Love as a Form of Binding Ch. 19

**The showdown looms, though it's over the horizon at this point. There is a feeling of it, though, and that manifests in this just the way that it does in humans faced with uncertainty. Still, I've added a bit more of the small ones in this, since they're such a joy to write. For someone so mercurial, Illa is such a saucy thing that she often brings a smile to me. O_o

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Down below the great hall where so many demons now lived, Lewis was so very pleased at having had the chance to see and meet so many of the creatures that he'd always known had existed. He'd been introduced to so many, and he'd have been immensely happy to have had the chance to meet even one true demon.

But he'd met so many and heard a little of their tales - the ones that he could converse with at any rate, the ones who had come here first, and now so many of the others. Some of his favorites were the very few slayers that he'd been allowed to meet. The short conversations had required another to translate, but he'd felt a little honored that they'd expressed an interest.

The very humbling feeling that he also felt came from standing before such remarkable beings and the way that they'd treated him as though he was someone of a little importance to them - which felt odd, given that the smallest of them could crush his skull easily.

He knew that his poor old laptop was going to have its keyboard worn right off for all of the notes that he was going to be transcribing from the paper notebook that he always carried with him.

But he was tired now. It was past the middle of the night of his second day here, and since these wondrous creatures were going to be staying, he knew that he had at least a little time to get some rest before he came back tomorrow. Besides, there was also his regular job to do and he kept wondering just how to do that, given the new tenants, as it were.

He looked for Grrta, doing his best as he wandered around not to wake or disturb the few groups of slayers who were still bedded down in the main hall. Not all of the legions had found homes for themselves here yet, though the vast majority had. Mostly, the ones left here in the hall were the slayer scouts. They did not expect to be moved into other quarters tonight and were bedded down near and under the balcony where their legate was. The floor of the great hall was mostly empty now but for the scouts.

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After trying to sleep for a time, Zele extracted herself from the tangle of bodies that were the three of them; Toby, Maezou, and herself. She felt something, but it was the vaguest thing, not really a feeling or an idea or anything. It was just there. She walked off to the hot pool, thinking that after a soak there, she might get back to sleep.

Instead, she found Grrta there alone, and they talked for a while. Grrta told her about how she'd come to be under Lewis' roof, and Zele mentioned that she was aware of how it had gone. Grrta didn't understand until Zele showed her by assuming her four-footed shape and then it became clear, so they sat on the rocks in the middle of the pool and were silent for a time after Zele had assumed her more 'normal' demonic state, looking like a darker sister to Maezou.

"Zele sees that Grrta is a little troubled," she said, "What is wrong?"

"Nuthin'," Grrta replied as she watched the water vapor curl up from the surface of the pool, "or at least, nuthin' much, Zele. It's just that the girls down below, well they all seem te me te be lookin' at me fer advice and help. I try te help them, but I don't know much about this place down here, besides the part where I was kept. I just try to do the best fer them that I can.

They come te me with questions about where they'll sleep, and the best way te introduce oneself te one of them great big demons that they're fancyin' fer themselves. I don't mind and I want te help, but it's all a bit much. I thought that they had a leader in the one who was te bargain wi' Brinack and her lord there, but she only comes te me the same as the rest."

She looked up from the steaming surface of the water and saw her brother and Illa as they got in. She was about to apologize for having woken them, but Illa waved her hand, "We was up anyway. We heard what ye said, Grrta."

"Aye," Thiery nodded, as they waded over carefully, mindful of the deep hole somewhere in the pool, "We'll help ye, Grrta. Don't ye worry. If yer needin' a pair of assistants, well we're here te help."

Illa nodded her agreement and the next second, Grrta found herself in their arms. "I'm wantin' te be a proper big brother te ye," Thiery smiled, "I'm a just a wee bit late is all."

"And I'm happy te have another small one here with us," Illa grinned, "and if ye're my Thiery's sister, then I'm even happier te know ye and I'm wantin' so much te be yer friend."

"What did ye mean by that, Illa?" Thiery looked confused suddenly, "Grrta's my sister. She knew my name and our mother's name is the same. What we figured out is the only way that it all fits – and it does."

