Ch.11
Jungkook's conversation with you had stuck with you that night. He didn't mean to scare you or make you feel like you did something terribly wrong. He was only concerned since having a creature of the dark near you was a risk. There was still a lot that you needed to learn and discover. Jungkook obviously knew more or at the very least, he was doing everything he could to get you where he thought was best. Jungkook was the purest form of a light creature as an angel after all. The rest of the creatures you had at the castle were light aside from Taehyung and Namjoon who technically wasn't a creature. His situation was special.
Namjoon was still clueless as to what your and Jungkook's plans were. So far it felt like he was just gaining random people in his home. You could tell he wasn't a huge fan of it, but there wasn't much he could do. Protesting it would be a waste of time seeing as this could lead to the solution Namjoon and you both desire. He was sucking it up in order to see the both of you keep your word. Since Namjoon had such an attitude, you knew you would have to often visit to make sure all them were living peacefully together.
You made a lot of food from scratch today. Food for the guys and a gift for some else. That would be staying home in the meantime. Packing up the bread and honey, you shut the basket tight. There was also cheese inside along with salads. A majority of what you created came from your own garden in the back. The boys better eat all their vegetables since the cold weather was making it hard to grow anything. You had two large baskets packed that luckily Malakai could help you carry with ease. You got onto your horse, waving to the group of ducks that were waddling out of your garden.
Soon you were off to the trail leading you to the castle. You left the window to your attic open. If Youngjo decides to visit the cottage then he'll find the small meal you prepared for him on your desk. That or another bird will beat him to it. The thought alone made you laugh. At least you were arriving to the castle in a good mood. But when you made it to the gates, you were speechless yet again. Taehyung and Jimin have only been here for one night and already you were seeing changes.
"Do you see what I see, Malakai?" You asked your horse. He let out a whiny as he went through the opening of the gate.
How were you not supposed to be left in awe? All the dead plants that you were used to were gone. Dead leaves were raked and now you were seeing bushes full of flowers. How is that possible? Your mouth was wide open to see trees with apples growing. This was not the case when you left yesterday. Even the grass had life to it! The intimidating dark aura that the castle possessed was beginning to fade away. For once, the place was starting to look like it could be a home. It wasn't falling apart from the outside with death surrounding it.
It made you wonder if the warm memories Namjoon had of this place didn't feel like an alternate reality anymore. The castle was changing with every visit. As you slowly climbed off Malakai, you couldn't help yourself from admiring the new changes. This place didn't have to stay stuck in the past and hold onto the horrid memories. Maybe the changes were rough on Namjoon, but you knew this would be better for him in the end to heal.
You removed the two baskets from Malakai and made your way up the stairs. Upon entering the castle, there were more differences that you spotted. The previous ones being that the entrance was lightly dusted and the curtains were open. This time, the entrance was nearly spotless and you were amazed to see how this place was transforming in such a short amount of time. You continued to walk into the hall in awe. The first place you were heading towards was the kitchen to set down the two baskets you brought. By now, you were growing more familiar with the layout of the castle. It was a few twists and turns, but eventually you made it to the kitchen to see the fairy and pixie rolling a wet apple onto a handkerchief.
"Good morning, you two. Not causing trouble I hope." You grinned as they looked back at you. Taehyung looked shy as he stepped behind the apple while Jimin bounced into the air. He waved at you with all the energy he had.
"No trouble here!" Jimin assured you. The two of them watched you set the baskets on the counter, causing their curiosity to spark.
"...what are those for?" Taehyung asked in his soft voice.
"I brought food for all of you to eat. Namjoon usually requests that I make some, though I see you two were about to dig into an apple." You mentioned as they nodded.
"It doesn't take much to fill our stomachs." Jimin patted his belly. You giggled at his playful attitude while Taehyung just smiled. He was more than familiar with how silly his friend could be.
"Well, that might change soon," You said. That made the two creatures exchanges looks before facing you again.
"What do you mean?" Taehyung sounded almost nervous.
"I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to do a spell on you and Jimin. It won't hurt. All it will do is make the both of you regular human height. I figure that would make things easier and you two wouldn't be seen as prey to other animals if you leave the castle for fresh air," You stated. The idea alone already had Jimin's eyes twinkling. He was quick to agree to the idea, thrilled for the many possibilities. Taehyung was more hesitant, yet he was willing to try it if Jimin was.
