Nothing else too remarkable happened at the table that evening. Nothing but a short part where Entity revealed to everyone briefly that there might be a shortage of space since he has actually been taking quite a few guests in lately. Apparently, the human armies have been fighting back a lot more lately, so many of Herobrine's other allies were seeking shelter in this still hidden place as well.
Each of you were escorted off to bed, going your own separate ways...except for you and Sandrah... No worries! Your rooms were probably just close together?
"Your rooms, ladies..?" The enderman servant dressed in a fancy suit bowed lowly.
"NO!" Sandrah was the first to protest. You were still digesting the situation. "I will NOT be sleeping with (Y/n)!" She stomped. You felt the same way.
Taken a little off guard by the lady's outburst, "W-w-well th-th-there are no ex-extra guest bedrooms! All of us servants are having to sleep on mats on the floor now even!" He stood taller again, slightly offended now that he was sharing his side of the story.
"But with HER!?" Sandrah flailed.
"Hey, I don't snore that loudly..." You mumbled behind her, looking down passively.
"What? Would you prefer sleep with Herobrine then, hm?" The enderman asked, ever so delicately lifting an eyebrow at her. Her face fell into an instant blush.
Grabbing some of her vanilla hair to play with, "Wel- m-m-maybe..." You huffed behind her. The enderman did too, rubbing his tired purple eyes; the first sign of his true mental state.
"Well- I'm sorry, but this but this is the room I was told to escort you to. If you want to talk to the housemaster about it, then be, my, guest." (303 words, heehee)
Some silence passed before either of you had an answer. You just sighed finally, stepping into the room with dead set eyes. Of course, you weren't happy about your situation...but you had just come to accept a lot of things lately...so why not another? Sandrah argued with the enderman a little longer as you got ready for bed until she finally gave in and stomped into the room. By then, you had already picked out your side of the large bed and set to claiming however many pillows as you possibly could.
"Hey, those are mine!" She noticed what you were doing as she was brushing her teeth, so dangerously lunging forward to reclaim one of the larger pillows.
"Girl, I didn't see you claiming 'em!" You protested, yanking the pillow back. Sandrah uselessly protested some more, but eventually lost that better too. It was clear all of these lost battles were finally getting to the brat. She stomped away in bitter silence back into the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste and finish up. You happily situated yourself into a little nest of pillows on your side. Hey, why not make the best of the situations you've got, right?!
"I just can't believe it..." Sandrah grumbled, arriving again with some loose baby blue pajama gown on. You had grabbed the pink one just because. Both were silky smooth and almost felt like you weren't wearing much at all! ...Not exactly the most comfortable feeling when around a somewhat stranger/rival, but still nice. And yes you noticed you were some kind of rival to Sandrah. Any time you did anything remotely impressive, she would give you the same almost disgusted look, especially when you did so in front of Herobrine.... Girl, like you, wanted that man to begin with!!
Sandrah plopped into bed, accepting the one pillow you left for her on her side and tucking herself under the thin blanket she was given. Meanwhile, you were absolutely smothered in warm blankets and comforting pillows all around. Smirking expected some kind of brash comment to spill from the other lady's mouth. Some haughty words to be thrown your way... But...oddly enough..it was just silent. The unmet expectations almost made you feel uneasy. For once...Sandrah wasn't being predictable.
And then something REALLY unpredictable happened.
You heard a little sniffle from the other side of the bed. So tiny, and yet it meant to much. In your peripheral vision you saw her elbow rise as her hand rose to wipe her eyes. "Go to sleep!" She shot at you, well knowing your eyes were on her back now. Not like you cared on an emotional level, but it was rather curious how pathetic of an image it was, crying over a pile of pillows.
"...Are you seriously crying over some pillo-"
"I said go to sleep!! And NO! I would never cry over some stupid pillows! It is a luxury that I get to have one at all!" She steamed, yanking on the little blanket she had. You laid there blankly for a moment, but then her words actually meant something all of a sudden, and you had a question for her.
"Wait...what?" You saw the other woman's body tense, but then she relaxed some after letting more tears slip.
