Heart of a Monster

Screaming and crying could be heard coming from outside the tent flaps. Everything was hazy and there was a distinct smell of smoke coming from somewhere. A towering, female minotaur stood before a knight clad head to toe in plate mail armor. She spoke, but the words could not be heard, and the knight could be seen drawing a long blade. Whatever the pair were discussing, the situation for the minotaur was deteriorating fast as the knight assumed a battle stance. As the knight raised the blade, the minotaur raised her hands as though to shield herself. In an instant, the minotaur fell to the ground as a thin stream of dark crimson now coated the knight’s blade. The knight slowly began to sheath his weapon. Before the blade was fully sheathed, the knight’s attention was drawn to something within the tent. His hand reached out toward a basket. Upon thoroughly investigating what it was that intrigued him, the knight jerked back as though a snake was attempting to strike him.

More screaming could be heard from outside as the knight stood in the middle of the tent over the female minotaur. It was impossible to tell whether the knight was looking at the basket or the body before him with his faceplate covering his eyes. Seemingly, the knight was deeply lost in thought for a long time. Eventually, the knight clenched his fists and focused his gaze on the basket. As he drew nearer, he rearmed himself with his sword. Once within striking distance, the knight raised the blade over his head where it waited. After having prepared his strike, the knight had frozen still as a statue. Rather, everything below his arms had frozen as his hands trembled holding the blade above his head. A loud scream could be heard as the blade came down.

Aridean’s eyes opened wide as she woke up in her bed. She shuddered a bit and took a deep breath as she looked up at her bedroom ceiling.

“That was one weird dream,” she told herself as she began sitting up in her bed. The minotaur began to stretch her arms toward the ceiling with a yawn. At the foot of her bed sat Mott, still sleeping. Aridean bent forward and ran her fingers under the cat’s chin and scratched behind its ears as well. Mott’s response was to roll over so that Aridean could more easily reach her chin. After giving Mott some attention, Aridean moved her legs over the side of the bed. Her hooves hit the sturdy, wood floor and she pushed her bedsheets off her. Mott watched Aridean ready herself for the day, all the while expecting more chin rubs. Sunlight illuminated the bedroom through the window above Aridean’s bed.

“Ugh, I slept in again, didn’t I? Has father already started the chores?” Aridean asked no one in particular as she straightened her bed. As she was finishing up, she heard a knocking from her bedroom door.

“Aridean, breakfast is ready,” Simon called from the other side.

“I’ll be just one minute,” Aridean replied, looking for some fresh clothes to replace the ones she had slept in. Some specially tailored jeans for her minotaur legs and a large, white tee shirt made the getup she decided on. Once dressed, Aridean pulled a small bag out of her dresser which caught Mott’s attention. The black cat quickly jumped from her place on the bed and sat down in front of Aridean. Aridean in turn squatted down and pulled a cat treat from the bag.

“Alright, give me a high-five,” Aridean said with a smile on her face and a hand extended for a high-five. Mott followed her owner’s command as best she could and put her front, left paw up to Aridean’s hand. “Great! Now, spin!”

The black cat, despite missing her rear, left leg, was quick to obey and spun around in her spot in front of Aridean twice before sitting again. Aridean giggled a little and rewarded the display with the treat she had procured, which Mott graciously accepted. With that, Aridean stood back up and put the treat bag back into her dresser before moving to her bedroom door.

Moving into the front room, Aridean could smell the breakfast that her father had prepared and she could hardly keep from drooling a bit. Simon was bringing their plates to the table; eggs, bacon, and toast again, but Aridean did not mind. Aridean took her seat at the table as Simon took his. Breakfast did not last long as Aridean practically inhaled what was on her plate.

“Thank you for the meal,” she told her father as she moved the plate to the sink. Their sink was filled with dirty dishes; although she was not at work today, it would still be Aridean’s responsibility to clean the dishes. Simon quietly finished his meal and gave his plate and fork to Aridean to clean.

“One of these days you should start learning to cook,” Simon said while collecting his boots. He then proceeded to his chair by the coffee table in the living space where he slipped on the old, reliable working boots.

