Her New Housemate Pt. 2

A grim expression came over the woman and she held her chin in thought. "That much is apparent. The air here is thin and lacks the richness of mana. It is suffocating. How you people have thrived here is a mystery."

"I'm not sure what you mean by that but I didn't notice any difference between your world and mine unless you count the staleness of the cave air."

"Of course you wouldn't. The only humans who can feel the true nature of the world are mages and priests. Regardless, this makes returning that much more challenging."

"What do you plan to do?"

For the first time since meeting her, the woman's domineering demeanor faded. Her tan cheeks tinted red and Cress was surprised at how meek the towering woman appeared.

"As I previously mentioned, I seek sanctuary in your home. While I loathe to admit it, I am helpless in your world. In return, I would offer my services to you for the duration of my stay."

"Helpless?! This woman could probably single handedly conquer the planet, yet she claims to be helpless. She's so strange. It's almost… cute?"

Cress's ears burned at the thought and she turned her gaze to the window. The woman was a spider, her worst nightmare, but for some reason Cress didn't feel afraid. Uneasy and a little tense, but not afraid. Perhaps it was the woman's sincerity, or maybe the fact, for the most part, she looked human. Maybe this was an opportunity… Maybe.

"Fine. You can stay, but you have to follow the rules I set or you'll have to find somewhere else."

Nodding, the woman dropped to a knee and locked eyes with Cress. "It is only right that a guest follows the laws of the Mistress of the house. I am at your mercy."

"I-It's not a mercy. I just understand where you're coming from. We're kindred spirits after all, right? But what should I call you?"

"I apologize for my rudeness; it was difficult to find an appropriate time for introductions given the nature of our meeting." The woman laid her arm across her chest and gave a humble bow. "I am Quelurillian Il Dansgrian, Fifth Princess of the Southern Sands."

"A p-princess?!"

Quelurillian nodded, her green eyes beaming with pride. "Though I am royalty, I serve as a general in the kingdom's army so you need not address me as such. You may address me by my given name."

"Is that Quelurillian?"

"Yes."

"T-then it's a pleasure to meet you, Quelurillian," Cress said, her voice cracking at the beginning of her sentence. "I'm Crescent Ray, but everyone just calls me Cress."

"It is an honor, Cress. However, I do have a question for you."

"What?"

"Is it common for your people to shorten your names? Even in human villages, I have never heard of this custom."

"Yeah. Nicknames are fairly normal. Parents tend to pick names they like and then they get shortened."

"Then why do they not simply give their child the shortened name?"

"I don't really know. It probably has to do with wanting to show affection and closeness if I had to guess. Maybe convenience?"

"Curious. Then in that case, I would be honored if you would bestow such a name to me to mark the beginning of our newly formed pact."

"Pact? I guess she means agreement. God, it's hard to understand her sometimes. But by the sparkle in her eyes, this seems important to her. Quelurillian… Que? Lori? Lian? This is so hard! Naming characters in games is always the part that takes me the longest! Que. Lur. Illian…"

"How do you feel about Illia?"

Quelurillian's green eyes widened to an unnatural degree, the slits of her hidden ones fluttering slightly. Cress's stomach churned at the sight — she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't run screaming from the condo if she saw that nightmare fuel again.

"A lovely name," Illia said cheerfully. "Though you seem troubled. Have I done something to offend you?"

Cress shook her head and tried to think of a response. She could lie, but then things would get awkward if she had a panic attack. Not to mention Illia seemed to take honor quite seriously, so there was no way of knowing how the woman might respond if she felt she couldn't trust her.

"The truth is… I'm deathly terrified of spiders."

Illia didn't respond. She tilted her head, her deep green eyes boring into Cress like she was trying to peel back the layers of her soul.

"Ever since I can remember I've had a phobia of spiders," Cress said. Her palms were moist and her body trembled. "It's actually made my life incredibly difficult and it's taken me years to get to the point I'm at now. I know you're a spider of sorts and I'm afraid I'll offend you or make you angry if I have a breakdown because of you."

"Curios." Illia rose to her feet, her face expressionless as she looked down at Cress. "Was that the reason you accepted my proposal? Did your fear of my kin coerce you into an agreement you cannot fulfill?"

"No!" The word flew Cress's lips before she realized it. "No. You seem to be an honest person and I didn't feel pressured at all once we started talking. But I… I don't have the answer to your question."

The silence of the room was deafening. Standing before Illia made Cress want to shrink inside of herself like a turtle. The woman was so tall that it made Cress feel small, like a helpless child trying to explain feelings she didn't understand.

"Do not fret," Illia finally said, placing a hand on Cress's shoulder. Cress flinched at her touch, but Illia's hand remained firm. "If ever you find yourself unable to bear my presence, I will depart without resentment. Fear can control even the strongest warrior and I am in awe of your courage. You are nothing but a seamstress, yet you stand proudly before me, even after my attempt on your life. You should be proud."

"Seamstress?" Cress's confusion ruined the moment, but the statement seemed so out of place she couldn't help herself.

"Is that not your occupation? While surveying your abode, I saw a room filled with fabrics and sewing instruments."

"Oh! I can see how that might have been confusing. No, I only sew as a hobby. I actually work at a coffee shop down the street."

Illia's head tilted to the side in thought. "I had assumed by the quality of your fabrics and the elegance of your creations you were most certainly involved in the garment industry. That was presumptuous of me given fabrics that only human royalty could afford were seemed quite common here. But I digress."

"That's okay. We have time to help you adjust to this world and I'm happy to teach you the best I can."

A sharp toothed pointed smile answered Cress, though this time it didn't frighten her quite as much. She was sure Illia felt her body tense, but the woman said nothing.

"Maybe this won't be so bad."