Reverence and Decree

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Ellifain sat up, waking in a panic not for the first time over the past few months. Breathing heavily her body trembled and her nerves were slow to settle. Images flashed through her mind over the horrors she had endured during the past few months.


Several long moments past before she realized she was still free. She rose from the makeshift bed that she had been given and wandered over to a bowl of water. Looking in the reflection she saw a haggard expression on her face. Her deep blue eyes, flecked with gold, and her long black hair had a wild appearance to them. Taking a moment to straighten herself out she tucked her hair being her pointed ears.

Elves had been going missing over the last year never to be heard from again. Ellifain, like many others amongst her people, had dismissed the disappearances. The numbers weren't great and there were a variety of reasons that people just left. Some had bad relations with those around them and a few were quite young for their race. It wasn't uncommon for some of the younger elves to wander and explore more of the world before returning home or making a home for themselves elsewhere.

Ellifain was entering the second eight to tenth of her lifespan. A few years into elven adulthood, she was only one hundred and nine years of age. She had always resided in the forest of Izari, prefering only to venture out to the human settlements when things required. She was skilled in many things, combat being her specialty. She normally carried a set of twin longswords and a pair of daggers both in her belt and in her boots. She was by no means a slouch when it came to remaining alert and defending herself.

Her mind wandered back once more over the events over the past few months. Stepping from the treetop abode and looking out over the massive canopy city of Izari, she replayed the events in her head. She had entered a human settlement not far from the edged of her home forest, deciding to spend the night there before continuing on to the capital in order to seek out a friends advice on a personal matter. She stopped over at the local tavern and rented a room for the night. Retiring early, she had awaken in the dead of night to the sounds of movement just inside her room. Laying still she slipped her hands beneath her pillow to where she kept a pair of her daggers when she slept slowly. Soon the sound drew closer and she tensed, preparing to spring.

As the woman heard the person slip to within a foot of her bed, she sprung. Leaping from the bed and twisting her body, she flung the covers at the would be assailant then knifed towards the person with her blades. Quickly dispatching the foe, she heard him grunt then let him drop to the floor. Catching shadows moving across the sliver of light coming into the room she slowly slid forward. Suddenly there had been a sharp snapping sound to her right and something struck her hard in the side. Stumbling slightly, she turned and launched one of her blades at the previously unseen attacker. Then the door to the room burst open and two more people poured in. Turning hard to face them she stepped forward and felt a brush of air as something passed by her face. Leaning back she stabbed forward once more then felt something hard strike her between the shoulder blades. Confusion set in then. She knew that there were only two left in the room, both being before her. Dropping to her knees she tried to rise and quickly got a kick in the face for her troubles. The thought of calling for help had more than occurred to her, but she knew that no one would respond and now it was too late to even try. She struggled to regain her breath and felt another blow to her back. Falling to the floor she tried to look behind her but still saw nothing present. She felt a boot on her neck and tried to struggle as it pressed the toe down against her throat choking her.

She soon awoke to find herself tightly bound and gagged, and a guard stationed over her body. She was well outside of the city limits and knew that no help would stumble across her. Struggling she only managed to get a kick in the ribs for her efforts. Three day's later she found herself in the capital city held underground in a series of rooms beneath the main of the capital itself. To her horror, she had discovered the stories of missing elves were true. Her fellow captives filled her in on exactly what had been going on and what she was in store for. They passed on what had been overheard from the guards and the mages and researchers in the dungeon complex.

Her mind filled with horror upon learning that this was the King's doing. He had become obsessed with immortality and had gone to extreme means to obtain it. After his best mages and alchemists had failed, his researchers had suggested they ask the elves for help. However the King went a step further. Abducting elves where ever he could, he kept them prisoner beneath the Castle proper and when he wasn't having them tortured, he had them experimented on and researched like a lab rats. When they got done with a particular elf, they were bound and gagged then shipped out in secret to a kingdom across the sea and sold as slaves. The King needed private funding to keep his experiments going without alerting the rest of his staff. Dipping into the treasury would have raised suspicions and elves were exotic enough to make a huge profit off of over seas. One could live on the wages for half a year or more.

Ellifain was taken soon after arriving and the hells she had endured would stay with her for the rest of her days. However, unlike most, she kept her wits about her and happened across an extreme stroke of fortune. Killing a guard, she managed to escape and started a harrowing flight back to the city of Izari to inform her people of what had occurred. Managing to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, she arrived and was immediately taken to be cared for. Upon recovering enough, she began to tell of what happened to her. The elven council went into meeting and had been there off an on throughout her recovery time. When she had been able to move about, she had inquired into the council's plan only to find that there wasn't one. This outraged Ellifain.

