The Eldars

6

Katiri nervously walks down the small hill with Mauntie at her side. "Come meet your new people Katiri." His words don't exactly reassure Katiri but she walks unhesitatingly at Mauntie's side. She hates being around large amounts of people she doesn't know, she's always awkward and afraid that she'll do something stupid or say something that will make people hate or at least dislike her before she has a chance to get to know them.

But as they come closer the people start dropping to one knee and bowing their heads in respect. Katiri stops and Mauntie stops with her. "Arise my people and greet the newest Eldar."

"Katiri these people are now your people." Mauntie says as the people slowly rise from their position of respect.

"Welcome, Montani Lani," they say in unison and bow deeply to her.

Katiri is confused and shocked. Who is Montani lani? "Mauntie what does Montani Lani mean? Or who is it?"

"Montani is the name my people chose for you, it means 'great one' or 'strong one' and Lani is a greeting of great respect."

Katiri is even more confused at this point and Mauntie tries to ease her worries and fears, "Remember that I didn't have a name for you at first, when I talked to my people they needed to call you something other than the human girl that far surpasses us in power. So they chose the name Montani. You can of course keep your human name if you wish, but trying to get my, our, people to call you other than Montani will be difficult. You have untaught bested me when the strongest of our people couldn't do half so well. You are truly, a great one, or strong one. They will continue to call you that."

Katiri thinks things over silently as they walk through the people who continue to bow to her and give her respect that she's never before received.

Mauntie guides her through the crowd to a small group of people standing off to the side. Even though they seem to have a great deal of power they too bow to both of them as they come to a stop. This time Mauntie introduces Montani to the people.

Too many new names to go with the new faces and Montani's head is starting to swim, but one person brings things into focus. "Montani," Mauntie's voice has a great deal of love in it as he introduces the woman that stands before him. "This is my wife, Molani."

"Until such a time as you wish to leave, you will live with Molani and I as our daughter. The people already know this. Molani is very excited to have you join us." Mauntie says as he introduces the two. Then he and Molani hug each other tight.

Montani is then shocked as Molani embraces her just as tight. Even her family didn't hug her. The elves had always been too formal to do something like that. This is the first hug she can remember receiving and she stands stiff within the embrace not sure of what to do.

After a bit Molani lets her go and gives her a smile. "I owe you more than I can ever give you Montani, for saving my husband. Please, I would be more than honored if you would live with us and be our daughter."

The smile Molani offers is warm and inviting. Montani is confused but nods her head in acquiescence. Molani leads the way and the people part to create a path for the three to walk through. Molani chattering away about things that Montani can't keep up with. She is tired after her long hike and truly just wants to rest.

Molani stop in front of a magnificent house. Montani's eyes want to go big and round but she resists the urge to break the mask that she has in place. The house is bigger than any that had even been in her village back home. She can't imagine why anyone would want a house that big, it would be difficult to clean. Then she smiles to herself, if they had a house like this they very likely had people to help clean it as well. Since Mauntie is leader of his people it makes sense that he'd have a house to show his power.

Montani enters the house with the other two. Mauntie leaves the two to go in another direction. "Don't worry dear, he's just going to clean up a bit." Montani hides her anxiousness as best she can. Molani is only an inch taller than she is, but her beauty and ageless features like Mauntie only intimidate her. The warmth and wisdom of her eyes try to reassure her but, all she feels is fat and ugly next to the incredibly beautiful woman next to her.

Molani opens a door and ushers in Montani, the room is beautiful. There is more luxury in this room than Montani has even seen in her life, other than when she walked through the house to get to this room. Molani shows her where some clothes are and where she can go to clean herself.

"Food will be ready in about an hour, we weren't sure at what time you would arrive so I don't have it ready yet. I apologize for the delay, I realize that you must be hungry after all the exercise that you had today. Please feel free to freshen up and relax until then." Molani says as she closes the door. 

Montani lets out the breath that she'd been holding. She doesn't like feeling so insecure but Molani is so beautiful and she feels so ugly next to her that it's hard to hide how she feels. 

Montani would have been amazed to hear Molani's thoughts, "She is so pretty, if she would break out of the steel mask and smile she would be an absolute beauty."

Montani takes her time cleaning up and finds some clothing that fits her afterwards. She rests on the bed and waits for dinner.

When she wakes up the sun is shining out the window and she feels very refreshed although incredibly hungry.

She wonders why Molani didn't wake her last night to eat. She hesitantly leaves her room and goes looking for the kitchen. She figures that she can cook herself something to eat and hopes that Molani and Mauntie won't mind.