Chapter Text
An innocent and lonely young woman found herself lost in a forest. Trying to escape her miserable life, she never had a family, nor did she have friends. She flees without thinking of where to go or what to do now. It's not like she had time to plan it. Some people wanted to take advantage of her, sell her, she heard them say. They had been watching her for a while and intended to gain money for her beauty. She has a naive kind of beauty, practically childlike, not in her physique but in her expression. A little empty in the head and easy to manipulate.
She may seem dumb, and she might be, but she doesn't know for sure. She does remember a moment when she touched the flame of a candle to see what it would do. It burns, obviously, but she couldn't know with certainty before touching it. Now she knows. Now, she won't try to feel the fire against her skin again.
But she wasn't stupid to the point of letting it happen. Her life and her body belong to her only. It is she who decides when and to whom to share it with. That said, now she's lost in this creepy forest. The trees practically hide the sky, and the wind blows in their leaves, but not hard enough to feel it on her skin. It's slightly complicated to breathe, and the need to rest becomes more and more present. She has been walking all day, and her feet hurt, and her cheeks are wet from sweat and tears. She repeats the same words again and again in her mind. What to do, what to do, what to do.
Unable to take another step, the lost girl decided to sit at the foot of a tree. Hugging her knees like a teddy bear, she cries in silence. Why make noise while crying when no one ever bothers to comfort her? It's even wise to be silent in a scary forest alone. A predator could hear and decide to make of her their dinner.
Curled up against the tree, she closed her eyes. Her throat feels like she has swallowed sand, and her feet feel like someone is poking needles in them. When she left, the sun was not up yet, but now it's setting. Soon, she will be in the dark. What to do, what to do, what to do.
Suddenly, she hears footsteps. They're getting closer and closer. Whatever it was, it stopped right in front of her. Refusing to open her eyes, she forced some words out of her lips." Whoever or whatever you are, please kill me if you must, but don't hurt me."
"What a strange thing to say, and how am I to do that?" came a feminine but rough voice. Frowning slightly, she responds. "How are you to do what?"
"Kill you without hurting you."
"I don't know." She heard the other person chuckle. Then, a thought crossed her mind. What if this person wasn't a person? She doesn't know what hides in this forest. It might well be a mean sprite. Maybe it will try to lure her into a trap. Her heart tightens, and fear invades her mind. She shouldn't talk to this being.
"Poor thing, you look pitiful. You are trembling. Do you need help?" There it is, trying to seem friendlier to lower my suspicion. She shouldn't answer it. She will not speak with it. Curling up on herself to look smaller, she hopes it will just lose interest and leave her alone. Alas, it didn't work. She felt a hand on her head, a big hand. Whatever it is, it's not human.
"Poor baby bunny, too frightened to talk. Was something chasing you?"
She shakes her head no.
"It's alright, you can talk, you can open your eyes."
She shakes her head no again. No, don't succumb to the temptation.
"No? Why not little human?"
Little human? So, it admit it was not human? Did it say it on purpose? What to think, what to think. "Now, now, there is no need to be so scared. There is just you and I." Was that a threat or a comfort? No one had ever comforted her or done her any kindness. Then she felt it, the hand on her head. It caresses her hair gently, lovingly. So that's what it feels like. Well, maybe she could risk speaking with it. She didn't know of any creature who stole voices in the forest. But yet again, she didn't know all too much about anything. She remembers hearing about other beings, human-like creatures, but never sees one. She was from a somewhat recluse town. It's even more lonely when you don't have anyone to speak with. Arduous to know anything about life when alone.
Well, she doesn't have other choices. She'll communicate with it. " Are you an evil sprite?". Wow, that was direct.
"A what now?... That's rather unkind of you to say."
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be offensive. It's just...". Should I tell it everything? Was it a good idea? To inform it she was running away, that no loved ones were waiting for her? That she is exhausted, afraid and alone. A new wave of tears escapes her closed eyelids. The warm tears tickle her cheeks, she wipes them away with the palms of her hands.
