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Taming the Gypsy Trade (Valanaer)

Saren simply scowled when the man spoke of decorating his room properly, it was insulting to think that the man would question his taste. "Get to the point..." He snarled, no interest in furnishing his room further. When he did continue it was a rather blatant statement, asking straight up if he was enjoying Eluch'l, an annoying question followed by patronizing words. Something about Marcus just made Saren irritated and he was usually a rather calm and charming person. Then again it seemed that many had that same feeling towards the gypsy, distrust being another strong emotion. He had the effect on Eluch'l for sure, her words amusing Saren to the point of a smile, understanding the language being a bonus, maybe he didn't get the meaning exactly but he knew enough. What came next was about what he expected, Marcus offering to let him have her for the night at a 'discounted' price of sorts, an idea that made him once again irritated, not being able to help but think that surely he didn't look like one who needed a discount.

Saren had other things in mind and he planned to make that very clear, leaning in close to Marcus and smiling as he spoke. "Actually Marcus, I have taken such a liking to this one that I will be making a full purchase, not simply renting her for the night. Besides, once she has been mine I will not stand for other men having a piece of her." He took a moment to let that sink in with Marcus but didn't give him time to say anything on the matter. "Now, you will give me a price and I will pay it and trust me, I know she is a very rare and valuable woman. I will also be needing clothing for a woman of her size, some for comfort as well as some nicer exotic things that fit a woman of her heritage, I am sure you can handle that. Also, anything you found on her when you took her will be bought for a fair price as well. And Marcus, I know what fair is, do not try to slight me on price on Eluch'l or the other items I requested, or you will regret it." With that he stopped speaking, pulling Eluch'l to him with a smug grin, he had decided this was how things would work, there was no changing that, he was just awaiting Marcus' response.
 
Marcus was stunned at the idea of having to give up his most prized member of the troop. He allowed the shock to wash over him before slowly shaking his head. "Well, that I didn't expect," he admitted but shook off his shock rather quickly. His mind flipped back to proper business and he began to calculate the price. "All together?" he asked himself. "I suppose Eluchel is worth a good..." He paused from almost painfully mispronoucing her name to look her over once more. "Two thousand, easily. And her things are another sixty. Not to mention the proper clothing." Marcus approached the two and Tari tensed against Saren's body. She absolutely hated the look the man held in his eye every time he looked in her direction.

"Give me two thousand two hundred," he informed Saren with his signature sly smile. "Would you like her magic to remain blocked?"
 
Marcus was obviously not going to be completely fair, he was a sly man and Saren expected some form of extortion, he just wasn't sure if it would be enough for him to care. To start with he butchered the girls name, followed by pricing her at around two-thousand, honestly an underestimation to Saren, but as he had stated, he had taken a liking to her. When he approached Eluch'l tense up against Saren and he simply smiled down at the girl, it was rather cute seeing her act that way, although the truth behind her tense action was not so cute, no doubt Marcus would have ruined her if Saren hadn't decided to save her from the man. His mind was trying to think if the total price was fair, of course he would still pay more for Eluch'l but he didn't have to so it didn't seem that bad. What did give him pause was hearing about her magic, it was not entirely expected, although Saren had never discounted it with her being an Elf and all. He looked over to her more interested than ever.

After a moment he looked back to Marcus rather indifferent about the terms though a bit interested in the entire magic thing. He was curious as to whether he should keep it bound or to let her be free of the shackle and gain himself some good graces. Risk versus reward as it was. When Saren spoke he sounded confident despite the conflict in his head, "I think we can let her have a bit of freedom seeing as she is no longer a mere slave. You can let unblock the magic but I would like to have whatever you use to bind it, just in case." He said looking over to Eluch'l as if to say, 'cross me and you will regret it'. Then he turned back to Marcus, tapping his chin as if pondering something, "And you will get a flat 2000 and the thanks of the prince, besides, I think you made a good deal off your performance tonight. So, remove the magical binding now and send the rest of what I requested in the morning to receive your sum." He stood there after that, keeping the Elven woman close to his body and waiting for Marcus to do what he had requested and then leave them both be.
 
Marcus silently choked, his lip and eye twitching one after another, but remained as silent as he could be. "Yes sir," he agreed through gritted teeth. That was too much then he really wanted to loose, but if he argued, he'd end up having to give it all away for free, along with getting the troop's name black listed. He brought his hand up, grabbing Tari's own and began to work off the magic hold around the silver bracelet. He was silent but stared at the item as if it was holding the secret of the world in it. Within a minute, it unclipped with a solid 'ka-chung' and fell apart on a hinge. He took it off of the girl and handed it over to Saren. "Have your mage reapply it if needed," he respectfully instructed. "He'll know what to do with the item." With a bow of his head and a step backwards, he fell into silence.

Tari withdrew her arm as fast as she could once it was off and rubbed the indented skin with her free hand. The space where it once was had not been tanned like the rest of her arm and there was a light purple bruise to show where it had been held too tight. The elf was grateful for having her arm, and magic, back, but didn't let it show.

"The rest of your order will be here tomorrow," Marcus promised with another low bow. "Pleasure doing business with you, your highness. And if she is any trouble at all, don't be afraid to send her back. Your messenger hawk, I'm sure will find us." He smiled once more and left the room, the guard pulling it closed behind him. Only Tari and Saren were left in the room and the elf knew it. She looked straight at the man, challenging him to make a move.
 
