Rounding another corner she skittered down onto the floor behind a pair of gremlins with bandages on their tails and ears, the young arachne now blushing with a nervous squeal as she covered her face.
“Oh god, Max is going to be there now? I can’t screw this up now, I just can’t! It’s bad enough I blew up his home, he must already have a poor opinion of my magical abilities, but now he’s going to be judging me with how I do today. C’mon, Bermuda, you have to pass the lesson. You have to show Max you’re not just some stupid spider with magic powers. Now’s your chance to impress him!”
She halted with a squeak, covering her mouth with both hands as she froze up. Quickly she looked around and saw nobody nearby, her hands slowly lowering as she tried to calm herself and failed as she felt her heart pounding in her chest.
“What am I saying? I’m not doing this to impress him. Why would I want to impress him? I’m doing this to impress my father. He’s the one I want to impress. Not Max. I shouldn’t care what Max thinks of me. Well, I mean I should. But not like that. It’s just… like that, right? Right? Oh dammit, this isn’t helping me stay focused at all!”
She bounced atop her legs with a flustered whine, yanking on her hair and crying something in a gibberish mess that nobody nearby heard or could have understood anyway. Not long into her nervous episode she quickly slapped herself hard, breaking her free and regaining her senses.
“Right,” she asserted, straightening her hair and shawl before skittering forward with determination. “It’s going to be alright, Bermuda. You’ve got this. You’re going to ace your lesson with father, you’re going to show Max and Lelu you know what you’re doing, you’re going to prove the residents here wrong in thinking I’m going to blow up Shadow’s Refuge one day, and you’re going to have a fantastic day with your new friends afterwards. Today. Is. The. Day!”
She marched over in front of the door to her friends’ room, took a moment to breathe deeply and exhale in preparation, and then got ready to knock before coming to a stop as she heard voices inside.
“Oh, Max,” Lelu moaned heavily. “It’s so tight.”
“Hold still, will you?” Max grunted. “Lelu, I don’t… I don’t think it’s going to fit.”
“Yes… it… can,” Lelu heaved. “It can. Just… do it… harder.”
“You’re going to hurt yourself, Lelu. We should stop-”
“No! I… can… handle it! Keep going! Don’t stop!”
“Shouldn’t we try something different? I don’t think this is going to-”
“We’ve already come this far, Max. Don’t back down now. Please, just… a little… more.”
“You really are a handful, you know that?” Max complained.
“So… I’ve… been… told,” Lelu moaned.
Bermuda stared at the door with wide eyes as she heard Lelu grunting and moaning while Max was struggling to continue with their activity, something the arachne was quickly envisioning inside her head in various scenarios while a large blush formed on her cheeks.
“Max… Lelu…” she breathed out. Pressing her ear to the door she heard the centaur and young boy inside while her imagination was beginning to run wild with what could be happening on the other side. With each passing second Bermuda’s legs began to wobble while her breathing became a little more ragged, her hands pressing against the door while she anxiously listened for what would happen next.
“You two… are already… you’re…” she whispered in shock. “Oh… wow. Max… you… beast. I didn’t know you were already interested in such… things.”
“What the fuck are you doing?” Grace asked. Hopping back with a squeak Bermuda returned to her senses, spinning around and spotting the young elf standing behind her. Laughing nervously Bermuda rubbed the back of her head while stammering some sort of nonsense, something Grace merely raised an eyebrow at while holding two plates in her hands, each containing bread, roasted pork, mashed corn, and strawberries. Her hair was up in her usual pigtails, however her tunic had been replaced by a more revealing variant, with dark embroidery patterns set across the green attire that barely covered her thighs and left her belly exposed in the front. Her short black and green fingerless gloves matched the tunic while on her upper left arm was a single brown band that she had recently taken an interest with wearing. Only her brown boots remained the same with her new outfit as she eyed over the arachne with her usual disparaging scowl.
“If you’re just going to stand there and spout nonsense, make yourself useful and open the door, would ya?”
