Chapter 37

Left alone, Glynda finally let out a sigh of relief. The day was over, her family was safe, Ilia was home, and everything could calm down once more. She turned to her daughter, now slithering into the freshly blanketed mattress, the tip of her tail still twitching nervously as she looked around the room, those beautiful blue eyes wide with tense curiosity. Glynda felt her heart ache at the expression. She felt guilty, this was a dream come true, to be charged with the care of her own...well not flesh and blood, but Ilia was no less her daughter than Blake was her wife. The circumstances were unfortunate, but Ilia was not far off leaving the nest anyway. Just a few more months, the dawn of spring would be upon them, and her hatchlings would be full grown lamia...and she may never have seen them again.

Now was not the time for such realities. Her family was safe. Cillia, Aya, Theela, Hyala and Ilia all, perfectly healthy, safe and sound. For the time being, she needed to tend to Ilia.

"Ilia my dear." Glynda crooned. The lamia snapped to attention at her approach. Glynda held her arms open with a smile and braced herself as the lamia hastily slithered into her embrace, nuzzling beneath her chin, breathing in her scent. She planted a kiss upon the girl's hair with a chuckle. "How are you feeling my sweet?" Ilia hummed in contentment. Glynda tutted. "Ilia, use your words."

Ilia huffed. "I feel good."

"Good girl." Glynda whispered. "And what do you think of your housemates?"

"Flower Girl smells nice...Tall Girl is afraid of me." Ilia observed.

"Pyrrha is merely unnerved." Glynda shifted to sit on the mattress, Ilia pulling away only to better adjust for comfort. "She was unaware of you, of your mother and sisters. To suddenly be confronted with that reality has...surprised her."

"Why?" Ilia asked, moving her head to lay in Glynda's lap, her tail splayed out over the makeshift nest.

"Because Pyrrha cultivates very simple views of the world." Glynda replied. "They help her feel safe, and to an extent I nurture this, but now her view of me has been upheaved. She will need some time to adjust. You should spend some time with her tomorrow, she will take good care of you."

"Is she like me?" Ilia asked.

Glynda had to admit, it was impressive that Ilia had noted that aspect of Pyrrha so soon, from body language and deference alone. "In a way." She confirmed. "Unlike you I did not carry her. She entered my care much later in life, but I take care of her as I would you...she is important to me, and you may consider her a sister if you wish."

"I will try mama...where is Bond Mother?" Ilia spoke in a small, timid voice.

Glynda found herself sighing in annoyance. "Blake is visiting a close friend, to discuss some important matters." She excused, poorly. "She will be home tomorrow, I promise."

"I miss her." Ilia noted.

"I know dear." Glynda soothed, gently stroking her daughter's hair. "She will warm to you, in time."

Ilia let out a small whine, her tail slithering to surround Glynda, the small lamia engulfing her Womb Mother, snuggling further into her warmth. Glynda could not help but smile. Of her daughters, Ilia had always been more drawn to her. The rare visits she paid always saw Ilia slithering out first to greet them. Her sisters followed their Brood Mother's example. Glynda was their Womb Mother, she carried them to term and cared for their health. Once she left, they continued to grow without a second thought spared. It was cold, but pragmatic. Most lamia set their mates free. Some killed them outright. Propagation and survival were their strongest instincts, and it had taken some time for Glynda to truly understand the extent of this.

Ilia though attached herself to Glynda, and much to her chagrin, Blake. The aspect had never approved of the experiment, and Glynda's ensuing attachment only complicated the matter. Blake had feared for her safety, then her sanity, and as the years went on, her heart. The passing of the first hatchling had shaken Glynda deeply. Blake had avoided the subject to the best of her ability, but Glynda knew Blake had felt something too, and her absence further confirmed this.

Now here was Ilia, on the same island, living in their home. Blake would not be able to avoid her forever. Ilia was as much her daughter as Glynda's, and the lamia loved her regardless of treatment. Ilia's soul was more gentle than those of her sisters. Glynda wondered if more of her soul had passed to her than the others. It would explain the magic, truly an anomaly, her scientific side brimmed with curiosity. Her motherly side, however, just wanted her daughter happy and safe.