"You want to know how I came to know Herobrine..?" She asked softly.
"Uh, y-yeah." She actually had a story?? Not just that one day she got a little bored and so decided to become the Lord of Chaos's girlfriend or something?
"Wait, really?" She actually seemed surprised, briefly turning over her shoulder to look at you with soggy eyes. You made eye contact, nodding some. Sandrah turned back around quickly before more tears could fall. "I was...a slave from birth."
"Wait, what?! Isn't that illegal?!"
"Not if you're really good at hiding it.." She added. "I...never knew my mother, or my father. All I knew was that if I did everything right...I wouldn't get hurt." You opened your mouth in a silent wow. "A-a-anyways.. About three years ago, Herobrine attacked my home village. He killed the family that owned me...but spared me... I don't quite know why...but he must have known somehow my situation... Heh, maybe I really did look that bad.... After he had destroyed the village and was ordering his troops to collect the resources, I...not knowing what else I would even do with my life, bowed at his feet and offered myself as a slave to him. He...accepted me..." Sandrah paused again, having to think a little more. You wanted to say something, but couldn't think of anything at the time. "I... expected him to beat me, especially after hearing all of the rumors about him and literally seeing him kill my previous owners....but, at least I would have a place to stay and a job to do... I was surprised, though, when he didn't. Heh, I remember feeling so foreign, even. He might've gotten a little angry when I messed up, but he never shouted all that much or raised a hand to strike me... For that, I remember thinking he was the nicest man in the world... Still is...minus the typical killing to conquer..I guess. But that is just him doing what so many others have done in the past... He is no different from any of the other ancient kings who warred against each other for power. And, because of that, I eventually came to like and respect him..." She ended with a smile. You sat there just processing her story until you couldn't one up with a question.
"How did-... How did you two..get together..?"
"You know about that?!"
"Firstly, you literally said you wouldn't mind sleeping with him just minutes ago. Secondly, you make it SUPER obvious all the time, whether it be growling at me for getting his attention or trying to get his like a little puppy dog. And thirdly, not to sound like a snitch but I totally caught you two kissing once!"
"(Y/N)!!!" Sandrah spun around to shove you away from her, however, your pillows of protection stopped her and you just laughed at her attempt. Her face was red beyond belief, and it was entertaining seeing this new, flustered kind of rage. "Did you tell anyone else about it!?!"
"Not a soul." You affirmed. That seemed to calm her some. "Nowww that the world's out....you gunna tell me your love story?"
"Hhh, I guess. Why not?" Grumbling, Sandrah laid back down, this time on her back with her hands clasping together under her head. "Herobrine could tell I had had the hard life whenever I would flinch just from him looking at me a little annoyed, so to help boost my confidence, he taught me how to defend myself and fight some."
"Heh, did you guys do Jiu-Jitsu together or something?~" You teased, watching her face flush red again. (For those who don't know, Jiu-Jitsu is a very *cough* on the ground form of martial arts. Very important to learn, but, uhh, can put you and your wrestling partner into some...very precarious positions.)
"Noooo.." Sandrah sat up some, still blushing faintly. "We- we just got to know each other a little more with the one-on-one time, and I knew he cared for putting so much time into helping me. I guess, I dunno..it just blossomed into a friendship over time..."
"And then more?~" You didn't quite know why, but you just loved seeing the often hot-headed Sandrah now so easily flustered and smiling. Perhaps it was a charming sight all who saw it found cure, including Herobrine?
"Hah, no! That was only after I finally got the chance to save his life!"
You leaned in with interest. "Do tell!" Sandrah scooted a little closer. Now both of you were sitting up in bed.
"Okay, but you have to promise me you won't tell anyone else. But you're good, because hypnosis and stuff." You nodded, wondering if everyone else had been so open about you being hypnotized around you when you actually were. "Just don't tell anyone the story at all. Got it?"
"Yes mam!" You agreed, almost saluting. Internally, you rubbed your hands together, ready for those juicy secrets that might just be worth everything you have put up with so far! Thankfully, at least you didn't have to worry about your excitement to hear, since Sandrah was acting just as excited to tell.
