Hedging Your Bets - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
12/8/477
Log
The little cottage behind the church is much as it was before, a small garden, some flower filled hedges and a simple wooden door. Only today it stands open to recieve a guest! Hedge, the rabbit being that until recently served the Creator known as Joe Preston stands waiting in the doorway. He is nude, as seems to be the norm for him in private, but since he has nothing visible to hide, perhaps it is not so important.
Cassidy slowly shuffles up to the house, taking a leisurely stroll through the day. Her own outfit was a little different, today. In place of black slacks was a black skirt, and the black tailcoat had been replaced with one of dark red. The mask and tophat were as present as ever, along with her cape. As she arrives outside of the cottage, she dips into a little bow and removes her mask. "Hello, Hedge. I hope you do not mind me dropping by? I have been thinking about you, lately."
"Yes!" Hedge says happily, "Come in! Come in! This one knows you!" The rabbit leads Cassidy into the little cottage's front room and motions her to a seat as he busies himself at the little kitchenette. After a moment, the lapine being returns and places a small tea service on the low table with a pair of clay cups and a tin of cookies. "Hedge makes the tea," he says heavily, struggling a bit with the words, "And Memna brings. . . " he hesitates and points to the little tea biscuits, "These ones." The rabbit then takes a seat and waves to Cassidy to sit opposite him.
Cassidy smiles warmly and settles down in the chair, reaching out for the tea cup. "Thank you. I wanted to speak with you, if that's alright. About some minorly important things, about some not-so-important things. Some of both. How're you settling in here? I'm sure it must be quite different, but I hope Firmament and Promise in general has been well to you."
Hedge nods and sips at his tea. "Is fine," he says, "Is strange and different." The rabbity being holds out an open palm as an invitation for Cassidy to ask her questions. "Is good to have. . ." he purses his lips for a moment, "Company? Is right word? Memna helps Hedge to practice sometimes."
Cassidy folds one leg over the other and removes her hat, setting it brim-up on the table. "Company is correct, yes. And I am glad! You may not be from here, but as far as I'm concerned, you're one of us now. Joe hasn't bothered you, I hope? And how is... Mai-Mai, I do believe her name was? I haven't seen her around in a while, but I remember she was taking things pretty hard, the first time."
Hedge looks back toward one of the bedrooms. "Mai-Mai is sad," he says, "She does not like Promise. She wishes to go home." The rabbit sighs and looks down into his teacup. "But here is last home we have," he says, shaking his head. "Mister Preston does not come," he says, though it is hard to say how he truly feels about that, "He hides."
Cassidy gives a sad little smile at that and flicks her ears. "I am sorry to hear that she doesn't like it. If there is anything I can do to help that, do let me know? I'd be happy to take you both out, sometime. Show you around the land, take you out to lunch or dinner. Just help you settle in, and know that you have friends here. I also wanted to see if you recognized this." She places her tea cup on the table for a moment before reaching into her hat and pulling up the stuffed rabbit.
Hedge looks down in surprise at the little doll, then smiles. "This is belong to little Mistress," he says fondly as he picks up the fine doll, "It is little Mai-Mai." The rabbit strokes the little dolls ears and shakes his head. "Hedge and Mai-Mai do not go out," he says, "Is. . . uncomfortable." He points out his obvious nudity. "We are not like Promise peoples," he says, "Not made for outside, not made for much work." He sets the little rabbit doll back on the table. "Keep," he says, "It only makes Mai-Mai sad to think of little Mistress."
Cassidy reaches out to take the doll back, nodding. "As you say. I shall keep it safe, then. Thank you. And you do not have to go out in public, or be uncomfortable, or do any work, you know. I can cook the meal myself, and I'll show you this lovely little place out in the forest. You two wouldn't have to lift a finger. I know it must not be easy for you two to move out here like this, and I wanted to try to help. To make it easier for the both of you."
"Thank you," Hedge says, sincerely, "I am grateful." He gazes fondly at the little doll in Cassidy's hands. "We are made for comforting," he says wistfully, "But you come to comfort Hedge." The rabbit stands and moves over to the low cushion that Cassidy is sitting on. He hesitates for just a moment, then sits by her side and lays his soft, furry head on her chest. He is surprisingly warm to the touch. He also seems to have no qualms about sharing intimate space with someone he barely knows!
Cassidy blinks for a moment at the close contact before setting the doll back in her hat and wrapping an arm around Hedge. "Of course. I've been concerned about you. You might've been made for comforting, but while you are here, you are just like any one of us, as far as I am concerned. And so I'll treat you with all the respect a Being should have."
