|
|
|
|
Life in the midst of nature’s beauty wasn't easy, and when one is different from all of those around her, it is more difficult still. The young half elf was at home in the wilds of the jungle, at least when alone. It was her fellow Sister's that made her feel alien, unwanted, closing her out of their circle not matter how hard she tried to fit in. Her long fiery red hair hid her pointed ears well enough, but the emerald hued, cat slit almond shaped eyes were impossible to hide. Adore had stated often enough that that halfling more resembled the animals they hunted then the Amazon's themselves, and what kind of name was Tay anyway?
She bore no resemblance to her human father, which was strange enough, and when she asked him about her mother his only response was that now was not the time. "Someday," he would always say, and in his eyes would come a look she could not read. Then he would tell her he was sorry, that her life should not have been this way. "You are incredibly young for one of your kind, you should not be forced to mature at the rate of a human child." Once he had told her that the Jungle was the only safe place left to them. "Safe?" she had asked, "Safe from what?"
He had shaken his head and left her with the usual answer, "Someday."
Early on she had learned that her unique physiology had its advantages, her differences went way beyond physical appearance. Her endurance was nearly inexhaustible; she could run faster, longer, and better than any of her Sister's. Her reflexes were quicker, her sense of balance unmatched. On the hunt she could run through the branches of the trees themselves without fear of falling, the eyes that caused so much dissension could see farther, filter and identify miniscule movement, and allowed her to see in the dark. Achieving her status as a warrior came easily, and the ostraziation from the group left her time to perfect her skills.
By the time she reached twenty years of age she had mastered the art of the dagger. It was more than a hunting tool, more than a weapon. The metal was an extension of herself, a part of her body that flowed from her fingers in intricate and deadly patterns. Her diminutive size at five foot four inches tall made a sword ungainly to hold and the bow and arrow was useless in the heavily foliaged jungle.
From her Father she learned the art of warfare, he had been a General of some sort before she was born, and he seemed to think it important that she know how to command an army, and that she know how to kill without remorse. This was something he could not teach her though he had said; she would learn that on her own. She had cast the thought aside, their life in the jungle had been a peaceful one, why would she ever need to take a humanoid life? She killed to feed herself, to put clothing on her back; people were not a source of food, or hide.
At twenty years old she was an innocent, and perhaps this was why Tager had chosen this for their home. Here she was sheltered from the outside world, and although the Amazon's were wild and feral, there was an innocence about them that allowed the young half elf to remain childlike for a time. It was the only gift he had to give.
Shortly after her twenty-first birthday Tay had her first contact with others. Orva, an elder of the tribe, had need of someone to accompany her to a village near the edge of the jungle. It was here that the Amazon's made their trades, exchanging meat, hide and other jungle staples for things they could not find in the wilds, such as metal weapons. Tager was gone on a hunting foray, and in his absence the halfling offered herself up as a companion to the elder. The old General would have been furious had he known, and Tay knew full well she wasn't suppose to leave the safety of the Amazon lands. But she went anyway.
In later years she would recognize the feeling that came over her as insatiable Elven curiosity, the curse of her kind. The need to see beyond her immediate surroundings was irresistible, her first sight of the human village an instant addiction. "Why so many males," she inquired of Orva straight away, "Is there a breeding emergency?"
The Elder chuckled softly and shook her head, "The way of these humans is not the Amazon way Child, here the males are dominant for the most part, they treat their women like they would their cattle."
Dominant males? Well, she knew her Father had come from a society quite different from the one they lived in, but she had never thought much past that. "They function in such a way of life?" she asked in surprise, "But males are so... irrational."
Orva chuckled again and nodded in agreement. "Yes, but here they are superior in strength, they keep their women weak and with child. Watch them Child, they have no respect for our kind." At that moment Tay developed an immediate liking for Orva, the words 'our kind' warming her heart. The Elder accepted her as what she was, not for what she appeared to be.
The village was a hive of activity and the young elf's head seemed to be on a swivel as they moved along to the market place. These people were loud and seemingly un-tuned to the nature they dwelt within. Animals were kept in dirty pens with little food and dirty water, starving dogs fought over scraps of food in the streets. Males were everywhere, reeking of ale and sweat, more than a few eyeing her in a most unacceptable fashion. Her hand had gone for her dagger several times, but Orva restrained her. "Keep your temper Child, it would not do to start a fight."
