(WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS THEMES SUCH AS DEPRESSION, CHILD ABUSE, PLATONIC / CASUAL NUDITY, HISTORICAL MISOGYNY / ABELISM. PLEASE BE WARNED)
What was the last thing he remembered? It felt as if that he's dragging his feet through the snow as it pelted down from the sky. Seeming to have no possible end. It felt fuzzy. All of it. Every single step his feet crunch through the snow, the child felt like he was going to pass out from utter exhaustion. The chilling wind bit at his entire body causing him to shiver in pain every few seconds. Did he have an exact destination to go to? No. He's just trying to find the nearest source of help that could get him out of this situation.
Living in the orphanage where he would have everything set out for him. But at what cost? Liam didn't like it at all. The way they looked at him. The way they treated him. He knows why. After all, he's the reason he was even sent to that place in the first place. His heart felt heavy upon thinking of it at all. The accident. That's what it all was, right? An accident? Something that he couldn't have control over. But, something was definitely a gift. Left in the wake of his own misery.
The sounds of the winds howling against his new form… the fur tickled against his body. He couldn't even be sure WHAT he was. After all, Liam is a special case, wasn't he? Ever since he was born he could hear things… see things, even if he couldn't see entirely. Noises were amplified. Things were sent out in waves. He could only make out slight shapes in the wind as it howled. The snow that crunched under his paws sent out wavelengths guided him through this never ending forest. His arms curled around his arms in a desperate attempt to soothe himself and keep himself warm all the while.
His teeth chattering against his jaws. This winter is bitter. Horrible. Painful. Why did he have to wake up here? He didn't know how he got this lost. He was sure he knew the way to town. It's a straight shot from the orphanage. But, maybe he wanted to internally leave the orphanage behind him. If he went to town, they could just find him again and punish him again. He couldn't stand the idea of going back into the Dark Room. Christ, that's the one punishment he couldn't stand.
No matter how much he cried and begged to be let out, no one came. His tears were wasted on people who didn't care about him. Or rather, they just didn't want to deal with someone who was already a burden. A blind child who could barely defend himself. Tch. He should've ran away a long time ago.
But, there's one comfort that he did find solace in and that was his secret spot by the river. He could never see its beauty, but he could envision it. Running rapid rivers that ran down the east. Fishes that swam aimlessly. Cold water that he could splash around in. That he could drink. It was just a natural source of water he could play around in. Where he could feel as though he could be a natural child. His eyes stare up into the sky. Nothing. Just darkness. He never could see color. Could he try to imagine it? What does gray look like? Snowy skies that coated the entirety of the world.
What if he turned around? What if he just went back? Maybe they would punish him less severely due to him coming back?
He planned on leaving for the last year the ten year old has been stuck there. He remembered when they had told him they were going to send him to a special place where there were others like him. Why did they lie to him? No one was like him besides for the fact they were all parentless? The teenagers there were troubled and abusive. Just like those stupid adults. He shakes his head as he would grit his teeth. His body felt slower and heavier at this point. Is this how he dies? If this is how it all ends? He wanted to do so much more with his life.
His eyes welled up with tears that bit at the edges of his cheeks. He stopped for a moment and huddled down onto the ground to try to work up the courage to bring himself to keep going going, Liam. Keep pushing on, You can do it. He had to try and force himself to keep going. His breath fogged in the air. The 'newly born' coyote chittered another session of his jaw. His clothing thankfully is enough to keep him semi warm. His long sleeve silk shirt kept his body entirely covered. Denim jeans that were fairly new. His dark brown fur splotching with grays fluffed up in an attempt to keep him warm, although due to his age, it wasn't going to help him much.
