Disclaimer: Disclaimed

This fic takes place shortly before the beginning of Overlord 2. It was written as a writing exercise and is in first-person, present tense.

WARNING: contains mentions of the rape of a minor.

I sigh in relief, having finally found her behind some of the village houses, in a small quart yard filled with boxes and fireworks. Her face is hidden under her wolf skin hood and her young figure clad in improvised - and now badly torn - fur armor.

"She-wolf?" I call to her, announcing my presence, my voice heavy with concern. Her body tenses, taunt muscles rippling under her dark ash-blue skin. She is badly hurt, covered in bruises harsh enough to be clearly visible despite her dark complexion, blood oozing from the various lacerations that decorated her small body - not small for a child, but small compared to the robust village men that had done this to her.

"She-wolf... are you all right?" It seems a silly question, but it's not her physical state that concerns me, her body heals quickly and well, even splintered bones would settle into place before mending.

"Stay away!" her reply is more a growl than human speech and it is difficult to distinguish words, but I manage to make out what she is saying. Her head snaps towards me and from the shadows of her wolf-head cowl I see her long pointed teeth pulled into a snarl, as well as the bright red glow of her eyes.

Her eyes tell me all I need to know, if they were glowing like that then this was a very dangerous place to be right now. 'I should probably leave..' I think to myself but I quickly push away the thought, I am her friend and she needs me now.

I look into the red light of her eyes and consider what to do next. When she gets like this it is difficult to get her back. The last time it had happened the village children had been harassing her and her brother, then her eyes flashed the same red that they were now and she set upon them. In the end she had killed two of them and maimed several others before Witch-boy - her brother - finally managed to stop her, allowing the children to retreat through the village gates.

I shudder at the memory, having witnessed the entire ordeal from the safety of the village walls. Shortly after that was the first time I approached them directly, naturally my curiosity and concern were met with suspicion but I had always been strangely drawn to the monstrous pair and eventually my offer of friendship was accepted.

Turning my mind to the matter at hand, I slowly advance making certain that it is clear that I am unarmed and mean no harm. "She-wolf, it's me, Kelda." She growls again this time wordlessly. I know her well enough to recognize the fear and hostile self-preservation evident in her stance. I slow my advance, despite her injuries she still has a huge advantage in strength and speed; she could easily tear apart a full grown man with those vicious claws of hers.

I shudder again, realizing that she could have easily defended herself from the village men if there hadn't been so many of them, 'and each one of them probably had their fun...' the thought disgusts me and I have to swallow down bile as I realize that the one responsible is my father, the village chief.

"She-wolf look at me. It's me Kelda, I'm not gonna hurt you. It's me, you can trust me... remember?" recognition flickers across her features and I step forward, now within arms reach. "That's right you know me, don't you? It's Kelda."

At last the red dulls back to its natural faint glow rather than the bright light that marks her almost berserk state.

"K...Kelda...?" her voice has also regained its usual, oddly pleasant, quality.

Finally herself again, she collapses onto me clinging to my coat desperately. She hides her face in my neck - despite being over a head taller than me - and sobs.

She doesn't make any sound louder than a whimper, but I can feel her tears against my skin, soaking into my coat; feel how her silent sobs tear through her wounded body, as she clings to me... And I can do nothing: nothing to lessen her pain; nothing to reassure her that she would be all right. Just like I could do nothing to defend her in the first place.

Her hood fell when she hugged me, revealing her flowing pure-white hair. Frustrated at my own powerlessness I gently stroke her silken mane and return her embrace.

She would never let anyone else see her like this - not even her brother, least of all her brother - so all that I can do now is be here. But I am sure that it is far too little, too late.

That was not the last time that I found her like that, and every time she made me promise not to tell her brother. Every time it was harder to get her back; harder to return those red orbs from a harsh light to their warm glow; harder not to look at the village with absolute hate and disgust. Then, one Midwinter's eve, her and Witch-boy just disappeared.

It was the same Midwinter's Eve that the Empire came.

The same Midwinter's Eve that I, finally, lost all hope in humanity...

Reviews would be welcomed and appreciated.