A week doing what was expected
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 119180
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Every single part of the situation was somewhere on the spectrum between undesirable and repellent to her. She hated that she was still stuck in this female body, she hated that it was so bright red and obtrusive, she hated being weak, she hated being voiceless. The notion of staying away from her noble quest to do housework, something she'd barely dipped her toes in over all her life, brought her no joy at all. These dwarves were really rather annoying and rude (though at least it didn't seem they would come on to her). But all the same, she was indebted to them, so honor and honor alone led her to decide not to run off that very first night. The following day, she was finally given a full tour of the cottage and shown what all her expected duties were. Cleaning was easy enough to pick up on, but she didn't really know how to cook. A few of the dwarves went hunting every day and would prepare their kills to some extent, but then it was up to her, and it seemed she was almost entirely in charge of the garden they had outside. The start was very rocky, and she quickly came to realize that cooking for ten hungry dwarves, plus herself, was going to be a very strenuous task that took up most of her time. Occasionally, when she found herself alone, peeling potatoes or making soup or sweeping the floor, she broke down into silent sobs. This was all wrong, and she needed help desperately. But she didn't even have any way to ask for it. Somehow, after everything, taking her voice had been the cruelest thing Belboz had done to her. Her neck became horribly irritated, blisters beginning to open no matter how hard she tried to keep the necklace from weighing down in the same distribution for too long. The blisters, even when truly horrendous, were barely visible against her crimson skin, but when she showed the dwarves after a few days, they produced a salve for her that assuaged her pain significantly, and began helping her make clothes that meant the necklace would never have to sit upon her bare skin. Things were better after that, but she was still miserable and frustrated and very lonely. Though the dwarves certainly seemed to notice how down she was, it didn't seem they had any idea what to do about it. Meanwhile, the dwarves were preparing to defend their home against an upcoming fey incursion. They created moveable barricades, gathered weapons, and constantly sung with each other about defensive formations. They also instructed Red on what she was to do in a variety of circumstances to hide herself and stay safe. They had various hidey holes in the cottage, though Red wasn't sure if a fey prince like Llewellyn would be so easy to fool. They cautioned that only in the most imminent and dire of circumstances should she try to flee into the forest, as it was likely that she be caught immediately. Red became more and more fraught with each day that passed, but at least - unless the dwarves were completely wrong about the severity of the threat - it sounded like she'd been right to stay here rather than sneak off into the forest by herself for quick recapture. After she had been working herself to the bone by day and tossing and turning by night for about a week,
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6/4/2022 2:14:01 AM
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