The Wolf’s Daughter

Phaedra couldn’t deny one thing she absolutely loved about the magic of this world, at least when it came to her home. While things like furniture and other supplies had to be brought in, the tunnels and rooms themselves were often shaped from the very stone itself. It made them both far sturdier than caves would be, as well as allowed them to be oddly ‘clean’ for what would normally be mineshafts.

But the most important, and useful part of them was that because they were shaped with magic, it was easy to navigate them with magic. So while she’d have normally gotten lost two or three times, she only actually got turned around once before she gave up and just used some magic to re-direct where she needed to go.

One of Dixxy’s bat demons were standing outside the door to the room, leaning against the wall and looking like he’d rather be asleep than here. Phaedra couldn’t help feeling a little bad when she approached and he quickly stood at attention. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Of course, lady Phaedra,” the demon said, blinking a few times. “My apologies, I was… err…”

“Nocturnal?” Phaedra asked.

“Yes,” he said sheepishly.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” Phaedra said before walking past him into the room. She’d have offered to lend some of her own guards, but for the time being Dixxy didn’t NEED any guards outside of her room. The only reason for them was a show of position or force. Which, to be honest, it did little of either to her. The idea of her cousin having authority was almost as laughable as the idea of her being a threat. But Phaedra couldn’t help but be reminded of small, yappy dogs from when she was human. The smallest dogs would make the most noise just so they could feel strong.

“Oof… sorry,” Phaedra said when she saw the state of the room. Well, she supposed they were still settling, so it wasn’t like her guest quarters could be that good. But even so, these ones were particularly bad. The room itself was almost solid stone, with two narrow slits in the wall to let in just a little air from outside and a hint of light. A small orb of light hovered in the middle of the room, illuminating the only bit of furniture. A cot, likely dragged in from the airship. “I see why you were in my room.”

“You really should get some better furniture,” Dixxy mumbled from her position on the cot. “I’ve seen prisons with more luxuries.”

“I wasn’t expecting to have guests for a while yet,” Phaedra said, crossing her arms. “Let alone ones I’d need to give sanctuary to.”

Dixxy gave a small grunt, but didn’t offer any more objection. “So, don’t tell anyone else about this, okay? Even Circe doesn’t know I can do this. Promise you’ll never tell.”

“Not even Circe?” Phaedra asked. “Of course, I promise.”

Dixxy nodded before spreading out her wings. She pushed the tips close together and, slowly, a small, black sphere appeared between them. She reached a hand into it and pulled out what looked like a small, black jar.

“You… you can use storage magic?” Phaedra asked softly. “Since when?”

“Dad taught me,” Dixxy said. “Jealous?”

“A bit…” Phaedra said. “Dad doesn’t know any and Gibs didn’t either.”

“I also know stasis magic, just enough to use this,” Dixxy said before she opened the lid of the bottle and peered inside. Slowly, she tipped it out and a flash of light erupted from the tip.

Phaedra went entirely still, her breath taken when she saw Lilith appear on the cot, her head slightly resting to the side. She was wearing the same armor she’d been wearing that day so long ago. Etched with ruins designed to amplify her magic while dampening and deflecting longer distance attacks such as spells or arrows. Black leather, it covered most of her body below her neck, along with her boots and gloves. Her hair was the most beautiful silver that Phaedra had ever seen, cut short and wild. Dark purple skin that was as flawless as her. When Phaedra had been a human she’d always been positively fascinated by dark elves. A matriarchal society, led by powerful women. Sure, they were often seen as the ‘villains’, but that didn’t make them any less exciting.

In retrospect, a part of her wondered if the appeal to them hadn’t been so much the leather and dominant women part, but had been that the ‘males’ were often treated in much the way females were treated elsewhere. Would she have found them as interesting if she hadn’t had to fight so hard to be a woman? In her world there were a lot of underlying racial implications with most dark elves that she had never really noticed or paid attention to. But dark elves had been her first real experience with that kind of society, even if it had been fictional. So was that why she fell so hard for them and idolized those kinds of women?

