility of the city if you want."

"Ha! I'd rather not. I never really was a fan of genealogy. Or history. Or social gatherings, to be honest. It was always just me and my little circle of friends." She sighed. "Not that it seems those will be happening anymore." Dorian could tell from the sound of her voice that talking about their lives was a bit of a minefield, and he had no real desire to be exploded.

"What about magic then?" The hood turned towards him. "From what I can tell you're pretty powerful, so I wouldn't mind talking about your views on magical theory…" Dorian couldn't tell if the enigmatic woman was interested or not from the way the darkness under her hood stared at him.

"Yeah, alright." Dorian tried not to exhale too quickly when he realised he had been holding his breath. He really wasn't very good at this. He'd have to try and get out of it the next time his brother asked him to talk to crazy women. "I've never really had someone to discuss it with so it will be interesting to have someone else's point of view." For her part, Lilien hoped this would ease the awkward air in the room. She also hoped her studies would let her keep up a discussion about magic with someone who had probably been doing it most of their life. And she found herself wishing that Killian would get back as soon as possible.

Killian wished he could go back to the house. It was so hard to get about on the streets these days. Due to his public activities his face was quite well known to local law enforcement. Not to mention a noble-turned-bandit was a popular notion amongst both the nobility and the lower classes. Dorian had told him he had quite the fan following amongst the ladies of the court. Of course the fact they had time for such idle gossip and joviality was one of the reasons he was in his situation in the first place. If only more of the so-called upper class spent time trying to improve society instead of merely benefiting from it the world would be a better place. He sighed and ducked through the servant's entrance to his target building.

"Excuse me sir, but this entrance is for employees on- Oh. It's you."

Killian smiled as he lowered his hood and smiled at the irate young woman standing before him. He had hoped to avoid her.

"Hello Milly." She advanced on him wagging her finger in his face as he was pressed back against the door he had just entered through.

"Don't you 'hello Milly' me, 'prince'. Do you know the trouble we had to go through last time you ducked through here? The guards still drop by on occasion to 'make sure we're safe'. It's making our customers uncomfortable and it's bad for business! How far are they behind you this time? Do we at least have five minutes to..." She trailed off as she noticed he didn't seem to be in a hurry and wasn't out of breath. She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. "So you make social calls now? What do you want?"

Killian swallowed nervously. At least she was in a good mood today.

"Actually I've come to commission your mistress for something." Milly's eyes remained narrowed.

"You know she doesn't design clothing for men."

"Actually it's for an acquaintance of mine…" Killian felt the temperature of the room drop by about ten degrees.

"Oh? I assume you can pay?"

"Of course." He flashed a warm smile that did nothing to heat the room back up.

"And she'll be here for a fitting soon?"

"Most assuredly." This is why he'd hoped to avoid Milly. Oh well. No choice but to push ahead now. He nervously looked for a way to escape his cornering as Milly scrutinised him.

"Oh well." She took a step back, giving Killian enough room to breath again. "Business is business I guess." He flinched at a particularly vicious glare. "Especially these days. Come on I'll take you to see the mistress and she can decide what to do with you."

Killian followed Milly's angry back as she led him into the building. As he thought back he didn't regret dating her as much as he had regretted having to break up with her. The woman had a vindictive streak a mile wide.

Killian blinked as the incense in the air made his head a little foggy. While he admired the tactics of a woman who was in the centre of a great deal of political intrigue he hated that her tactics worked against him as well. He would have to talk to Dorian about getting him something that would make him immune to her little drug-based tricks the next time he visited her. He rubbed his arm where Milly had punched him before she had left the entrance to her mistress' audience room as he pushed through the gauzy curtains. He made a note that she was still sensitive about their break up. He would have to try and avoid bringing Lilien in while Milly was around.

"Killian dear, do come in." He cleared his head as he parted the final curtains and stepped before the divine figure lounging on her plush sofa. She gestured grandly to a chair near her. "Do sit down." Killian bowed politely and moved to the indicated chair as his hostess switched to a sitting position, leaning languidly back. "Your arrival always heralds such eventful things, dear Killian. Tell me, what have you brought to amuse me today?"

