Seating on a thick branch of an old tree is Trudviar and Naya. It is a private space they share hiding thick in the woods from the periphery of the settlement. Below them is a lake with various fauna.
Naya leans on Trudviar's shoulder recalling the times the two share a moment and then. This 'now' is just among a few of these moments. There will definitely be more.
"You will go home safe." She declares leaving no room for argument.
Trudviar nods. "Yes, I will go home safe."
It has been a shy eight years since the last war. To put it more nicely, it has been eight years since making the Dark Forest their home. It is a great challenge, and endeavor that every elf thinks impossible to overcome. Even Trudviar has some expectations of failing, but not Naya.
Naya knows.
Not simply because of her Clairvoyant attributes, but because she is hoping for it to happen. For all of this to happen… and to move on.
"How long will the war last?" She asks.
Trudviar replies. "Her Highness wishes the war to end before the King's destined wake. So about two years. We will finish in two years. So, you will have to wait for me."
This war will be unlike the battles Trudviar has fought before. While they will still be blitzing, the enormity of their enemy this time is far more than just a meager county, not to mention several-fold bigger than any barony.
The Dark Lands is as good as a Kingdom.
It is too much wishful thinking to end this war in months.
"Yes, I will wait for you…" Naya softly smiles as Trudviar hugs her in an embrace.
"I am afraid," Trudviar confesses.
To hurt. To move on. These are things that Trudviar contemplates to be impossible for him. The wounds of war, the pain of losing, and the despair that comes with this are something he dreads.
Especially now that he is going to war.
What if there is a sudden change in behavior among the monsters of the Dark Forest? What if they suddenly attack the elves' abode with great momentum unforeseen by everyone? The outcome is unimaginably terrible.
Naya gazes at Trudviar. She sees his worries so plaintively clear she cannot begin to criticize each of them. "You tend to be more afraid now and then… What will the elves do if they learn you are such a softie?"
"Let's get married." Trudviar suddenly blurts out catching Naya off-guard. "At the King's wake, let's get married…" He adds enforcing the idea of marriage.
Naya abruptly laughs finding Trudviar's actions to be too cute. "You silly man… What got you so suddenly?"
"Well," Trudviar shyly tilts his head away from Naya's teasing, feeling the embarrassment too late. "I am afraid… I am afraid to lose you…" He sighs.
"Of course, I will marry you…" Naya shortly replies, removing herself from Trudviar's embrace. She adroitly stands from the branch where they seat and looks down on Trudviar.
"Just so you know, I am pregnant." She playfully tells Trudviar and leaps to another branch leaving Trudviar to his lonesome self.
Trudviar stands up from the branch and looks at Naya with disbelief. He watches Naya's figure vanish from the periphery. "This…" Elation, more fear, hope, and more conflicting emotions dance in his mind.
He covers his mouth with his hand trying his best to suppress his smile only to feel his palm touching his spiky stubbles. The first thought that crosses his mind is that he should have a proper shave 'someday' maybe in a year…
The funny thoughts aside, Trudviar is entertaining the idea of finishing the war in exactly nine months and being done with it.
Meanwhile, Naya is blushing pink as she lands on the bridge connecting several treehouses. She did not suppress her smile and simply walks off in a random direction. Her dark reddish hair with little strands of white sways with the wind.
Love.
Elves are rarely 'exploding' with emotions. They are usually stoic, and their range of emotions dances around being petty, apathetic, and feeling bored. They are such eccentric creatures.
But there is such a rare momentous occasion where they feel different kinds of emotions too like love.
Naya finally gathers her bearings as she realizes there is something better she can do. While the Academy of Hunts should not concern itself with war, she can still contribute as long as she wills it.
Changing her direction, she softly goes in a jog with the Academy of Hunts as a destination.
With a bounce on her steps thanks to feeling too happy with the recent development of her romance, she quickly reaches her destination.
The Academy of Hunts has been improving for some time. It is no longer simply the wooden construction of a cabin, but more of a stylish architecture of a manor.
It has pointed slants on the corner of its roofs, and also chic paper doors with all manners of artwork. Surrounding it are thick wooden walls with thick wooden gates, and it even has a garden of its own. The building itself has over three floors, a training ground of its own, and some other minor facilities with their own buildings.
Naya descends from the bridge by freefalling with the help of a pulley. The pathway system of the elves is quite unique in that they have the lower levels which are the ground, and the higher levels which are the bridge that connects tree houses.
She arrives by the Academy of Hunts' main gates. The sentry immediately recognizes her and allows her entrance. Naya scurries off to find her assistant, Farah.
Farah is the elf that Naya befriends after the fall of Urden County. The two of them have grown to each other and are now working closer than ever as the academy's headmaster, and her assistant.
"We have work to do," Naya tells her assistant who is busy painting historical records on paper. "You can re-record history some other time, we have better things to do."
Farah who is busy painting, looks at her headmaster.
Naya sets off for her office with Farah following on her trail. While walking, the two are already conversing about important matters.
"Beler won't be attending the academy for some time. He will be joining the war efforts as an aide to the General. We will be halting the combat classes for now. But the General Education classes and the specialized classes will continue as they are."
"What? Baldy is going to war? What should we do with our combat classes?"
"I will request them to Her Highness to join the defensive efforts against the monsters. It should be no problem as long as it is logistics and rear support. Beler is not entirely wrong that they can be put to good use."
"What? Did Beler do something so stupid as suggesting the reserved army to go to the frontlines?"
"The 'war' against the monsters of the Dark Forest will stop for some time, and instead of a frontline, it has become more of a defensive front so there should not be any problems."
Their exchange of dialogues continues with Farah being mostly surprised by the sudden turn of events, and Naya mostly giving orders. As the two arrive at Naya's office, Naya immediately throws herself into writing a letter for the Pilgrims to negotiate a deal with the fairies. While doing so, Naya proceeds to give instructions to Farah.
"There has been success to the bee farm. Inform the teacher overseeing the bee farm. I believe there are only three teachers in the agriculture department. What are the projects of the other two?"
"Gaga is leading a group of students to research and farm edible vines, while Hombre is farming a bunch of spices with a lot of enthusiastic students."
"Have Gaga abandon her project and join the bee farming project. Also, have Hombre give up half his students to bee farming."
The Academy of Hunts specializes in combat and hunting, but Naya with her freedom decides to add more specialized classes to the academy just like agriculture. In fact, one-third of the instructors of the academy come from Naya's recommendations.
Now, her efforts are bearing fruits to contribute to all of the elves.
The deal with the fairies will be necessary for them to fortify their defensive line against the monsters while Trudviar is busy fighting a war against the vampires.
Though indirectly, Naya is helping with the war efforts as best as she can.
After writing a letter for the Pilgrims, Naya decides to write a letter for the fairies.
She writes. "Dear beautiful and cute fairies, we have honey… They are succulent, sweet, and irresistible treats that will make you happy for a lifetime." She writes an advertisement on the second piece of paper with literal honeyed words.