"Stupid Nathaniel. Thinks he's all cool and smart. And yet I'm the one always saving his hide. Ingrate."
This was my usual routine after Nathaniel and I got into an argument. He'd either doze off or stuff his face with stomach churning food, while I stormed off to clear my head. We've been best friends for close to three years, the same amount of time Nathaniel and I have worked for Abzaan. He was always the tough guy who never stopped resorting to violence. I on the other hand was the diplomat of the two. Not everything needed to be solved by breaking someone's nose. Honest question. If someone accidentally or purposely passed gas near you, would snapping their arm in half solve anything? Food for thought.
After we each had cooled off, we'd look for one another to apologize. Ahhh, the power of friendship.
Etis, or better known as Eti, at your service. Well technically and forcefully at Abzaan's service.
Wish that wasn't the case. I wish I could travel back in time to when I was just a six year old wood elf. That's equivalent to a two year old human. I was a child who was always the first in her village to wake up and smell the roses. The child who ran around to make sure every plant was watered and said "good morning." This beautiful innocent elf loved her parents and village to death. And never stopped haunting me in my dreams to this day.
"Why didn't you go back?" or "Why didn't you do something to save them?" But worse of all was, "If you only had put all of your training into action."
Sore, sweat, gasping, and left in a daze. That's how I awoke each night when those merciless voices and images paid me a visit.
"Ahhhh, that feels good," I said calmly, soaking my screeching feet in a nearby tranquil pond. "I could spend the whole day here."
Watching beautiful nymphaeaceae, which humans called water lilies, float by took me back to my childhood. In fact, the entire forest felt almost like home. As much as I wanted to lay back and watch fleecy clouds go by, I knew returning to camp was the better option. If a slave was gone too long, two things would happen. The others would be seriously punished, accused of aiding the slave to escape. Or if the slave was found before curfew, expect an all nighter of nonstop beatings. I'm not kidding. Seeing it happen in person more than once made me want to never test my luck.
Walking those long miles through harsh and blazing terrain made my feet not want to be used for another second. They desperately wanted to be put to hibernation. If you're an individual who easily gets queasy, looking at my overworked feet would make you never indigest food ever again. Yup, they were that bad.
"Nathaniel. He irks me so much!" I shook my head intensely. "No, no, no. Don't waste a single second on him. Enjoy your time now. Let that troublemaker annoy someone else."
Life was all around me and in full bloom. The blades of grass were extremely soft to my touch. If you laid down on it you would think you were on a bed better than yours. The air that entered my lungs was so refreshing each time I inhaled it. My worries and cares were washed away for a good moment.
Honest to Yahweh. I'm not trying to sound poetic. As a wood elf, you and nature immediately become one. You notice even the microscopic things about each other. No training required. You're simply born with the bond.
On many of Abzaan's trips, we're taken to places that we never dreamed existed. Both in good and bad ways. Some of us, mainly orphans, came from a harsh life. Lives that we would never wish upon anyone. I've heard stories of orphans who suffered greatly after finding out they were alone in Taika. Eating piles of garbage. Traveling from town to town to at least get a good night's rest. And a few other deplorable stories.
They might not sound so bad but if you listened closely to the details you would think otherwise.
Staring up at the beautiful sky, I couldn't resist to continue admiring the artistry and tranquility around me. Then when I caught sight of the nasty looking and once agonizing P.O.A brand on the bottom of my right wrist, I knew this serenity moment wouldn't last.
"Hey, look what we have here fellas. It's our very own nature lover."
Wow, right on cue.
Sighing under my breath as I made my way out of the pond, I unenthusiastically responded back with, "Oh, hey Sal."
Wiping my dirty hands against my disgusting wardrobe, I turned to face an even more gruesome sight. As always I had to force my stomach to sit tight. I'm already a thin fellow. Vomiting would just make me a twig.
"What brings you to these neck of the woods?" I asked, actually hoping for a hi and bye moment.
I am not rude! Why would you think such a thing? If you met three of the absolute hideous and defiled gremlins in Taika you'd agree with me completely. These triplets, who were all given the exact same name for no apparent reason, reeked of everything whenever they neared you. Short and stubby creatures who only wore animal hide as loincloth. When actually their entire pus leaking body, which happens frequently, needed to be shielded from the world.
"Where is he?" one of the Sals asked rudely.
I looked around. "Who?"
The other Sal barked, "You know who we're speaking about!"
Cocking my head to the side I asked, "Which one are you?"
It was a challenge to distinguish the three from each other to be quite honest. From the exact malnourished green scaly body. Pointy ears that had a shrub of hair at the tip. Dirty yellow teeth, finger including toe nails. Scratchy voices. Even their tiny dastardly bloodthirsty eyes made me cringe. I could never tell if they were angry or just wanted to ruin someone's day with a devious prank.
The three Sals one night shared with the camp how Abzaan rounded them up. It wasn't a pretty one, so I'll just sum it up for you. After their callous invasion on a poor town a few years back, the Sals and their distasteful family were celebrating when Abzaan interrupted their festivities. While their family battled Abzaan's army, the trio before me ran off to escape his clutches. But no one really gets away from Abzaan. Long story short, the three Sals have been slaves to Abzaan for close to five years since. Basically, you reap what you sow.