She wandered the roof tops from place to place at random as she decided what to do.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

The elf had grown unsettled with the lack of a response from the council. It wasn't like her people to let such a grievous act to go silently. Growing agitated with them, her anger soon began to stir. Elves were well known for their patience but Ellifain wasn't in such a mood. Even as she stood there her people were being tortured and used, then callously discarded to become someone's pet or bauble. Several younger than Ellifain had gone missing and the images that flashed through her mind at their potential fates stirred an echo of a rage as deep as the forest's calm.

Deciding she couldn't abide the stifling hush that had fallen over the forest any longer, she gathered her things and prepared to make for Izari's sister forest of Amir and see what further she could uncover about the disappearances and inform her people of what had occurred. She knew this was pretty much a slap in the councils face. It was their job to inform the other cities of any potential threats to them, however none had deemed to do so.

Ellifain took a simple view on the situation. It was her story to tell and she wouldn't suffer another to endure as she had. It was a rash decision born of anger but she was determined to follow it through, even knowing it was well outside of her usual character. Checking to see that she had everything she needed, she shouldered her bag and her bow in its sleeve. Then adjusted the longswords that hung at her side and set off. She knew there was a danger in going to Amir. It was just outside the castle walls. The closest forest there and only a half a days journey for an elf of fleet footing.

Ellifain made no bones with her departure and set out for the forests of Amir at once. Later that afternoon as dusk began to descend, she had traveled a great distance into the forest, edging the sentry posts that she knew of there. She stuck mainly to a trail left unoccupied for human use, skirting it clear of sight but running parallel to it. Entering closer to the heart of the forest she took to the treetops with a nimbleness and agility born of over a century's practice. Running the dense canopy of the forest she made not a sound as she moved across the branches and from tree to tree. As the sun began its final glow, Ellifain noticed something out of the corner of her eye and paused, then doubled back to investigate.


Someone had set a fire in the forest, that being what had caught her attention. Moving back fearing it to be a wildfire, Ellifain was relieved to know it was only a campfire. Slightly disgusted to find a young woman sitting there, clearly human, she paused and silently observed her. Something about her nagged at a memory, like a word on the tip of a tongue that cant be placed. As she sat there pondering it, it slowly dawned on her who she was looking at. Her eyes went wide as she recalled the description of Princess Emily. One of the guards often spoke of her as if she were a crown jewel. Ellifain had realized the man was sweet on the young woman and knew from his many recounts of her that there was no mistaking who this woman was. The man practically worshiped the woman, describing every detail down to the lock of red hair.

Ellifain's face twisted into a snarl. Every fiber in her screamed for her to kill the woman but something stayed her hand. Instead she found herself reaching to pluck her bag from her shoulder. Opening it up on the branch beneath her feet, she looked inside and frowned slightly. Inside were various foods and small medicines that one typically took on travels along with the cloth for polishing down her blades and an extra bow string. Grabbing the bowstring and cloth she thought to herself, This will do, but for all the reasoning couldn't figure out just what for.

Slipping from the tree she began to slowly circle around the woman until her back was exposed to the elven maiden, never once making a sound.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

She crouched, watching the woman intently. The rag in her left hand and the bowstring in her right. Looking at the string she realized it wouldn't do for a long term implement. No matter. The woman's clothing could supply anything else she needed. As the woman sat braiding her hair, Ellifain paused to consider what she was about to do. Normally such an act would repulse her. She always had an obsession with knots and ropes, but always with a willing partner. But this raked her wrong somehow. Angrily shoving the thought aside, she studied the young woman. She was dressed in a simple robe and that would work in Ellifain's favor. Taking the rag between her teeth, she began.

Slipping from the shadows, she looped the bowstring into a garrote in one hand then slid forth. Silently approaching the woman, she waited for a bend in the trail before drawing down in her from behind. Reaching out, she clamped her left hand firmly over the woman's mouth and pulled her head back hard. Her right arm immediately snaked around the woman's waist, just above her elbows as she pulled her back and made sure to keep the woman's arms locked to her sides. Placing her foot between the woman's legs she twisted her hips, turning her and the woman completely and throwing her captive off balance. Carrying her to the ground, she quickly straddled the woman's back and forced her head back. Watching as the woman's hands came to rest on either side of her shoulder level, she released the woman's mouth long enough to slip the makeshift garrote around her neck and pulled. The pressure on her neck forcing the woman's jaws open, she took the rag from between her teeth then roughly shoved it into the woman's mouth making sure it was in as far as it would go.

