She had never met a goddess before.

So, when Rhode woke her up just an hour or two past sunrise, saying that they needed to prepare for Inna's return, there was a certain level of anxiety that flooded her system. Until that moment, she'd been so focused on navigating this strange situation she'd found herself in that she hadn't considered the fact she was signing on to become a being that, according to legend, regularly conversed with the gods. What would Inna think when she saw her? Iliana wasn't pretty. She couldn't match the manners and grace she'd seen radiating from every siren she'd met.

What if Inna said no?

Thankfully, she was given little time to think about this as Rhode dragged her here and there. Apparently, she was no longer allowed to simply don a dress and call herself ready for the day. Her hair needed trimmed, her nails cleaned and colored. Numerous pots of oils and paints were produced as well-- most of which Iliana faintly recognize. Once upon a time, she'd probably known what they were. Now, however, they just seemed to be a form of torture as she was subjected to coat after coat. When she questioned the need for all of this, Rhode paused and cocked her head to the side.

"Wouldn't you feel more confident if you looked your best?"

Iliana'd found herself without a retort for that, resulting in the siren giving her a knowing smile, then whisking her away to explore Rhode's personal closet. As she'd expected, it held dresses, skirts, undergarments and blouses-- but no pants. She'd begun to feel like a doll by the time Rhode plucked a dark colored dress of surprisingly common material from a hanger and thrust it towards her. When she cocked a questioning brow, Rhode shrugged.

"I've another dress planned for the ceremony," she explained. "You'll...well, there will be a need for a change after the initial events. For reasons you'll come to understand, we prefer to start in clothing that won't be missed."

"Why?"

Rhode gave a wry smile. "As I said, you'll come to understand. The ceremony is one of our most important secrets. After tonight, I'll answer any questions you ask. Until then, my lips are sealed."

Iliana narrowed her eyes, but sensed that an argument on the matter would go nowhere. So, she gave in and went to change. Rhode's bathroom held a full-length mirror. Unable to help herself, the moment she had the dress settled where she wanted it, Iliana stepped over to see what the sirens had done. For the first time in several years, the girl she saw was distinctly female. The thin fabric was drawn together beneath her slender chest, showing off what little she had, before flowing out past her hips. It ended just before her bare ankles. Whatever skin could be seen seemed to have a faint shine to the warm olive tone-- an aftereffect of being scrubbed and oiled until all the dead and dry skin she'd gained offshore was gone.

Still, the her beneath it all couldn't be hidden. Her features were still rough and sharp, her frame slender and shapeless. No amount of trimming could change the fact her hair was thin and plain, just as no amount of scrubbing could change the fact her skin was weathered from years spent at sea. They might have done their best, but the sirens could never make her beautiful.

It was almost a comfort given how much was about to change.

"She's here!"

The sound of Dalphie's excited arrival sent Iliana's heart racing. Still, she drew away from the mirror and joined the others in the living area.

"Lucky," Rhode mused. "We've just finished. Where is she?"

"Heading this way," Dalphie said, an excited edge to tone. "I told her we've a guest."

Iliana nearly stopped breathing. This was it, then. She was about to meet one of the gods. What a story I'll have to tell when I escape this island... Frozen in place by her thoughts, Iliana simply watched as Rhode darted this way and that, obviously wanting to make sure her bare cabin was spotless for the goddess' arrival. Meanwhile, Dalphie offered Iliana a bright, albeit hesitant, smile.

"You look nice," she said. "Are you ready for the hunt?"

"Hunt?" she echoed, confused.

"Oh, right!" Rhode exclaimed, suddenly pausing. "I should explain all of that to you."

For a moment, she looked torn. Perhaps wanting to do more cleaning to the already pristine room. Then, she sighed and spun to face Iliana, that familiar smile of hers appearing.

"Traditionally, a celebratory dinner is held when someone joins our family. Every circumstance is different, but in cases like yours, ones where there are no injuries keeping you bed bound, we like for you to come with us on the hunt."

Rhode's expression was rather pleased, obviously thinking this sort of thing would be Iliana's cup of tea. She knew where the idea might stem from-- after all, Iliana had made no secret of her less than ladylike habits-- but it stung nevertheless. She had definitely not planned on making a fool of herself the first time she held a weapon in front of her new "family."

"Sounds... fun."

Her words were punctuated by an unfamiliar giggle. Instantly, Iliana turned towards Dalphie and found herself staring at the figure that'd appeared in the doorway. The woman had a head of charcoal locks that tumbled down her back in large, flowing curls. The dark color contrasted beautifully with her seemingly flawless, tawny skin. Her eyes, a vivid, forest green, swept Iliana from head to toe in a curious, yet studious manner.

"You sound as enthusiastic about the hunt as Dalphie used to," she said.

