Desmond and Ator took their time taking the commander’s body down from the tree. Ator knelt down and began to pray. Desmond walked away towards the gate where Kale was finishing throwing up and refusing to look inside. The rest of the squad was lining up the dead as Audra spoke an arcane chant to preserve the dead and Ator was individually praying for each dead body. Keely and Nikolai were respectfully laying the bodies out and collecting the name plates.
Aurora stood outside one barracks building staring intensely at a sad sight. A bunch of very young footmen recruits were lying dead sprawled over the floor, overturn cots, desks, broken chairs, and so forth. Desmond stood next to her slowly followed by Audra and Skivvy. No one spoke. There was a grim, silent understanding that all of them felt deep inside. A burning feeling that was barely held back.
Skivvy anxiously looked over at Audra covering his mouth from the stench. Audra was emotionless with a single tear welling up. Skivvy quietly reached out for her hand and then stopped himself. Aurora quietly closed the wooden door and walked away. She threw her helmet off as she looked up at the sky. Desmond sighed and went to a nearby tree to be by himself for a bit. Audra and Skivvy turned around and began drinking from their canteens shakily. Skivvy was turning blue, red, and yellow all at once as he tried to slow his breathing down. Audra quietly held his hand firmly calming him down. However, he noticed the tension in her grasp. Audra gave a half-hearted smile of assurance and then went to help Keely and Nikolai. Skivvy shortly followed after he took a few deep breaths.
Kale looked out into the woods sensing something. He noticed a shadowy figure peer out of a bush along with a faint metal clicking. He said in an annoyed tone, “Bloody fucking kidding me… Hey, we’re not alone!”
Everyone ran to the gate with their weapons drawn. Skivvy smelled the air and sheathed his scimitars. He said aloud, “Elvan border rangers. Smells like morning dew… All Elves do.”
Everyone relaxed as 50 hooded rangers peered out of the tree line. Half were armed with recurved bows and the other half were gunners; all of which wearing dark green cloaks and light, muted grey armor. Some wore black fur Ushanka hats. The rest wore black head wraps or their cloak hoods.
The Elf commander pulled back his hood revealing a long mane of platinum blonde hair and a thin, clean shaven face. He had soft, pale skin and piercing turquoise eyes highlighted by his perfectly manicured, thin eye brows and what appeared to be a small amount of eyeliner. He was ornately dressed in custom, black, Elvish armor (similar to Aurora’s armor) highlighted with beautifully etched gold highlights paired with the black parts of his armor. He was a rather tall and proud Elf. He swaggered ahead of the rangers and greeted himself formally in Elvish with a bit of dramatic flair with his hand gestures. Aurora responded in the proper high-elf manner, which happily surprised the commander.
He smirked in Elvish, “Alvara’s kin? Ah! Aurora dear! Did not expect you to be here? How are you, Darling? Still enviously beautiful and kicking ass as usual!”
“Thanks and you still look as handsome and fabulous as ever! All is well, Captain Rilitar. Been too long since we last talked. Since selection, right?”
“Ah, yes… Thanks for helping me back during that dreadfully onerous course. Thank the gods it’s over! I still owe you, love,” he said happily in Elvish.
Everyone else looked to Kale and Keely wondering what was being said. Kale rolled his eyes and said in common, “Captain Rilitar and Aurora are old friends from training and they are catching up on things.”
Everyone gave a collective “Ah” in understanding.
Nikolai whispered to Ator, “Does the Elvan captain come across as a bit fruity to you or is it just me? Nothing wrong with it, but I did not expect that.”
“No… He’s a flamer,” Ator whispered back.
Keely chimed in quietly to the squad, “I know he works the ‘other field,’ but I’m weirdly attracted to him… Don’t y’all agree?”
Everyone unanimously agreed with a nod.
Captain Rilitar looked at Desmond and said in common, “Ah! Where are my manners? Pleasure meeting you, lieutenant. I see you have been well acquainted with our brutish adversaries? My oh my! I’m sorry for what’s happened here. Wish this was under better circumstances, but pleasure meeting you, Sir Rollo! Ecstatic meeting a hero.”
