TriNcess

  As I'm busy snuggling myself against the exquisitely soft and warm snake—*cough* Kalisa, I'm being spoken about like I'm not even here.

  Kalisa looks at me like I'm an incovenience dropped at her doorstep, "Why did I have to come here, Drusil? You know how I feel about leaving my alchemical work."

  "I do, but I felt this meeting was over—"

  Hold on a minute.

  "Alchemy!? That means you need help with pnts and poisons and things? I can help! I'm—

  I'm yanked away from my warm and cozy sna-mia by Drusil as a hand goes over my mouth again. Rude.

  "Like I was saying. I felt this meeting was overdue. Strax is here to stay, and you're all expected to help her as well as protect her. Even from herself, as she is ignorant of what might be dangerous."

  It was one untested magical disk. I huff a little inside.

  "Drusil, you can't be serious."

  "I am."

  "But she's a child. I don't have time to be a babysitter."

  I am not a child. I'm at least thirty-two, hmpf.

  "I know, but she's also older than she looks, a new race from beyond this world, as well as a druid."

  Huh. I thought the room was surprised by me hugging Kalisa, but this left them fbbergasted. The dog and fox are whispering fiercely to each other and looking at me with wide eyes. Kalisa looks like she might faint. Drusil is looking...smug? Did she not tell them about this so she could be smug about it?

  Kalisa is shaking her head in, I wanna say, disbelief as she slithers forward and squints at us.

  "You're not thinking clearly, my Lady."

  "I most certainly am."

  "There is no way this child is a druid. She must have tricked you. Ensorcelled you with demonic mag-"

  Drusil hisses, cutting off the mia, who promptly pulls back and lowers herself subserviently as she coils about herself.

  "Kalisa of the Red Sands, do not insult my intelligence. I have taken her into my family as I have taken in each of you. Nothing more, nothing less."

  I open my mouth to say something but promptly shut it. Wow. Uhm, so I guess family wasn't a sort of adopted sisters/children thing. Huh. This seems a bit more serious than just using me for sex. Okay. Cool, cool, cool. No need to overthink it.

  "Now, Kalisa, this is Strax. Strax, this is Kalisa, who, despite her rudeness and uncivilized behavior unbecoming a woman of her station, is a great intellect and one of the richest and most talented alchemists on the continent. As she has decided to forego civility, I will also inform you that despite her station in life, she is also an exile from her tribe."

  Drusil delivers that weighty statement with a conflicted look at Kalisa.

  "But now she's in our pack and much better off!" Freki interjects from the couch where Sonne is petting her. Man, that's weird. Cute, though.

  "Yes, if they can't appreciate her mind, we certainly can. Even if her manners are stuck in her compost bin."

  Awww, cute. Huh, wait, where'd Zauberfee go? Craning my neck around to look—oh no. nonononopleaseno. Why are you kneeling?

  "The Great Spirit watch over us, the Mother of Earth bless us; this lowly one greets the heir to the druids, Archdruid Strax. I offer my body for your use, my knowledge for your perusal. Let your will dictate our futures."

  Ohhhh no. Please, why?

  "That's possibly the longest sentence you've ever said, Zau."

  Drusil. Help. Don't just compliment her eloquence!

  "Uhm, at ease? Just, it's fine. Uhm, keep on keeping on?"

  I make a vague shooing motion in the hope that she'll stop looking at me like I pulled her miracle baby out of a burning building. Which I could actually do now. Huh. Oh good, she's leaving. Nope. Okay, now she's standing behind Drusil and me.

  "You'll get used to it."

  No, I bloody won't, you wretched vampire! Prime chance! I unch myself back at Kalisa and hug her again.

  "Kalisa, magnificent, beautiful mia, please save me from the wretched vampire. I promise to help you with pnt things! I'm good at that! Oh, and fire! Really good with fire!"

  "Are we entirely sure she's a druid?" This is from the overgrown, adorable fox.

  "HEY! I am too! I'm just also a person who grew up normal and doesn't need people kneeling at her!"

  "Yes, quite certain. Did you not wonder why the ambient mana was rising? We haven't moved since Strax arrived, and none of the sea creatures" hold on sea creatures? " have attacked. Really, I know we haven't needed to be vigint for some time, but the x attitudes astound me." Oh Drusil, defender of my abilities, now--

  "What's this about sea creatures? No one said anything about an ocean!"

  "Ahahahah, the druid is afraid of a little water!"

  Oi, shut up, Freki!

  "YOU WOULD BE TOO IF YOU KNEW WHAT LIVES THERE!"

  Freki tilts her head at me. "I do, though?"

  ....Right. Hells. I forgot these people are abnormal, and fighting is normal here. Oh right, and magic. Wait a minute, I can breathe underwater with magic.

  "Saints damned stupid magic," I mutter.

  Kalisa, of all people, cps her hands.

  "Alright, quiet down, children. If Zauberfee of all people acknowledges it, I suppose it must be true. I apologize for my rudeness and welcome you aboard. I accept your...help...if you can provide it." and with that, she pries me off her and, well, slithers off. Huh... Never thought about how intimidating a snake's body movement looks at that size. That's really quite a lot of muscles.

  As I'm trying to figure out if I made her mad and what's going on, a fuzzy face squishes against mine as Sonne's two arms wrap around me from behind.

  "So, you're a druid, which is really, really nice. And I get it; attention is rough, so don't mind Zau. Why don't you tell us all about what you and our dear Dru have gotten up to while she was 'teaching' you? Hmmm cutie?"

  The rate at which my face is growing red and heated would astound even fictional characters.