Illa looked a little uncomfortable. "Ye're right, Thiery, I just wasna there and I didna hear it all."

"Illa," Grrta said, "what did you mean, really? I can see that there's somethin' that ye're no sayin' here."

Illa looked really uncomfortable now. She looked down and spoke more to herself when she said, "Oh, I'm really the fuckwit now."

She looked up at them, "I wish I'da held my foolish tongue just now. I didna really mean anything by it. I'm just wonderin' about somethin'. Just from my own travels down here, I've found at least two more kitchens, no just the one here, and both of the other ones had cages big enough te keep ones our size in. Didja no see the goblin girls, Grrta? They all look like you. They've wee tusks like yours that don't stick out much. Didja no see that? It's the first thing that I thought of when I laid eyes on them – how much they look like you. Anyway, please, Grrta, forget what I said. I'm afraid that it was somethin' which I shoulda kept te maself." She looked as though she was about to cry.

"What's the matter wi' ye?" Thiery asked.

"I'm afraid that I've ruined somethin' wonderful," the imp said as she lowered her head. Grrta and Thiery looked at each other for a moment. "No ye haven't," Grrta said, putting her arm around Illa, "We just need te find out, that's all."

"I feel awful for what I said, Grrta," Illa said, "and it's all the worse comin' from one like me. You've got a lot of goblin in ye. We're not exactly known te be the best of friends, my kind and goblins. I don't have much love fer goblins, and I've killed a few in here when we was takin' it all over because goblins killed my mother. But I want ye te know that I'm not holdin' any of that against ye. I really want te be friends, you and me."

"I feel the same," Grrta said, "and I'm not enough goblin te mind what ye done, and I can understand why, Illa. They wasna very kind te me either."

She hugged Illa's shoulder a little for a second and said, "So we're still off te a great start, you and me, aren't we?"

Zele stood up. "Zele has something to find out down below. She is going there now. Who comes with her?"

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Lily waited for a time, thinking about other issues and details as she stood out on the balcony. No matter what was said about her by the so-called scholars of several human faiths, the truth was that Lily had given life to one demon girl and raised her to adulthood before she'd spawned Maezou. Not long after, there had been the little foundling Zele to raise as a sister to Maezou, and among them all, she was known simply as Mother. It seemed to fit and that was that.

But now she found that from its beginnings in the practical sense of being the mother to three demon girls, the name seemed to be expanding in its scope as many more now thought of her in a more matriarchal way – though it was never anything that she'd sought for herself. She wasn't anything like a mother to Tobias, but he sought her guidance at times. Alecto looked to see her in a motherly sort of way as well, and it was so easy to adopt some of that role whenever she spent time with her and Tisiphone. Racephet often stood somewhat aloof, though he conferred with Lily often.

And the pair of lovable small ones, the kobold and his imp girl, well, they were almost like a pair of ten year-olds, despite their true ages for the way that she was proud of them.

But now there were these others here, and she knew that the only practical path forward for them all was that they be treated as parts of this large and really extended family which seemed to be growing around her – all ninety-odd thousand of them. The goblin girls as well had latched on to Grrta as some sort of defacto leader of sorts. It was something to think about.

And then, she decided as she looked down, watching a solitary human form wandering in a searching sort of way, there was Lewis Crowe, the only other human in this. He and Sharon would need to be placed out of harm's way when the fire fell. She knew that they had some sort of distant working relationship between them, and she decided that it ought to grow a little closer.

Lewis looked up in surprise to find Lily in front of him there in the darkness. "You look so lost, Lewis, "she smiled, "I was watching from above there and I saw you. What is wrong, and if there is anything, then how might I help you?"

"Well I, ... "he stumbled over his words, "that is, I, ... well I'm looking for Grrta. I'm tired and I want to go home to bed. There's so much of interest to me here, and there seems to be so much which requires Grrta's attention that I thought it best to just go home and start again in the morning. But I can't find her anywhere."

