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.

“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 Hljóður”