Even though they barely knew you, you were grateful they put trust in you when it came to magic. They had never seen you perform it in front of them. The only proof that you were capable of such things was Seokjin. His legs existed thanks to you and there was also the fact that you could talk to Youngjo. That left Jimin more than ready to be experimented on. He flew down to the floor and took a strong stance in front of you. He wanted to do this now? You were going to let him eat first, but it didn't look like Jimin had much patience. Taehyung sat at the edge of the counter, watching from afar first.
"Go for it, (F/n)." Jimin shut his eyes tight.
"Alright..." You took in a deep breath to clear your mind. Bringing your hand up, you waited until you could feel magic pulsing in your veins. Heat was traveling down to your hands as you began to open up your fingers. Taehyung flinched when you shouted the spell and aimed for Jimin. He was zapped immediately as a fog consumed him.
"D-Did it work?" Taehyung flew over to you. He held onto your shoulder, nervous for the results until the both of you saw Jimin's head appearing out of the fog. No longer was he able to stand in the palm of your hand. Taehyung gasped to see Jimin step out with a smirk. He still had his wings on him that were waving the smoke away.
"How do I look?" Jimin cocked a brow up.
"It worked!" Taehyung instantly went towards Jimin in awe. The fairy raised his hands up to cup Taehyung in his hands.
"I can't believe I used to be so small...come on, Tae! Your turn!" Jimin brought down Taehyung to the floor. The second he did, he ran behind you to bounce excitedly. Taehyung stared up at you with a look of concern.
"It doesn't hurt, does it?"
"Nope! You hardly feel a thing!" Jimin shook his head. "Just warm."
"Okay. Go for it then." Taehyung scrunched his face up. His shoulders rose with how tense he was. You were going to be quick with it so he wouldn't have to stress out about it so much. Jimin watched excitedly as you performed the exact same spell. With a zap, a fog surrounded Taehyung until Jimin walked over to wave it away. Taehyung slowly relaxed and opened his eyes, shocked that he had his feet on the floor but was able to see over the counter. "It worked..."
"Of course it did! How do you feel?" Jimin wrapped his arm around Taehyung's shoulder. The pixie began to grin, fluttering his wings out of joy.
"This is so thrilling!" Taehyung bounced with Jimin. The two of them had grins stretching from ear to ear. "Thank you so much, (F/n)!"
"It's nothing." You shook your head. "It's for the best. I also did some reading on pixies and fairies. There isn't much out there about you guys, but from what I understand, you guys are capable of magic too?"
"Yeah! And you don't need to read some old book to get to know us. You can just ask us." Jimin nodded. "Did you see all the plants outside? That was me. Fairies can make plants come to life and are the reason why so many of them are born in the first place," He explained. "Have you ever seen a mushroom ring?"
"No, but I hear to stay away from them," You said. You didn't have much experience with creatures and even when you went into the forest in the past, it was only to retrieve stuff for potions. Back then, you never went far enough to encounter such things. Judging by the serious expressions on Taehyung and Jimin's face, that was a good thing.
"That's right. They form by us fairies dancing and it grows bigger each year. What they are is portals to the faerie realm. Humans should never harm any of the mushrooms if they care to live. They also should never jump in the center. It seems harmless enough until you find yourself in the faerie realm." Jimin warned you. His intense gaze made you nod obediently. "The fae there are creatures that would spare no mercy against humans. There are no animals that resemble them here in the human realm. You might just die of shock seeing them. It's not a world for the faint of heart..."
"It's better to be here." Taehyung smiled at you.
"Never go near mushroom rings...you don't have to tell me twice." You were now more terrified of the forest than you thought possible.
"But don't be too scared! You got us after all." Jimin went over to wrap his own arm around you and pull you close. He winked at you the second he had you by your side, causing you to blush. Maybe making him human size was a mistake.
"Did you need our magic for anything? Is that why you asked?" Taehyung questioned. "I don't have the same powers as Jimin. Since I'm a pixie, I...I leave toxic plants and manipulate anything that comes into contact with it. I can do that, but that doesn't mean I want to."