Dalphie's face flooded red as Rhode seemed to appear by the door within seconds. Her face held a brighter smile than Iliana'd seen in the entire time she'd known her.

"Inna!"

Iliana's body went tense, eyes focusing on the newcomer once again. This was the goddess? She was beautiful, certainly, but there was no... otherness to her. Nothing that screamed, 'I helped create the world as we know it.' Still, there was a slight tremble to Iliana's hand as she caught the edge of her skirt and offered a polite curtsy.

"It's an honor to meet you."

Like before, Inna giggled.

"There's no need for that," she said, causing Iliana to straighten. "If you were to curtsy every time you saw me after this we'd build up hours' worth. I don't know about you, but I'm not that fond of it all." That said, the goddess put her hands on her hips and spun to face Rhode. "The hunt?"

"We're getting ready to leave, Lady Inna."

"Goodness. I'm standing here telling her to drop the formalities and you pull that one out on me," Inna teased, a playful edge to her tone.

Rhode rolled her eyes. The action itself had Iliana glancing between them, attempting to line this event up with what she'd imagined would occur. All the stories back home painted Inna as the most spoiled of the gods-- yet here she was, acting like any other woman.  Saul and Ancus would love this. Would've loved this. They'd always told her the gods were more like normal people than she might think.

"You're welcome to join us, Lady Inna."

Iliana tensed. So, not only was she to make a fool of herself in front of the other sirens, but Inna as well.

"I think I might," Inna mused. "It's been ages since I've used my bow... What's on the menu? Anything interesting?"

"Whatever we can find. The Nightmares have been a bit erratic these last few days, so Dalphie said she'd improvise based on what we bring back," Rhode replied.

Erratic? Iliana studied Rhode's easy-going smile, intrigue unfurling in the back of her thoughts. The only Nightmare she'd seen since arriving was the sea serpent in the tunnels. Shouldn't she have encountered more if the creatures were acting out?

"All the better than I'm coming, then," Inna said, clapping her hands. She looked about as pleased with herself as she could be. "I doubt they'll bother being aggressive if I'm around." She paused, spinning to face Dalphie who'd stayed silent during all of this. "Which means, while these two finish getting ready, you and I are going to plan a feast!"

"We can go through my recipe books," Dalphie offered, a thoughtful edge to her tone. "While you're gone, a few of us could gather fruits and other items from the forest, so we need not be limited to what we already have."

"Sounds perfect."

With that decided, the goddess grabbed Dalphie's hand and started away from the still-open doorway, then paused and glanced back at them.

"Oh, right! It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Iliana!"

Then, without another word, she dragged Dalphie away. Rhode instantly relaxed, letting out a long breath.

"Well... now that that's out of the way. How about we go pick you out a bow, hm?"

Iliana nodded, following Rhode out of the cabin. Hopefully, the evening wouldn't end with her accidentally using said bow to shoot a goddess. Please, she thought to the whomever might be listening. Let me have just a bit of luck tonight.

¸.•*¨*•.¸♪¸.•*¨*•.¸♥¸.•*¨*•.¸

"How about you show me your aim while we wait?"

She tensed, causing Rhode to cock a brow. The question was harmless enough, but there wasn't a single cell in Iliana's body that was impatient to show off her "skills." Still, there was no point in arguing the matter. After the two of them had selected a bow Iliana's size, and Rhode had made a point of making sure Iliana could draw back the string, they'd picked out a few other items before moving to the edge of the village to wait for Inna and the others. She now wore a bracer on her forearm and a belt around her waist. Tucked into a sheath on either side were two identical hunting knives. Rhode had provided them, saying that if they came across Nightmares more protection was better than less. She'd gotten the idea that the siren wasn't confident Iliana's human strength could put an arrow through the thick hide of a Nightmare.

Speaking of which... "What type of Nightmares do you have here?"

It was a reasonable question, she figured. Also, a good distraction from the matter at hand. Rhode furrowed her brow, perhaps wondering where the thought had come from, or compiling a list in her head, before answering.

"There are many different species of the harmless sort, none of them worth naming, but also a few of the stronger ones, such as the kottai. There is a pack of them on the south end of the island, but they rarely come near the village. I hadn't planned on going too far, so we shouldn't be bothered with those."

She couldn't help but feel grateful for that. The kottai were said to be a horrid mixture of beasts. Their body was that of a stag, but their head and tail were similar to a lion. Legends spoke of how they could mimic voices, drawing people away from their companions, then tearing them apart with the sharp, bony ridge that served as their teeth. Even if you escaped, like many Nightmares, their bite was poisonous. It was a horrible way to die.

"I think the only other we have a large number of is the taki," Rhode paused, a wry smile touching her lips. "Which, unfortunately, happen to be Inna's favorite meal."

