Behind the curtain

She shuffled in the grass as he spoke, showing that same steady kindness to her that he had from the start. She still wasn’t comfortable talking about the attack. It shouldn’t have been any different then what she had endured before. If what her previous masters had put her through was or wasn’t rape, then this attack should have been the same. But she had been safe, suddenly, and finally. And then she wasn’t. Now, that attack lingered in her heart, and she couldn’t help but think of it as the cornerstone of her change. At least, when she first began to notice it.

“It’s like… waking up, for the first time in a long time. Before, I didn’t have to think, or be. I just… did ” she said, wondering if she was saying too much. She did not want to worry her Aegis, who she had come to care so much for. “Now I’m forced to face the questions ‘am I comfortable with this, do I want to do this? Is this okay?” she shook her head, she didn’t know if she preferred the fog. She shouldn’t, but life had been simpler. “I guess I thought I would go from confused sort-of-slave, to knowing exactly who I was here. The Hallows was supposed to hold all the answers, immediately.” she gave him a wry, shy smile. Ducking her head. She didn’t know why she was saying so much, but it was all coming out now. “But the room is too big, with too many shadows. I’m forced to realise I’m not used to sleeping alone. I feel…. Jumpy. I don’t want to go back into that big empty room. Not yet. Is it okay if I stay out here for a little while, My Aegis?” she asked softly.

"Speech"