"Today has been long and trying." Glynda whispered, still running her fingers through Ilia's hair. "We should sleep. Tomorrow will be a new day, full of new things for you to see and do."

"Will you stay?" Ilia asked.

"Of course I will my dear." Glynda nodded. "Allow me to close the door."

Glynda pecked Ilia on her brow as she stood, allowing her clothes to dematerialize as she strode to the door. She had not been a nudist before her time with Cillia, but as time progressed it became less and less comfortable to wear any. Just prior to her departure, it felt alien to put them on once more. It was not until Blake taught her to weave shadow that she was able to feel comfortable while clothed, but even so, there was something calming, freeing about being bare. The way the air brushed past her skin, the wood creaking beneath her feet, the texture of her daughter's scales sliding back around her. It reminded her that life...existence was beautiful, and worth experiencing raw and unfettered. But none brought her such comfort as the heart beat of Ilia, steady beneath her ear. She thanked the gods for their blessing, and slept soundly.

The rabbit was well-fed, but that did not mean it stopped looking for food. As it hopped along on the way back to its burrow, it sniffed at the air and the ground, looking for the odd morsel. It was aware of the humans nearby, three of them, standing some distance away. That was nothing unusual, they were frequently in the area. They were no threat, and too far away to matter anyway. The rabbit did not know, but its breakfast had come courtesy of their garden. The grass that filled the field near the garden soon gave way to dirt and sand as it crossed into the forest.

Trees towered over the tiny animal and the ground began to undulate far more than in the field. Up and down, up and down, the rabbit hopped around the roots and still remaining piles of dead leaves. It paused for a moment, sniffing the air. There was a new smell. Then a flash of movement out of the corner of its eye. The rabbit leapt out of the way just as an unfamiliar creature lunged out of a pile of detritus and slammed down where it had been standing. Another moment, another step closer, and escape would have been impossible.

Ilia quickly recovered from her initial miss. She had sprung from her hiding place too early and missed her prey. As the rabbit sprinted away, Ilia was in hot pursuit, effortlessly slithering over the uneven ground, gaining with every passing meter. The rabbit was fast, but over ground like this, she was faster. The animal slalomed through the trees in an effort to lose her, but the lamia had no trouble following. Each turn only slowed it down, allowing Ilia to close in. Just as Ilia was upon her prey, it disappeared into a hole in the ground. The hole was hidden beneath the gnarled roots of a tree, almost perfectly camouflaged, the ideal spot for the entrance to the rabbit's burrow. Ilia dove as the animal rushed inside, thrusting her arm into the burrow after it.

Glynda, Pyrrha and Ruby caught up just in time to find Ilia shoulder-deep in the burrow. She writhed and flailed, tail slapping against the ground, struggling to reach just a little farther. Surely her prey was just inches away. Then, with a sigh, she fell still. After lying on the ground for a few moments, Ilia whined, pulled her arm from the burrow and rose upright. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. It was another failed hunt. Another. Her sisters always caught something, and she went home hungry, relying on her mother to bring her food out of pity.

With a grunt, Ilia slammed her fist against a nearby tree. In that instant, fire exploded from her fist. The flames shot up the bark and soon the tree was engulfed, a towering column of smoke rising above the forest. Ilia gasped and sprung back, hissing as she took in the sight. Fire, again. But if magic caused the problem, it could solve it too. She had seen Glynda perform magic, using all sorts of elements. Ilia did her best imitation of the witch, spreading her arms wide and gesturing before directing her hands at the burning tree.

Fire jetted from Ilia's hands, adding to the already impressive inferno above her. She groaned and whined, turning toward Glynda and the others with a pathetic look on her face. The witch rushed over, casting frost to smother the flames before they could spread to neighboring trees. Ilia slithered away slowly, dejected, heading for home a failure as she had so many times before.

"It's okay Ilia." Pyrrha spoke, stepping up beside the lamia, who turned to face her. "You just need some practice, a little patience, and you'll get it." Ilia looked unconvinced.

"Plus that fire was really cool!" Ruby cheered. "I wish I could cast fire like that."

