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The two made their way down the hill. Caelryth had several bolts still stuck in him. Plutarch had taken on the melee guards that wielded large great swords, not to mention the few cheap shots their assassins took at him. They plopped down next to a broken piece of siege equipment.
“That went well,” Caelryth said as he pulled a bolt free.
Plutarch had begun bandaging his wounds. “Tribeless One always say that.”
The elf winces and let out a little yelp as he pulled the last bolt free. “Hells, anytime I can walk away from a battle, I think it went well.”
Plutarch grinned. “That on deep. Make Tribeless One stronger. They check when patrols not return. I call blood spirits heal battle wounds.”
“Work on yourself, I still have a trick or two.” The elf smiled and closed his eyes. He felt the heat leave his body and his wounds began to close.
“While we recover. Tribeless One have story? Maybe get mate this time? Last one made Fullgrin sleepy.”
Caelryth smirked. “Everyone’s a critic.”
“You should learn from Hat Man, he have many mates! Although, he not show proper dominance.”
The elf just laughed. “Alright, I have a story for you. I can tell you what having “many mates” can lead to in our society. This was way before I returned to Silverymoon and met Dani’ka. The first woman I think I truly loved, even if I didn’t always deserve such in return….”
* * *
“I’m sorry, Elusa. I don’t know why I kissed her. It was a weak moment, and very emotional. She was in a lot of turmoil, and I was just trying to help I guess.”
“Do you care for her? I took everything you’ve been telling me as truth. This wasn’t a random act of lust, Caelryth, it was a kiss. That usually means there is emotion involved.” Elusa spoke strongly, but the situation was trying for her, and it wasn’t clear how long she could hold the tears back.
“I don’t know what I feel. Hells, I just don’t know. This is all new territory for me. I don’t expect you to fully understand.”
Elusa looked angrily at Caelryth. She was almost stunned he could say something that insensitive and stupid. “You were wrong. You are a devil.” Elusa slumped down near a rock, and buried her head in hands. Caelryth went over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Get the Hells away from me!” He simply nodded and walked off.
* * *
“I see now. Tribeless One not show enough strength.” The halfling nodded in confirmation.
“No, Tribeless One got caught. Well, I’ve never been a good liar; I more or less told her the truth.” The elf smiled. “The truth, for better or worse, is always the best path in my opinion.”
“So Tribeless One lose another mate?”
“Well, no. There are times in life where, if you’re lucky, things can be mended. Revenge is easy, forgiveness, not so much.”
* * *
Caelryth made his way to her camp outside a cave where she preferred to stay. She was sitting there, in thought it seemed. She wore a dress that bore the same colors of nature. She knew he was in the area well before she caught sight of him.
Caelryth kept his distance. “Hey.”
Elusa looked up at him, but remained silent.
“I just wanted you know that I talked with Ju shortly after I last spoke with you. I’ve managed to get myself in a big mess, and in the end I have nothing to show for it. I’ve had a lot of time to think these past few weeks. I managed to mislead a good friend, and hurt the one I love all in one fell swoop. The mere thought of you should’ve been enough to keep me from doing something so stupid. I… damn it; I’m not very good at this…”
Elusa stood and approached Caelryth. She slowly brought her hand up and touched his cheek. “This is the part where you apologize to me and promise you’ll never do it again.”
Caelryth closed his eyes and sighed in relief. “I am so very sorry, and I promise I’ll never do it again.”
He opened his eyes and leaned forward to kiss her.
* * *
Caelryth yelped. “Hey! That was my shin you savage little beast!”
“Fullgrin warn Tribless One, no tell about elfa mating rituals! Fullgrin see you shrug off worse wound from steel. Don’t be pansy!”
“Yea, but that doesn’t mean they feel good. You’re the one that asked to hear a sto…”
His sentence was cut short when a flaming bolt landed a few feet from their camp. “Hey! I can see the Wolf Runt from here!”
“We’ll finish this later Fullgrin.” Caelryth smiled and mumbled an incantation. He slowly faded from sight.