“Well, you know how impatient I get when it comes to cooking,” Aridean reminded her father. On the few occasions she had tried to cook, she would worry about burning her creation or leaving it undercooked. Many dishes have been both burned and served cold, but none could compare to the seared steaks Aridean once tried to make for Simon. It was her first-time cooking and she had practically served her father a raw steak marinated in a sauce that was likely rancid. Simon was sick in bed for two days after eating Aridean’s cooking. For a while, Simon played it off as a seasonal flu which did not trick Aridean for long. After figuring out that she caused her father’s illness, Aridean felt so guilty over the whole ordeal that she refused to try cooking again for a full year.

Having heard her excuse, Simon simply sighed while shrugging and began to make for the front door.

“Do you mind shearing some of the sheep today? We have a large order from the tailor, and I need to run to town for some errands,” Simon asked as he pulled on a coat that he had laying over his chair.

“Of course, leave it to me,” Aridean replied as she began scrubbing dishes under some warm water.

“Good. I’ll be back in a few hours,” Simon said exiting the farmhouse. Aridean focused on her dishes and hummed a light tune to herself. However, the smile on her face began to fade away as she thought about the melody she was humming. It was a song that Jean taught her, and she could not help but worry about Jean. When she had left the doctor’s with Jean’s father yesterday, Jean was still unconscious. Further, she thought back to what Jean’s father had said to Simon last night: ‘But you’re going to keep her out of the village and away from my family from now on! I don’t ever want to see that creature again.’ Aridean began to fear that she might not be allowed to see Jean again. She knew that she had taken Jean to the doctor because he was hurt defending her, but no one else saw it that way and it did not seem like anyone wanted to see it like that. To the people of Thellia, it was Aridean who had hurt Jean.

Unfortunately, her own woes were not the only worries on her mind as she also remembered Mr. Hallon’s final insult to her father the previous night: ‘How the mighty Crusader Captain of the Empire has fallen.’ Aridean did not know much about her father’s past, much less his military career, as he never liked to speak of it. But she knew that a Crusader Captain was one of the highest-ranking officers throughout the Empire’s military. Her father was not just a hero, but a legend to many people, so to see someone treat him like a washed up drunk as Hallon had last night sent shivers down Aridean’s spine. Again, the thought that his life could be much happier and accepting if only she were out of the picture began to surface.

“N-no, father and I are okay; all we need is one another. He… he said that we are going to stay a family regardless of what the world thinks,” Aridean assured herself. After a deep breath, Aridean returned to her dishes, albeit concerned. Plates, cups, and utensils were all carefully scrubbed with an old rag that had been dipped in warm, soapy water. Eventually, Aridean finished cleaning the dishes and had set them neatly in a tray so that they may dry.

But it’s just so unfair… Reil’s the reason Jean was hurt, not me. Just because I’m a minotaur, I have to suffer everyone else’s hatred. Reil gets off scot-free and I’m the one who’s blamed for Jean’s injury. Why can’t I just be treated like all the others? It’s not like I asked for any of this and I haven’t done anything to deserve it either. But… it’s not just me… father also has to put up with it because he took me in. Aridean’s head was filled with concern. She had always been able to power through the societal abuse in the village, but having it brought home in the form of Mr. Hallon the previous night was like having her castle walls torn apart.

Come to think of it… why did father decide to take me in? Jean has always treated me nice, too. What about them makes them not hate the sight of me like the rest of Thellia? Like Mr. Hallon said last night, father lost his family to minotaurs. Despite being seen with me often, Jean is still popular with others from school. He doesn’t need to give me any pity or anything when he could spend time with his fellow humans. Neither of them have a reason for treating me the way they do. Especially father: how could he take in a minotaur after what one took from him? Aridean continued to contemplate her status in the lives of those important to her. Recalling a time she asked her father why he decided to adopt her, all Aridean could remember was his vague answer: ‘I needed to.’

“Okay, c’mon, no need to be thinking about that now. Perk up a bit, today is going to be nice and quiet. Alright, now to check up on the garden and then shear those sheep,” Aridean said, listing off the chores she was aware of for the day. Aridean turned on her hooves toward the door and began to make for the garden. Mott was quick to follow as the old cat rarely let Aridean out of her sight while Aridean was home. The two exited the farmhouse onto the front porch where the cold air greeted them. Aridean began to walk down the porch steps and turned toward her father’s vegetable garden, all the while thinking that the air may kill the plants if it stays as cold as it has been recently.