Slowly removing the string from the woman's neck, she reached over and took hold of the woman's right wrist and looped the cord around it. Pulling, she forced her captive's arm behind her and held in in place as she took a vice like hold of the second and yanked it behind her heedless of the woman's struggles. Forcing the insides of the woman's wrists together, she tightly wound the bowstring around then and tied it off. Sliding off of the woman, she crouched beside her and placed her left knee on the back of the woman's neck to hold her in place. She realized she would need further restrains and looked the woman's robe over.

Taking the end of it in hand, she tore it until it rested just below her thighs and then tore the split fabric free, leaving the woman with little more than a large shirt that concealed just enough to be scandalous. Ripping the fabric into four lengths, she straddled the woman's legs and crossed her ankles. Pinning them tightly together, she bound them then slid up the woman's thighs and bound them together with a second strip midway. Turning around, she slipped the third beneath the woman and wrapped it around her just below the breasts, binding her arms tightly to her body. The forth she used above the woman's breasts and slipped one end of the makeshift cord below the one just placed. Tying it off, she looked at her work. From the woman's back. the two strands appeared to make an X then wrapped around her body. Nodding to herself she smiled then grabbed the hair of her captive and pulled her head off the ground. Forcing the woman into a kneeling position, she spoke. Her lips brushing the woman's ear from behind she said, "Now don't be difficult and I will have no real reason to hurt you." She knew that the bowstrings would dig into the woman's skin if she struggled which was why she had tied the woman's hands with the insides of her wrists touching. That way she wouldn't end up causing serious injury to herself or, worse, bleed to death.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Holding onto the woman's hair, she rose then walked in front of the woman. Crouching down she looked the woman dead in the eyes. She could see the woman's fear and even the tears she had shed in the short struggle. "Lets make a few things clear." she said, her voice rough and holding no note of the elf's usual melodic tone. "I know who you are and who your father is. As long as you don't do anything I disagree with, then I have no reason to harm you despite the desire to simply slit your throat." Studying the woman carefully she slowly released her hair then told the woman in a harsh tone to hold still.

Running her hands along the woman's body, she shamelessly searched every inch of her. Finding nothing but a bag of coins, she looked inside it before tucking it back from where it had been extracted. Slipping her hands around the woman's waist, she rose and lifted the woman to her feet before tossing her across her right shoulder. "Piss on me and I'll plant your face in it." she growled at the woman's ass as she started off for her own things.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

She felt the groan roll through the woman more than heard it. Looking over at the woman's wrists she frowned. It wouldn't do for the woman to lose her hands. Debating the problem she looked the woman over. There wasn't much for her to use of her clothing and Ellifain almost considered leaving the problem be. Muttering to herself in a barely audible voice she moved off of the trail that had been leading to Amir. Finding a stump, she set the woman on it carefully and said "Hold still." Her voice regaining some of its usual tone she continued, "I'm going to replace the bow string around your wrists. Don't struggle further or you may hurt yourself gravely."

Moving slowly so as not to startle the woman into further action, she gripped the edge of her own forest green shirt, the fabric tightly hugging her curved frame. Ellifain was lithe like all elves and took pride in her body. Not the kind of pride some women seemed to take when it concerned the effects it had on other people, but the kind of pride that came from years of developing her body and her techniques to the point of near perfection. She was well proportioned and her body toned without being muscled. She didn't have the hard athletic look, but more one of grace.

Tugging at her shirt across her torso, she ripped the fabric across her midriff and around her back. "and now I have a child's shirt.""she thought to herself as she folded the fabric lengthwise. Walking around the woman she slowly untied the string and stuffed it into her bag. Taking the woman's wrists in hand she massaged them for a moment to see what damage had been done. Confirming it was nothing major, she wrapped the length of her shirt around them and tied them tightly together. Making sure the woman couldn't get at the knot, she then picked her up once more.

She wondered what had caused her to take the woman in the first place. She could use the woman as a bargaining piece in order to free the remainder of her people, the knowledge that she knew of it maybe more than enough to get it to come to an end. She played out several possible scenarios in her mind and could only come to the conclusion that this was the only way to go now. There was no going back. The second she arrived in Amir with the woman, she would be stuck along this course. If it got her extrisiced from her people, then that was fine as long as the current horrors stopped. As they drew near the city of Amir she noticed several elves in the treetops looking down at her as she passed. They were generally unnoticed, so quiet and still that they were often overlooked until they drew attention to themselves. Normally there would be some chatter at her approach being she was an elf, however this wasn't a normal time.

