Nava's Story

Chapter 6: The Human Town

After over a week of traveling we finally get to the small town. Seeing it from the distance I can see it's not very well protected. It's in a big clearing. Anyone could easily kill them or steal from them. I get nervous and slowly start walking with my dad to the Human town. My dad turns around every now and then to make sure I'm following him. When we get to the houses my dad makes sure I'm walking right next to him. I can see Humans of various ages and some other races here. They seem very welcoming of different races here. They are turn and watch as we walk past them. My dad ignores there stares and I try my best to follow his example. Eventually my dad stops at a small house and slowly walks to the front door. He looks at me then back to the door. He slowly pulls his hand up and knocks on the door. I'm surprised when I see a woman open the door. She looks at my dad than at me. She smiles and pulls me into a hug. She excitedly says "Nava! I can't believe how big you've gotten!"
She pulls back out of the hug and I just look at her. I have no idea who she is. She looks behind us and says "Come inside."
She lets me and my dad inside then closes the door. She tells us "please have a sit. You must be hungry and tired after your long trip. I'll get you something to snack on."
I hesitantly sit down on one of the chairs. My dad sits down and asks "How have you been Siren?"
"Busy."
"Doing what exactly?"
"Helping injured people that pass through. Sewing clothes, other small jobs."
She walks over to the table and sets down a bowl filled with some fruit and fresh bread before sitting down. I can tell I get some of my looks from her but I don't know her. She sees me looking at her and she smiles. She asks "is there something you want to say?"
I look at her and ask "Why can't I live with you?"
Her smile quickly disappears. She says "That's...very complicated."
"I want to know!"
My dad looks at me with a Stern look and tells me "Nava, that's not how you should talk to your mother."
"I don't even know her! I live with you! I don't remember her!"
My mom looks away and then slowly back to me. She tells me "I guess I should tell you why."
My dad looks at her and says "She's too young. She doesn't need to know."
"No, she deserves to know."
I look at them confused. What do they mean? My mom looks at me and tells me "Do you know that you are a Half Elf and Half Human?"
I nod my head. She continues, "Well...not everyone likes your kind. It is true Humans are more welcoming of other races...but..."
I ask her "But what?"
"They prefere....Half Qualinesti Half Human then they do your kind."
"They don't like Silvanesti Elves?"
"They aren't a fan of them. Silvanesti normally hold there heads up high and act better than all the other races. They are afraid Half Silvanesti's act the same way. Being Half Human doesn't help either. Humans have...really bad tempers and don't always have... patience. Being Silvanesti and Human...people fear your kind. You make up both races that the other races don't entirely like."
I sit there not saying anything. I finally got the answers I wanted. But that doesn't explain why I can't live with both of my parents. I'm about to ask when my mom says "You can't live here because..."
She looks away with tears in her eyes. My dad looks at me and says "I was traveling through the town when I met your mom. I stayed in town for a while before going back home. The other Humans and races watched me because they can tell I am Silvanesti. The next time I came in town your mom was expecting. I stayed with her and when she had you the others in town got scared. They tried to kill you. You were just a baby. That's why your mom told me to take you to Silvanesti. It would be safer there. It took a lot of money and convincing but the Speaker allowed you to live in Silvanesti with me. He took pity on you because you were a baby. But I know he disapproves with you. If I don't teach you how to fight then you won't seem like a huge problem to the other Silvanesti. Where you can stay safe longer. They will kick you out if you prove you are a threat. Even if it's just in self defense. Every now and then I would travel with you back to town so you could be with your mom even if it was for as short as a few hours. You were too little to remember the visits but you loved seeing your mom."
I ask "Why can't she live with us?"
My mom tells me "I can't. The Silvanesti don't like Humans. I'm just happy they are willing to keep you safe inside Silvanesti. Please don't hate us. We are just trying to keep you safe. We love you so much."
After having that conversation my mom showed me around the house and yard. My parents showed me around town too. I really do get my personality more from my mom then I do from my dad. After spending five days with my mom we finally had to leave and go back to Silvanesti. My mom hugged me goodbye and said "Please be safe. I love you so much."
I told her "I love you too."
Walking away from the Human town I became very determined. I would go home do my best to practice training. I would get jobs when I was older to earn money to buy my own weapons. Then I would leave Silvanesti and start hunting down the bad people. I want to make it safer for my kind. I want to end races hating each other. Well...not each other...at least stop hating the Half Elves.

*Picture at the top of the chapter is the Human town*