"Please… please.. I wanna go home.. I wanna go home." What home is he referring to? He doesn't know. He wanted things to go back to they way they were. He wanted things to just go back to normal. But what normal is there? His parents are gone. The place that was supposed to protect him didn't care about him. He truly is alone in a world without sight. His body shivered continuously before he began to start to cry. Oh, what a pity. That is the only thing he could think of to do is to cry. Why did this have to happen to him? His knuckles tighten against his knees, ears flicking for any sort of noise. Silence. Only the wind howling against his body and his face/
That was until sudden frequencies in his vision would wash past him. That meant waves of noise were being echoed in front of his vision. He blinked away the few tears that were dripping down his frequencies. More waves. Standing up with a slimmer of hope he looked in front of him. His body slowly found those flickers of hope that he needed to keep going. His paws hastily made their way forward as he followed the noises in the distance. Chatter amongst the distance that he could pick up. It sounded as though it were coming from the clearing of the woods. His panting fogged his face stumbling through the snow.
The wavelengths were coming in longer bursts now. And he too could hear the chatter and the sound of horses in the distance trotting along the snowy landscape. He didn't need the wavelengths any longer as he could just follow the noises that were coming closer and closer. The trees were slowly starting to become minimal as the wavelengths helped him see the shapes of the trees that were becoming lesser. Only the shapes of horses and a carriage could be made out in the distance.
"Please! I need help! Please!" He cries out as loud as he could stumbling about in the snow feeling as though he had to catch them before they left. If they left him behind, he would surely die out here. Liam's heart racing against his chest. "Please! Stop!" He yelled out again, until his voice caught in his throat with the loud neighing of horses suddenly stopping in protest for the young child in front of them. The carriage driver grunting.
"Who the hell are you!? Out of the way, whelp!" He would raise his whip in the air as if about to either strike the horses to continue on their journey back to wherever they were going or he was about to strike Liam across the face with the whip to give him a lasting reminder to not stand in the way of someone important inside of the carriage. Although, the wavelengths stopped. He couldn't see now. Only the sound of the wind around him casted shadows on his hands and feet as if kneeling in front of the carriage. The carriage driver raised a brow as if unsure why this child wasn't cowering in fear or reacting to the threat of being whipped.
"Are you deaf?! I said out of the way!" A sudden crack of the whip in the air. It wasn't directed at anyone, making it a clear warning that if Liam didn't move, the next one would be for his body. Liam whimpered a breath at the sudden crack of the whip in the air that hurt his ears. It hurt so much more now that his ears were EXTRA sensitive compared to when he was a human. His body shuddered against the snow, his snout resting against the floor. The carriage driver didn't seem to have much patience left in him. He seemed quite ready to strike this child to continue on their journey, however another voice would catch the attention of Liam and the carriage driver.
"Driver? What's going on? Why are we stopped?!" The voice a male's with a very distinct royal accent. Poking his head out of the carriage, the lion's expression sour and annoyed at the delay to return back to their kingdom in Nottingham. His eyes glance once at the driver who had his whip raised in the air in a striking motion, then down at the reason as to why they had stopped. Confusion yet irritation etched the expression of Prince John. They had stopped because of a child?! One that didn't even LOOK like he came from anywhere. His clothing looked so odd. Yet, it was a momentary pass that he didn't think too much about it.
"Have you gone mad? We stopped because of a nobody?! Continue!" His head instantly goes into the carriage with his arms crossed annoyed that they had delayed so much time. He could've been back at the kingdom and enjoying a nice warm bath by himself surrounded by maids. Curse this child. Sir Hiss would tilt his head a little bit.
"Sssire? Is something the matter?" His tongue hissed lightly in confusion. He's usually not so bothered by delays. Prince John must've been in a foul mood as it were. He's just grouchy, he's not in bed already. The lion growled under his breath.
"Some stupid cub got in front of our carriage. I don't even know why it's out in the woods this late. Its parents must not even want it." He would huff lightly crossing his arms, his crown slightly falling down his face from leaning against the seat. The driver up front would crack the whip on the horses ready to trample this child over. Thankfully, the child would get the smart idea and ducked out of the way before the hooves could even stomp the child over in a cry.
"Cub..?" Maid Marian would tilt her head a little bit. They had been traveling back from King Richard's castle on the way back to Nottingham and she had seen her uncle. It was more or less a 'inspection' of how Prince John was handling his royalty and how he's been A social call as it were. It was very nice to see him again.
