Chapter 17
"Lea, as much as I'd love to catch up," Harry lied, "We are kind of in a rush right now, so if we could just be on our way..."
Lea moved down the stairs in a graceful glide. If her feet ever touched them, Pyrrha couldn't tell. The woman smiled as she reached the bottom of the steps, and said, "Ah, but you are my guests, dear godson. Besides, we have not seen each other in so long."
Her lips turned into a pout, "I had hoped your station as the Winter Knight would let us see more of each other. But alas, you never visit, you never call, and we have not conversed since the time of your death."
Pyrrha sent Harry a glance, and he sent her a 'not now' expression. Lea continued with her rambling, drifting around the trio as she did. Each hound she passed seemed to relax and sit in place, their tails thumping against the ground, a noise not unlike a thunderstorm.
"Yet here you are now, and you brought friends!" she clasped her hands together and let out a sigh.
Her cat-eyes fell on Butters as she said that, and she grinned. Like her eyes, it was very cat-like, and Pyrrha had to wonder if Lea was a faunus of some kind. She clearly wasn't human, and Harry was actually being respectful, though whether that was because she was his godmother, or because he was scared of her, Pyrrha wasn't sure.
Butters gulped and took a step back from Lea. The woman giggled, "Oh, sir knight, worry not. I could not hurt you, even if the desire struck me now. You are under the protection of...another, power."
Her eyes flicked skyward with a disdainful bit of spite, before flicking back down to Butters, "You are a welcome guest in my estate, and as such, protected under the Accords. You may rest easy."
Butters let out a small sigh. Pyrrha didn't move from her spot, growing more confused by the second. Lea looked to her the moment Butters let out his sigh, and curiosity flashed in those inhuman eyes.
"As for you, child…"
Lea drifted across the floor, hands clasped together in front of her, and still smiling. She stopped less than a foot away, and Pyrrha had to make a conscious effort not to step back. They were the exact same height, and Lea's cat-eyes stared into hers. The predatory curiosity in them aroused something primal in Pyrrha, an old instinct she had learned to suppress a long time ago. It was screaming at her now to get as far away as possible from Lea, or she was going to die.
Her rational mind had a hard time arguing with that, and she was about ready to bolt, when she saw Harry out of the corner of her eye. He was shaking his head furiously, an obvious warning. Don't do anything stupid. Running from Lea, obviously, had to fall under such a wide list of actions.
So she remained standing while Lea gazed into her eyes. Pyrrha returned the gaze, and really wished she didn't have to. Lea's eyes were just wrong, fundamentally wrong. A human with eyes like that should not be. There was no movement, no obvious emotion to them. Lea was a living statue, with the soul and mind of a predator, one that Pyrrha knew, at her core, she had no chance against.
The only sound that accompanied their staring, was the sound of a winter breeze skimming against the icy courtyard, and the thunder of the hounds wagging tails. Everything else, was silent.
Yet somehow, Pyrrha kept her gaze focused, until Lea finally spoke, in a voice oozing with curious intent, "I have never seen you before, child. Tell me, what is your name?"
Harry began frantically waving his arms from behind Lea, shaking his head no, before pointing to the sky and whispering. A colossal neon sign, an obvious glamour, appeared over his head. It read: NO!
That was rather obvious, Pyrrha thought. She remembered what Harry had told her about giving her name to Supernatural creatures, and Lea was obviously a supernatural being of some kind. Pyrrha was inexperienced, not dumb.
So, she lied to Lea. She took a deep breath and said, "My name is… Penny. It is a...pleasure, to meet you Lea. Harry never mentioned you."
That amused the woman greatly, "Ah, well, Harry rarely mentions me. It's almost as if he's ashamed of me!" she laughed.
Pyrrha awkwardly laughed with her, and sent a pleading glance to Harry. He nodded and cleared his throat, "Well, godmother, its-"
Lea's laughter stopped, "So tell me, Penny, when did my godson find such a lovely creature such as yourself?"
"...What?"
Harry's mouth slowly fell open in shock. Behind Pyrrha, Butters slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead, and let out a tired sigh. Lea smiled at Pyrrha.
"I knew he has been spending time with the former constable, but I hadn't expected the Mantle to convince him to take two-"
"W-wait!" Pyrrha immediately interrupted. She knew it was probably a bad idea, but…
Lea paused, and one brow raised expectantly. Pyrrha bit her lower lip, and took her step back. She tapped her fingers together nervously, and said, "Um, Lea, Harry and I aren't...um...it's not…"
"Pyrrha's just a guest," Harry interjected, walking up next to Pyrrha. She sent him a grateful look, and he winked.
Lea quirked her lips, "Just a guest, hmm?"
"Yep, just a guest. She's living under my house for now, and is under my protection." Harry added the last bit through clenched teeth.
His godmother tapped her chin with one finger. Pyrrha noted her nails were filed into practical laws and were practically glowing a light red. Lea regarded Harry and Pyrrha together, before saying, "In character, I suppose, godson, and I will not deny that your resistance to the mantles influence is, at the very least, an admirable show of willpower."
