"I have no way to get home, so would you be so kind to help me, Mr. Kingseley?"
Taro Kingseley was tall and thin, an almost identical body to every male Elf I'd seen. His black hair sparkled blue in the light and was pulled back into a short, jagged ponytail bound by a silver ribbon. His pretty face was clean-shaven and narrow, sharp in the chin, nose, and cheekbones. His pointed ears were shorter than those of the king's and of the noble's, and it came to my attention that likely ear length had to do with blood majik purity and status among the Elven ranks.
Taro was clothed in the same butler-esque gray and white outfit I had seen him in prior, and I wondered about his status as an Elf. Something about him made me feel closer to equal to him, and of him, I was not afraid.
His distinct eyes roved over me with an emotion I couldn't construe.
"Absolutely not." He responded rapidly and began to walk away.
"Wait!" I squealed, reaching out for his hand. He snapped it away, meeting me with a powerfully irritated gaze. "Why won't you help me?"
"I have no reason to," Taro hissed. "What would I get out of it? Nothing!"
Oh, that is right. His kind doesn't believe in kindness, and any help from them is expected to be compensated in full or more. Selfish bastards.
"I can put in a good word with the King…" I was certain that Jack would not care about a thing I mentioned to him, especially since I haven't even worked as his attendant for a day. Not to mention I was frozen in fear around his presence.
My words made Taro stiffen, his ears twitching like an excited animal's and his eyes narrowing cynically.
"Do you realize what you're offering?" He muttered, leaning in closer to me.
The blood drained from my face and I shook my head. No, I did not, not at all, thus there was clearly something I was missing.
"You're His Majesty's unofficial advisor. He listens to everything you say and actually sees you as a living, breathing individual. I don't understand why, but His word is His word. For you to even mention my name to His Majesty…" A wave of sorrow washed over Taro, and he began to choke on his words. "It would change my life."
It came to my realization that his kind really does idolize the King excessively; I recognize his sheer power and influence, but I by no means worship him as though he were God. He is just a cruel, cold Elf in a position of power, nothing more divine or outlandish. It baffled me how much the mere mention of "His Majesty" affected Taro's countenance.
"Then is it a deal?" I queried, anxious for him to accept as the sun was already high in the sky.
"I suppose it is. You can use my first name now." He appeared uncomfortable as if agreeing to my negotiations did not sit well with his conscience. That is if he has such a thing.
"Thank you, thank you so very much Taro--" I started, grateful that he came around.
"Stop, for it is unnecessary. You are paying me back handsomely." Taro shifted closer to me before suddenly lacing his fingers through mine, gripping my hand so tightly that his nails cut into my hand painfully. I jerked myself away without success, his unblinking stormy eyes staring through me disturbingly.
Unexpectedly, Taro set out against the castle wall and away from the entrance with long strides I could scarcely keep up with. He dragged me forward with resolve, and further and further did our heels clack against the rectangular slabs of stone fitted together and forming the surface layer of the elevated terrace. Onward Taro pursued, without a falter in his constant pace, until a pain in my side appeared and my feet in their formal footwear began to ache and long for a break.
"Where are you taking me?" I cried out indignantly as the crowds thinned and the end of the paved stretch neared, hanging over the air and the earth that lay far beneath.
"Be silent and patient." He snapped, irritated by me once again. It was not long before we reached the end of the paved walkway and only a low stone guardrail separated us from plummeting into the irregular vegetation below. The guardrail continued into a ledge that protruded from the side of the palace's solid supports.
I watched in horror as Taro pressed himself against the wall and stepped up onto the ledge with long legs, which for me still came up to my hips. With small but indifferent treads he disappeared behind the wall and supports, then reached his hand out to beckon for me.
"Are you trying to kill me?" I exclaimed as he peeked his head around.
"No, I'm not. You can either trust me on this or you discover how to travel over ten gales on your own." Taro remarked cooly. Naturally, he knew I lived in the ratty outskirts given his distance estimate, and because I am a human. I wondered what was his plan, and every inch of my body was shrieking at me to not listen to this creature I did not even know. But I did nevertheless, my limbs trembling as I inched forward and hoisted myself precariously onto the stone ledge. The empty space around me felt surreal, the only source of comfort being the cemented supports behind me.
"Y-you owe me an explanation." I stammered, keeping myself from squeezing my eyes shut.
"Apologies, but my mode of transportation is illegal, thus precautions must be taken." Through my peripheral vision, I saw a smile threaten to curl the corners of his lips.
"What?!" I screeched just as Taro spun on one foot, swinging his leg over to the other side of me. His body was pressed against mine, hands pinning my shoulders down. "This is really not the way to be romantic!"
"You're fine, you'll escape somewhat alive." The smirk finally broke through his defenses and he tightly wrapped his arms around me.
And then…
He pulled me over the ledge as he tipped back and we were free-falling from the clouds.