"Yeah, Taehyung isn't like that. Not all pixies are pure evil like people make them out to be." Jimin made sure to make that clear for you. He could see how his own friend struggled to believe his own words. "It really only works on the weak minded. Taehyung has never used his powers though. He was always freeing the animals or people who got charmed."
"I believe you." You smiled at Taehyung who stared up at you in surprise. His eyes were full of disbelief, making you wonder how often he's been told he was a danger. You didn't see an ounce of evil in him. Was it naïve to think you could tell such a thing? Maybe. But with how meek Taehyung was and how passionate Jimin was to have Taehyung around, you knew you couldn't judge Taehyung based off things you've heard about pixies. "We're glad to have you here with us, Taehyung."
"..." Taehyung didn't say anything. Nothing was coming out as he stared at you, unable to breathe for a few seconds. The sweet smile you were giving him made him feel like he was the one being charmed.
"Taehyung may look like he's got no spine which is sort of true, but he's such a rebel! He upset so many pixies with what he was doing which led to the faerie realm being a dangerous home for him. Not that the human realm promises safety for us either." Jimin sighed. He was already thinking of all the trouble the two of them found themselves in. Eventually, he shook it off with a shrug. "But now we're here! We're also basically human thanks to you, so...I think we're safe now."
"I'm really happy to hear that." You clapped your hands softly. A short giggle left you as Jimin playfully tickled his shy friend. They were having a ton of fun with their new heights. It was adorable to see although there was still much for you to do here. Plus, one extra task you had to do that wasn't related to breaking the curse.
It was a shame that you couldn't stick around longer. You wanted to say hi to everybody else, but you didn't want to waste daylight either. There was something else you needed to do today. Jimin and Taehyung could just surprise the others with their new heights. Both gentlemen got a hug from you before you left. They waved to you as you exited the kitchen. Soon enough it was just them again. Only this time one simple apple wouldn't fill their stomachs up. What exactly did you pack for them? Jimin wasted no time running over to open the baskets you had brought inside. Taehyung peeked over curiously, touched by how thoughtful you were.
"It's very sweet of her to come this far just to feed us..." Taehyung took out a slice of cheese. He pursed his lips in thought before facing Jimin with determination. "We should learn how to cook to help (F/n)!"
"We should eat first." Jimin handed over bread to Taehyung. "Fill yourself up and then let's go surprise the others."
"You think they'll be surprised?" Taehyung raised a brow, taking a bite of the bread.
"Most definitely. I just think Namjoon won't care. Seems like he never smiles." Jimin tapped his chin. "I should change that."
"Don't cause trouble." Taehyung was quick to warn his friend. He was almost whining which got him a playful shove from Jimin.
"Why do you assume it'll be bad? We just wanna be friends with him and everyone here, right?" Jimin replied. He put some honey on his bread before taking a bite. He hummed in delight while Taehyung thought about his friend's words. They may be new to the castle, but they really meant no harm. This place didn't look like much. At least not like how it used to be. Still, it was a blessing they got to stay here. It was much safer than living out in the forest or the faerie realm. "You should try the honey. It's super sweet."
"Yeah. We are trying to be friends with them." Taehyung held his bread out as Jimin put some honey on it. The fairy had his cheeks full like a squirrel. It made him want to chuckle until Jimin put a dot of honey on Taehyung's nose.
"Gotcha!"
"You're dumb." Taehyung laughed, gently nudging his dear friend.
He may have been afraid to enter the castle and join this plan, but as long as he has Jimin, then he's not afraid of anything.
The only one feeling like they didn't have another to rely on was the prince. He sat at a table near the window on the third story. He came up here for privacy. It's not like he ever needed to run away from the others though. They weren't bad company, but they weren't his friends either. It was complicated. Namjoon tapped his gloved fingers against the old oak furniture. He stared out the window, watching two white butterflies dance with each other just above the fresh rose bushes that Jimin made bloom earlier.
