Everyone comforted Etoile and gave gifts to reassure her. She was barely turning 17 in a month but her parents misrepresented her age to 20 hers to marry her off to Frank. She was just a little girl who understood nothing. The discomfort in the office grew thick as she remembered how she arrived. Suddenly the discussion drifted to where she should stay until Mama Rabbit returned from Pretoria.
-Snowflake will stay with us until then. We have a room available- Leen proclaims her intention to take care of her
-Wait, there is no other room in the apartment ... ah no! I'm not going to sleep on the couch- Brad understood the plan
-Stop scratching yourself, you're spreading your scales everywhere-
-I'm itchy, what do you want me to do-
-Hey Sonia ... can you host Brad to we move on with the Etoile matter? We need her to acclimate to this world- Ross wanted to give Brad a chance to win over Sonia
-Mmmm ... I don't know, it will fill my house with his scales. But seeing Etoile they leave me no choice. You'll have to curb your itch, stupid dragon-
-Leen and Ross are right, I'd better give her the room so she can get used to it. I promise not to make a mess- Brad's change of mind was very obvious
-Ok! Etoile stays with you and Brad goes with Sonia. I'll take care of talking to the matriarch and my uncles, they must prepare for what they will see. Mom only spoke to Arthur and she left as soon as she arrived in the country, it will be difficult until she returns-
-You mean that until Saturday we will not see her ... well we will wait-
-Call my brother to take her away. Morty leaves at 6, I will accompany her to the car, while you contact Arthur-
It was 6pm and Morty waited for Sylph in the carport. He put Etoile in the car and she returned to the confrontation of the day.
Etoile believed she was dreaming, looking out the window where the buildings and premises were in full swing. They brought her up to speed on the people escorting her to their apartment and she calmed down.
-Are you comfortable? Do you want me to put the air conditioning on? - Morty looked at her in the rearview mirror
-That's OK. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
-Baby, don't apologize. You did not do anything wrong. Whatever you need, we live upstairs
Upon arrival I show you how to climb the stairs- Agnes sought to give him security by answering
Arthur greeted them and helped Etoile settle in.
-And with this you can watch any program by streaming. There are movies and series so you don't get bored, watch you go down with the remote control and give it OK when you see something you like-
-Thanks.-
-Ross left enough food, do I heat something for you in the microwave? Or do you prefer something else-
-That's OK. I can go to the bathroom?-
-Don't ask for permission. Just get up and go.
Arthur felt terrible seeing a girl younger than his younger sister Yolandi, full of bumps and bruises, acting scared and asking permission for everything.
He sighed at the shame of others when he found out about the miserable life Etoile led. Leen and Ross returned with Brad, who had a smile, only came to get his things to go with Sonia to the 23rd floor.
Leen helped Etoile bathe and gave her clothes that she and her sisters no longer wore to change. On Thursday and Friday she would stay with Agnes and in the evening they would go to the hare community south of Johannesburg to meet with the hare matriarch and the leaders of other families.
The wedding was hours away and that Friday night they came to the "Peach & Lemon" community. The hares watched the group that would interview the matriarch. There was an attractive vibe and they put Clover to work to understand what that feeling was.
Hare they came across ended up covering their mouths or staring petrified at the group's mana. The door opened and they saw seven hares sitting in a circle ready for the audience. Rocket intervened and gave way to the interested parties.
-Hoho! Welcome ... but it is little Eda, the famous Russell and the dragon Bradley. It is a pleasure to have you here and that you are our new relatives-
-The honor is ours my lady.-
-Put the formalities aside and call me Aunt Maggie. To what do we owe this unexpected visit, I thought we would see each other tomorrow? -
-Aunt Maggie, the reason for our visit is to introduce a new relative and we hope to receive help to avoid being hurt, her name is Etoile and she has just arrived in this world- Leen bowed to show respect
-Snowflake, come take off your hood-
Etoile stood in the middle and introduced himself. She took off the hood that covered her face and as she did so the hares rose from their seats at the astonishing discovery.
-By all the gods! A white rabbit, and it's just a sapling-
-By the name of my ancestors. She is hardly a leveret. You said that she just came to this world, that means that ..-
-She was in a novel, Aunt Maggie-
-Ehh !! -
Leen was limited to telling the story while the hares were attentive. Their anger at the characters made them shudder. A white rabbit was a sign of good luck and it was that same luck that made her not end up dead before finding Leen and Ross to return to where she belongs. No one in their right mind would attack one unless that person wanted to be cursed for life.
They had to give notice of the girl to the other leaders and call an assembly between both sides of rabbits and hares. The white rabbits were still disconnected and would appear on the wedding day.
Maggie looked with regret at the girl who trembled in Leen's arms, her suffering would not be in vain and from her people she would obtain security and well-being. It was agreed that they would protect her until Mama and Papa returned to make the final decision.
The elder leaders of the packs ordered increased security and surveillance for tomorrow. They would not allow the girl to get hurt or someone to try to make something of her. They offered to house her, but Etoile refused out of fear, Maggie understood her mistrust and gave up on her request, instead she asked the group to take care of her and if they needed something from her they would not be denied.
Upon arriving home, Etoile was carried by Ross to her room. She fell asleep after the improvised mini banquet that the hares put together in her honor. They asked to organize her birthday in September to bless her communities.
She fearfully accepted and the party continued. They left early and it was almost midnight, they had to sleep since on Saturday they would be too busy for something else.
At Sonia's apartment, Brad had gotten into trouble. Sonia took another bath and when she came out she saw Brad holding her mother's brooch that she kept in her musical jewelry box. She angrily slapped and told him not to rummage through her things again.
-You have no idea what it means to me and you can only think of fingering it. It was from my mother-
-You didn't have to hit me, I know what it feels like. You are not the only one who wants to protect the memories with her family-
-Family? What do you know about having a family? I wish you had one so you would see what it feels like-
-Well, I wish one day I had it and that you were the first to congratulate me.-
-I hope your wishes are fulfilled-
When they finished shouting the fragment of the brooch detached to float in the air. Brad looked at the gem that began to shine more and more and he moved so fast that he ended up impacting against his chest. He was thrown against the wall and was dizzy.
-Where is the fragment? What did you do with it- Sonia shook him violently
Brad looked at her strangely, suddenly he pounced on her. Sonia wanted to defend herself from him but Brad's deep kiss stopped her.