purple diamond in the rough

Gypsy could feel the man. Not physically, but she could somehow feel the sheer size of him. His impressive stature was intimidating, but the faerie fae had already flipped the switch in her mind. Fear was gone. Acceptance was all that was left. Whatever this big man did to her, she was ready for it. She’d retreat to that small portion of her mind that she kept walled off from the rest. Her mental sanctuary.

But he surprised her.

The man settled down so that he could be on her level. His voice shifted with the change in height and she could feel the warmth pour off of his massive frame. That warmth made the girl envious. She was so very cold. Shivering had long stopped working to warm her and her body had simply stopped quivering and had accepted the fact that it was freezing, most likely to death.

With a softened voice, as though he had noted her initial fear, he asked how long she’d been tied to the tree. “The sun has warmed me twice.” Gypsy’s voice remained a soft whisper as she spoke. She hesitated for a moment when asked if she had anywhere to go. “No?” Her head gave a little tilt, brows creasing just a bit. “We travel from place to place. It’s just the two of us.” And whoever else he decides to let tag along for a while. Aside from her father, she had no one in the world. She was incapable of caring for herself and he took full advantage of that. Anyone else would have been both astounded and disgusted at the amount of physical and mental abuse that Gypsy had gone through in her short life, but that was normal for her. It was the life created and designed for her, she just lived it.

Ears slid backward for a moment and Gypsy quickly shut the mouth that she’d just opened. The young woman had almost spoken out of turn. She was going to ask his name, but if he was anything like her father, she’d have received a blow to the face for speaking without being addressed first. She’d have to wait and hope that he thought to both give his name and ask for hers.