The Eldars

15

Montani looks at Mant like he's betrayed her and he can't stand to see that look. "It's not what you think Montani..."

"Not what I think? So those aren't travel packs waiting for you?" Montani demands from Mant.

"Yes, they are. Mauntie needs me to do a job Montani..." that's as far as he gets before Montani shutters her face behind her mask and leaves. Mant goes after her.

"It's not like that Montani. Please listen," Mant pleads and Montani ignores him. Looking for a room where she can go in and shut herself away from Mant.

"Katiri, please listen to me." Mant says once more and uses the human language. His calling her by her human name and using that language gets her to stop and look at him wide eyed. She had no idea that he could even speak that language, most of the Eldar couldn't and even looked down on it. Montani is actually the one that now teaches it and she has only had a handful of students since she started teaching, it wasn't a popular subject.

"I will be leaving to hunt out and kill evil ones in the morning. Mauntie has requested this of me. He has told me to take only one or two others with me and there is only one other that I would even consider taking with me and that is you. Will you come with me Montani?" Mant starts out, his explanation rushed trying to keep her at his side long enough to tell her everything and ends up asking, almost begging her.

Montani looks at him for so long he's not sure that she will answer him. Her voice breaks into his depressed thoughts, "I told you before that you will not leave me again. Had you tried to leave without me I would have followed you. Besides, I'm better than you at finding and killing those things. Just try to leave without me, Mant, and you will know pain greater than anything you've yet been through."

Mant closes his eyes in relief and sighs. "Thank goodness, I have packs ready for you hoping that would be your answer." Mant takes her in his arms.

"Thank you, Montani," Mant breathes out softly holding her tight.

"For what?" Montani doesn't understand why he'd be thanking her now.

"That you chose me, well, I can never be thankful enough for that." Mant pulls her close again as she shakes her head in denial. "I don't know why you chose me, but you did." Mant quickly wipes the tears away, not wanting Montani to think him wimpy.

"For saving my father all those years ago, you didn't have to. For coming here and doing all you've done for him and our people.

"I told you why he hated humans.

"The only exception he has ever made has been children and you.

"He truly does love and respect you, Montani. I never thought to see the day when my father would be happy to see any human in the Eldar community let alone have one marry one of us.

"My father isn't the only one that loves you. The other Eldar had hatred for the humans as well, yet they love you. Just like I do. Well, not just like, because I love you more than you can possibly imagine."

Montani hears what he's saying and knows that he's completely sincere. She's never felt anything but love and acceptance from the people here. But she just can't believe that she's beautiful. She knows that they all think that she's special, just because she managed to master so many different things, but she just can't believe it of herself. For too long she had been told that she had to hide who she really was just to find herself unwanted, and just barely tolerated by the other humans in her village. 

Mant can feel her stiffening posture and looks at her with concern. "What is it Montani?"

Montani shakes her head hiding her own tears from Mant. She gives herself a deprecating sniff, "At home I thought I was passably pretty at best, never beautiful. No one ever called me ugly, but my looks were definitely not something I was praised for either. No one was more than just passing friendly to me. That's why I had to accept my parent's choice for marriage, no one was willing to try for me. In fact they weren't even sure that they could find anyone to marry me."

Mant stares at her in fascination. He just doesn't understand how anyone could not see just how truly beautiful and sought after they are. Nor could he believe that the humans could be so dense.

"Montani, look at me please," Montani had turned away from Mant to hide her tears of shame. When she didn't do as he asked he says, "Katiri, please, look at me?"

Again it's the use of her old name that gets her to pay attention to Mant. "You are so incredibly beautiful that it takes my breath away. I told  you not long ago that. Katiri, you are so incredibly beautiful inside and out that almost all the single males wanted you. That's why the single females are so frustrated. They wanted to hate you and couldn't. It's hard to hate someone that's being nice to you and would help you without you even asking."

Mant smiles. Every other female in Malinor did everything they could to attract the attention of the men and Montani was completely oblivious to it. "Some of it might have been because of that Montani, but certainly not all." Mant says and pulls Montani back into him and kisses her.

"You are beautiful, even more beautiful because you don't know how glorious you are." Mant pulls her willing body through the darkened house. He brings her to their bedroom and gives her a long kiss. "Let me show you just how beautiful you are." There was no more talking that night.