Serpent’s Delight

Chapter 159

With things progressing in a generally forward manner, I decided to introduce myself to Elim and company fully dressed up as the mayor. Something I was probably having a little too much fun with as I looked through the pile of hastily but skillfully made clothes Henry had provided me. I had four outfits worth of coordinating pieces in white, red, and gold with two pairs of black pants.

I’d made an appointment and was determined to keep it. To that end, I’d asked Henry to stop in and help me figure out my outfit first. None of the pieces were complicated, but I was out of the habit of dressing myself or possibly hadn’t had a sense of fashion in the first place. My sketchy-ass sense of self from before the change being as unhelpful as usual.

“Ahem,” someone cleared their throat. I turned around, wondering who’d decided to wander into the more personal section of my palace of shadows. The hounds knew it was off-limits to them and Chris wasn’t interested after having poked around in it. He liked the more central area for lazing around with his picture books.

“Hi-” I started but froze. I knew I wasn't looking at an intruder, I’d have felt that, really I knew exactly who was standing in front of me now that I was paying attention. It still took a moment for me to process the truth. It was Henry, in the flesh rather more literally than normal.

The illusion of life was new but I felt an odd sense of familiarity, or at the very least no real surprise. Like I’d always known what he looked like on some level. Black curly hair was pulled back in a neat braid and his chevalier blue eyes stood out against his tanned complexion. He was almost comically shorter than me in giant kin form, and dressed to impress.

“I-I had thought I might accompany you when you got to visit, so…” Henry gestured vaguely at the entirety of himself. I knew nothing about time periods in fashion but he was wearing a collared shirt in black, dark blue brocade vest, blue jabot, overcoat, and wide sword belt with his rapier. It was a little subdued compared with his usual more intricately detailed attire, but I was guessing he’d gotten this together in a bit of a hurry.

“You look wonderful,” I said immediately. As the words fell out of my mouth I felt a profound sense of relief and wanted to high five myself. That wasn’t the best, but it was definitely in the okay range. Possibly even pretty good going by how startled, then embarrassed Henry looked.

“May I?” I asked, stepping closer to him. He had to look up at me but smiled and offered me his hand. It was still incredibly odd to feel skin when I touched an illusion of life. The combination of minor forcefield, or whatever granted physical volume, and mental effect managing to overcome my normal lack of sensitivity. Something which had persisted even in my current form.

Henry shifted his hand, taking a light hold of mine to kiss the back of it. I couldn’t help but laugh at the faintly ticklish sensation.

“You wanted my assistance if I recall?” Henry said teasingly. I turned with a sigh, gesturing to my limited wardrobe and cosmetics. Since I had a flesh face I’d been playing around a bit with those too, but hadn’t come up with anything I found particularly pleasing.

There was the added technical difficulty of having to do it the old fashioned way as well. I’d tried getting around it by opening an edit window with my face and got the weirdest sense of vertigo and felt like I was going to puke. Trying to do it with a mirror hadn’t been vomit inducing, but the results had been lackluster due to a lack of skill on my part.

“Well, while I doubt I can improve on your beauty, I’ll en-endeavor to accentuate,” Henry said. I was caught by surprise by the compliment, though I shouldn’t have been. He was on the quiet side, but he wasn’t stingy with praise.

“Flatterer,” I said happily. Henry harrumphed at that, but left it there rather than argue his sincerity. We wouldn’t get much of anywhere if he let me wind him up that easily.

Having given up on figuring out an outfit myself, I was expecting Henry to dress me more or less like a doll. Instead, he patiently asked me about what I’d been going for and worked with that until I was dressed properly. The same thing happened with my make-up, though it took longer. He scrapped several looks without complaint until I wasn't simply satisfied, but happy.

It was sweet and if I didn’t have an appointment I would have expressed how much so properly. As it was we would be late if we didn’t get going. I transported us both into the mayor's residence in town and we began the walk to Elim’s farm.

It wasn’t long before we arrived and were treated to the sight of a series of odd arrangements of sticks, baskets, and strings by the chicken coops. Nearby, Bess was watching intently as chickens wandered close to them. It wasn’t until I noticed the bait that I realized I was looking at a series of traps. We both watched curiously until the chicken managed to collect a few pieces of corn and waddle away safely.

“C-Chris might have a protegee,” Henry said wryly. He had a fist up to his mouth as he tried to keep from laughing.

“Hello young lady,” I called. Bess jumped, pulling a knife out of her apron as she spun to look at me. Having a child pull a knife on me was new, but I kept my expression calm. Henry nudging me with his elbow meaningfully did not make that easy. Chris and a tiny murder baby was an adorable and disturbing picture.

“Tall,” Bess said in awe as her eyes traveled up to meet mine. She still kept a hold of her knife but it was pointing at the ground now instead of at me.

“Giants’ kin usually are,” I said with a grin. I wasn’t one, but it was true.

“I’m Bess,” she blurted out as she made a half-hearted curtsy. It was hard not to laugh, but I kept a straight face and returned the gesture.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again Miss Bess,” Henry said, bowing as he did. Betsy did a double-take, apparently not having noticed him before.

“I’ve changed my appearance a bit, but I’m Henry,” he added.

“Enry?” she asked then nodded to herself. It seemed like she recognized him as she felt comfortable enough to put her knife back into her apron pocket.

“Catching chickens?” I asked as I gestured at the traps.