“Yes,” Desmond asked beyond confused by what was happening before him as his hand was being shook. “What is it?”
“I did not expect you to be handsome in an unconventional, rugged way. Most human knights look as if they were kicked in the face by horses, but you… Damn. Lean, pretty, and a hero… Aurora, you better have locked that down before I get a hold.”
“Thanks… That’s a way of putting it, captain. You look… Good as well,” Desmond said in a slightly confused tone with a slight blush unprepared for the compliments and flamboyancy.
Aurora silently giggled at this noticing Desmond’s flushed face. The rest of the squad noticed Desmond’s blushing and all silently laughed to themselves. Desmond collected himself and then asked seriously, “Anyway, I believe your forces have been made aware of our journey thus far?”
“Indeed. We are aware. Wish we came sooner to save them…Sigh… Sorry about your horses and wagon and the fort. My elves will bury them for you,” Rilitar said as he snapped around.
He ordered softly in Elvish for the rest of the rangers to bury the dead and clean out the fort. 10 stood outside on watch with 3 of them standing to the side of the wooden gates.
Rilitar proceeded to individually greet the rest of the squad in the same flamboyant manner as before giving each individual compliments. Everyone was amused by him. He especially perked up once he heard Kale and Keely reply back in Elvish with Keely complimenting his style and him complimenting her tattoos and piercings. He was also most intrigued by Skivvy’s color changing abilities especially when he turned pink after receiving a compliment.
Aurora laughed in Elvish, “Alright, let’s get to business. Rilitar?”
Ator, Audra, Skivvy, and Nikolai went back inside the fort to rest while Ator wanted to pray over the dead one last time. Audra started a fire with Skivvy and Nikolai helping. Aurora, Desmond, and Rilitar slowly walked inside discussing what to do about the ape men. The elves buried the remaining dead footmen and Ator presided over the mass grave giving funeral rites. A handful of the elves stood silently out of kindness and respect for the dead as Ator did this. Two of them joined in prayer. Skivvy looked over at Ator and the praying elves and smiled.
Audra asked, “What is it?”
“Nothing… Just ox being ox.”
“Yeah,” she replied warmly.
Kale and Keely stood just inside the gates next to two large crates trying their best to not look back inside. The 3 rangers by the gate stood opposite of Kale and Keely. One of the rangers looked over at Keely intrigued by her presence and overall demeanor. Keely noticed this and rolled her eyes playfully in response as she sat on one of the crates cleaning her rifle. She coyly smiled hoping for the ranger to notice. Kale looked pissed at the ranger and glared at him with daggers in his eyes. The ranger quickly looked away embarrassed.
Keely punched Kale in the hip and whispered, “Relax! I don’t mind if they stare.”
“I don’t like how he looks down on you and me.”
“Not everyone is like that.”
“They are pure high-elves. We’re mixed with human. We’re less than wood-elves in their eyes.”
“Kale… Shut it. Okay? Not every pure-elf looks down on half-elves. Not every freaking pure-elf is like father. Fawking bloody annoyed by your instant negativity sometimes.”
“You know I care about you?”
“I know… But you need to relax and be nice,” she said whilst her leg was twitching up and down rapidly.
Kale looked at the ground and sighed trying his best to look tough and reserved. The ranger quietly leered at Keely again more inconspicuously. The other two rangers next to the leering one were teasing him as they walked off. Kale got bored and walked back inside the fort to chat with Nikolai, Skivvy, and Audra. Keely finished cleaning her rifle as she put it to her side. She took off her helmet and head wrap and let her hair down; though it was more of her shaking her head and trying desperately to get any knots out of her short hair.
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The leering ranger was more obvious in his admiring of her natural cuteness and her rugged yet pretty looks. Keely softly asked in Elvish playing with hair on her forehead, “I see you staring, mate. I thought rangers were the conspicuous type, eh?”
“Um,” the ranger said as he looked to his right only to find himself alone on his side of the gate. He looked back at Keely who was curiously looking at him.
She jokingly replied, “Um is all you can say?”