Simon’s vegetable garden was a simple plot of tilled soil on the west side of the farmhouse. Only five rows that stretched fifteen yards each, but the garden had served Simon and Aridean well. Simon mostly planted tomatoes, squash, and string beans, all of which he used in preparing the stew that Aridean loved so much. Aridean squatted down in front of the first bushel of beans to inspect its vines for any produce. Some small beans were scattered throughout the bushel, but Aridean could tell that they were not ready for picking. On the other hand, she had picked up her father’s collection basket and began gathering some bright, red tomatoes. She was pleased to see that a few of the squash had also matured and were ready to be picked as well. After finishing her harvest, Aridean took the basket inside the farmhouse and left it sitting on the kitchen counter. Either her or Simon would wash the vegetables later that day. Having brought in the crop concluded Aridean’s business with the garden as the rain from yesterday still soaked the soil. Aridean’s hooves were coated in cool mud from moving through the finely tilled garden.

Having finished her first chore, Aridean then made for the barn to begin shearing her sheep. However, as she passed the well between her farmhouse and the barn, she saw something moving out in the pasture where the sheep normally grazed. It was something large, but it moved quickly behind some trees at the far end of the small field before Aridean could get a good look. Curiously, Aridean began walking toward the fence that closed off the pasture. As her hand reached the front gate, she heard someone from behind call to her.

“Good morning, Aridean! How are you today?” came a familiar voice. Aridean turned to confront her guest and was happy to see the town watch’s captain, Finn Watson.

“Good morning, Mr. Watson. I’m fine today, how are you doing?” Aridean replied. Finn was another human from Thellia that treated Aridean like she was a living being. Finn and Simon had served in the military together with Finn working directly under Simon. Even after the two retired, their brothers-in-arms bond remained as strong as ever. Being that the two were good friends, it was only natural that Finn made nice with Aridean after Simon had adopted her. Although at first uneasy about the whole situation, Finn quickly came to look at Aridean like a niece and she in turn liked to think of Finn as an uncle. Unlike villagers of Thellia, Finn only ever snapped at Aridean if she did something he considered wrong, but that did not happen often.

“Doing fine. Is, uh, well… is Simon around somewhere?” Finn asked Aridean with what sounded like worry in his voice. Aridean thought the question was rather odd. It was not unusual for Finn to visit the farm, but Aridean was almost always made aware of his visits beforehand. Being that Finn did not know Simon was not home at the moment told her that something might be off.

“No, sir; father went to town about an hour ago to run some errands. He should be back in just a little while. Is everything okay, Mr. Watson? You look a bit upset,” Aridean said feeling a bit anxious.

“Oh, I’m fine… I just have some… news that Simon needs to hear. Uh, well, in the meantime, you don’t mind me loitering about, do you?” Finn replied, unable to fully convince Aridean that things were alright. As long as she had known him, he had always had trouble hiding worry or things that bothered him.

“Of course not, would you like me to get you something to eat or drink while you wait? Please, let’s move into the house. You are probably a bit cold after the long walk out here,” Aridean offered her guest.

“Some hot tea sounds lovely,” Finn said, following Aridean back to the house. Once inside, Aridean immediately moved to the kitchen and retrieved a kettle from one of the cabinets. As she began pouring water from the sink into her kettle, she also turned on the stove so that it could be heating up. Finn had decided to take a seat in the living space in front of the fire that Aridean’s father had started before he left. Aridean had just set the kettle on the stove top when Finn began to speak again.

“Huh, I still can’t believe he’s kept these,” Finn spoke. Aridean turned to see the man admiring the engraved battle axe and sword crossed over the fireplace. There was certainly more to those blades than Aridean had ever been told. Whenever asked, her father would respond with something along the lines of ‘they’re just reminders.’ Reminders of what exactly, Aridean did not know. Other answers were even more vague and unclear. Aridean was just left to assume that they played a major role in his military career. That said, with Finn, her father’s right-hand while in the military, expressing his own interest in the blades, Aridean had a thought.

“Did father use those when you two were in the military? He’s never really told me the story behind them,” Aridean asked Finn. Given this was the first time the two were alone since Aridean was little, this seemed like the best time to dig into her father’s past a little. Maybe she could piece together what made him retire from the military.