"Well I know a few things, "Lily said, "It helps sometimes to be an ancient demon. I can sense that Grrta is with Thiery and Illa. I feel that they are down below and wish to speak to some of the goblin females. Your Grrta has been such a help these past two days, and like many of her kind, she needs far less sleep than humans. I would suggest that you go home and that I'd find a way to tell her, but you know that it is a long walk in the dark to get out of this hall and then you have a way to go to get home through the December wind in the full dark. There are no area lights here.

Why not stay the rest of the night here, and I'll still make sure that she knows where you are? Come and walk with me, Lewis. I'll take you to a bed where you can 'crash' as you would say, and on the way, we can talk a little about what will happen here soon. At some point, there will be an aftermath which will likely not be visible at all to your kind, but it will still require the kind of care that you have provided to the old castle. Indeed, I believe that the job will grow larger for you and some lord, either Tobias or maybe even I will need to pay you what that sort of job is worth, I think."

They walked off together and Lily led him to the chamber where Sharon slept. By that time, Lewis was feeling completely relaxed and looking forward to the good night's sleep that Lily's quiet and persuasive voice was leading him to. She guided him and he stood looking at Sharon as she slept.

"What ...?" Lewis was bewildered and the sound of his voice caused Sharon to awaken. Lewis would have expected some form of fearful shock in her features, but there was nothing like that. She smiled at him very softly and told him that she was happy that he was there and what a pleasant surprise it was to wake to find him there. "I've been wanting to talk to you anyway," she said as she clutched the covers to her, but that was about all of the modesty that she appeared to want to show.

As hard as he tried, he could see that she seemed to be absolutely sincere. Lewis felt his jaw begin to open in amazement.

"I doubt that you'd understand my reasoning or my purpose, Lewis," Lily said as she smiled down at him, "but there is really nothing untoward about it. I need for you both to get closer. There will be lasting effects of course, but there will be nothing bad or terrible for any of the parties. I love Sharon very much, Lewis, so I obviously do not want anything very wrong to happen to her either. But this needs to happen between you."

He looked from Sharon to Lily. "Grrta, ..."

"She thinks that you hung the moon, Lewis," the demon smiled, "but things are a little different between goblins, imps, kobolds, all of these sorts of creatures than they are with humans. You might have a relationship with a human, and it is almost understood that while it lasts, it is to be exclusive. Sharon here is a bit different, because she wants to feel how it is to mate with a few demons, though she has the desire to be in a relationship at some point that is exclusive. I believe that you both have this in you, and it is my belief that you are about to find what is possible for the two of you."

He looked at Sharon, and though he had a sense that Lily was helping this along somehow, he also saw that Sharon nodded in her own understanding, so it wasn't as though they were both being forced into this.

Lily continued, "Unless you and Grrta agreed to be monogamous, she can still love you with all of her heart, even after what is about to happen. She may also want to mate with others, since that is the way of the small ones that I have mentioned."

He nodded absently as he stared. Lily's wave removed Lewis' clothing. With a thought from the demon, Lewis got into the bed and they sat looking at each other with shy smiles.

"I must go now, children, but you should each know that the other one has always admired parts of your personality or appearance and knowledge. What has always gotten in the way has been the professional relationship. That does not exist here. You both carry my charm on you here. Let it guide your actions and enjoy this time, free from worry and doubt. Nothing is wrong here and there is no harm in expressing how you feel."

Lily smiled as she saw Sharon move to sit closer to Lewis, still holding on to her coverlet. She could feel how much they wanted to touch the other one now as she turned and stepped silently from the room.

Lily thought about another individual who was important to her. That one had connections to a few of the others. Maezou knew who had been kind enough to hide her when she was a very young female just learning to be a huntress. But there was another who did not know of any relationship and perhaps never would.

That changed nothing in Lily's eyes. She knew the reasons – all of them. But she also felt something rising inside herself at the same time - something which had remained dormant for ages.

This night of all nights, it had awakened in her once more.

What she now felt was a want in her that she hadn't felt since ...

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It took a while for them to work their way to the lower level. Zele and Illa had simply walked to the first landing not all that far below the storeroom floor. From there, they'd just spread their wings and glided down. Thiery and Grrta walked, talking between themselves, each wondering now.