Saren could see Marcus' irritation but he didn't care, he would get what he wanted and they both knew it. It was slightly amusing of course, making a man who was use to conning people and calling all the shots be told what to do. As Saren knew he would Marcus did as he was told, accepting the terms and then removing the silver bracelet that kept Eluch'l from using her magic. What was beneath it made him angry and although he didn't show it, the fact that she was bruised due to bad care almost made him throw Marcus out of the room forcefully. It was over though, the man could no longer do anything to her so he held himself back, just watching as the man left the room, pleased when he finally left. With the unpleasant gone he turned to Eluch'l who was looking back at him as well and he couldn't help but give her a mischievous smile as he moved up close to her, gently pushing her in the direction of the wall.

When they reached the wall, Saren not letting Eluch'l move away but neither was he being rough, he leaned in, his face extremely close to her own and he talked calmly. "See, you're no longer under that mans thumb... No long do you have to fear being sold to some disgusting pig. No, your beauty will not be wasted on such men..." He stopped, one hand against the wall behind her and the other on the small of her back, pulling her close to him. Her challenge had been answered, he was close to her and his hands on her body, but he didn't move farther. His mouth was close to hers, his body pressed up against her, but he didn't make any move to kiss her or strip the clothing from her body, he was simply near her, his bodies warmth against hers. He looked at her but didn't say any more for the moment, admiring what was now free from gypsies and in his possession.
 
Tari moved with Saren, knowing exactly where he was pushing her to. But she went, giving him at least a bit of a reward for freeing her from the slime of a man. Although she had her pride, and now had her power back, she felt it was right to give him something of a reward. Her hands gripped his shirt, pulling it from his body so she could grip it enough to give her some comfort in the situation. She felt his breath on her skin, the pulsing of his blood... the way a human felt was far different then an elf. As she noticed this, her breath began to chill until she was letting out light puffs of steam, perfect to cool the man's lips to a frozen temperature, in case he were to go ahead and attempt to kiss her.

"And you will not 'waste' me?" she questioned, almost accusing the man of something. Her hands tightened around the handfuls of clothing she was still gripping. "What is your plan with me? Going to keep me locked in this room, to use when you feel? Or will I become a maid for you." Her breath continued to come out with a chill, brushing against Saren's lips as a threat of what power could come from the woman. Elves were known for their magical skill and wood elves had plenty of natural, earth-toned magic up their sleeves. Most mages drooled over the opportunity to just watch an elf work, let alone speak to one. Typically, the graceful creatures kept their enchantments to themselves, but it had been so long since Tari had felt her magic pulse through her body, she couldn't help but flaunt it.
 
Eluch'l seemed to allow him to push her back and she gave no immediate reaction to the closeness of their bodies. She was gripping his shirt in fact, giving herself some room but not much, he didn't mind, he hands on his clothing just made him smirk, the image of her looking up with doe eyes at this moment the ideal situation. Sure he knew it would never happen but that was what he imagined as best possible outcome. His assumption that she would not do such a thing was correct of course, soon enough he felt cold coming from her lips, a warning perhaps. It was interesting, it hadn't happened the first time and he could only conclude that it was because she had control of her magic, a small taste of what she was capable of he was sure. Saren was not taken aback, he simply continued to look into her eyes, playing the game with her. Pressing his body ever closer to hers, tempted but not acting on his temptations despite how much he wanted to lock lips with the beautiful woman.

"I will not waste you. I will make sure and treasure your beauty and this feisty spirit, for I quite like that side of you." It was true, he liked the way she acted, different, she didn't simply give him what he wanted and for once it was entertaining, not irritating, he didn't want to break her, only seduce. "As for what you will do, I suppose you won't have an official title, though you may be given some less than pleasant ones from the people around the palace." It was unfortunate but true, no doubt the maids, aristocrats, and even his family would most likely make assumptions on what her purpose was. Whether it be jealousy or plain disdain for the woman, it would no doubt lead to harsh nicknames and even some treatment he would have to look out for.

He leaned in close once again, his lips brushing against her own chill lips before backing his head away and speaking again, "The truth is I will let you have a relative amount of freedom. You will have to stay near me most of the time, at night, most meals, and if you wish you can accompany me wherever else I go. That would mostly be to training with my men, out in the city, and things of that nature. Other than accompanying me on a daily basis you can do whatever else you wish to do within reason, such as use the facilities of the castle in any way reasonable. That includes the garden and bathes, even the library or training grounds if you feel so inclined, although I suggest trying to stick around me. The only thing you won't be allowed to do without me is leave the confines of the castle and go into town or farther." With the basic rules laid down he finally leaned in, the consequences be damned, kissing her very gently, his lips only remaining on hers for a mere couple of seconds and while it was chill it was worth it. After that he didn't move away from the wall, he simply looked into her eyes. He was waiting to see if she understood, as well as challenging her to try more of her magic and see what he did.
 
He liked her spirit? That was bad for her, as she could no longer use it to try to get away. Tari's mind raced once again as she began to think of other ways to get out of this deal she was forced into. It pleased her to find out she wouldn't be stuck in the room, but the boundaries set on her didn't give her as much freedom as she would have liked. Tari enjoyed exploring and in this case, it would be the town that she would discover. Perhaps after some time, if a trust was built up, she would be allowed to wander on her own and fully do as she pleased. She said nothing more until Saren had backed away. The chill was enough of a warning for him and once she had her space, her magic faded away and she stepped forward from the wall. Despite his thought and challenge, she did not wield her magic, at the moment that is.

"Boundaries acknowledged," she agreed with a nod, proving that she was satisfied with what she was told. "But I have a few of my own I would ask that you follow." There was a slight pause, just enough for Saren to begin to speak, if he wished, but it didn't last long enough for him to get out a full response. "If any cross or displeased words are spoken to me, let me deal with them. I would like to defend my own honour, not have a human prince do it for me. Also, I would like to spar with your men. I need to keep my skill up and that may be the only way to do it." She reached back and pulled out the leather strip holding her hair up, and let it fall over her shoulders. Without a bit of aggression, she tossed it onto the prince's bed and ran her fingers through the back of her hair, fluffing it and allowing it to fall naturally. She muttered to herself before looking back at Saren.