Hedge sighs happily as Cassidy wraps her arms around him. "Thank you," he says, "You are kind to us." He looks up from where he lays against the vixen. "You will visit again?" he asks hopefully, "I like visits. And maybe woods are nice sometime." The rabbit smiles a little and rests his head once more against Cassidy before pulling away. "Hedge is sorry he is bad talker," the lapine says, pulling his legs up to his chest, "But I will be better next time."
Cassidy shakes her head and offers another smile. "Of course I'll visit again. And if you ever wish to speak to me, Memna or one of the other priests will know how to contact me, I am sure. Don't worry about the speech thing, either. I know it's difficult, being a new language and all. I don't hold it against you. I know that you're plenty smart," she says, reaching up to tap gently on Hedge's head with a gloved finger.
Hedge bows his head and returns to his seat. "You have more questions?" he asks, "Hedge will help if he can."
Cassidy brings her tea cup up for another sip before humming. "My original questions were answered. But I would like to ask if you'd mind telling me about this 'Little Mistress'? I'm just curious, really. Were they a relative of Joe's?"
Hedge holds up a hand and wiggles it non-commitally. "Little Mistress is part of same. . . house?" he ventures, "But is ugly sheep. He says he must travel and must have two servants, he chooses Mai-Mai and Hedge because we are pretty."
Cassidy tilts her head. "So she's not a creator like Joe, but a being like us? Huh. I assumed she was his daughter or something. And speaking of Joe... What can you tell me about him? He has... Done some bad things, but I don't think he's a bad person. He hasn't tried to attack us himselves, and if I could get him to stand down peacefully, I'd much rather do that."
"No! No!" Hedge shakes his head and looks frustrated, "Mister Preston is Ugly Sheep!" he says, "Little Mistress is good and pretty!" The rabbit mimes someone the size of a child. "Mister Preston is brother of little mistress's mother," he tries again, "He is not good. Not very bad, but not good." The rabbit starts to look very uncomfortable. "He makes bad choices," he says softly, "Then Mistress says to him, he must go away for some time. He asks for Hedge, he asks for Mai-Mai and Mistress agrees." He looks back at the bedroom. "Mai-Mai is Little Mistresses favorite," he says, "So she is very sad."
Cassidy nods slowly in understanding. "Ahh, I get it now. Preston is her uncle, then. And he took you both away from your family, then." She sighs softly and rubs at her brow. "I was hoping this would all just be some kind of misunderstanding, and I could try to make him see his errors and attempt to reconcile. We still might. I don't want to hurt him if I can help it. Do you know what he wanted to take you both here, for?"
Hedge shakes his head. "He was supposed to hide," the rabbit says, "Mistress says, 'Live quiet Joseph!' and we come for comfort and to be pretty." He gathers up the tea things and carrys them to the kitchenette before returning. "We do not know that he has hidden many forbidden things," he says, "Only a few nice things for keeping secret." He sighs, "Joseph is bad, but is not BAD," he says, looking at Cassidy, hoping that he has said something that makes sense.
Cassidy frowns and scratches at her chin. "I see, I see. Yes, I get what you're talking about. He's done bad things, but you don't think he's... Actively malicious? Or evil? I wish he could have just come to -be- quiet. Unfortunately, bringing and hiding things around like what he's brought... It's not just endangering a few lives, you know. It risks endangering our entire culture. Our society. These are troubling times, and I believe that is very important that we show the Creators that we are capable of running ourselves. That we have our own culture. We cannot start replicating them or trying to be like them, lest we find ourselves easier to absorb."
Hedge shrugs, "Mister Preston does bad things," he says, "He is not meant to hide things!" The rabbit reaches under the table and pulls out a crystal ball like others that Cassidy has seen before. "Only one or two, for comfort!" he says, before putting the ball away, "But Mister Preston cannot live quiet." The rabbit stands and bows low to Cassidy. "Thank you for visit," he says, "You will come back other times?"
Cassidy starts to stand, brushing off her skirt before giving a little bow. "Thank you very much for the time, Hedge. And give my regards to Mai-Mai, please. I will come to visit you again, of course. I promise. We'll have a fun day." She scoops up her hat and mask, setting them on her head. "And stay out of trouble, hm? I'm sure you will!" She dips into a polite bow and starts for the door. "Have a good day, Hedge!"
Hedge sees his guest to the door, waving after her with a happy smile. "Thank you! Thank you!" he calls after her.