"Its not me trying to start one," Tay snarled under her breath, "They look at me like meat on a spit."
"Ignore them," the Elder instructed, "These males suffer from the delusion that every female lusts for their attentions," a grin lit up her face for a moment, "Someday you will welcome such a look from the right man."
"I seriously doubt that."
Tay watched with interest as Orva bartered with the tinkers and shopkeepers, the levels of deception, the tug of war in the bidding a source of great curiosity. In her opinion things would have run much smoother if the men had just been forthcoming with the price they wanted. That way Orva could have just laughed at them outright and paid them what the items were actually worth, which she ended up doing anyway. The expression 'Never haggle with an old Amazon' suddenly made a lot of sense.
Their next destination was the Blacksmiths, a place that widened the halflings eyes with awe. Her fingers itched to touch the weapons, to heft the blades and judge the temper of their steel. She wandered about the place as Orva spoke with the Blacksmith, her emerald eyes drinking in the sight of what was to her, art.... the melding of fire and ore.
There were several other people in the forge, but she paid them no mind, moving about in a near trance as she examined the work. She had tilted her head to the side to examine a broadsword for the briefest of moments, and her hair had slid off her shoulder, falling back to reveal the pointed tip of an ear. In the next moment hard callused hands had grabbed her, and she was whipped around to look up into a sunburnt male face. "Its a gods bedamned halfling!" the man snarled, shaking her roughly, "How the hell did it get in here? Slade! You've got a half elf in your shop!" The hard hands shoved her against the wall, laying a sharp dagger against her cheek. At first she had though it was merely unusually cold, but then she realized the metal itself was burning her. With a shriek she tried to push him away, attempting to avert her face from the searing metal. "Look! It's even allergic to Iron!"
There was a heavy thud, and the hands feel away, leaving Tay to crumble to the floor, her hand cradling her burned cheek. Eyes blurry with tears she looked up into the face of the Blacksmith himself, noting the hammer in his hand and the crumpled male at his feet. "I'm sorry Miss," he apologized, "Thomas here has no manners." Slade was a giant of a man, nearly seven feet in height, and built like a bull. There wasn't a strand of hair on his head, and he had a frightening look about his face, but blue eyes as gentle as a lambs looked out at her as he knelt down and reached out as if to touch her.
Tay jolted back, her eyes those of a frightened doe as she shimmied back against the wall. "Relax Miss, not all of us are like ole Tom there, I just want to make sure you're not going to scar. Iron be death to an elf, don't you know that? ‘Tis why Orva over there only buys things made of Elven steel. I had wondered at that, but seeing as there be an elf among you ladies, now I understand."
The halfling studied him for a moment, then looked beyond him to Orva, who seemed to be smiling. She wondered a bit at that, then seeing no danger in this man, she let her hand drop away. "Very well, you have my permission." The big man smiled and tilted the Amazon's chin to the side, his fingers surprisingly gentle, though rough with calluses.
"He got you pretty good there lassie, let me get some salve that will fix that right up."
"Thank you," it was all she could think of to say as she watched the behemoth of a man move away, and then Orva was there beside her, that mysterious smile still on her face.
"You'll be all right, and don't worry. Slade is one of the few decent men in this place. You have nothing to worry about from him."
Tay was about to ask voice a few questions, but the Blacksmith had come back already, a small container in his hand that he held out to Orva. The Elder accepted it and scooped out a bit of salve, spreading it over the mark on the younger Amazon's face. The burning sensation ceased immediately, bringing a sigh of relief from Tay's lips.
"I love your work," she said softly, peering up at Slade, "Could I watch you sometime?"
"I don't see why not," he answered, "What do you think Orva?" The Elder blushed and Tay's brow nearly shot up, the thought crossing her mind that there was more between these two then immediately met the eye.
"I think Tay would make an excellent Smith herself," she offered, "Are you in the market for an apprentice?"
The half elf's jaw dropped and she looked from the Elder to the Smith and back again.
"Is that something you would be interested in Tay?" Slade posed the question with a half grin on his face. He winked outrageously at Orva, then looked back at the redhead again.