"Don't test us elf," the first Sal snarled. He flashed his cracked nails at me. "We're not in the mood to play games."
"Where's your shield, Dirt Girl?"
The Sal triplet who rudely spoke to me was seated on a tree's stubble. He was picking away at his corroding teeth with his jagged and long right pinky nail. I'm telling you. They never cease to make me want to puke.
"Sal, you know full well Abzaan doesn't allow any of us to carry a single weapon," I said nonchalantly. I knew all too well he was referring to Nathaniel. I don't know why everyone thinks I need constant protection. It was just once that I choked on an apple seed. Let it go!
"Nathaniel. Where is that two faced human child?" This Sal always frightened me more than the other two. His cold words and stare were not to be messed with. "As you can see, we're really in a foul mood at the moment. So don't get smart with us, Twig."
"Kinda hard not to," I mumbled to myself, acting as if I had an itch on the back of my neck.
"What was that?!"
"Oh nothing."
While slipping on my extremely worn out sandals, the other two Sals approached me with ill intentions in their eyes. Neither of the three possessed a single weapon on them. But that didn't mean their razor sharp fangs and nails couldn't seriously injure me. Like a pack of rabies infected raccoons the last two Sals who spoke threateningly flanked me, licking their poorly washed fangs.
The first one who spoke earlier flicked a speck of probably leftover food off the tip of his nail. Using his other hand, this Sal scratched his back nearing his rear end. I made a note in my mind to stay clear of that one. His lack of personal hygiene was already seen as a major threat in my eyes. How could something so atrocious be in a piece of heaven?
"Tell us where Nathaniel is right now! Last chance," the first Sal stated coldly. "We want a word with him."
The tone in this Sal was somewhat intimidating to be quite honest. With one leg bent and near his chest, the angered gremlin dug his nails deep into his wooden seat. Besides how much bark he was easily scraping off, I really began wishing he'd lower his leg. Another note to self. Suggest to Sal One to get a longer loincloth.
"That human boy promised us food." Sal One growled. "And a lot of it in fact."
Third note to self of the day. Smack Nathaniel silly.
"I know. I was there. But-"
Before I could complete my sentence, I was so rudely interrupted by Sal Two. I'm going to have to request Abzaan to teach everyone about respect and it's components.
"NO BUTTS, DIRT GIRL!"
"Did you just say-" The third Sal bared his fangs at me, freezing me in mid sentence. A cold shiver ran up my spine. I was starting to believe talking my way out wouldn't work this time. These three were intent on letting off some serious steam.
Rising from his seat and making his way towards me, Sal One uncomfortably plucked out a few splinters from his fingers. He snarled at me as he asked, "Don't waste our time elf. We didn't come here to chat with you. Where. Is. Nathaniel?"
As much as I wanted to beat up Nathaniel myself, I couldn't just send his possible killers his way. There had to be something I could do.
"Can't we simply let bygones be bygones? Fellas, you seem like well educated individuals." I tried my absolute best to say the last part with a straight face. "Maybe we can work on a compromise?"
So before you ask 'what on Yahweh's green Taika is going on', allow me to give you a quick summary of what happened.
After Abzaan sold off some of the teenage human female orphans to a brothel in the last town we were in, Nathaniel came up with a "clever" idea. What was it? Well, it was to gather the craftiest and daring among us and steal from Abzaan's ample food supply. As orphans/slaves we're not fed like royalty. We're fed a cup of breadcrumbs, a tea cup of water, a single grape, and for dessert a surprise insect. Supposedly Abzaan says it's rich with energy. It's really not.
Oh, and we're given this exact same meal twice every day. Breakfast and dinner. He likes to see us do whatever is necessary to get lunch. Great guy.
Surfeited with this type of living, Nathaniel believed he had a full proof plan to change it. And a great number of supporters were behind him. Me? I try to be an optimistic individual. But when I feel something is about to go downhill, and fast, I'm going to let you know.
Short story, right before Abzaan and we set off to our next destination we were caught. The ones who sided with Nathaniel were beaten pretty badly. Thinking more punishment needed to be inflicted on the guilty, Abzaan ordered that we travel on foot through Morte Desert. Not only me but some of us wished we got beaten again. That walk was death to us.
Knowing exactly how the Sal trio were feeling, I tried to search the exact words to ease their troubles. Including Nathaniel's and mine.
"Can you believe it's been three years since we met? The day we met doesn't slip from my mind," I said, hoping to bore them to death. "Abzaan's hooligans had just brought me in after a five day trip through Mount Blizzard. Did you know that place has a collection of bodies? Many have perished there because of it's sub-zero temperature. Did you know that on Mount Blizzard it never ceases to snow? Never! Day and night. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. It always snows there!"
Sal Two and Three edged closer to me completely engulfed in rage. The first one continued to pierce my soul with daggers in his eyes. I knew that if he wanted to he could order his siblings to stand down. That definitely was wishful thinking.
Gulping down a lump of uneasiness wedged in my throat, I squeaked, "Maybe another story? What do you say gentlemen? Can we talk?"
"No food? No Nathaniel?" Sal Two scowled as he stopped in his tracks. "You'll have to do. Let's get her boys!"