“Um… about that,” Bermuda cautioned, glancing back to the door then the impatient elf.
“For fuck’s sake, move it,” Grace scoffed, shoving the arachne aside then kicking the door hard. “Hey! Open up! I’ve got my hands full and Bermuda forgot how a door works!”
“I think they’re… um… busy, Grace,” Bermuda warned with a nervous smile.
“I don’t give a shit, I’m hungry. Hey! Fuckface! Open the door!”
“Grace, you don’t understand, they’re-” Bermuda started to say before the door opened, much to her surprise.
“Excuse me?” Lelu demanded with a huff. “Just who do you think you’re speaking to like that? Are your manners completely lost inside that festering walking corpse of yours?”
Bermuda showed a puzzled look as the centaur and elf yelled at each other like always. However it wasn’t just the elf who had donned new clothing, as Lelu had also switched her attire, evidenced by the new frilly black and white laced skirt she wore below her human half, while her blouse had been switched out for a fancy white corset that made her large breasts much more prominent as they stuck out in front of her. Behind her head was a small white veil with a snowy flower resting above her ear, and Bermuda couldn’t help but notice the floral perfume the centaur was now wearing as well.
“Move it, fatass!” Grace shouted as she stormed into the room and shoved Lelu aside. “Hey, bitch! I’ve got your breakfast this morning. What do you say?”
“I think I prefer it when you call me your servant rather than that,” Max tiredly replied.
“What was that?” Grace shouted. “I just walked all the way to the dining hall and picked up breakfast for you because you’re a scared little chickenshit who hides in his room all day! I did a nice thing for you, so show some fucking gratitude and thank me properly!”
“I hate you so much,” Lelu fumed with anger and clenched fists. “You can’t talk to Max that way, you insufferable forest wench!”
Bermuda skittered closer to the door and looked inside, seeing the girls again getting into each other’s faces in their argument while sitting on the middle bed inside the room was Max. It was clear Shadow’s Refuge had changed his appearance as well, as the boy had ditched his dirty overalls for a finer set of clothing to wear. Soft black shoes, fine brown leggings, a formal white shirt and black waistband, and he was no longer covered in smudges or dirt as he hadn’t been doing any laboring chores lately.
“Max? Lelu?” she wondered.
“Good morning, Bermuda,” Max said with a small wave.
“Good… morning,” Bermuda confusedly replied as she entered the room. “What… what’s going on? What were you and Lelu doing earlier?”
“What were we doing earlier?”
“I was coming to greet you when I heard… some kind of struggle between you two. Is everything alright?”
“Oh, that. Yeah, I was just trying to fasten Lelu’s corset,” Max explained with a shrug. “It was a really tight fit on her.”
“With all that fat on her chest I’m not surprised,” Grace scoffed.
“Aw, is someone jealous of my breasts?” Lelu sneered back. “If I were as flat as you I’d be in a terrible mood all day long as well I suppose. I always forget that’s why you act like there’s a stick up your ass, you’re just mad you have no boobs.”
“I don’t need fucking globs for tits to look attractive!” Grace shouted back in a fluster. “And I ce
rtainly don’t need to shove them into everyone’s face just to feel good about myself! You’re fucking pathetic, you know that? You’re only dressed like a whore to beg for that boy’s attention, you’re so desperate for that scrawny twig it makes me sick. Or maybe that’s the horrible stench of skunk you sprayed on yourself. Go do us all a favor and jump off a cliff!”
“Perhaps I was mistaken,” Lelu snidely retorted. “It’s not just your complete lack of breasts you’re upset about; I wager there really is a stick up your ass. How very sad.”
“Girls, please,” Max tiredly spoke up. “Could we go one day without you two arguing? Let’s just calm down, there’s no reason to fight.”
“I’ve got better shit to be doing today than talking to a fat cow anyway,” Grace snapped at Lelu. She walked by and shoved a plate into Max’s arms before heading over to her bed to sit down and eat her meal. Lelu seethed with anger as she got ready to charge the elf before Bermuda quickly skittered forward and spoke up.