“Simon never told you? Well, I don’t know the full story behind either of them. Supposedly, each of these blades are enchanted with some holy magic capable of smiting all evil. I’m afraid that’s all I really know, even then I don’t know if I really believe that whole hocus pocus. I saw him using that sword in a few battles, but I never saw Simon wield an axe during a real mission, just training exercises. I know he said a long time ago that they have some special names, but I don’t remember those either. Don’t guess that’s what you really wanted to hear though, huh? Sorry, Aridean, but that’s all I got,” Finn explained. Nonetheless, Aridean was intrigued by the answer.

Although she knew her father was a master with many different weapons, she also knew he always preferred the balance between power and speed of a longsword. However, what piqued her interest was hearing about the enchantments on the blades. Simon was no magician, which told Aridean that he must have some connections with practitioners of holy magic. Her next question was why her father would need holy magic enchantments on his weapons. Unfortunately, it was already made clear that Finn was about as clued in as Aridean was now regarding the significance those blades held.

“Father never mentioned anything about holy magic… oh, your tea is ready,” Aridean announced, pouring a cup of hot tea out for her guest. Before serving, she made sure to stir in a spoonful of sugar; she knew Finn liked his tea sweet.

“Ah, thank you, Aridean,” Finn said gratefully, accepting the beverage. He sat in the chair he had claimed and began to enjoy the refreshing drink.

“You enjoy your tea, I must shear some of the sheep for father. I’ll be out in the barn if you need anything,” Aridean said moving toward the door. Finn waved as his minotaur-hostess exited the house. Mott was right behind Aridean as she opened the door; the cat never cared much for guests and was not about to be left alone with one.

Back outside, Aridean and Mott began to head back to the barn again. As the two reached the barn door, Aridean looked back out into the pasture. She was looking out at the tree line where she saw something moving before Finn had arrived. This time, there was no indication of any movement save the grass and tree branches dancing in a cold breeze. Aridean’s tail and mane was also windswept as she stood there wondering what it could have been. Simon had taught her how to scare off coyotes and wolves that sometimes came around to snack on the sheep, but whatever it was she saw earlier was definitely larger than the usual sheep predator. Although curious, Aridean decided it was best to forget about it for the time being and just let her father know that there may be a bear or something around when he got home. With that in mind, Aridean pushed open the barn door and entered the dimly lit barn.

“Alright, first things first: let’s get you guys some hay so you’ll sit still for me,” Aridean said to the sheep scattered throughout the barn as she closed the barn doors. She then moved to the back of the barn where the hay bales were stacked up, sheep eyes watching with expectations. The hay bales were tucked behind a small wall that kept the sheep from snacking on the entire supply all at once. Aridean took a moment to figure out how she was going to grip the bale she had selected and then seemed to give the large bundle of dried grass a hug. Having wrapped her arms around the bale as far as she could reach, she began to grab onto the bundle and lifted it from its stack and onto her left shoulder. Lambs had started to crowd around her as they were becoming increasingly excited. Aridean giggled a little as she gently pushed past and moved over to the shearing space that was set up. Her father had already set out a tarp on the ground in front of the wool collection bags by the hay bales. Aridean carefully placed the hay bale in the center of the tarp. Within seconds, nearly all the sheep and lambs in the barn had crowded around the delicious bundle. Stragglers would wait for some of the eager ones to leave before taking their turn.

“Yeesh guys, not even a ‘thank you?’” Aridean joked with a quiet giggle. With a smile on her face, she turned to the workbench where she retrieved a clean set of shears. Mott had taken up a nice sleeping spot on the workbench and only moved as Aridean drew near as though she was asking if she could help in some way. Aridean simply gave the cat a scratch behind the ear which received the response of a happy sounding meow. She then snipped a small bit of her mane off that had been falling in her face the past few days to both make sure the shears were good and relieve herself of a minor inconvenience. Now fully prepared, Aridean returned to her flock of hungry sheep and began cutting at the fluffiest one she could find.

One sheep was sheared, then two, then three, and so on. Time passed and the tarp had filled with copious amounts of wool. Aridean had finally sheared all the sheep and watched as they began to scatter from the now nearly devoured hay bale. The hard part now complete, Aridean returned the shears to the workbench and retrieved a bag from the back of the barn. She then set out collecting all the wool on the tarp and throwing it into the bag. It was as she was picking up the last few clumps of wool, the barn door opened with cold air rushing in. All the sheep immediately huddled together having been exposed to the cold outside and having lost their wooly coats. Aridean looked up to see that Finn had come out to the barn.

“Aridean, do you need any help out here? Just getting a little antsy waiting on Simon,” Finn asked as he shut the barn door.

