Private Tales A Whole New World

[Varo]

Torrin - 20 Miles From Vel Anir

Varo sat quietly on a bench in the small farming town of Torren. He seemed to squirm quietly in place, his shaggy hair covered by a knitted cap that he had bought three towns back. No one had yet commented on it despite the warm spring weather, but he couldn't help tugging at it every so often as though someone were staring at him.

A frown flickered over his features, gaze quickly drawing every so often across those that passed him by.

Colette had promised him in her last letter that she would be here today. At high noon, she had said in fact. She had said, promised even, that things in Vel Anir were different now. That things were going well...good even, that he wouldn't face any sort of...problems. Yet despite that he couldn't help the nerves that flickered through him.

It was not only because he was an elf, that was...that was just a part of it.

For some reason he couldn't get it out of his head that someone knew what else he was.

Anirians were more discerning, direct. They knew to look at others with suspicion, even hatred. Perhaps something in that would clue them in to what else he was. Fingers tightened around one another, winding, pressing. Then a voice practically made him jump out of his skin.

"Looking for someone Dearie?"​

Varo practically hopped out of his skin as the old woman spoke to him, hands coming up as though he were about to defend himself from some sort of assault. When nothing came his hands shot down to his lap. "Ah...no, Ma'am. Just...uhh. Waiting for someone."

The old woman smiled.

"Well alright then. If you want some place warmer to wait, I own the Grand Granny on the edge of town."​

"Ha...thank you Ma'am but my friend is expecting me...here." He said, clearing this throat. "Thank you though."

Varo said, the old woman simply responding with a nod as she continued on her way.

 

[Colette]

Colette was running late. Her leave began this morning but that hadn't stopped her commander from issuing orders at sunrise, delaying her departure for the farm town of Torrin.

By the time she'd finished sweeping out their barracks, re-feathering the pillows, and performing a manual count of the number of bristles on the broom she was more than aware of how late she'd end up being.

Without delay she headed out from the encampment directly to Torrin, practically sprinting the entire journey.

Once there she spotted him on a bench near the town center. He looked... off. Uncomfortable even.

"I'm sorry!" her protest was quick but her face betrayed her words. A huge smile had formed across her lips as she reached in to give Varo a hug. "I didn't mean to be late, I swear, but it's so good to see you!"

It had been some time since they last saw each other in person. The constant flow of letters between the two of them was helping her get through the days but it paled in comparison to being there together. Recent changes in Vel Anir had given Colette hope. A hope that she might not have to choose between her home and the half-elf she'd come so close to.

That was when she noticed the knitted cap covering the tips of his ears. "You shouldn't need that," she insisted with a smile still covering half her face.

 

[Varo]

Varo practically beamed when he heard Colette's voice break through the crowd.

He jumped up off the bench within the span of a heartbeat, finding himself wrapped in the Guardswoman's arms before he could even say a word. His arms slipped around her waist, gently squeezing as he reveled in finally being with her again.

"Don't worry about it." He told her with a smile. "I'm pretty sure I was early."

Varo couldn't have said one way or the other, he'd never much been one for Punctuality. Something that drove Itch absolutely nuts. "Don't worry. It's ummm."

One hand slipped away from her waist, reaching up to tug at the cap to make sure that his ears were still covered.

"It's colder than I thought it would be." Varo said, the spring sun continuing to beat down with a pleasant warmth.

Before Colette could question him any further Varo continued.

"How have you been?" Though a flurry of letters had ran between the two of them at a near constant pace there were always details left out. Things that were either too hard to commit to paper or the time gap between deliveries simply didn't allow for. "I can't believe half of what you've told me about Vel Anir."

He told her. "It seems...impossible."

Dreadlords rebelling, Great Houses being deposed, and Elf Quarter? A third of those ideas seemed like utter madness. All of them together were...insane.

 

[Colette]

Being close to Varo, actually touching him, was a sensation she had missed for the months they'd been apart. It was almost intoxicating how nice it felt. To care for someone, to be cared for.

"We'll just say we both arrived perfectly on time," she knew it to be a lie but it was a perfectly fine lie. At least in her book anyway.

Then he tugged at the cap and made up a lie she was less fine with.

Up above the sun was beating down on them. They were in the height of spring and it was warm. There was no breeze today, nothing that would make him cold. But before she could even press him on it the truth came out on his own.

Varo was skeptical. Skeptical that he'd be accepted in her world as an elf. Colette could understand that, Vel Anir had long been a place unwelcoming to non-humans. She could hardly believe it herself. But a revolution had occurred and now there were all sorts of changes including elves living within the city.

"It does seem crazy! But I've seen the news bulletins and spoken to my captain. They accept elves now," her smile never left her face as she spoke, "it seems almost impossible but they actually accept elves now in my home!"

It seemed more than impossible. It seemed like fate. She'd told her parents about Varo, through letters of course, although she'd neglected to tell them that he was half-elven. But now it seemed as if the entire city was suddenly alright with elves. As if they'd walked the same elven tree-city streets as she had and realized these people weren't any different than herself.

She squeezed at his hand to help reassure him. "It's so, so, good to see you." Her smile kept radiating.

 

[Varo]

He smiled, it was an easy smile when looking at her. When he heard the confidence of her voice and felt the gentle squeeze of her hand.

The greater whole of him still expected that someone would try to string him up. See his ears and just decide then and there it was enough of a crime. He had heard rumors about Vel Anir, hell had experienced some of their...generosity itself.

Granted that had been partially for stealing but that was all semantics.

That trepidation, that fear couldn't be done away with easily. It sat within his chest, burdened his shoulders. Only eased when he looked into Colette's eyes. The bright radiant smile on her face seemed enough to ease the darkest night, and after a minute more Varo finally tipped his head. "Alright."

She had conquered her fears.

Had gone with him into the Falwood and seen his home.

At the time her fears had seemed almost silly, amusing. He hadn't fully been able to grasp her thoughts then. Now? Now they seemed almost reflected back onto Varo himself.

"Let's do it." He told her softly. "Let's go to Vel Anir."

Slowly he reached up, plucking the knitted cap from his head.