Killian always enjoyed matching wits with his hostess. She had such a delightful wit, even when he was on the receiving end.

"Naught but inevitable chaos I'm afraid, m'lady. I come before you with a trial most vexing." She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"Chaos and a trial is it? Done playing hide and seek with the local law then?"

"Oh I assure you these two things are related. I have a new associate who is in dire need of something you are the best at providing."

"You are hiding something, aren't you dear Killian?" Killian bowed his head in deference.

"Always, m'lady." His hostess delicately cupped her chin while she regarded him for a second. He felt a chill pass through him from what he had no doubt was some magical effect.

"I am interested. Tell me more."

"Ah, but is surprise not the spice of life? As heady as the air we breathe?"

The lady laughed her delicate, silvery laugh.

"I will concede that point to you this time, Killian dear. Bring your 'associate'. And you had best hope I am as pleased with her as I am with you." Killian stood, bowed and then turned to leave. "I'm sure Milly will be delighted to meet her."

Killian turned to bow acknowledgement at this parting comment, admitting defeat for this round.

It was night before Killian made it back inside the house and carefully snuck his way back to the cellar. He opened the trapdoor and snuck down the stairs as he heard a low level chatter going on between his brother and Lilien. He sighed in resignation. Obviously they didn't know too much about making sure they weren't easy to discover. He spotted Thel lurking by some barrels in a darkened corner and nodded to her. She looked embarrassed at being spotted but then extricated herself from her hiding spot and wandered over to him.

"How's it going lad? The cellar life working out for you?" Thel moaned.

"It's been pretty boring since I woke up, sir. They've been discussing magical theory for hours. They only stopped so Mr. Dorian could get them some food. And then they didn't stop talking while they ate."

"Well, at least they seem to be getting along." Killian said with a smile. "Come on, we've got work to get to." Thel nodded and fell in behind him. "So, you two, I see you managed not to burn the house to the ground wile I was out." Dorian jumped a little at the sound of his voice while Lilien turned her hood towards him and nodded an acknowledgement. "I see you didn't take much care to hide yourselves down here though." Dorian coughed into his hand sheepishly while Lilien at least appeared to be a little embarrassed beneath her concealment.

"So how did things go? Did m'lady agree to help us out?" Dorian asked quickly. Killian decided to let him get away with the change in subject.

"She agreed to an audience at the very least. I have faith that she'll be interested enough to follow up on it."

"Do I at least get to know what I'm being led into?" Lilien asked, annoyance at being out of the loop tinging her words. Killian bowed apologetically.

"Of course. I'm sorry for not including you in my plans so far. I have a talented friend who will most assuredly be able to make you a garment that suits your needs for concealment of your self while still being somewhat practical to wear. She is a little, shall we say, eccentric however so we'll need to get you to have an audience with her before she'll agree to anything in particular."

"I don't suppose you could give me some details on these 'eccentricities' of hers could you?" Killian appeared to think for a second.

"Nothing that could adequately prepare you, I'm afraid. It is something best explained through experience. Don't worry though; I trust her as much as I trust my own brother." Killian felt himself being regarded suspiciously.

Obviously today was not a day he would win any points with women through his little social games. "The impression she leaves will be worth my silence, I assure you."

"Alright then. I'd rather not have to slink around in the darkness as soon as I can avoid it. When do we see her?"

"We can go now." Lilien stood up and dusted herself off.

"Well, I've had my first hot meal in a while thanks to the thoughtfulness of your brother," Killian winced at this. Obviously she was upset with him now too. He would have to find out why. "so I don't see why not. You ready to go, Thel?" The young girl nodded reluctantly and wandered over to Lilien's side. "Lead the way, Mr. Killian."

Killian wondered which god had decided he had used up his fortune for the day and had now decided that he needed little punishments to make up for his progress thus far.

It took them less time to wind their way back to the shop after dark than it had taken Killian during the day. Dorian had stayed behind to get back to work but since he didn't have much training at sneaking around that was probably a good thing. Especially since Lilien didn't seem to be so good at it. Not that she was clumsy or anything, indeed she seemed to move with a grace beyond that normally found in humans, but she just didn't know quite how to hold yourself to look inconspicuous and she certainly didn't know the proper layout of the city, unlike Thel and Killian.