“Just finishing up, Mr. Watson. Thank you though, I appreciate the thought,” Aridean replied, tying up the fully packed wool bag and sitting it beside the rest.

“Ah, sorry I didn’t come out sooner. Kinda got a bit carried away enjoying the tea you made,” Finn said, leaning against one of the support columns of the barn.

“Oh, it’s quite alright. I’m glad to hear you liked my tea, it’s about the extent of my kitchen expertise,” Aridean said, moving toward her pull up beam.

“You still use that? Simon has you doing military exercises, huh?” Finn asked as he began to sit on a small stool and pet a lamb that came to him.

“Well, father does not really approve of any military training, but I did get him to show me some basic exercises. Now I just do them because I find them relaxing,” Aridean said, having already begun her pull ups.

“What’s your current record then? Someone with strength like yours is probably pushing well over a hundred,” Finn said. He always did like to make conversation out of small topics like this.

“Maybe if I were to pace myself, I could go further but I usually tire out around one-forty,” Aridean replied, having already completed her first ten pull ups.

“Okay then. Uh, well, Aridean… I wanted to wait for Simon to get back, but maybe I should tell you why I’m here today. I, uh, don’t know how to--,” Finn started but was cut off as the barn door began to open. Again, cold air rushed into the barn and the lamb that Finn was petting rushed back to the huddled flock. Aside from the cold air having entered, Simon also stepped into the barn.

“Welcome home father; Mr. Watson is here for you,” Aridean said, pushing thirty pull ups.

“How you doing Finn? Can I get you anything?” Simon asked as he shut the barn doors behind him.

“No, no, Aridean’s already made me tea. But I’m glad you’re back now. Uh, Aridean, you mind if we all head back to the house? I’ve got some things I need to discuss and I think you should probably be there too,” Finn said with a distinct sound of hesitation in his voice.

“Oh, uhm, yes,” Aridean answered, dropping from her beam. She had only completed fifty-four pull ups but could feel her arms starting to tire. It was now clear that something unusual was going on as Finn had never called her into discussions he had with her father before. Aridean had been thinking Finn was acting a bit off the entire time he had been at the farm, but just chalked it up to town watch drama. Before following her father and Finn out of the barn, Aridean scooped up Mott and carried the lazy cat out in her arms.

The group returned to the farmhouse where Simon and Finn sat in the two chairs in the living space. Aridean pulled up a chair from the dinner table and sat beside her father with Mott in her lap. Finn had poured himself another cup of tea, which had gone cold by this point, and waited a while before speaking.

“Listen, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just gonna get it out there in the open: Hallon’s boy still hasn’t woken up. Doctor says he’s in a coma and doesn’t know when, or even if, he might wake up,” Finn revealed with a solemn tone.

“W-what?” Aridean said, heart sinking and shivers running down her spine. The news was just so sudden and Aridean simply froze. Jean had taken a significant blow to the head, but to have been made comatose was not something Aridean had even considered. Aridean was not even sure how to process the news in her head as she just kept running over and over what Finn had said. Her best, and only, friend since she was a child was put into a coma trying to defend her from some village bullies.

“I’m sorry, Aridean, I know you and that boy were friends. Which is why what I have to say next is even more difficult. The villagers of Thellia… they… well,” Finn began, but could not piece together what it was he was trying to tell Simon and Aridean.

“What next, Finn? What does the village have to do with any this?” Simon asked calmly. Finn took a deep breath and a swig of his tea before speaking again.

“Simon, it’s bad. Everyone in Thellia believes that Aridean caused the boy’s injury. People are spreading rumors, saying she was just a walking time bomb and that this was a long time coming. Some people are even talking about you and how you let a minotaur into the village,” Finn responded with hesitation and reluctance in his voice. He held his head low and could not bring himself to look either Simon or Aridean in the eyes.

“People in Thellia are always spreading rumors about us, but that doesn’t answer the question, Finn. What does everyone want me to do to clean this mess up?” Simon asked, maintaining his usual calm.

“It’s not that simple, Simon. Everyone seems to believe Aridean assaulted Hallon’s boy. Words aren’t going to change anything this time,” Finn spoke. Finally lifting his head and looking Simon in the eyes with a clear expression of guilt, “Aridean Gray is expected to stand trial for the assault of Jean Hallon. They wanted me to come and arrest her, but I managed to talk some sense into the lot of them. All of Thellia expects her to turn herself in within the next forty-eight hours.”

