Chapter 18

I made no effort in covering myself when I washed my body in my yard. Then I put on some clean clothes. I left all my weapons behind, except my precious steel knife, and started walking towards where somebody was hiding. I know that it was stupid, but I was frustrated and angry. In my own home yard. Like, that would stop someone who might want to kill me. Right now, I was too pissed to really care, even though I didn’t really know at whom or why I was so pissed. It simply didn’t make any difference. I sat down on a rock facing the forest and the direction where that someone was. Then I closed my eyes and started to wait. Coming here almost unarmed was simply stupid but challenging the person like this was also arrogant. Somehow, I just didn’t care right now.

Or maybe I did care - since even though I had closed my eyes I didn’t stop sensing my surroundings. Somehow, I felt that I’d become at least a bit better at this, since I was able to sense the presence of one person close to me and a few others further away. Even though they almost disappeared to be part of the background noise generated by all living beings. There wasn’t much difference, but there was some. Enough for me. Not only that, I was almost certain that the person following me was a female. I knew that it was stupid, since there was no way I could really know or sense that, but somehow, I was sure. Or maybe I just hoped that it was a Troll, ready to release an arrow. Well, there was only one way to find out.

““If you are that interested about me, you could just come to me and ask. As you can see, I’m unarmed.””

I was sure that I had spoken loud enough that I could be heard. Still, the silence that followed was long.

““You are lying. You have a knife in your pocket.””

Definitely a female. Still, her voice was not soft but commanding and it reminded me of Cajsa when she was serious. I smiled.

““Yes, shielded and in my pocket, while I’m sure that you have a crossbow ready. Even if you missed, you’d probably have enough time to reload. So, there isn’t much I could do. If you want, I can wait a while so you can go back to your friends and have more firepower. However, I had thought that my history with your people would be enough to convince you that I’m not a threat.””

When she became visible behind the heather I almost shook my head in disbelief. She had masked her face with some dirt and she had also added some twigs to her hair which, combined with her brownish-green clothing made her almost invisible against the terrain. I shook my head a bit and smiled at her. She didn’t smile back, and her crossbow was ready, even though it wasn’t pointing in my direction.

““Do you have any idea what has happened in these woods? Those Ugly People are running like ants after somebody disturbed their colony - only, they are running scared. We had to call our party back, since scared people tend to do stupid things.””

She was mad, damned mad. For some silly reason, I found the angry little woman in front of me extremely arousing. I had to fight against smiling. I almost felt some guilt, since I hadn’t said anything about my adventures with the Elves to Erika and Siv, and now again I was lusting after one. I shook my head a bit in order to push away such thoughts, and then I fully concentrated on the angry little woman.

““Can you please follow me to the stable.””

““Why?””

I sighed.

““It’s easier to explain once you have been there. Look, you can keep your bow loaded, and I promise that I won’t try anything. I promise.””

Giving a solemn promise in the Old Language was probably the thing that convinced her. She lowered her bow. I had to admit that I felt a bit better when there was no immediate possibility to being shot.

““What happened to the house?””

““A long story - or more precisely - the end of a longer story. I’ll explain it later.””

I could tell she wasn’t happy about that, but it couldn’t be helped. Once we got the stable, I opened the big door and let the horses out. She let out a gasp.

““How ... how come you have these Isle horses, here?””

““If you take a look inside, I’m sure that you recognize the type of the saddles.””

She did as I suggested, and when she looked at me she was in control of herself again.

““It was you who startled them, wasn’t it?””

““Probably.””

““Why?””

There was no accusation in her voice that I could hear, just curiosity. Maybe even some hidden satisfaction - or perhaps that was what I wanted to hear.

““You are not alone, I guess. You have some friends waiting in the woods?””

““Maybe.””

I rolled my eyes.

““Look, since I need to tell my story, I’d rather do it only once. So, should we go to them or would they prefer coming here? However, right now, my ability to offer something to eat is currently a bit restricted. If we go to them, I can bring some smoked meat and vegetables with me.””

Suddenly the woman was grinning at me.

““I’m not sure if it’s safe.””

““I promise that I’ll not harm you.””

““No, I mean that I’m not sure if it’s safe for you once some of us hear you hurt some Ugly People.””

I must have looked worried, since she burst out laughing.

““Oh, I’m sure she’ll leave you alive. Tired - and empty, maybe - but alive and soft.””

All the sexual thoughts I had had regarding my guest came rushing back, and along with them came the guilt. I couldn’t help it, I blushed and wanted to curse, but I was only able to turn away and head towards my ground cellar, leaving the grinning woman behind me. Damn, there was no reason I should feel this way.

““I’ll get some meat and vegetables!””

Of course, it wasn’t that simple, but it didn’t take me long to take care of the horses and make sure that Tariel had some fresh water available. In a way, it was like going on a short hunting trip, and taking care of those simple routines helped me calm down. I knew that I should have been expecting visitors. I knew that even though there was some interaction between the Elves and Trolls, there was no love lost between them. Thus far, my visitors had strictly avoided talking about ‘the Ugly People’ and everything they represented. In a way, I found that more than a bit odd, since according to the fairy tales my mother had told me, both races entered our world during the same incident.

