Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Pandora Hearts.
Author's Note: This was written by my friend Tabbi and I am not taking any credit for it. I am putting it on here for her because her computer broke.
"A Bed Time Story"
Oz lived a poor life. She was a slave in her own home, always working until one day…
On a sunny day, young Oz was working in the garden, pulling weeds, trimming hedges, and cutting the grass. What a hot day it was, working for her father, Jack, whom she looked just like. On that day Oz heard an odd cawing noise from behind a bush. She put down the hedge trimmers and looked behind the bush. She found a hurt raven sprawled out on the grass. It was possibly an ugly bird but Oz had a kind heart and took the raven in to care for it.
In her room Oz made a nest shaped bed for the raven, and set it next to her bed on the night stand. She took a look at the poor raven and found that its wing was broken. Oz mended the wing with some strips of cloth when another servant came into the room. After a few words Oz left the bird to tend to her duties.
Oz's father, Jack, was always away, leaving her in the care of her father's so-called friend, Glen. Glen was mean to dear Oz and was the one who enslaved her. If Oz didn't do something right, or forgot to she would be punished by Glen's hands. Glen was a rude, always stealing stuff, like money, from his friend who took him in. Glen's daughter, Alice, was a nice girl to Oz, always trying to help her, but for father forbid them from even speaking with each other when a friendship was about to develop. Instead, Alice befriended a girl named Sharon who was related to Oz. Oz was once again forgotten.
Anyway, two days passed, Oz periodically bringing the bird some kind of food when she could get it, bread crumbs here and there. She was always on guard though, she wasn't allowed to have any pets, and she defiantly was not allowed to bring food up to her room. She was caught one day by Glen sneaking food into her room.
The other maids were praised for telling Glen about Oz and the bird in her room. Glen burst into Oz's room with a sword and tried to kill the bird. The bird got up and flew out of the way loosing the strip cloths Oz had used to mend its wing. It swooped around Glen's swings before flew and landed on Oz's shoulder. Oz looked at it with wide eyes then the raven pecked her on the cheek. After that it flew out of the window.
Oz put her hand to her cheek and smirked. The bird thanked her in its own way. She was never thanked before, but that thought was promptly interrupted. Glen walked up to her and Oz prepared for the beating of her life. When Glen was finished he locked her in her room, leaving Oz crumpled on the floor bruised and bloodied.
After a day and night the bruises darkened, cuts scabbed up, and her head pounded while she sat up in bed. Letting the tears flow, her face in her hands, Oz sobbed. Any thought of happiness and dreams of love faded fast from her mind. She had to return to her work duties tomorrow, looking out of the window she saw that the raven returned. It was watching over her the whole time. It flew over and landed on Oz's lap.
Oz looked down at the bird on her lap and used a finger to pet the top of its head. The bird was soft to the touch. The raven cawed in an attempt to cheer Oz up. She smiled a little bit, and then let it fade as she looked away. The raven cawed again, then again. Oz looked back at the black-feathered bird and never thought of it as an ugly, ill-omened bird, but as her only friend. She asked it, "Will I ever be loved? By anyone?" with a sob.
The raven looked at her and bobbed its head up and down as if it was saying yes, then cawed. "You're a sweet bird", she said with a small grin, then bent down and kissed the top of its head. She gave it a small hug, then the raven flew out of the window. It had heard a noise outside of Oz's door and didn't want any harm to fall on her. A maid walked in, the one who ratted Oz out, and told her that she was needed. Oz glanced out of the window, before leaving the room.
A few weeks had passed and soon it was Oz's birthday. She was nineteen now, but had no gifts given to her. The raven returned every now and then to accompany her so she wasn't lonely while attending to her outside yard duties. She talked to it, about when she was born, her childhood coming to an abrupt end, her enslavement, her almost friendship with Alice, about her dad, and her family. The bird listened and cawed or moved its head to show that it was listening.
On her birthday, the raven had dropped a beautiful black shining feather on Oz's lap. She was sitting on a bench taking a short break from work, when he dropped it and perched on the bench next to her. She picked it up a tear glistened in her eye and rolled down her cheek. The raven had given her a gift, her first gift in years, and she looked at the bird. "You are most likely the only thing I could love, little bird. Besides father. It's not his fault, its Glens." she said to the raven then turned her gaze to the sky. "I wish I could leave here. Go and have a life with someone I could love. Will you still follow me here, my dear raven?", she asked. The raven nodded.
Oz picked up the raven and gazed into its black eyes, the eyes gazing into hers. She smiled and again kissed the top of its head, then said "I love you my dear friend." The raven spread its wings and flew off. Oz waved it good bye then went back to her chores, putting the black feather in her apron pocket.
It was the middle of the winter and the raven hadn't come back yet after Oz's birthday. She was lonely again; she assumed that he flew south for the winter. Oz never expected what was about to happen. Jack, her father, came back bringing with him his nice friend, Break, and a stranger nobody knew. It was an unexpected visit, and Jack soon found his lovely daughter in a maid's uniform cleaning the ballroom. As soon as she saw him she ran into her father's arms with tears of joy streaming her face. Her birthday wish came true!