She had arrived in the city with a captive. That was never a normal thing for an elf, save in the bedroom on occasion. Elves may occasionally use force or take a hostage if the situation was needed, but they never brought them to an elven city. And the act of taking someone against their will was something that was only done on extreme measures. Elves respected freedom, and would rather kill a person than have to take that freedom from them.

She made her way below the outposts and slowly the city proper began to appear in the trees above, a few buildings on the ground around some of the larger trees and built into her trunk. Slowing her pace, she let her captive get a look at the city. A small reward for not causing any trouble. Nearing a particularly large tree with a trunk nearly ten yards across, she looked up. "Lift!" she called up, her voice ringing out in a melodious tone, indicating she wouldn't be able to run the tree tops for one reason or another. At first she thought the elves above wouldn't drop a lift for her to scale, but after a moment she could see the small platform with a ladder sliding down. She heard a voice ring out from above "Don't worry the climb! We will pull. We need to reset the lift due to a hard load. Your weight will do that for us!"

She knew they were just being logical and not insulting, and she was carrying extra weight, and simply stepped on to the lift. Slowly, she felt the lift get hoisted and felt the pullies of the level reset as the lift flattend beneath her weight.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Ellifain might be offset towards the woman but she did realize something besides the fact that the woman was making no attempts to escape. The fact was that when she informed the council of what happened, Several of them might become enraged at the treatment of their young. Elves loved children dearly, being they rarely had them, and some of the captives beneath the capital had been young indeed. Even by human standards. Sliding the woman from her shoulder, she carried her in her arms cradle style as the lift ascended. Reaching a branch woven walkway, she stepped off with her captive and looked around. The two elves that had hoisted them up were giving her looks a mix of both suspicion and curiosity. "Soon." she said to them, not needing to tell them more. It was the elven way to explain things in time. First she needed to speak with the council and she couldn't afford to loose her bargaining chip in the process.

On the trip to Amir Ellifain's rage had not subsided but had been tempered slightly as she was forced to consider her actions. A plan had begun to form. Half a gamble, but based on sound logic. She would present this to the council of Amir after explaining the situation to them. Walking around the walkway, she followed it from tree to tree until she reached a guest haven. Elves rarely broke their rule of harming guests residing in the haven unless the situation merited it, but Ellifain wanted to be sure that everything she had done up to this point at least bore fruit of some kind other than exile. Entering the small guest house, she looked around and motioned for the keeper, a young elf tasked with the upkeep of the place, to leave. Laying the young princess on the bed in the simple room she said "Don't try to escape. And if you manage to get free, then don't leave this room. You most likely wont live past opening the door..." Her tone was hard and commanding. While part of her simply wanted to dump the woman in a ravine and leave her, she would not allow someone dependent on her to fall to ill intent.

Reaching over, she plucked the rag from the woman's mouth. She wasn't exactly gentle with the task but she would at least be free to speak to anyone who came. They wouldn't harm the woman for now, or free her, as the issue was not of their understanding, but they might inquire as to the details of what was going on. Fixing the woman a cup of water, she brought it to her lips and allowed her to drink a bit before rising. "I will return shortly." she said as she moved to the door.

Exiting the room, she told a nearby elf to make sure that no youth were allowed anywhere near the haven and closed the door behind her. Making her way back towards the meeting hall, she entered and found the council to be waiting for her. Nodding curtly to them she said "We have a problem."

The seven members of the council simply waited for her to explain. Ellifain began weaving her tale for them, starting with the ignored disappearances of a number of elves and how she had dismissed them herself, then how she herself had been taken captive and what she had discovered. She ended her story with her capture of Princess Emily and even admitted to her emotional state at the time. How she still would rather drop her body in a tar pit than be around her. As she finished, the council remained silent for many moments. Her tale had taken several hours to relate for she had spared no detail. Ellifain was a fair story teller and knew that the average elf would be enraged by such tidings. She had explained Izardi's lack of a response and her intent of coming her to warn the council feeling that Izardi would not for some reason.