It still boggled his mind how so much has changed. Within a flash, everything he knew and love was taken from him. It left his heart burning with rage. But he calmed himself with a deep breath. Having anger be an instinct was not the answer. Besides, it was thanks to you and the creatures that this castle was returning to its original state. Obviously time couldn't change the inevitable aging of the castle, but at least this place was becoming a home once more. Little by little, Namjoon hoped it would return to the way he once knew it. A home clearly loved and with joyful memories. That's all he wanted. Yet he wasn't sure when or if he would ever get that feeling again.
He's avoiding the others who live here and for what? Namjoon sighed to himself as the two butterflies disappeared from sight. He might as well try to talk to the others. If they're going to be staying here then he supposes he'll exchange a word or two. In the end, the prince still saw himself as a royal. The creatures were his servants and you were a subject of his that he worked closely with. Times have changed and he knew that wasn't true. It was just impossible for Namjoon to think of lowering his walls and accepting all the pain he's gone through as the truth. He felt stuck.
"How does that feel? Are you comfortable to walk without your crutches?" Hoseok's voice could be heard down the stairs. He had a rather loud voice, but that came in handy when searching for others. Namjoon slowly inched down to see Seokjin trying to walk with only his leg braces. However, he was clinging onto the wall and anything nearby for balance.
"I think I'm getting it!" Seokjin claimed.
"As if," Namjoon muttered to himself. He quietly watched from where he sat on the stairs. He came to talk to them, but instead found himself unable to move.
Would he be interrupting them? A frown formed on Namjoon's lips to see how close the elf and merman had gotten in such a short amount of time. How were they already friends? The two of them were laughing together like old childhood friends. They never intended to make Namjoon feel left out. He couldn't help but feel like an outsider in his own home. All of Namjoon's past friends were no longer on this earth. Not that he had much friends to begin with. He sat with a heavy heart and a twinge of jealousy to see a friendship right in front of him. It only got worse when Jimin and Taehyung came bursting in through the doors.
"May we have your attention!" Jimin waved his arms around. He was flying around the room compared to Taehyung who stayed flying in one spot. They were so small that sometimes Namjoon worried he would accidentally hurt them.
"Woah! Hey, Jimin!" Seokjin looked at Jimin in awe, doing his best to keep track of the fast flier. It wasn't helping that the fairy was flying in circles. "What's going on?"
"Careful there. You might end up flying into something." Hoseok warned.
"That's what I tell him." Taehyung crossed his arms.
"Yeah, yeah." Jimin grinned without a care. He did a flip in the air to continue showing off. It entertained the others while Namjoon watched silently.
"That's so cool. I should show you what I'm like in water!" Seokjin attempted to jump. It didn't really work as he almost fell by doing so. Thankfully, Hoseok was quick to grab him and support him.
"We're not at jumping level yet." Hoseok reminded the pink hair. Seokjin nodded shyly at his failed attempt. He was getting there.
"I'd love to see you in water, but first! Taehyung and I have to show you guys something cool!" Jimin went over to Taehyung. He grabbed the pixie's hand, the both of them spinning until a spark occurred. Hoseok and Seokjin didn't even have time to question what was happening. Next thing they knew, the two small creatures were around their height after a quick flash. That instantly caused their jaws to drop while Jimin and Taehyung giggled.
"How'd you do that!? I never knew fairies and pixies could do that!" Hoseok adjusted his glasses as he took a closer look at Taehyung. A blue blush was appearing on the pixie's cheeks with all the attention on him.
"(F/n) did a spell on us before she left. She also dropped off two baskets full of food for everyone--"
"(F/n) was here?" Namjoon interrupted. His voice surprised them all as they jumped. He came down the stairs with a serious look in his eyes. Every time you came, you always said hello to him. Why not now?
"What? Missing your girlfriend?" Jimin teased. With that, Namjoon scoffed at the ridiculous question.
"Don't say such foolish things. My relationship with her is nothing of the sort. It's purely business," Namjoon said. He didn't want any misunderstandings, much less have people think he had a relationship with a commoner. He wouldn't fall for your beauty that easily.
"Ouch." Seokjin frowned.
"What's there to feel pain about?" Namjoon furrowed his brows.
"Nothing!" Hoseok laughed loudly. He wrapped his arm around Namjoon, ignoring the scowl the prince gave him. "But what do you think of their new ability?"
