Chapter Text
Unexpectedly, the rabbit fell deathly ill, consumed by excruciating pain. Recognizing the symptoms all too well, he dragged himself to the kitchen, seizing a mop. Aware that no servant could rest more than two days in this manor, he feared that if his disease were not confined to rabbits, he would be mercilessly slaughtered on sight. The others simply could not fathom how a rabbit could become so gravely ill, dismissing it as a ploy to shirk his duties.
he might only take a few weeks before it claimed his life, He knew the last rabbit that lived here got the disease; they made his work harder instead of easier, His sickness only lasted 8 days, and he was quickly buried, No one wanted to waste time on a dying rabbit.
so the poor rabbit tried his best to hide his symptoms, he would clean the floors and sweep the halls while his body aced. he doesn’t want to die, not yet, the idea of dying without watching the fireworks up close, not seeing the roses bloom again in spring, nor the feeling of the sun warming his back.
so he pushed through the pain, wiping the white discharge from his eyes frequently. he tried to act normal.
he got very sick all of a sudden one day, the pain overwhelmed him and he knew these symptoms so will, he made his way to the kitchen grabbing a mob knowing that no servant shall rest for more than two days in this manor, if his disease weren’t only contagios among Rabbits he would have been slaughtered on sight. No one could understand how a rabbit could fall so ill, they thought it was just a trick to avoid work.
but Myxomatosis was no joke
it might only take a few weeks for the disease to claim his life, he thought to himself as he lied alone in his room, the last one of his kind to be infected in this cursed manor.
He knew the previous bunny that lived among them, he got the disease; he got it after going to the town nearby. His sickness only lasted 8 days, and he was quickly buried, No one wanted to waste time on a dying bunny.
so the poor Encroached tried his best to hide his symptoms, he would clean the floors and sweep the halls while his body ached. He doesn’t want to die, not yet, the idea of dying without watching the fireworks up close, and not seeing the roses bloom outside the manor garden in spring, nor the feeling of the sun warming his finger tips before the winter chill sets in, he couldn’t bear it.
so he pushed through the pain, wiping the white discharge from his eyes frequently. he tried to act normal.
until one day the master of the house went on a vacation to another town, and Encroached was left alone to tend to the manor, leaving him behind with a few servants, to manage the house by themselves.
It appears the intruders were aware of the manor's master being away, for it took them mere days to attempt a robbery. One by one, the helpless creatures were mercilessly slaughtered, until the lone rabbit remained, taking refuge in the basement's depths.
He could hear the sound of heavy footsteps and muffled voices as the intruders ransacked the house.
Terrified, the rabbit huddled in the darkness, his heart pounding in his chest.
he knew if they found him, he would not survive, so he hid trying to suppress his coughs as much as possible, covering his mouth with both hands.
he stayed there motionless for what felt like an eternity, until the sounds finally faded, and he dared to peek out.
the intruders left as quickly as they came, leaving a trail of destruction behind them, satisfied with their loot. the rabbit waited for hours, in a hot damp basement, before crawling out, finding all his former companions on the ground, he felt the tears weld up in his eyes, his guts twisted feeling all the grief and fear at once, These monsters slaughtered each one of them.
he wiped his face, trying to catch his breath, as he limbed through the wreckage, eyes stuck to the roof not wanting to look at the lifeless bodies around him.
as he made his way up the stairs to the main floor, he noticed the front door was wide open, inviting the evening chill to seep in.
He knew he couldn’t stay here any longer.
He requires the means, whether money or other resources, to obtain a cure or treatment for his illness.
Running to the master bedroom he gathered whatever he could find a knife, coins, the master must have more than a couple of silver coins, He realized that these thieves had stolen all they could find, but they left in a hurry, they must have missed some hidden thing.
the rabbit tried to map every inch of the master bedroom, He searched the room thoroughly, examining every inch, until he spotted a small painting on the wall with a loose frame. Removing the frame, he discovered a small steel box hidden behind it, which the thieves had apparently overlooked in their haste.
Excitedly, the rabbit opened the box, his heart racing.
the rabbit didn't know how much time he had left, the fever was taking over his body, He needed to find a cure fast, with the money and a knife he gathered, He set off to the town.
the box contained, a few gold coins, a handful of silver and copper coins, and a Ring that looks very expensive.
