#Got inspired by the idea of the Lilith Odalia friendship

[drachenfalter]

"It's not about Home Security"

(AO3 Version here)

“I was wondering when you’d come here.”

Lilith was surprised to hear a familiar voice when she sank down into the booth, a pint of apple blood in front of her. 

It had been some time since she’d really talked to anyone outside of her sister and the colorful group currently living in the owl house. She told herself it was a safety precaution — most of her friends and acquaintances were high ranking members of her former coven, people loyal to Belos. Not people she could trust.

Or maybe that was an excuse she told herself, a reason not to let them see her in her current state.

But this was not a former colleague.

This was someone she had known since Hexside.

“Odalia?” Lilith watched as the green haired witch took a seat opposite of her. “Didn’t think I’d meet you here.” Her childhood friend had never been shy about her disdain for this hole-in-a-wall place.

“Well, yes, this place is a shithole,” Odalia said. “Exactly the place to look for a disgraced former Covenhead.”

Lilith winced and took a long swig from her apple blood. Not nearly as strong as the stuff Eda liked, but still enough to get a nice buzz. “Are you just here to insult me? Or is there something you want from me.”

Odalia rolled her eyes. “You always think the worst of me. Maybe I’m just trying to catch up with a friend? Maybe I’m concerned about an old friend who just lost everything?”

Lilith gave a humorless laugh. “Hah. You. Concerned. Very funny!” Lilith knew her better than that. Odalia looked at her, unaffected by the implied insult.

Lilith took another sip. “But I guess you are the first one to actually ask. Even my own mother didn’t bother,” she added in a low voice.

 “So. What happened?”

“You already know what happened. Everyone knows. Belos wanted to petrify Eda, and I couldn’t let that happen,” Lilith explained.

“Yes, I know that, obviously,” Odalia cut in. “I’m trying to figure out why you would throw it all away like that.”

“She’s my sister.”

“And a wild witch. Like all the other witches your coven captured and petrified in the last few years. Really, what did you expect to happen?” Odalia gave her an incredulous look.

“I- Belos promised he would heal her curse, if I got her to join,” Lilith argued. “I had to try, okay? How was I supposed to know he would go back on his word?” And then, realizing what Odalia said, she added, “And — and also, the last public petrification was thirty years ago.”

Odalia gave her a look. “You know you don’t have to spew his lies anymore, do you? I’m not part of your coven (Lilith coughed), sorry, former coven. But I know my customers. I notice when they disappear, and I know the difference between a statue and a fossil.”

Lilith balled her hands, feeling new guilt well up inside her. “We — he said they were irredeemable. Too dangerous to risk ever escaping.” Lilith shut her eyes and sank her head. “Oh Titan, I was such an idiot.”

“Yes, yes, Belos is a crook, what else is new.”

That stopped Lilith, because it was new. At least from Odalia. In their over thirty years of friendship, this was the first time she had ever heard the oracle talk so disrespectfully about the Emperor.

“I - what?” Lilith needed a moment to. "You knew? Know? But you never said anything to me."

“You were his Headwitch. Loyal enough to sell out your own sister,” Odalia stated. “I’ve gotta think of my own. And you wouldn't have listened, anyway."

“Hmpf. I guess that’s fair.” Lilith took another long gulp from her apple juice, the glass looking almost empty now.

"Not that it really matters. Crook or not, Belos is still the most powerful witch on the Isles." Odalia didn't sound particularly happy about it, Lilith noted.

They sat there in silence for a few moments as Lilith continued stewing in her thoughts.

“You know that you’re the first one of them to approach me?” she eventually said, bitter. She didn’t feel the need to specify that she was talking the small group of friends they were a part of since Hexside.

“Really?” Odalia sounded genuinely surprised.

“Yep.” Lilith finished her apple blood. “Not even my own mother sought me out. Not a word, not even a text or letter.”

“Well, I can’t speak for the others, but Alador has been very busy with work lately. Not that he’s ever been the social type, mind you.”

“He’s not overworking himself again, I hope?” Lilith continued, happy for the excuse not to talk about her own pathetic life for the moment.

“Please, that man is never happy unless he’s elbow deep in an abomination goo or tinkering on some new invention.”

“Sure. But you can still have too much of a good thing,” Lilith argued, speaking from experience. She’d definitely overdone it a few times while studying under Flora.

“Pfff. He’s not your husband, okay. And it’s kind of out of my hands now, anyway,” Odalia grumbled.

“Out of your hands?”

Odalia sighed and leaned forward, beckoning Lilith to come closer. “We recently had a visit from your least favorite upstart at the factory.”

Her least favorite– Oh. “The Golden Guard?” Lilith whispered back.

Odalia nodded. “He threatened to investigate our business if we don’t comply - not that we're actually doing anything illegal, of course - and now we’re selling exclusively to the Emperor’s Coven.” She leaned back. “At least they pay decently. But still. The audacity of that guy.”

“Huh. So, the Emperor’s Coven is buying home security…” Lilith mumbled more to herself.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lilly,” Odalia interrupted her with a cold laugh.  “They’re not buying home security."

Then the business witch got serious.

"They're buying an army. "

"And I’d really like to know why.”