Dryad

Market

Vadim couldn't understand how fairies got to love me so much when even elves don't often see them, let alone catch them, but he didn't mind me playing with them. He was way more annoyed by the fact that I attract centaurs, especially Horace, who without fear occasionally shows himself outside the cover of the forest and allows me to groom him with my comb. It's hard to say who Vadim thinks is more wild - the humans or the centaurs, but it's certain that he'll get wrinkles from all that nagging. He is also not happy that I sometimes let fairies into the house, which usually results in smaller yet noticeable amounts of mess due to our running around and the theft of honey from the kitchen. He gets upset as if he went from flower to flower and collected that same honey.

One spring day, Vadim informed me that we were going for a walk. I didn't understand everything he said, although I understood from his talking that we were going out, but it confused me when I saw how well he had dressed up. His hair was arranged more and better than usual and he put on a suit that he usually doesn't wear when he stays in the house or just lets me walk around the yard. It took me a while to understand how he intends to take me among his people, which is very new to me. He never took me beyond his yard, hardly ever let me out of the house, and the only elves I ever came into contact with were his maids and very rare visitors. Zulia came after him in her fine dress and she didn't understand why I wasn't ready.

After half an hour of arguing about what they were going to put on me and whether I would wear shoes, we headed among the common workers. I feel like a retarded child whose parents take them out for a monthly walk to get some air before hiding them back in their room. Zulia took me by the hand so that I wouldn't accidentally lose control, run away and go wild around the neighborhood and meet other street cats, and we went downstairs. I was so excited that I quickly forgot that I was scared of other people's looks and comments. I doubt that all elves particularly like humans and support their existence, and I know from Horace's comments and reactions that there are those who would gladly douse me with a bucket of cold water and chase me back into the wilderness from where I came.

I couldn't see any of my people or any other race among the elves, just lots of blond creatures. I got a lot of curious looks and the kids dared to come close to me in the hope that I wouldn't freak out and maybe be able to pat me on the head which is an unusually positive reaction, at least I imagine it is. Nobody threw stones at me. We reached the market and Zulia and I separated from Vadim, but I didn't ask why. I'm not here to question, I'm here to investigate and create problems for Vadim when things aren't done my way.

I calmly looked around and followed Zulia until I saw what made me happy - a little fairy hiding among the flowers and looking for something to steal. I seemed to be the only one aware of her presence and her intentions, but it was not up to me to give her away. Soon after that, she realized that I was looking at her and we immediately knew what to do. They can't punish us because we're having fun. I let go of my elf girl, who didn't pay attention to it at the moment (perhaps she thought I was just going to look at apples) and let me go nuts all around the place, and I went after the fairy, who was in a very mood to play catch.

About 10 minutes later and a few stalls away, a few fairies joined us and we had ourselves a chaos. Well, the elves had chaos, we had indescribable fun. But as much as we caused a riot and delighted the children who were there because all children obviously love fairies regardless of race, no one tried to stop us. Until I fucked my way to the wrong person.

In my run around the tables, I accidentally bumped into him, and the fairies all disappeared in an instant and found cover. Undoubtedly an older example of his people, and very angry and dissatisfied with the sight he found, he looked at my frightened appearance as if he could kill me now and sell me to the butcher. That moment he seemed to me so much taller and bigger than he should be, and the wrinkles on his old eyes got wrinkles if that is even possible. I didn't know elves could get wrinkles:

-Human?-a word that was among the first I learned, and said with so much sharpness and understandable displeasure:

-Savage.

-Klarissa!-Vadim called me and came to us before I got beaten:

-What are you doing?-he scolded me and pulled me to him as if he knew he had to defend me.

This was followed by an apology and explanation from Vadim's side, which surprised me because I had never seen him like that before. He has to explain himself to someone? One elf of such high status? I was banished back into the hands of the elf who had to watch over me and I was instructed to walk behind and follow them. Obviously I did something wrong, but I have a feeling that it's not just me playing with fairies.

I was huddled in my corner with a pot in my hands as I listened to Vadim arguing with an angry being. In his time, all people were beaten with stakes and driven back to the hole they came from. When he was young, humans were not yet developed or existing at all. I imagine that even now they are not much more developed in his eyes. His eyesight has weakened with age, so he can't really see. Zulia came in and gave me an apple, but it felt more like she was checking to see if I was okay than just coming to feed me. She said a few words, but I only managed to get Vadim's name and "family" out of it. Well that might explain a lot of the questions I have.