Aridean gasped and covered her mouth in sheer shock. She was going to stand trial for the assault that put Jean into a coma when she was not the cause. Time seemed to stand still as no one in the room made a move or spoke a word.

“I-I-I’m g-going to--,” Aridean said tearing up, having broken the long silence.

“Aridean is not standing trial for something she did not do,” Simon said, his expression had shifted somewhat after having processed the news. His voice was still filled with patience, but Aridean could tell that her father was finding this difficult to handle as well.

“Simon, if there was any other way, I’d consider it. Unfortunately, this was the best I could get for her,” Finn responded, having dropped his head again to avoid further eye contact.

“Standing trial for a crime she did not commit was the best Thellia had to offer? What would the sentence be if she is found guilty?” Simon asked, a hint of anger had been mixed into his tone, but his face still maintained calmness.

“If? Simon, no one in Thellia will want to hear anything defending her. Everyone has already made up their mind. Aridean is already guilty and will likely be sentenced to prison for years to come. You see, this is the sort of thing I was afraid of when you started letting her walk around town,” Finn exclaimed, nervously rubbing his hands together in his lap. Having heard that she would be sentenced to prison for something she did not do, Aridean’s heart sank further as she began to feel a bit nauseous. Her blood felt cold in her veins as she froze in place. Mott, still sitting in Aridean’s lap, merely looked up at her owner, confused as to why the petting had ceased.

“The sort of thing you were afraid of? You expected something like this, did you? Do you also think Aridean put Hallon’s boy in a coma? Of all people, Finn, I thought you would understand that Aridean is no threat to anyone,” Simon said, having taken a bit of an offensive tone when addressing the matter. He slowly stood from his chair and leaned over the coffee table, eyes never leaving Finn.

“I know that, Simon! I’ve known Aridean almost as long as you have, y’know! I’ve watched her grow up ever since you brought her to Thellia years ago; she’d never hurt anybody. But the villagers have already made up their minds. Rumors spread like wildfire in Thellia and for a minotaur like Aridean, well that’s more akin to a volcano eruption. People in Thellia are scared of minotaurs, you of all people should understand. People are scared that Thellia may end up like those ransacked towns further west with Aridean here,” Finn said without hesitation.

“You will not lump Aridean in with that rebellion nonsense! I don’t want to hear you talking about her like she’s with them! Aridean has never caused any trouble for anyone, it’s always been everyone else not giving her a damn chance! If the people of Thellia wou--,” Simon had begun shouting before being interrupted.

“Stop! Please, just stop it,” Aridean snapped, tears streaming down her long face. “I don’t want to hear anymore. I don’t want to hear what everyone thinks or what you think they should think. My best friend was hurt because of me. Jean was hurt because of me; I didn’t push him into that stone, but I was the reason. All because I’m a minotaur he was hurt; not just him, but you too, father. I really don’t want to see you angry either, especially not with Mr. Watson. I couldn’t bear seeing you hurt by the people of Thellia. Please, just stop fighting this. They’re right after all; I’m a minotaur and I’m going to cause trouble. Just yesterday I met a minotaur at the tavern. It was the first time I had ever met another of my own kind! Do you know what I thought as we spoke? ‘What is a minotaur doing here?!’ Thellia even has me condemning minotaurs because they’ll cause trouble! For all I know he could be bringing the rebellion with him to Thellia! I don’t want to see anyone get hurt and I don’t want to cause any trouble. Please, father… I can’t take it.”

Simon had fallen silent by Aridean’s sudden outburst. The man took a moment to think before letting out a long sigh and sitting back in his chair. Finn had also maintained silence throughout Aridean’s cries and could not bring himself to look at either of his hosts. Aridean just repeated ‘please’ through stifled sobs and hiccups. Eventually, Aridean managed to quiet herself enough that Finn felt comfortable enough to speak again.

“Aridean, I know this can’t be eas--,” Finn began to say, clearly unsure on how to ease the tension of the whole situation.

“Finn, you’ve delivered your message. I’m sorry, but could you give us some time alone,” Simon said using his usual calm and collected tone of voice. However, rage was painted on his face, and he refused to look in Finn’s direction.

