Are You My Mother? [Zero][Moonspear]

[GoblinFae]

Genevieve clutched at her throat as she dragged herself away from the pair. Her eyes were wide with shock and disgust as she watched Ashlar writhe on the floor. Emma though could not bear to see her playmate in pain and rushed to his side, kneeling on the rug as soon as she reached him.

"It's okay. Emma's sowwy Mister Ashley Sir. Bery sowwy! Pwease forgibe Emma. Pwease?" She petted his head, trying to be comforting as she watched on with her own set of tears. Her poor friend looked like he was in terrible pain. While she did not know why Emma suspected it was her fault and felt even more terrible. "Emma's sowwy!"

[Zero]

Oh sweet, precious, naive Emma. She had no idea what was going on. How could he explain the collar to a sweet little girl? Damn the enchantments that bound him! DAMN THEM! Ashlar howled in agony as the pain intensified with the dark thoughts. Forcing himself to not only repeat the words over and over in his head, but he had to force himself to believe that he hadn't meant to disobey Emma and that he would never, ever do so again.

Slowly the painful cramps in his stomach calmed and finally stopped. Laying in a quivering ball, the kitsune continued to mewl and whimper pitifully. "Ashlar is so sorry. He won't disobey his Miss Emma ever again. He promises."

[GoblinFae]

"But you didn't!" the little girl cried out, not understanding what he meant. "You didn't disobee! You stowpped when Emma said stowp! Emma's the one who's sowwy!" Emma really was sorry. She felt heartbroken for reasons she did not understand. All she knew was that friends did not hurt friends and she had hurt Ashlar badly.

Crying for his pain, her fear, and the thought that she may lose him forever because he would hate her drove her to hug him gently. Emma was afraid of causing him more pain and did her best to try and treat him with care, not knowing where the pain was only that he had been trying to hold his head as he curled in around himself.

"Emma's sowwy," she murmured again against his neck even as her mother looked on in rage. To hear the child speak in third person and to see her weep over such a pathetic creature turned her stomach to oil. Shock alone kept the grown woman in her place on the floor.

[Zero]

Ashlar was grateful for the gentle hug and sweet attention the little girl lavished on him. He didn't like pain when it was happening to him. Not at all. His little master was quite the comfort to him. The kitsune wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her pitifully as the last waves of pain ebbed away. "Not Miss Emma's fault. Ashlar was bad. Never Miss Emma's fault."

The words were murmured softly as he nuzzled her hair, now trying to comfort the child, realizing that she'd been quite traumatized by what had just happened. Curse that witch for what she had made him do. He had never wanted his sweet, innocent Miss Emma to see such a side of him. Oh well, the harpy would pay with her life for this day.

Not that she hadn't already been on his list to destroy, but she'd just been put in the express lane. There wouldn't be long, deliberate planning, oh no, she would suffer sooner rather than later.

[GoblinFae]

Genevieve stood slowly, still rubbing her throat while sneering. She was saved from hurling insults that would have ensured her death that very moment by the appearance of her concerned husband. Eglington's eyes darted between wife and daughter before he swiftly moved to his wife's elbow.

"Are you alright, dearest?" he asked worriedly, his gaze darting towards his daughter whom he looked at with a great deal of concern.

"That monster," the woman croaked hoarsely, "attacked me when I tried to stop him from mauling Emma."

"Not twue, not twue!" Emma shouted, jumping to her feet. "Mister Ashley Sir did no such thing!"

Eglington quickly interjected before Genevieve could, seeing that there was about to be a confrontation that he rathered they did not have. "Come dearest, let's have the doctor have a look at you," he murmured, tugging the older woman away. "Emma," he added calling over his shoulder. "Stay in your room and think about what you've done until I come back." The adults hurried out, the door closing with a click and a snap as the lock fell into place.

The small child stomped her foot angrily before kicking her discarded clothes from the night before, viciously. "I didn't do anything! She hurt Mister Ashley Sir," she grumbled sadly before moving back to kneel next to Ashlar. "Emma's sowwy."

[Zero]

The hateful woman was lucky she was still alive to sneer. Ashlar remained on the floor, passive as he clung tightly to his little charge. The kitsune's ears were laid back as Genevieve lied about what had happened. Yes, he had attacked her, but she hadn't been trying to stop him from mauling Emma. He couldn't hurt Emma even if he wanted to - which he didn't want to.