"Well.. yes... but, I'd have to ask my Father first." Her heart was beating rapidly; she had been wanting to learn the art for a long time. But then, Tager might not allow her to stay in the village. A small glimmer of hope shone in her eyes, but she wasn't about to hold her breath.
Tager was a solidly built man, standing at six foot three he was a true heavy weight, his tanned body corded with muscle and riddled with scars, the form of a warrior. He did not show any signs of aging, save for a sprinkle of silver at each temple, and as far as Tay could remember it had always been there in his jet-black hair. He was angry at the moment, she could tell by the shade of his eyes.... the normal cornflower shade having iced over to a cool blue.
"Dammit girl! You've been told never to leave the borders! What were you thinking!" A vein in his jaw was throbbing mercilessly and his coloring had reddened slightly, none of which boded well.
"You can't keep her holed up here forever Tager," Orva said calmly, "She’s a grown woman now, in case you hadn't noticed."
"I didn't ask for your opinion woman, and by human standards, yes, she is. But if YOU hadn't noticed, the girl is NOT human. She’s an elf, they bloody well live for eternity if they want to, by their terms she’s a child."
"She’s only a child as long as you treat her as one. Are you blind old man? She needs this, she wants this, the more you cage her in the more she will rebel, and then where will you be?"
Tay wasn't sure how she felt about being referred to in the third person when she was standing right there. Orva was saying everything that she felt; perhaps better than she could have managed, but still, it should have been her saying it. "Father please! I'm fine! And this is a wonderful opportunity! Slade promised me his protection and a place to stay while I apprentice. It’s not so far away from here, why can't I go?"
Tager whirled on her, his eyes like ice boring into her, "I've told you before girl, the jungle is the only safe place for you."
"Safe from what! Is it the humans that don't like halflings? I can handle them."
"NO! That’s not it, and now isn't the time to tell you. It’s too soon." The General looked to be beside himself as he ran a hand through his dark hair, "You would be in danger every moment, and I can't protect you out there."
The young Amazon stared at him for a moment, her emerald green eyes narrowing. "I'm old enough to take care of myself Father, you can't keep me here, I won't let you." The secrets were beginning to wear thin on her patience, which she had little of in the first place. Her full lips drew a tight line in anger, pride welling up and railing against her parent. "I'm going."
"Oh? Will you protect yourself as well as you did today?" His tone was deceptively calm, and the words stung.
Tay's fingers rose up to trace the fading wound, the unnaturally rapid healing another gift of her Elven heritage "I wasn't expecting that and you know it, you never taught me the attitudes of those outside this cage."
"Tager come on, I'll check on her as often as possible, and Slade won't allow any harm to come to her," Orva chimed in, "Let the girl grow alittle will you? She has a real talent for weapons, and smithing is an exceptional skill. Just imagine what she would be capable of armed with her own hand crafted daggers."
The General gave the Elder a tired look, his shoulders slumping alittle. "You just don't understand, her destiny is so much more than smithing or wielding a dagger."
"So what? You are just going to let her fade away and do nothing in the meantime? Do you think she will learn anything from that? One who does nothing achieves not great destiny, wake up you old fool."
A look of surprise crossed Tager's face, and he stared at Orva for a long time before he spoke again. "Fine... you win, but if anything happens to her, it’s on your head old woman."
That was the last time Tay's Father spoke to her for a very long time, the next day Orva helped her pack her few belongings and went with her to the village.
"Do right by me Tay," the Elder warned her, "I've stuck my neck out with your Father, and one is never wise to cross Tager Terne. Keep your nose out of trouble, and never trust a human male." Orva had looked her directly in the eye then, her brown eyes growing serious, "Keep your legs together girl, that’s the best advice I can give you. I have the feeling the right moment for that is very far off for you. The man that tries to conquer you and succeeds will have to be an extremely unusual fellow. Give me your word that you'll wait."
Tay blinked in surprise, never having given much thought to it. "Yes Ma'am, you have my word." She remained still as Orva drew a dagger from her belt and sliced her hand open, repeating the process on herself. The Elder pressed their palms together and let the blood mingle.
"You've sworn on blood Tay, you'd do best to remember that. Now... lets get you to Slade and set you to work. You've got a long task ahead of you."
|
|
|
