#theres that tricksy fae instincts. making himself look sooo innocent

[echo-goes-mmm]

Moonflower #6

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Warnings: dehumanization

The air held the barest hint of autumn. Kit liked autumn; with its pretty colors and good things to eat. But it always made him slightly nervous.

Kit put the thought of cold winds and nights behind him as Mistress led him out to the gardens. 

He wasn’t sure what to expect from mortal gardens, but this wasn’t familiar at all.

It was… sad. Sure, the plants were healthy, but the bare space between the hedges and bushes was like an ugly bald spot of emptiness. Even the grass was uniform with no clover or moss; cut short and lain down in squares like tile.

Everything that wasn’t grass was organized into flowerbeds; square ones or circles.

Kit thought of the berry patches and meadows, the deep forests with wild thickets and tangling vines, where it was easy to find food and shade.

He often lay in the long grasses and poppies and just watched the butterflies and insects flying around, the rabbits and mice and birds hiding away in their nests. Like he was made for it.

Here it seemed the plants were for decorations, and not because they belonged to the earth as much as he did. 

“So, what do you think?” Iris smiled at him, and Kit managed a weak smile back.

“The gardeners must work very hard,” he said. It was the nicest thing he could manage, and she seemed to take it well.

“A word, your grace?” called someone from behind. Iris glanced over her shoulder.

“I’ll be right back,” she said.

Kit sat on the grass. He rubbed his hand over the rough, short stalks. He’d take what he could get.

He lay down, letting the sun warm him. It was nice enough. He yawned, nearly sleepy.

Then Kit noticed the nearest flower bed. The soil was dark and tempting.

He wasn’t quite hungry, but…

Kit licked his lips. 

The craving had become so prevalent it was nearly invisible, almost melting into the background of his other aches and pains. He stuck a finger into the dirt, and licked it off.

It wasn’t just earth that someone had dug up, but cultivated soil. Somebody had worked on it; put in nice things and turned it regularly. 

Kit could no more resist than if someone had given him a bottle of cream.

He bent over and began to shovel handfuls into his mouth.

It was good earth; warm and moist and wonderful. A part of him felt like a child again, eating dirt because he was too small to catch mice, but it was only a small part.

There was shouting in the distance, but he paid it no mind.

Kit kept eating, until the tip of a blade tapped him on the shoulder. He swallowed the bit of soil left in his mouth, and dropped the handful he held.

Kit held up his hands. He didn’t feel like getting stabbed.

“Turn around, please,” said the knight.

He turned, slowly. A lady knight and a furious man stood side-by-side. Kit lowered his eyes and ducked his head.

“There’s no need to be polite to that creature,” hissed the man. “It’s ruining my flower bed!”

“Calm down, Jeff,” said the knight. 

“Is there a problem here, Lady Jen?” the tips of Mistress’s shoes entered his vision, and Kit tensed.

“Not sure, your grace.”

“Of course there’s a problem! That thing is digging up my flowers!”

Kit held his tongue. It would do no good to speak up and get slapped for talking out of turn.

“Kit, is that true? Were you digging up plants?”

“No, Mistress.”

“Bullshit,” said Jeff. “What were you doing, then?”

“I-” Kit felt himself flush, the tips of his ears getting hot. “I was eating the dirt.”

“Is that… normal, Kit?” Iris tilted her head, concern on her face.

He wanted to crawl into a hollow tree and hide from pure shame. Apparently humans did not eat dirt.

“Only for children,” he admitted. Jeff pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry.”

“I think I can handle this from here, Jen. You can head back to your post.”

“Yes, your grace.” Jen bowed and left.

Iris turned to Jeff. “Well, now. No harm done, and I’m sure Kit will ask next time. Won’t you, Kit?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Jeff didn’t seem pleased.

“Look on the bright side,” she added. “A plant fae likes your mulch. And Kit’s a spring, so maybe he can help you out next year.”

“I suppose,” he said, pursing his lips. “As long as he doesn’t run wild.”

“Of course he won’t.” 

Jeff left, and Kit braced himself.

But Iris crouched next to him. “Why were you eating dirt? Were you hungry?”

Kit shook his head. “I just needed it.”

It was hard to explain, and he wasn’t really sure why either.

She sighed, and stood back up.

“Let’s go on a walk, hm?”

___________________

Iris let him keep some acorns he found on their walk, which was just as good to eat as the soil. The crunch was satisfying.

She said he could eat whenever he liked, which was generous. Even if it was just to make him look better for court, he was going to take advantage of it.

Iris showed him the pull-rope in the corner of his room. “If you need anything, pull this and one of the staff will come to help you,” she’d said.

Kit wasn’t sure he was ever going to use it. 

He watched the sunset from the balcony, and popped another acorn into his mouth. 

Court was tomorrow. He was supposed to join Iris; in front of all those people.

He wondered how many of them were like Jeff the Gardener, who only saw him as a loathsome creature.

Or how many were like Sir Brennan, who thought he was going to cause trouble.

Or even like Katie, who thought he was a dumb animal.

Kit crunched on another acorn, the last one left.

Of all the options, looking like a dumb animal was probably the best one. 

He went inside to look in the mirror in the bathroom.

He practiced his neutral expression, widening his eyes and trying to look like prey. 

If Kit played his cards right, and did very little, maybe people would get tired of him quickly. 

And if they really thought he was as stupid and harmless as a dog, he could listen in more like Iris wanted. Who would bother keeping their voice down in front of a dumb slave?

Kit knew from revels he attended that gentry tended to ignore people that were below them. Even Iris was a little dismissive of the castle staff, her eyes rolling right over the many maids in the halls.

She was nice if they asked her something, but otherwise they didn’t exist to her.

What he wouldn’t give for that lack of attention. 

Soon he found the perfect look. If he relaxed in just the right way, his ears shifted to tilt slightly lower, and his eyes looked just as empty as a lamb’s. A bit wide, and so unassuming.

Iris was going to be so pleased with him.

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