The silence was broken by an elderly woman well into her eighth century. "Child. We all know your deeds to date and what you are capable of long before having met you. You were right in assuming that there has been nothing but silence from Izardi. This is the first we have heard of such tidings and, like you, merely assumed that the missing were out seeking themselves as is our custom. Your own seeking took longer than most but we knew you would return home eventually." The woman paused and stepped forward. Her gaze held and intensity born of wisdom and intellect that few reached, even amongst elves. Her gaze was not easy to meet even for the most hardened of people. Ellifain nearly wilted beneath it, her rage the only thing she had to draw on to keep her in place.

"What do you intend to do with this situation now, child?" The woman asked in a weathered tone. Her voice was fair to hear but anyone not living amongst elves would not have heard the aging in her tone.
"Eldest," Ellifain began, "I have thought on this and can only come a few conclusions. It is a fact that the king does this without his people's knowledge. Elves have always been fair to humans in our dealings with them. It is unlikely that the king would wish this leaked. The chances are that my escape has him on edge. It has taken him the better part of a year to gather the elves he has and he is growing old. I doubt he will have killed off the captives just yet. I believe he will hold that plan of action until he has no other course before him." Holding the woman's gaze, she saw that the woman knew where this was leading and pressed on.

"We cannot wage war with them without proof. My tale alone is not enough to convince the people that a wrong has been committed. We need something irrefutable. We have several courses open to us. We ransom the King's daughter back to him in exchange for our people and possibly the oath to never reveal his actions. There is good reasoning to believe he would accept these terms and move on from there. We would then keep a closer eye on our young. While this option doesn't completely appeal to me in my current state, I believe it to be one of the better options."

The woman nodded at her and smiled "And what of your other conclusions?" Ellifain nodded. "There is Cedric's Kingdom to the north. He is Elfstruck beyond reason after his stay in the city of Shal. He would be more than likely willing to aid us with a little pressure on the kings borders. Cedric has always dealt fair and open as far as a human can see into an issue. I have no reason to believe he would turn away request for aid from us, especially since he is married to an elven maiden now." Ellifain thought over the situation a bit and said "If it comes to worse, we will end up at war. However I don't believe any party wishes that. So it is my hope that this option will be removed."

Ellifain spoke late into the night on many other alternatives and eventually the council was adjurned. Returning to the haven, she looked in on Emily.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Gehenna had always been a friend to Ellifain. Ellifain had done a few reckless things in her life, but none of them without merit or good reason. Ellifain had, like most elves, taken the route that would produce the best results for the dilemma. The difference was, Ellifain gave little care as to who's toes the situation crushed. She could be as tactful and subtle, or as blunt as a warhammer. Simply eying her friend, she waited until Gehenna had regained herself then walked with her to the rails. "Your talents are slipping, Gehenna." she said in an undertone, keeping the conversation out of earshot of Emily. "If you had listened in like I thought you would, you would know why I'm doing this." She didn't know how much her captive knew of the situation or even if she was in on it. Just another human seeking power. But if she was ignorant of it, then Ellifain would keep her so. There was no reason to put her in the path of such knowledge unless she had to.

"Its simple. Our people are being taken, tortured and used, then sold when there is nothing left but a shell. A pretty plaything for some foreign lord or lady to keep around and use as they see fit. There are children there younger than their second decade." Ellifain let her voice trail off and the implications hang in the air. She had known Gehenna since they were children, wandering around and kicking a rag ball or falling from tree tops. A small smile formed on her lips as she remembered them playing Crook and Constable. Gehenna had taken the role of Constable and had been surprised when Ellifain had turned the tables on her and captured her instead. Gently pushing the memory aside, she looked to her friend. "I promise I wont drag you into this. I can't you getting hurt or worse. Please let me handle this."

Turning, she entered the guest haven and saw Emily arching in discomfort. A twinge of sympathy passed through her briefly but was snuffed out without a thought. Walking over to the woman, she helped her into a sitting position and freed her wrists, but used the cloth to tie them in front of her. "Would you like some more water?" she asked the young woman as she looked her over. Her anger aside, the woman was beautiful. Ellifain remembered how soft the woman had sat in her arms and reluctantly admitted to herself that the woman would be pleasant to hold under normal circumstances. Trying to keep her anger from her tone she said, "I know human's generally don't eat the same fare as we do, but I will see to it you have a meal soon." Ellifain realized she would have to go hunt small game and mentally shrugged to herself. "It wont take long."

