As Inari was made aware of mortal things and customs Isabella became more comfortable around the women. Beginning to chatter idly while discussing her clothing options. "Due to your height and build my lady we have very few options unless we make the clothing custom to you ourselves. But you're in luck I believe there are dresses from this castles previous owner that may be befitting your height."
Inari was tall and Lithe compared to most human women though also having curves not seen either most dressmakers would balk at the idea of her shape in a corset. So Isabella hurriedly strode to the end of a long hall to find a well hidden room just at the back over looking the side garden and the forest behind the castle. She had Inari sit at a mahogany vanity after dusting the three proud mirrors and chair.
Inari felt at ease when her knees didn't touch the underside of the vanity. As most the tables and chairs weren't large enough for her long legs to fit comfortably. Isabella was inspecting a few dresses in a large and very grand Chifforobe that was built int the wall. Her eyes then caught on. A deep castleton green.
The dress was not modest but still quaint in nature. The sleeves reached just above the shoulders before billowing out to about knee length of float fabric while the chest slightly plunged down in a heart shaped with small ivory starts lined the tight waist. Isabella looked like she'd found a treasure in the old fashioned gowns. She hurriedly picked out garments for underneath only for Inari to turn them away. Luckily she didn't mind the dress and Isabella decided to pick and choose her battles.
While finally tightening the dress, though it fit like a glove and clung to Inaris curves like it was made for her, Isabella moved her her silver tresses and braided three simple braids down the middle making each on either side a bit bigger. Deciding that was enough she showed the women around the decrepit castle and talked idle amongst each other.
Isabella gave her a glass of wine late that evening while out in the garden. Inari peered down a bit confused as she smelt it and Isabella held back a snort at seeing her looking all prim almost made her forget that alcohol must've not been a thing for her til now. "This smell like mold?" Inari said looking to Isabella who was sipping on her own glass after plopping down in the grass and leaning against a tree. "It's not mold it's wine made from grapes lady Inari.
Try it it's quiet enjoyable once you've had a bit of it" Isabella snickered inside knowing that this would either be dangerous or funny. Inari tipped the large glass to her lips before downing all its contents. Isabella almost spit hers out seeing the action as she sputtered. " oh no my lady you're meant to drink it slower." She said a bit wary of a deity possibly getting drunk.
Inari gave her a blank stare before speaking "it's quite good actually may I have more." Isabella patted down beside her for Inari to take her seat. As she did so she took the glass and filled it showing Inari to just take small sips. "So Inari you're a god of harvest and fertility correct." Isabella ask with sheer curiosity. "Yes I am. As well as a few other things like foxes." Inari answered while looking off into the forests sea of green and slight hued foliage.
"Is that why you were wearing the fur of a massive fox when sire brought you back here?" Isabella asked. At that Inari have a pensive glare. "Yes. He shot me in my slumber and stole me away in this weakened form." She said with a bite of anger and animosity.
Isabella stared at her a bit worried about what to say next when she asked " do you know about magics?" Inari was intrigued "yes I know of earth magics? Are you by chance a witch as they say." Inari asked and Isabella blushed slightly. She knew others gossiped about her but she didn't know Inari picked up On it so easily.
"Yea my lady I am. As far as I know I'm the only one here capable of using magics. Sire found me after I accidentally burned down a slave transit trying to escape when I was a child." She spoke reminiscently. Inari took in the girls words. " they were trying to take my head off when he appeared and killed them all save for me and the other children." She continued. " that's when he brought us here. To castle leoren and the towns people, though still fearful of him in his state cares for us. But me he kept in the castle and taught me how to better keep check of my powers while also teaching me how to read and write and do other basic things."
Isabella spoke more of her master in a light tone before saying. " I know what he did to you was wrong. But I am sure he has his reasons. He is not a heartless man." With that Inari laughed abruptly and the sound was sweet even in its hysterical manner. "What? What did I say?" Isabella whined a bit confused.
"Oh child." Inari beamed a bit insincerely. " your master has no heart. Not a soul. I'm fact he's no human at all and not do I believe her ever was." Inari bit out a bit annoyed at the girl. " he has no pulse nor consciousness. His body is decaying in an immortal state never healing and never dying. He is a pitiful specimen to say the least and my guess is he's using me to quench some thirst for revenge against the gods for cursing him to be a plague on this earth." She said matter-of-factly.
Isabella was growing increasingly angry at Inaris sharp tongue but she continued. " you're master saw only the use in you for his own goals. Do you really think such a creature could ever care for a human when teaching you sins such as magics? No he's going to use you like I'm sure he plans to use me and in the end we are but stepping stones to what he wants." Isabella began to singed the grass around her heat welling up in her body like a fever.
