Treachery and Trolls

To be a Hero {{UNEDITED}}

Amidst the screaming and the crying children wiping their snot on their mothers, Esme studied the mess, trying to ignore the mud in her boots, and the insects crawling on her skin.

Homes were ripped to the ground, marketplace strewn with broken stalls and dead bodies littered about. There was shouting and orders being yelled, but little being done.

Her eyes  locked onto the two elves, lying on the edge of the village, arrows in their chests. The forest stood on the side, their blood flowing in. 

"Will it come back?" a woman asked, tapping her shoulder.

Esme startled, hurrying to assure her, "We'll take care of it. You needn't worry."  voice still holding gravelly sleepiness.

"Thank you so much. We cannot express our gratitude."

Esme offered her a smile, but the woman stayed, unbothered, gazing at her with awe: her two children huddled into her skirt, peeking at Esme when they thought she wasn't looking.

Elves didn't show up that way in a hurry. They barely associated with humans in general; and now there were two elves dead. Killed by a troll. One troll.

It must have been supersonic— or super-troll.

Her dark hair slipped out of its braid, and clung to her face in a sweaty mess. Her dress was torn, the lilac satin, layered in dirt and blood that wasnt hers. The leather armour was loose, her scimitar and horn resting in a makeshift belt, strapped around her hips.

Partner in mission Rhys, was speaking to a man who was flapping his arms, talking with an attitude that would make her King seethe. Rhys caught her eye, and waved the man off, jogging up to her. "You go ahead. I'll meet you in the forest." when he saw how many people were watching too eagerly for comfort— or privacy, he brought an arm around her shoulder, leaning in. "Trying to see if i can find any more information."

He wasn't looking her in the eye. "Don't lie to me!"

"Fine. Don't believe me. Unless you didn't notice, these humans are stubborn. Half of them believe they were attacked because of us."

"Well that's dumb." Esme stated. "the other half believes we're going to solve all their problems."

Chuckling, Rhys left her side. "See you soon, duck." 

With that, she dipped beneath the branches, and stepped through the woods, studying the floor for trails: it took little skill to find the heavy prints of trolls.

Trolls. Ugh.

Her vision blurred, as she bent down to the road. Sick from eating so much crap, and staying up near the entire night. In her defence, she saw her best friend after many elven years, and they had much to catch up on.

There were the tracks, still fresh in the earth. Esme took a breath, and took to a sprint, barrelling through the branches. 

She'd found no sight of the troll, but that didnt stop her. Her breathing shaky, she grabbed the nearest trunk, and pulled herself up to get a better view.  And though there was a silence, she didn't trust it. She climbed higher into the leaves, her light weight easing her up.

From the top of the canopy, she could see a great portion of the forest. Trees grew sparsely set, their bark light, and green leaves bright, with neatly trimmed bushes and wildflowers covering the floor: at any other time, this forest would a bliss to walk through, with the sunlight streaking through, and gentle winds stirring the branches.

It had been ages since the trolls dared cross the bridge between their lands. And launching a surprise attack? Esme would make sure they tasted their own blue blood before they could a hand on any more elves. Royal Orders. She wasnt too concerned about the humans, and her duties had nothing to do with them.