Chapter 32: Fluffy Wants Meat [Bonus]

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Fluffy Wants Meat [Bonus]

Fluffy looked at Daniel. Her eyes were wide. Confused. Uncertain. Her ears twitched on top of her head.

"Master Fluffy Master now?" she said slowly. The words came out awkward. Stilted. Like she was trying to understand something that didn’t make sense.

Daniel smiled. A warm, gentle smile. "Yep. Exactly. Am Fluffy Master." He paused. "Well, actually, just Master is fine. You don’t have to say the whole thing."

Fluffy blinked. "Master."

"Close enough." Daniel leaned back in his chair. "So what would you like to order?"

Fluffy shook her head. A small, quick shake. Her ears drooped.

Lyra watched the exchange. She picked up a piece of bread and bit into it. Then she spoke.

"You know she’s a slave, right?"

Daniel turned to her. His expression shifted. Confusion. Then disbelief. Then something harder.

"What did you just say?"

Lyra shrugged. "I said she’s a slave. That’s what she is. That’s what she’s been her whole life. You can’t just—"

"Lyra." Daniel’s voice was sharp. "That’s not cool. You don’t say that to someone who’s been through what she’s been through."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. She didn’t look offended. She looked patient. Like she was explaining something obvious to a child.

"Haven’t you heard? Or are you still playing the I-come-from-another-world game?"

Daniel’s jaw tightened. "It’s not a game."

Lyra sighed. She set down her bread and folded her hands on the table.

"Okay. Let me explain. Our continent is at war. Have been for years. We’re fighting against the other continents. The beast kin. The elves. The dwarves. All the other races. They’re our enemies."

Daniel listened. He didn’t interrupt.

"Sometimes we capture them. Prisoners of war. Hostages. We bring them back here and sell them. To nobles. To merchants. To anyone who can afford them." She nodded toward Fluffy. "That’s what she is. A prisoner. A slave."

Fluffy flinched at the word. Her whole body tensed. She stared at the table, her hands clenched in her lap.

"To keep them in line, they use slave collars," Lyra continued. "If the slave has any intent to harm their owner, the collar kills them. A painful death. If they disobey, the collar shocks them. It’s... effective."

Daniel’s hands curled into fists under the table.

"So that’s why she is the way she is," Lyra said. "That’s why she won’t order food. That’s why she won’t look at you. That’s why she calls herself useless servant. She’s been trained. Conditioned. She’s not being difficult. She’s being what they made her."

Daniel was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke.

"Well," he said, his voice low and cold, "they’re not my enemies."

Lyra tilted her head. "What?"

"I don’t give a shit about this stupid war. I don’t care about continents or races or who started what. I didn’t ask for any of this." He looked at Fluffy. At her drooping ears. At her trembling hands. "But am not going to act like nothing is happening when someone is being treated like this."

Lyra watched him. Her expression was unreadable. Then she smiled. A soft, genuine smile.

"Yeah," she said. "Me too."

Daniel looked at her. "What?"

"I promised to follow you. Remember? Your want is my want."

Daniel’s lips twitched. "Believe me, you wouldn’t want my wants."

Lyra’s smile widened. "No, I do."

"You don’t even know my wants."

"Isn’t it to treat her nicely? To help her?"

"That’s not the only one."

Lyra leaned forward. "Then tell me."

Daniel shook his head. "I can’t tell it to a girl."

Lyra frowned. "Huh? Why not?"

"Because it’s..." Daniel paused. He sighed. "Forget about it. You can have my wants. I don’t care."

He turned back to Fluffy. She was still staring at the table, still trembling, still silent.

"Hey," he said gently. "So what would you like to eat?"

Fluffy looked up. Her eyes were wide. Scared. Uncertain.

"Fluffy will have whatever Master is having," she whispered.

"No," Daniel said. "What do you want?"

"Fluffy wants what Master is having."

Daniel sighed. "Am having meat. A lot of meat. I’m not sure rabbit folk can handle that."

Fluffy’s ears perked up slightly. She looked at the massive platter of meat on the table. At the pork. The beef. The roasted chicken. Her nose twitched.

"Fluffy wants meat," she said.

Daniel stared at her. Then he laughed. A genuine, surprised laugh.

"Okay then," he said. He waved at the serving girl. "Bring another platter. Same as mine."

The serving girl’s eyes widened. "Another one? That’s... that’s a lot of food."

"I know. Bring it anyway."

The serving girl hurried away. Daniel looked at Fluffy. She was still staring at the meat. Her mouth was slightly open. Her ears were standing up now, alert and curious.

"You’re going to eat well tonight," Daniel said. "And tomorrow. And the day after that. And every day after that."

Fluffy looked at him. Her eyes were wet. She didn’t speak. She just nodded. A small, hesitant nod.

Lyra watched them both. She smiled. Then she picked up another piece of bread and took a bite.

"You know," she said, "you’re not as bad as you pretend to be."

Daniel frowned. "I’m not pretending to be anything."

"Sure you’re not."

"I’m not."

Lyra just smiled.