Two Elves

Night fell as I walked to the tents my army put up just inside of the walls of Dengru, the capital of Lakuen. The sky was grey, stars blocked out by the clouds overhead. The tents were lit by candles in order for the soldiers to go through whatever nighttime rituals they perform, religious or not. Three tents ahead of my tent, I hear furious, yet hushed, voices billow from within. I stop by the tent, adjacent to the opening, listening intently to satisfy my curiosity.

"It's been months and we haven't been making any progress whatsoever," grumbled Josheire. "I don't see why you want to continue this Gaoreng. I for one have had enough. He's a nice kid, but his dreams are not worth losing the Company."

"Josheire, I've already explained this to you," said Gaoreng clearly irritated at the situation, "his dreams offer a means to reinvigorate the Company. It will create conflicts where there were none. We will have more clients in the long run if we stick with him."

"I will find another way Gaoreng."

"Josheire, you will---"

"I will not!" Josheire bellowed.

"Have you forgotten, Josheire!" Gaoreng replied in shock and fury. "Have you forgotten what you promised me?"

"No I have not," Josheire burst out of the tent, eyes red with fury. He grabbed me by the throat. "You've heard quite enough. Time for you to forget." My vision turned red and I attempt to make eye contact with Josheire. "I remembered what happened when you made eye contact with Gaoreng that one time. You aren't going to control me."

Gaoreng leaped out of the tent, tackling Josheire. The two of the fell to the ground. Gaoreng's eyes glowed red more vibrantly than Joshiere's. "Josheire? Did you forget what your promise was?" A stream of fire left Josheire's palm, aimed towards Gaoreng; however Gaoreng shifted to the right, taking only a glancing blow to his left side. "Did you forget what your father did?" he asked in an accusatory manner. Joshiere began to choke and clawed at his throat. "Did you forget what YOU did to ME?!" Joshiere's eyes faded back to normal as foam formed at the corners of his mouth. His skin began to turn grey, but I refused to intervene, letting whatever occured between the two play out. "'I was just a boy,' you said. So was I!" Josheire's limbs began to go limp as his breaths ceased for a few eternity long seconds. "You, a highborn lord complaining about life when you killed your own father. Godsdamned spoiled brat." Josheire began to take a few ragged breaths. "I was owned by you and your father. Tormented, beaten, burned, by you and your father," Gaoreng's breathing became irregular, rushed and panicked. His eyes returned to their normal color and he lay on the dirt besides Josheire.

"Gaoreng, I have never forgotten my promise to you," Josheire says between violent coughs. I looked at the two elves on the ground before me. "You two, me, Guangmei, Itrust, and Sheingne, Guangmei's friend, we are all having a nice long talk tomorrow," I sternly command them. "We can't work together and keep this many secrets."

What did I just witness? I am REALLY out of touch with them. The troops can get a well deserved rest tomorrow too. I walked past my tent and to Falemneil's tent. I tap on the outside cover on the tent, hoping that she's still awake. I hear someone behind me and see her walking towards the tent. She smiles. I smile back. "May I come in?" She has really nice thighs. "That's all you're going to do. No wonder Rhoskeil was prefered over you by most women." Shut up. I'm trying to restrain my evil notions. "Not working." I know, you exist.

"Of course you can come in, My Lord, but I must apologize for the mess," she politely replied.

The River Time Flows

I woke up with Falemneil besides me. Her head drooping down over some calculations she was working on late through the night. I cleaned my eyes and put black dye around them. The grey of the morning sun began to rise above the horizon. The air was crisp and the camp covered in early morning dew. Itrust was laying in the grass by the tent, licking his feathered arms clean. "Let's go Itrust," I said. "Time to see what's going on here." We walked through the army camp towards Guangmei's tent, seeing Sheingne, Josheire, and Gaoreng waiting outside.

