"The lamia tribe has been dealing with this housing problem for as long as I can rember," she said, her voice steady, though there was a strain beneath it that she clearly couldn’t fully hide. "The previous leader struggled with the sa issue. We all did. But with the resources in the forest being so scarce, there was never a real solution—only delays. Temporary fixes. Now, my people are finally receiving the full blunt force of those past failures."
She paused for a mont, her yellow eyes lowering slightly before lifting again, sharper this ti. "I’ve heard stories. Rumors, really. About a human who’s been doing a lot of things in the Great Forest. Things no one thought possible. Slowly, but surely, succeeding where others failed. That’s why I believe there’s a real chance for us to survive the next disaster—if we leave our tribe in your hands."
That... caught off guard.
I hadn’t expected her to say sothing like that. Not this early, at least. I wasn’t even anticipating her to bring up sothing this serious at all. For a mont, I could only blink at her, my mind scrambling to catch up. Still, once the surprise faded, understanding followed quickly behind it.
She sounded desperate. And honestly, who wouldn’t be?
If you were leading an entire people while watching their future slowly collapse in front of you—brick by brick, shelter by shelter—you’d eventually reach a point where pride didn’t matter anymore. A point where survival outweighed dignity. Desperation like that had a way of stripping everything else away, leaving only the raw need to save what little remained. Enough desperation to make soone bow their head and place their fate at another person’s feet, even if they didn’t fully know who that person truly was.
"So," I said at last, breaking the brief silence, "you’re willing to place your cooperation in ... just to save your tribe’s existence?"
When I said it out loud, it sounded heavy. Final. Like a line being crossed.
From an objective standpoint, what she was doing wasn’t wrong. In fact, it was admirable. I couldn’t deny that. Still, another part of —the calculating part—was already weighing things. Was there a real benefit for here? Her cooperation toward the unification of the forest wasn’t nothing, but it wasn’t so overwhelming advantage either. It was useful, sure, but not exactly sothing I desperately needed.
And if I was being honest with myself—truly honest—her cooperation wasn’t the only reason I’d been paying attention in the first place.
As my eyes lingered on her, I felt a subtle heat coil in my stomach. The lamia leader was... lewd. There was no other way to put it. Not intentionally vulgar, but naturally seductive in a way that felt effortless, almost dangerous.
Her midriff was exposed, smooth and firm, catching the light as she shifted. Her lower body swayed ever so slightly, not exaggerated, not forced—just enough to draw the eye without trying. It was hypnotic. Add to that her exotic beauty, sothing far removed from the won I’d seen before, and it beca hard not to stare. Her black hair cascaded down her back, framing her face, while her yellow eyes glimred with a sharp intelligence. Her skin, a deep chocolate shade, only emphasized her features further.
"If you’re willing to save us," she said softly, watching closely, "then I’d gladly give you anything you want."
She didn’t hesitate. Not even a little.
"If nothing is done," she continued, "we probably won’t even last until the next decade."
That was desperation, laid bare.
"And when I say anything," she added, a small, knowing smile appearing on her lips, "I truly an it. I haven’t been taken yet. So if you want... I wouldn’t mind if you were the one to take ."
Straightforward. Blunt. Almost transactional.
"Well," I replied after a mont, exhaling slowly, "that’s a tempting proposition. I won’t deny that. But I don’t think your virginity alone is enough for to move forward."
Her expression didn’t falter, but her eyes sharpened, watching for every nuance in my reaction.
"Honestly," I continued, "I wouldn’t mind if you simply offered your cooperation in the unification process. Allow your tribe to beco part of the greater kingdom of the Great Forest. That alone would be enough."
As much as I wanted to fuck her—no point pretending otherwise—I didn’t see the benefit of acting on that impulse right now. Jumping straight into sex felt... premature. Cheap, even. Letting sothing develop naturally, letting attraction turn into genuine feeling over ti, seed far more rewarding. Not just for , but for her too.
That was why I said what I said.
"Hm?" she tilted her head slightly. "I was sure you’d want to mate with ." There was curiosity in her tone, not offense. "You don’t seem like the type who discriminates about who you mate with. Or is it that you don’t consider lamias?"
She shrugged lightly, though there was a faint hint of disappointnt there. "That’s a sha."
It felt like she was testing . Dangling sothing in front of , seeing if I’d bite now or later.
"I’m not against fucking you," I said plainly. "But are you really sure you want it to happen this fast?"
Her lips curved upward again, slower this ti. "So you’re the type who prefers to build a relationship from the bud." She let out a quiet chuckle. "That’s a rather traditional way of thinking. Old-fashioned, even."
Then she t my gaze directly. "Still, I can’t say I dislike it."
She straightened slightly. "If that’s what you want, then I’ll gladly follow your lead."
That settled it, I supposed.
She was willing to wait. Willing to let things progress naturally, without forcing anything. It was traditional, sure, but there was value in that. Rushing things often ruined them. And while it was entirely possible we’d end up in bed sooner than expected, this path felt... right. More grounded. More real.
"Now then," I said, shifting the conversation back to business, "I’ll start calling for the necessary updates. We’re going to begin the buildup."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You’re moving faster than I expected."
I smirked faintly. "Nothing beats speed when it cos to stabilizing things—and strengthening cooperation. Don’t you think?"
She studied for a mont, then nodded, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Well," she said, "I suppose you’re right."
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