Quietly, Finn nodded and got up from his chair. He set his teacup on the coffee table before slowly making for the door. As he stood at the door, he spoke one last time, “I know it doesn’t mean much now, but I’m sorry.”

With that, Finn exited the farmhouse, leaving the two tenants in near silence. The only sounds were the crackle of the fire in the fireplace and Aridean’s light crying. Simon seemed to stare into the fire and heave another heavy sigh. He slowly turned to look at Aridean, who held her face in her hands as tears continued to slide down her fuzzy face. His expression shifted from one of anger to one of sorrow upon looking at Aridean. Simon gently reached for Aridean’s brown-furred hands. With one touch, Aridean jerked back from Simon and got up from her chair. Mott had jumped from Aridean’s lap as she stood and watched from the floor. Aridean quickly made her way from the living space to her bedroom, leaving her father and Mott with the crackling fire. Simon pulled the neck of his shirt back with one hand and grabbed something from under his shirt with the other hand. Simon quietly muttered to himself, “Don’t worry, I’m not losing you, too. I can’t lose you…”

After slamming the door shut behind her, Aridean sank down to the floor leaning against the door. She was still having trouble composing herself through the tears that streamed down her cheeks. It happened again, the contempt and prejudice that the town of Thellia held for her had made its way to her home. Her castle walls had been demolished and she felt so vulnerable. It was one thing to have to put up with the unjustified hate at work or school but dealing with it at home was another thing entirely. Aridean felt trapped in a never-ending nightmare.

Why does it have to be like this? Why doesn’t anybody believe that I didn’t hurt Jean? Why can’t I just be treated like everyone else? What do I have to do? Aridean contemplated as her sobbing began to fade away.

What I have to do… doesn’t matter, does it? I’m a minotaur, cursed to be hated by everyone because of what other minotaurs have done. That’s just not fair… I just want to live a peaceful life with father. But that’s not possible now. I’m going to trial for hurting my best friend and likely going to prison for years while Reil gets away with it. Why? Where’s the justice in that? Even if everyone knew it was Reil, would he be tried just as severely for hurting a fellow human? Is this just my punishment for being born? I hate this so much… I hate being a minotaur so much. I’m scared. I don’t want to go to prison. I just want to stay with father. Aridean continued to monologue internally as the tears finally stopped. She had grown tired of the crying and could not muster the tears anymore.

Stay… with father. Father… what does he think of this mess? There’s so much to him I just don’t get, despite being his adopted daughter for sixteen years… Does he really want to keep defending me, even when he knows it’s already over? I don’t want to be a burden on him anymore. What good have I been to him? He says we are a family, but… how can he possibly live with a minotaur after what happened to him? Does he hurt whenever he sees me? How can he stomach calling me by his real daughter’s name? What if… everything he’s been telling me was a lie? No man could possibly be okay with a life like this given his past. Aridean thought to herself, hands and face feeling frozen.

Father has never lied to me… he’s always been so good to me. But why? What makes him treat me differently? His life would be so much better if he had never taken me in. His life, Jean’s life, and everyone in Thellia would be so much better off without me around… It was not the first time that Aridean thought that. There was so much buzzing about in her head, but it all came back to ‘everyone would be better off without me.’

Aridean continued to contemplate her next move while staring into empty space. If one did not know any better, they would almost think she had died by how still she sat on the floor save the occasional raspy inhale. Her eyes felt heavy from all the crying, and she was mentally exhausted from overthinking her current situation. Aridean pushed herself up from her seated position in front of the bedroom door and stood on her hooves. Hooves clopped on the hardwood floor as she approached her bed. A tired and apathetic expression was spread across her face as she pulled the covers back. One hooved leg at a time, Aridean climbed into bed and pulled the blanket over herself. Only her tail, drooping off the side of bed, was left uncovered.

I guess this is it then… I suppose this was always meant to be. I’m sorry father, this is the only thing I can do to let you live your life again. Aridean silently apologized as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Whilst sleeping, Aridean dreamed up a familiar sight. Her dream was that of the knight slaughtering the female minotaur in a tent again as a battle of some kind raged outside. Just like last time, the knight brought down his blade on the female minotaur who fell to the ground. Blood trickled down the knight’s sword as raised the weapon over his head once more. With trembling hands, the sword above the knight shook uneasily. However, the knight gave out a fierce battle cry as the sword came down. It was at this point that Aridean shot awake again with a loud gasp.

