Fable - Ask An Escort to Vel Anir

[Colette]

She smiled broadly while dragging Varo through the incline and luckily he chimed up with directions around the time she felt lost. It helped bring her back to reality and while she didn't release her hold on him she eased her pace and the two of them walked side-by-side.

The jungle brought humid air and an abundance of wildlife. Every now and again some small critter would scamper out causing Colette to shriek or squeeze at the half-elf's hand depending upon how whether the beast was scaled or furred.

"The birds here sound so different than the ones back home." They still chirped but their songs were more elaborate, almost sounding planned out, and they contained higher pitched and erratic whistles. In Vel Anir most of the birds repeated the same three or four notes. Here it felt like each bird was a symphony all unto itself.

They eventually crested the edge of the woodland and arrived to a great overlook. The Lieuthen Cliffs.

A head laid upon Varo's shoulders and with excitement she asked, "so when do the dragons show up?"

 

[Varo]

The Cliffs themselves were really nothing special to speak of.

A rock with a steep incline that was marked with dozens of caves and caverns which were said to go on for miles and miles. That was why it was said the Dragons had liked them, peaceful quiet, and away from the turmoils of the world.

What was impressive about the cliffs though was the view that one got from atop them.

One could see for near enough a hundred miles.

The Falwood was laid out before them as far as the eye could see. Huge trees rose from the earth, larger than the central Keep of Vel Anir. They stood out among the rest of the forest, each one as large as a castle. "I don't know."

He said quietly.

"Maybe they only come out after dark." Varo mused.

 

[Colette]

Colette's eyes dropped at the mention of the dark. "How are we supposed to see them in the dark?" The question was surprisingly genuine sounding though in truth she'd already realized whatever dragon's might have roosted here were long gone.

She didn't dwell on her charade for long as the young guardswoman took in the astounding view before them.

There were trees that could have passed for fortress towers in human society, a wide gap where she could see the sparkling waterfall and the rainbow shimmer of the stream that passed out from it, as well as additional forest that stretched for as long as the eye could see.

A thought rang out in her head questioning how many of those within the Anirian Guard had ever stood here. Not even the Anirian Rangers tended to delve this deep into the Falwood. Or at least, that's what she assumed, there was really no telling what the rangers did and grunts like her weren't privy to that sort of information.

"It feels like you can see the entire Falwood from here."

 

[Varo]

"They're moon dragons." Varo said with a soft smile. "They glow."

Eventually the couple sat themselves down, the grassy ground surprisingly comfortable to sit and take a rest on. Varo wrapped one arm around Colette, letting her lean into him as he took a deep breath. An air of calm rested over them as he smiled at her words.

"At least a good chunk." He said quietly.

For a few moments he surveyed the lands before them, glancing up at the sun before finally finding what he thought was the right direction.

"Ivladrin is that way." He pointed to the South West. "Tucked in a valley on the sea, hidden by trees like that."

The Half-Elf gestured to one of the towering trunks that stretched into the sky itself.

As they sat there the sun began to set, stars poking out within the sky as clouds drew away and the warmth of the Falwood washed away.

 

[Colette]

"Moon dragons," she repeated, returning his smile. "You're making that up." Her followup was stated a bit less confidently as she wondered if, perhaps, moon dragons really were a thing. It was true that she'd never seen a dragon before but she especially had never seen a glowing dragon.

Colette leaned against him and she quietly cooed as his arm gripped around here.

Cerulean eyes followed his pointer finger as he spoke and her spirits were raised when he mentioned his home city. "Not very far from us. Next time I come to the Falwood I'm going to make you take me there."

When the sun fully set she curled into Varo even closer in an effort to keep as much of the warmth in them as she could. The beginning of stars filling the night sky captivated her attention and she just stared at the tiny holes of light that broke through the sky.

 

[Varo]

"No no, it's true." He said quietly, remembering the stories that his mother had told him once upon a time. They were a faded memory, but still a memory that he could pluck free when he really tried. Shifting slightly he tugged her closer.

A small smile touched his lips as he recalled his mothers words.

"Moon Dragons came originally from the south, a land so far away that most had never even heard of it." He mused. "They roosted first on the isles near the spear, then slowly came north and found homes like these cliffs."

A small frown flickered over his features as he remembered the 'end' of the story. Why the Dragons had supposedly left these northern lands; The second War with Vel Anir, the one the Elves had lost.

"Some Elves could speak with them, or so it was said." Varo mused for a second, wondering what that would have been like. After a few seconds his head shook and he thought of Ivladrin again as Colette spoke of visiting.

He chuckled. "Easier to take a boat."

Though one had to know where to go.

 

[Colette]

Very quickly it dawned on Colette that Varo had been serious about moon dragons. That must have been a marvelous time to visit these lands. When actual dragons, from the two moons no less, touched down upon Arethil and even went so far as to communicate with elves.

"Why did the dragons leave?"

Her question was asked as swiftly as he had finished speaking and her tone was filled with childlike curiosity. Dragons once roosting here and then suddenly vanishing must have had at least folklore to explain it. And, given the age that elves supposedly lived to, she speculated as to whether or not there might've even been eyewitnesses to their sudden departure still living in Fal'Addas or Ivladrin or some other elvish stronghold.