"I hate fire." Ilia hissed. She slithered on, faster this time, leaving the others behind. She appreciated what they were trying to do. Her mother had tried similar encouragement, for a while at least. She should have just accepted the breakfast Pyrrha had cooked her. It would have saved her the frustration and embarrassment. Hunting...stupid. Why did she even want to hunt? She sucked at hunting. She always would. No amount of practice would make her better, it never had. Perhaps she would make a better human than lamia.

After returning home, Ilia took a bath. She quite enjoyed human bathing. Lamia regularly bathed, to reduce their scent to hide them from both predators and prey, but they obviously did not have access to the soaps and shampoos humans used. They made Ilia feel so clean, and they smelled quite nice. Getting dressed afterwards was another new and enjoyable experience. She did not yet understand why humans wore clothes, but they were pretty and kept her warm. Lamia were warm blooded, but did not have the robust body temperature stability of humans, leaving them much more susceptible to changes in ambient temperature. Her new home was colder than she would have liked, but Glynda's sweatshirts kept Ilia nice and warm.

Ilia put her hair up into a ponytail, holding it in place with one of the stretchy bands humans used. They were quite a lot easier to work with than the bits of vine she had used back home. There was a knock at the door, and Ilia quickly moved to open it. She found Glynda waiting there. "Mama." Ilia shrunk and cast her gaze downward.

"Come now, cheer up." Glynda implored. She gently lifted Ilia's chin until she met her gaze, offering a reassuring smile. "I'm not here to scold you." Ilia managed to smile and straightened her posture a bit. "Why don't we take a little trip into town? I'll show you around, and you can meet some of my friends." Ilia dipped again, her face telegraphing her unease. "We could go visit Uncle Port!"

"Uncle Port?" Ilia spoke, her expression brightening. Glynda had told her stories of Uncle Port. He was a protector, like Blake, who had traveled the lands protecting the weak and fighting for justice and love. He had met and befriended all manner of magical creatures, just like Glynda.

So, after gathering Pyrrha and Ruby, Glynda led Ilia into town. The temperature had hardly warmed from the morning, but Ilia was kept warm by an undershirt, sweatshirt and winter coat. They were all a bit oversized, but they would have to do for now. Glynda promised to get Ilia some clothing that fit properly. Blake would surely be willing to weave some from her shadows, just as she did for Glynda. As the group moved through the town, Ilia was on the receiving end of strange looks from the few townspeople out and walking the streets. It could have been worse, all things considered.

"That's where our good friend Velvet lives and works." Glynda suddenly spoke, pointing to an unassuming building. "She's a kind girl who loves to make clothes." Just a little farther down the road, they came upon a small building with weapons, armor and tools in the windows. "This is where Uncle Port works." Glynda announced. "He's a blacksmith." Ilia was not familiar with the term 'blacksmith' but judging by what was on display, that meant he made things with metal.

Upon entering, they found it occupied by a large, mustachioed man who was hard at work hammering on a piece of metal. He looked up and spotted his guests. "Ah, Glynda! It's been too long since you've visited! What brings...well hello." He put his tools aside and approached, stooping down to get a better look at Ilia. She was tempted to hide, tightly squeezing her mother's hand.

"This is my daughter, Ilia." Glynda introduced. "Ilia, meet your Uncle Port."

"Ilia!" Port boomed. "Your mother's told me a lot about you!"

"And I've told her about you." Glynda noted. "Go on Ilia, say hello."

"Hello." Ilia managed, barely louder than a whisper. She raised her hand in a tentative wave.

"You're even cuter than I'd imagined." Port exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to meet you. What brings you all the way to Patch?"

"Ilia's developed an affinity for magic." Glynda explained. "I'll be teaching her to harness her powers."

"That makes sense, though it's quite unusual for a lamia to have magical abilities." Port scratched his chin.

"She's the only case I know of." Glynda nodded.

"So, where's Blake?" Port asked. "I wouldn't expect her to miss a family outing like this."

"She's just being difficult." Glynda excused. "She thinks bringing Ilia here will hurt her natural development."