Then again, she found Yroth to be hot even now and that dragon was definitely a powerful woman. Maybe it was her own desire to be feminine that had made her wish to be like those who radiated strength, so she herself could be strong enough to face the challenges in front of her? She’d certainly had to fight tooth and nail in the days prior to being drawn into this world and if she’d not been strong enough she would have given up long ago.

Still, Lilith was beautiful, she’d thought so from the moment they’d met. Elves always were, though. ‘Perfect’, at least by the standards she’d always imagined. Too perfect, it had often gave her a weird, uncanny valley feeling when she’d been Medon. But Lilith had been so much more. She’d been strong, ferocious, playful, flirtatious, sexy, wild, everything that she’d wished she could be. The kind of woman she’d wished she could be.

Of all her companions, being near her had been the most agonizing and the harshest reminder that her dreams, the person she desperately wanted to be, was held forever beyond her reach. That she couldn’t be herself, or they’d all die and it would be her fault. She wondered how much of their past experiences had been colored by that pain?

Phaedra was shaken from her thoughts by a sudden pinch on her cheek. She yelped and looked down at Dixxy, who was staring up at her. “Are you listening now?”

“What?” Phaedra asked. “Sorry, I was just… thinking.”

“Apparently,” Dixxy said before rolling her eyes. “I probably could have taken you there. I said your name like five times. She’s just an elf.”

“Oh, it’s not… I wasn’t…” Phaedra said softly before glancing back at her. “She’s just…”

“She’s… what?” Dixxy asked.

“I guess… I don’t know,” Phaedra said with a shrug. “It’s hard to explain. I don’t even know if I know. It’s like… you know?”

“I couldn’t even begin to guess,” Dixxy said. “You looked so… sad. And it’s… weird. You’ve got this whole… you’re like… when Circe gets sad, her wings will sometimes just go all limp and sad? Your fleece does it. It… makes me want to hug you…”

Phaedra blinked and couldn’t help but smile before she stepped forward and gave the little succubus a hug. “Awwww. You know you can always hug me, little cousin,” she said in a playful tone.

“T-that wasn’t what I meant,” Dixxy said, her face burning bright red. “I-I meant you looked so pathetic, you just needed a hug! Not that I should give you one. A-and this isn’t me giving you a hug, it’s you giving me a hug!”

“Same thing,” Phaedra said before letting her go and gently patting her on the head. “You’re still my precious cousin and I hope you know it’s always welcome.”

“Y-you are such a sheep,” Dixxy said softly, her fists now clenched at her side in a way that Phaedra could only find adorable.

“I’m just the—” Phaedra went quiet when Lilith’s breathing suddenly changed. Just for a moment, but the woman had shifted slightly. “I… think she’s waking up.”

No, she wasn’t. She was awake. Likely had just woken up. Just the slightest hint towards it, but she’d seen Lilith do that before. Pretend to be asleep, until she launched her assault.

When she’d been Medon, she’d fallen for it too many times and gotten tackled and Lilith’s tongue in her mouth. Lilith was many things, subtle was not one of them. Still, easier than when Yroth did it. At least Lilith’s tongue couldn’t reach back to her throat.

“The stasis spell must be wearing off,” Dixxy said before her form began to shift. A moment later she was just another elf. It was incredibly unsettling just how perfect the transformation was, she even smelled like an elf. She then walked over, kneeling by the cot. “Lilith? Are you awake? We brought food.”

“Hmmmm… what’s… going on? Where am I?” Lilith asked, her eyes opening slowly as she looked up at them. “You were… the elf… Paradox?”

“Exactly,” Dixxy said with a small smile. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Yes, I think,” Lilith said before, slowly, she sat up with a grunt. Her legs hung over the side of the cot and she reached up a hand to hold her head, looking hurt, weak and exhausted.

Phaedra didn’t believe it for a second, but was increasingly aware that, of the three people in the room, she was the only one who wasn’t good at acting. Yet she was probably the one who was the most in danger if she failed to play her role well.

“I was on an airship,” Lilith said softly. “There were these… bat demons. You said they were part of the act?”

“I can hardly trick the demons into releasing one of their most dangerous prisoners to me with a bunch of elves on my ship, now can I?” Dixxy asked.