"The wings and ears give away that they're not human. Also Taehyung's skin in general." Namjoon shrugged as Taehyung gave him an awkward smile. Having pale blue skin was a dead giveaway. "It's a good thing though. We can do much more work on the castle with their new heights."
"Yes! I'm on it!" Hoseok straightened his posture. He was more than ready to put himself to work. Seokjin did his best to mimic Hoseok's stance without falling onto his side.
"I've already done some work on the garden. Have you seen it?" Jimin asked as Namjoon faced him. For a second, the prince's eyes softened.
"I did. It's wonderful...thank you." Somehow his approval was enough to make Jimin's chest feel warm. He was eager to start doing more as his wings fluttered happily. Namjoon's gentle nod made Taehyung ball his own hands in determination. He'll impress Namjoon too and hopefully make friends with everyone. Then maybe Jimin and him can be safe here forever.
*~*
You should have made the boys a cake or a pie even. For some reason you kept thinking of new dishes to create for them. Right now, that just wasn't possible. Malakai brought you back home to retrieve the one basket you left behind. The whole reason you were rushing was because you were burning sunlight and you wanted to make sure that the person you were looking for would be available. It wasn't like you to leave your cottage to search for someone in the village. This time was an exception since you felt like you had to repay them even if all you could offer was a plate of sweet bread you made.
Malakai went through the village smoothly. He felt no fear even with all the noises from the market. A few kids tried chasing after his tail, but you were able to get them to leave your horse alone. Eventually you were on the dirt road that led you towards all the fields. Malakai could finally run faster, allowing you to feel the wind in your hair. You just hoped it didn't look messy when you arrived. You had a ribbon in your hair that held together the braided part and wore a fairly nice dress today. A silver corset over the loose white top with puffy sleeves and a bright blue skirt. Maybe you were too done up today. No time to change though as you made it to Florian's farm.
"Hello?" You called out, hoping someone would be nearby the front of the house to hear you. Malakai slowly walked around the fence before you made him halt. There were other farm animals on their property, so you didn't want anyone getting startled. "Florian, are you home?"
"Ah, hello there." The front door opened to reveal an older woman. She smiled at you as you nervously gripped Malakai's reins. She resembled Florian a lot even with her blonde hair turning white and her sunspots. "You're looking for my son? He's just out back with the animals. I can call him for you if you'd like."
"Oh, I'd appreciate that. Thank you." You smiled. She pushed the door wider to step out onto the porch. She went over to the edge, grabbing onto the fence as she leaned over to yell.
"Florian! A young girl is here to see you! Come over here!" She shouted. "She's very pretty so hurry up!"
"Oh gosh." You wanted to hide yourself on Malakai. That would be impossible though and that became obvious when Florian quickly appeared. He was on his horse that he introduced you too before. Blume, was it?
"(F/n)! What a surprise. What are you doing here?" Florian grinned at you.
"So you know her?" His mother's eyes were teasing as he gave her a subtle look to not. "I'm only playing, Liebling."
"I know, Mama." Florian chuckled before looking back at you. "(F/n), come follow me to the back so we can talk. Is that alright with you?"
"Yeah, that's alright." You quickly agreed. Malakai began moving forward to tail behind Blume. You looked back at his mother who still had a smile on her face. "Nice meeting you!"
"Likewise."
Florian led you to the side of the house. Even with his mother no longer in sight, you felt awkward and your stiff smile hadn't left your face. Your entire body was tense until you began to see all the animals that lived on Florian's farm. His family owned a good amount of land, but it was mainly for raising the animals they owned. The smile on your face began to feel more natural as you spotted two dogs getting excited by Florian's return. One of them you automatically recognized as Kuchen.
"Kuchen and her sister, Keks." Florian gestured to the two dogs. Kuchen was black and white while her sister was brown and white. They were incredibly friendly with no fear of the horses. They were familiar with Blume and knew to keep out of the way for their own safety. They walked along side the both of you as your horses kept walking. "So, what brings you here, (F/n)?"
"I just wanted to bring you a gift...it's a thank you for stepping in with Elias the other day," You said as you handed him the basket. Blume stopped walking, allowing Florian to look at you in surprise. He stretched his hands over to grab the basket and grinned.