Despite his ailing condition, Encroached drew a hopeful breath as the moonlight illuminated the night around him.
he doesn’t know how long it took him to reach the town, he felt tired and weak, but the idea of watching the fireworks after finding a cure made him feel better.
walking around the town, he noticed a sign for a free medical clinic, dragged himself to knock on the door, he knew the possibility of whoever was in there may not be awake was slim but he wanted to test his luck, A woman opened the door.
one look at the poor rabbit in his state she offered him a warm soup and a bed to rest, but first he needed to tell her his situation, offering her all the silver coins he got to try and find a cure, the woman understood the gravity of the situation, but unfortunately there as no such a cure available, The best she can do is provide him with medicine that can reduce the effects and hopefully extend his life for a few weeks.
He ended up laying in her guest room feeling defeated, His body was getting weaker by the second and his spirit was broken, he didn’t know what would happen next but at least he got enough money to keep him alive till the end.
His only wish is to see the fireworks display one last time and to watch the roses bloom again next spring.
if he started walking will he get to see it next week?
or will he not even survive until nightfall?
looking at the ring, maybe he could sell it and gather more money to take him there, but it looked too pretty to sell, he decided to keep it, he might be able to take something he admired to the afterlife.
it had blue stones on it that shined in the low light. it made him think of the clear night sky right before the sun sets when the first stars start to twinkle.
it had a little engraving too “It could be one of three: a blessing, a curse, or a sacrifice. “ it intrigued the rabbit, giving him a distraction to pass the time.
should he put it on?
the ring looked bigger than his slim fingers, but he slid it on anyway, it was indeed too big for him but he didn’t care.
it was the prettiest thing he had ever owned, it matched his pale skin, putting the ring on gave him a sense of wonder and hope, maybe it could be a blessing.
He curled up on the bed, the medicine took some of the pain away, maybe he can rest a little before continuing his journey.
her name was Emily and she kept an eye on the rabbit, making sure he was comfortable and hydrated, checked on him a lot, concerned about his wellbeing, she could see he was not doing well, the poor thing looked so weak and tired.
She offered him a bowl of food the moment he opened his eyes.
"You need to eat something to keep your strength up," she said with a gentle voice.
The rabbit slowly sat up, his body ached but the warm soup felt soothing going down his throat, and he felt a little better.
he noticed the ring still on his finger, it felt weird how it fit him now, it looked more snug and he could easily move it around.
He didn't pay much attention to it, perhaps being fatigued made the ring appear larger than it actually was.
he wanted to sleep more, but whenever he closed his eyes, the image of the fireworks popped up He gathered the little strength he had, took his medicine, and thanked Emily for everything she had done,
he left the safety of her home, wanting to count the days that separated him from his dreams, a faint smile on his face, hope in his heart.
that night it rained and before it got heavy, he escaped the tears in a protective cave, he kept coughing all day, using the rainwater to help swallow the pills that kept the pain away.
he curled up looking outside, while the cold ate his flesh, he eyed the little stone on his finger that shone smiling at him.
the thunder rolled outside as the rain poured down, and the bunny felt untimely fatigue overtaking him, he hoped he wouldn't die in his sleep, as he drifted off he whispered a prayer after a prayer to see the fireworks just one more time.
he wiped the little tear away with the back of his palm, only to see that the stone had fallen out when he looked back at it.
his exhausted and heartbroken mind thought it was his tears of sorrow that broke the ring, he let out a heavy sigh mixed with a cough.
“ I'm so sorry for ruining your beauty” he whispered trying to fix it, but the stone didn’t want to stay, no matter how hard he pushed it in place it kept falling off
Encroached rested his head against the cold dirty cave wall, eyes closed, holding the broken ring, as his tears fell down in the same way as the raindrops falling upon the flowers outside.
His coughs echoed in the confined space, Feeling a sense of defeat wash over him.
As the rain continued to drum against the cave entrance, a soft glow enveloped the rabbit.
Startled, he opened his eyes to see the broken ring shimmering with an otherworldly light.