He was staring at her short, pointed ears and her cute face noticing the multiple earrings and creeping tattoos running along her neck stopping just at her jawline. He also noticed the tattoos running across her fingers and wrists as she took her gloves and vambraces off to roll her sleeves up slightly. The tiny dimples on her slim face highlighting her smile nearly melted him.
“Um no,” he said nervously. “No I’m – yes I’m staring but… Fuck me, why do I always end up doing this?”
“Want to sit down? You look lonely over there by the bloody gate, mate,” she said tapping the empty space next to her on the large crate.
He anxiously walked over and sat down stiffly next to her. She laid her hand next to him making him freeze wide-eyed for a moment
She asked, “You have any sage on you? Used up all mine.”
He handed her one joint from his cloak pocket. He couldn’t bring himself to directly look at her as he hid himself in his hood. He was trying to hide his blushing face.
She lit up her joint and took a few long puffs. She stared at the trees as the snow was slowly falling as she tried to drown out the noise of the fort behind her. The ranger was as stiff as a corpse as he did his best to look as if he was on watch, but was obviously failing at that.
She asked handing him the joint, “You got a stick up your arse? What’s up? Relax, I don’t bite”
“Oh… No. Just… Just… I’m awkward… Yeah.”
“No shame in that. Relax, dear,” she said smiling.
She knew that he was crushing and wanted to ask her stuff, but she wanted to relish in the awkward cuteness of the ranger. He quickly took a puff and gave the joint back to Keely.
She asked, “What’s your name?”
“Tarron Glyndi… What pray tell yours?”
“Keely Faeth. Pleasure,” she said shaking his limp hand. “I think you’ll see better if you took the hood off and stopped covering your pretty eyes.”
Tarron melted and gulped trying to hide his nervousness behind a forced smile. He awkwardly pulled back his hood revealing long, light brown hair tied into a bun held together by a metal stick and a leather hair tie. He had a thin, boyish complexion and was a relatively younger high-elf who was fresh from ranger school. He had kind, thin, blue eyes and a small cut along his left eyebrow. His left pointed ear had a silver cap over it. Left cheek also had a faint, square-shaped outline of a healed face wound that was not noticeable at first.
He awkwardly smiled briefly with an even more awkward wave of his hand to her. She laughed at his cute awkwardness. He retreated into himself trying to laugh it off thinking she was making fun of him.
She replied warmly, “It’s alright. It’s alright! I find it cute that you’re trying so hard to be normal.”
“Thanks.”
“You look young… Hmm.? First assignment immediately after completing training I suppose?”
“How the,” he stammered amazed that she figured him out that quickly.
She said, “You look like a kid still and you still have some semblance of hope in your eyes… I find that to be a good thing to have… Same age as you probably, but I did join young too… Gods know I have no hope left.”
Tarron looked at her empathetically as she went to finish the joint in a final puff as she stomped it out quickly. He noticed how her eyes were sad despite her joyful appearance and carefree demeanor. He also noticed her leg was bouncing rapidly; more violently this time.
He asked softly with concern, “Your leg… You okay?”
“Fine,” she said tersely as she crossed her arms and her leg bounced some more, but less intensely.
He looked away feeling as if he said something wrong. S
he rolled her eyes and said to him, “You’re not in the wrong, Tarron. Just had a… Messy time recently. Bit of a coping habit.”
“Ah… I see. The fort and… All that,” he said in quiet understanding.
There were a few awkward moments of silence until she looked over at Tarron’s face. She was studying his scars and silver ear cap. She asked, “What happened to your ear and cheek? Why the silver cap?”
“Training… Accident… Fell out of tree because I fell asleep on watch. Scraped the entire side of the red wood. Took a chunk out.”
“Shite! That has to hurt. Dear… I’m sorry.”
“Oh it did! I still get made fun of for it. It’s all good though. I bet your tattoos hurt worse than mine”
“Ha! I know that,” she said remembering all the times she got busted for sleeping during Arn’s training. “The ink didn’t hurt… Neither did the eighteen piercings.”
“What,” Tarron asked surprised counting the piercings on her ears and nose.