"You didn't have to, (F/n)." He seemed touched. You looked down at your hands when he began to climb off his horse. You watched Florian lead Blume back inside her stall, causing you to climb off Malakai as well. "You can keep Malakai here if you'd like. I'll give you a quick tour."
"That sounds lovely. Thank you!" You handed the reins over to Florian. He was so gentle with the animals that you could understand why his dogs trailed behind him loyally. Their tails wouldn't stop wagging. It was adorable.
"Alright, let me just leave this basket in my house and I'll be right back out!" Florian promised. With a simple nod, he was off running back to his house. It didn't take him long to come running back out. He had to adjust his suspenders once he was right in front of you again. He was a little out of breath, but that didn't stop Florian from giving you that blinding smile. "Okay, time to show you around! There's lot to see here. We got cows, sheep, and goats!"
It was hard not to feel excited with how enthusiastic Florian was. He had a lot of energy in him, causing him to bounce with every stride. That just made you have to nearly jog to keep up with the taller man. The joy inside of Florian was so great that it couldn't help itself from radiating off of him. It was infectious and easily got to you when he presented the cows to you. Somehow the awkwardness you had felt earlier was disappearing around him once again. Florian's outgoing nature really helped in calming your nerves. There was never pressure to say something back right away or to have it be anything grand. The two of you just talked.
The only time you felt embarrassed with him was when Florian mentioned that he should have cleaned up. He didn't know you were coming in the first place. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let you catch him in his work clothes. Florian said you looked as lovely as a flower and that put a blush on your face right away. The most you could muster out was a 'thank you.' If you were more talkative then you would have told him that he looked just fine. There was nothing for him to worry about.
Florian wore a white short sleeved shirt with leather suspenders. The straps were wide on his back and attached in order to give him support when lifting anything heavy. He wore brown corduroy trousers to match. There were a good amount of dirt smudges that you easily overlooked on his pants. It was more noticeable on Florian's shirt, but it couldn't compare to his dirty work boots. They looked like they were going to fall apart yet Florian claimed they haven't failed him in the past couple years. If he says so.
"Now enough about my poor fashion. I'll leave the beauty to you." Florian chuckled as he walked backwards, taking you over to where the sheep were. You shyly shook your head at his words and focused on the sheep in front of you. Right away, Kuchen and Keks went under the rails to go near the sheep. A few of them moved away from the dogs yet a couple of them chose to ignore the dogs. Florian nudged you gently, telling you to watch them closely. "Come by," He said as the two dogs began to walk left of the sheep.
"Oh wow." Your voice was quiet.
"Steady, wait," Florian spoke up. The dogs went low to the ground, almost looking as if they were going to pounce if a sheep went near them. They moved slowly around the sheep to circle them up until one tried leaving the circle. It tried intimidating Kuchen only to get a quick bite and finally listened to the dogs. "They only bite to warn, but not to harm them."
"They're so well trained." You were in awe to see the dogs herding the sheep over to a neighboring pen.
When they were moved, Florian closed the open fence and whistled to the dogs so they would leave the sheep alone. They were free to stop working and follow the two of you again. You always adored dogs with how intelligent they were. Not mention absolutely adorable. However, you never had the time to own one. Otherwise, you would have definitely had one of your own by now. The most you could do was take care of the random animals in your garden and Youngjo. Yet when Florian asked you if you had any pets, you told him no.
You were still closed up during the conversations even with how naturally they flowed. It couldn't be helped when there was so much that no one knew about you in general. For your own safety, you need it to stay that way. Only the creatures back at the castle knew you more than the village. More than Florian who you've gone to school with your entire life. It was funny how that worked. All because magic was your secret. You never expected magic to be such a big part of life, but you realized it now with how little you could say to Florian.
"You're a mystery, aren't you?" Florian asked. He was intrigued by your presence as his eyes stared down at you. Calming green eyes that nearly made you forget where you were. It didn't take much for a guy to fluster you with your lack of experience. It was embarrassing to struggle to speak back. His charming smile was making you trip over your words, but he didn't mind. He was a handsome man with a tall and muscular stature. It had you heating up so easily. Florian was relaxed in front of you until the both of you heard the loud bleating of a goat. Your heads turned to face the small animal as it came running full speed. It didn't dare look back when passing you two, automatically worrying Florian. "Wait right here."
