“We could brand them,” Daniel suggested with a shrug, much to Charlotte’s surprise. “Maybe a large mark on the butt or near the thigh perhaps?”
“You’re joking,” Charlotte assumed, partially concerned.
“I suppose I would have to be otherwise I’d be just as terrible as the men who only desire preadolescent girls,” Daniel chuckled, much to the relief of the alpha. “Though to answer your question, I would say it comes down to the perspective humans have of you.”
“How so?”
“For witches, it’s all about display,” Daniel reasoned. “Your mystic attire and unique flair are sometimes giveaways, and having a magical focuser and being able to use magic is also a sure sign you’re not a little human girl. Your everlasting youth cannot be ignored, but your actions speak very highly about the person you are.”
“Our actions?”
“When I first met Alyssa, she acted like a playful child most of the time. Always skipping about merrily, having an innocent and curious guise, and behaving like a sweet little girl. If it wasn’t for her brandishing her magic it would have been impossible to tell if she was a witch or human child. And this behavior wasn’t accidental, it was intentional. She loved playing the part of a little girl, she said so herself. It was fun for her, and made it easier for her to act alluring for potential victims. Something witches are widely known for doing to trick humans or tempt their inner demons, as I’m sure you’re aware.”
Charlotte remained silent as she averted eye contact with Daniel, something that drew a knowing smile across his face.
“Have you ever done that, my grace?” he asked, earning a glance from her. “Have you ever pretended to be a little human girl to entice a man? Have you ever acted like a child on purpose to deceive others?”
“I think you know the answer to that,” Charlotte retorted. “It’s something every witch knows how to do in order to bait a man. If we act cute and innocent, whether the man has good intentions or not, we can often get closer to them all the same. I’ve had eleven daughters in my long life, all thanks to our ‘unique flair’ as you call it.”
“I see. Yes, it is true. Alyssa sure tried time and again to get closer to me by acting like an endearing little girl. She was cute, bubbly, and always smiling at me with adoration. She acted coy and innocent at times, and others she flaunted her body and immoral intentions to tempt me. She’s been known to brag that her butt is just too cute to resist, and if I were a lesser man I would have fallen for her charm and seduction long ago for all the wrong reasons. She knows her body is youthful and sparks a forbidden lust in men, and she knew how to weaponize that, like all witches surely do.”
“What’s your point, Daniel?” Charlotte demanded.
“My point is she doesn’t act that way anymore,” Daniel explained. “Sure, she’s cute and skips about now and again in a playful manner, but after becoming my mate she’s letting go of her deceptive ways. She’s showing her true self, a mature woman with a real heart who loves and cares for me and my family. Alyssa could wear anything she wanted, a witch’s attire or human clothing, and I would still be able to see the older woman she really is. Not by her looks, but by her personality and soul that she prominently displays now.”
“Any little girl could act that way as well,” Charlotte warned him. “Put us in the same clothes and we look identical to one another. What’s the difference?”
“It’s something you can see in the person. In their eyes, their words, their movement. You may look like a little girl, my grace, but I can see the older woman you are very clearly. In the way you speak, the way you look at me, the way you act before me. There’s a sense of maturity in you, something you can’t fake very well when you’re young.”
“So your answer for how witches can obtain real men and not sick perverts is simply to act our true age?” Charlotte skeptically questioned. “To cut out all the playful behavior and act like older women?”
“There’s nothing wrong with giggling or being playful, my grace. However I don’t need to tell you that there’s a difference between doing so for fun and for seductive intentions.”
“And you think that will be enough?” Charlotte carefully asked him. “If all the witches in my village stopped acting like little girls and behaved more like adults in the eyes of humans, then all would be okay between us?”
“No, I’m not that naïve to say all would be alright then,” Daniel admitted, shaking his head. “There are obvious differences between humans and witches that would need to be acknowledged and understood by both sides. And there are going to be nuances that need to be respected. And humans, just like witches, are capable of being monsters, so of course there would still be incidents to watch out for. However there are two major factors that are keeping your kind at bay from mine, and it’s not the fact you look like little girls on the outside. It’s that you purposefully behave like little girls to tempt the dark desires of men, and that you treat men like cattle to be milked for their seeds and nothing more.”
Charlotte remained quiet as she slowly toyed with her wand, thinking carefully about his reasoning while a brief silence befell the hall.
“When I first met Queen Victoria,” Daniel spoke up, catching her attention. “Queen of the ant girls residing in northwestern Koskaysil, and the queen of my late beloved, Squeak…”
Taking a moment to keep his composure, Daniel harbored the painful memory of losing his ant girl all over again, something Charlotte took notice of as she nodded slightly in empathy.
“The one who died during the conflict,” she recounted. “Yes, my helpers informed me about her. She was incredibly brave to stand up to those monsters like she did. It will make me think twice from now on whenever I question an ant girl’s valor. My condolences for your loss, Daniel.”
“Thank you,” Daniel said, taking a slow breath before continuing. “Sorry, just saying her name brings up many wonderful memories. But I digress. When I first met her queen, she asked me something that stuck with me ever since leaving her nest. How will I arrange it so her race, yours, any race in fact, will be allowed to continue to breed? How will I arrange it so your races have the men they need to survive?”