"She's asleep," Josheire said, slightly irritated at his time being wasted. Itrust shook his head and walked into the tent. Moments later he walked out dragging a sleeping Guangmei with him. He nudged her with his curved toe claw. She simply rolled over. Itrust then picked Guangmei up and dropped her. She rolled over and grabbed Itrust by the tail. She threw him roughly ten feet into the air. She attempted to walk back into her tent, but Itrust landed on top of her and slapped her across the face. He carved the words, "time to work" into the ground.

"Fine, you win again Itrust. I'm up. I'm up," Guangmei said, admitting defeat to the young raptor. He triumphantly roared and got off of Guangmei.

Good job Itrust. I'm proud of you. I should do that myself next time. Take turns maybe.

Guangmei groggily stood up and faced the group, "are we talking out here or inside?" The group proceeded into the tent and sat down on the floor.

"Now," I said, "I need to know more about all of you and you need to know more about each other. We cannot lead an army if we have internal divisions."

"Or," Josheire irritably said, "we can all stay out of each other's business."

"No. That won't do. You and Gaoreng almost killed each other last night. Now explain yourself."

Guangmei glanced over at the two mercenaries in shock, eyes wide open in disbelief. "Really?" she asked utterly dumbfounded. "Why? What happened?"

"Nothing needs to be ---,"Gaoreng started.

"All of this needs to be explained!" I shouted. Everyone looked over at me, surprised at my irritation. "If you two cannot trust each other, how can I trust you to lead my armies? How could I trust you to help me conquer? How can I trust a company where a large portion of its members revolt and where its leadership is fractured? Just because my grandfather Rhoskeil I trusted you does not mean I must."

The two mercenaries glared at me, Josheire more than Gaoreng. Their ears twitched beneath their hoods, but they did not move or speak, for my words rang true. After a few moments of silence Gaoreng sighed.

"Barrékél, this is an issue that goes back over a hundred years. You're asking us to explain a very long and very personal story."

"Well you better start soon while the day is still young," I coldly replied.

"Go on Gaoreng," Josheire sighed, "I'll be fine."

He's telling Goareng that he'll be fine? They just tried to kill each other last night. Do they get over things that quickly between each other, or does Gaoreng respect Josheire to the point where Josheire can place himself over Goareng?

"So," Gaoreng began anxiously, "this all started about 113 years ago. I was seven at the time, Josheire was 10. My father, Sheimre, had just been sold to some Rumal Empire lesser noble by Josheire's father, Suba'oteing. My mother and sister were sold at my birth. They were golden heads apparently. They were Suba'oteing's prized possessions, but when he gambled and drunk his money away, squandering it with the soldiers under him, my mother and sister were the first to be sold. Suba'oteing kept squandering his wealth, selling more of us, until he got to my father. He sold him too."

"Goareng," Josheire said, " your mother and sister weren't just sold for money." Josheire glanced down at the floor. "My mother was a very jealous and vengeful woman. My father spent more time with your mother, sister, and you more than her."

"Wait.... Josheire, you.....you mean my mother and my sister...."

"Worse than you," Josheire gloomily replied. "I could not bring myself to tell you."

Guangmei and Sheingne leaned in ever so slightly to get a better listen on the words of the two. Unable to resist the urge, I join them and move closer to the duo.

"Josheire," Gaoreng said as his eyes began to turn red, "why did you never tell me this before?"

"You always wished that they were safe.... You wished that you were the only one my father abused. You have seen my back. Your back is still scarred as well. You have seen my legs. Your legs still have bite marks. You thought you were a sacrificial lamb. It gave you peace. I couldn't say anything without shattering that dream, that sweet, peaceful dream only children could ever hope to dream."

"You say that, but I have bite marks from more than one person. I have scars from more than one whip. I had nightmares worse than all the things that man did to you. I know what he did to you too. Your mother, that hateful woman, made me watch! I watched and I was whipped for corrupting the both of you. I did nothing, yet I took the blame for your father's perversions. Yes, I offered myself to him, but what else could a child do to protect his people from their owners. No, I never had that illusion of peace either. Every night, he would pick me and one other. Every night Josheire, every night after he was done with you."