"And finally, you will not dress me." She stressed the word 'not', demanding it from him. "I will pick from what you have ordered what I want to wear, when I want to wear it." She stepped forward, silently backing up what she had just told him. She knew that whatever the gypsies would bring her would be light and easy to move in, even if that meant it was on some level of provocative. But if she was sparing, like hell she would be wearing a skirt there. "Acceptable?"
 
When they parted Eluch'l seemed to have more confidence than before, possibly the knowledge that she was completely free of Marcus had sunk in or it could have been because his terms were fair, but she seemed satisfied. Of course she just wouldn't be as fun if she didn't have as she called it, 'A few of her own for him.' He did not attempt to speak in the small silence, instead he awaited patiently, ready to here her wishes. The first was to let her deal with any words spoken to her, interesting as she could be treated harshly if she angered the wrong person, not that he would let anyone do anything to her but if she made the wrong person angry it could be bad. He would respect the wish and do his very best to make sure that no hard came to her from the shadows, to protect her honor. The next item on her list was by far his favorite, the sparring. Immediately he lit up, he had been able to tell she had some muscle but if she wished to spar he would definitely let her.

Lastly she made sure to stress he would not be dressing her, a job he neither knew how to do or wanted to do. When she was done he had to make it seem like he was thinking it over, not immediately agreeing with it even though he was fine with all of the demands. After a moment of keeping her waiting her finally spoke, walling over and sitting on the end of the bed, looking over at her happily. "Well first off I will let you fight your own battles against those who find your presence a nuisance, although I believe you will find out that many people won't like the fact that I have purchased an Elf." He didn't say it but she had been his first ever 'slave', though he hated the words, and especially with her being an Elf, it could be seen as unfitting for a prince. He didn't care though, she was his and nobody else had a right to tell him how to do things.

"As for your request to spar, I can always allow you to train with my knights, I have no problem with that and they will have no problems either, as long as you don't slow them down. Of course if you train with my knights you will be training with me as well and I promise you Eluch'l, I am no average swordsman." He wasn't trying to brag too much, mostly he wanted her to be aware that he was willing to spar with her and truthfully quite eager, to see what she could do against him in combat. "As for the last request, I do not really care what you wear, just dress appropriately and we will have no problems, though I would love to see a bit of skin personally, you are so beautiful... It would be a shame to waste such a thing." He gave her a small smirk and motioning for her to come towards him, "Now come, join me in my bed, we can cuddle" he almost laughed but he didn't, it was a bit of a joke but one he would happily carry through, not that he expected her to cuddle, but she would have to join him in the bed sometime, it was the only suitable place to sleep in the room and it did get awfully cold at night without the silken covers atop his plush heavenly mattress.
 
The elven woman remained still for a moment before she made her way over to the man's bed. Compared to the hay and blankets she slept on in the wagon of the troop, the bed was heaven, without even touching it. "I doubt we will," she muttered, but took a seat, drawing in a slow breath. It was greater then any heaven she could think of and it took every ounce of control not to just lay down on it and treasure the feeling. And from how her body tensed, she was betting Saren could tell that with just one look. Not that she cared, but Tari wasn't about to fall under such a childish action. She held herself still in silence before turning to face Saren. "You have archers, correct?" she inquired, looking straight at the man. She had a basic training with a sword, but excelled in archery, like the rest of her kind, and had more then a basic knowledge of hand to hand combat.

Another thought tugged at her mind. Her clothing were not being delivered until the next morning. It wasn't near warm enough yet to sleep without anything on, not that she would around Saren, which meant she would have to find some sort of more appropriate clothing to sleep in. A belly shirt such as the display one she was wearing wouldn't be practical for the night and the skirt would kill her before the night was over. "I'll need clothing to sleep in," she added. "I would trust you could supply me with something appropriate until tomorrow morning."
 
It was quite the surprise when Eluch'l actually came over to the bed, he had expected her to protest or something of the nature when he motioned for her. Apparently cuddling didn't excite her but that was no problem, he could settle for a bit of fun between the sheets as well. It was a shame he couldn't seduce her that fast, even when he loved her attitude he did want to touch her so very badly. When she sat down he could see she enjoyed the bed, comfort was a hard thing to hide and the way Eluch'l always seemed to tensed gave her away as usual. There was no shame in it, the bed was the best part of his room, he had gone to long lengths to make it most possibly the most comfortable bed in the entire castle. His brother chastised him for the amount he spent on it but the use he got out of the comfy sheets more than made up for it, at least in Saren's mind. Even better than that, it would refresh the body after a good nights sleep, no matter the day one had.

His mind floated away from the comfort of the bed to to her inquiry on their archers. His kingdom did have archers but Saren did not spend an extraordinary time around them, only rarely practicing with a bow, for he was more suited for a sword or close quarters combat. "Well we do have archers, and an archery range, but I have a feeling that nobody around these parts will give you much of a competition, me included." He said with a slight smile, looked at her as if trying to figure something out, "But it can be used any time you like. I do think if you are going to be training you will need proper gear. Not sure if the gypsies have anything of yours, but if you find anything lacking I can attain suitable gear, I am a prince after all." He moved over closer to her and then push her gently down onto the bed, not getting on top of her or anything, just playfully letting her to lay back on the bed.