“And your answer?”
“I didn’t have one,” Daniel said, a small laugh being made as he shrugged. “I was stumped. I didn’t have an answer to give her then because… I wasn’t sure myself. I knew it was possible, I knew we could all live together in peace and prosperity, but I just didn’t have all the pieces to the puzzle yet.”
“That sounds like you,” Charlotte smirked.
“Yeah, perhaps I was a bit foolhardy with my dreams when I started this journey. I saw the end result clear as day, but the path to get there was cloudy and uncertain. But that was then, this is now. And now I do have an answer for her, and for you, my grace.”
“And what is that answer?”
“We all need to stop being monsters,” Daniel replied, earning a puzzled look from the witch. “Humans are not excused from this either, I’ve seen plenty of prejudice and hatred among my kind that needs to be removed. But your race, the elves, the centaurs, all races in this world; they have just as bad of an image problem as do humans.”
“An image problem?”
“You’re very beautiful, my grace,” Daniel admitted, electing a curious smile from the woman. “You have a lovely charm to you, you carry yourself and your words with assertion and poise, and let’s be honest here, your youthful looks only add to your appeal under a virtuous light.”
“Careful, Daniel,” Charlotte playfully warned, shaking her wand at him. “If you want to seduce me you’ll need more than fancy words yourself.”
“Rest easy, I’m not trying to seduce you,” Daniel assured. “I’m only being honest. And with that honesty comes the truth of how you and all the witches of Rystone would be the absolute last choice for mates that I would ever consider taking in my life. Wishing to be your mate would be equal to a death sentence if not wor
se.”
Charlotte stared at him with a stunned look as Daniel calmly sipped his tea, the witch slowly showing sullen smile while her squirrel hissed at him.
“Is that so?” she bitterly asked. “My my, so nice of you to be honest with me, Daniel.”
“Are you surprised by what I said?” Daniel challenged. “Think about it. What man would be safe being your mate, my grace? Or any of the witches in your village? Do you really find it shocking to hear that humans would naturally be wary of approaching you, let alone consider living with you? You do realize how witches are known to treat humans.”
Charlotte crossed her arms with no amusement seen in her scowl while Daniel continued to show no concern with angering an alpha witch right in front of him.
“Witches hex and deceive humans. They use magic to blind their minds, they use force to bind their bodies, they use potions to poison and subdue their prey. They rob them of their free will in one way or another, or worse, goad them into becoming monsters themselves by sexually assaulting what they believe to be an innocent little girl. If they’re lucky, the man will be left alive to flee afterwards. If they’re unlucky, they’ll be taken away to be a slave for the witch as her personal breeder. And if they’re a bit more lucky than that, they’ll be killed afterwards instead for the witch’s own pleasure. Tell me, my grace, what part of any of that redeems you and your race in the eyes of humans?”
“I sense you’re trying to build this up to an epiphany,” Charlotte droned, waving him on. “Please hurry up and get to the point before I grow angry with you for your words.”
“My point is you have an image problem,” Daniel clarified. “All races do. You see, we’re so busy killing each other, raping each other, and plotting against one another, that it doesn’t leave a lot of room for building trust, relationships, or safety with one another. If witches didn’t do all of the horrible things that you’re known for doing, if you treated humans with respect and equality instead of as seed sacks or cattle, then progress can be made to build an alliance between our races.”
“You haven’t answered the first question yet,” Charlotte snidely reminded him. “How exactly are you going to arrange-”
“That my race will mate with you so you can continue to live on?” Daniel quipped with a smirk. Charlotte slowly nodded as the man had a smug grin on his face. “Simple. Once your image problem has been removed, then you’ll be free game.”
“Free game?” Charlotte repeated in bewilderment. “What do you mean by that?”
“You know what stumped me about Queen Victoria’s question?” Daniel quizzed her. “The way it was phrased. And I wasn’t able to find a solution until I finally saw why that was. Monsters need men to breed. Any monster race I talk to would of course be concerned about not receiving any men to breed with should such alliances be made. But the way Queen Victoria phrased her concerns, the reason why the monarch of Flairwood showed issue for such an idea, and the way you are thinking about this process right now is why it seems so hard for all of us.”
“And just how I am being problematic by inquiring how your race plans on providing men for us?” Charlotte inquired.
“Because you’re asking that humanity just gives you men to have sex with,” Daniel sharply told her, surprising the witch. “That’s what Queen Victoria was worried about. How will I arrange it so we give her men to breed with. She wasn’t thinking about men choosing to be with her because they wanted to, she was only thinking about when the men would be brought to her, one way or another. As if my race would relinquish men to her in some form of tribute for peaceful relations. That’s why I didn’t have an answer for her then. Because this arrangement wouldn’t work that way at all.”
“I don’t understand you once again,” Charlotte sighed shaking her head.
