Sebas

I've had a busy life since my third birthday. First, I practice with papa in the morning, only now we go away from the house where mama can't see papa wiping the floor with me.

But I won't give up. No excuses, if papa is willing to train me then I'm going to keep going too.

After breakfast it's Iliza's turn. She sits me down at the table and teaches me manners. After lunch, Hilda and I were supposed to go to town but it's been raining in the afternoon for the last couple of days, so I haven't gone. Instead Hilda teaches me how to make friends.

My eyes sparkle, I've never had friends before. Thank you, goddess Hilda, for teaching me the ways of friendship!

Papa comes home, and we have supper. He writes in his journal while mama sits me down and teaches me to read this world's language from scratch. It is amazing, I don't have Dyslexia in this world and it comes so naturally it's like breathing. Is this how reading is supposed to be?

Papa comes and sits with us when we are done. He doesn't say much, but he flirts a little with mama. He is leaning on his arm and staring at mama like a maiden in love... until his eyes close, and he starts snoring.

Elbows on the dinner table and snoring, if we were in our lessons, Iliza would have some words for you pops.

Just as I'm thinking that, mama knocks his hand out from under him. She giggles as forehead hits the table before he jumps up and shouts "there's a troll in the dungeon!" She lovingly tells him to go to bed if he's tired. He gives us each a kiss on the cheek, like he always does, and lumbers up the stairs to the master bedroom.

Still, I think this is what happiness is like. These last three years have been like paradise compared to my old life.

"Mama I love you." I hug mama in the middle of the lesson.

"... Yes, baby boy. I love you too. Now let's continue..." she kisses my head and we return to studying.

*

That all changed the day I met the beast...

Now that the rain has cleared up, me and Hilda are going to go into town. I am soooo excited. Maybe I'll make a friend today!

I am acting my age as I bounce around waiting for Hilda to get everything she needs.

"Hold on, young master. I'm almost ready." Hilda giggles.

I get to meet Hilda's sister today. Hilda is probably the most charming person I know in this world. She the first to giggle at my shenanigans, and she always has smile on her face. I can only imagine her sister is equally as cute.

We climb down the slope from my house to get to the town. I could cover the distance easy with wind walking, but I'm holding Hilda's hand. This is also the first time I've held hands with a girl, who isn't my family... namely mama. So I don't mind if it takes a little longer.

When we get to town it is full of different kinds of people. More animal ear people, humans, elves, there was even a dwarf working at the blacksmiths. This place had really expanded since three years ago when I first came here. We get to the market and people are selling their goods.

Hilda brought along a basket and it was filled to bursting after an hour. The entire time I wave hi to people and they were waving back. Nobody shied away from my ugliness anymore. I was refreshing to see people smile when they say me instead of scrunching up their face like they smelled something bad.

When we reached the last store, it wasn't a food stand. It had odds an ends, a type of general store.

"Are you ready to meet my sister? She's your age, so I think you'll be fast friends. Jules, come out here! I have someone I want you to meet!" Hilda yelled as she knocked on the door next to the shop.

A small tomboyish child came out to meet me. She had brown hair and cat ears like her sister.

"Hi I'm Sebas Ti'en, nice to meet you." I gave my best smile and held out my hand for a handshake.

She didn't reach my hand. She looked grumpy and swung her entire arm in a wide arc using her claws to leave three red lines from the right above my right brow over my nose, to the left of my chin.

I winced and stepped back because of the pain and then she hissed at me.

"Jules!" Hilda yelled.

But it was too late I jumped back and ran into someone holding something and knocked them over.

I landed on all fours, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to." I stepped backward and someone carrying a wooden crate tripped over me and everything spilled everywhere.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" he shouts at me.

I was wrong! I was so wrong, people still hated me.

"Sebas-" Hilda said worrying about me.

I couldn't hear what Hilda was trying to say. I didn't use because I had promised not to, but it didn't change the fact that I was more confident on my hands and feet after wind walking training, and I wanted to get home as soon as possible. I turn on my heel and run all the way home on all fours like some kind of scared animal.

Once home, I used healing magic on my face and buried it in my mother's skirts.

"Baby what's wrong? Did things not go well with little Julie?" Mama asked.

I shook my head and cried.

"Baby you're trembling, come to mama."

People still hate me. Nothing has changed. She didn't even talk to me. I'm never going to have a single friend in this world either, am I? Am I really that much of a failure? I did everything I was told to why did it still fail?

My ears twitched, and I heard two people running up to the house. I broke from my mama's grip and put her between me and the front door.

Hilda burst through the doorway carrying her basket and toting along Jules. She was panting sweaty and every part of her appearance said she'd run here as fast as she could from the town.

"Hilda, what happened?" Mama asked. She was more worried than angry for the time being.

"I'm so sorry, madam my sister is... Jules, apologize to the young master!" Hilda pulled the tomboyish girl forward she was now covered in scratches of her own.

Jules pouted but stepped forward. "I'm sorry you're such a big baby. Nya." She stuck her tongue out at me. "And why do you run on all fours like a dirty mut nyah, are you stupid or something?" She crossed her arms and turned her nose up at me.

"Jules!" Hilda yelled.

I ran.

I didn't even think about it, I just knew I didn't want to be here anymore. The window was open to let in a breeze and I used it as my escape route. Once outside I leaped onto the roof in a single bound with magic.

I heard mama call out for me, but I didn't answer. I curled up in a ball next to the chimney and wrapped my tails around me in a protective shield against the world.

"Sebas, come down baby." Mama called.

"Jules, you need to apologize. Don't you have any sense?" Hilda reprimanded her sister.

"You are both dumb. He'll nyever come down he is too much of a scardy baby." Jules argured.

"Watch your tone young lady." Mama was getting angry.

"Wait, Jules what are you doing?" Hilda called.

"Get down from there its dangerous." Mama shouted getting angry.

"If nya scardy baby can do it so can I!" Jules stood triumphant on the roof looking at me.

I cowered. What else could I do. She didn't even listen to mama or Hilda.

"Your face is back to normal, how'd you do nyat?" She glared at me.

I couldn't get away from her.

Not behind mama, not on the roof. I could only think of one more place.

I scrambled from the room like a frightened stray. I leapt from the rooftop and wind walked as fast as I could to the forest where I had spent so much time training.