Champion

Chapter 1: Capture

Her stomach growled. She placed her hand over it and looked out of the alleyway she hid in as three guards passed. Felicia tightened the frayed rope around her stomach to keep her burlap sack dress in place. 

Felicia headed into the street, keeping towards the shadows of the stores. The gypsies would not be in town for another fortnight, and she needed money now. It seemed her only option was to either pickpocket someone or steal the food from a stall in the market. Noting the amount of guards in the streets, she figured stealing an apple or head of lettuce would be her only option.

Moving quickly through the street, Felicia held her head down and pulled the makeshift hood she had sewn onto her dress up over her pointy ears. People weren’t fond of elves, or any other mythical creature for that matter, wandering the streets of Selindion. Those who did were usually kept to the slums. Felicia tended to wander into the richer parts of town to steal treasures and food when it became scarce. 

Suddenly, she walked straight into someone. Their armor clinked under the black tunic they adorned. A purple, full circle cape fell to the back of their knees, and it hid the quiver on his back. He was taller than most people she saw walking through the streets, and he had a presence to him that she was not familiar with. Felicia was frozen in her spot as she stared into his piercing blue eyes that shone like crystal from under his hood. His features were sharp, especially his chin, and his skin pale.

“I apologize,” a voice apologized from beside them. 

Felicia managed to tear her gaze away to look at the other man. He was shorter than his friend, and he didn’t seem as cold. His baggy hood was also pulled up over his head; his purple cape tapering to a point to the small of his back. A smile was spread across his tan face as he looked at her with his yellow eyes. They were far from human, for they seemed almost cat like. He wore a deer skin jerkin with a white shirt, that had tattered sleeves, underneath. His sword hung off of his belt, but the ruby in the pommel is what caught her eye. She noted both men wore green leggings with leather boots. They were clearly wealthy travelers.

“My friend drifts in thought,” the man said. 

“I was not watching my way,” Felicia spluttered. “Tis my fault, not his.”

“Valan is as much at fault as you,” laughed the man, patting his friend on the back. 

“Quoorin, we shall be late if you continue speaking,” reminded Valan. 

“We’re lost,” Quoorin admitted. “By chance, do you know where the Spluttering Pixie is?”

“Just outside of town,” Felicia instructed. 

“Of course,” sighed Quoorin, scratching his head.

“Come along then, Quoorin,” Valan ordered, spinning on his heel and gliding away. “We should replenish our supplies while we’re in this town before we go.”

“As you command,” sighed Quoorin, following behind. Felicia was left dumbstruck momentarily. Shaking her head, she hurried off in the same direction to the market. The hunger pains were beginning to worsen.

The marketplace was crowded. People hurried to and fro buying various vegetables, spices and meats. The hot sun beat down upon her as she through the crowd looking for an occupied vendor. She only needed people to be distracted for a quick second as she swiped an apple.

Then she saw them again. Quoorin and Valan stood by a vendor inspecting the vegetable selection. For some odd reason she felt the need to hide near them to listen to their conversation.

“It’s Septima I’m worried about,” Quoorin said. It was hard to eavesdrop over the clammer everyone else made. 

“We shall appease her when we get to this tavern,” assured Valan, his voice smooth. 

“We can only hope she is easily placated,” Quoorin replied. “Let’s be honest, she isn’t.”

“The witch can just be glad we’re arriving,” Valan smirked.

Felicia grasped her hood as the wind began to blow. Valan seemed to have the same idea, but Quoorin was too slow and his fluttered back to reveal two large cat ears. It was too late as he scrambled to hide them under his hood again; people had seen that he was no normal human. As people screamed and pushed to get away from him, Felicia took this time to swipe an apple. Her eyes did not stray from the two as five guards with spears encircled Quoorin. A smile was spread across his face as he rose his hands above his head. Valan seemed to hesitate before running off. 

Felicia was about to do the same thing, but a muscular man picked her up by the back of her makeshift dress. She stared into his stern, brown eyes that sat under a furrowed brow. He had a snarl spread across his face. The surcoat he worse over his steel armor made it clear he was the Captain of the Guard. 

“Elf an’ an anthro, eh?” Spat the man, “Wanderin’ me city? Disgustin’!”

“I’m sorry!” Felicia sobbed, realizing her hood had fallen when he had picked her up. “I meant no harm!”

“You were stealin’,” the man snarled. “We don’t stand elves disobeying rules. You’re not supposed to leave the slums!”

“I’ll go back, I promise!” She cried, “Please, I won’t steal again!”

“Shoulda thought about that before,” he growled, dragging her as he walked up to Quoorin. “And you!”

“I did absolutely nothing,” Quoorin smiled, his hands had been bound with rope. “Please, untie these.”

“Filthy anthro,” the captain spat in Quoorin’s face. “You and this elf shall be executed for disturbing our peace!”

“Execution is a little much, isn’t it?” Quoorin replied, “Why don’t you just lock us up? Hm? Wouldn’t that be less...messy?”

“Execution costs less,” smirked the man. “More money means more mead!”

“Very well,” nodded Quoorin. 

“You’re just giving in!” Felicia yelled, “Come now! Neither of us did anything wrong!”

“Shut it,” commanded the man.

“Well, my dear girl,” Quoorin replied, “I exist, so that’s what I did wrong. You exist and stole, so that is what you did wrong. This man has very sound logic.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” the man assured. “To the gallows with ‘em!”