I’ve been here for three days now.
Experiencing many different things.
Like, eating food and talking and then eating more food and then talking and eating and...
Yeah, you get it.
Mostly just talking actually.
From what I’ve learnt, they are very friendly.
Even though I’ve only interacted with fauns chosen by the old faun
And the cut faun alway being nearby...
So maybe the interactions were kinda forced.
Anyway, I guess I cant really call him the cut faun anymore
With his horns grown out and all
Well, he’s supposed to be my butler right now sooo
Maybe I should call him mister Butler?
Yeah, that will work.
And let me tell you, he’s still a total ass-hat, not saying anything to me.
Even though I can clearly hear him when he’s talking to that fat chef
Who, in comparison to mister butler, is a total sweat heart.
But anyways, he’s come around a bit
He can now look me in the eyes and nod in response when I ask questions
But still wont say anything...
Like, how obviuous do you want to make it that you hate being around me?
So yeah, walking around town with mister Butler is a real pain
Especially when the older faun just runs away to do some “Important Business” like, every other hour.
As if, she is probably just tired of taking me around everywhere
And to top that off, whenever she leaves, she tells me to not talk to other fauns
Leaving me alone with mister butler
What am I?
A prisoner?
Stupid old faun, it’s getting very boring, I’ve not had a single proper conversations during this entire stay.
During the times where me and mister Butler were left alone, he’s always very awkard
Always having a meter of distance between us and always keeping his guard.
I usually try to talk to him, make some small banter
Sometimes I try joking, but they always fall flat.
I dont even think I’ve seen him smile once
Not once
What is he?
A statue?
Maybe he is, I’ve heard that they love stones here.
Not weird considering their environment.
Back to the present
I’ve once again been left alone with mister Butler.
The old faun going out to “Do business”
Yeah, you old poo
As if.
Sitting on this bed, with a piece of bread in my mouth, I find myself incredibly bored.
Again
“Hye, mstier Btleru?”
Trying to speak with a piece of bread in my mouth, mister Butler turns towards me.
“Wehn is taht odl Fuan cmoing bck?”
A question mark forming on his face
Eyebrows raising comically
Hehe, I knew I could get some sort of expression out of him
Swallowing the piece of bread, I look him in the eye
His eyebrow still raised, but eyes shifting a little nervously
“What do you guys do for fun around here?”
Eyebrow lowering, eyes going up to the ceiling
Then he gestured with his arms, forming the shape of a bow and him shooting.
“Aaah! Yeah, archery is hella fun!”
He nodded
“Where can we go to shoot some?”
He shook his head
“What do you mean, no?”
He pointed to the door, then formed an X with his arms.
“Your saying that we are not allowed outside without the old faun?”
He nodded
“AAAAAH come on! I’m like a prisoner here!”
He awkwardly shifted his weight, looking down at the ground.
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“Dont give me that look mister! I know you guys saved me and all, but you can't keep me here like this”
Avoiding my eyes, he kept looking at the ground
Aaah, stupid butler...
Wait
The old faun just said that I’m not allowed to talk to other fauns
Hmmm
Maybe
I could persuade him
“Hey, mister Butler”
His head tilted up
“What if we went outside?”
He started shaking his head again, but I quickly interjected.
“I mean that, we only go outside to shoot, not to interact with anyone or say anything?”
He stopped shaking, looking at me confused, but mildly intrigued
“What I’m saying. Is that the old faun only told me to stay quiet, not that I could not walk around. Right?”
His head started nodding, slowly at first
Then as realisation dawned on him, and his brain ticked for a bit
He nodded more eagerly
Then a flash of a smile spread on his lips, only to disappear just as quickly
Letting his arm point at the door, he gestured for me to go outside
Hehehe, I’m a total social genius
I made him smile.
I count that as a victory!
“Woohoo! let’s go then! Show me the archery-shooting place!”
My enthusiasm rubbing off on mister Butler, as he eagerly opened the door with a spring in his step.
As we stepped outside, I felt a little
Nervous?
No
A little mischievous
A tickling sensation in my stomach
This is new
Hihihihi.
As we walked, mister Butler kept vigilance
Maybe to look out for the old faun, or maybe to protect me
But he always kept his steps steady, leading us to the archery place.
Or I think so at least.
Moving through town
Many fauns looked at me, already aware of my stay
Whispering something in their home tongue as they passed.
Something felt off
Feeling a little weird at their glances,
Staring longer than they usuall.
After talking to many fauns, I’ve realised that they are indeed a trading city
Trading with many other races
One of them being humans.
Just looking around I can spot a group of five humans and a... Giant elephant?
Woah
He looks fricking amazing.
Anyway, the point is, I don't understand the attention I’m getting
I feel like some sort of celebrity
Or a freak...
No, I’m totally a celebrity.
Hehe, look at my beautiful body.
Saying that, I started posing a bit
Walking more confidently and pouting with my lips.
Mister Butler looked over his shoulder as I was doing this, seeing my antics
And sighed.
He sighed
Oh my gosh.
“Hahahaha”
A laugh spread on my lips
Mister Butler stopped and looked around, a confused expression on his face
Both eyebrows raised with an “O” shaped mouth
Which was hilarious to look at
Which made me laugh even harder.
“HAHAHAHAHA!”
My laugh echoing throughout the crowded city
Fauns walked around us, smiles spreading on their lips.
The few humans nearby whispering amongst themselves
The giant elephant guy stopping, with both hands on his hips as he stared at me
When I looked up, I could see mister Butler looking around frantically
Looking, nervous, maybe...
