If you've decided to read this, I'm sure you've got some questions: What happened to Violet? How can I rationalize harming a creature as lovely and frail as a fairy? Read on and I will try to explain from my perspective.
First, a brief explanation of who the victim was.
Violet, my familiar, was very quiet as far as fairies went, something I'd come to appreciate about her over the years. She was so quiet, in fact, that often during my college years my colleagues would comment on just how well-behaved she was.
"Mine's always singing! Wanna trade?"
"What spell did you use to shut her up?"
"Are you sure that thing's still alive?"
Looking back today, I realize what a fool I was to have sacrificed such a wonderful familiar for something as primitive and short-term as sadistic pleasure...
So what started the cycle of abuse? It all started during a simple alchemical experiment. I was grinding herbs in a mortar and pestle while Violet sat on the desk, half awake. The late hours and dull work had begun to take their toll on her awareness.
I requested she retrieve my last vial of hawthorn berries from the back shelf. During the return trip, she dropped it. I replied with a frustrated scolding, shaking my finger and shouting "Bad fairy!" without really thinking about what I was saying. Violet squeaked in surprise to this insult.
Fairies were known to squeak when frightened but not my Silent Violet. Never in my years of knowing her had I witnessed her squeak before. It was strangely satisfying to me, like the sound of a perfectly tuned violin. Expressive and energetic but at the same time remarkably feminine and refined. You couldn't train a fairy to make such a lovely little sound, it had to come naturally.
I had to hear it again, but how? I didn't want her to know how intoxicating her frightened voice was to me, so I chose to simply scold her more often. Perhaps once a month or so, I would find another reason to verbally abuse the poor fairy. Nothing severe, of course.