"But to the more immediate concern." He didn't miss a step, not focusing on the action of pushing her down and proceeded, with a bit of reluctance, to stand from the bed and walk over to the dressers, opening one up and looking at the clothing he had. None of it was suitable for her, not just because it wouldn't fit, but because it wouldn't do her justice. She would be warm enough under the covers when he thought about it, he had slept naked in the bed many times and still remained perfectly warm. He wouldn't insist she sleep in the nude, he would give her what she wanted, some makeshift pajamas until she received what she needed tomorrow. He dug through for a moment, picking out a silk shirt and some silk trousers from within, tossing them over onto the bed with Eluch'l, "It isn't perfect but for tonight it will have to do. Unless of course you want to sleep skin to skin." He said with a smirk, walking over to the bed and looking at her, a sigh escaping, "Alas, I shall be a gentleman" he said, turning around and walking a few steps away, looking at the wall, "Alright, go ahead, I won't peak."
 
Tari seemed to light up slightly when Saren mentioned the archers, but it quickly faded when she found out he never spent time there. That meant she would rarely be there as well. Some of the light in her eyes faded at the sound of that. Until, that is, Saren continued to speak. When he assured her she could use the range, her whole body seemed to rise and a smile crossed her lips as well, the light returning to her eyes, making them sparkle even. Her things were sold, or were on display to be sold, so what the gypsies still had would be returning to her soon, including several of her most prized weapons. That was the only way that Saren got away with pushing the elf onto the bed. And the only reason she remained was the feeling. She was right, the bed was far better then any heaven she dreamt of.

The wood elves were never one for prizing simple things, such as beds or household items. Being a race that often times needed to travel with the animals, they only cared for one another in the village clan and their weapons, which gave them the food they needed and kept each other alive against even the worst of foes. But this bed... it was perfect, if she dared to think that. Once Saren had stepped away, she closed her eyes, taking in the full feeling of the bed, her fingers running over the silk sheets. It certainly was something Saren should treasure and she could see why some humans enjoyed pleasures such as this, if they finally got them right. That thought was interrupted though by the feeling of new cloth landing near her, just enough to brush against her hand. She quickly sat up, grabbing the clothing and looking them over. They would work for the night.

The elf couldn't help but scoff at the idea of laying naked with a human. "I rarely do that, even with my kind," she informed him, giving the man a slight peak into the personal side of her past. That was all he was getting from her on that subject and she dropped it like a bolder off a cliff. She stood up, taking another quick look at the clothing while the prince turned around. She swiftly changed, laying her own clothing over the chair of the desk nearby. She ran her fingers through her hair to work out whatever products they had put into it. She wasn't used to the natural mixes the gypsies used yet and was pleased to be able to mix her own once again. "Turn around, if you must," she told the man, taking a seat on the bed again, this time near the pillows, taking one and placing it in her lap while her fingers ran over the silk decoration.
 
The information Eluch'l shared had been rather surprising, she rarely lay with anyone, it was intriguing how such a beautiful woman wasn't hounded by her kind. Saren wasn't displeased with the revelation, in fact it was quite pleasing, though it begged a question, had she ever been with a human man? She had purposefully used 'even with my own kind' which could mean that she was simply more free around her own people, or it could be that she had only been with her own kind. Saren turned around when she told him he could, a look on his face that most likely gave away the fact that something was on his mind. First he had to admire the new look, it was rather interesting to see a woman wearing his clothing, a bit too big, cute in a way but at the same time Eluch'l had the body to look sexy as well. She was actually the first of his overnight guests to use his clothing, usually they ended up naked and in the morning putting their own clothes back on before leaving the room.

His eyes stayed on her as he took off everything non-essential, leaving himself in nothing but pants, his shirt never staying on when he slept. When he was done he walked over to the edge of the bed, a grin on his face as he tried his best not to jump on her like some hungry wolf. It was a hard temptation to keep a grasp on, she was beautiful and he was no doubt attracted to her, she was even on his bed, the mere thought of not doing anything went against his usual behavior. The only real thing stopping him from going full out on her was the knowledge she wasn't going to cave easily, it made him have to work for it, no amount of charm would get her to let him do anything yet. Sure it wouldn't stop him from slowly chipping away at her, he would continue to flirt and sneak small touches in, but he was intent on waiting until he had an in to make his move, and the shirt being off was the first natural step. It was the way he always went to bed but also it let her see that underneath the clothing, there was no soft little prince, he had the body of a warrior and if she hadn't already figured it out, she would now. His figure was rather impressive, sculpted by hours upon hours of training and combat, his lean muscle on an overall impressive frame.

He didn't stand there like some statue but instead walked around and got on the bed after that, sitting next to Eluch'l in silence for a moment. Then he turned to her and leaned in, "I am curious..." He took a moment to make sure she was paying attention. "You say you rarely lay naked with 'even your own kind'... Does that mean you have never been with a human?" As he asked the question he turned to her, his eyes still looking at her without shame as he awaited her answer. He hoped the answer was no, it would mean that he was the first human to be with her and it would also be confirmation that the rat Marcus had never done anything to her nor sold her to another man. Other than that he was also just interested in the way she would answer, not just the answer itself because he still barely knew her and he wanted to learn more, how she reacted, who she was. All he knew at this point was that she had been captured from her village and apparently she not only can use magic but is a fighter as well. He still had many questions about the beautiful elf.
 
Tari would be lying to the gods if she told someone he wasn't attractive. Even for a human, he wasn't bad looking in the face and his chiselled muscles gave him another air of not only power, but of protection and even more of a presence then he seemed to have normally. If he were an elf, he would be the perfect mate for Tari and the two of them, if in this situation in the alternate universe, would be instructed to mate and most likely even forced into marriage, if all went well between their families. Her eyes danced over the man for only a second before directing up to his own eyes again, knowing she didn't want to make the man think she was actually enjoying anything here. After all, he was still a human.

