Cutting Teeth

Every day she sees the creatures of this world using their mouths
Soft
perfectly plump lips
glistening teeth

They bare them to their loved ones
A sign
A Silent greeting
An expression of joy that they can see those who they hold dearly again, reassurance. Love

But Eve? her teeth are like that of a beast\

Her lips thin
almost phantasmal
Instead of a pink, soft place of pearly white hers were a sea of pikes
Thick and razor tipped
unlike the thinner, blunt ones that she coveted

Deep in her heart, she wanted to be like them
to be closer to them
to him

But how can she?
No, she was like a beast
a monster
a predator
her teeth did not chew softly
They gnashed and tore
To her, her mouth was a black hole
She hated it and hid her shame under a veil of indifference
Yet she envied the dainty lady
their petite faces, almond eyes
Their ample figure
Their soft skin

Anondel knew this
he was her confidant
so whenever Eve returned from her trips to the outside world far beyond the dark of their forest home, shoulders heavy with loot and envy to sulk
he reminded her of her perfection

When she screamed about her dull body he would reminder her of her lithely figure

when she bemoaned her large, yellowed eyes, he reminded her how they are the envy of the moon itself
not even it could compare, not even it could absorb the golden light of the heavens

When she complained about her horns he would simply rub them, marveling at how regal they made her
her crown
given by no one

Her tail? No creature could match the skill she wielded her tail
as if it was another arm, she could use it just as well if not better
it was thin and sleek and perfect
and her lips?
Her fondest memory
When he stooped to her level and lifted the grim, heavy helm from his shoulders

He inched close enough, quietly and to her surprise,  nervously
and she followed him
for a moment that felt like a millennium their lips touched
her white face flushed with new feeling
her insides fluttered
his lips soft
his embrace warm
and she knew in that moment, he felt it too

Yes. she knew
Even if Eve could not yet accept it she knew her master did
She was perfection in his eyes
that was good enough for her