“It didn’t work, can you fix it?” Bess asked hopefully. Looking at what she’d built, that was a solid no. I used traps, but I didn’t make them myself. Outside of the odd pitfall anyway. I was also fairly certain her grandmother would skin the both of us. Erica had been delighted by the chickens in particular when she moved in.

“Sorry, I’m not sure how to,” I said instead of pointing out the potential to get in trouble. Nobody liked a lecture.

“Would you please show us to your grandmother? We have an appointment,” I continued.

“Okay…can I... ride?” Bessy said the last part hesitantly, as she eyed my shoulders. She even lifted her little arms and I picked her up before common sense could kick in. It was like a reflex, and she was already seated on my left shoulder before I realized it was probably a bad idea.

Despite that, I didn’t put her down. In for a penny, in for a pound. I’d take the scolding likely to follow. Bess giggled and pointed me in every direction but the right one as she enjoyed seeing things from a new vantage point.

“Bessy!” Erica shouted, causing me to freeze. Turning around, I helped Bess down as her grandmother came running over to us. I blinked as I looked at Erica up close for the first time in daylight. She looked like she was possibly in her late thirties, though I knew she was a bit older.

The painting in Elim’s locket really was crap. It had made her look closer to fifty and had gotten the blue of her eyes wrong.

“I apologize, she’s fearless,” Erica said quickly, trying and failing to grab Bess. The little imp was hiding behind me to dodge her grandmother.

“It’s fine,” I said, and laughed at the situation.

“I apologize for picking her up like that,” I added. It was my fault as the adult, not Bess’s, but I wasn’t going to explain that point of view. I knew jack shit about parenting conventions for local humans.

“Ah well… Bess, go make yourself presentable for our company,” Jessica pivoted, shooing the little girl.

“It's quite the new look you have, 42,” Erica said once Bess was out of earshot.

“Yeah, definitely. Do you think we should tell Bess or would she find having to call me something different depending on how I look odd?” I asked. I’d explained things to Elim and Erica already, but had left what to tell Bess up to them.

“I think it should be fine to tell her, but we should do it inside as she’ll likely need to see you change to really understand,” Erica said.

“Fair enough,” I agreed. The issue of names was the thing I was concerned about more than her reaction to my appearance. It could probably be written off as a nickname but it would require explaining. I preferred to keep the minor masquerade with anyone not in a secret-keeping pact with me as simple as possible.

Erica led us into the house and I found myself a bit surprised by the look of it. She’d been redecorating with the things she’d brought, integrating them with what I’d provided. It was interesting to see how different it was. It looked like an actual lived-in home now rather than a staged set.

“Bess! Get a move on, I have a surprise!” Erica called out once we were all inside.

“Coming!” Bess replied immediately, sounding close. I turned to look and found the little girl coming with arms full of what looked like shiny rocks and something yellow.

“Hold her please,” Bess said, handing the yellow thing off to Henry. I didn’t miss the ‘her’ part, but wasn’t sure what kind of toy she was referring to. It looked like a rubbery rope.

“Bess, you didn’t!” Erica squeaked, her face draining of color. Confused, I looked from her back to Henry. The yellow thing had wrapped itself around his forearm. The yellow thing was a snake, I realized, as my mind started moving at normal speed again.

Checking with the system, it was a constrictor called a false lightning adder. Basically harmless, not that its lethal cousin would have been a problem for Henry anyway. A perk of being a skeleton was being immune to most toxins, unless they degraded bone itself.

“It’s alright Erica,” I said reassuringly, going over to take the snake from Henry. Since Erica looked scared, it was probably best I chuck it in my inventory.

“He doesn't mind getting a little wrapped up,” I added without thinking. The snake was strong and I was taking care not to hurt it as I unwound its coils.

“Depends on wh-who's doing it,” Henry rebutted, leaning in to whisper in my ear. My face had to look like it was on fire after that.

“Ahem… Well, uhm… I can take the snake,” I started only to find my tunic being tugged urgently.

“Don't hurt mustard! She’s a good girl, she’s just nervous!” Bess said frantically.

“I would never, I’ll take her home with me and you can visit her later,” I said gently. Honestly, I didn’t care much about the welfare of reptiles, but I wasn’t one for animal cruelty either. I’d planned to let it go later, but it wouldn’t be hard to slap together a terrarium in a sunny spot.

“Okay, let me get her things!” Bessy said, dropping everything she was holding on the floor. I’d been correct, they were shiny rocks.

“I don’t know what to say. She has a way with those things and won’t listen to reason,” Erica informed me. I had to raise an eyebrow at that. Curious, I took a look at Bess information. I couldn’t edit it like her father’s, but reading it wasn’t a problem. It took a few moments but I tracked down something odd.

“Has she always been good with reptiles? Erh, snakes and lizards?” I asked.

“Since she was in the cradle. It was like the blasted things came looking for her,” Erica confirmed.

“Ah, well, they might have. She has an active blessing from a god, one of serpents,” I explained, as Erica's face lost its color again. She sat down heavily in her chair, looking morose.

“What kind of blessing?” Erica asked.

“It says she can understand animals to a degree and speak with monsters. It also grants her their favor and lets her train them,” I explained, my voice growing smaller as Erica's expression darkened. In the end, she let out a drawn-out sigh.

“Well, at least I know I wasn’t seeing things now. Her mother must have had it too, but tried to hide it,” Erica explained. I nodded, grateful I didn’t have to break the news it was hereditary to a woman who clearly didn’t like snakes.

Henry nudged me and I nudged him back. I didn’t need his help to picture Chris’s delight at having a snake-charming apprentice.