She just hoped her lack of familiarity wasn't making things too hard for her guides. They had avoided two patrols so far and Lilien was just wondering how long it was before they reached their destination. As if on cue, Killian spoke up.

"We're here." Lilien was trying hard not to hold a grudge. She had felt a lot better after she had cried in front of him, but it had been awfully embarrassing. She didn't want to stereotype, but maybe women were just more emotional than men? Was it something Hort had done to her? She hoped she would be better able to control her emotions now, but she had been under a lot of stress lately. Perhaps it was better letting it all out. She sighed as Killian knocked on the plain looking side door of a fancy looking building. Apparently getting used to being a girl was more than getting comfortable with the new shape of her body. The door opened a crack and a sliver of light poured into the street.

"It is you. Alright, come in then." The woman had an accent that was becoming familiar to Lilien and the familiarity she seemed to show to Killian helped reassure her somewhat. The three of them ducked into the building as the woman closed the door behind her. "I'm going to assume your associate is the one in the suspicious looking robe?" Lilien hugged her suspicious robe all the tighter about her, making sure her face was still in shadow. She regarded the woman who had spoken.

She was slightly taller than Lilien, which really hurt her pride since the woman was only about 5'6", and had pleasant auburn hair that was kept in two short braids that brushed against her shoulder blades. A light dusting of freckles across her cheeks lent her a youthful appearance that was at war with the suspicious attitude in her light brown eyes. She appeared to be relatively fit and was wearing a plain looking if somewhat practical dress and shoes. She had a nice figure and a decent bust, but Lilien thought she wasn't nearly as pretty as herself. And then kicked herself for thinking it.

Where had that come from?

"Indeed. Are we okay to see the lady now?" The woman glanced over at Killian then marched up in front of Lilien. She held out her hand.

"I'm Milly, attendant to the mistress." Lilien hesitated for a second before reaching her own bandaged hand out to shake the offered one.

"I'm Lilien." She wasn't sure why, but Killian earned a glare from Milly at her words. She felt a little bit of animosity in the handshake too. Milly then glanced over with a little more friendliness at Thel.

"And your short friend?"

"Thel is my guide to the city. I'm new here and am unfamiliar with much about this city." Lilien had decided to guard herself around this woman until she knew more about her. Thel at least got a warm smile and nodded back in return.

"Well come on then. We don't want to keep the mistress waiting."

Lilien and her cohorts were lead through the building. Killian seemed confidant of the way but Thel kept glancing around nervously. She was obviously unaccustomed to places like this. The building was fairly well appointed; the walls made of well polished wood panels and trimmed with gold. Instead of lamps there were glowing magical globes evenly spaced along the roof. The fact that they so resembled electrical lights helped put Lilien a little more at ease. It felt good to be in a building that felt much like those of her home, even if it was a little fancy. They finally came to a set of fancy doors that obviously barred the way to something important.

"Just go in Lady Lilien. The mistress is expecting you." Lilien tried not to twitch. Why did everyone have to give her some female title? She took a deep breath to calm herself and then reached for the door handle. Feeling a little like a trespasser she clicked it open and went to step through. "Oh no, not you mister." Lilien looked back to see Killian's arm captured by Milly. "We've got some talking to do." From the expression on Milly's face and the pleading look on Killian's face Lilien thought she finally understood Milly a little better already.

"You stay with Killian, Thel. Make sure Milly doesn't hurt him too much, ok?" Thel nodded quietly and followed as Milly dragged Killian off. He shot Lilien a single look of panicked betrayal before allowing himself to be taken away. Smiling, Lilien looked away and stepped into the darkened room beyond the door.

She coughed a little at the smoke that filled the air. It smelled pleasant enough but it was a little cloying. The intended effect of darkening the room was also annoyingly lost on her since her darkvision compensated immediately. Someone had obviously put in a lot of effort into the appearance of the room and the effect it had on visitors and as a GM Lilien was a little disappointed to be denied the full effect of someone else's hard work. She tried to get used to the smoke as she pushed her way through the wispy curtains towards the centre of the room. Obviously whoever had set this up would be there. She stepped past the final veils to be confronted with a woman of complex beauty.