She was careful as he came towards her, but she let him approach without moving. Her eyes remained on the man and slowly shook her head. "Of course not," she said, almost as if it was an obvious statement. "Elves rarely become intimate with any other race then themselves. It's better to keep the pure blood in our race then allow it to cross over." Not that half-elves were looked down upon, as they were still partly elves and should be treated as such, they just didn't have the same powers and level of skill they could have being a full breed elf. Elves would still help them and take them into their homes if it came to a time of need, but they weren't held on such a high pedestal. "Have you ever been with an elf?" she knew the answer, but felt the slight need to drive the point home.
 
Saren couldn't say that the looks he got from Eluch'l were not satisfying, just making the woman look at him was a start and he planned on making it much more than that in time. So while she may never have laid with a human male he could at the very least say he had her eye, even if just for a moment. The news came with grim tidings as well, she seemed to agree with the idea that elves should only do such a thing with other elves. It just increased the challenge and Saren liked to think that when it finally did happen, and he was confident it would, he would change her views on humans. He would start that immediately though, if he was going to seduce her he would have to show her more than a good body. At her question Saren simply chuckled, "I suppose I haven't, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to..." His face got a bit serious as his hands brushed her arm again but once again her ended it at the first step.

As he pulled his hand back he sighed, "That would be nice, but for tonight I will settle with sleeping in the same bed as a beautiful Elf." He was about to get himself under the covers and call it a night, mostly because all the fun would begin tomorrow, but an interruption came. A very rough knock at his door and an angry voice caused Saren to groan, "Brother! Come to the door!" Saren looked over to Eluch'l and sighed, "Just look nice sexy... Yep that's the look" He said playfully, insinuating that she didn't have to try, and then getting off the bed and heading to the door. He only opened it part of the way, his hand blocking his brother entrance and his older sibling had no choice but to peak around Saren into the room. He caught glimpse of Eluch'l right away and looked at Saren with disbelief, "You actually did... You purchased the Elf and not just for the night from what I heard..." His voice dropped down as he spoke, clearly displeased. Saren sighed, "Listen brother, we can talk about this at a more suitable time, but to answer your quandary, yes, I purchased her... Me, not you, so don't worry over it."

Kilel just stared at Saren, not able to figure out what to say, but he wasn't given much of a chance as Saren smiled and gave him a, "Now goodnight brother, sleep well." And shut the door. He turned around after that, the smile gone from his face as he jumped back on the bed and shot a look over to Eluch'l, she would have to get use to such things and most people wouldn't be speaking to Saren when they questioned his actions. Most would speak to Eluch'l and blame her even though she had no control over Saren buying her. He took a moment, there was nothing left to do this night, she would use that magic he so kindly unbound if he tried anything and he was still set on seducing rather than forcing, despite her tempting looks. So going to bed seemed like the best option. "Anyways, tomorrow is going to be a very long day, I advise you try and ignore that you are sleeping next to such a sexy man and get some rest, you're going to need it." And with that he turned over to face away from her, his head hitting the pillow and his body getting comfortable, if he wasn't going to sleep with her he refused to torture himself with her sexy image.
 
Tari rolled her eyes ever so slightly at the idea of having to sleep with a human. Again though, she reminded herself that it could be worse. It could be Marcus. She internally shuttered at the thought of having that fox of a man touch her in any way, let alone in an intimate fashion. She was about to speak, but the knock on the door came too soon and it was rendered unimportant at that instant. Saren left the bed and the elf moved into a more comfortable location on the bed, waiting for him to return before settling and deciding what she would be doing for the night.

She began to lean back on her hands but froze when Kilel began to talk about her. Her eyes narrowed towards the elder prince and she scowled out the door, taking a chance to quite rudely inform them that she could in fact hear them and it was obvious that she was not pleased with what she was hearing. Her eyes remained on the door even while Kilel stared in silence and only left it when the door was shut. She settled her attention on 'her' prince, waiting to find out what else he would try to do before finally falling asleep.

As soon as Saren advised her to sleep, she was relieved, sliding under the covers to the surprisingly warm bed. She let out a soft sigh as she laid back against the pillows, letting her eyes slide closed. This bed she could get used to and luckily, in an instant she was asleep.

For most of the night, the elf laid quietly, rarely shifting any part of her body, laying on the bed as light as a feather. She had the first good sleep in months and when the night began to raise and crack through the window, she began to stir. Wood elves always had a certain connection with the nature around them and would often times, unless exhausted, raise with the sun. There was always much to do in her village and her internal clock forced her awake. But she didn't move quite her. Tari's eyes remained closed, enjoying just the feeling of the bed, which had certainly remained warm over the night, and the sound of birds outside the window. When she did fully wake, her first glance was to the prince, checking if he was still asleep, before she slid from the bed and silently moved to the window, looking out and down over what happened to be outside.
 
Sleep always came easily to Saren and tonight was no different even with Eluch'l lying next to him. Before long he was asleep and what a sleep it was, not only was it refreshing but his dreams were quite pleasant as well. The best part was waking up, he had managed to turn over in his sleep apparently, his first vision when his eyes opened now being the stunning face of his new companion as opposed to the drab wall. She was still asleep at the time so he didn't wake her, nor did her make a move, he knew she would want to sleep after all she had been through. He just closed his eyes until he fell back asleep. When he awoke for the second time she was still asleep and he turned over and sat up. He just sat there for a moment, considering what to do until she woke up. Luckily it seemed she was an early riser because he hadn't sat up for more than a minute before she woke and glanced her way. He threw her a slight smile but she simply slid from the bed and went to the window, looking out.

