Delicate flower
I ran away and soon found myself in the dark forest. I looked ahead of me in worry, I couldn't turn back as the beastmen were probably still chasing me but up ahead I was sure there were wild animals just waiting to make me their dinner. I glanced side by side and behind me but there was no light at all.
I kept moving forward, I could not afford to be caught by those people. My foot with the twisted ankle was killing me as I ran but I tried my best to ignore the pain. The tree branches were thicker as I walked among the bushes, they scratched my skin.
The forest is dark, I can't tell where I am heading buy anything would be better as long I don't have to be a slave to anyone.
It was suddenly by miraculous powers that I saw light up ahead. I increased my speed to get to the light and ask for help. I am tired and I can't go on running forever. My instincts urged me to run to him, only to find a man holding a torch in his hand.
I was paralyzed with fear upon seeing the man's build. He was similar to the men that had taken me earlier in appearance. His whole face was covered with a scarf leaving his eyes as the only features visible to me.
In a harsh voice, he spoke to me. "You, I have been looking for you," he said sending a shiver down my spine. Sweat trickled down my back as I watched the scary-looking man grab my right hand and lift me to his shoulders as if I was weightless.
"What do want from me?" I asked.
"Ha! ha! ha! haha.....," he laughed with a sardonic smile on his face.
"sut emun te," he roared in a strange language that I couldn't understand. But my heart angel interpreted the words in my mind "This is your end," my heart screamed.
I hit his back repeatedly so he would put me down but all that was futile, he seemed not to feel a single thing. My human hands could not inflict any pain on his beastly back. I gave trying to hit him and did the most disgusting thing I have ever done in my 20 years. I bit his ear.
He let go of me and I fell to the ground hurting my already injured leg. He screamed as he held on to his ear, his bloodshot eyes glared at me with fury. I knew for a fact that he was not going to spare me and trying to run was also not an option.
He took me by my neck and lifted me off the ground, he began squeezing my feeble neck and I could hardly talk anymore. Looking at me as I went breathless, I realized his eyes were scary enough to frighten an owl. I kicked and kicked trying to free myself from this murderous creature but it was in vain. I couldn't free myself, I closed myself and thought about my favorite actress. 'If I am to die, his face won't be the last thing I see," I thought. I felt the air stop in my throat and I lost consciousness.
I felt a shake on my chin and opened my eyes. 'Am I dead?' I asked myself. I groaned at the pain in my leg when I tried to get up. "Not dead."
I looked up and to see a white ceiling. I was once again in another strange room. It was not as luxurious and fancy as the first one but it was comfortable. Most of the things in the room were made of wood but the craft used to make them was out of this world. "You are awake."
I sat up and turned around to see a gorgeous young womanish person looking at me. She held a bowl of what looked like soup and was dressed in white, her face was kind and she bore no ill intentions for me. I relaxed a bit.
"Where am I?" I asked to confirm if the man had taken me to the master or not.
"My house," she said. Her simple answer doesn't answer the questions in my mind so I asked another question. "How did I get here?"
"My husband found you in the forest yesterday night. He brought you home when you were nearly dead but I was able to treat you."
I listened to her keenly and understood. That beast creature must have left me in the forest after I lost consciousness and her husband must have found me and she treated me.
"Thank you," I said to her.
"Have something to eat. I am Taka, what may I call you?" she asked.
"Landon."
"Landon. That is a strange name but you too are strange," she said pointing out that I am not an animal like the rest of them. "What are you?" she asked. I am sure that the question of my identity is one that I am not going to stop hearing while I am in this strange place.
"A human," I replied to her question.
"Human? I have never heard of you. But the world is big so you must be from a faraway land," she said and I nodded happily that she is not going to question me further.
I dug into the food she offered me and cleared the plate in no time due to how hungry she was. She kept staring at me even after I gave her the plate back, I wiped my mouth in case some soup had spilled to the sides. But that didn't stop her from looking at me.
"What is it?" I asked not able to stand her silent stare.
"Humans are cute," she said. "You have such soft skin and very delicate features. No horn, no pointed ears, no rough and strong skin just delicate like a flower," she added.
I was speechless on what to say to her after what she said. I couldn't believe that she just called me delicate and even compared me to a flower. I am a man for crying out loud can she takes pity on my delicate pride and does not describe me as a girl.
"Thank you," I said not sure what a 'Man' should say in such a situation.
She exits the room with the empty plate asking me to rest. I get up from the bed and head over to the mirror to look at myself. I didn't get to look at myself properly before with all the make-up and jewelry that made me look like a girl.
Standing in front of the mirror I take in my appearance. My hair is longer than it normal, it reaches my shoulders. My eyes are still brown in color, a sharp nose, and thin pink lips. My appearance looks a little younger than before and is less manly than before.
I see why she said those things, I would also describe myself as delicate from my image. I am young with no muscles at all and if I didn't know I was a boy I would confuse myself for a girl. Especially in the red robe that I am wearing, the image in the mirror looks so girlish for me.
I get away from the mirror with a bleeding heart. All the muscles that I struggled day in day out at the gym to build are gone without a warning and I am left looking like a girlish man. If I am even old enough to be called a man. I look no older than seventeen.
I go to the window and watch the beautiful scene outside. The garden outside the room looks so beautiful with so many beautiful blooming flowers. The fresh air around is so calming and sweet. I take a deep breath and relax.
"If he is awake then he needs to leave," I heard a yell coming from outside the room. I limped to the door and put my ear on the door to hear what was going on.
"But had is not better yet. He won't survive a day out there if he isn't completely well," said Taka.
"We can't keep him here. We don't know him or his origins he could be trouble." said the voice that yelled earlier.
"But my husband. We can't just throw him out it won't be right."
"The village chief will come tomorrow for his check-up. How do you plan to introduce that strange creature, we are not even aware of the reason that he has come to Arcadia in the first place. For all we know he could be a bad person, he is not welcomed here."
"Please reconsider," Taka pleaded.
Just then I heard a knock, a few seconds later a heard a sound that was of the door being opened. I could hear numerous footsteps walking in. I opened the door a little and stared at the beastmen in red. They looked like soldiers with a big build and huge horns and hooves.
"Mikhan, I am sorry that we have come here without an invite but we are looking for someone. He claims that he is a human. Have you met anything like that," asked the one who looked like their leader.
"No, we haven't," Taka replied quickly.
"That's good but we have to check the house to be sure. We have orders to search every house in the village," he said and I realize that that was my cue to leave.
I limp to the window and climb out of the room. My leg still hurts but the pain is bearable than it was last night. I make my way away from the beautiful small cabin and ran away before the soldiers catch me.