The Crossing (Book One)

Chapter Nine: The Common Room

The sandstorm intensified just as the elf found The Water Shed to break his travels. 

There was a lonely table at the far corner of the Common Room which he chose to rest at before heading to his room. He sat amongst the shadows, his long bow not far from his reach. This was his second pint of spicy ale and he was in search of mischief.

It was nearly impossible to distinguish the drumming of chatter from the booming thunder. In times like these, there was no better source for news than a crowded common room at an inn.

 Snippets of information wafted to his attentive ears as easily as the musty scent enveloped the room. He took it all in as he eyed the rest of the patrons.

Humans dominated most of the space, but in scattered pockets he noticed Hoelhs. With their small stature, extensive tattoos, and brightly colored hair, they were easy to spot. The conversation of a nearby group of elves caught his attention.

By the looks of their russet and orange dyed leathers, they were clearly from Thathis, the elvin kingdom farthest in the east. He was safe; he was not far from his home. 

At the thought, he felt a growing sense of homesickness, but that would be remedied soon enough. His slender ears perked once again at his kin's conversation.

"We must be cautious. The Fallen have hindered many of the traders in the Western Quarter," the one with a black half-knot and orange tunic warned before drinking his ale.

The fair haired one pointed a finger at his companion. "Kai'lym should be the one to clean up that mess, but nothing will be done while Prathios lives. Everything will be different once the nephew takes over."

The third of the group leaned in. "Which one? The one that is missing?"

Now that was interesting. Who indeed was missing?

Although he was curious to hear their speculations, he did not continue to listen: someone had distracted him. Standing within the doorway that led upstairs, he noticed a young human woman studying the lively room. He sat back amongst the shadows to observe her as she drifted aimlessly between the overflowing tables.

She moved differently than most humans he had met. It appeared as if she was weighing possible threats as she steered clear of the Hoelhs. He smirked and thought her charming.

 Hoelhs were the least dangerous of any race, if you did not mind looking past their truthfulness which often bordered on insulting. He recalled hearing about several instances that ended violently for Hoelhs as a result of their brutal honesty.

Nonetheless, he returned his attention to her as she approached a group of humans discussing Armindian affairs. It seemed she was searching for a chair when she turned in his direction and felt the weight of his stare.

Her clothes and hair were plain enough, but it was her eyes that commanded his attention. It was uncommon for such a mundane feature to stand out so boldly, or for him to notice. Still she did not possess the beauty of his elvin kindred, but she was, he mused, bewitching.

He removed his hood and leaned into the glowstone at the table to reveal his interest in her. She would come to him. They always did. The gods had gifted him with an irrefutable charm. Women of any race considered him attractive with his coppery hair and green eyes. He scoffed: these were traits that were common among his family.

The chair in front of him sat empty and he beckoned to her. She came easily enough after he dazzled her with a smile. He had not hunted in a long time, and she reminded him of sweet prey.

"It seems you are looking for a dinner companion. Join me." She shook her head side to side. No one would disturb them in their corner away from the stairs.

"You are not from around here, are you?" He gestured for her to sit again.

"Who are you?" She was direct. He liked that. The light flickered and cast dancing shadows between them.

"Just a simple traveler." His smile broadened. "And who are you, pretty one?"

Her response was just as vague as his: "Another traveler like you." She slowly edged herself onto the chair without taking her eyes off of him. "You are also not from around here, are you?"

"Now what makes you say that, pretty one?" He leaned closer to her and was mesmerized by eyes that glinted like gold. She wore no crest that he could see. His charm was working although she was unlike other maidens he'd met.

"You have clumps of dried mud on your clothes and we are in desert." He smirked; finally someone he could spare wits with. As if to share a deep secret, he moved his chair adjacent to her.

Ignoring her response and her uneasiness at their closeness he continued, "You are clever, but you look troubled. As I cannot tolerate such a paradox to your wit, tell me and I shall see if I can be of some assistance. Speak, pretty one."

She was dismissive his comments but answered nonetheless. "What makes you believe that?" The fact that she remained vague intrigued him further.

He leaned closer still, and said, "I see that you remain guarded; it pleases me. But I am an excellent hunter. I can detect the fear in the eyes of my prey. That is what I see in yours." He kept moving closer to her.

"Am I your prey?"

He chuckled. "Perhaps. Still that does not mean I shan't help you." His hands were quick, a product of his bow, as they edged closer to hers that rested on the table.

She was obviously considering her options. "I'm looking for someone. She was---" Just as he was about to touch her hand, a thin blade whirled through the swarming room and dodged soundly between their hands, embedded in the wooden table.

The dagger on the table had an opal base with a pearl where the blade met the hilt while the curved handguards resembled parting waves. It was a masterpiece in craftsmanship. In reflex, the elf reached for his hidden dagger as he turned in the direction from which the blade had flown.

His eyes fixed on the broad form marching towards them with a granite face and daunting stance. It was clear the human male would make a fierce opponent.

Cutting between them to reach for his dagger, the human glared menacingly at him, and then bared his teeth. "I believe that's mine." The intruder was unmistakably referring to the girl.

"Tezaro?" The girl appeared to know him. The name sounded vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. 

The newcomer removed the jeweled dagger, and then grabbed a chair from a nearby table, turned it around before he straddled it. As he sat between them, a wall of hostility was erected.

He knew that territorial look well. He'd seen it before. A shared understanding between males was exchanged with a silent warning.

Regardless, he smiled knowingly at the male called Tezaro then eased back. It was unlike him to back away from challenge, and the human had clearly challenged him. Apparently mischief had found him at last.

He could not hide his smile or his threat. "It is truly lovely. You must not let it out of your sight. I am sure that such a treasure," he gestured with a nod of his head, "one would not want to see it in the hands of another." As he looked at the young woman, he realized she was blissfully unaware of what was happening.

He saw the flare in Tezaro's nostrils and still did not retreat. "Keep it close, or risk losing it." There was no misinterpreting his meaning.

Tezaro stood abruptly, taking the young woman by the elbow with him. "No one would dare." In a rush they were out of the common room and up the stairs. What an interesting pair, the elf mused smiling into his pint.