Chapter 4:

Demonic Assumptions

Greenstone

"You're a monster!"

A thin man in a hooded cloak pointed her way accusingly.

"Huh me?"

He flicked his head covering away, revealing his finer pointed ears and very long silver hair.

He's different... like me - or maybe not... no horns there... Possibly a traveling elf then...?

"How can a vile creature like you walk the lands freely?"

Sofia was shushed still by the harsh words of a fully grown man, accusing and questioning her very presence out in the open like that, but she wasn't alone, as Luke stepped forward to intervene.

"I don't believe you have the right person here, Sofia is a kind and considerate member or our community -"

"A wicked demon, someone do something about that..."

He intended to ignore the human male, but only stopped when Luke stood directly between him and Sofia.

"Sir, here we observe manners... so kindly do not point and shout unfounded names in public."

Sofia wasn't overly concerned about the outburst, having not so long ago dealt with children pointing and calling her all sorts of names, actually she felt quite nice, that Luke was once again stepping up for her sake.

A couple of others from town likewise gave disapproving glares at the travelling elf, who looked about for some support.

"But it's an Oni-"

"She... is a valued member of our community, and has been for a long while... so I'd again ask you to mind you tongue please."

Luke did the interrupting then, while Sofia peered around to see it brought a scowl to the elf's face.

Maya appeared from nowhere and skittered up to likewise stand supportively with Sofia, who watched as Luke calmly defended her.

The elf had determined he had no allies here, and in a huff, he hastily retreated away down the street he'd appeared from.

"You okay Sofia?"

Maya gushed over Sofia, having looked quite annoyed with the out of towner.

"I'm fine... I think."

Maya gripped her tightly and then pulled her aside.

"Come sit down with me."

Maya tugged her all the way over to her parent's store, of equipment and various other things, and sat in her billowing blue dress beside her.

"I'll make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble..."

Luke watched the figure go, and set off after him at a distance, carrying Sofia's vegetables with him.

"Oh... uh..."

Her escort was gone already, which felt worse than the earlier name calling.

While Maya had then tried to distract Sofia from the stranger's outburst with some gentle inconsequential conversation, Sofia had lingered upon his assumptions about her, till a pause in their chat made her bring it up again.

"Do you think I'm still some kind of beast?"

"Of course not - Sofia you're one of the brightest and friendliest people I know."

"But I'm not a person... I'm not even human..."

"Knock that off Sofia! You are you, and not what anyone else says, got it?"

Maya stated angrily, quieting the one she reassured, before backing up her claim.

"You are not wicked, not at all."

Elves where supposed to be fair and intelligent, since their long lives gave mush experience and time, so being accused by one had apparently hit her fairly hard.

"But Maya, that elf just said..."

Maya was having none of it though.

"Well let's go through the facts shall we; Do you hate people?"

"No..."

People are so nice and kind here, I could hardly not like them...

Maya went on to make it clear.

"Do you needlessly wreck things?"

She loved the opposite, seeing things grow and helping them do just that was sort of her passion.

"No."

"Do you lie or steal?"

"Not once!"

A little odd white lie surely didn't count.

"Are you selfish and unkind?"

"No."

Sofia always wished for the best, for everyone, and would always offer help to those in need.

"Do you want to hurt anyone?"

On the rare occasions that somebody really upset her, it did cross her mind to lash out, but she wouldn't ever want to cause an injury, and words always did the job anyway.

"No."

"Do you ever have... horrible... uncontrollable urges?"

"Horrible?"

Maya pondered briefly and twilled her dark-brown braids about.

"Like chasing down someone...?"

"Chasing... someone?"

Sofia's mind imaged Luke for some reason.

"Hunting them like an animal and pouncing on them...?"

Sofia had sometimes followed Luke, but not once hunted... and never pinned him down.

"Uh... no..."

Maya actually seemed to be getting excited as Sofia hesitated.

"Ripping them bare... and indulging in their flesh?"

Ripping...? His clothes...? To be bare...! And then Indulge... in Luke's... -? -?! -!!

Sofia imagined seeing Luke's uncovered chest, then briefly running her hands across his warm, possibly muscular body, before feeling overheated while simultaneously shivering.

"No - I... would... can't, uh!? No, no!"

She slapped her hands over her eyes, in a vain effort to cover her sight from her imaginings.

"See... so you could never be 'a beast' Sofia... you're too good for that."

Sofia tentatively looked Maya's way again.

"Uh... yeah... thankyou."

She looked at her lowered hands before her and settled some more.

"You want to hang out here till Luke comes back?"

Maya reached over and patted down Sofia's nearest hand.

"I don't mind..."

Sofia looked around, feeling slightly guilty still and averting her eyes.

"You think... he will?"

If possible, Maya's smile grew a bit.