Jack told her that a friend of his told him everything that was going on with Glen. Jack called for Glen, leaving Oz , Break, and the stranger. "Well how do you do my lady? It's been a while" , Break said to Oz. "It's a lot better now that daddy's home. But will he throw Alice out too? She's a nice person and didn't do anything to hurt me", Oz pleaded with Break. "I'll discuss this with your father", Break said. "But I would like you to meet the person that your father was talking about" He referred to the stranger. "This is Gilbert."
Oz looked at Gilbert, who was looking at Oz the whole time they have been here. His hair was shaggy, black as a ravens feather she hold dear, and had golden eyes. He dressed almost in all black and had a kind face that smiled at her. "Please call me Gil", He said snapping Oz's attention from her gawking at him. He was handsome to her, but how did he know what was going on if she's never seen him before. Yet he seemed really familiar to her.
Jack came back, dragging Glen behind him. Jack motioned for Gil to help him. When he did leave, not without glancing at Oz first Break scooted closer to Oz who was watching Gil leave. "Familiar at all?" , Break whispered into Oz's ear. Oz flinched, and then looked at Break. Break smiled down at Oz, "Maybe like a certain friend you so happened to stumble upon? An enchanted friend?" Oz was shocked and only said one thing, barely a whisper, "The raven?" Break smiled even bigger and tilted his head to the side.
Oz stood there, staring wide eyed at Break, "H-How?" Oz said barely a whisper. "Why don't you ask him yourself?", with that said, Jack and Gil were carrying a beaten Glen before throwing him out of the door. Oz watched the whole time until Alice ran right to Oz. "I don't wanna leave! Please!" She was yelling threw tears. "You don't have to. You were good to Oz, right?", Jack said, smiling. Gil nodded with agreement. Jack had an idea for his daughter and said, "Break, Alice, will you join me in the study? We have much to discuss." With that said they left Oz and Gil alone. "You guys talk and get to know each other" , Jack said as they were leaving the study.
Oz looked down at the floor, heart racing and blushing. Gil walked over to Oz and said, "Your bruises are gone. Now I can see your face properly." It made Oz blush even more, she looked up, "You're my raven?" Gil leaned over and kissed Oz's head for his answer. It just made her turn even redder. "You broke the enchantment on me. I used to be a spoiled, arrogant man who only cared about myself. Someone named Vincent came along and said he was my long lost little brother and I just pushed him away. 'I didn't need anyone' I thought, but some girl named Abyss told me that if I didn't need anyone that I was better off as a raven. 'You will be as ugly as your heart is until you change and get someone to love you. I flew away, still not used to being a bird yet, then a hunter grazed my wing and I fell into the garden, breaking a wing on the landing." Gil pulled Oz into an embrace and continued, "I saw you."
"You were so innocent and pure when I saw you, I felt like nothing mattered anymore but you", Gil whispered when he buried his face into Oz's hair. "I vowed to myself that I wouldn't leave you alone if you didn't want to be. Then you made that wish on your birthday. You said 'I wish I could leave here and have a life with someone I love'. I wanted to do anything for you; I'd do anything to make that wish come true. Then you picked me up and said you loved me. That's why I flew away, the spell broke and I was human again. I ran back to my old life's mansion and claimed my authority again. Then I set off after the affairs where set and went to fetch your father. I explained everything even my feelings for you" , Gil sighed then pulled Oz's face up so he could see into her eyes. Oz blushed a deep red.
"I love you and I told him that. He told me-"He was cut off. "You have my blessing because only an honest man would have just come out with it. But let's see if you caught her heart as well as she yours", Jack blurted out, looking at Oz. "After I threw out that bastard Glen. He was a good friend once upon a time but he went sour somehow." He made a face then recomposed himself and looked at Oz. "Well, how do you feel about him, my daughter?", her father asked.
Oz lost in her thoughts, looked up into Gil's eyes and saw her little raven. The one she cared about so much to even get beaten black and blue. She walked backwards a little and Gil's face became confused. It hit her then, her wishes; all of them had or are coming true. She could leave when she pleases and no more harsh treatment or cleaning duties. She even had someone to love, all thanks to a raven that fell in love with her, and her raven, Gil is now human. She could freely love him if she wanted to. She did love him in fact, really loved him.
Next thing that Oz did was leap into Gil's arms, almost crying tears of joy. Gil caught her with a loving embrace, smiling, holding his savior close to his heart. "I take that as a yes?", Jack laughed. Alice joined in. Break left by closet before all the lovey dovey stuff happened, in fear that he might vomit. The little maid and her little raven became a lovely lady and her true love. The end. (Back to the real Pandora Hearts world)
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Oz was laying down on a bed and Gil was sitting on a chair next to him. "There's your bedtime story young master. Good night." Gil stood up and walked out of the room. Oz thought to himself I'm never having Gil tell me a bedtime story again. Ever! Oz laid there, sort of traumatized. Alice was under the bed totally traumatized, eye twitching. They both thought at the same time: Ever!
Actual Author's Note: To all those who liked the story, good for you. Personally I'd be staring at him more than listening. He's just that awesome. All though he's not good at telling bedtime stories, he's still awesome. If you like the story please leave a comment.