Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's used in this story. This story is based on the Iron Fey series written by Julie Kagawa (an amazing writer).
AN; I decided to re-write my other story. It was really a pathetic piece of work and I do not plan on continuing it. So this is a newer story. You can read 'Change of Plan' since I have left it up, but I wouldn't recommend you do so. This is an entirely different story, but it shares the same concept.
In this chapter, we start where Titania was about to turn Meghan into a Hart, instead she turns her into a rabbit before Oberon finds her. Things will be explained later on that aren't explained here, but feel free to ask any way.
Our eyes met, her's a raging whirlwind of hatred and murderous intent. I kept my composure, though I was afraid. I couldn't let my brave front fall apart now. If it did I was done for. Even though she was the wife of my father, she rebuked me with all of her power. Well, maybe not all of it. She was a heartless, soulless faery. That meant she could destroy me in a matter of milliseconds with the slightest of ease. Something in her eyes told me she wasn't about to forgive me for speaking to her directly.
Did she honestly expect me to respect her? The way she spoke of me to my face was enough to anger me. She had called me a bastard, used innocent and terrified Tansy to speak to me for her (even though I could hear her perfectly), and just threatened to turn me into a Hart. I wasn't about to stand there and be treated like dirt all because she was a jealous, spoiled, overgrown brat. If I wasn't so terrified that I might die, I would have told her just what she was. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to get away so easily.
Now would have been the perfect timing for Puck to swoop in and save me. "No chance of that," I thought, "He's in a cage. Poor Puck, no wonder he stayed with me for so long. If I lived here with this hag, I would've left a long time ago." With that thought my heart squeezed a little. I was alone. I pushed those thoughts out my mind. I had to concentrate on Titania. If I was to escape here alive I had to focus.
Before I could move again, a bright blue light flashed in front of my face. My body started to change, stretching and pulling, my skin growing tight. My limbs shrank and my ears pulled back so much it hurt, like they were being pulled to the top of my head. My fingers almost melted together as they became shorter. Lots of white hair protruded from my skin until I was covered in white fluff and the ground rushed up to my face until I could smell the dirt. I blinked as the light faded away.
Everything was much bigger now, Tansy was towering over me and the Queen was sitting back in her throne, gigantic and laughing, almost too loudly. My ear twitched atop my head as realization dawned on me. The witch had turned me into a rabbit. A fluffy little creature with no hope of survival in a place like this. I looked back up to Tansy who looked mortified. I tried speaking, but it came out as a tiny gurgle-scream, barely audible.
"Now, you pathetic bastard," she said, squinting her eyes at me, smiling sadistically. "Run." she said, the word dripping with venom. I startled at that, my tiny heart pounding my frail ribcage. I didn't hesitate. I turned and bounded through the garden, everything much larger than when I had first entered. It was all pretty intimidating. Behind me I heard Tansy pleading Titania for something, followed by a barking sound. Before I could be bothered to worry, someone stepped in front of me and swooped me up.
I sat there, in their arms, whoever they were, shuddering and shaky. My ears twitched uncontrollably as the person moved slowly, elegantly, not letting me go. I wasn't about to move, anyway. As the person neared the direction I had just come from, I saw a two-headed dog, vicious and hungry. Upon my savior's arrival, the dog whimpered and lay down, it's heads resting on it's giant paws. Titania's face was full of disdain as a loud, thundering voice shook the ground. It was the person who had saved me.
"Wife," said Oberon, "You are never to cause harm to my daughter. You must never see her again. If any harm shall come to her, your place on the throne shall belong to someone else." he said sternly. Titania sat up straight, obviously livid that she would have to treat me with respect. I saw else behind her eyes, as he spoke. I saw hurt and pain hidden beneath all the rage.
Despite that, I found comfort in his words somehow. I knew he wasn't about to break any laws. As a king he had to uphold them, even when it came to me, but it was nice to know he was protective over me. I was not sure if he cared about me specifically, but he definitely didn't want me to die. Which was great.
Without a word from either of them, Oberon handed me to a trembling Tansy. She gave a low bow and we left. I wasn't sure where she was taking me, but the little satyr seemed to know where she was going. We traveled forever until we came to a stop in the forest in front of a golden door. She knocked three times, careful not to drop me.
A few seconds later the opened and a familiar scent caught the wind. I couldn't see inside the room, but I knew where I was. I leaped out of Tansy's arms bounced into the room. The beautiful golden tile was cold against my paws as I examined the place. Tansy stood there, biting her nails, afraid to enter. I, however, was comfortable with being here. "Come back, Princess!" cried Tansy, like she was afraid I would killed or something. I ignored her as I looked around the room.
