More than Meets the Cry

I walk trepidatiously into the sunlight room. I toss my purse on the ground. "Hey," I whisper nicely. "Are you okay? You don't look so well. I'm Noys. I can, can help you, I think."

I put my hand to my mouth. "Oh my gosh. I'm like so stupid. I didn't realize you couldn't talk. I'm an idiot. Sorry." I walk across the bed and carefully remove your bag. I unfasten your blinds too. I look into your eyes and widen mine. "Hi," I whisper.

I fold my hands demurely in front of me. I'm hiding the embarrassment of seeing your nakedness so cruelly strewn in front of me. "Vivian. I don't know what happened here and I don't know too much about elves. What can I do for you? Do you want me to untie you?"

There's a chance you want to be like this. I haven't considered that. "Um, do you want to stay like this? Sorry, I just don't know what's going on."

I wonder why you're not talking? Are you afraid of someone hearing? Probably. "Okay, it looks like you want me to untie you. You're bound tightly so please be patient."

With my delicate hands, I work at untying your binds. They're tight. I pull out a hairclip to help unfasten the tighter parts. Bingo. I got it. I feel accomplished. I feel a little nervous. A sense of urgency. Why are you like this and who did this to you? I can't look but you appear to be in some sexual position.

With each limb I release, I circle my hand around your limb and tenderly rub it. After I'm finished with your legs, I say, "There. All finished." Now what? Hmm.

Oh my God. You're traumatized or in some kind of shock. That's why you're not talking or won't get up to leave. I see no sheets to cover you with. I take my shirt off and, in my bra, put it on you. It's not much but maybe now you feel some dignity.

"Vivian, do you want me to come and lay next to you and hold you?" I ask, not knowing what else to do.

I stand there in my bra and look at you. I can see how you've been ravaged and abused. My eyes well up with tears and I instinctively fan my hands over my face. Why do girls do that when they cry anyway? It's stupid and serves no purpose. I have to be the strong one here.

"Okay, Vivian, I'm just going to lie down next to you. I'll hold you. It'll be alright." I stoop down and slide into the bed next to you. I lie down behind you and spoon you. I can feel your back against my chest. A strong sense of nurturing takes over within me. My shyness starts to melt away.

I caress your hair, taking care to not touch your ears. "It's okay. Curl up into a ball real small. Feel tiny and protected by me."

I press my cheek into the back of your head and hold you in a protective embrace. You feel me breathing behind you. My presence is soothing and comforting. I don't normally get close like this to other girls or elves but this is something that's needed. I feel no shame or like no boundaries have been crossed. I hope I didn't cross any with you.

I hold you for a while. Strangely, you warm the parts of me that are unclad. It's a mutual embrace of shared body heat. Your lithe, elven body is different from mine and I can feel that. That feels a little violating to you but I'm trying to help you.

I put my mouth close to your ear. I whisper softly, "Hey, this is nice but I don't think we should stay here. Whoever did this to you is certain to come back. You haven't spoken so I know nothing about you nor do I know where to take you. Please help me out."

I look around the room and down at myself. We have to leave but we're both half naked. What should we do? I grimace at this entire situation. I need some courage. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings," I say with strange confidence. Where did I hear that before? A movie?

A voice echoes: How can it not know what it is? Your memories; they're not real. They're artificial. My eyes start to produce an ohre hue.

That's right. I'm not human in the true sense. I'm a synthetic human with fake memories. We're against this whole veil thing. I had to masquerade as a human to get in here. I flex my muscles. I forgot that I'm not frail at all. I can carry you out of here. If there's any interedictors, well...

"Vivian, I can just carry you out of here. I'll be as gentle as I can. If anyone messes with us, I swear I can deal with them. I'm artificial. You can trust me." I scoop you up effortlessly and walk out of the room. I'll find you safe harbor for sure...