Although the trip back to Nottingham was a bit later than they would've liked. Marian would adjust herself on the seat to poke her head out the carriage door pushing past the curtain that kept the inside of the carriage semi-warm. Her eyes instantly caught the look of the child, placing her hand on her mouth in a silent gasp.
After the carriage sat a small coyote puppy, his eyes looked so full of fear and desperation to be helped. His fur is very wet from trampolining around in the snow on the ground and from the sky. His clothing was also wet. Where did he come from? There wasn't a town for miles. Did he get lost somehow? The poor thing must've been freezing! Her eyes furrow in worry as she would turn her attention to the driver in a haste. They were trotting away from the child who looked as though he was about to cry again.
"Driver, stop!" She'd order lightly. Which earns a groan from Prince John.
"What is it nowww." He'd pout annoyed by all this stopping. He just wanted to go back home into his own bed and not have to think about anything but his money and his special caretakers. Sir Hiss didn't seem to be bothered by it, not by a longshot. He's actually content with taking the scenic route. The horses instantly stop again with a loud whinny. The driver seemed to also be growing annoyed by all these sudden stoppings. He isn't sure why they're wasting their time on a poor whelp. He'd place his hand onto his cheek staring ahead also pouting.
Marian would step out of the carriage with a singular candle as her shoes crunching against the snow in a hurry to inspect the child. Her hands placed down onto her knees as she kneels to the child's height. Her breath fogging the air as she tries to speak in a gentle and soothing tone. "Oh, little one. Where did you come from? Your parents must be worried sick." She cooed out and took one last look around. There wasn't much to look at besides for the other candles inside of the carriage acting as their warmth and light source.
Upon further examination, Marian sees that the child's eyes were clouded reflecting the candle that was barely holding it together in the wind. Her mouth gaped. Is… he blind? She tended to those who had lost their sight before during battles, but he didn't look like he lost his eyes or any sort of scarring. She tilted her head a little bit.
"Can you see me, sweetheart?" She just had to be sure. Otherwise she would just be making baseless assumptions.
"N-N..no misses.." He answers which she had suspected. She exhales pitifully. This isn't good. Not in the slightest. A blind child left wandering the forest for god knew how long.
"Oh, sweetheart." She cooed quietly unsure what she should do. A part of her wondered if she should take him with her. At the same time, what if his parents were looking for him? He was clothed, which meant he wasn't poor. At least, that's her assumption. Middle class, most likely. But his clothes looked so strange. One that she's never seen before. She hummed a breath with her lip pursed. She couldn't fathom leaving him to his lonesome.
She would never. She could figure it out back at the castle. Scooping the child into her arms carrying him by his bottom, she returns back to the carriage. She uses one free hand to stabilize herself back into her seat.
"Oh, Marian dear. You really stopped for it again?" Prince John rolled his eyes, earning a slight glare from the fox woman. John usually wouldn't be afraid of women, but this one the one case that he knew he should just shut up and deal with it. She began to do her best to rub her hands all over the young boy's fur, trying to warm him up as fast as possible.
"Sweetie, you're shaking. You must've been out there for such a long time." She would try to cuddle the young boy close to her body as best as she could. Her hands held his, using her snout to warm his hands that were ice cold. The warmth of the carriage would help him return back to a healthy temperature. His fur still reflects droplets of snow in the candlelight. She must get him to a warm bath and get him into a nice cozy bed. That should help, yes!
"What were you doing out there all alone? Did you get lost from your parents?" She asked, hoping to get more clarity as to his plight. Liam would whimper a little bit through chattered teeth.
"I-I.. ra-ran away… from.. From the orphanage." He's… an orphan? Oh, dear. That made it all the worse knowing that he's alone. But, if he's alone, then surely she could help. No one truly deserved to be alone in this world. She would coo quietly.
"I'm so sorry to hear that.. But why did you leave? Were they hurting you?" She needed to know the reason as to him leaving the safety of a home. Liam didn't like to talk about it a whole lot. It was painful to remember such a place. A place that was supposed to be one of healing and love. Instead, it was turned into a place where he was afraid to trust the adults. He's actually thankful ONE adult decided to help him. Liam answers her with a hum. Marian clicked her tongue.
