Female Main Character x Male Monster
My grandmother had met and fallen in love with a Centaur after the passing of her husband. My grandfather had died when my mom was still quite young. Both her and my grandmother had gone to grief counseling due to the shock. It was there my grandmother met him. The two of them were happy together, and I grew up on the farm they started together.
The farm was a sanctuary for Centaurs, a place where they could come and heal. My grandmother and grandfather, that's how I knew him, had spent their lives rescuing Centaurs who had been placed into labor camps or were in trafficking rings. Something my grandfather had gone through and was making sure no one else had to through.
When she died, I took over, running the place with, hopefully, the same strength and compassion my grandmother and grandfather did. It was hard work, but I had the help of many hands there. Several Centaurs who had been on the farm before worked here as well, staying on as counselors and volunteering their time to help a place they believed in.
There was another farm across the way, one that dealt with Unicorns and Pegasus. My grandfather had helped it get started, even donated funds so the barn could get built. The Pegasus that owned the place had been rescued by my grandfather. He had been kidnapped by poachers as a baby and, when my grandfather found him, he was ten years old and had suffered cruel treatment all his life. He was covered in scars and had scared my grandmother to death. We hadn't seen someone so young in such a state before. Forced to work gruelling labor under harsh, unforgiving conditions, Clotaire was a harsh and angry kid, but my grandfather worked with him until the day he died.
Clotaire was rightfully angry. If I had been raised the way he was, I would be too. But I always felt he had been ungrateful to my grandfather. He had taken his money and gone to open up his own rehab farm across the way, taking everything my family had taught him and, rather than staying to support the place that healed him, it was like he didn't care for us at all.
Since our farms shared a fence, our patients often commingled. It wasn't rare to find everyone gathered around the fence, talking and trading stories and having a good time. I suggested to Clotaire we take down the fence and build a commons area together. Something like a patio with a firepit. Clotaire refused, saying he had the fence up for a reason.
It's always bothered me. Then again, Clotaire always bothered me, even when we were kids. He was a hard one. I'll admit, I was always jealous of the relationship he and my grandfather had. I know my grandfather cared for Clotaire and wanted to help him, but when I was little, I always felt ignored in place of Clotaire. I had tried befriending him, but it blew up in my face.
I've tried to keep my distance from Clotaire. It's hard to do, considering we work in the same field and our neighbors. But for the most part, as long as we keep to ourselves, we don't have the usual blow ups. We had many heated exchanges as teenagers and he was part of the reason I moved so far for college.
On Sundays, I like to go hiking. I take a trail through the woods and sometimes just wander around for hours. I also collect herbs I see, knowing that the centaurs back at the farm will really enjoy them. I also like looking for ginger, a little thing my grandfather taught me when I was little. He taught me how to spot ginger and, whenever I found some, to always replace it so more will grow. Finding ginger is a massive event at the farm. It is a treat for the centaurs, and I so love seeing them excited.
I am going off the path where I know there is a patch of wild blackberries, when I hear a strange noise. I hear thrashing and grunting, a sound of frustration and agony. I follow the noise, unsure if I'll find something dangerous or something in trouble.
I hear someone scream and I rush forward.
"I'm coming!" I call out. "It's ok! I'm coming! Stay still!" I slide down the hill and nearly fall into, what has to be, the biggest thicket of brambles and vines I've ever seen. It's so wild and overgrown, it looks like barbed wire.
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Modern Monsters
RomanceA collection of short stories featuring monster romances in a modern setting. Fall in love with minotaurs, shapeshifters, merfolk, fae, and more.