Intrigued and emboldened by this magical occurrence, Encroached held the ring up to get a closer look. Suddenly, a loud giggle echoed from within the cave.
The rabbit's fur stood on end as he quickly threw the ring to the ground, unsure of what to expect.
A petite, enchanting voice purred, "My ring has not graced a mortal's hand in ages." Encroached was paralyzed, torn between trepidation and fascination, uncertain how to proceed.
"An ill bunny it appears, yet you wear my ring with such innocent wonder.“
he crawled deeper into the cave, away from the ominous giggle, wincing with each movement, his weak body protesting.
He just wanted to rest, to close his eyes and let the pain fade away, but the little creature, wiped all sleep off his eyes, the creature’s features were hard to make out in the dim light, but the bunny could tell it was small, maybe as the size of his paw.
looking at the ring on the dirt where he threw it it still had a soft glow to it, the stones twinkled, and something about it felt strange and powerful.
“no need to be afraid, little one," the creature said in a soothing voice "I mean you no harm" The rabbit was still skeptical but the pain made him lower his defenses, so he just sat there, looking at the small bat like creature which seems to be floating in the air “ what’s your name little one?”
he was hesitant to answer " it’s Encroached " he said in a weak whisper, and the creature giggled again.
“ well Encroached, did Alice give you the ring?'“ miss Alice? his ear pricked up in response.
she might be the old blonde lady in all the paintings that filled the manor, even though Encroached had the ring for so little time, he loved it so much he didn’t want to give it away, nor be accused of stealing it.
“ yes, she did "Gathering his courage he lied in a firm voice, the creature seemed pleased by his response, his bat wings flapped slowly, gracefully floating in front of the bunny.
Encroached wanted to ask so many questions, he was so confused, but his exhaustion prevented him from asking more, he just hoped the creature would not ask for the ring back. The creature gazed at him for a long moment, and Encroached felt as if his very soul was being examined.
he was definitely not ready to let it go, it had become a precious treasure to him even when broken, he took it off the ground, He rubbed his hands over the smooth surface of the ring, still in awe of its beauty even if it was broken, his heart jumped as the creature suddenly reached out and gently took it off his hand, Delicate fingers examined the ring, and Encroached held his breath, ready to defend his precious treasure.
"Ah I see you have broken my ring, poor little one, let me help you with that" a soft blue glow enveloped the ring, and Encroached watched in wonder as the stone sealed itself.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to break it, I promise I’ll take good care of it!” he said in a panicked voice, knotting his brow in concern, getting a giggle in return “I know you didn’t mean dear, after all, the ring has been worn for a long time, so it's not surprising that it was broken before.”
“ plus do not worry, I will make sure you keep it safe,”
his words didn’t seem to get to the bunny as he sat there dizzy and cold the medicine must have got to him “ You look very unwell” he hovered toward the bunny, his wings flapping slowly “It’s nothing, I’m just cold” encroached mumbled, holding his hands up, to the bat to sit on, the creature landed softly in his palms, feeling the colds skin.
he pulled him closer “You must be shivering with that small body of yours,” Encroached said pulling him closer to his chest, covering him with both hands, “I'm sorry my hands must be so cold for you but wouldn’t it be warmer like this?”
the creature looked at him with pitiful eyes, then nuzzled into his chest "you poor thing" he purred softly.
Encroached was delighted to keep the little creature warm and protected, the creature's small size and fragile nature made him want to care for it, even if it was probably much more powerful than him.
As he held the creature close, Encroached slowly drifted off to sleep, the exhaustion and cold finally catching up to him.
he watched the bunny's peaceful slumber, a soft smile on its face, he kept the ring safe in Encroached's palm, as he moved out of his hands carefully taking care not to disturb the rabbit's slumber.
In the dim light, the creature began to radiate a soft glow, illuminating the sleeping rabbit's form. Within moments, the creature's size increased, its red hair cascading over shimmering blue eyes. he then removed its teal jacket and draped it over the slumbering rabbit, ensuring the little one's comfort and warmth.
whispering a lullaby to lull the bunny deeper into his dreams, he kept watch over the small creature he had grown quite fond of. embracing him protectively.
he realizes that Encroached doesn’t know what he can offer him, and he just wanted to have the pretty ring