"We stopped for an orphan? Oh bother…" Prince John would sigh, seeming to be annoyed by the good samaritan that is Maid Marian. Typical woman behavior in his eyes.
"Well, if there is any more distractions I will lose my temper." More like throwing a tantrum. Because he HATED when things didn't go his way and what he wanted was some tea and a relaxing bed! No more stopping otherwise someone WILL lose their head.
"I-I.. I was so scared.. I-I.. everyone hated me.. I. I don't wanna go back." He whimpered under her clothing, his body slowly but surely easing from the shivering.
Why has God abandoned him? From losing a parent, to being hurt by them for the ones that were supposed to take care of him. She knew there was a special place in Hell for them. She kept her palms holding his legs and the back of his head against her chest. Her eyes looked up from him to the outside world. The snow is raining down from outside.
It would be another hour or so before they returned back to the castle of Nottingham. She wondered in the back of her mind if Robin knew what to do. She should see him as soon as possible. Liam just relaxed into her embrace as best as he could. Being utterly thankful that he got found. He felt stupid for leaving at night, but he figured that was the only way he could make an actual escape. Now that he's escaped… he's free. He's truly free from being hurt ever again. He glanced up to Marian with those cloudy brown eyes.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for helping me." He hugged her carefully, being mindful about her chest as that was a woman's 'no-no' spot. She would rest her arms around his back hugging him in return. He didn't have to thank her. It's only natural she would do such a thing.
"Of course, sweetie. I'm just glad we found you when we did. I can't fathom if we hadn't!" She laughs, subtly nervously at the thought of a child dead and they just passed him by. "What is your name, little one? My name is Maid Marian. And this is Sir Hiss."
"At your pleasssure." He would nod his head at the child. Liam gives a small wave in tow.
"And in front of you is our lovely Prince John, my uncle.." She motioned forward to emphasize her point, although the little boy just stared in front of him rather than AT Prince John.
"As it is your pleasure to meet me." He placed a hand on his chest in the narcissistic way he is. Liam would flick his ear listening in to the wind whipping against the carriage doors. The snowstorm is only getting worse out there. It must've been a terrible January night. Why did he leave at night again? Ah. What does it matter now? He turns his attention back to Marian weakly smiling.
"My name is Liam, It's really nice to meet you all." He answers, finding her lap quite cozy. Although he shouldn't overstay his welcome as it was. He should probably get off of her.
Pulling away he would try to find a spot to sit by patting the air around him. Oh! He wanted to sit now? Marian caught on early, lifting him up to set him down next to her on the seat away from the carriage door so that way he doesn't accidentally fall out just in case.
His ears felt hot and cold at the same time. Actually, his ENTIRE body felt cold and warm at the same time. He's still getting used to this body. He doesn't know what even HAPPENED to have him lose his human form. He just remembered walking… and walking.. And then a tingling sensation all around his body. He just excused it as merely being the snow falling against his skin, uh.. Fur. His tail tucked against his legs looking at nothing. He wondered. What DID snow look like? It's just wet. Colors were so foreign to him. Could she describe it to him? No. It would be like trying to teach a fish how to fly.
"Miss Marian? Where are we going?" The ten year old asked inquisitively. He didn't really care exactly where they were going, but he's still curious nonetheless. He just hoped that Marian would stay by him just in case. The last thing he wanted was to get lost wherever they were going. He wanted to fill the void of silence with talking.
Marian smiled warmly as she would clasp her hands against her knees patiently. He was looking outside, listening to the wind. Poor thing couldn't see the beauty of the world. "We are returning to my home in Nottingham. It's the most gorgeous castle to be in." His ears pricked at that mention of castles. He's never heard of castles being in England. At least not to his knowledge. His expression painted in a puzzled manner.
"Castle? I didn't know that there were castles in England anymore." His comment piqued the interest of Marian and John.