The taki, unlike most dangerous Nightmares, wasn't poisonous. Iliana'd heard that those brave enough to hunt them managed to fetch high prices for the Nightmare boar's meat, given that it'd be ranked among the best in the world. Of course, they were just as likely to have their souls ripped from their bodies by the taki. Legend said that the boar would spear you on it's tusks and slowly drain your soul. Sometimes wanted posters would be put out as a result-- as legend also said the only way to free your soul for rebirth was for someone to slay the boar.

"We'll be hunting it?" Iliana ventured.

Rhode nodded, that wry smile never disappearing. "Unfortunately, it's quite likely. Inna has quite the... love for fine cuisine. The fact that there's a certain level of danger in obtaining it only makes the meal more her style. Thankfully, we've never had trouble on these hunts, given the creatures tend to avoid our kind normally, and with Inna around when we are looking for them, none of us are really in any danger."

Iliana knew only a little about boar hunts, but as far as she was aware, neither of her weapons fit the mark. "Shouldn't we have spears, then?"

"They'll bring them, if that's what Inna and Dalphie decide will be the main course," Rhode said with a shrug. "However, I'd prefer you hung back in the event we come across one. As you most likely understand, the danger is heightened for you."

She bristled, but didn't argue the point. Iliana may not have enjoyed basically being told that she was much more fragile than the sirens, but it was most likely the truth.

"Now," Rhode continued, her tone changing to one of amusement. "No more putting it off. Let me see your shot." She moved towards the trees bordering the village, and tapped one with her hand. "Aim for this one."

As Iliana hesitated, then slid her bow from her back, Rhode moved back to her side. Drawing in a deep breath, Iliana hooked the string around the top of the bow, then raised it and nocked an arrow. Surely even she could manage such an easy target.

The arrow she released flew past the tree entirely. Iliana's cheeks lit up.

"That was just a practice shot."

Rhode used her hand to cover what was most likely an amused grin, her shoulders shaking slightly. "Of course. Try again. Same target."

Locking her jaw, Iliana drew another arrow from the quiver on her back. Then, she once again took a deep breath and focused her attention on the tree. One... two...

The arrow flew into the bark with a light thud. Unfortunately for Iliana, it happened to be the tree four feet to the left of the target. This time, rather than holding back laughter, Rhode was studying Iliana with a thoughtful look.

"Where did you learn to shoot? Who taught you?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I taught myself."

"I thought that might be the case. Here, let me..." Rhode closed the few feet between them. "Nock an arrow."

Uncertain as to where this was going, Iliana did as asked. Instantly, Rhode placed her hand over Iliana's and shifted the arrow, as well as Iliana's fingers on it. Then, she dropped down and grabbed Iliana's legs, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"What the he--"

"You're standing wrong. You need to put your left foot here..." She pulled Iliana's leg to place, then turned her toes as well. "And this one, here."

Iliana felt like she was about to topple over. The stance felt strange and unstable, but she was careful not to move as Rhode straightened up. The siren then grabbed Iliana's shoulders and pulled them back.

"You need to square your shoulders like that," she added. "Now, I want you to pull that string far enough back that you can without moving your head forward or backwards. Also, make sure your release hand can rest along your jaw. You want to make it a spot that feels natural, a spot you can repeat. Hold your arm..." She gripped her elbow, making Iliana extend her arm. "Like that. If you bend your arm, your muscles are doing the work and if you extend it, your bones are.

"Finally, I want you to close your eyes and hold your breath for ten seconds."

Iliana struggled to follow Rhode's instructions, her arm shaking from how long she'd held the full draw. When Rhode called out she could open her eyes, the aim of her bow had shifted off by several degrees.

"Move your foot back and go again."

By the time the other sirens began gathering around them, Rhode had Iliana adjust her stance several times, but each time seemed dissatisfied with how shaky she was. Apparently, at some point it was supposed to feel natural. It never felt natural.

"I can't shoot a bow," she finally admitted.

Rhode laughed and procured a spear from one of the other sirens. "I figured. How about you just stick with this and the knives, hm? Keep the bow, though. We'll practice more after the ceremony."

She nodded, stowing the bow on her back before taking the spear from Rhode. At that same moment Inna and Dalphie arrived. The goddess beamed, her own bow secured on her back.

"Let's get going, shall we?" Inna suggested.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed meeting Inna! I planned on getting to the hunt this chapter, but realized I was getting pretty long and figured I'd start that fun fresh! So, we're gonna have a few more chapters in this part than I thought.

So, what do you think of Inna so far? I know you haven't seen much of her, but I hope you're looking forward to more~ What about the new Nightmares introduced? Interesting? Can you spot what myths they're based off of?

What about Iliana's little problem? Did the scene make sense to you? I thought it would be good to go into all that before she becomes a siren. Let you see where our girl starts.

Hm... one more question: How do you think the hunt will go? What about the ceremony, any guesses to why Rhode's being so secretive about it?

Hope to see you next time!