Miona sighed, “While I am curious what the clumsy oaf did this time I think we have something far more pressing to talk about.” the Dryad waived her hand, and a bundle of gold and red burst out from behind a tree and practically tackled Caitlin, who had just propped herself up. When she had her wits about her again she noticed the small little girl that was pressed against her chest.

She looked like she was five or six years old, and she had long blonde hair, threaded through with feathers of red, in fact, those feathers covered a large portion of her body from mid-thigh down where her legs ended in bird-like feet. “I'm, I'm not dressed and we just- oh god please tell me she didn't see that!” Caitlin squeaked out in horror as she watched the little girl nuzzle up against her, rubbing her face into Caitlin’s neck.

“She misses you, and I cannot tell you how excited she is to go see her mother work this summer,” Miona said a motherly smile on her lips.

“Mama,” the little girl cooed, and pressed even deeper into Caitlin, holding on to her like she was afraid she was going to vanish. And who could blame her, Caitlin had not been the best mother, she had left her here with her other mother in an attempt to not lose face with the board and the rest of the academic socialites. Caitlin hung her head in shame and wrapped an arm around her daughter.

Six years old now, she had been surprised when her frolics with Miona had born fruit, she shouldn't have seeing as Dryad’s reproduced magically, so anything that was sentient and had a magical aura could be mated with, in fact the actual act of sex was not even necessary, Dryads had to fully accept a partner, with all their flaws before they could reproduce, the act of physical intimacy was just one way to grow closer to them.

“Evangeline is the second child I have born a human, it always amazes me how they not only have physical features from the parent but also from the parent’s familiar, I suppose that is due to the Familiar being a part of you, a part of your magic.” Caitlin nodded and began rocking her baby back and forth. “We need to talk about a name.” Caitlin’s eyes snapped up, and she watched as Miona patted her completely flat stomach.

“I-Its mine?” she managed to croak out, and she knew this was the wrong thing to say as the Dryad’s face darkened and formed an angry scowl.

“I don't know if you remember or not, but we Dryads have very very long memories, all those years ago when Eva became a seedling inside me we made a deal, neither of us would lay with another, I was yours and yours alone until the day you died, I have kept my side have you not?”

“I have, I am sorry it was just the shock speaking.” she sighed, and rested her chin on top of the small girl’s head, “I met someone who has made me reconsider the matter we discussed a few months ago.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, if she can be brave enough to accept the love even as unconventional as hers and her partners and not be afraid to show it to the world, then how could I do any less?” she sighed and looked up to the sky, she really felt like a terrible person, like a horrible mother. “Each headmaster or mistress can appoint anyone they please to the position, I have decided that I want Eva to have the position,” she looked down at the little bundle in her lap, she stifle the urge to giggle when the little girl shifted, the downy feathers of her legs sliding over Caitlin’s own, causing a rather intense tickling sensation.

"Are you no longer worried about the other's opposition to someone like Eva taking over such a high position, they gave you such a hard time, and you are fully human and half royalty."

"I no longer care what others think," she said, and Miona nodded approvingly. “What do you think of that little Eva, you will get to be like me,” the little girls face lit up, bright blue eyes sparkling brightly with excitement, “It means you will have to come to the school, learn how to run things,” Eva began hopping up and down on her lap, bouncing excitedly. “It also means you will need to wear clothing.” the excitement died down almost instantly.

“But mama!” she cried out, instantly distressed.

“No buts little birdy,” Caitlin cooed back at her, before turning to look towards her partner Miona, who was busy attempting to hide the fact that she had just wiped away a tear in her eyes, Caitlin smiled at her. “How long?” she asked looking at the Dryad’s stomach, Eva had taken almost three years as a seedling before she had developed her body, three long years of anticipation.

“Gwenice was shorter, she only took a year and a half to develop, Eva, she took much longer than even I had expected, who is to say?” she shrugged and smiled down at herself, rubbing her belly again.

“Speaking of Gwenice, she was the reason I came out here,” Miona raised an eyebrow at her, “Well, one of the reasons,” Caitlin corrected. “It would seem that she has caught the fancy of a particular individual.” this made Miona open her eyes wide and sit up straight. “He would like her to come to his household.”

“When does she go?!” Miona asked, practically shouting.

“I would have thought you would be more, I don't know, curious about the individual at the very least, if not more cautious seeing as this is your daughter.”

“That girl, she is such a mess, by her age I had already had forty children, and she has not even gotten intimate with a single being, she is an old maid by now, I had hoped this would happen it was why I sent her to the school in the first place, I was hoping she would find a mate there, and well, we have all seen how that has worked out, as for why I am not asking about him, it is not that I am indifferent, it is simply that I trust you, and I doubt you would even think of the possibility, let alone come to me with it if he was unfit.” she paused, “But please do satisfy my curiosity, who is he?”

“Well, this is where it gets a little strange, you see, he is a familiar, a humanoid familiar.” there was supreme silence in the woods. “He looks human minus the red eyes and horns, acts human though a tad bit too masculine at times, but he is Lira’s, one of my student’s familiar.”

“I didn't even know that was possible.” Miona said, “I thought all familiars were like your Luis there,” she tapped her lip with a green finger.

“Most are, there is only one recorded other time this happened and it was so long ago most people believe to be a myth.” Caitlin sighed, “He is Lira’s mate, and well also Lira’s Fiance’s mate,” she said.

Miona’s eyes opened wide, “He swings both ways?” she asked a strange smile on her face.

“What? No! Lira’s fiance is a woman too, another student of mine, and well Krya also has a humanoid familiar.”

“Let me guess, also a female.” Miona smiled.

“Well yes, but it didn't start out that way, it was a wolf and during the melding, it became this wolf woman, but anyway I have agreed to send her over to there, I am sorry I should have asked you first...”

“I told you, dear, my children are yours, they became this way when I agreed to you.” she laughed, “Even if they are almost all much older than you, so I ask again, when does she go over?”

“As soon as possible.” Caitlin smiled at the little girl still holding tight to her, “I'll think about a name, do you think I can take Eva with me today?” she asked, she had to restrain the little girl from bouncing too much and hurting herself.

“That would be most helpful, seeing as even if you didn't take her she would follow you, as she always does, and likely spy on you, as she always does.”

“She spies on me?” Caitlin asked horror in her voice.

“Oh yes dear, and you should hear some of the stories she tells us,” the forest around them filled with giggling laughter, Caitlin blushed a deep crimson.

“Please tell me they didn't see what we just did.” she moaned.

“You are in a dryad forest dear, there is not a single thing that happens here that my daughters and I don't see, we are the trees after all.” the forest giggled once again, and Caitlin moaned. “Let me tell you everyone was most interested in the one about the long purple thing that shook and vibrat-” Caitlin lept forward pressing her hand against Miona’s lips in an attempt to stop her from talking, all this did however was cause the Dryad to laugh behind her hand, and the forest around them exploded in laughter as well as hundreds of dryads poured out there murth. Caitlin let her hand fall away and hung her head attempting to hide her burning face behind a curtain of golden locks. Miona stood up and gracefully glided towards her and wrapped her in a warm hug, sandwiching Eva between the two of them. “Next time you come out bring it with you, it sounds most interesting,” Miona whispered in her ear. Though Caitlin thought she might die of embarrassment she nodded her head...