It was hard for him to let Emma go as she jumped up to confront her lying mother, but he did, cowering on the floor and making sure he looked as pitiful as possible, though his red eye gleamed with the promise of evil to come.

Ashlar watched as they left the room, pondering his next move regarding that horrible woman. Obviously she needed to go. Soon. Very soon. Today. Method was going to be tricky. How long would he be locked in here with Emma? How was he going to pry himself away from Emma long enough to do the deed out of her view?

She came back over to kneel beside him, interrupting and scattering his thoughts like leaves in the wind. "Ashlar doesn't blame his Miss Emma. Miss Emma has nothing to be sorry about. It is all that mean Miss Emma's mommy's fault. Evil, evil woman hurts poor, sweet Ashlar."

[GoblinFae]

The small child still felt horrible for her part in the morning's events even if her dear friend reassured her otherwise. To try and make up for it, Emma reached up and very gently petted and rubbed the Kitsune's ears in apology.

"Ashlar?" she asked, sounding quite pitiful. "Can we run 'way? I don' wanna be here anymore. Mother doesn't wuv me and Father didn't wisten to me. Only you wisten." Emma sniffled and rubbed at her eye before patting Ashlar's cheek. "And I got you huwt." Heavy tears raced down her cheeks as she lowered her head to lower them in chocolate locks. "I'm a bad fwiend!"

[Zero]

Ashlar figured that the poor child was going to feel guilty and responsible for what had happened no matter what he said. As she pet and rubbed his ears, he made a soft sound, almost like purring. It always felt so nice when someone paid attention to his ears.

His red eye peered at her as she spoke of running away and her parents. Running away wouldn't do, not at all. There was a big house and plenty of money right where they were and it all belonged to Emma when her parents were dead. That would be soon. Not that she knew it.

"Oh Miss Emma is right, Miss Emma's mommy doesn't love her, and that makes poor Ashlar so sad. Miss Emma's father doesn't love her either. If Miss Emma's father loved Miss Emma, he would listen and believe. Ashlar loves Miss Emma, he listens. Miss Emma mustn't think she is a bad friend, though. Miss Emma is the bestest friend Ashlar has had."

Perhaps a it of a stretch. Tempt had been his best friend. Still, whatever it took to appease the child. "Miss Emma cannot run. Cannot. This is Miss Emma's home. How dare they treat her this way. Ashlar will make them see how wonderful Miss Emma is and how wrong they are not to love her like she deserves. Ashlar will make them see..."

[GoblinFae]

"Weally?" she asked, sniffling. "The bestest?" Emma gave Ashlar a little kiss to his cheek before trying to work on a smile. "But they're my Mother and Father. That's how it's supposed to be, isn't it? How can you make it any diffwent? What's Mister Ashley gonna do?"

Her face was filled with a child's hope and complete trust in someone she deemed much wiser than she was. Ashlar had to know more than her. After all, he was older and had lived longer than her short few years.

[Zero]

Ashlar couldn't possibly tell Emma what he was going to do. That would ruin everything. Instead the kitsune gave her a smile and patted her softly on her sweet little head. "Miss Emma should just leave everything to Ashlar. Ashlar will take care of everything. Miss Emma will never have to worry about Ashlar ever not loving her."

Shifting slightly, he was starting to feel much better now. The pain from his collar was fading into a fuzzy and distant memory within the haze that was his mind. "Ashlar thinks Miss Emma had wanted to play. Miss Emma should play with Ashlar now and not worry anymore."

[GoblinFae]

It was answer enough for the little girl. Instead of arguing, she smiled and gave him a quick hug before bouncing off to get a very specific toy. When she returned to stand in front of Ashlar, Emma was holding a ball between her two hands, with the biggest smile on her face.

"I've neber had anyone to play this wit' before. HB doesn't weally play bery well, he's a ball-hog you see. Is this okay Mister Ashley Sir? Can we play wit' the ball or would you rather pway something else? I'm afraid I mostly have dolls and I'm not sure you'd like pwaying with them."

She looked at him unsure, her toe tracing the pattern on her rug nervously as she waited for his answer. It was the truth she had spoken, when Emma said that no one had played with her. Genevieve had not liked the idea of grimy brats ruining and corrupting her child with their foul games and dirty hands. Emma had always been alone.

