Chapter 14:

Short Ears

Short & Short


Her suspicions led her back to the elders' tree... but Edelgard had no intentions to scale it, today. She couldn't just waltz into this fated encounter and expect everything to go smoothly. For this one, Edelgard had to prepare.

She went past it, going down the same old path.

It was very early in the morning.

Edelgard barely got any sleep, and her eyes felt both heavy and light at the same time. When they were open, they wanted nothing more than to close, but when she closed them, they forced themselves to open again.

It was strange...

Neither Starkus nor Claudia were awake, so she made out to visit the only person who could help her, that being Almerya.

She didn't know what it would do to her, but she was determined to do it.

Maybe the willingness to change her own body would reach this elf she had to talk to. Edelgard hoped for a calm conversation between two adults, but she suspected that this was too much to ask for.

She had to accept it as it was, without the alterations.


There she was again, with that look on her face.

Almerya came to love it dearly, as it was one of the most striking features of Edelgard. She seemed taller than usual, her face neutral save for the one-sided smile on her lips. Her eyes gleamed with a glamour she never found in any long-eared elf.

"Hello, Edelgard," she greeted, standing up from her chair. "Are you here to get your hair cut?" Almerya asked, knowing that there was more to this visit.

"Yeah," Edelgard nodded, closing her eyes meaningfully.

"Then come. Sit down," Almerya prompted, excited to know what Edelgard wanted to do this time.

"You're awfully eager today," Edelgard teased, sitting down. Cutting her hair daily really wasn't necessary. After one night, the hair was so short even Almerya was worried about slicing Edelgard's skin open in the process. "I want to have my hair burned," Edelgard then said.

Almerya halted.

"What did you say?" she confirmed.

"I said I want to have my hair burned," she repeated, turning to look at Almerya. "The almost-invisible ones, I mean."

Almerya answered her gaze. She was determined, Almerya saw that much. Had she already deciphered that scripture... Starkus!

A smile crossed the elder's lips.

"What will you do when I tell you whom to visit for this procedure?"

The face Edelgard made then was the most beautiful Almerya had ever seen her make.

"I'm going to cast a spell."


She was just about ready to go out for the day. It's not like she would talk to him today... but maybe he'd see her, and looking bad would be the worst thing...

"Haah!"

She sighed loudly, punching the wall. Her hand hurt, but she bore with it. Seeing him like that just... stopped her.

"Uhm, hello?" someone called from the door.

Did I invite someone over today? Magmaralda tried to remember as she returned from the backroom, unable to come up with something.

"What do you... want?" She could stop thinking, now. She definitely never invited this person over. Edelgard, the woman of change, had a conflicted expression on her face as she shifted her weight from left to right. Something was off... Magmaralda violently shook her head, the hard work she put into her hair undone in a single motion. The wind on the climb up the tree would've done the same, but... she forced her mind on the woman in front of her. "Again, what do you want?"

"I... uhm..."

"Out with it, I don't have all day!"

Technically, she could take any day off, as often as she wanted, but that was an unimportant detail she'd rather gloss over right now.

Edelgard fought with herself, struggling to get the words out. If it was such a big request, Magmaranda already knew her answer for it.

"I want to-"

"I decline."

"Eh?"

"I said I decline. Now get out of my way, I have to get to work!"

Shoving the nuisance aside, she left her hut, walking to the elders' tree a step faster than usual. Edelgard stumbled after her.

"You didn't even listen to me!"

"I don't need to. I don't want to help you," she shot back, wishing for her to stop.

"... I heard about the last time change happened, but I still think you should give me a chance-"

"And what of it?" Magmaranda shot back, practically shouting now. "What does it matter if you heard some random elf talk about the last prophecy? I lost everything, and you dare to talk like you understand me? Like you have even the tiniest idea of how I feel? You don't know anything, Edelgard, bringer of change, daemon of doom!" Her neighbors were looking, random people were looking, but Magmaranda kept on screaming. She didn't care, they didn't concern her anymore. All she saw was the outsider, Edelgard. "Don't think I don't know what you want to do! Don't think I have no idea about your plans! You might fool those peace-loving elders who never felt the gravity of change, but I did, and I won't fall for your tricks! Do you hear me, I won't fall for your deceptions! I WON'T FALL FOR YOU!"


All Edelgard could do was accept it.

She froze in the face of such open animosity, such open hate. Magmaranda never got the chance to unload all of this, she suspected.

So she let her scream.

When she was finished, she took the weak elf by the hand, leading her back to her hut, seating her on the bed.

Edelgard sat down next to her.

Now, she could ask without being interrupted.

"Yes, I don't have a clue about how you're feeling, but that's the same for you, right? You don't know how I feel when I'm talked about as this evilest existence that ever walked the same trees as you, right? The truth is, Magmaranda, I don't know what I will make worse, but I want to be like all of you... and only you can help." Magmaranda didn't look up, so Edelgard took her head and forced her to look at her. She scowled softly. "Burn my hair away."

The scowl turned to a frown.

The elder finally seemed to realize the position she was in, and she hurried to swat her hand away.

"Don't talk like that! I heard about your visits! You just want to impress Karkass, don't you?"

"... And what if I do? He's as suspicious of me as you are."

"But-"

"Look," Edelgard interrupted, getting a bit angry herself. "I don't like the idea of you performing this dangerous ritual on me, either, but I have no other choice. I want to prove my worth as one of you, not just a hairy Shorty who can't be one of you! I'm moving forward, as should you."

"... What are you suggesting?"

Magmaranda was practically fuming.

Edelgard could almost see the steam coming from her ears.

"You neither help yourself nor Karkass like you are. I spoke with him, I speak very often with him, in fact... and yet, you never visit him."

"Neither does his brother-"

"All I'm asking of you in that matter is that you think about whether you really love him as he is now... or not."

The elder fell silent, a tear rolling down her face. Her shaking eyes landed on a lie made of stone in the next door.

Edelgard looked at it, too.

"Are you sure?" Magmaranda confirmed. "It's a dangerous procedure."

"None have died, as I've heard," Edelgard returned cheerfully.

"... Death is not the worst punishment."

"Even for that, I'm ready," Edelgard confirmed.

"... Then let's start."

Some strength had returned to her voice.