Embarrassed?
Oh, Oh my dragon, that's freaking adorable.
My laugh increasing in volume, the whole thing feeling too funny to me
Staying cooped up with this stone-faced Butler for three days was beyond boring.
So when I finally got to see him making expressions that wasn’t his stoney neutral one
It bursted my emotional wall
Flooding me with laughter.
Some fauns actually joined in
Hearing my beautiful laughter, filling them up with joy.
Which in turn made me laugh harder.
And no, my laugh does not sound like a horse.
It does not okay!
I was now laughing so hard that it physically hurt
I had to close my eyes, lean down on my knees as I struggled for breath
Around me laughter, then suddenly something new
A new sound
Music?
I glanced through eyelashes to look for the source.
To see, in my surprise, the group of five humans playing on instruments
Where did they get them?
I have no idea.
Then I could see some fauns starting to dance,
And the big elephant guy making himself comfortable as he sat down, his big snout holding what looked to be a tiny pencil
His ears flapping around and a big tongue resting outside his mouth
Using the pencil to point at me, one eye closed
...
Was he
Drawing?
Holy moly
That’s fricking hilarious.
My laughter continued, the whole scene feeling more and more bizarre but hilarious to me.
As I glanced up to mister Butler,
I could see him saluting, posture stiff but eyes darting around
Wha-
...
“PPPFFFFFF HAHAHAHAAHA”
What the heck man?!
Is this too much for you, Aahaha!
It looks like your emotions sort of overwhelmed you and you just kinda did the only thing that felt natural to you
Right?
I’m right, right?
Hahahaha.
A while later
My laughter started calming down
The group of fauns had turned to a crowd.
Joining in on the dancing
Clapping in rhytmn to the music.
I collected myself, laughing quietly and standing up slowly.
A loud celebration was heard, fauns cheering and clapping as I stood up
I, in return, bowed.
Yes, yes,
I am great, I know.
Finishing my bow, I gave a salute to the human group playing the music
Which they, in return, saluted back
Finishing the bow, I waved my hand in the air.
And started dancing.
Quiet expertly mind you
I’ve trained for a total of, many minutes to get as good as I am at dancing.
Even being able to join in with the other fauns dancing
I even made some point at me and laugh!
Haaaha!
We danced and danced
Fauns coming and going
Food being delivered
Other musicians joining in, mixing up the music at times
Vendors of different races took up shop
And in the middle of it all
I danced
Like the eye of the storm.
Many already stopping from exhaustion
But always coming back
Being infected by the atmosphere.
And to my side
Still as a statue
Stood the Butler
I’ve decided
I will make him dance.
Coming up to him, wildly swinging my hips and arms
My eyes met his, locking on, not letting go
He tried to look away, but I just danced into view.
After repeating a few times
He yielded
Staring back at me
And I continued dancing
Touching his arm, smiling.
Spinning, getting hair in my face, brushing it away
Still smiling.
Trying another spin, falling.
Turning the failure into a spin, using the momentum to jump up
Then smiling
Still smiling.
And through my whole little scenery
I found myself happy.
I found myself, excited.
For one simple reason
I could see a smile
A smile just as bright as mine.
And the once statue, had turned fleshy.
Limbs moving awkardly
Arms flailing weirdly
Legs stomping out of tune
But always with a smile
And a smile he met.
I got closer, taking his hand into mine.
Leading him
Getting stepped on
Multiple times
But always smiling, always dancing
Times seemed to have stopped.
The day had turned to night
The surrounding crowd had turned so large that the surrounding buildings had to be evacuated to fit those that needed rest
Which the occupants of the houses, weirdly enough, did not seem to mind.
During this long dancing, I found myself mostly with mister Butler
His stiffness had turned flowy
Being a natural-born dancer
Even impressing me
Maybe even dancing better than me...
No erm, nevermind that part.
And once again
We found ourselves in each other's arms
This time, him leading.
Our eyes locked to one another
His previous awkwardness long gone
Now containing a confidence that kings would be envious of
Then his lips opened
And out came his voice.
Much softer than I remembered
“I don’t understand you”
A whisper
Almost not loud enough for me to hear
But hear it I did.
Eyebrow raising at his question
“What do you mean?”
I whispered back.
Still dancing
Still surrounded by a massive crowd
Still music flowing.
“How can you be so strong”
Another weird question
What does he mean?
“I don’t understand”
I said.
Another eyebrow raised
He laughed
A silent laugh
But one full of honesty
“I admire you.”
Eeeeer
Now I don't understand a thing
What the hell is he saying?
“Ever since I met you, you have gone through nothing but pain.”
His voice getting serious
Eyes narrowing, but a smile still on his lips
My dancing stopping
Nothing but his words existed.
“Yet, here you are”
Then he let me go, lifting his arm to one of his horns.
“Dancing with the Faun that almost killed you”
My eyes going wide as he gripped his horn
Hand filling with mana, arm starting to tense up
Muscles bulging
Then he whispered
“I have decided, if you’ll have me”
A short pause
Arm still gripping his horn
“I want to be yours.”
Then he ripped off his horn, a silent scream, eyes closing.
His arm reaching forward, outstretched towards
Me
My eyes widening as I stared at him
Standing still
Not moving
Not...
Understanding
He then opened his eyes
Hand outstretched with his horn still in hand
Eyes staring into mine
With a...
Pleading look.
Then his smile widened
And he said something truly forbidden
Something no one
No one in this entire world would dare
No one but the suicidal
Or in love.
“My name.. is Hljóeur”