“That’s a lovely outfit you have there, Lelu,” she said with a curious smile, drawing the attention of Lelu and Max while Grace ignored them as she hungrily ate her food. “It looks very pretty on you.”
“Thank you, Bermuda,” Lelu said, her smile being aimed at Bermuda while her eyes turned towards Max. “When Max got some new clothing to wear I wanted to change into something that would complement him better. I think this does the trick very nicely. Don’t you, Max?”
“Uh, yeah,” Max said with a dopey smile, his eyes having trouble remaining on Lelu’s while her large assets before him jiggled as if begging for his attention. “It looks… really good on you. Really… good.”
“You’re still able to look her in the eye while saying that,” Bermuda mentioned with a smirk. “Bravo. Though I believe I spot your armor cracking amidst the pressure, Max.”
“Wh-What do you mean? What armor? What are you talking about?” Max stammered nervously.
“Oh, never mind. Anyway, I came by this morning to ask that you all come join me today in practicing my magic with father. I’m going to be undertaking his lesson in the western courtyard and… it would be great if you all could come by and watch.”
“You’re going to be practicing your magic?” Max wondered. “That sounds cool.”
“No it doesn’t,” Grace argued with a mouthful of pork.
“You don’t even shut up when you stuff your stupid face, do you?” Lelu scorned.
“What’s wrong with Bermuda taking a magic lesson from her father?” Max asked the elf.
“It was her magic that blew up your house,” Grace dryly reminded him. “She has no self-control with her powers at all. And you want to get within striking distance of her while she’s using it again? Fuck that. Only an idiot with a death wish would want to do that. You’re not going anywhere near that courtyard today, I forbid it.”
“I’m sorry,” Bermuda argued with her. “But I don’t believe he needs your permission to do anything.”
“He’s my servant, so yes he does,” Grace snootily retorted. “And he’s going to be with me while I practice my archery today. He’ll be much safer collecting my arrows than he would being fifty feet near you while you’re using your demonic powers.”
“Demonic powers?” Bermuda scowled in a fluster. “Excuse me?”
“You’re the only demon here,” Lelu growled at the elf.
“Oh bite me,” Grace said before shoving more meat into her mouth. Bermuda shook her head at the stubborn girl before smiling hopefully at Max, the boy merely picking at his food with a distant look on his face.
“Max? What would you like to do? You’re welcome to come watch if you like. And I promise you’ll be perfectly safe. Even if I do mess something up with my magic, father will be there and he won’t let anything bad happen to you. I swear.”
“It does sound fascinating to watch, Bermuda,” Max admitted with a small smile at her. “And I’m sure you will have your magic under control. But I’m going to have to politely pass this time.”
“But why?” Bermuda frowned.
“I did promise to help Grace today,” Max reasoned with a shrug. “And I’m a man of my word.”
“Boy, you mean,” Grace mumbled around her food.
“Seriously?” Bermuda asked with a concerned grimace. “You’d rather spend the morning with her?”
“I promised. Besides, she has been bringing me breakfast and dinner these past few days. I sort of owe her.”
“Damn right you do,” Grace added before scarfing down her bread.
“I still don’t understand why I can’t do those things for you,” Lelu huffed. “I don’t mind bringing you your meals, Max. I’d be more than happy to do so. Why are we even allowing this horrid tree urchin such an honor anyway when I’m perfectly capable and deserving of it?”
“Have you already forgotten why you can’t?” Grace dryly asked her. Lelu glanced around at seeing Max and Bermuda also staring at her with knowing looks before she blushed and turned away with a low whine.
***
“Lelu?” Bermuda asked with a worried frown.
“What… why… but… why?” Syliandanchevas stuttered, shaking her head.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, cow?” Grace flatly asked.
