I regained my
consciousness surrounded by warmth. The scent of plants filled my nose
and excited murmurings of people nearby pierced my ears. Slowly, I
opened my eyes to be greeted by a strange sight. Clear skies peeked
through a thick canopy overhead, casting dappled sunlight across
unfamiliar faces. Upon seeing their faces my eyes widened with fear.
The mouse had sworn this would not happen! I was supposed to be safe.
One of the people staring at me smiled excitedly and whistled. "Never thought I'd see the day I became a father."
What
was he talking about? Like all the others, he had white hair and pale
skin. His hair was long and messy but he still managed to look handsome.
Upon looking at him more closely I noticed something strange about his
ears. They were pointy.
A women, also with pointy ears, put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.
"It
took quite a bit to tie down a wild animal like you." She said
chuckling. Then, turning to stare at me her smile grew wider. "But it
was worth it."
I
tried to open my mouth to speak but found myself too weak to. Was I
drugged? And who were these people? Were they even human? What was wrong
with their ears?
Trying
to make sense of the situation, I thought back to my conversation with
the mouse. Heeding it's words, I decided to close my eyes for 20
seconds.
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INFORMATION
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
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Name: Age: OccupationAffinity: Achievements:
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Was this... my information? Why was my age less than one? I shivered at the idea of being a baby once again.
"There there," the women cooed, "you must be frightened with all these people. Don't worry my princess, this is your home."
Home? I had a home? Me? The concept felt foreign to me. I slowly opened my eyes.
"Look at those eyes!" The man exclaimed happily. "She's got the eyes of a hunter just like her mother!"
"No!" A new voice yelled. "My little sister is going to be a mage like me!"
A boy around the age of five approached me with a cute frown on his face.
"Don't let mother turn you into an archer!" He pleaded. "Mages are cooler."
The man tousled the boy's hair, grinning mischievously. "Right you are. Your father is quite the reputable mage himself."
"Really?" The women—my mother said, her tone dangerous.
The
boy pouted, tugging on his mother's skirt as she laughed. "I'm serious,
Mother! Magic is better than arrows!" His plea was met with a deadpan
stare from his mother. Magic? Was the boy obsessed with fairy tales or
something?
She grabbed my supposed brother's ear. "It seems like you need some 'lessons' young man."
Although
they appeared to be bickering, I felt warmth behind it. This warmth..
could I be part of it too? A mixture of anticipation, worry and fear
churned within me.
"Now hush!" The women said, putting an end to the boy's protests. "You might scare your sister."
Looking
at the women, I noticed even more irregularities. Her white hair, pale
skin, and pointy ears which everyone had weren't something I could
ignore. They brought to mind a legend I heard as a child. Elves.
Fictional tales of creatures living in forests far away from humans
emerged from my memories. Were these people elves?
The mouse had not lied. I had not returned to humans. Here, I felt I could heal.