He only noticed ten on her head; 4 on each ear and one nose stud with a septum bull ring. He then blushed upon realization. She giggled at his realization and awkwardly laughed a bit with her too.
Tarron then asked after composing himself, “You’re a half-elf?”
“Yes, how’d you guess that,” she asked sarcastically. “The ears?”
“Well, yes… Your ears aren’t as pronounced or pointy like pure-elves. You also sound like you are somewhat proper and that is unusual in comparison to most half-elves in this region… In a good way. Not in a way that means ‘it’s good that you sound proper from a proper family.’ Just that…That…”
“Take your time I kind of see where you’re trying to go with it,” she said teasingly.
Tarron sighed and said bravely looking partially at her eyes, “I never seen anyone of Elvan decent have so many beautiful tattoos before. They look very pretty and well done… And I have never seen anyone as cute as you are in any army. Elf or human or otherwise.”
“Oh, thank you,” she blushed. “Thanks.”
“Where’re you from?”
“Was living here in Galadriel at one point. Ended up in the human lands because of my father’s work. Was a part of a high-elf noble family, but…”
She immediately remembered her father and his disdain for her and Kale along with all the times she tried to earn his approval. She also remembered how harsh and racist the Elvan kids were at boarding school.
“But not being pure-elf comes with its… Challenges… Ended up in this army as a way to escape and… So fucking childish, but to prove myself and all that. Still feel as if I’m looked down upon for not being pure-elf.”
“I see nothing wrong with not being pure-elf,” Tarron said with a genuine sincerity that Keely was not prepared for.
He continued looking at her with an untapped confidence, “You’re special forces from Rodham. That’s an accomplishment to proud of in its own right. Maybe us ‘pure-elves’ need to learn to be more open-minded. Nothing in life is truly ‘pure.’ I think the most beautiful things in life are a mix of something one way or the other.”
She blushed again turning bright red and quickly wiped the sides of her hair as she made a fist and bit her lower lip looking away from him for a second. She wanted to kiss him badly.
She asked after a deep breath to calm herself down, “So what have you rangers noticed thus far? You ran into the old task force that came through? Any new things we should be aware? Like, what’s up?”
“Well… Yes, the older force did come through here with a lot more men and the fort was still secured at the time.”
“How many more men?”
“They had around twenty to thirty overall. Armed to the teeth in the latest armor, much like your big friend over there… They said that they were on a ‘diplomatic mission’ of sorts and moved north east towards the frozen mountains. We did advise them to seek out the warlock for help, but they refused for some reason. I don’t know why… Anyway, we were made aware after the fact that they were killed after we never saw them pass through again except for one survivor who was… Well, he wasn’t all there from what I heard. He was quickly sent back to Rodham City and that’s the last of I’ve heard. Since then, we were made aware of you guys’ coming and that we were to help guide you to the Tree of Life and that’s it.”
“So why didn’t you guys help out the first group with their task at the frozen mountains even if they said no? You could do the same for us, no?”
“We could’ve for them. We could for you, but we have orders not to.”
“Orders not to? Like what exactly,” she asked inquisitively. “That sounds very off, don’t you think?”
“Yeah it’s… How do I say this,” Tarron said as he was looking to the sky for a way to explain. Kale came back and said harshly in Elvish, “Mate! Move it!”
Tarron got up and waved goodbye as he quickly and awkwardly tripped on himself and then scampered away out of sight of the two into the fort. Keely looked at Kale with a pissed off look.
Kale was confused and asked rhetorically, “Did I do something wrong?”
Keely grabbed her rifle, threw her vambraces and helmet at Kale and stormed off in the direction of Tarron.
Kale was holding two cups of ginseng tea and was about to hand her one. He stood there for a moment truly feeling as if he did nothing wrong and was confused by her anger at him. He decided to sit down and finish both teas as he thought of Zylia and what their relationship could be once he was to return.
Keely quickly ran up to Tarron and wrapped her arm around him as she apologized for Kale. Tarron side hugged her in return saying that he understands why Kale is acting that way. Keely pressed further on the last question she asked him.
