The female elf was tall and slender, with coal-black hair.
The fluffy black hair was loosely scattered on the shoulders, and a thin braid was tied at each temple.
She was wearing a green satin jacket with a loose leather vest over it, sheepskin tight trousers on her lower body, riding boots, and a colorful silk scarf around her waist, covering most of her thighs.
Her eyelashes were long, her skin was unusually pale, and her lips were chapped. She wore a necklace wound several times around her neck, the beads of which were made of carved golden birch, and the string was strong thin leather cord.
On the whole, it looks like a heroic female warrior.
The black-haired female elf instantly raised her voice and asked loudly, seeing that the two witchers did not speak, "Tell me, witchers, what is the purpose of you coming here?"
Following her shouting, the elf archers on the trees also raised their bows and arrows in a demonstrative manner.
Wayne cast a glance at Geralt. Observing the white wolf's stern face, seemingly unwilling to speak, Wayne took the initiative, stepping forward and addressing the female elf.
"We traced our steps and arrived here in search of two young individuals who got lost while chopping firewood," Wayne explained. "Their mother, who assigned us this mission, desires their safe return."
"Searching for someone?" The female elf pondered on this for a moment. After a few seconds, she seized a hemp rope, swung it gracefully from a branch, and approached Wayne. Standing seven or eight meters away, she gazed at his pointed ears and suddenly inquired
"You're an elf as well, aren't you? You must be well aware of how our non-human race is treated in the Kingdom of Kaedwen. Why would you assist those humans in their endeavors?"
Upon hearing the words, Wayne's expression remained unchanged. He maintained a composed demeanor and responded, "Yes, I am part-elven, and a half-elf."
"But I'm also a witcher. We witchers adhere to the principle of neutrality, we abstain from involvement in the conflicts between factions and do not favor any particular side."
When the female elf heard the words, a mocking smile appeared on her face, and she said indignantly,
"You may choose to remain neutral, but troublemakers won't spare you just for that", the female elf warned.
"Many of our kind didn't resist, believing in the notion of coexisting peacefully with humans, only to end up with their bodies hanging from trees or devoured by wild dogs."
"Humans are selfish and despicable. They harbor no tolerance for any non-human race. You should be well aware of how many elves have perished under their massacres."
The female elf didn't anticipate her words having an impact, and the witchers before her remained unresponsive. She sought only to manage the anger within her.
After expressing herself, the female elf suppressed the fury on her face and spoke with a resolute demeanor:
My name is Toruviel, and I am the leader of these elves and dwarves."
"The two people you are looking for are our prisoners. But I will not hand over the captives to you for no reason.
"You can either go to war with us and save them back, or you can help us with a little work, and when we trust you enough, we will let go of those two humans."
Wayne frowned immediately when he heard the words, he had some impression of the name Toruviel.
It appears that this female elf will emerge as one of the future senior officers of the Scoia'tael, serving as a central figure within the group. In the original plot, there are some minor narratives involving Geralt and Jaskier.
However, Scoia'tael was not formally established until the first Nilfgaardian invasion more than ten years later.
The present non-human race hasn't formed an official resistance organization but exists as wandering soldiers. They are compelled to conceal themselves in the forest and wilderness, likely constituting a group of impoverished individuals persecuted by humans with nowhere else to turn.
And according to Toruviel, does she also have commissions for them to complete? Wayne thought for a few seconds, then turned to Geralt and asked in a low voice, "Should we accept the commission from this group of elves as well?"
Geralt shrugged and said indifferently, "However, as witchers, we must receive corresponding rewards; we cannot work for nothing.
"And, if possible, I hope you can release those two people now. Their mother has been waiting for three days, and if this prolongs, the old lady may succumb to excessive grief."
Seeing the female elf showing an impatient look, Wayne quickly added, "But please rest assured that we will uphold our promises. The long-lived elves must have heard of the reputation of our witchers."
Toruviel appeared to genuinely require the assistance of the witcher. She narrowed her eyes, fixed her gaze on Wayne, and after contemplating for more than ten seconds, she spoke in a deep voice.
"We can release the people first, but you must provide assurance."
"The two young men must not disclose our location."
"Furthermore, you can send your companion back alone; you must stay with us as a hostage."
Wayne wasn't concerned that these non-human races might harbor ill feelings toward him. He simply aimed to seize an opportunity to divert Geralt's attention. Nodding with a smile, he said, "No problem, Toruviel, my name is Wayne."
"I suggest you leverage the safety of the village and their mother, Misha, to intimidate the two young men. Being mere countrymen, they likely wouldn't dare to defy formidable fighters like yourselves."
Upon hearing this, Toruviel cast a somewhat surprised gaze at Wayne, seemingly not anticipating that he would propose such a suggestion.
Toruviel thought for a while, then suddenly turned her head and shouted to a male elf on the tree