Chapter 43: The Real Hard Part.
Once she was dressed, Snow looked down at her new legs, wiggling the toes with a look of profound distaste. "These are... pathetic," she declared, her voice a mix of confusion and annoyance. "They’re so weak and irritating. How does your kind not simply fall over all day?"
Adrian’s heart sank into his boots. In his rush to save her, to bind her to him for her own safety, he hadn’t considered this. He had stolen a fundantal part of what she was. "Snow... I’m so sorry. I didn’t think..."
She looked up at him, and her expression softened. She sighed. "It is not your fault," she said, her tone gentle. She knew he wasn’t planning to hinder her in any way; this was simply a side effect she would have to get used to soon enough.
"You were simply trying to protect and there’s nothing wrong with that. Even if I’m now a bit disabled, I have no doubt that my loving husband will look after ." She gave him a quick lick on the lips.
"Of course, I’ll be sure to look after you. Just tell if there’s anything you need." Adrian sighed with relief since she wasn’t mad about this.
Snow was glad he wasn’t gloomy about this as well. The last thing she wanted was to put another form of pressure on him, but just then a thought ca to her mind. A sly glint entered her blue eyes. "Well, perhaps it is a little bit your fault."
"Co again?" Adrian stared at her, confused.
She smiled pitifully. "I’m sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to move around like this. These new limbs make feel unsteady."
"Would it be okay if you could carry until I can walk on my own two feet, lest I fall and injure myself further?"
Feeling a fresh wave of guilt, Adrian nodded. "Alright."
He carefully scooped her up into his arms.
"Thank you, darling. You’re the best."
The mont he had her settled, Snow took full advantage. She lted against his chest, her arms winding tightly around his neck. He could feel the soft pressure of her breasts through the layers of their furs. She leaned in, her white hair brushing his cheek, and gently licked his lips.
"There’s simply no better husband than you," she whispered, her voice purring with satisfaction directly into his ear.
There was a flash of movent to their side. Grey, who had been watching the entire ritual in her wolf form, suddenly shifted. The grey-haired girl stood in the snow, her hands balled into fists at her sides. Her expression was stormy, her pale eyes dark with a jealousy that was almost tangible.
Emma’s eyes, anwhile, twitched. The petite girl in the oversized coat began to tremble, her hands clenched rhythmically at her sides but froze when she recalled why her grasp felt so empty.
Snow turned her head just enough to look at them, her face a perfect mask of wide-eyed innocence.
"Darling, why are they angry with all of a sudden?" She murmured onto his chest.
"I rely requested aid. I am frail in this new form. Is it so wrong to seek comfort from my bonded protector?" As she spoke, she deliberately pressed her chest even more firmly against Adrian’s.
With a cry of pure rage, Emma bolted towards Snow but her speed at the mont was quite laughable, so much so that she even tripped on her feet, falling face-first into the snow. She raised her head up while glaring daggers at Snow who struggled to hold back her laughter.
Mr. Miller, who had been observing the entire scene with an air of detached patience, let out a long, weary sigh. He brought a hand up to massage his forehead, muttering under his breath, "Gods help him. The boy had better know what he’s gotten himself into." He watched the impending chaos unfold, making no move to intervene.
The walk back to the cottage was a spectacle Adrian never could have imagined. He carried Snow in his arms, her head nestled against his shoulder as she comnted on the various sights she saw since this was her first ti in a human village. The change in geography seed to have spurred on her interest.
Grey stalked alongside them, her human figure radiating a silent, simring fury. From the looks of it, she was still upset that Adrian was spending so much ti with Snow but she wasn’t as ballistic as she had been earlier. Adrian had managed to quell the fight by promising to carry the other two in due ti.
Emma brought up the rear, the oversized fur coat making her look like a walking pile of pelts, her erald eyes darting everywhere, missing nothing, be it villagers or fleeting animals like dogs or cats.
The villagers all showed curious looks as they passed them by since none of them recalled the herb-gatherer’s son ever being this close with so many won before. So had even teased Adrian on his way yet none asked directly, which was a boon for Adrian since he didn’t need to explain anything to them. The villagers’ politeness seed to play in his favour at this very mont.
Eventually, the four of them arrived at his ho.
Adrian stopped montarily in front of the door when he sensed the presence of soone inside.
’Looks like Mom’s ho...’ Adrian said to himself, bracing himself for what was to co.
Pushing the cottage door open felt like crossing a threshold into a different world.
"Oh. Dear, you’re finally back?"
lissa looked up from her nding by the fire, her smile warm until her eyes took in the strange procession. Her gaze moved from the stunning white-haired woman in Adrian’s arms, to the familiar presence of Grey and finally towards the petite figure at the back. Her needle stilled in her hands at the sight.
"Adrian? Who are your... friends?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral, as if she was trying not to jump to conclusions.
"It’s... a long story, Mother," Adrian said, gently setting Snow on her feet. He quickly found enough stools for everyone to crowd around the small wooden table. The seating arrangent, however, quickly beca a problem. The mont Adrian sat down, Emma scrambled into his lap, claiming her spot with a provocative look at the others. Grey imdiately took the stool to his left, sitting so close their legs touched. Snow, with a graceful sigh, settled on his right, leaning against his shoulder.
lissa watched this all unfold, her troubled look deepening. She put her nding down and folded her hands on the table. "...Adrian," she began, her voice hesitant.