Just then in the distance the stir of a demonic looking form came into view as it flitted towards the women with intent before grabbing Inari by the throat and pinning her to the earth slicing at the flesh of her neck. Inaris eye grew wide and cold her nails sharpening and Digging into the bones and muscle surrounding the wrist of the man who held her in place. It leaned in its gaping maul pressed against her cheek. Its hot sticky breath fanning over her face and neck as the vines beneath her began to rise and writhe about lashing its body with startling force but he did not budge.
" You smell so good.' A broken heave came out almost sending painful and agony stricken. " Give it to me." It said chomping down onto Irani's neck she gasped in horror feeling her blood drain into her air ways before choking and coughing on it drowning her. More vines began to pierce the creature and she grappled at it fighting it off the best she could. In the distance she heard a snap and its body went up into blackened flames. Its grotesque wings fluttered about clawing at the earth while the top ones tried to fan out the flames off of its self.
"Sire you must stop!" Inari heard Isabella yell. Then she glanced back at the menacing form of the thing onto of her. As her vines attacked it she caught the glimpse of light blue eyes half swallowed by black oozing from the corners. Inari began to laugh a malicious laugh catching both the creature and Isabella off guard. She willed the vines to entrap the creatures enormous wings binding them back. Its body quaked as he roared in anger after releasing Inari from his hold. She stood up on shaken legs as bones pulsed through her neck winding around it to cover the hole where the bleeding was stopped. " You despicable, vile creature." She spoke in that eerily familiar biting tone. She grabbed the creatures horns bending back its head to meet her gaze from its bound kneeling position.
"You dared to touch me a god among you. A worthless demon. Not even a mortal. Not even worthy of god's love." She spat indignantly as her lilac eyes now a venomous violet bore into his. His split mouth forming a sharp lopsided smile. " You are but a lowly deity in my eyes Suiko." He hummed out his eyes glossy. "You have no sense if you cannot tell what I am compared to a lowly creature like you. Created by my fathers creation. " He continued " you are the figment of human imagination and desperation. You could never be above me an angel amongst you."
Inari gave him an incredulous look as if unaware his wings shuffled loose from her vines the draped around her closing her in as he began to stand. She let go of his ram like horns in a instant as his boney grotesque visage came into full view. The curved claw tipped wings slammed into the earth around her digging deep creating a cage. She backed up against it. Realizing her misfortune of being trapped with this thing. He came close beckoning her to him his breath creating steam along the long seam of his mouth.
" Give me your soul." He hummed out as he stood closer his wings creating a smaller space. " Dont be stingy little suiko I just want what ive craved for decades." He said the black clearing from his eyes as he peered down at her. Before he could reach her another snap sounded and fire enveloped him and he groaned in pain. unbenonced to them day light began to shine brightly over what seemed like an endless night. As the light touched his many wings they began to dissolve into bits of light. His head lifted with a grimace as his face contorted with pain. All the bones peeking through corded muscle began to shift back under the skin as his body flexed and muscles grew taught with strain of the hooked bones shivered and thrummed burying them selves under his skin. His breaths ragged his ominous voice rang clear as he slowly grew more human in image.
" Do not forget yourself again Suiko." He said as Inari slid to the ground her breath caught in her throat as a memory unearthed in her mind. She saw him there. Surrounded by her creations in her pool of shimmering light. She quaked in confusion. As the similar visage full over him. His smile his tasseled dirty blonde hair and 'Azure' eyes. She thought as the man in her mind came before her from the shell of still withering bones. His scars more pronounced in the light as they wrapped around his body and face in a fierce way. Some looking like crude injury while others were in place of the bones that once sat atop his skin.
" You're right" he said ruefully. " I am cursed. I am to rot and hunger for eternity. I am to carry the weight of all sins and then commit more until it is no longer apparent who I am." H held his hand before him as sinew and flesh covered the gnarled bones to return to long thick fingers in the light.
" But even as a demon cast out from heaven. I am still above you a mere after thought of human idols." He said eyeing her before turning away. Inari hung her head in defeat as Isabella came to her side helping her up off the ground and checking her wounds that were healing under her gaze alone.
"Isabella. Take her and get her cleaned up. Take her to the town and buy different clothing. She is to never enter the room you found that dress in again so you hear me. You best heed my warning and refrain from snooping again." He chided and Isabella hung her head her face hot at his disappointed tone. " Yes sire I'll do well to heed" she bowed before his back disappeared within the doors to the side of the castle.