A kind individual helps a younger individual learn that the bullying and mistreatment they've suffered is NOT their fault, they didn't do anything wrong. The ones who were in the wrong were their bullies. -- Anon Guest
"Devilborn! Devil-bred! Go and cry and wet your bed!"
There were worse things the children of the town could be doing to him than their daily chant. They could throw anything, including punches and hard objects. Or soft objects.
If he was fast enough. Wily enough. If he showed the right emotions, just to make them laugh at him... Worth might just escape without anything worse. He'd found enough shinies to trade for coin, and with enough coin, he might get some food that wasn't spoiled.
They liked it better when Worth cried or screamed or ran away. That was why Worth was searching for an opportunity to do what they might want best.
A rock bounced off Worth's horn, enough to shock, but not enough to hurt. The other kids of the town laughed at him as he flinched and tried to dodge. If one of the bigger ones was in the pack, they might beat up Worth for his shinies.
And then they stopped, very suddenly, as Worth ran into something solid and soft.
Worth looked up... and resigned himself to death.
He'd run straight into a massive, green, muscly Harukh. Tusks and piercings and all. Worth didn't even notice that the other kids had run away. There was only one thing he could do.
He offered his pouch of shinies and said, "Take it and spare me, I'm sorry."
The Harukh scooped him up and muttered, "Who throw away good baby?" in the common tongue. The kiss to Worth's brow almost scared the life out of him. "Fear not. You my baby now."
There was warm food, which the Harukh helped Worth eat. There was gentleness and care. And lessons in the Harukh tongue.
Worth had a mother now. He came to understand that as Batzra taught him more and more. Including a level of pride in himself.
"In this world, there are many who hate because of how another looks. They hate because of how another is born. That is their brain. It is not your fault. You be strong as yourself. You grow. You be better. They will hate anyway. They can go on the midden."
There were many who would hate the Harukh for being Harukh, or call them Orc because they wouldn't bother to pronounce it properly. Or name them 'barbarian' because they didn't bother to learn about the culture.
People chose to be blind to the truth, that other people were people, regardless of how they were born or what culture they grew up in. Or that a little understanding could go a long way.
Worth kept trying to understand why people would choose that. It was very hard work.
[Photo by Sung Jin Cho on Unsplash]
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