“And then there was another ship. Lightning. I remember there was lightning. After that…” Lilith trailed off. “You… did something, didn’t you?”

“I did,” Dixxy said, a small frown forming on her lips. “I couldn’t risk you being found, so I hid you away. It was a stasis spell.” Dixxy then held up the bottle for Lilith. “I hid you away so if the ship crashed, she’d never find you. Fortunately, I managed to get us to some… well… allies of mine in the demon lands. Circe is still out there, though, trying to find us. It’ll be a while before we’ll be able to get out to elven lands. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Lilith said before glancing towards Phaedra. “And… you are?”

“A lower demon in these lands,” Dixxy said. “One of my allies, Phaedra. There is no demon here I trust more.”

“Surprised you feel there are any you can trust,” Lilith said before sighing. “Okay, then. What happens now? You said before that Medon was alive?”

“Here, eat this,” Phaedra said, before holding out the little pucks.

Lilith took them and gave them a small sniff, before biting into one. She then glanced towards Dixxy. “A lower demon?” she asked.

“Kind of,” Dixxy said. “Let… me explain…”

Phaedra struggled to resist the urge to correct Dixxy as she told a slightly altered description of the spell that had brought Medon here. How after he’d perished, they’d tried to save him, instead grasping his soul and sending him somewhere in the world to be reborn. How Medon was likely missing most of his abilities and was incredibly vulnerable and frightened. The demons now knew Medon was out there, and were looking. So they needed to find, and protect, him first. Phaedra had to give her cousin props, she was a VERY good actress, she managed to put so much emotion into her words, even managing to be on the cusp of tears a few times when she spoke of ‘poor Medon all alone’.

By the end, Phaedra managed to feel both embarrassed and humbled at the display her cousin did. If she wasn’t Medon herself, she’d certainly have felt sorry for him, lost and confused in the world, who knew what was waiting to tear him apart.

Lilith didn’t fair much better, the last of the pucks eaten and a few tears in her eyes. “Oh Medon… you poor soul. The magic was never meant to be used like that… He wasn’t…”

“The tales we have of your journeys say that you and he were the closest,” Dixxy said before she took a seat besides her and reached out a hand, gently resting it on Lilith’s own. “Is there anywhere you can think of that he would retreat? Where he would seek out help? Even if his form was no longer his own?”

Lilith was silent for a long time, then, seemingly lost in thought. “All of us have been captured?”

“Had been,” Dixxy said softly.

“Even the dragon?” Lilith asked.

“The Ascended Dragon was slain,” Dixxy said. “Capturing her was… not an option to the demons. Her heart was devoured by the Wolf.”

Phaedra’s eyes widened and she clenched her fists. Was Dixxy really trying to say that Yroth was dead when they were literally in Yroth’s territory? Didn’t she know how dangerous that was? She quickly relaxed her hands when she saw Lilith glance over towards them and her eyes narrow.

“I see,” Lilith said before shaking her head. “The Ascended Dragon was never very close with Medon, anyway. She saw herself above us. She even abandoned us in the final battle, leaving Medon to face the Wolf alone.”

Phaedra desperately struggled to resist arguing that. Yroth hadn’t betrayed them, that had been…

Wait.

Lilith knew that. Was she lying? Or did she truly feel that way about Yroth?

“As for where Medon would go…” Lilith said softly. “I’ll be honest. He’d always been so quiet about the things he liked. He was a… rather… private person, our Medon. He only shared the inner workings of his heart with those he really trusted.”

“Did he not trust you?” Dixxy asked.

Lilith gave a rather wicked smile. “Oh, he trusted me most of all. The two of us had quite an intimate relationship,” Lilith said, her tone turning a little sultry.

Phaedra suppressed the powerful urge to bleat or stomp out of the room, but she couldn’t stop the blush from creeping up her cheeks.

“We kept it hidden, for the most part,” Lilith said, a hand moving to her cheek. “But oh, he was such a virile love maker, he—”

“I-I don’t believe that Medon would want us to know about this, if he was truly that private,” Phaedra said quickly as she struggled to resist the urge to grab the pillow off the bed and beat Lilith with it.