Josheire stood up in front of Gaoreng. Gaoreng stood to face him.

"What is it that you will try to do now maoleima?" Gaoreng spat vitriolically.

Josheire's eyes turned bright red. Guangmei and I shot up, but before we could do anything Josheire dropped to the ground. He bowed before Gaoreng, pressing his forehead into the ground. "I will not ask or beg for forgiveness. I will not force to to do such a thing, but I apologize. I wish to make that clear once more. I foolishly thought expressing my apologies once would suffice, but 110 years later, the damage is still fresh." It was as if the world held its breath for those few seconds. Even Gaoreng was shocked at this, his eyes flashed back to their original black color.

"Stand Josheire," Gaoreng said, "you aren't the source of this evil." With this Josheire stood, eyes back to their hazel color. "Just keep your promise to me. After that, all is forgiven." The pair, now calm, sat back down.

Well then, I didn't think it was that bad. Scars? Bite marks? Josheire and his father and his mother all abusing Gaoreng like that? Damn. I can't really put this into words. "I can though. It would be a sight to see. Well, the tears, pain, and suffering, not the sexual stuff. The children stuff is too much for me to even handle." At least we agree with keeping children away from this kind of stuff.

"So, what was this deal you two made?" I ask.

"To find his family and reunite them. I their faces very well."

Guangmei and I sat down, attempting to digest what we had just heard. I turned to see Itrust laying on his stomach behind me. I scratched his back, letting the feathers run through my fingers.

"Ok, with that being said, time to move onto the next person. Guangmei, where and when did you meet Sheingne and Saongre?"

"I can answer that," replied Sheingne.

"Ok, then go ahead," I said.

"We met 84 years ago when I was born. We're cousins, granted no one really sees the resemblance. We met Saongre during the Great War. That's all."

"Sheingne, you could've been more detailed," Guangmei said. "Yea, we're cousins. There isn't much to add there. There is more to the Saongre story though. We first met him when I was around twelve. It was the third time we escaped from slavery. We always got caught someway. Either we were sick or got lost or some other form of bad luck. Anyways, we didn't really talk to him that time. We just saw him whenever we got caught walking through the ever expanding territory of Lakuen tribe. The second time we met him was in the Battle of Gwō'neishong. I was 30 by then. Me, Sheingne, and Saongre ended up fighting side-by-side somehow. The chains that bound me and Sheinge to the other slave conscripts must have been melted by dragonfire. The three of us alongside soldiers from other elven nations were being pushed back to the Yengzi River. If Veirrano ever watched over Gwō'neishong, he must have abandoned the city by then. Dragons and giant hawks flew over the city, sending scores of soldiers to fought over by Drungkei'ochen and Krei'ochegra'o. That day I was the closest to death I have ever been. Bar, your grandfather was crazy. Never saw a human taller than me. Never saw someone strong enough to punch down brick barricades or with fire magic hot enough to melt armor. I thought that was exclusive to dragons. He charged at Saongre on his raptor. A group of us jumped in front of Saongre, only for most of them to be cut down within a second. The soldiers under his command started to charge over in our direction. I tried to kill him quickly, but he grabbed my sword by the blade. He winked at me and snapped my sword in two before moving on. After that day, me and Saongre started talking more. He said he wanted to know the woman who saved his life. And that's all."

"I remember him telling me and my brother a story about a pretty female elf he met on the battlefield. I didn't know he meant you." I said intrigued.

"I'm glad he remembered me. What else did he say?"

"He said she was too pretty to kill, too brave to humiliate, and too fierce to leave armed. I can't say I disagree."

"I'm flattered."

"And that," Josheire said, " was why I was excited to work for him at the twilight of the Great War. He's a straightforward man."

"Did your grandfather say anything about me?" Sheingne asked.

