Sobbing Saintess
After eating lunch, we go back to our wagon.
“What a bunch of assholes,” Rayla says.
“I’d say asshole is tame for those guys,” John scoffs.
“Especially that Maria bitch. What an entitled hen.”
“Hen? What kind of insult is that?” John chuckles.
“It has more weight in Draconic…”
“Either way,” Sher Aka interjects, “Let’s make sure to keep an eye on them and especially that annoying person. Thoma Ahad, if she does anything to you make sure to tell us and to defend yourself.”
“Allright. What did you guys think of the others though? I think they were mostly okay.”
“I guess…” Rayla sighs.
“Mostly okay isn’t really a high bar though,” John adds.
“I guess that’s true.”
Continuing to move, not much happens and we manage to keep up a great pace until we make camp at night. We’re still a bit annoyed at the Bloodhounds so we don’t have much of a conversation with them over dinner. Once we’re done, I go do my business in the woods and walk back to our wagon, where on the way, I hear crying. It seems to be coming from the Saintess’ carriage. At first I try to ignore it and walk past her carriage but then I feel conflicted…
“Don’t be stupid, Rose…She’s just faking it…”
Distant sobbing
“Ignore it…She’s just trying to get something out of you…”
More sobbing
“Damn it…Fine, let’s find out if this is just a trick or not. If it is, she will stop crying when she has nothing to gain from it. So, I’ll just go there in my small form for a check up and then leave. Just to make sure it’s nothing serious of course…Not because I feel bad for her…”
Looking around, making sure no one is there, I take my mask off and put it in a bush then transform into my small form and knock on the carriage door, causing the sobbing to stop, “Y-yes?”
“Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah, who is this?”
“I…Uhm, just a kid. I heard you crying so I wanted to see if you’re okay. I’ll go now.”
“Wait!” opening her door she holds my hand before I can leave. She seems to have put on her veil somewhat haphazardly, “By the Gods, it really was a kid. What are you doing out here, little one? Are you lost?”
“I…Uhm…No, I live here.”
“Where?”
“In the woods?”
“All alone!? Come in here, I’ll give you some food and water.”
“I…Uhm, I shouldn’t.”
“Nonsense! Come inside, just for a bit so I can make sure you’re okay.”
“I…Okay. But just a little.”
“Of course.”
The Saintess then picks me up and puts me on the cushioned bench opposite her and pulls out some food and water. It looks a lot better than what we just ate for dinner and the taste is amazing but being inside a carriage with someone like her is making me really anxious.
“So, tell me, what were you doing all the way out here? You’re way too clean to be living in the woods, did you run away from home?”
“No, I just live out here.”
“By the Gods, all alone? Out here in the woods!? For how long?”
“Uhm…I dunno?”
“It must have been a long time then…But how come your dress is so clean?”
“Uhm…Because it’s enchanted.”
“I see! May I ask for your name?”
“...”
“No?”
“Why not?”
“I don’t wanna share.”
“I see…I guess I do look like a suspicious woman with the veil on…How about this, if you promise not to tell, I’ll take it off.”
“I don’t…I don’t want to promise.”
Putting her hand on my cheek she answers, “You must be really suspicious of me if you can’t do that. So I’ll just do it without the promise and maybe you can promise later.”
Fiddling with her veil for a bit she takes it off and reveals the face of a beautiful young woman with blue slightly puffy eyes. She looks like she cried.
“So you did cry. Why?”
“Ah…That’s because I’m lonely. This is the first time I left my home without someone I know so I got a bit scared and homesick.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why don’t you go home?”
“Hmm…I can’t tell you the details, but someone told me to come here in case something really great happens!”
“Like what?”
“I can’t tell you, it’s a secret.”
“How about we trade secrets? I'll tell you my name and you tell me why you’re here.”
“Hahaha, how cute. Sorry, this is a really really big secret so I can’t tell you even if we trade.”
“I see, but you’re fine?”
“Yes, I’m fine. There is no need to worry your cute little head about it.”
“I…Does it not bother you that I'm not Human?”
“No? Why would it?”
“I saw the symbol outside, don’t you dislike Demihumans?”
“No? As long as they’re not bad I don’t dislike them.”
“But you think they’re lesser than humans?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I dislike them. They deserve the same goodness as Humans. They just shouldn’t be allowed to make big decisions so they don’t endanger themselves and others.”
“Right…I’m gonna go now.”
“Wait, go where?”
“Home.”
“In the woods? I can’t possibly let you be homeless and without a guardian! Stay with me, I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of!”
“No thank you. I said I’ll only be in here for a little while so I'll leave now.”
Trying to hold me back as I try to leave, she grabs my hand causing me to awaken bad memories of the cultist carriage and bite her hand, “Don’t touch me!”
Visibly hurt, she lets go of me and I run outside into the woods hearing her yell after me, “I’m sorry! Please, you can stay here if you want!”
Once I have gotten enough distance I transform back to my cursed form.
“Huff That was way too close.”
Going back, I pick up my mask from the bush I threw it in and quickly walk to our wagon.
“Ane!”
“Yeah? What’s wrong?”
“I made a huge mistake!”
“What happened?”
Recounting everything to her she sighs loudly, “Come on oko…We told you she was just fake crying.”
“Yes…But…I do think it was real this time…”
“You also thought it was real when we were acting in front of you!”
“I…I know…I just…I wanted to help…”
“And that’s admirable but you can’t put yourself in danger like this!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Sigh At least you stayed in your small form and didn’t give your identity away…Thank you for telling me oko, just don’t do something like that again.”
“Okay…”
“Good, you go to sleep, I’ll tell the others about this.”
“Okay…”
I then try to lay down and go to sleep but a few minutes later, the Saintess comes to our wagon, “Excuse me! Are any of you still awake?”
Walking out of the wagon, Rayla answers, “Yes? Is there a problem?”
“I just wanted to ask if you saw a little Demihuman girl walk around here?”
“I don’t think so, no.”
“I see…If you do see her again please tell her I’m sorry. I’m just trying to help her.”
“I will tell her if I see her.”
“Thank you.”