When they reached the bottom, the foursome walked along the path and before long, they found themselves looking at several female goblins, the one who had acted as the spokesperson among them.

Thiery and Illa drew a lot of attention and stood a little ways off with Zele. Before long, there were almost a hundred standing around Grrta, wanting to know the answers to many questions and asking why the other ones were there.

"I'm run off my feet," Grrta said, "We're not here te answer questions now. We've got a few of our own."

"Just tell us what those ones are here for," one of them said. Her name was Bera and she stood pointing to Thiery and Illa, "there's one of them at least that doesna belong here. Get ye gone, ye foul thing!"

Illa did her best not to snarl back at her traditional enemies. Zele tried her best not to look too amused.

"One's an imp," Grrta said, "but she's a friend of mine, so keep yer thoughts te yerself. She's one of the ones who overthrew the king, so you should be a little nicer. The tall one's one of the pair who ripped the nine queen's lives away from them, so ye owe her as well. The male is my brother – as far as we know. That's what we're here about. We want te ask ye a few things."

This time, Grrta noticed that many of them here did indeed resemble her. She wondered how she'd missed that earlier.

"So what we wish te know, "Thiery said, "is how many of ye know of one girl that had a kobold fer her male at one time?" It got him far more raised hands than he'd have ever believed possible.

"Our goblin males were nae much in the way of husbands te any of our mothers," the 'leader' explained. "They didna do much of any work, and they was always drunk. The only thing that they ever agreed on was forcin' one of our mothers for their pleasure while three others held her down and waited their turn, so most of us don't really know who our true fathers even were. Well how would we? There was no goblin male here who knew a thing about actin' like a father."

"Aye," another said, "and they was no much at fightin' either. Most of 'em just gave up and left us all, hopin' te be spared by the bigger goblins. It didna work too well fer them either, not that we miss them."

A third one spoke who looked quite pretty and appeared to be a little closer to a kobold than she was to a goblin, though she had the skin tone of the others, "It was much easier and I daresay it was nicer te take a kobold male te bed, since they'd never hurt us. The truth be told, they smelled a sight better and they knew how te make a goblin girl laugh so much that she couldna keep her knees together.

And a kobold in yer bed is a sweet, sweet fuck," she said, "the kind that ye can lose yerself in so easy." she said, looking at Thiery.

"Here, "she said, "we're all seein' that this big male here, well he's got a lot of kobold in him, but he's the nicest one that we've ever seen, ye can bank on it. So I know that we'd no mind if - when ye get this business here done te yer satisfaction, if ye could find a way te just leave that boy here, we'd all be obliged te ye fer it."

They all looked around themselves in a bit of curiosity at the low moaning sound that they heard. It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. After looking around for a moment, it slowly dawned on them all that the source of the sound was Illa, who now stood with her head lowered a little and glaring through the light of her blood red eyes at them.

Thiery cleared his throat.

"I'm thinkin' that it would be a bit better if ye could just keep thoughts like that ye yerself, "Thiery said, frowning.

"Illa's my girl, and well, I'm with her, so I'd like it if we could just get the answers that we're lookin' for. Ye don't know it, but if ye could give her a try and not say things te make her spit and growl, ye'd find that she's a good one te have as a friend, and not the kind that ye can piss on and expect te live long fer it."

"Well if she hangs about here," Bera sneered, "she may find that it's no too healthy here fer her kind."

"Illa can take care of herself," Zele said, "but Zele wishes for it to be known that Illa is her sister's pet, as well as Thiery's mate. Thiery is Zeles's pet. Harm either of them - even if the goblins could, and Zele and her sister will feed the goblins their own skins."

"And who the fuck is this Zele, that we need te take such care te handle these ones wi' soft gloves?" Bera called from the back as she stepped up. She was a little bigger than the others, and used to getting her way through volume or intimidation or both.

But she lost her nerve when they all stepped back, seeing the hellhound there suddenly walking up to her to stand close enough to cause the female's hair to crinkle from her hot breath. "Zele is me," she rumbled, "it may delay your thoughts for an hour, but you should think before you squeak."