“You mind getting out of there, kid?” a large troll asked with a heavy sigh. She was dressed in an apron since she was on kitchen duty that day, herself and the rest of the group along with a few harpies and an equally confused goblin who had a chef’s hat on all staring at the centaur in question. Lelu was only seen from the neck up as the rest of her was submerged in a large cauldron of vegetable stew. The centaur had a saddened frown as she whimpered while having carrots and mushroom cream running down her hair, her eyes worriedly looking around at seeing everyone staring at her in equal confusion.
“Lelu?” Max slowly asked with exasperation.
“Um… I slipped and fell in?” Lelu nervously said.
“You slipped and fell in,” Bermuda repeated. “After climbing up that small ladder to get over the pot in the first place and having absolutely no reason to do so to begin with… you slipped and fell in?”
“She basted herself before doing so,” a harpy pointed out, with Lelu lowering her head with an embarrassed whine.
“It was an accident,” Lelu mumbled around the stew.
“You were an accident,” Grace muttered.
“Get out of there!” the goblin yelled, hopping around and waving a large spoon. “We no cook centaur here! We don’t do that! Go somewhere else and be eaten! Not here! Get out! Get out! You ruin stew! You ruin stew!”
“Please stay out of the kitchen from now on, little girl,” the troll ordered, crossing her arms. “And please try not to throw yourself into anyone’s food while staying here too. Here at Shadow’s Refuge we don’t eat centaurs, and we’d like to keep it that way, whether you want that or not.”
“I don’t… want that,” Lelu tried to defend, although she sounded less than convincing in doing so.
“Lelu,” Max sighed, lowering his head. The centaur looked around at all the bewildered and upset looks she was getting before doing the same, sputtering something in remorse around the food she was bathed in.
***
“It was an accident,” Lelu again quietly defended.
“Whatever it was, it now means you’re prohibited from going into the kitchen,” Bermuda clarified. “And you can’t go into the dining hall without a chaperone, as bizarre as that sounds.”
“Seriously,” Grace said looking over Lelu. “What went wrong inside that head of yours growing up?”
“Grace, enough,” Max firmly declared, right before Lelu was about to break down into tears and screaming out of shame. “Lelu just got a little confused, that’s all. It happens to everyone.”
“I’ve never tried to cook myself once in my entire life.”
“Grace, let it go,” Max ordered, getting a frustrated glare from the elf. “I’m thankful you’ve
been kind enough to bring me these meals, and I will assist you during your archery practice, but lay off of Lelu already. She lost just as much as you did from The Sisterhood. She doesn’t need you making things more difficult for her here. Can you please just back off?”
“Whatever,” Grace scoffed, resuming with eating her meal in large bites as she averted eye contact with everyone.
“I’d like to see you perform your magic sometime, Bermuda,” Max kindly said to the arachne. “I actually didn’t get a chance to before since I was unconscious. Hopefully I’ll get another chance sometime soon.”
“Yes, definitely,” Bermuda agreed with a small smile. “I’d be happy to show you what I can do, Max. Anytime you want. Perhaps I can entertain an audience another day.”
“Lelu can go with you if she wants,” Max said to the centaur. “What do you say? Would that be something you’d like to do?”
“I was actually planning on going with you and bashing Grace’s head open with a rock if she badmouths you again,” Lelu replied with a shrug.
“Let the fat cow come,” Grace muttered around her food. “She can serve as target practice.”
“That’s no threat coming from someone who couldn’t hit the broad side of a castle if she were standing right next to it!” Lelu shouted back.
“Yeah? Get your fat ass to the courtyard and let’s find out how good my aim really is!”
“I’m going to kill you if you call me fat one more time!”
“Fat! Fat! Fat! Fat! Fat! Super fat!”
“Enough!” Max loudly shouted, catching the girls by surprise. He took a few slow breaths before glancing to Lelu as the centaur was timidly watching him with her head lowered and hands behind her back. “Why don’t you go support Bermuda with her lesson? I think the more distance between you and Grace for the time being, the better. That way both Grace and Bermuda can get some practice done and nobody has to get into another fight. Do you think you could manage that?”
Chronicles of Eden - Season II - Act II Page 32