Dragon Hero III: Drayken Reborn

by C Woodward

  "Oh, you think it's funny that I snore?" Talestria stepped in.

  Bolam's face quickly turned to surprise, "Oh no, no, no! I didn't mean it like that!" He turned to me, "Hey, you never told me your taught her how to read that!"

  Talestria folded her arms and glared at Bolam. She then took a deep breath and smacked me in the back of the head.

  "Hey, what did I do?" I replied as I cowered a little.

  She turned away and took a few steps toward the wagon, "You smiled."

  It was going to be a long ride. After traveling through here several times, we figured out a proper path but there really wasn’t a real road to Halatross. The dark elves didn't exactly mingle with the people of Halatross. There is a strong elvin influence in the town and they still carried a grudge for the dark elves. Also, they were not all that fond of me from an event years ago which wasn't exactly my fault. It all gave me a headache.

  Talestria grabbed some fruit from the back of the wagon and began to snack as we started moving again. She muttered something with her mouth full and offered me a bite. I shook my head and laughed inside. I tried explaining some of her bad habits to her but she tended to forget. No one else seemed to have the courage to correct her. I didn't blame them. I have seen her temper, but she can be rational enough to not get too mad.

  “We have nice weather for travel,” I thought to myself. I saw a few clouds in the sky; ideal weather. I wasn’t too hot in my armor. It was surprisingly comfortable for armor, though I hated wearing it in the summer. Talestria let out a hearty belch as she tossed the pit of her fruit aside. She flashed me a grin, oblivious how unladylike she was. I couldn't help but smile back. She had a sinister grin and almost looked like she was trying to be menacing rather than friendly. I had gotten so used to it that I found it quirky and cute. She rested her head on my lap again as I peered straight ahead.

  These long rides could be mind-numbingly tedious but it really helped clear my head. Talestria sighed deeply. She wasn't a light sleeper and I found it impossible to doze off with all the wagon noise and the rough trail.

  She turned her head toward me, "You think we can get Bolam to buy some berry drops when we get there?"

  "I am sure he wouldn’t mind getting a few bags of candy for you." I replied. We both have reputations that hinder us from going into town, so we often employed a friend to get things for us in the dark elf city of Silmuth.

  Talestria had become rather fond of berry flavored, hard candies from the towns. Most of the dark elvin stuff was based on what they acquire within their lands. I remember taking such things for granted years ago back home. It was easy to get a large variety of treats. Since being here, I have learned to appreciate the simple things.

  "Blakey Poo? You alright?" Talestria called to me in a sincere tone. Apparently she noticed the expression on my face.

  I forced a smile, "Don't worry about it. I was just thinking about old times." I let out a sigh and didn't want to dwell on it.

  There were times I felt homesick but I tried not to dwell on it since there wasn't really anything I could do about it. I was here by an astronomical fluke and there wasn't a remotely safe way to go back. I looked down at Talestria and gazed into her pretty, amber-colored eyes. At least I had someone special here.

  The ride smoothed out for a while and Talestria was soon snoring on my lap. I was a light sleeper while she didn't even struggle to sleep, although her snoring can be louder than anything.

  Talestria let out a loud snort and woke herself up. She blinked a few times and picked her head up. "We are not far soon?" she remarked while shaking her head. A few seconds later she gave an embarrassed smile, "I mean are we there soon?"

  I gave a chuckle, "Yeah, we are close to the farms outside of Halatross." I glanced to the western sky and could see the sun starting to rest atop the mountains. "Not much further until we will stop."

  We reached the outskirts of the walled town of Halatross. Talestria and I were not allowed inside due to our reputations with the elves but there was no problem with us camping out near the farmlands. There was even a small tavern for the farmers outside the city where Talestria and I have dined on good meat pies. I still haven't figured what the meat it is, though.

  Bolam and his peers moved their wagons along the side of us. "You two done for the evening?" Bolam spoke loudly from his wagon.

  I gave him a nod and hopped off the wagon, "Yeah, this is our stop but don't..." Now my leg was asleep. Talestria and Bolam looked at me oddly. I flashed a smile and tried to ignore the sensation, "Um, yeah, don't forget the candies."

  Bolam gave me quick nod and rode off toward the town. Talestria stretched her legs and walked around. I detached our horse from the wagon and walked him to a stream that ran nearby. "There, there Alpo. Go relax," I comforted the horse as I pet him on his neck. He quickly started drinking. I decided to tie him to a tree nearby so he could drink when he wanted. He was a good horse, just tending to wander off when I stupidly didn't keep him tied. I’ve wasted a lot of time searching for him.

  "Blakey Poo! Let's get some food, I'm famished!" Talestria shouted at me. She reached for a small wooden box.

  "What is in the box?" I asked as I walked back to the wagon.

  She took out a small golden pendant with a small blue stone. She gave me a grin and put it on. The air around her blurred a bit and to my surprise, her appearance changed. Suddenly, her skin was peach-colored like most human skin, and her hair was blond. She looked like a normal elf girl.

  "So what do you think?" she said with a grin. She started laughing as my jaw dropped. "Do you think I look better with blond hair?'