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Nodding she brought the cup of water to the woman's lips, unsure if her grip on it would be secure after being bound for so long. After the woman drank her fill, Ellifain set the cup aside and mused for a bit at her statement. "We really aren't. However elves tend to live off what they find. We have no goats or cattle, so we hunt or gather. There are those who grow vegetables and fruits, but most elves forage. And since we are lighter than other races, we rarely eat as much." Tilting her head for a second, she thought a moment before pulling out her bag and opening it. Tilting it towards Emily, she showed her the contents. More importantly the foodstuffs she had brought with her. Various herbs, nuts, berries, a small loaf of bread, and a few water skins. "This is the average fare for an elf if we chose not to hunt. While, like most people, our meals can become extravagant however these are pretty much the items they are based on. I have seen a few human's make do with these things, but I have also noticed what the average human is used to. So I will go find something more suiting to your normal diet."

She began to head towards the door, but stopped as she reached it. Turning back, she glanced over her shoulder at the woman without knowing why. Opening her mouth to speak, she stopped then turned back to her. She didn't know what compelled her, but seeing the woman so helpless and frightened brought back a memory of her own torment. Ellifain wasn't that kind of person. She could be cold and callous, sometimes even cruel if it was truely needed, but she was needlessly forcing this woman to endure some of the same terror she went through. "I cannot free you," she said to the woman as she knelt down eye level with her. "But I can let you enjoy the forest unharmed while I hunt. If you wish I can take you to a clearing near here to enjoy while I do so. You will remain bound, but I can assure you will also remain unharmed. You are under my care and no elf would seek to harm you while I still hold claim over you."

Reguardless of her anger for the woman, she couldn't help but give her the chance for this at least. She may never trust or even care for a human again, but she wouldn't let her anger completely control her actions. She would stay mad for years to come. Such things didn't just fade from a person's mind, but that didn't mean she shouldn't at least show some 'humanity' to the young woman.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Ellifain rose and lifted woman gently from the bed, cradling the back of her knees and her shoulders. Shifting the woman into a comfortable position she left the abode and headed back across the walkway to the lift. Taking it down, she carried the woman east through the city allowing her a more expansive view of the elven architecture. As the exited the city, she pondered just how involved the woman was. With her current course of action, she couldn't directly ask her. She could question her indirectly but realized that at this point it would only raise suspicions. Moving through the forest, they soon reached the clearing she mention. There were various wild flowers growing around a stump nearly centered in the clearing. She heard the birds that had been singing grow silent as she entered and carefully set the woman down.

"I will be back shortly." she said, her voice low as if preserving a sanctity of a place of rest or worship. "I will only be a short distance a way." she said leaving the woman to figure that calling her would bring her back. Moving off, she unslung her bow and set out. It wasn't a full twenty minutes later that Ellifain had taken a few kills. A string of rabbits lay resting on a large stone before her and she quickly set about cleaning and prepping them. Creating a small fire she set to the task of cooking them and carved preparing a simple meal with what she had in her travel bag.

Returning about an hour and a half later, carrying a small platter, she stopped just behind a tree. Sitting on the stump was Emily and in her lap sat a small rag ball. Ellifain tensed as she watched the scene before her. A small child of about seven or eight stood before her. Ellifain heard them start to speak and listened.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

She stood for several moments watching. When the young child departed, Ellifain turned and leaned back against the tree thinking. Had she been wrong? Had she honestly just put an innocent girl in a harmful situation based on her anger alone? She was hoping that there had been some underlaying plan when she'd grabbed the girl. She suddenly found herself conflicted and looked down at the plate of food in her hands. Waiting several long minutes after the child had departed she watched the young woman silently. She had been given a chance to escape and hadn't taken it. She had also had a chance simply run the child off but had taken the time to comfort her.

Moving from behind the tree she approached the woman. Crouching down before her she placed the plate on the woman's lap and fed her, making no indication of the incident or even that she had seen it. After the plate had been cleared she said "I never told you my name, did I." It wasn't a question, for she knew she hadn't. Just a simple statement. "I am Ellifain."

Picking the woman up she carried her back into the city and to her own personal room. Ellifain was always visiting the city of Amir and practically had a home away from home here. The place was sparingly furnished and the only note worthy features were that it was two rooms. The main room which doubled as a bedroom and the next room which was the bath. Setting her captive on the bed she looked her over. Emily seemed to be holding up quite well but Ellifain knew her body would be sore after spending so long bound and her muscles would ache when moved in opposite to the way they had been bound. Ellifain decided she could help with that.

