Human Wanderer

I’ve been wandering since I was defeated in the land of the grass. At one time I was considered a hero swordsman. An unconquered warrior until I was befallen by elven trickery. Now I wander the lands offering my swords to the oppressed only accepting food and lodging if they are willing to provide it to a stranger.

I was still covered head to foot in rags so that is what probably got me to the outskirts of the elven lands. Not many of the gentler folk took notice of what they considered a barbarian. But when you are able to pay with the coin of the realm most tend to overlook appearances!

So I wandered the jeweled streets, cursing under my breath the opulence on display while my home land lavished in ruin and despair! That was when I came upon an elven lass of indiscriminate age! She looked like a human teenager but of course Elves aged differently compared to humans.

“Stranger, are you lost?”

I couldn’t help but be confused at the way she looked me over from head to toe. It wasn’t a look of repulsion or fear! In fact if I wasn’t mistaken it was a look of compassion of almost shame. Maybe that was why I didn’t say anything right away. Why I accepted the offered hand and allowed it to lead me into a small wooden home.

“I’m sorry that I don’t have much to offer one. But you are more than welcome to take what you can from my hospitality taught to me by my grandparents!”

I almost swore I felt a tear come to my hardened eyes. I wondered if that would change once I revealed my true origins. I decided to take a chance, “My child you may come to regret that offer!” I unwound the rags around my head giving her her first true look at me. A gasp from her made me stop, made me raise my arms high and held my hands well away from the swords on my back.

“I mean you no harm, child! All I ask is if you can spare a hunk of bread! If so then when I have it secure I’ll leave here and the city without delay!”

“Liora!”

I was shocked and it must have shown on my face!

“My name is Liora, not child, something that I haven’t been in over eight generations of your human time spans!” A pause and “Who am I conversing with, if you don’t mind reciprocating said courtesy!”

“Arthur Trueblade!”

"Arthur Trueblade, a human sword holder!” Then an attempt to get more out of my history from me. “Did you fight against my kindred?”

“Yes Liora, I fought valiantly until Elven trickery knocked me unconscious!” Then suddenly as if that broke the dam on the rarely spoken history, I told Liora everything that I could remember clearly about the siege of Cresthaven. How I took the lives of ten elves with my sword in fair combat on the field of battle. I didn’t hold back any emotions or curses about the various battles since then and how I came to be in her presence.

“This is the first that I have heard how the Elves acted on the battlefield!” She moved to another room coming back with a hunk of bread and a waterskin. She continued, “I feel ashamed that our queen claims that the Elves of Lighthope were honourable in battle with the humans of the Land of Grass!”

Liora held out the bread and waterskin to me, bowing her head as if she couldn’t look me in the eyes. “I am so ashamed that I can’t offer more than such meager things as compensation for the misdeeds of my kind!”

“Liora you have been more than kind to share this much with me, a lowly human. I have always been told that Elves were superior to humans! I am touched by such generosity and as stated will take my leave to spare you any further distress!”

I turned, rewrapped the rags around my head. Then secured the waterskin around my waist, the bread in the small sack on my back under my sword. I was about to take a step towards the door when I heard in a low voice!

“Oh Arthur you can feel free to stay the night here under this roof! I don’t have much to offer but a bed and some sort of peace from the Elven guards who patrol the streets when the sun goes down!”

I stopped and turned back to Liora and got my first real look at her elvish form. She was slight compared to some human females. Breasts that were pointy high on her chest. Properly proportioned to the rest of her. But it was her eyes that captured me! As if I was drowning in their depths! Suddenly I began getting improper thoughts about Liora!