“W-what? That dream again?” Aridean said to herself. Mostly awake again, she looked around her room which was bathed in darkness. She had gotten into bed in the early afternoon but must have slept until the dead of night. Her eyes took a moment to fully adjust to her lightless surroundings, but she managed to make out her room.

Aridean pushed the blanket off of her as she sat up in bed. She twisted and moved her legs off the bed. Reaching for her lamp on the nightstand, Aridean noticed a pleasant smell. After cutting the light on, she took note of what made the pleasant smell: a sandwich Simon must have brought her while she was sleeping. One whiff of the fresh bread had her stomach rumbling. She began to tear up a bit as she took the sandwich and began to eat. Cold cut ham, fresh cheese, and tomato slices were contained within the two slices of bread; a plain meal, but Aridean preferred keeping her sandwiches simple.

Having finished her meal, Aridean stood up and turned around. She carefully made her bed so that it was so nice that one would think it belonged in a fancy hotel. After straightening the bed, Aridean moved to her dresser where she procured some paper, a pen, and a large backpack. Barely holding back tears, Aridean began to write on the paper. It took time as she wanted to ensure that the message conveyed her innermost thoughts accurately and concisely, but she did not slow down for a second. After finishing the letter, Aridean left it on the top of the dresser as another drawer was pulled open. From this drawer, Aridean pulled two sets of clothes that she pushed into her backpack. While zipping up the backpack, Aridean shivered as she turned around to look at her room again. There was not much to it, but she had always been okay with that. A comfortable bed, nightstand, rarely used cat bed, children’s toy chest, dresser, and a full body mirror were all the bedroom amenities she needed. As she made her way back over to the nightstand, Aridean caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. What she saw made her feel disgusted, but it was just a normal, female minotaur in the mirror, albeit with a depressed look on her face.

Aridean cut off the nightstand lamp and made for the bedroom door. Careful to keep the noise down, Aridean turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open. The front room was dark as Simon must have gone to bed a while ago; the fireplace had been extinguished and moonlight coming through the windows offered little light to fill the room. Aridean slowly began to make her way to the front door where she grabbed a large black coat hanging on a hook. Quietly, she removed her backpack and slipped on the coat, which fit snuggly over her shoulders. As she was putting her backpack back on, Aridean heard a quite yowl. She turned to see Mott’s bright, green eyes shining in the moonlight that poured into the room from the window. Her beloved cat was staring up at her only a foot from her hooves with its head cocked to one side.

“Mott, I’m counting on you to take care of father, okay? I need you to do that for me, my little kitten,” Aridean spoke quietly as she kneeled down to rub the chin of her faithful companion. For a few minutes, Aridean rubbed the black cat with a smile as it purred for her. Eventually, her smile faded as she decided she needed to do what must be done. Aridean stood back up and opened the door to the farmhouse; the door creaked somewhat. Cold air blew past Aridean’s face and made her mane dance a bit behind her. As she began to walk out the door, Mott moved to follow but Aridean closed the door before the cat could get outside. Inside the house, Mott, confused, began to stand on her one rear leg and pushed on the door with her front paws. From the outside, Aridean could hear Mott’s muffled yowling from the other side of the door. Aridean felt horrible but knew it would be better for Mott this way; ‘I’m sorry,’ was the only thing she could think.

Standing in the cold darkness, Aridean looked out toward the road and then to the pasture. She could so vividly recall the time that Simon took her out with the sheep and the first time she got one to walk up to her as she offered it some hay. It was as if she could see the two of them, with the sheep walking up to them. Little Aridean giggled as the sheep graciously took the hay and allowed the minotaur girl to stroke its head. Simon had a warm smile on his face watching little Aridean play with the farm animal. Aridean could recall many more memories as happy as that but given her current intentions, she did not want to remember any happier times with her father. Having made up her mind, Aridean descended from the porch and walked past the farm well heading toward the road. Upon reaching the road, Aridean looked back at the farmhouse that she called home. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She then looked down the west road leading to Thellia.

“I won’t cause any more grief for anyone. I’m too scared to face trial, but the town is free of minotaurs this way. Hopefully, when Jean wakes up, he won’t have to deal with Reil anymore. Now father will be accepted by everyone again,” Aridean said as she turned on her hooves and began walking down the east road. “I’m sorry to have been so much trouble over the years, but I’m not your burden any longer.”