"Hold still." she said, her voice soft and melodic. A gentler, if not normal, tone of herself. Reaching down she slowly undid the woman's ankles and thighs, letting her hands slid up the woman's leg. Ellifain had to admit her skin was very smooth and pleasant to the touch. Placing her right hand behind the woman, she leaned over her captives right shoulder and brought her left hand slowly up the woman's back as she looked down at the binds. She realized that to anyone entering it would look like she was suddenly holding the woman. Letting her hands come to rest on the knots she spoke softly against the woman's ear. "I cannot and will not leave you free for long." she said as she slowly untied the two bindings on the woman's chest. "But I can ease your discomfort a great deal."

Coaxing the woman into laying down with a gentle touch, she rolled her face down and freed her hands. Leaving them to rest beside her body she straddled the woman's thighs, lifting slightly above them. She kept from pinning the woman in place as she began to work, not wanting the woman to misinterpret her actions as another form of captivity. Her hands slid to Emily's back and shoulders as she slowly began to work the muscles and tender flesh beneath with her hands. Her nimble fingers slowly coaxing the ache from her body and beckoning to her muscles to return to their full range of motion. She spent a good time over an hour doing this. Paying heavy attention to the woman's arms, wrists, shoulders and legs, she occasionally reached up and brushed a strand of hair from the woman's face or from the nape of her neck. Sometimes she would speak softly to the woman, telling her a tale of her people or simply lapsing into silence.

Slowly she began to test the woman's range of motion, stopping and working the muscle when Emily tensed or winced in pain. Trying her best to be gentle and soothing, she carried on. Then her work was done and she rose, walking to a small waardrobe next to an open fire place. Reaching inside she pulled out an outfit similar to her own, swapping the leggings for a skirt, and handed them to the woman. "I'm sure you're aching for a bath and a nice soak. Here." She placed her hand on the small of the woman's back and slowly guided her into the bathroom. "Get yourself washed up. Feel free to take as long as you wish. You needn't worry about the water cooling." she said as she moved back to give the woman her privacy. Dropping onto the bed Ellifain looked up at the ceiling and began wondering. She would have to tie the woman back up shortly after her bath, but she could let her wander around the small place free for a while. As long as she didn't go outside.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Ellifain lay there pondering what to do with the newest development in this ordeal. She had sent an emissary to King Leonis DeLeoncah, Emily's father, shortly after arriving in Amir. However it was just reported that the elf was shot multiple times and left to make his way back to Amir. His body had been found just inside the forest and it pained Ellifain to know that she had sent the man to his death. She had sent the man with a simple message. The message had been that in exchange for the freedom of the elves held in captivity and the reacquisition of those already sold, the elven elders would swear never to reveal to his populace or any of the neighboring lands what had been committed and Ellifain would return the woman unharmed. However instead of accepting and sending a letter back, the emissary had been killed and the gates of Rautguard had been sealed tight.

Ellifain sat up and crossed her arms thinking. She could, reasonably, take the act as one of anger. She had kidnapped the man's daughter and held the threat of exposure over his head with one of the biggest secrets he had. So it only stood to reason that his response would be hostile. But did it imply that he had no intentions of negotiating? If not, would he try to take the woman back by force? Ellifain looked up as she heard her name. Standing up she said "Do the clothes fit you well?" In a snap decision, she decided not to reveal this complication to Emily. She wouldn't even know whether to explain it as a good thing or a bad thing. He had locked his city up pretty tight as if fearing another breech of the walls.

Pushing the grim thoughts from her mind, she watched the young woman. The clothing definitely suited her. It was elven made and simplistic, but it hugged her curves and showed off her figure. "I cant let you to far out of site, but for now I can let you wander the eaves of the house, or remain here in my place. I see no reason to restrain you immediately." she said. She figured at the very least she could allow the woman some movement. She still held onto her anger but looking at the woman she realized that it might be misplaced. She didn't know whether she could trust her or not. For all she knew the woman would try to kill her in her sleep and slip away. She thought back to the child laying in the woman's lap on the stump. She had a chance at freedom then, but it occurred to Ellifain that she could have chosen not to take it because Ellifain wasn't that far off and could have been back any moment. It would have been a very risky escape. But in the dead of night or when situations were more favorable....