  I let out a sigh and laughed, "I like how you normally look." I knew too well not to fall for that trap.

  She gave me a peck on the cheek and gave me a warm smile, "You are too sweet. I found this a few weeks ago. It has been years since I made it." She lifted and turned the pendant over, looking at the runes on the back side of it and let out a sigh. "I used to try to disguise myself and sneak into town and, well, try to be normal"

  I walked over and gave her a hug, "Normal is overrated anyway." She smiled back at me which was weird due to her skin and hair change. Her eyes were green but I could see her personality was still the same.

  She climbed back into the wagon and tossed one of my coats at me. "You need to change out of your armor if you want to blend in." She gave me a sinister grin. "I changed my mind. Let's try to sneak in!"

  I took off my armor and put on my nice coat and tunic, "You sure we won't get caught?"

  She helped me remove my greaves, "Oh, we will most likely get caught. That silthrym could easily spot me." She doesn't like referring to Ayjestus by her name from an old grudge she still had from her bloodline being cursed long ago. Things had eased up a bit but the elves still didn't trust either of us and it was easier to just be an outcast here to prevent the drama.

  "But people might recognize me." I muttered as I put my nicer boots on.

  She stared at my hair and fiddled with it to make sure it looked nice, "You are not that famous, Blakey Poo." She gave me a mocking smile while sticking out her tongue, "You are not that big of a deal." She laughed, grabbed my arm and led me to town.

  We quietly walked to the western gate of Halatross. I was nervous. We had already gotten a few stares. Talestria held my arm as we walked through. This was already a bad idea. People were looking at us oddly and I was worried that it was just a matter of time before someone noticed us. Two older women whispered to each other as they stared closely at us. I whispered to Talestria, "We shouldn't be so clingy with each other."

  She quickly let go and distanced herself a little. I almost forgot it was kind of unheard of for an elf and a human to be a couple. Elves tended not to get too attached to humans for they didn't react to death of loved ones that well. Elves didn't age and humans did. So for an elf to be in a relationship, let alone being married to a human was unheard of. There have been instances where an elf and a human have
had a fling but that was taboo. I only knew about it from Kalus Silverleaf who was an elvin bard who mingled with women. I recalled that he had a taste for human women at times. He was always getting in trouble with his life style, but was a nice guy and one of the few elves who treated us well.

  It was getting dark, and the town was still pretty lively. There was quite a bit of activity on the eastern side as we moved closer into town. Actually, it was more active than I recalled. Wagons filled with crates, barrels, and sacks were being hauled in one direction which was odd considering most merchants wouldn't be traveling out of town at this time of day. A large group of guards started moving past us. Talestria and I stepped out of their way, worried for a moment that they were seeking us. They passed us by and kept going in the direction as the wagons. So odd.

  We decided to not venture closer in and get involved in whatever that was. Talestria soon wandered off toward some shops. "Well poop! They are closed!" she pouted. She stood by the window of the candy shop. Her face was practically pressed against the window so she could see what was in there. "Ooooo! They have the minty ones with the chewy centers!" she said like an excited child.

  The door opened and an elderly woman with a curly hair wearing a slightly dirty apron smiled at us making it hard to tell if her eyes were open or closed, "Sorry dear, we are closed now, but will be open first thing in the morning." She noticed the disappointed look on Talestria's face and laughed, "Well, I guess there is no harm if I let you in for a short while.

  Talestria's face lit up and she quickly followed the old lady inside. She poked her head out, "Blakey Poo, er, um apprentice, come in here!" I guess that was our disguise.

  I can't believe how much we spent on candy! She bought a little of everything in the shop. My coin pouch was feeling a bit light of coin. The dark elves were still not too trusting with me and only tolerated me because of whom I married. They didn't have much in employment for the likes of me but I earn a little here and there trading items I acquired from our travels to the dwarven lands and other places. Talestria earned most money doing enchantments and various other magic-related skills that mages required. Still, I wished she hadn't spent that much.

  "Let us go, apprentice!" Talestria ordered in a mediocre attempt of acting by the expression on her face. She was getting a kick out of this for sure. I followed her out of the candy store and back onto the streets. Her nose twitched as she picked up a pleasant scent. Her face lit up and she tugged at me, "Something smell good over there! Let’s get some dinner, apprentice!"

  We wandered to nice restaurant where we saw various meats being grilled outside. It looked quite occupied with various types of people dining. I will admit that the smell from the grills caused my stomach to growl. Talestria gave a slight gasp as we stepped in as she instantly spotted several elves dining inside. She took a deep breath and carried on her act.

  There was no secluded place to sit away from prying eyes. The waitress looked at us oddly but kept a smile on her face, "Hello, my lady. We have some places over by that table if you don't mind some company." She pointed to a table where two male elves and one female elf were sitting. They wore fancy robes that I recalled belong to a merchant guild for elves but I could be wrong. I already felt the stares.

  "Greetings, my lad. I have not seen your face before," one of the elvin men greeted Talestria. I could tell he was being flirty but I held my breath and tried to ignore it. He proceeded to stand up and pull out a chair next to him while giving her a warm smile. Oh, boy.