[Zero]

Ashlar cooed softly as Emma hugged him before the adorable child ran off to retrieve a toy for them to play together. Her childish innocence was just what the kitsune needed. They would feed off of each other's immaturity and Ashlar's clever mind would keep his young lady ignorant of the less pleasant things that would go on in this house as he took over.

"A ball? Miss Emma is so smart! Ashlar would love to play with Miss Emma with the pretty ball. If Miss Emma wanted to play with dolls Ashlar would still be happy to play with his Miss Emma. Ashlar only wishes to make his Miss Emma happy!"

[GoblinFae]

"Smart?" she asked, tilting her head to the side as her nose wrinkled in confusion. "Why?" Her confusion turned to laughter though and she was forced to drop the ball as she covered her mouth with her hands. It rolled to Ashlar's knee even as she continued to giggle and shake her head.

"Silly Mister Ashley, dollies are for girlies. You're not a girlie like Emma." Giving pause she looked at him again, her head tilting in the other direction as she did. "Are you?"

[Zero]

Ashlar tilted his head to the side as his Miss Emma laughed at him. He didn't understand what he'd said that was so funny. Until she said that dolls were for girls. The kitsune's face scrunched up at that thought. "Boys can like dollies too! Ashlar is a boy, Ashlar doesn't mind playing with dollies with Miss Emma."

He pouted and picked up the ball that had rolled to his knee, holding it between his two hands he waved it at her. "Ashlar will roll the ball to Miss Emma and Miss Emma rolls it back?" He wanted to make sure he knew what was expected of him in this little game with his sweet little master.

[GoblinFae]

"Aww pwease don't be sad Mister Ashley sir. We can play with dollies later if you wants." Emma plopped down heavily on the ground, crossing her legs like a pretzel as she clapped her hands in excitement.

"Yes, yes," she cried excitedly. "Mister Ashley Sir rolls to Emma and Emma rolls to Mister Ashley Sir and we has fun! Fun fun fun!" The small child cheered and bounced up and down, already having forgotten her mother's abrupt and harsh invasion into her room and assault upon her friend and self.

[Zero]

"Ashlar is not sad. How can Ashlar be sad as long as Ashlar has his Miss Emma?" The kitsune chirped happily as he could. Another part of his mind was working on just how to rid himself of his little master's annoying parents. They had to die today. After what that harpy of a woman had done this morning he couldn't allow her to live another day.

Smiling he rolled the ball to Emma, his fluffy tail flickering beside him as he began this little game. Ashlar would roll the ball back and forth with Emma for as long as she wanted. It was easy work and if it made her happy then it made him happy too.

[GoblinFae]

Emma played happily though she grew bored easily as there was always the constant distraction of Ashlar's large fluffy appendage dancing about as if calling her to touch it. She kept missing the ball even as it rolled straight to her and she would forget to roll it back. The novelty of such cute ears and a tail still had not worn off on her and if anything it made her desire her own set.

With a sigh, the little girl rolled the ball aside and crawled over to give Ashlar a big hug. "I wuv you Mister Ashley Sir," she told him honestly, snuggling in close. "You're the best fwiend, Emma's eber had. But don't tell H.B. that, he'd be bery sad and we don't want that, now do we?"

[Zero]

Ashlar was confused when Emma stopped the game, but when she crawled to him he pulled her into a hug and purred happily, tail wiggling. There were few things that the kitsune liked more than snuggling.

"Miss Emma's secret is safe with Ashlar, Ashlar won't tell H.B. that Emma said Ashlar was bestest. Emma is Ashlar's bestest friend too. Ashlar loves his Miss Emma. Miss Emma is kindest master for Ashlar."

[GoblinFae]

The little girl gasped in surprise and glanced down at Ashlar's hip briefly before leaning up to whisper in his ear. "Bester than Mister Wallabing?! Weally? You mean it?" Without waiting for an answer, Emma hugged Ashlar tighter, burying her face against his chest and humming softly in pleasure.

[Zero]

Ashlar snuggled the child again as she buried herself against his chest. His red eye peered down at his stuffed puppy before looking down at the little girl's dark hair. Letting his voice drop into a secrative tone he answered her. "Even bester than Wallaby."