"Are you sure? I can help." You didn't even know what was wrong, but you felt scared. Being left alone didn't sound like a good idea nor did you want Florian running into fire without knowing it.
Florian was running at full speed to where his family kept the goats. You were doing your best to keep up, but it was proving difficult with the boots you wore. The long skirt didn't help either. Running wasn't really something you did to begin with. In the middle of your panting, you glanced back to see that the dogs hadn't followed. They stayed where they were with their tails between their legs. Low whines and weak barks were heard at most. What was going on? Tightening your hands into fists, you pumped your legs harder to keep up with Florian until he suddenly stopped.
"Oh gosh!" You almost bumped into his back. He came to halt with no warning and you had trouble looking over him. Letting out a heavy breath, you walked around him to see multiple goats laying flat on the ground. Were they alive?
"Don't look." Florian pulled you behind him. It was a little too late for that.
"...what happened?" You felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You looked around to check for the sight of any animal that could have done this. How come they hadn't made a noise earlier? None of it was making sense the longer you looked around. There were no paw prints in sight or any damage to the property nearby.
"D*mn it." Florian walked into the goat pen. He hurried over to one goat in particular who was still breathing, but very weakly. The others were already lifeless on the ground. You brought your hands up to your mouth in horror of the sight. Florian stroked the goat's fur as his face became hot. His eyes alone revealed a heavy storm of emotions that were making his eyes sting. He held back the tears though. "Ingrid, it's okay...easy girl."
The goat let out a weak bleat. She was calming down thanks to Florian being by her side. It was painful for him though. You remembered her name from when Florian and you talked weeks ago. He's helped her give birth and has cared for her for so long. The same with the rest of these goats. They were suffering the same fate of those animals he mentioned when he was young. Did they have a bite mark? Furrowing your brows, you carefully walked in as Ingrid closed her eyes. Florian let his head hang down while you crouched beside him. You examined Ingrid quietly when you noticed two deep holes on her neck.
"What animal could have done this?" You questioned. You pointed out the bites to Florian. He blinked at them, racking his brain for an answer. They were very deep and clean marks. Whatever did this got in quick without startling any of the goats. Not until they realized what was happening. The other goats had no blood from their wounds compared to Ingrid and she had been breathing until a few seconds ago. "Or...creature?"
"I don't know. But it's not safe to stay out here for much longer. Whatever hurt them can hurt the other animals and us." Florian grabbed your shoulders to help you stand on your own. "It's best for you to go home. I'll alert my parents and take care of everything here."
"Are you sure?" You couldn't help yourself for feeling awful for Florian. He was distracted with your presence and gave you a tour, unaware of what was going on with his goats. They were specifically under his care and you got in the way of that. Florian didn't seem to think like that. He gave you a smile as he nodded albeit a little forced.
"I'm sure. Go home and be safe." Florian sighed. "Thank you again for the basket, (F/n). I appreciate it."
"It's nothing...I'll get going then. You be safe too." You began to step away from Florian. "Goodbye."
He waved at you, his eyes refusing to leave you until he saw you get on your horse. Only then did Florian return to examining the goats. There wasn't much you could do. Unfortunately, it was better for you to leave even with the heavy feeling the area suddenly gave you. There was a pressure pushing against your chest. Were there any creatures of the dark looming around? Rather than letting them discover you, you rode back to the village in a hurry. Malakai seemed a bit spooked too which also raised your suspicions. What was terrorizing Florian's farm?
So many questions were swirling around in your head. There was something over there and that became clear when your chest started to feel lighter. Malakai's tense muscles were beginning to relax. His survival instincts weren't kicking in any longer. You were able to make it home safely without bumping into any new creature. This would be one that you knew Jungkook would want you to have no interactions with. Avoiding creatures of the dark was a must although Taehyung was the exception. He harmed no one. However, this one did.
You were so lost in your thoughts that you almost didn't notice Miss Arla standing in front of your door. Malakai was going back to his post out of habit and you were stuck in your head. It was as if you didn't see the tall woman knocking frantically on your door. There was nobody home to her dismay, yet now the owner was finally arriving. You climbed off Malakai and began removing his saddle when you felt someone tap on your back. The action felt out of nowhere, causing you to jump in the air and let out a scream. You were still painfully paranoid after your visit to Florian's barn.