Harry blinked in surprise at the compliment. "Um, thank yo-"
"However!" Lea interrupted, loudly, "I am still disappointed, my godson."
"In what?" Harry asked, obviously dreading the answer. Pyrrha began to slowly step back, to make room in case things went south.
Lea looked back at her, and Pyrrha froze. The cat-woman pointed a finger at Pyrrha and said, "I am disappointed in her state of dress! Look at those rags, they are filthy! You're the Winter Knight, child, a guest of yours should be dressed in the finest material you have! Ugh, must I always cleanup after your messes!?"
Pyrrha, Butters, and Harry all blinked in unison, then looked at said rags. Admittedly, the focus on finding and containing the Grimm had taken priority, but Lea was technically right. Pyrrha was coated in grime and muck, her clothes torn, muddy, and all colored the same shade of sewer brown. The smell had faded somewhat, but it still wasn't pleasant.
"Well it's not great, but I can change later…" Pyrrha muttered.
"No no no, this will not do," Lea said, and started pushing Harry away.
"Hey!" he protested, "What're you-"
"Shush, let me indulge, child," Lea said, grinning her cat's smile once more. "I so rarely get these chances, it should take not but a few moments."
Harry stepped back and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was a better option than the alternative he had been fearing, but they really didn't have time for this. Of course, Lea was clearly in no mood to listen to Harry, and had found something of interest in Pyrrha.
The redhead looked at him nervously, "Harry…?"
"Just...stay still Pyrrha, and let her indulge. You're safe right now."
She swallowed nervously, and nodded. He hadn't steered her wrong yet, and Lea seemed more… eccentric, than dangerous. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
"First, lets clean away that grime," Lea said, and waved her hand over Pyrrha.
An odd rippling feeling, like water, rolled over Pyrrha's skin. To her amazement, the filth Lea had whined about simply evaporated from her skin. Every inch of her body was clean, as if she'd just finished taking a long relaxing bath. Her clothes even felt freshly washed and dried!
"There we go!" Lea said happily, then folded her arms and tapped her chin, "Now, what can replace those rags you call clothes? Hmm…"
She snapped her fingers, and Pyrrha felt the rippling feeling again, and her clothes changed before her eyes. And Pyrrha felt her face burn with embarrassment at what Lea had chosen. Immodest was an...accurate description of the outfit.
Her t-shirt and shorts had been replaced with garments of silk that were admittedly light and soft to the touch, and left little to the imagination. White bands of cloth covered her biceps and forearms, and more of the cloth was lightly held her chest in place. Her shorts had remained relatively unchanged, replaced with that white silk, and shortened significantly. More strips of cloth wrapped around her legs, creating the illusion of a robe, though Pyrrha knew better. Her tiara had been replaced with a white shawl that fell down her back, thankfully covering what had been made bare thanks to lea.
Pyrrha crossed her arms over her chest and turned as red as her hair. Harry and Butters both coughed and looked away awkwardly. Lea quirked her lips again, but said nothing.
"I…" Pyrrha's voice was small. "I'm sorry, but this is really impractical for me."
Lea smiled, "Ah, I had thought so! You're a lady of war, I thought I recognized it in your stance. My apologies, allow me to fix this!"
Another snap of her fingers, and the strips of cloth were replaced with heavy armor along every surface of her skin. Plates along her arms, legs, chest, torso and neck. It was surprisingly light despite the sheer size of it, but Pyrrha could barely move in it!
"No, no. Too heavy," Lea sighed, and snapped her fingers again.
The armor shrunk and vanished into what could generously be described as a metal bikini with a cloth loincloth tacked on. Pyrrha lit up once more, and struggled to cover herself, "Not okay! Definitely not okay!"
Lea rolled her eyes, "Mortals. Lady Maeve went into battle with less on many occasions, and never complained."
"Maeve was also a complete psycho," Harry pointed out, peaking past his hands at Pyrrha.
She sent him a withering glare and he wisely looked away again. Lea sighed and snapped her fingers once more. Several times she went through the motions, going from armor that was impractically large, to clothing that would likely get Pyrrha arrested if she ever wore it in public. After several minutes of this, Lea sighed and lowered her hand.
"You are unpleasable, child. You refuse heavier armors, and yet the lighter one I provide for you offend your sensibilities!"
Pyrrha sighed and tried not to look at Lea's most recent outfit. It was worse than the bikini in some ways, just a simple sheer dress that stopped at the top of her thighs and a metal pauldron on one shoulder, with leather boots to match and a belt around her waist. Harry and Butters had turned their backs at this point, refusing to look until Lea was done playing dress up.
Lea scratched at her temple, then grinned, "Ah, a simple solution! I should have thought of this sooner."
She moved up to Pyrrha, and placed her index finger in the middle of her brow. Pyrrha looked up, cross eyed, "Um…?"
"Remain calm, child, this shall take but a moment," Lea promised.
That was when Pyrrha felt the ice flow into her skull, and panic gripped at her. She recognized this feeling, it was the same feeling from when the Gatekeeper had removed the blocks on her memory. Another consciousness worming its way into her mind, something that should not be possible, and now Lea was doing it to her!