"He said you were good in bed even though your assassination while sucking him off failed miserably."

Guangmei looked at her cousin in disappointment while Gaoreng burst out laughing. Josheire just smiled smugly and glanced towards Guangmei's expression before letting out a muffled chuckle.

"You had one job Sheingne," Guangmei mocked. "It's not that hard."

Sheingne rolled her eyes at Guangmei's comment. "Is that all he said?" Sheingne asked.

"No, just the funniest," I said holding in a laugh.

"So, Bar, is there anything you need to tell us?" Guangmei asked "We do need to ensure that we know more about each other."

"There isn't much, but you're right to ask this of me. My grandfather, as all of you know was a Commander for the Venkí Army. He was never able to become a general, but he had the influence of one. He played a very influential role both in the military and in politics. He was able to maneuver the battlefield and the homefront with ease, with too much ease. One day, my grandfather, Rhoskeil II, and my grandfather's close friend Grrínka, went to the capital. The next week, they come back carrying a coffin. My grandad was accused of treason, so he was sentenced to death by electrocuted. Rhoskeil II was electrocuted as well, but he was allowed to live; however, he's been permanently marked with lightning shaped scars running down his body. My grandad doted over Rhoskeil II and was grooming him to be a general as good if not better than he was. The sudden shock of losing our granddad left a mark in my older brother. I believe Rhoskeil was planning on this revolt for the past five years."

The room was silent as the elves mourned the death of the one man who changed the world, of the man who bent their kind, of the man whose blood runs through their leader's veins.

"That's all for today," I said breaking the moment of silence. I walked back towards my own tent before dropping to my knees, raising my head up in prayer. Grandfather, even the elves mourn your loss. I wish I could see you now as you see me. I wish for all my ancestors to watch over me, not just me, but me and my people, for we are in hostile lands with few supplies. Thank you all.

Management

I walked out of my tent and into the rapidly warming sun. The air was saturated with water, with dark grey clouds approaching from the northwest. The shipless sailors were milling about with no aim or purpose. The elves from Josheire's company stuck to themselves for the most part, but their eyes were sullen and downcast. From the corner of my eye, I saw Saongre watching two of the female sailors gamble with great interest before moving on. I shouldn't be wasting time. I need to get these people into order. The two sailors immediately stopped when they saw me walk over.

"Yes sir?" The skinnier of the two asked.

"Gather the rest of the sailors. Get the elves too. We have work to do."

"Right away sir," she replied before packing her die and earnings. She quickly walked off, relieved that I did not penalize her actions.

"Gambling on those cubes," Saongre said with an undertone of wonder, "the idea is simple yet exhilarating. Who will win? Who will lose?"

"My brother and father used to gamble all the time. One day they came back home with five pounds of gold."

"Five pounds of gold?" Saongre paused, contemplating the possibilities of what could be done with such wealth. "Five pounds. I could make a great gambling house where elves from all over can earn great fortunes, but that's an idea for another time. I actually have some news for you Barrékél." The winds picked up, lifting dust and leaves off the ground. "An elderly human with cropped hair came to our border at dawn. He was unarmed and kept repeating your name. He wished to speak with you directly, but he was sent back. The elderly man wished that you were in good health. He claimed that the Island Confederation is yours for the taking and that the leader has gone mad with power. He claimed that elves and humans were being killed at whim."

My eyes lit up. Bakalos, you did good. Keep up the work, but why did you come all the way to elven lands? The president going mad is probably a result of Guangmei's magic.

"Barrékél, did that man speak the truth? You wish to take the Island Confederation?"

"Yes."

"I see. There is something must attend to, but the man said one more thing: your brother has killed Emperor Arruzk and Prince Vérhukt, the Venkí Empire is essentially under his rule." Saongre turned and walked back to his ivory palace.