She let the thought trail off and frowned slightly to herself. "If you decide to see the view outside, don't leave the eaves or I will drag you back inside." she said in a firm tone.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Ellifain watched the young woman for several moments. Unable to bear the sudden choked look on her face, she strode over to her and brushed the hair off of her shoulder before turning the young lady to look at her. Peering into her eyes she whispered softly "Trust me. You wouldn't want to know what this was all about. It's best you remain ignorant of it. Then you can return home and live happily once more." She had hoped to put the woman in a positive mood, thinking that the sudden fight with sorrow she had seen was caused by the woman's situation. Ellifain struggled to keep her own emotions in check. Part of her raged telling her that it didn't matter if the woman was happy. That she would serve her purpose. While another part tried to pacify the first, saying that Emily wasn't the one to take her anger out on.

Ellifain looked down at the woman, her thought jumbled. Looking into the woman's eyes she couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she was. Her body hinting at long nights of reprieve and a warm touch. Her face and eyes holding a gentleness that drew the elf in. She couldn't help but wonder; if things were different, would she pursue the woman? Human's tended not to be as open about such... differences. She couldn't help but wonder if it would only end in tragedy. As if she had some perverse need to punish herself repeatedly. As if the dancing images in her mind at night weren't enough. She stroked the woman's cheek softly, keeping her emotions in check. She wouldn't take it out on this girl.

"You will be fine. I promise you. I will see you home soon." Her voice soft and as soothing as she could make it, "Then you wont have to worry about me or what I've put you through. You can look back and tell your children years from now about your time here and never have to lay eyes on me again." She gave the woman a soft smile and took her hands, leading her to the bed.

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

"She knows..."The thought leaping instantly to the forefront of the elf's mind. She reached up, stroking the woman's hair. It was hard for her to imagine a parent not caring for their child. She had always known the love of her parents and a majority of the people around her. So hearing Emily's words tore at her a bit. She knew the woman wasn't lying, the truth written all over her. "I'm sure something can be arranged." she said weakly as she pulled the woman into her arms, cradling her gently. Ellifain had a grudge with Emily's father, but she realized that this woman wasn't him. She had done nothing but try to get through this when most would have rebelled or lashed out in some way or another.

Ellifain rocked the young woman gently in her arms and simply held her murmuring to her. She did her best to sooth her, but she had to admit that it wasn't a personal talent of hers. She felt a twinge of guilt at what she had put the woman through and before she knew it, she held the woman tightly in her arms. Stroking her hair as her thoughts whirled around, she looked down at the woman. It was clear her father didn't want her. In fact, he was probably relieved she was gone. Ellifain had been hoping that the incident with the messenger had just been one of rage, not neglect and indifference. She knew little of human politics and less of the line of succession, but wouldn't he at least be content with having someone to place on the throne when he was gone? She could only imagine how it felt to be unwanted by one's own family and simply kissed the top of the woman's head and pulled her into the bed, laying down with her. "I'm not going to tie you back up tonight.." she told her as she rubbed her back. "I think you have been through enough for one day."

 

[Tsumi Okasaki]

Ellifain felt the woman slip into a slumber several hours later. Slowly, she slipped from her side and then pulled the covers up around her, careful not to wake her. She moved from the room and left the young woman laying there unguarded. Drawing to the door, she looked back at the sleeping woman, a soft expression on her face before she departed. She needed to think and the open air beneath the night sky was just the remedy. Looking down at the ground as she moved about, she let her thoughts follow the various rabbit trails that criss crossed her mind. She had taken the woman hoping that she would be of some use. She hadn't even realized her intent before grabbing the woman. Now she had a hostage that wasn't even welcome back in her own home and a King that was killing her people slowly. She had a council that was behaving strangely and a people that needed warning.

She moved amidst the tree tops as she thought, the moonlight giving a blue sheen to her black hair. Her expression was troubled. She could just turn the woman free, but then what? What would happen when she reached the gates of her city? Would the king play it off and welcome her back with open arms? Or would she be shot down. It had only been a day since the messenger's body arrived, but it was still a race against time. If Ellifain didn't find a course of action soon, things would spiral very quickly beyond her control and she would be the sole one responsible for the consequences.

Her nimble step brought her to the haven where she had lodged Emily the first time and looked up surprised. She hadn't realize that she had headed here but just now came to understand that this wasn't her first time coming here in her broodings. Sighing loudly, she turned and placed her hands on the railing and looked out over the city. Gripping it tightly she let her mind wander once more. Emily immediately came to mind. She brought out the woman's more protective instincts. Shoving off of the railing she growled loudly and began moving back towards the house where Emily was currently resting. She didn't know what was happening with her but realized the sooner this thing was over with, the sooner she could sort herself out. She just needed to focus on her people. That was why she was doing this. That's what she had to keep in mind.