"Ahh!!" You brought your hands up to shield your head. What good would that do if you were truly up against something dangerous?
"(F/n)! Why are you on edge like this? What happened? Where were you? Did you know you had me worried sick? I've been trying to find you for the past hour." Miss Arla's voice was quickly bringing you back to reality. Lifting your head up, you looked at her and felt your knees weaken in relief. There was nothing to run from. The only problem now was dealing with her protective nature and you'd much rather put up with that than some demon.
"Miss Arla...sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone." You tucked a strand of hair behind your ears.
"I had been knocking loudly on your door. Even called out to you when you passed by on Malakai," Miss Arla said.
"You had? Oh...I apologize. I was daydreaming..." You tried not to fidget with your fingers.
"Daydreaming?" Miss Arla sighed. "Sweetie, can you answer the rest of my questions? You know how I worry."
"Right. I wasn't trying to scare you, Miss Arla. I was just visiting an old schoolmate of mine. Nothing is wrong, so please don't worry." You assured her, but Miss Arla tilted her head at this.
"An old schoolmate? Who? Do I know them? What's their name?" The questions just kept coming. Even if it felt a bit much, she was the only person in the village who cared to check up on you like this. If others worried for you half as much then you were certain Miss Arla wouldn't be stressing over you the way she normally did.
"His name is Florian. Florian Bauer," You answered. Miss Arla nodded slowly before she began to give you a teasing smile. Oh no. What was it now? Just when you thought the trouble and worry was gone, there was something else.
"A boy? And is this boy handsome? Do you like him?" Miss Arla happily grabbed your hands. She let out a light giggle, enjoying the flustered look you were giving her.
"Miss Arla!" You whined.
"It's perfectly normal if you do! The Bauer family are very kind and honest working people. If you're interested in arranging a marriage—"
"It's not like that!" You were going to burst. This was so embarrassing. If only you could be enjoying this like Miss Arla. She seemed to be on cloud nine at the thought of you hopelessly in love with another man in the village. You've never shared any of your crush's names to her in the past. Not like you had any to begin with so this felt unnatural. While you wanted to disappear into thin air, Miss Arla patted your hands like this was a bonding experience. "I w-went there because Florian offered me a job and I took it!" You lied in hopes she would drop the romance idea. That was only going to make it hard for you to look Florian in the eyes the next time you see him.
"Maybe for now." Miss Arla laughed lightly, but your frown was telling her to stop. "Okay, I'll stop. I know the teasing was pushing it. But if you do ever find someone, don't be afraid to tell me. It's not embarrassing, (F/n). If anything, I'll be over the moon happy for you. Just knowing you found someone else that will care for you will give me so much peace in life. If another saw the good in you the way I do, I could rest happily. There's nothing more I wish for."
"..." You felt that sting in your heart. It made your throat feel tight as the word 'mom' got stuck in knots again. Was now that right time? The caring look in Miss Arla's eyes was making you want to say it, but the closer the word came to coming out, the more you felt like bursting into tears. You felt like a crybaby. "I—"
Bark! Bark!
You were interrupted by the sound of a dog. Immediately, Miss Arla and you were baffled. There were no dogs where you lived. All your neighbors were over in the village. The both of you were lost until your eyes landed on Youngjo. The sounds were coming out of him, causing you to laugh. Youngjo opened his beak again to release the barking sounds. There was nothing more entertaining than his mimicking skills. You felt happy to see him while Miss Arla was disturbed as always. Seeing him bark like a dog on your roof was an interesting experience.
"He must have been playing with dogs!" You smiled warmly.
"Ah, maybe." Miss Arla couldn't help herself from shaking her head. She found the raven odd, but you cared for him dearly. She didn't dare say anything that would hurt you about him. "But I'm glad you're doing well, (F/n). Good on you for getting a job." Her red lips curled into a smile before she hugged you. The warm embrace was strong and safe.
"...thank you, Miss Arla." You closed your eyes in the hug, squeezing her. You would give anything to call her 'mom.' And hopefully she'd still love you even if she found out about your relationship with creatures and magic.