She stood easily six and a half feet tall. Her willowy limbs seemed slightly stretched compared to her body for a human even if her delicately sculptured features looked like those copied off some of the best Roman statues Lilien could remember seeing. She wore a loose white robe secured over her left shoulder with an intricate gold clasp in a Roman style, helping to further the comparison. Even though it wouldn't be Roman style here, Lilien thought. She was completely bald aside from her eyebrows but despite this seemed alluringly beautiful not in spite of her vague inhumanity but because of it. Strange, semi-transparent wings made of gossamer golden threads were folded behind her. She smiled strangely at Lilien as Lilien stepped into her sanctum, her pure golden eyes flashing in the low light.

"Welcome to my abode. I am Yrellia the Artisan, daughter of Luminous Grace, attendant to Ishpael the Merciful."

Lilien blinked. She wondered what she had gotten herself into.

"I am Lilien." Yrellia raised an eyebrow quizzically at her response.

"No titles? No one to say from whom you descend? Curious."

"I have no other titles or name to lay claim to… Uh, you'll have to excuse my manners but what is the correct title to address you with?" Yrellia caressed her cheek with one hand while the corner of her mouth turned up.

"Most refer to me as m'lady. You would be happy with just Lilien I assume?" Lilien nodded. "Very well then. I am interested. You smell of a god I am unfamiliar with."

"Not by choice, I assure you." Lilien watched a little nervously as Yrellia started to pace around her. She was somewhat reminded of a shark circling its prey.

"Some animosity there then? But there is something else. There is an odd aura about you and a strangely high level of magic… But most of that is your own? Yes. You are like a beacon of power. Some of it natural to your soul, some induced by happenstance… Very curious. Come now. I would see what I have to work with. Cast off your robe, please."

Lilien was feeling pretty nervous. Some weird magical lady was scrutinizing her in ways that made senses she was only just becoming aware of in the magical range a little uncomfortable. But this was what she had come here for. She was glad she had managed to get Thel away from here. She wasn't quite ready to let the girl know about her new racial identity. She unclasped the robe and let it fall to her feet as Yrellia continued to circle her.

"A drow? But you do not taste of drow… An alteration then? Yes?" Lilien got the impression she was actually supposed to answer this one.

"Yes. I was originally human."

"By divine power… Very complex. No doubt the source of your animosity. Curious. Unique even. And so appealingly worked…" Lilien flinched away from Yrellia's inquisitive touch. "Apologies. I should have asked." Yrellia stopped before Lilien and glanced over her from head to toe. "Yes. This is something I will do. I will make you a garment. Payment will be the conversation we will have while I make it, as measurements must be taken and fittings done. Are there any other conditions you would like to add?"

Lilien blinked, a little overwhelmed by the strange personality she faced.

"I want to keep my current robe and belt. Not for any practical reason, although they are useful, but because they're cursed against anyone else wearing them."

"Indeed? Ever more curious. You must lower your magical guards while I work though. They will impede my efforts. Do not worry; this building is protected from magical scrying."

Lilien felt she had quite lost control of the current situation.

"How much does dear Killian know of you?"

"Not very much. I only arrived in the city earlier today."

"Very well. I will not discuss your affairs without your permission, and will have my assistant promise the same. Do we have a deal then?"

Lilien felt as though there should have been something to mark the moment, like some bright flash of light or a sense of destiny or something. She guessed even in other worlds though, reality was different from fiction. No great sparks to show this was an important occasion, no feeling but the sense of strangeness accompanying her situation.

"Alright, we have a deal." Yrellia smiled happily in response.

"Excellent. Don your robe again if you wish. I will allow you and your charge to stay here until my work is done. Go and tell dear Killian he is to depart for now." Lilien pulled her robe up around herself and turned to leave.

"I look forward to us working together, Lilien."

For the first time in her life apart from her abuse at the hand of Hort, Lilien found herself embroiled in something that she had only dreamed of wistfully until now. The only problem was whether being turned into a girl was a price worth what she was about to experience… She was kind of looking forward to finding out.