“That’s because you’re thinking with your womb and not your heart,” Daniel retorted, further surprising the witch. “The ant girls, the giant butterflies, the elves, and even you witches; whenever I tried talking about peace and living together, about humans choosing to be with members of your race, what did you do? The first place all of you go to is, ‘So how are you going to give us men to breed with?’ And here’s the answer to that. I’m not. I’m not handing over a single man to any race. That’s not how this works.”
“Then how are we going to be able to breed?” Charlotte loudly demanded.
“By attracting men who genuinely want to be with you!” Daniel shouted back, startling the witch. “After speaking to so many races about this same idea, it’s become painfully clear that none of you believe a man will ever want to be with you. You’re all convinced that you have to be given a man in some way or else you have to take them. Remember that image problem of yours? Where do you think it comes from, my grace? Where?”
Charlotte tried to utter something in response, but the words appeared to be caught in her throat as she was unable to form a reply.
“How many men are held captive in Rystone?” Daniel asked, getting only silence from the woman. “How many men are held captive by witches and treated like sex slaves, objects, or tools? How many men have you hexed and raped in your life?”
“That’s… none of your business.”
“My business is fostering peaceful relations between humans and other races,” Daniel argued. “My business is forming a future where your kind are treated as equals, where they can have husbands and fathers in their lives, where they can have allies in both humans and other races who can help them when trouble appears. My business is putting an end to the goddamn cycle of rape and revenge between our races, and I’m having a hell of a time doing that when you and other races out there are being so absurdly stubborn and single-minded!”
Charlotte stared at him surprise as he took a moment to calm himself and take a drink of his tea. After a while of silence passed he breathed slowly and proceeded to speak again in a normal tone.
“This is how it’s going to work for you witches and many other races out there. You need to fix your image in this world so humans don’t see you in the same light that they do with monsters like those in The Sisterhood. You need to stop acting like monsters, you need to stop thinking like monsters, and you need to start behaving like well-mannered women and children of Eden. Because let me tell you, Charlotte, as your friend, if you and your kind continue down the path you’re on then it’s never going to get better. You’ll always be alone, hated, and vulnerable.”
“I didn’t expect you to speak so brashly in front of me, Daniel Sorres,” Charlotte cautiously remarked.
“I’m sorry, but my patience for this issue is nearly done. Every race I see and speak with, it’s always the same. They think they have to be monsters in order to survive. They think they have to force men into giving them their seeds. They think that’s the only way they can live. If you fix your image problem and show the world you’re not monsters, that you’re nothing like those who love to rape and kill in this world, then you can start attracting men who genuinely want to be with you.”
“You really think a man will ever-”
“For crying out loud, Charlotte, I’ve been having sex with Alyssa regularly ever since we left Eston,” Daniel droned with a roll of his eyes. “I’m perfectly fine bragging that her ass is mine and you can be damned sure I’ll kill anyone who tries to take her from me. I love her. I want to marry her. I want to have a family with her.”
“You want… to marry her?” Charlotte asked in awe.
“I do. You know, I started this journey by searching for proof of my beliefs; monsters who weren’t really monsters but rather misunderstood and in need of a helping hand to show it. I found many wonderful examples of different races who all believe in my dream for a better world, and in turn I found many beautiful women who I love and cherish in a way I never thought possible. As ironic as it is, I too was the proof I’ve been searching for all this time, because I’m a man who took all those girls out there as my mates because I love them, because I want to
be the man in their lives. So don’t you dare try and lie to me by saying no man will ever love a witch, because I think I’ve already proven otherwise by now.”
Charlotte paused for a moment with a stunned look on her face, opened her mouth to speak and failed to do so, then looked down in careful consideration of what she just heard.
“There’s your answer, my grace,” Daniel told her. “We can live together in peace and be seen as equals, only if your race is willing to help with that. Clean up your image in the world, prove to everyone you’re not heartless monsters or sadistic rapists, and even though that may take time and effort on your part, after you accomplish those tasks then you’ll see the truth that’s been right in front of you all this time.”
“What truth is that?” she carefully asked him.
“That your race, the centaurs, the elves, the ant girls; all of you are attractive in your own right. You all have your own beauty that shines incredibly bright when allowed, and you all have amazing and wonderful talents that are indeed worthy of praise and respect. Once humans no longer see you as monsters or enemies, once they see that you pose them no danger, that’s when they’ll start to see you for who you truly are. And then you’re all free game.”
“Free game,” Charlotte repeated. “You mean…”
“With your beauty, talents, and caring hearts, men won’t fear being in your clutches. They’ll be vying for your affection instead. That’s the trick to making this work. It’s not about men being given to you, it’s about men wanting to be with you.”
“Are you saying we’ll be desirable in a man’s eyes just as a human woman is?” Charlotte asked with uncertainty. “That a man would ever truly look at us with admiration or even love?”
“If you don’t believe such an idea coming from me, ask my mates what they think,” Daniel winked at her. Charlotte leaned back in her chair as she contemplated such a notion, trying to imagine a situation where a man would voluntarily choose a witch over a human woman out of pure affection and with no strings attached.
Chronicles of Eden - Season II - Act II Page 29