"Oh, pretty bunny, don't cry like a helpless child. I promise I'm not an evil sprite. Poor baby, you look all worn out."
She feels like something snapped in her. No one had ever talked to her like that. A full-blown sob ripped from her chest, making her tremble even more.
"I'm going to take you home with me, baby bunny. I'll take care of you now."
Hearing that, she feels panic in her stomach and tries to get away. No, no, no, I don't want to be hurt. She did not run away to be caught by something else. "It's alright, hush hush. It's going to be dark soon." She feels herself being lifted off the ground. Two strong arms hold her tightly to a chest. The feeling of being in such a tight grip calmed her down strangely. Well, if I die, I will at least be in someone's embrace while it happens. I'm sure no monster has such warmth. She let herself relax in the arms of the apparently not evil sprite.
"That's it, little human, let yourself go. You look like you had a long day. You can sleep. Nothing will happen to you."
Those are the last words she hears before losing consciousness. What's the point in fighting it. She knows she is not well-equipped to survive the world on her own. At least she is warm.
***
It's with surprise she finds herself awake and alive. She feels alive, but maybe it was just her soul haunting someplace. She softly put her hand over her heart to feel it beating. So I'm Alive.
"Finally awake, little bunny."
She freezes like she was caught doing something wrong. She opens one eye. It was futile to keep them close now that she was in what seemed to be a bed. A comfortable bed at that. She gets a glimpse of it, or shall she say of her. It was not a monster, as she thought. No, it was a human-like creature. Tall, muscular, green skin with two bottom tusks. What was it again? Some villagers of her town talked about them as great warriors but cruel beings. What was their name? Oh yes, she's an orc! Oh Shit, it's an orc! Aren't they supposed to be super aggressive? I don't know how to fight. Yet again, her eyes are filled with tears.
"Why is the little baby crying again?" The lady orc approaches her with precaution.
"Are you... Are you going to hurt me? I don't know how to defend myself. The last and only fight I was in was with a bird, and I lost it." Her voice is quivering with anxiety.
"A bird?"
"Yes, it was a tenacious bird and really mean."
The orc starts laughing out loud. "Funny, you're funny."
"But it's the truth!"
"And I believe you. That's why it's so funny."
The orc sits close to her on the bed, looming over her. Putting one of her big hands on her cheek yet again. "I'm Zathra. What is your name, little one?" She lowers her eyes in embarrassment. It was the first time someone asked who she was, the first time she'd have to answer it. "I don't have a name. Nobody ever gave one to me, and I don't know how to get one. So I'm just me. But people in my town usually call me hey or you. I guess you can call me that." She knows people have at least one name. Maybe she used to have one, but she can't remember it.
"Poor thing." Zathra grabs her by the jaw and looks into her eyes. " You look like a prey, so I shall continue to call you bunny." Bunny nods her head in stupefaction. Her tears finally dripped down her cheeks.
"Why are you crying? Don't you like the name?"
"Yes, I like it very much! I have a name! I can die happy now."
"Die? I will not hurt you, bunny."
"You won't?"
"I didn't bring you to my home to harm you." Zathra grabbed her and put her on her lap. She circles her arms around her, trapping bunny in her embrace. She is so comfy and reassuring. Even if I know she can squeeze the life out of me. I don't feel in danger. "When I found you at the foot of the tree, you looked so frightened. What was chasing you?"
"Nothing. I'm just running away from my town. I got scared."
"Why are you running away, little one?"
"There were men who wanted to sell me. I heard them say I would be a good slave." There was no use to hide it from her. She is the kindest soul I've seen, The first to be gentle.
Bunny cuddles even closer to her. She feels like she could disappear in Zathra's arms. "No men will hurt you here. Fragile bunny, be my little pet. I'll protect you from harm." The words were smoothly said, with no threat behind them.
Being here with Zathra is a better fate than being a slave in her village. She made her decision.