"Alright... Two years ago, I was fighting with Herobrine when, suddenly, some special forces person shot him with some kind of veil of deadly poison! However, it wasn't just any poison! Eucla plant. Apparently, it exists far away up in some mountains as God's self-destruct button for any immortal he may have created!" Sandrah laughed. Your eyes widened.
"Wait, what?!"
"Yep! Herobrine was down as soon as he was struck! Apparently the concoction slowly strips away your immortality via injection. All in know though was that I had to think fast if I wanted to save him! I literally had to drag him somewhere safe enough and well hidden, then run to his base where he said he had an antidote. I returned just in time!" Sandrah finished, reliving the moment again in her head like some action film. "That's why... Get this. He actually isn't as strong as he sure to be..." Sandrah whispered that last part. Your eyes squinted to a near close.
"..Wait what?"
"Sad as it is, it's true! He used to be able to tear entire craters into the ground with one swipe of his hand, leverage himself and other things above the ground, and set fires with his hands alone! But now, he has to make up for what was lost by showing off what he still has left with excess finesse and valor. Don't get me wrong, he is still super powerful and WILL lead all of us to victory! But, what he endured...clearly messed him up a bit.." She paused for a moment, half ashamed she was even talking so openly to you. "And that's...why...he needed you... Because I... wasn't enough..."
"Wait... Huh..?"
"There I was risking my life away for him, and then not even two full years later he rushes onto enemy territory to snatch you of all people! The enemy! Who, for at least a long time, wanted to kill him!! He still preferred you!...over me..." Sandrah's head lowered, her eyes watching her hands fidget with the blanket as she thought. "I, just.. I don't know why he would do that. But, here you are. Smarter than me, stronger than me...braver than me. Heh... Youthful and beautiful... Heck, you even almost took out General STEVE! He BARELY escaped with his life!! I had never even come close to doing that!" Sandrah turned slightly away from you, pouty, crossing her arms before her. "I was crying earlier...not because of some stupid pillow. But, because... I....can't impress Herobrine like you can. My own boyfriend! Doesn't even talk to me as much as he used to!" Flopping back down on her side, back facing you, she returned to the exact same state and position as before, eyes brimming with tears. "...I don't know if I'll ever be loved again..." On the verge of sobbing. Sandrah had to stop herself from saying anymore, or else she might just start to cry.
You felt bad for her. You honestly did. All this time, you thought she was just being rude. Well, she was being rude, but that was thanks to a much deeper problem you didn't even know about until now. Exhaling the breath you had been holding slowly, you stretched your hand out and touched her shoulder. She flinched under the contact, but you continued by rubbing her shoulder soothingly.
"...I... had no idea... Thank you...for telling me. If it makes you feel any better...Herobrine only sees me as a tool. He doesn't see me as more...like he does you." You said what you knew she wanted to hear, throwing in some truth along with it. "I'm sure he's just busy right now... Why else though would he drag you along this chaotic quest of his, hm..?" You smiled. Sandrah sniffled, her face out of sight.
"...Thank you..." After a pause. "A long time ago...you asked me where Anna was..."
"Hm?" Oh boy. Where was this headed?
"She's... not with her parents yet. She's still under Herobrine's watchful eye just in case anything bad were to happen. But- she's living peacefully right now in the 'Demon's Woods,' which is actually quite charming... A retired enderman scout is taking care of her. Think his name was... Manfrid?... Don't know why I felt like telling you this now... Just, wanted you to know she is doing alright." Sandrah told you softly. You kept rubbing her shoulder just a little longer. Then your hand slipped away.
"...Thank you... It is...good to know she is at least safe." Your head lowered.
"Yeah... Wish I had a little sister like that. She's so cute." Sandrah yawned, pulling the blanket closer to her chin.
"Heh. She's my niece, actually. My, um.. dad...died a long time ago, and my mom hasn't married anybody else..."
"Oh, that's....sad..... What happened?"
I laid back down in my bed, flat on my backs staring up at the drapes over the bed above me, a slight scowl digging into my face.
"Herobrine."