"Have you been living under a rock, little cub? Of course there's castles remaining. There have ALWAYS been castles and always will be." John felt insulted by this insinuation that there aren't remaining castles in England. Preposterous. This child is strange. Stranger than most children he tended to avoid. Marian placed one hand down onto the seat to lean in.
"You… have never been in a castle before?" Of course, he didn't look like royalty or staff who had kids inside of the castle.
"Nuh-uh. Always lived in an orphanage." He answers, although the answer felt a little hard to swallow to realize he couldn't have a normal home like most. Which is somewhat the reason why he left the orphanage after living there a majority of his life. He didn't know who his mother or father was. Left abandoned because of his… condition. He gripped his pants a bit at that notion that he wasn't wanted because he were blind.
"I see. Fret not, I'll be sure to help you around. My best friend, Lady Kluck also has experience with kids, you have nothing to worry about." She reassured with her ladylike smile. The rest of the ride felt quiet, although Marian and Liam spoke here and there. John ended up snoozing to pass the time, and Sir Hiss just listened to the child. Although as they spoke, the odder that Liam sounded. Gold was foreign to him. Castles were foreign to him. Religion was foreign to him. Liam spoke of things such as 'phones' and 'TV's.' Either this child is insane or has a colorful imagination. Regardless, they had much more to learn about this little boy.
He had to know more about the location he's going to. Even if he couldn't see it, he could always just imagine it as best as he could. The wavelengths would help him regardless. "Miss Marian? I.. I wish to know more about your castle home." He glances back towards her direction since he had felt her move him next to her.
"Oh, it's a wonderful place to be, Liam. It's such a beautiful castle with a warmth inside it that always makes you feel at home." She clasps her hand against her chest in a dreamy way that made her reminiscence of all the memories made inside of the castle. She was actually quite happy that she could bring Liam into the castle. "It's actually the second biggest castle in England compared to my uncle King Richard."
Earning a grunt from Prince John who must've been annoyed by that fact. Liam's foggy eyes would gasp out in amazement. "Wooaaah! Your uncle is a king?!" He couldn't believe his luck that he ran into someone so utterly important! Out of everyone he could've met in this forest, he must've been destined! Now color him curious. "Wait… so, if your uncle is a king, how come you're going to a different castle?" He didn't mean to pry, he just didn't understand why they would leave somewhere that must've been extra large in space.
"As much as I love my uncle, Nottingham is my true home. I have too many important people in my life to just leave Nottingham." She giggled softly and adjusted her dress now that Liam was off of her lap. He guesses he could understand. While Heaven's Heed in England was his home, he never felt right there. Ever since it's been shown that they didn't exactly care about him. He still couldn't believe he stayed there for a year and a half under their shelter. He just hoped wherever he's going would prove to be a lot better then where he was previously trying to go.
"Could I meet him?" Prince John would scoff at that request.
"As if my brother would waste any time on someone like yourself." He felt absurd that such a morsel like Liam would make such a request.
"You don't know that." He would pout in annoyance at Prince John's comment. Jeez, why did this guy have to be such a stick up the butt?
"As if you know my brother better than I do, little whelp. He's far too busy to be gracing a child's presence." He responded simply. Marian didn't like putting words in Richard's mouth, so, she would place a hand atop of his head reassuringly.
"Well it couldn't hurt to ask for another visit sometime this week. I'm sure he'd grant it." Marian offers, which John would sigh.
"There's no winning with you people is there? Just don't be surprised that he refuses a visit just out of the kindness of his heart." Richard pouts and folded his arms in annoyance at being outnumbered now.
Prince John made it sound like that his brother was just as mean as him. Marian made him sound like he's a cool uncle. He didn't know what to believe. He's thankful that Marian is going to put in a good word regardless because he's never met a King before. He wanted to well… see one in person. It must've been so nice to have a king as an uncle. She must've gotten ALL the cool presents when she was smaller.
"I'm sure his greatnesssss would appreciate seeing his nephew again." Sir Hiss tries to jump in on the conversation earning a small glare from John.
