Chapter Text
There were more poor than wealthy in your village. Most people assumed you and your sister were on the wealthy side. You had been. But wealth was not exactly infinite, specifically after your parents had been killed tragically by someone who had a personal vendetta against your bloodline.
But the lord of the Thunderhoof Castle had offered you a safe place to stay. For free, not to mention, though there was a bit of a cost.
He and his family were minotaurs.
You'd heard the stories of course, how he supposedly kidnapped and raped a young woman several years ago and more recently a young man. But you'd already caught one of the assassins they'd sent after you lurking around your house. Your sister was just barely an adult, and she had so much going for her.
So the decision was made to leave the village and live with the Thunderhoofs.
The trek was relatively short, especially because there was a path which you'd never noticed before. Your sister had gone with you quite willingly, she had wanted to go and meet the minotaurs. You thought this was rather strange.
Upon approaching the castle, there was a tall, curvy woman standing in the gardens.
"Excuse me, miss, do you happen to be a servant of the lord of this castle?" you asked as politely as your nerves would allow.
She had apparently not heard you in the slightest until you spoke, and she turned around quickly. She was holding a watering can in her hands and clutched it to her chest.
"Me?"
You took a moment to observe her. She was tall, about as tall as you were which took you off guard. Her hair was jet black with bangs in the front, coming down in two messy braids. Her eyes were perhaps the most interesting, they were amber, almost golden, and had the most beautiful glow to them.
Indeed the most interesting for sure were the two bull horns on the top of her head, just barely peeking out through her hair.
"Y-Yes, I'm sorry."
She smiled nervously. "Oh, no, I'm his daughter. I'm Mara. But you must be looking for my father, Zurgas Thunderhoof, right? I'll take you to see him."
You recalled thinking then that if she was his daughter, she must have more bull features. You could imagine that they'd been under her dress. Little hidden treasures that perhaps you'd someday discover. Perhaps a tail, and long, bull legs. Maybe she could produce milk like a cow. Maybe she would moo if you railed her hard enough…
Your mind wandered subconsciously before you noticed you were in the main hall of the castle, standing before the Lord Zurgas Thunderhoof.
"Ahh, pleasure to meet you. I presume you are the two humans that I have been expecting?"
"Yes, Milord," you sister said softly, barely eighteen but full of courage.
"Mara, did you tidy the guest room like I asked you to?" he asked the tall lady. You catalogued her name.
"Yes father."
"Could you show these two to their room?"
"N-No," she said after a moment's hesitation, "That's the room that Nadia is staying in."
"Oh my goodness, I completely forgot!" he said. He furrowed his eyebrows in embarrassment and exchanged a glance with Mara.
"Is everything alright?" you asked, getting mildly nervous that he'd kick you out.
He cleared his throat. "Y-Yes," he said. "I unexpectedly had a family friend move in with us, and she is staying in the room that I had originally planned to give to you two…"
"Father, they could stay in my room if you would allow it," Mara piped up suddenly.
"There isn't enough space for three people," he said. "And Aster already has a roommate."
"She could stay with Nadia," Mara suggested.
So the plan was set in place. You would stay in a room with Mara, and your sister would stay in a room with a family friend. It made you nervous to be without her, but there was nothing you could really do. and she seemed excited to see another minotaur.
You were comforted by the fact that you were not the only nervous one there. Mara seemed to be quite nervous to share a room with you - which made sense. You were first and foremost a stranger, not to mention a man a few years older than her by the looks of things, not to mention a human. But you gave it your all to make her feel safe, keeping your distance strictly professional while maintaining chivalrous, opening doors for her, escorting her up and down stairs… Actually, you could have gotten used to treating her that way. She seemed to enjoy it almost as much as you did. It eased the anxieties about your sister just a little.
Once she reached her room, she immediately began preparing a small cot on the floor which you assumed was for you.
"Milady, I could have easily prepared that myself when tonight came about," you said.
Her eyes searched you in a slow calculation. "Oh!" She laughed softly. "This is for me, you are my guest. You must sleep in the bed, sir."
You felt horrified for a moment. "I refuse to sleep in your bed, miss. it's your bed after all, besides, a man sleeping in a woman's bed while she sleeps on the floor… That's just not right. I insist."
"Are you quite sure?" she asked, her wonderful, rosy cheeks growing ever warmer.
"I am completely sure. You allowing me to rest in your chambers alone puts me eternally in your debt after what my kind has done."
She went quite red. "Oh, well, I never experienced anything but kindness, really. But thank you regardless."