“Why wouldn’t he?” Lilith asked. “There’s no shame in wishing to bear the child of the great Hero from—”

“I don’t think this is really what we should be discussing!” Phaedra said, her wool starting to instinctively expand. Oh gosh she wished she could die. She was going to have SO MANY words for Lilith once she had the girl alone. Was she really telling people all of this?

“Hmmmmm… things… he liked…” Lilith mumbled softly, tapping her chin. “Well… I know he hated oranges… ohhhh. He was a bit lazy. He’d usually come with us when we went shopping, but he’d have us do all the choosing whenever we got things. He’d always want us to carry everything for him, too. Didn’t really seem to like actually thinking about it. He’d hide it around most people, but he was a bit of a heavy drinker. Whenever we’d end up somewhere with wine he’d always have us get a bottle for him.”

Phaedra blinked a few times. That wasn’t true at all. They’d get a bottle, but it was for Eve. She loved different wines and alcohols. She’d never touched the stuff as Medon.

“I see,” Dixxy said, a hand reaching up to her head. “I… suppose that’ll be a start. Hates oranges and likes alcohol isn’t really a lot to go off of, though. At least I know he’d never get along with Phaedra.”

“Sheep aren’t known for their love of wines,” Phaedra said softly. “And oranges are delicious.” Though, admittedly, she wasn’t as big a fan of them anymore.

“He’s also an amazing kisser,” Lilith said, a small smirk on her lips. “He did this thing with his tongue that—”

“C-can you not?” Phaedra asked, her cheeks going bright red before she glared at Dixxy, who only gave her an amused grin in return.

“Oh my,” Lilith said before she got to her feet and walked towards her.

Phaedra let out a startled little bleat and stumbled backwards until she hit the wall. Oh no. No no no no no.

Oh gosh, she was shorter than Lilith now. She realized that when Lilith put an arm against the wall, over her shoulder, and loomed over her. “Awwww. Aren’t you a shy little thing? Would you like me to demonstrate?”

Phaedra gulped and shook her head. Her fleece bristled, extending out slightly from her. She looked up into Lilith’s eyes and--

Her blood almost ran cold.

She’d been in this exact position once before. Even though she’d been taller, then, Lilith had a way of seeming to tower over you when she wanted to. She’d done this to her when she’d been Medon, once she’d been chosen as a companion.

But her eyes had been so light, then. Relaxed. Playful. Now? They were so much harder. They didn’t match the grin on her face. It was… subtle, she imagined. But she’d seen the happy, relaxed, playful smile of Lilith.

This was anything but that.

That smile was fake, cold, shallow. A lie in every single way.

“I’m sorry,” Phaedra said before her fleece extended outwards, knocking Lilith back from her. She then pulled away and raced from the room, slamming the door shut behind herself.

After a minute or two, Dixxy followed behind her, stepping out from the room. Once the door was closed, she walked over by her. “Are you okay? You were acting a bit strange.”

“I’m fine,” Phaedra said softly. “I just… I really didn’t like that.”

“Really? Considering the things I’ve heard about you and the dragon, I figured you’d be used to that,” Dixxy said with a light snicker. “You are still part succubus, after all.”

Phaedra just gave a light snort before shaking her head and starting to walk away. “I… I’m going to get some rest. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I… okay,” Dixxy said, her voice going soft and following after her. A few moments after Phaedra turned the corner, she felt a hand on her own. She stopped and turned back to see her cousin staring up at her with a concerned look. “Are you okay? Did it really bother you that much?”

“No,” Phaedra said, shaking her head. “It’s not… that. It wasn’t her. It was… it’s really hard to explain.”

“Can you try?”

“I don’t think I can,” Phaedra said softly. She then paused before turning back around and reaching her other hand out, patting her cousin on the head and ruffling her hair. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m just… a little shocked, I guess. She’s not what I imagined.”

Managing to be too much, and not enough, like she remembered.

…

She needed to tell her the truth. But that meant she had to get her alone, first. If only things could be that easy.

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