Saren got off the bed as well, "Good morning Eluch'l, hope you slept well" he said a bit awkwardly, usually only flashing a smile and going in for seconds when a girl slept in his bed. He walked over next to her and looked over at her, "We have a long day ahead of ourselves so we should get started as soon as we can. First thing we need to do is go about getting your stuff, Marcus should have already brought it if he is smart. If not we can always go down and get it." Saren hoped the man had been wise enough to deliver the goods early, in fact after he finished saying that he went over to the door and opened it up, ordering one of the guards outside to have everything brought to him if it had arrived and if it had not to send for Marcus. They needed her stuff badly, it wasn't until she had clothing and her other valuables that leaving would make sense.

He then turned back into the room, heading over to the set of drawers to find some suitable clothing for a normal day, at the same time decided to ask Eluch'l what she wanted to do with the first part of their day. "Alright, so we can take bathes before all of this but we have to decide on what to do with our day." He grabbed a wool shirt from the drawer and slipped it on, covering his bare chest before grabbing a pair of leather pants for after his bath, sitting them on top of the dresser. "Now here was what I was thinking..." He paused for a moment, turning to Eluch'l before continuing, "We can go to the military courtyard and you can see the facilities and we can spar a bit, then I figure I can show you to whatever places you wish to see, whatever that may be, anything if fair game." He walked over next to her again, "What do you say?" It didn't matter what she had in mind, they had time to figure it out, the items had not arrived yet and assuming Marcus hadn't sent them they may not for some time, plenty of time to speak of their day and for Saren to think of how to seduce her, his eyes already sizing her up again.
 
Tari took a minute to look over the courtyards, spotting the gypsy caravan just outside of the palace walls and watched as the group began to stir, setting up the shops once again. They needed to be up and ready for when the other members of the town came out to enjoy their day. Her lips tugged back into a half smile. "I slept very well," she agreed, glancing to the side as Saren came over to join her. She stood up, turning to the side slightly, keeping an eye on him as well as being able to look back outside. She was hoping just as much as the prince was that her things were brought during the night, just so she didn't have to see Marcus again.

As Saren left her side, Tari turned as well, still watching him as she leaned back against the window sill. The woman smirked at the idea of sparing with Saren, or even any of his troops and already knew the would agree with that idea before they did anything else that day. "By all means, let's spar." She smiled and rose into a standing position.

A knock came at the door and a guard called to the prince. "The gypsies have brought the items," he informed the pair inside. "One of them insisted on delivering them."
 
"Good, it would be a shame if your sleep had been unsatisfactory." Saren still found the entire situation rather awkward, normal morning conversation really wasn't something he had any practice in. It made it easier when she spoke of something he did have knowledge in, sparring. "If you're up for it we can certainly spar, I am sure my knights will be interested to see how you handle yourself. Oh and just figure I should say this, my knights are rough around the edges but none of them will give you any trouble." That was the one thing he could be sure of, his men would never question his decisions, even the purchase of an Elf. Sure they ultimately served his father and brother but he was the one who had gained their respect and trust. Besides, if she could fight as well as he had a feeling she could, they would be impressed, especially if she managed to hold her own against Saren himself, he was actually quite excited.

The knock at the door came as they both just stood there, the information that her items had been delivered. "Well, before we can spar we need to see what you have, and what you need." He turned to the door and spoke loud enough for the guard to hear him, "Have everything brought here immediately please" He hoped that the guards would bring all the stuff and that Marcus would have just left after delivering it, god forbid he brought the items to Saren's chambers personally. He turned back to Eluch'l after he instructed his guard, looking back out the window and towards all the land under the domain of their kingdom. "Tell me Eluch'l, in which direction does your home lie?" He was curious where she came from, where the people she missed lived and where her life was. He was also a bit curious how Marcus managed to get her but that was a topic which he would bring up another time, that mans name not one he wanted to speak for awhile, plus it had brought her to him, such a beauty was indeed a lucky find.
 
Tari glanced behind her, back out the window and studied the town around them. Since the sun was rising, this was much easier then if it was high in the sky. She pointed out in the direction of the east. "A forest or two away in that direction," she told him, glancing over at the prince. "The forest belong to the Phoenix clan." That would answer any questions about the colourful feather in the woman's hair. It was one of the more mysterious clans in the Elven world, as their forest was further away from other race's villages. They traded with mostly Gnomes, giving them plenty of strong, magical items in their town, which only gave fuel to the imagination as to what they needed them for. But the downside was that the Phoenix clan was known for being some of the most racist towards the Dwarves. The history was there, but rarely spoken about, as to why they hated Dwarves enough to act how they do around them, but it was well known that putting a Phoenix clan and a Dwarf together in a room was a dangerous, if not stupid, idea.

The door opened again and one of the guards stepped inside, as well as the tall half-elf from the night before. Tari turned slightly and blinked, surprised to see him, before walking over to the man.

"Aerandir, what are you doing here?" she questioned, returning to her natural language. The blonde simply smiled and held out the pack he had brought for her, along with a bundle of clothing. It was a mix of materials and colours but all looked proper in some degree. Tari took them and set them gently on the bed before she was given a bow. It was made of a dark, firm wood and had beautiful carved decorations on it. She took it, along with a silver, leather cased, dagger of the same design and placed them on the bed once again.

"I heard you were given away," the man answered before his eyes travelled to Saren for a second. "You'll be safe, right?" When the man spoke, he sounded like an elf and if it weren't for a few of his features, it would be easy to believe he was a full breed elf. "The last thing I want is a message telling me you've done something wrong."

