Disclaimer: I pity the foo that thinks I own Drakengard

Authors Notes: And here's the third chapter, the action picks up in the next one folks, so be prepared. And maybe for a bit of a wait too.

Chapter Three
Maiden's Monster

She had found Terace, Steph, Arye all on the same day. They had scared her at first, frightened her so much, she had thought they would eat her. But Steph had calmed her down, and the other two shushed her, and slowly, she saw that these three were nice, and had no intent to gobble her up with a side order of dog.

Though she did miss her dog, Arye had expressed how sorry he was, while Terace had only muttered the mutt had tasted excellent. And Steph would knock him in the head, muttering to the two of them, how could they be so stupid, and the young human would giggle a little, and all was fine.

She loved how they bickered, arugued or sometimes fought. How they would cower if she scolded them for it when it got too rough, how they would beg and try to appease her to forgive them. And when she did, she hugged them. And if she closed her eyes tightly when she did it, she could almost imagine she was hugging three men, that were nice, and strong, and would keep her safe.

She never let them near the village. It wasn't safe she said, and for a few years, they listened too her. But it was Arye that noticed something in their last meeting and parting, and he got worked into a frenzy, and all but dragged his brothers after her. For as he pointed out, she never bid them goodbye before. She had always said see you in a few days.

They were almost too late, but they got there in time though they knew she'd forgive them. And they knew that when they slayed the men surrounding her, trying to offer a sacrifice to the gods. Steph wanted to scream at the idiots. What honor was it to beg to the gods in such a way. But Terance beat him to it. Flame and smoke spewed from his mouth and he and his brother kept the men at bay as Arye tended to their human friends bindings, working and gnawing away untill the last shread of rope fell to the ground, and her hands moved the gag, letting her sobs loose in the air before she wrapped her arms around Arye, sobbing still. She had thought that would be the last time she saw them.

And as the screams filled the night, she closed her eyes tightly, and she could almost imagine her three knights, slaying the foul beast that had raised her for the slaughter.

In the end, she forgave them for being almost too late.