In one corner sat a chest with a stuffed rabbit- and I'm not talkin' cute-little-toy. Taxidermist, much? Beside the rabbit was a lamp with a round, purple shade decorated with golden stripes. In another corner was a large bed, sheer orange cloth draping around the sides to make a canopy. The sheets were purple and dark blue silk. It didn't all match together, but room theme was Moroccan themed. It was like being in a rich gypsy's bedroom. In the center of the room, there was a giant golden fountain, the water changing from one color to another, there were too many colors to count. Behind me were tables of different sizes lined against the wall. Atop the tables were different oddities like a crystal ball, a giant purple feather, three small orbs floating around each other among a zillion other beautiful things.
Before I could marvel any longer, a door from the far side of me opened and in stepped the owner of this stunning home. There, standing in all his glory, stood Puck. I hopped over to him, excitedly. Hopefully he could turn me human again. I sat at his feet and stared up at him. I was a little disappointed to see a look of utter confusion displayed on his face. I couldn't blame him though, he didn't know I had been turned into a rabbit.
"Where did you come from?" he asked, reaching down to pick me up. I dodged. I figured that it would be funny to mess with him a little, since he didn't recognize me. It would be really pathetic to skip a chance like this. After all those pranks he'd pulled and times he made fun of me, it was finally my turn to get him back. Without another thought about it, I dashed under the bed in the corner, bumping my head on the wooden frame as I dove for it. He, as expected, followed. I heard him curse rabbits under his breath as he knelt to the floor.
I was a little a dazed as I slid across the slick floor, but came to just as his arm brushed over my fur. I ran again, this time hitting the wall. This wasn't going to be easy. I shook it off (though my nose throbbed and my whiskers twitched erratically) and jumped onto the lower section of his nightstand, and onto his bed. I took note of where he kept his journal, under the lamp on his bedside table. It almost looked like it had a name that began with Ari, but the rest was faded too much to see it from there.
A second later he hopped up from the floor on the other side of his bed. He had slid underneath and gotten stuck as I was examining his items, but now he was up and ready to pounce. He reached out his arms and tried scooping me up with a lunge forward, but I was too smart for that. My timing was perfect as I bobbed to the left and he missed, landing with a face full of silken sheets.
I tried laughing as I hopped onto his back, but it came out as a squeal. Rabbit's can't laugh? I asked myself as he growled. I knew he was about to get up, but I stayed there. I hurtled into the air as he flipped over and I landed squarely in the center of his chest. I sat there in a defiant stance, staring down at him. My ear twitched a little. I hopped on to a round pillow and sat there, watching his angry look fade into a lazy grin.
He sat upright as Tansy peered around the door. "Who is this?" he asked, almost like he didn't care. "Look, I know you want to save all of Titania's little pets, but I can't help you all the time." he said, as I hopped into his lap. "Well, this one seems to like me," he paused, contemplating. "But I can't help it." he decided, uncaring. Did Puck have visitors like me often? Did Tansy bring other people here as rabbits due to Titania? He picked me up and walked over to Tansy as I contemplated this.
"But, master Puck," she said sweetly, "This one is - " she was cut short as he handed me to her. I didn't give either of them time to say anything else as I leaped out of her hands and back into his room. I refused to be a rabbit forever and if he could help me, he would help me. I was his best friend after all.
"Come here!" he snapped, slamming the door in Tansy's face. I hopped over to him and he sighed, pulling me back up into his arms. "Well," he said curiously. "Are you a guy or a girl?" Realization struck me as he lifted me up, but I flipped into the air and kicked him in the face, hopping over to door.
Tansy knocked three times again and the door opened, knocking me to the side. Puck looked irritated as I got back onto my paws. As I examined his face I saw three large scratch marks across his nose. Being a rabbit was really starting to suck. I bounced over to Tansy, who was starting to say something, but Puck interrupted, stepping on my paw. I screamed high pitchedly and he stepped back, a goofy grin once more plastered across his face. I glared up at him as my paw throbbed.
"Aren't most of Titania's rabbits brown? Unless they're a fey, in which case it would be black. But I've never seen a white rabbit. Then again, Titania doesn't turn humans very often." he said, mostly to himself. Tansy opened her mouth to speak again, but Puck didn't notice as he continued his monologue. "Aren't humans gray, though?" he asked, eying me suspiciously.
Tansy rolled her eyes waiting for him to finally understand. I glared up at him and hopped over to his feet. He stared, contemplating again.
"What are you?" he asked. Like I could answer? Idiot...
"She's half-fey." said Tansy. Her voice was quiet and soft, though irritated.
"Oh, that makes sense. Wait," his expression was one of pure shock. "Meghan?" he asked. I didn't say anything. I couldn't.
"Yep." said Tansy, picking me up and handing me to him. I was starting to get sick of so many people holding me.
"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" he exclaimed, taking me and rushing into his room. Tansy waited outside, patiently. Puck placed me on a small sofa with throw pillows here and there. "Well, here goes." he said. He whispered something and the air around me bacame unsettling. My fur stood on end as I waited. Nothing happened for a few seconds and I started to worry, but then a light exploded around me. I didn't feel anything happening and I suddenly became to sleepy to stand.
I collapsed to my right and drifted off into sleep, with nothing but darkness to comfort me.