  Talestria glanced at me, sat down next to him and smiled back at him, "Thank you kindly," She quickly grabbed the menu and tried to look busy.

  "Where are my manners? I am Grundir and this is my brother Faelorn and his wife, Alura. What is your name?" the flirty elf asked. He was already leaning into her personal space and I was fighting everything I had to resist shoving him away.

  Talestria replied nervously, "Um, my name is Tal...aria... Talaria" She turned to me, "And this is my apprentice Bl...Blike!" She glanced at me with awkward stare.

  The lady elf looked strangely at Talestria and her husband glanced at me as if he recognized me. The flirty creep couldn't take his eyes off of Talestria which was getting on my nerves. Thankfully, the waitress came around and proceeded to take our orders.

  The flirty elf grinned at the waitress, "I suggest we all should get the stuffed fowl with cooked moss-cap mushrooms." He collected everyone's menu, including mine and handed them to the waitress. He turned to Talestria, "This is one of the few places that cook proper moss-caps."

  "Oh, I have never tried moss caps. Are they good?" Talestria asked. The other elves looked at her oddly and she looked around, "What?"

  Alura remarked, "How can you never have had moss-caps before? They are a traditional dish during the holidays."

  Talestria laugh nervously, "Oh, well you see I um..." she glanced at me for help.

  I butted in, "We are from the mainland of Lyonus and just came here on business." I starting plotting a false story the moment we stepped into town and hoped it worked.

  "All the way from Lyonus. That might explain why I don't recognize your face. Say, how does one like yourself wind up in the human lands?" Alura inquired.

  "Must have been stressing to deal with humans all this time." Faelorn remarked while giving me a cold glance.

  Talestria shrugged, "Well, humans are quite nice. I know some really wonderful humans."

  Faelorn scoffed, "Yeah some. There are a few flowers within a bed of weeds."

  Alura put her hand on her husband’s arm, "Now, my love. You are being rude to Talaria's apprentice here." She turned to me and spoke in a condescending tone, "Please forgive me, but what was your name again?"

  I let out a sigh, "Blike.”

  Alura gave me a forced smile, "Yes Blike. It is nice to meet you."

  Talestria gave Alura a cold stare, "Blike here is a very talented and special apprentice."

  Faelorn sipped his drink and gave a snarky remark, "As talented a human can be." He took a swallow and put his mug on the table, "Let me guess, he carries your belongings." He then gave me a look that just made me want to punch him in the throat.

  "Please, please! Let us be civil! We are here to enjoy ourselves,” the flirty elf interrupted with a forced chuckle. “Talaria wasn't one who would employ a lesser human. I am sure she has a keen eye for good help." He placed his hand on Talestria's hand and asked, "How about I treat you and your apprentice to some wine to make peace?"

  I stared at his hand and didn't know who to toss first. The bigot or the lecherous elf. I certainly didn't want him buying Talestria wine. She gets a bit crazy when she has a few which was the last thing we needed in our situation. I held my breath and put my hands tightly on my knees. The waitress brought a steaming platter of food which might have saved someone's life.

  Thankfully, things became quieter once we started eating. The flirty elf insisted on serving Talestria her food and started talking about how he and his brother used to hunt fowl much bigger than this in the spring. Faelorn even add his bit to the story and my presence was forgotten. It was almost pleasant. At least the food was good.

  "Hey Grundir, remember the time we went fishing by Unrech?" Faelorn said cheerfully.

  The flirty elf laughed, "Oh, yeah! That was when a merchant ship arrived with that criminal. It seem weird how they retook the ship back from a pack of raiders"

  Talestria and I exchanged glances. She knew well the misadventure Jerak and I had during that voyage. She looked away and put a mouthful of food in her mouth hoping it would prevent her from saying anything.

  Faelorn nodded, "It is bad that criminal didn't get strung up. Oh, seeing him in the armor of the old exiled king. What filth!"

  Alura shook her head, "It must been disgusting to see anyone wearing anything from the monstrous exiled elf king. I would have been sick at the sight of it!"

  The flirty elf took a swig of his wine, "Oh, we nearly did! Faelorn almost threw our
catch at the scum!"

  Grundir laughed, "It would have been insulting to the fish! To think that scum married that exiled witch. It is like he was trying to be as vile as possible!"

  The three of them laughed and one joked, "I bet they would spawn deformed choguls," They proceeded to laugh away.

  The flirty elf turned to Talestria, "Hey, have you heard the joke about the exiled elf and the drunken chogul," He was interrupted when Talestria inserted her fist in his face.

  Talestria stood up and gave a deathly glare at the flirty elf who held his hand over his face. A small stream of blood dripped from his lips. Calling a dark elf an exiled elf was about as insulting as one can be to their kind. Then add the fact they were insulting her father and then me. I was surprised she lasted this long.

  "What was that for?" Alura shouted at Talestria.

  Talestria took a deep breath and just glared back at Alura and then at Faelorn. She looked like she is about to say something but just stared at each of them. I proceeded to get out of my chair and placed my hand on her shoulder.