The half-elf's next comment was a bit easier for her to respond to. "I've only ever been on small paddle boats," she commented while remembering some of the lake visits to her cousins during the summer months, "it's relaxing being on the water."

She yawned, though she believed it was quiet and private enough that Varo may not have noticed. Although he certainly would notice her nustling her chin deeper into his chest.

"So after you left elvish society what did you think of human society?" The question had plagued her for awhile now. Although Colette was enjoying her time as tourist it was so... different to what she had known. Alien and foreign. It perplexed her just how he had adapted to something so different on a permanent basis, rather than just a set vacation.

 

[Varo]

Varo had hoped that she wouldn't ask that question. It would have been nicer to tell her the happy story, give her the wonder of it.

Fingers tensed for a moment, but he decided not to lie. "War."

He explained quietly.

"When the Falwood burned they left." That was what he had always been told. It was near enough a thousand years ago, long before he'd been born and around the time his grandfather had first come into power Ivladrin.

There were a few who likely still remembered those times, though most of them were now gone. Elves lived long lives, but they were not immortal. "It is."

He agreed quietly, stroking Colette's hair as she yawned. "Do you want to head back?"

It was getting late.

"Humans are..." Varo frowned as he thought. "Different. Harder."

He didn't know how else to put it. "Not bad, not for me at least. It was a shock at first, how everything had to be earned, fought for even, but...I made do. Now it seems natural in it's own sort of way."

 

[Colette]

For a time Colette's face was blank. The only war she knew of was the one between Vel Anir and the elves of the Falwood. The way she had learned it the elves had slaughtered so many humans that the early Anirians had to huddle inside the giant walls of their fortress city. Eventually, the dreadlords were created and they stormed the Falwood and fought the elves back.

Colette assumed that Varo had a different version of the tale and she didn't want to ruin this moment with bickering.

"Maybe the dragons will come back one day," she offered, "they'll notice there's a lovely half-elf looking for them." Her smile beamed brighter than the stars above as she just stared at him.

The differences in their upbringing couldn't have been more apparent until he mentioned how human society required that things were fought for. Such a thing had never dawned on her. For Colette, you were born into it and you just sort of learned how it all worked. The idea he was presenting, of coming from elvish cities where food was provided for free, was so foreign. But she understood how being tossed into a place where you now had to pay for your meals would've felt like that.

"I'm sorry. Now that you're back in the Falwood maybe you should stay. It sounds like you prefer it here." He could make his own decisions, of course, but she couldn't help but feel for him.

Heading back was probably a good call. They'd be wanting to eat dinner and sleep in actual beds again. "Yes, let's get back."

 

[Varo]

Varo smiled at her suggestion.

It was a nice thought, one that he couldn't help but desire. Yet the thought of putting his people, of running and transforming every month near whatever settlement he found himself in...he just couldn't do it.

Perhaps it was callous of him to be fine with doing so in Alliria. Perhaps he was less of a man for being willing to endanger the lives of humans and others, but...well, he couldn't help who he was. What he was. Varo was scared, and although he could not admit it to Colette...he knew he was a coward.

Fingers tightened for a moment, and then he drew himself up off the ground. "Alright then."

The Half-Elf said softly.

"Let's get back." With a gentle tug he pulled her off the ground and into his arms, wrapping his arms around her and placing a soft kiss against her forehead.

He smiled, turning and settling a soft hand on the small of her back to guide her back towards the path they had come upon. As they began to walk, a shadow passed over them, blocking out the bare light of the moon for a brief moment.

 

[Colette]

It would be foolish, even for her, to assume that she truly understood Varo after such a short time together. One thing she was fairly certain of though was that the man wasn't shy. So few words spoken on a subject as serious as abandoning his life of thievery in Alliria and coming back to live among the elves could only mean that he didn't want to talk about it any further.

There was a part of her that wished to press that. Understand why, get the man she'd come to adore so greatly so fast to just share that part of his life with her. But, no, she wouldn't pursue it now. Not after he had been so forthcoming about so much else. If he wished to share it with her he would.

She smiled and gave a miniature giggle as he enveloped her into his arms. When his lips touched her forward she swiftly lunged forward as he pulled away to force her lips upon his in a brief kiss, smiling coyly at him after she herself pulled away.

"What was that?" her question echoed in the dying light of the day as a silhouette shielded the moonlight. "Moon dragon?" Her coy smile returned and she planted a gentle peck on the half-elf's chin.

They'd be back into elven civilization before long and she just wanted to savor their slowly paced hike back. A hike that consisted of just the two of them and the silence of the night.

 

[Varo]

He came to a stop as they kissed within the woods. His fingers drawing around her as he took in a deep breath and savored the moment. When the shade passed over head he drew to a stop.

The Half-Elf looked up, keen blue eyes peering through the dark. "I umm..."

He was about to say something when she placed a gentle peck on his chin. A frown touched his lips, and he looked back down at her.

"I actually think so." The young Half-Elf said quietly, not quite sure if he even believed himself. Yet the thing that had passed up above them had been...large, very large. More so than any bird should have been.

His gaze flickered up into the air again, his arms slowly wrapping around her.