"In any case, I'll write a letter for him tomorrow morning and I'm sure he'd be okay with it." Marian could tell that John is starting to get agitated about this talk about seeing his brother. He doesn't get what is so special about his brother. Sure, he didn't really make his citizens pay as HALF as the taxes in Nottingham, but if people wanted security and safety then they had to pay the price of said safety. That's how he kept things. And sure, his brother is easily approachable compared to him. He's not going to sugarcoat things for people. It's his kingdom, it's his rules. Letting this child stay inside of HIS carriage is pushing things, however he'd do anything for his nephew. He's got that one thing in common with his brother, he'll give him that.
As the hour passed them by, he could hear murmurs of a crowd nearby. The sound itself was sending wavelength after wavelength. His head poked outside of the carriage as if he could see them. Blue flashes pass him by in a wonderment. He could hear almost every conversation.
Is that Prince John?Oh, the fair lady has returned! Who is that in the carriage with him? I need to pay my taxes…Gold was hard today.
Each conversation held like a pin drop. The coyote pup's head was in awe. There's so many people here this winter night. They must want to be out to play in the snow or to converse one another. The storm died down a little as the hour passed, so it must've had people flocking to enjoy the snow. His fingers held tightly to the window letting his breath fog as the horses came to a complete stop. Here they are. Nottingham castle.
"Finally we're home. It's been such a long night and I do need my beauty rest." Prince John complained as Sir Hiss would slither out of his mock chair in the corner of the carriage.
"At lasst. I may as well rest." Hiss would respond in a dramatic yawn himself. The carriage doors would open for Sir Hiss and Prince John to step out. His bodyguards arrived upon his return. Liam doesn't know how long they've been out there in all honesty. He would've felt bad for them if they were out in the cold all night. Especially during the wintry storm. Prince John would begin leave his carriage expecting his guards to surround him. They formed in a box formation. Two front and two back. Sir Hiss seemed to have a hard time slithering through the snowy landscape.
"Alright little one, time for us to leave." She would advise sliding her hands underneath his bottom to clutch the young boy close to her. She didn't want him stumbling around in the dark, even if it didn't make much of a difference. She wanted to make sure he's cozy and warm on the way into Nottingham castle. With one arm on his bottom and the other holding his back, making sure he's relaxed, she too would step out of the carriage with a little bit of help from one of the guards.
"Thank you, good sir." She would bow her head in respect. Her boots stepped lightly into the snow. People were watching them as they left back into the castle. He could hear even more murmurs in the crowd on this fine night as they kept a safe but respectable distance from the carriage. The wavelengths of the murmurs send back to him of humanoid shapes of… nonhuman beings. He could make out their tails and ears mostly.
Who is that? Is that Lady Marian's child? He doesn't seem like royalty… He's so cute! I wonder who the father is. Did she adopt? He seems a little old to be her firstborn.
They must've had it all wasn't her kid. They didn't even look the same! They were different species altogether! He could only guess because of Prince John's presence, the crowd around them looked onward to them. He wasn't sure if he liked this kind of attention or not. He was supposed to stay incognito just in case someone from Heaven's Heed orphanage recognized the young boy, but at the same time, they wouldn't be able to reach inside the castle without alerting someone. So; he believes he's safe for now. He'd like it to keep it that way.
Though, something did come to mind… no one's ever talked about a castle nearby the orphanage. In fact, people talked about there only being a vast stretch of woods that went on and on. Liam knew this because of his own visits to the woods here and there to get away from the attention that was brought onto him. Which is why he was so determined to run away into the forest. He could just find another way back without returning to the orphanage. Well, serves them right! He's going to a real castle!
He listens to the crunching of snow around her, his little fur standing on end from the cold prickling at the base of his skin. His hands clutch against her shoulders, burying his head into her dress in a pained whine. He should get used to this cold, but he couldn't. He hated the winter time. It has always been his worst season. But for some reason, the winter struck harder here. Marian noticed this from Liam and placed her hand on the back of his delicate skull. "We won't be long now, sweetie. We're almost there." She reassured softly. The poor thing barely weighed anything. She still wondered where he came from. Oh well, she would find out whenever he's ready.