"I'll be fine. I can hold my own against any of these humans." That may have been a bit cocky on her end, but she had to assure Aerandir she could do it. The man slowly nodded before he placed his hand on the back of the woman's head, gently setting it against his chest and kissed the top of her head. "Stay safe, Tari. The hawks will find me."

Tari slowly nodded, noticing he had said her name, but taking no note of it, or the fact that Saren would understand what he was saying. When it did click, she knew she'd be doomed. "Stay safe," she responded, looking up at the man as he released her. This was the only man of the troop she had any sort of connection with and he had turned into a brother of sorts, even over the few months she had been with them. The elven man slowly nodded, took another glance at Saren before nodding to him and giving him a typical bow. "Thank you for taking her, your highness" he told the man. He knew that was all he needed to say and without another word, he left the room.

The elven woman took a minute to herself, glancing back at her weapons, she was sure Marcus had sold. The only explanation was that they had been priced too high for anyone to buy and he was planning on selling them to the royals. Either way, she now had them back. And Saren had her alone again.
 
It was nice to have a location of her home, of course he had asked the question for several purposes. The first was just to satisfy his curiosity and learn more about Eluch'l and the second was more practical, if she were to run he would know which direction to go and what which clan she belonged to. He didn't know anything of her specific clan though so he simply nodded, reminding himself to go to the library at some point and do a bit of research, as he did so like to know about things that interested him. After a moment the door opened, leaving no time for him to inquire further about her homeland and people. The half-elf man from the night before entered into the room and Eluch'l looked as surprised as Saren was that the half-elf was the one who insisted on delivering her stuff. He had expected Marcus to come, to try and sell him something else or convince him of something, though it was a slight relief not to have to lay eyes on the man again.

Saren simply watched as Eluch'l went to take her items, addressing the man apparently name Aerandir in her native tongue. He handed her the requested items, clothing and the like, but most impressive of the items wa a bow, one she placed on the bed, along with a silver dagger, both Elven in design no doubt and quite beautiful. Saren was so impressed he almost felt the need to get his own weapons out and try and show off, although he knew his bow would hold no flame to hers. It was truly a treasure and he was confident she would be happy to have it back. The bow held his eyes for a moment before he shifted back over to the man and Eluch'l, their conversation continuing. He found it quite funny how she seemed so assured that she would be able to hold her own against any human, him included, but they would find out when sparring.

His mood soon soured as the half-elf Aerandir got so touchy with her, even giving a slight kiss atop her head. Worse than that he spoke a name different than the one she had given him, Tari. It was a bit infuriating when he realized he hadn't misheard and although he made no move he couldn't help but want to question her on the matter. When the man thanked him he spoke back in Elvish, possible to enforce that he had understood and his tone was a bit different from the cheeriness he had displayed before, "I will take good care of her..." When the man left his eyes followed her, watching as she inspected her things and he allowed her a moment, and the half-elf enough time to be away, before walking over to her, spinning her to face him. "So... Tari is it..." He asked not liking the idea that she lied to him, sure it wasn't that serious and he wouldn't remain mad but catching her in a lie and being a jealous man from the start had him a bit hot headed.

Saren got a hold of himself before losing his temper though, reminding himself that she wasn't exactly in a position where she could trust those around her. So he simply released her, speaking one more time and being rather firm in tone, "There is one thing I find intolerable and that is lying. I would try and refrain from being dishonest with me because again." He took a moment and took a deep breath, "Now, Tari..." He said her name with irritation, "Take some time to look through your things and pick out suitable attire for the day, something comfortable as we will be moving around quite a bit, including combat. Then have the guard outside lead you to the females bathing room. I will take my bath as well and then we will depart." Saren then moved over to the dresser and grabbed the leather pants, going to the door and turning back to look at her once more before leaving, heading to take his own bath and to let Eluch'l, or Tari, have some time to prepare herself.
 
Tari turned when she was forced and held herself still. Being accused of lying frustrated her and her eyes narrowed as he continued to accuse her. She was sure he would take it badly when she gave him her family name, but at the same time, she hadn't expected to be dragged into his castle. The woman's eyes narrowed right away as she was pushed around verbally. Of course, she didn't take it lightly. And although a bath sounded good and knowing that she needed the relaxing time she would be getting from it. But before Saren could get out of the room, she threw her own comment in. "It wasn't a lie!"

With a low growl of sorts, Tari grabbed what she wanted from the pile and left the room, following the guard to the proper room. She closed the door and made sure it was properly locked as well, before she drew the bath and began to undress. Inside one of the nearby cabinets, she found a few scented oils and salts to add to the warm water. Once it was all ready and she had folded the clothing properly, the elf slid down into the water, laying back against the small pool of water and closing her eyes.

When Tari had finally finished, she dried herself off and dressed herself in clothing perfect for sparring and the day. She left the room, dressed in a pair of light cotton yet tight pants and a high collared, sleeveless satin shirt, loose enough to move, but long enough to cover her stomach. She carried the night clothing back to the man's room and entered once again, crossing straight to the bed and dropping Saren's clothing off at the head of the bed before returning to her own pile of gear.
 
Saren had been too stupid to just turn around and talk calmly, instead he simply walked out of the room mulling over in his head what exactly he was thinking getting so angry over something so stupid. Chances were it was simply a part of her name or a nickname. He had always been quick to temper when something didn't go how he wanted, just the way a spoiled child got. It was one of the small flaws that he tried not to show very often yet it came out every once in awhile despite his efforts. It didn't help of course that he had to watch the woman be so intimate with another, jealousy, it was not something he was use to having. For most of the time when he wanted a woman he had her and it wasn't usually a difficult task. It dawned on his as he walked to the bathing room that it would most likely not all be fun trying to seduce the elf.