Oh, shit. Did I hear what I think I just did? "Yes, yes you did." I started to walk towards the growing crowd of mercenaries and sailors. I can't help but be impressed. "Impressed? NO! Be furious. Be angry." I am extremely irritated if that counts. "It doesn't." I reached the group of 1900 sailors and 3100 mercenaries. The mercenaries were battle ready and capable of going to battle at any moment, yet the sailors were out of their element. They were used to combat on the open seas and while they all kept swords, their skill wouldn't compare to that of a soldier who trained regularly.

"On our way here, I said that we would train. We did just that. Not everyone survived. Some fell from trees. Some died of illness. To you all, I say, congratulations for your competence. All of you pair up. Gaoreng, Josheire, Guangmei, make sure that everyone is paired up. Falemneil, come over to me." The army scrambled as all five thousand of them rushed to find a partners. Unexpectedly the two groups segregated into elvish and human partners. "No human can pair with another human!" As I spoke, the winds slowed to a stop. Itrust and Falemneil reached me, standing in front of the army. While Falemneil tried to hide behind me, uneasy at the sight of thousands of others. Itrust stood proudly, raising the red crest of feathers running down his head and spine, and displaying his stone tipped spear.

"No!" A deep voice shouts from the right. "I will not train with a damned human."

"You don't have a choice, Guangmei replied to the disagreeing elf. Itrust and I walk over to him.

"I will not train with a human and I will not listen to a woman. Who do you think you are, growing your hair long and keeping it uncovered?" Guangmei calmly walked up to him and punched him in the jaw.

"No more talking from you. You disrespectful excuse for an elf. I am free to do as I please."

The sailor who attempted to partner with the elf shook his head, "there's no need to be stubborn."

The elf glared at him and shoved Guangmei out of his way. He unsheathed his sword. "What was that human?" I tapped the elf on the shoulder. He turned around, blindly swinging simultaneously. I ducked, evading the elf, but Itrust caught the elf's blade. He let out a deep and thunderous roar as the sword was flung to the dirt. I looked over at Guangmei, whose eyes were a deep red, filled with murderous intent and bloodlust. Our eyes met and she simply smiled before calming back down. A very crisp slap resounded through the air, the elf receiving the back of Itrust's hand.

"Next time soldier," I said, "the price is your life. I will not tolerate disobedience." The elf begrudgingly nodded and paired up with the sailor. Itrust and I walked back to Falemneil. Once back with her, I turned to the soldiers. "All of you will be practicing basic combat. No complex moves or strategy, no magic, and no killing each other. Begin!"

I turned to Falemneil, drawing my sword, she uncomfortably draws her own sword and takes a defensive position. Looks like she might have a lot of work ahead of her. I take a deep breath of the muggy air and walk towards her, ignoring the clashing of metal in the background. We circle around each other looking for a moment to strike. I slightly lower my guard; she lunges towards me, but slightly over extends herself. I quickly turn to the right. I hook my foot around her ankle and knock her off balance. Before she can fall to the ground, I catch her and tap the blade of my sword on the back of her neck. "Dead," I said. "Try again." Falemneil got back onto her feet and took a defensive stance. I ready my sword and we circle each other again. Again, I lower my guard. She takes notice and starts to move towards me. I rush towards her, and she attempts a slash. Our swords clash as I parry her blade. I move in slightly closer forcing her to step back. I thrust my sword towards her head and she raises her blade, but I let my sword drop from my right hand and into my left, allowing my sword to go under hers. I point my sword at her neck. "Dead."

"Fine, but don't you think you should take your armor off at least?" I look down to see that I'm still in the damascus steel armor that Josheire got me after I was released from the president's dungeon.

"I didn't realize I was even wearing this." I said as I undo the straps on my armor.

"You always wear it, even when you sleep," she chuckled. "You didn't realize that?"

"No, it must've become a habit." I say liberating myself from the heavy steel. "Itrust protect my armor please." I rolled my shoulders back. "Much better, now let's start."

"Y-Yea," Falemneil said slightly flustered. We circled around each other, swords ready, looking for a moment to strike.