Master. He did tell her to call for him if there's trouble.

I took a deep breath and released an Elvish Battle Cry, and the Innkeeper dropped me.

It was high-pitched as a cricket and loud as a horn, sounding like a shrill, furious scream. When yelled by an army of Elves, it could easily deafen their attackers. Hence, the human soldiers required black magic and earplugs to retain their hearing.

The Innkeeper covered his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. The town woke up, and I knew they'd be in a panic, fearing an Elvish invasion. Angry people like the Innkeeper would flock to the action. I only had to hope that Master did too.

Eventually, I stopped, and the Innkeeper worked his jaw around, trying to pop his ringing ears. "What the hell?!" he yelled.

The Prince drearily stumbled into the stables. "I dare say the same," he mumbled, fighting the effects of the jasmine tea. "Glad I didn't finish that tea."

"Your majesty, I'm sorry!" the Innkeeper pleaded immediately.

Master stumbled forwards, struggling to keep his eyes open. "You better be. Drugging the Prince and torturing his prized pet? You ought to be executed."

"Sir, I'm just a concerned citizen!"

"Shut up." He shoved the Innkeeper to the side and sat down in front of me. "What did he do to you?" he murmured, reaching out and touching my arm as he he examined the cuts.

"He tortured me, he was going to kill me, you weren't coming!"

"Well, I'm here now. What did he do to you?"

"He kept saying that you'd killed thousand of elves and liked to **** them and that you'd be a terrible king and that you were just using me and--"

"I never said you weren't a piece in the puzzle when it comes to surviving until my coronation. All I'm ever doing is using you, but I know you like that."

"But...you care, I thought you cared..."

"I do care. But you also happen to be my pawn. And yes, I've killed a lot of elves. It's hard not to in the front lines. But I never tortured them, that was my general. And you better believe I'll be a good king."

"You will, I know that, that's why--"

"I'm not asking what made you mad, I'm asking what he did."

"He was trying to get **** on me for his son dying in the war, he was going to cut my tits off and feed me my own toes and cut out my tongue and saw off my horns, and he blew out my kneecap and cut around my runes and whipped me and--"

He handed me his coat. "Are you alright?"

I nodded faintly.

Master stood and looked over at him. "Sir, do come and apologize to Akira."

"That's it?!" I burst as he scurried over to crouch in front of me.

There was a flash of silver. The innkeeper in front of me suddenly screamed, and the Prince snickered as the innkeeper's ears fell to the floor.

"So he bust in your kneecap, no?" he said, before kicking the Innkeeper to the floor and driving his sword through the back of the man's knee.

"No, wait, please!" I begged. "I know you're a sadist, but you can't do that to him!"

"Who told you I was a sadist, him?" he asked, pointing to the man who was squirming and squealing on the hay.

"The Elvish Code is against ****!"

He swallowed, and sighed. "Fine." He drove the sword right through the Innkeeper's skull. "There. Painless ****."

I sighed, relieved that he was gone.

He then scooped me up and set me in the moonlight as I gasped in pain, but felt a wonderful peace wash over me as I was bathed in the nighttime glow. I fell asleep almost instantly.

.

~ ~ ~

.

I woke up with my head resting on the Prince's lap in the forest.

"Morning, sleepyhead."

"Where are we?"

"I took you out to the woods, and buried the Innkeeper right over there," he said, indicating to the mound of dirt a few steps away.

"Oh," I said, not sure how to respond.

"I'm sorry I didn't come when you called for me," he murmured. "I promised that I would."

"He **** your tea, it's not your fault."

"I should've known better. He was too quick to offer the stables." He began petting my head. I looked up at the sky, seeing it was mid-morning. We'd lost several hours, and wouldn't arrive until tomorrow.

I looked into his eyes, and he looked back with a saddened gaze. His ocean-blue eyes glimmered with worry and stress.

"Master, how did this whole war start?" I wondered aloud.

"A noble was killed, the South blamed the North and attacked. They really just wanted an excuse to go to war. This world has always been separated."

"The only humans I've met are either scared of me, trying to kill me, or enslaving me."

"Humans have their own habits and personalities underneath their prejudice for elves, just like I'm sure your kind does as well."

"Elves hate humans because they use black magic."

"Well, then we've got that in common."

I chuckled. "Yeah." Eventually, my smile faded, and I said, "They think the only way to get rid of black magic is to get rid of humans."

"Humans can't practice any sort of magic other than black magic, so they aim to capture the magic essence of elves and turn it into something else. It's not a surprise they get greedy with magic. But honestly, I don't know how many humans there are out there that would stop magic because they knew it was wrong."

I looked around at the treetops before fixating my view on his gentle eyes. "What happened to the other Moonlight Elves?" I asked quietly.

"Their essence was put into a vial in the High Mage's storeroom. He gets a lot of them from the war."

"Is it true that all the soldiers use black magic to make themselves stronger?" I asked.

"Yes, but they don't realize the cost."

"So if humans knew that black magic damns them, wouldn't all the problems resolve?"

"The war might," the Prince said, checking out the view. "But the hate may never fade."

I nodded.

"I'm so sorry you got caught up in all this. And that damn innkeeper... You don't deserve any of this."

"And you do?" I asked rhetorically.

"You're different. You're the beautiful Elf who has been screwed over by life from the start. You were born a Moonlight Elf, since you were born under the full moon, and your family threw you into battle. Then the King catches you and starves you, tortures you...you don't deserve this. And now I've broken you into a fucktoy. You're not meant for this shit. You deserve better."

"But I've killed people..." I said quietly. "I still have nightmares about it."

"Did you enjoy killing the enemy?"

"No."

"Exactly. I did. You're not suited for this life. I don't mean to offend you by saying that, because I know you can handle yourself...but...you got dragged into something big. I wish I could give you the life you deserved."

I was speechless. I looked down.

The Prince was a bit worried. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm trying to say--"

"You didn't upset me," I interrupted him with a mumble. "But...no one's ever cared."

He bit his lip, and pet my hair some more. "I know I'm an asshole. But I can promise I'm an asshole that cares."

"Do you..." I started quietly. "Do you..."

He looked at me expectantly.

"Do you love me?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course I do. That's what I've been saying," he replied immediately. "You might be my ****, but you're my little trophy too. And it pisses me off that no one's ever stopped and gotten to know you so they can really care about you."

My eyes blurred. I looked up at him, stunned.