His personality flaws and all aside he reached the bathes quickly, making his way inside and drawing hot water quickly, making haste so he wouldn't keep her waiting or delay the day. Saren unlike his parents and brother did not use oils or scents when he bathed, only a very subtle smelling soap, not much wanting to smell very strongly. That being the case bathing didn't take much time for him, he simply got in the water, washed himself off as quickly as possible, and jumped out. The only thing that did take a bit of extra time was shaving, a small sharp knife being kept in the bathing room for just that purpose. Even with shaving it didn't take much time before he had put on his clothing and headed back to the room, finding that Tari was not yet back. He finished dressing for the day, adding some leather boots to his ensemble and then heading over to his trunk for his weapons.

It was then that Tari walked in but he didn't turn around quite yet, reaching in and pulling out several weapons, placing them on the table. He was bringing out his usual few, a beautiful mithril longsword, light and strong and of Elven design, purchased from a skilled craftsman for quite a sum. In truth it had been incredibly hard to convince the elf to create him any sort of blade but he eventually did, made to Saren's size, the perfect length and weight. The second weapon was a small dagger given to him as a birthday gift from a man of their own village, a bit longer than most daggers but not enough to be a short sword and it curved slightly. Lastly he pulled out his own bow, not even near as grand as Tari's but as fine as longbow as any. He strapped the blades on and picked up the bow before walking over to her. "Ready to have a bit of fun?" He asked, giving her a slight wink.
 
Tari took her time back in the room, taking a good, long look at her weapons again. The crisp silver dagger was something she saw the gypsies had put on display to sell, and it twisted her stomach in a painful way. It had been a gift from the chief of a neighbouring clan to her grandmother, the priest and shaman of her own clan. When she was away from it, it gave her an uneasy feeling but now that she had it back in her hands, she had her normal warm feeling back in her body. As normal, she hung it from the belt around her waist and looked towards the man as he came over to her.

"If you are," she agreed, folding her hair back into a metal clip she had grabbed from her bag. Tari glanced down to her recurve bow and lifted it off the bed, holding it tightly in her hand. She was pleased it was finally back where it belonged; in her hand, by her side. The world seemed right again, now that she had her weapons back. It was almost as if everything would be safe and she could relax in her new life. Although that wasn't true right away, she had a chance now. "Lead the way."
 
Saren was glad to see everything seemed in order with Tari's belongings, he knew how attached one could get to a weapon and he wouldn't see her lose such a valuable possession. Her weapons were back in her hands now, all that was left was to see if they were still in proper condition. He would of course help her with that and try and show her that not all humans were as weak as she seemed to think, that they didn't all use numbers to win battles and some were skilled warriors. Of course in order to show off he had to win and he had yet to see what kind of warrior she truly was. He had to assume she was a skilled archer and most likely good with magic, but just how good and what other skills she had he didn't have a clue. Though his neck was proof enough that she was no amateur combatant and he would have to tread carefully, showing off and impressing her was one thing, slipping up and being embarrassed in front of his men was another, something he was not wanting to let happen because he underestimated her.

With a nod he led her out of the room and through the halls all the way to the knights section of the castle. He led her out a door near the knights quarters and into a giant walled courtyard, green grass kept nice and plenty of maneuvering room. On one of the walls there were archery targets, a long lane for each. There was also a small wooden fence made in a circle for sparring where a good fifteen or so knights gathered around and watched two comrades face off. On the opposite wall to the archery lanes were several tables with a couple weapons the knights brought out, some swords and shields, and a couple of bows along with plenty of arrows, though most of the bows were smaller than the large longbow than Saren's and the swords were not quite as grand, but all were battle ready blades.

Saren looked to Tari with a small smirk, "Alright, let's go introduce you to my men and then we can have our fun." Saren was all smiles as he led her over, the match immediately stopping as the men saw him approach, the knights walking to him and a few going up and embracing him warmly. To the knights of the castle Saren was more than a prince, he was a leader and a friend, all of them had been in combat together at some point, though never a great war there had been a few battles and he led them from the front. He had proven his skill and gained as much trust and respect as one could from his men, even the more experienced veterans trusted in his skill. They also trusted him personally, because where most saw a spoiled boy who only cared of drink and women, they saw a leader and nothing could wash away the seriousness he showed when it came to battle. So even when he pulled one of his stunts and got himself into trouble with his family, he could always simply go and be with his men.

With greetings over all eyes were on Tari, the men looking at her and with more respect than the average male would be able to maintain when laying eyes on such a woman. Of course some were rather confused to see an Elven woman with Saren but almost all of them could guess why, not the exact reason but enough of one to not be entirely surprised by what he said next, though some had probably already heard rumors. "Guys, this is Eluch'l, she is the beautiful woman I purchased off that creep Marcus. I am hoping you guys can help me keep an eye out for her since you know how my family and others get when I do such things." He paused for an answer, a grin on his face, and they all nodded, some shouting out 'yes' or 'of course' before letting him continue. He was trying to introduce her in a way that his men would understand, and also he used her 'fake' name, or whatever it was, trying to be considerate, and also as a sort of apology for being an ass in his room, though it was as close as one would ever find him to apologizing for anything given his stubborn nature.

"Now today is a rare treat. She is apparently a warrior and as such has agreed to come and spar a bit with me today. What do you guys think of that?" They all seemed excited save for one of the younger knights in the front of the group, one who respected Saren a great deal and was about as hotheaded as the young prince. He stepped forward and looked to her, "A beauty she may be but on par with you in combat... I rather doubt it." Saren simply smiled, laughing a bit as he turned to Tari, "Well, seems you have a challenge. How about it, care to warm up with Roran before the real match?"
 
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