Pyrrha tensed, prepared to attack Lea for violating her space…
And the woman's presence retracted, and Lea frowned, "Hmm, interesting. My godson is quite the magnet for trouble."
Pyrrha's jaw slowly tensed, and she forced herself to calm down. "Lea, what did you just do to me?" she demanded, voice low.
Lea waved a dismissive hand, "T'was merely a brief look at your memories, so I could find what I needed. I did indeed learn much from your mind."
She snapped her fingers, and the rippling feeling returned one last time. When it passed, Pyrrha slowly looked down at herself, dreading the worse. Another glorified bikini, or over designed suit of armor perhaps? Or some bizarre nightmare suit torn from her mind?
No, it was none of those.
Instead, Pyrrha looked down and saw that she was dressed in her old armor!
A leather corset with bronze highlights was wrapped around her chest, she wore a pair of black shorts with a red sash secured around them, and bronze plate armor covered her legs. She was gloved again, her left arm clad in a gauntlet, and when she reached for her throat, she felt the familiar and comforting metal of the broach she had worn for years with her armor. Even her tiara was back in place, shiny and new.
"Sometimes, we must look to the past for our inspiration," Lea explained, and added, "The armor is not permanent, however. Come noon tomorrow, and the enchantment will fade, and your clothing shall return to its original shape. I would recommend you force my godson to find something more fitting for yourself."
She pointed up at her tiara, "I have also left an enchantment within your crown, young warrior. So long as you wear it, your mind shall be safe from further manipulation. It shall not last forever either, however, I believe it will assist you greatly in the conflicts to come."
As Lea spoke, her tone grew more serious, and the amusement faded from her eyes. Pyrrha felt a frown cross her lips, "I… thank you, Lea. But why?"
"A good question, I'd like an answer too," Harry said. He and Butters had turned back around now, and Harry looked two parts confused and one part angry at the first two parts.
"Fae never give away gifts like that for free. What gives?"
Lea smiled, "T'was no gift, child. I merely fulfilled your role of providing adequate needs for your guest. No more no less. If it is a gift you are seeking though, I could remove the remaining blocks within her mind, for a price."
Pyrrha's heart leaped into her throat. A chance to have the full picture again, to remove the agony inducing blocks on her mind? That would be worth almost any price, anything so she could remember what really happened in Vale.
"Name your price!" she shouted. Harry went wide eyed and stiff, Butters covered his face, and Lea grinned.
She curled a bit of hair around her index finger, and clicked her tongue, "My price? I could think of several fair trades. Your first born child perhaps? A year of servitude? Perhaps I could ask for you to reveal the full truth of this 'Aura' I saw scattered through your memories?"
Pyrrha's elation soured, and she scowled. "Nevermind then, Lea. I thank you for what you have done, but I will unlock my memories on my own. Your prices are far too steep."
Harry sagged with relief. Despite losing a chance at revealing her memories, Pyrrha actually felt rather pleased with herself on rejecting Lea's offer. Perhaps she was finally adapting to this supernatural game? At least a little, anyway.
Lea shrugged, "So be it. I suppose now I will send you all on your way, I've taken up enough of your time."
"Wait, you're serious?" Harry asked. "But you were just going on about keeping us here for god know's how long, as guests."
She turned her eyes on Harry, and her expression grew serious again, "I am allowed to change my mind, godson. Now, where were you intent on going before arriving here?"
Harry looked at her with suspicion, but said, "To the Alpha's, but you're-"
"Then off you go!" Lea interrupted, and snapped her fingers.
A winter breeze rushed through the air, and the ground itself parted beneath their in an instant. The trio didn't have time to so much as scream, before they were swallowed up and vanished from the Leansidhe's estate courtyard.
Once the floor closed, she sagged where she stood, and cupped her forehead. Her eyes were wide, and for the first time in eons, the sidhe woman became aware of an emotion she had long since forgotten.
Fear had returned to her, and if what she had seen in the girls memories held any truth, than it would soon return to the Nevernever as well. In a situation like this, there was only one course of action to take.
"I must warn her. I must warn my queen."
A miniature blizzard wisped through the air around her, quickly consuming Lea in a blaze of white wind. It faded moments later, and where she had once stood, only emptiness remained.
A/N: This was a short chapter, but for good reason. The following scenes I felt would've detracted from it. Lea is, I feel, an odd character best enjoyed in small doses. She is also, a complete and total troll.
Of all the characters in the Dresden Files, I am convinced that Harry's Godmother exists for the sole purpose of trolling the hell out of everyone she meets. Maybe its just because she's nuttier than a peanut farm, but it makes her enjoyable to read and write. Admittedly, I didn't know what to do with her here, besides having her screw with Pyrrha for a bit, until I realized I could use her for some foreshadowing. As I did. We will see her again though, I can promise that. The spooky crazy sidhe lady shall return!
Now, as for the outfits I subjected Pyrrha too... Well that was mostly fanservice. This entire chapter could be considered the humor/fanservice chapter. I needed something simple to practice my writing on, and this was it. Next chapter will get more serious, and we get to some more classic Dresden Files stuff, as Harry and the others begin some investigating again, after discussing the implications of the Grimm attack and Lea's odd behavior, of course.