Plutarch gave the elf a pointed grin and howled into the night sky.
“That went well,” Caelryth said as he pulled a bolt free.
Plutarch had begun bandaging his wounds. “Tribeless One always say that.”
The elf winces and let out a little yelp as he pulled the last bolt free. “Hells, anytime I can walk away from a battle, I think it went well.”
Plutarch grinned. “That on deep. Make Tribeless One stronger. They check when patrols not return. I call blood spirits heal battle wounds.”
“Work on yourself, I still have a trick or two.” The elf smiled and closed his eyes. He felt the heat leave his body and his wounds began to close.
“While we recover. Tribeless One have story? Maybe get mate this time? Last one made Fullgrin sleepy.”
Caelryth smirked. “Everyone’s a critic.”
“You should learn from Hat Man, he have many mates! Although, he not show proper dominance.”
The elf just laughed. “Alright, I have a story for you. I can tell you what having “many mates” can lead to in our society. This was way before I returned to Silverymoon and met Dani’ka. The first woman I think I truly loved, even if I didn’t always deserve such in return….”
* * *
“I’m sorry, Elusa. I don’t know why I kissed her. It was a weak moment, and very emotional. She was in a lot of turmoil, and I was just trying to help I guess.”
“Do you care for her? I took everything you’ve been telling me as truth. This wasn’t a random act of lust, Caelryth, it was a kiss. That usually means there is emotion involved.” Elusa spoke strongly, but the situation was trying for her, and it wasn’t clear how long she could hold the tears back.
“I don’t know what I feel. Hells, I just don’t know. This is all new territory for me. I don’t expect you to fully understand.”
Elusa looked angrily at Caelryth. She was almost stunned he could say something that insensitive and stupid. “You were wrong. You are a devil.” Elusa slumped down near a rock, and buried her head in hands. Caelryth went over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Get the Hells away from me!” He simply nodded and walked off.
* * *
“I see now. Tribeless One not show enough strength.” The halfling nodded in confirmation.
“No, Tribeless One got caught. Well, I’ve never been a good liar; I more or less told her the truth.” The elf smiled. “The truth, for better or worse, is always the best path in my opinion.”
“So Tribeless One lose another mate?”
“Well, no. There are times in life where, if you’re lucky, things can be mended. Revenge is easy, forgiveness, not so much.”
* * *
Caelryth made his way to her camp outside a cave where she preferred to stay. She was sitting there, in thought it seemed. She wore a dress that bore the same colors of nature. She knew he was in the area well before she caught sight of him.
Caelryth kept his distance. “Hey.”
Elusa looked up at him, but remained silent.
“I just wanted you know that I talked with Ju shortly after I last spoke with you. I’ve managed to get myself in a big mess, and in the end I have nothing to show for it. I’ve had a lot of time to think these past few weeks. I managed to mislead a good friend, and hurt the one I love all in one fell swoop. The mere thought of you should’ve been enough to keep me from doing something so stupid. I… damn it; I’m not very good at this…”
Elusa stood and approached Caelryth. She slowly brought her hand up and touched his cheek. “This is the part where you apologize to me and promise you’ll never do it again.”
Caelryth closed his eyes and sighed in relief. “I am so very sorry, and I promise I’ll never do it again.”
He opened his eyes and leaned forward to kiss her.
* * *
Caelryth yelped. “Hey! That was my shin you savage little beast!”
“Fullgrin warn Tribless One, no tell about elfa mating rituals! Fullgrin see you shrug off worse wound from steel. Don’t be pansy!”
“Yea, but that doesn’t mean they feel good. You’re the one that asked to hear a sto…”
His sentence was cut short when a flaming bolt landed a few feet from their camp. “Hey! I can see the Wolf Runt from here!”
“We’ll finish this later Fullgrin.” Caelryth smiled and mumbled an incantation. He slowly faded from sight.
Plutarch gave the elf a pointed grin and howled into the night sky.
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