"Care to tell what’s going on?"
Adrian was silent for a mont but, noticing his mother’s growing worry, he decided to tell her their intentions.
"M-Marriage?" lissa stuttered, finding it hard to believe what she’d just heard.
The effect of her single word was instantaneous. The three girls stopped glaring at each other and turned wide, earnest eyes toward lissa. They all quickly nodded in unison before returning to their silent battle.
Emma leaned her head back against Adrian’s chest, Grey wrapped a possessive arm around his, and Snow rested her head on his shoulder, all three pressing against him as if to physically demonstrate their claim.
lissa’s eyebrows shot up. "I see." She took a deep breath. "And where are you all from if I may ask? I don’t believe I’ve seen you in the village before."
Adrian opened his mouth; he wished to lie and tell her that they were from a neighbouring village. But the words wouldn’t co out. He looked at the three supernatural beings clinging to him; telling his mother such a lie would an forcing the three of them to hide their true selves away from her, which wasn’t sothing he wanted. He wanted his mother to accept the three of them, freaky sides and all.
At this point, he closed his mouth and sighed.
lissa saw his hesitation. "Adrian?" she pressed, her voice soft but firm. "I’d like you to tell the truth, please."
He t his mother’s worried gaze. "They’re not from another village, Mother," he said, his voice quiet but clear. "In fact..."
"They’re... they’re not human."
lissa’s face scrunched in confusion. "Not human? What does that an, dear? Do you an they’re from one of the city folk? Because—"
"Not like that," Adrian interrupted gently. He gently held the hands of the two beside him and gave a gentle nod. "It’s okay, you can show her." Snow looked worried but Grey simply nodded; in the end, all three of them decided to listen to him.
In one split second, the forms at the table changed.
The stool to his right shattered under a sudden, imnse weight as Snow’s human legs vanished, replaced by the powerful, scaly coils of her serpentine lower body, which now took up a significant portion of the floor space. Her white hair seed to co alive, the individual strands moving with a subtle, sinuous energy, before becoming snakes and her blue, slitted eyes glowed in the firelight.
On his left, Grey’s form blurred and expanded, the grey-haired girl replaced by the solid, muscular form of a large wolf, who now sat on her haunches, panting softly, her intelligent eyes fixed on lissa.
And in his lap, the petite girl with long white hair was gone. In her place was the green-skinned goblin, Emma, her pointed ears twitching, her erald eyes narrowed, her hands where they were on her lap, strangely making her look like a proper young lady.
lissa’s face went as pale as freshly fallen snow. A small, choked gasp escaped her lips as she stared at the monster, the wolf, and the goblin now occupying her small living space. Her hand flew to her chest.
"Mother," Adrian said, his voice firm and calm. He reached across the table and took her trembling hands in his. "Look at . Please. They aren’t what the stories say. They won’t hurt you and neither will they hurt ." He took a deep breath, the most important request of his life lodged in his throat.
"All I’m asking for is for you to accept them. As your daughters-in-law."
The cottage was utterly silent, save for the crackle of the fire. The three supernatural won all stared at Adrian’s mother. There were no threats, no growls, no hisses. Just a silent, profound, and utterly tense anticipation. They were waiting for her judgnt. Adrian had explained to them on their way here that she was the only thing that could stand in the way of this arrangent of theirs; he had made it clear then that if she refused, he would have no choice but to...
lissa’s frightened eyes left the monstrous forms and found her son’s face. She looked deep into his eyes, looking for doubt, for fear, for any sign that this was a trick or an act of coercion. Yet she found only a firm, resolute certainty, with no signs of doubt.
"Adrian," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Is this... is this truly what you want?"
He didn’t hesitate. He nodded, his grip on her hands tightening. "It is, Mother. More than anything."
lissa was silent for another long mont, her gaze drifting over the three incredible beings her son had brought ho. Then, a slow, tremulous smile touched her lips. She looked at Snow, at Grey, at Emma. Her fear seed to lt away, replaced by a weary, accepting warmth.
"Then you three must promise sothing," she said, her voice gaining strength. "All of you. You must promise you will look after my boy. No matter what."
The three of them nodded their heads, showing their seriousness.
lissa’s smile widened. "Then you have my blessing."
"Thank you, Mother." Adrian let out a sigh of relief.
The mont they heard lissa’s approval, Snow bead, a radiant, genuine smile that transford her fearso features. In a fluid motion, her upper body leaned across the table and she wrapped her arms around lissa in a careful but heartfelt hug. Grey, in her wolf form, padded around the table and nuzzled her fluffy head against lissa’s side.
lissa, startled for a mont, let out a soft chuckle and patted Grey’s head, then tentatively returned Snow’s embrace. "Oh, my," she murmured, a tear tracing a path down her cheek. "From now on, we’re all family, so feel free to seek out whenever you need sothing."
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