Our goal wasn’t far. In the middle of a small hill there was a small valley with a brook. I already guessed that at the end of brook would be a spring. If you climbed the nearby cliff, you could observe your surroundings safely and easily. Quite a nice temporary shelter for a small party. I didn’t need to look. I could sense that someone was up there and once I saw the tents, the rest of those who were already waiting for us.

““He really is a cutie. Did you get a taste, already?””

““Shut up, there is a chance that there won’t be much left of him once Lindariel is finished with him.””

““Just why should I even touch him?””

Lindariel - the last of them - was the only one of this group whose name I had heard before. Otherwise, the whole behavior of the group was totally different, compared with the other groups I had seen earlier. It reminded me more of the Guardians and how they had talked with each other. Only then did the reality hit me - of course the Elves had their own equivalent to the Guardians. Since there were no males within the Elf race, they needed to be women. Simple.

““Just because he has a story to tell us, and he doesn’t trust me to repeat his story correctly...””

I groaned.

““I didn’t say anything like that, but I also know that arguing with you ‘Pretty Faces’ is quite useless.””

Calling Elves ‘Pretty Faces’ was probably a serious insult, and I was taking a risk here. I could only hope that I had been able read the group dynamics correctly. On the other hand, I noticed that I really didn’t care what they thought about me. At least, they all became silent. Too silent.

““Did that kid just call us ‘Pretty Faces’?””

That was the first of them again.

““I think he did. Mother Earth, nobody has called me pretty, ever before.”” That was Lindariel.

““Honey, I’m sorry to tell you but you aren’t that pretty. Except your pussy, that’s a beauty.””

So, the first of them liked her friends - that way. Not that it wouldn’t be common among the Elves - and it didn’t bother me a single bit.

““Like you’d ever be interested in how someone looks, if you could access her pussy, Melima.””

Melima - that was the name of the first one. Both she and Lindariel seemed to belong to the younger generation, while my escort and the fourth one - who had been the last to appear, and who had remained silent - clearly belonged to the older generation. I started to wonder if I should interrupt the women but decided to keep on listening.

““Girls, behave. Besides, you should remember what you have heard from the others, if you try to embarrass him.””

The authority in my escort’s voice couldn’t be missed and for a brief moment I felt almost disappointed.

““Yes, Sabariel.””

The response came in unison and in such a manner that there was no question of who was in charge. I turned to look at my escort.

““There was no need to stop because of me. However - my name is Stian as you all probably already know. I also have some smoked meat and vegetables that can be used to make a stew. While it’s cooking, I might have a story you’d be interested to hear. I think that you can safely ask your guard to come down here, too, before I start telling my story.””

I kept on following the two older women, when I mentioned their guard and the fact that it would be safe to call her back to the camp.

““Just HOW do you know it’s safe to call her back?””

Sabariel had looked almost amused at my announcement, while the last woman of the group almost bore holes in me with her eyes. Besides that, the power in her question almost made me feel that I should confess all my fantasies to her. A part of me was pissed, and wanted to fight that urge, even while I was also happy that I was able to fight that urge. In a way, responding to this kind of direct magical attack was getting easier and easier for me, but I was quite certain that someone like Bellcauniel could come to me, and by stealth would ask me questions while loving me ... No, I wouldn’t stand a chance. I turned to look the other older woman before I responded.

““Don’t you ever again try that with me! Ever! The answer to your question is that I’m a hunter and a tracker by profession, and all my life I’ve been able to be aware of the living creatures close to me, if I needed to be.””

It was as though I had slapped her, and from a magical point of view I probably did just that. I turned to Sabariel when she let out a laugh.

““He may look like a cute puppy, but so does a wolf, at some point. Remember that, Crabanniel.””

I let out a long sigh, shaking my head.

““I’m sorry, I’ve just had a very bad week. In fact, a few bad weeks. However, I shouldn’t unload that to you. Not like that.””

Crabanniel still looked a bit shocked, but she also shook her head.

““No, I really had no right to try to force you to answer. I’m just not used to ... You just managed to surprise me.””

It was clear that she almost confessed something else. I already knew that some minor pushing was considered acceptable among the Elves, but forcing somebody to say something was absolutely a no-no. Was it the fact that I was male - or not an Elf? I knew that I could have avoided answering her, but the force in her question was so great that I would have felt uncomfortable for some time, maybe even several hours.

After that, there wasn’t much discussion as we started making the stew. The smoked meat and vegetables I offered were a welcomed addition to their supplies. I wasn’t surprised to find out that they had their own set of different spices and herbs that would make the stew much better, even delicious. The older Elven women had believed me that nothing was threatening them, and the last of their group - Thenidiel - was asked to join us. Once she was there, and we all we settled more or less comfortably, I told my story.