"Oh nonsense." Port scoffed. "I once knew a lamia who was raised by humans from when she was a hatchling!"

"Really, you never told that story." Pyrrha observed.

"It wasn't very exciting, and doesn't really have anything to do with being a Huntsman, so it was never relevant." Port shrugged. "Well, not until now at least." He smiled as he reminisced. "I was in Vacuo, exploring mostly, but doing the occasional contract whenever I ran out of money. I walked into a bar after one night of hunting, and I was shocked, shocked, to find a lamia drinking at one of the tables! Even stranger, she was wearing an armored breastplate over a padded shirt. I was tempted to go right up to her to ask about her life, but I was sure she must be asked similar questions all the time, and I did not want to be rude."

"If you didn't ask her, how did you learn her story?" Ruby asked.

"The next day, I signed up to do a routine patrol of the main road." Port continued. "Bandits were always a problem you see. I headed out to begin the patrol, and who did I find but Ela! Of course I didn't know her name yet, but she introduced herself, as did I. I was still a hesitant to ask, but as we got going she guessed what I was thinking...or maybe I was making a face or staring. In any case, she asked if I was wondering how a lamia came to be living among humans. I confirmed I was, and she told me her tale. She had been orphaned as a hatchling. During a storm, a tree fell and crushed her mother, and when a man and his wife found her, none of her sisters were there either. Normally humans kill lamia on sight, but the woman convinced her husband to take Ela in. They were farmers who lived far from any towns, and Grimm were always a problem. Lamia were known to be ferocious fighters, particularly adept at killing Grimm. If they raised Ela to adulthood, she could protect the farm."

"That's sounds rather...selfish." Pyrrha noted.

"Yes, it does." Port confirmed. "But as they raised her, Ela became a proper member of the family, just as loved by her adoptive parents as their own children. She had a happy childhood, and when she grew to maturing she began protecting the farm as planned, but she never had to stand guard alone, always joined by one of her siblings. She wasn't just a soldier there to protect them, she was truly a member of the family. They even offered to help her find a willing mate."

"What went wrong?" Glynda asked. "She wouldn't have left her family unless there was a reason."

"It's sad, but yes, there was a problem." Port's mood darkened. "Ela had become rather well known around the area, quite the curiosity. Most came to accept her, but not everyone who heard of her found the story heartwarming. A group of miscreants got together, determined to kill Ela. They held no malice towards her in particular, or lamia in general, they just wanted her skin. Lamia hide is rare and valuable, with scales used as armor and sometimes an alchemy ingredient. The poachers attacked the farm, and though Ela was able to fight them off, one of her brothers was wounded. She realized her family would never be safe as long as she was around, so she bid them a tearful farewell and embarked on a new life as an adventurer."

"That's really sad." Ruby sighed. "She never saw her family again?"

"No, no, she would visit from time to time, but always secretly." Port shook his head. "She could never stay for long however. She was sad to have to leave them, but she enjoyed her new life. As for our patrol, we didn't encounter anything and came back at the end of the day without anything of note to report. Then we parted ways. As far as I know, she's still out there exploring, though she'd be rather old by now. This all happened quite a long time ago."

"Fascinating." Glynda commented. "I would have loved to meet her. I still would."

"So, Ilia, how are you liking your new home?" Port asked.

"It's...alright." Ilia shrugged.

"She's a little discouraged." Glynda explained. "She had some trouble hunting this morning."

"Oh, that's nothing to be worried about." Port waved. "Ela hated hunting by hand too, called it a waste of effort and too unreliable. In fact she...hmm...this gives me an idea." He started towards the back room, pausing at the door. "I'm sorry to cut our get-together short, but you've just given me an idea. Please, come back tomorrow, it'll be ready then!"

"What?" Ruby asked.

"That's a surprise!" Port laughed. "The perfect welcome gift for our Ilia!" He disappeared into the back room.

"I'm almost afraid to see what he comes up with." Pyrrha chuckled.

"Yes, I'm sure it will be...interesting." Glynda smirked. She turned her attention to her daughter. "Now Ilia, why don't we go to meet some more friends?" Ilia hesitated for a moment before nodding. "That's the spirit!"