"a little author note: the bold sentences in a conversation are meant to be telepathic :)"
Izumi didn't quite understand, and what made the situation more awkward were the dead looks of Zephyrius at Izumi.
"What?" Icarius asked.
"Nothing," Zephyrius responded.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, after you procrastinated answering."
"My bad."
"Okay, did you even understand what the elf said?"
"Nah."
"What?"
"I said I didn't understand; I'm trying to solve the riddle."
"It isn't a riddle!"
"I think it is. Riddles are always set up like this."
"No, it's not; it's obvious."
"What is it, then?"
"He wants to know something I also want to know."
"What?"
"Alright, he's saying your weakness doesn't add up given everything—like contracting me or even having that beast."
"What beast?"
"That so-called 'normal' beast, Astrid."
"Isn't he a normal unicorn?"
"So you really don't know what he is?"
"He's a—"
The elf man interrupted, "I guess you're discussing it telepathically." He set down the pot, stirring the contents slowly. "The soup's ready."
Icarius got up as the elf silently brought a small table closer to the bed. After finishing two bowls, Icarius felt his strength returning and his weariness lifting. He laid back, feeling more energetic.
"Thanks, sir; I really can't repay you for this rescue."
"You can," the elf man said, his tone calm.
"How? I don't have much to offer."
"You're a human, right?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Are you sure?"
"I am."
"Then what exactly are you?"
Icarius didn't expect the question and fell silent before asking Zephyrius telepathically:
"Should I trust him?"
"I don't feel any malicious intent from him. You can probably trust him."
"You're using telepathy again, aren't you?" the elf man said with a knowing look.
"Why does he always interrupt me?" Zephyrius nagged.
The elf continued, "You and this wyvern are contracted?"
"Mhm." Icarius nodded.
"You still don't trust me, do you?"
"I mean, I've been betrayed by my own pow—nevermind."
"I see. I've put you under enough pressure. It's normal to feel cautious. Rest a bit, and let's talk at night."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
The elf man left, and Zephyrius was already asleep. Icarius felt a rare sense of safety. Nearly dying stripped him of that for a while. He quickly drifted off to sleep.
"He's alive, isn't he?"
"Sister, he's breathing."
"Really? Yeah, I guess so."
Icarius woke to the sound of children's voices. Wobbly, he muttered, "What...what do you want?" while still half-asleep.
He felt something warm and cold at the same time on his cheek. He touched it—tears. Looking up, he saw the elf girl crying quietly. As soon as she noticed him awake, she quickly wiped her face and backed away, embarrassed. But before she could escape, her siblings, the twins, jumped onto Icarius, hugging him tightly. He smiled, returning the hug.
"You're alive, big brother!"
"Yeah, I guess I am." Icarius winced slightly, holding his chest. "But can you two sit on the couch? Big brother's still sore."
"Okay!"
The children sprinted to play, and Icarius shifted on the bed, gesturing for the girl to sit in the nearby chair. The evening light filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow over the room. Astrid was still resting, and Zephyrius was curled up beside him, lightly snoring.
"Thanks for rescuing us," the girl said quietly.
"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you. I didn't really do much."
"No, not from the soldiers. I meant from being kidnapped."
"Oh, that. I was just looking for food and stumbled upon you all."
"I know," she said in a cold tone.
Icarius leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "Let's get something straight—who are you?"
She took a deep breath before responding, "I'm Myreve, and those two are Ester and Juliette. We're the second, third, and fourth princes and princesses of the Elven Union—high elves."
Izumi's jaw was dropping progressively as she was speaking, knowing how dangerous it was to keep them with him and how prestigious they really were.
"How old are you, Myreve?"
"Fourteen. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. We'll need to get you home soon. There must be chaos there because of your disappearance."
"Probably…"
"How did you get kidnapped?"
"We were playing in the royal garden when someone hit me in the neck from behind. I passed out, and so did my siblings."
"That's crazy. I'll make sure to get you back, but let's wait until I fully recover."
"I'm grateful, but… why did you cut your ears?"
"What?"
"Aren't you an elf?"
"No, I'm human."
Myreve gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You can't be human."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was told by my history teacher that..."
"you study?"
"I am a princess; I have private teachers."
"Oh yeah, please continue."
"Like I was saying, he taught me that the Union was protected by a rigid, invisible, and magically made border by the third sage, who was an elf, and it made it impossible for humans to enter. This is why we are still alive because we would have been massacred by the humans, as our numbers are very low compared to theirs."
"And the security at the border?"
"I think humans made it to prevent us from getting into their territory."
"only elves can cross the border?"
"No, dragons and wyverns, as well as, I think, whoever has at least 25 percent of elvish blood."
"That was a mystery for me in the first place," said the elf man after he popped out of nowhere, then he added:
"Join me on the top of the hill with that sleepy wyvern of yours."
"But I want to know more, too," said Myreve as she pouted with her cheeks puffed out.
"You don't really need to bother yourself with this, Myreve." Izumi said
"Yo, wake up, Zephyrius; you gotta get me up the hill."
"Is it nighttime already?" Zephyrius said while still yawning, " I'll get you there in a minute; just let me continue the drea-"
"No, the elf man is waiting now. Get up"
The wyvern got out of the wooden house and got into his initial form for Izumi to mount him. After getting up, Izumi shouted to Myreve while getting farther : " There is some good soup for y'all; eat it with your siblings."
She then murmered after he went: :"I never thought a savior could be this attr-" She then slapped her cheeks with her hands and called her siblings to eat.
Meanwhile, at the top of a hill, Zephyrius continues his sleep as the elf man sets up a campfire and sits next to the young man whose eyes have gotten stuck in the stars and the two moons, these two moons who remind him every night that he is not anymore in that world
"I've lived a long life," the elf man began, "but I reckon you've seen more than I ever will in this world."
Icarius turned, meeting the elf's wise eyes.
"Do you know why I isolated myself? Trust. It's the most valuable thing there is. Losing it made me live alone."
"I understand," Icarius replied softly.
"You're more mysterious and luckier than you realize."
"I don't feel that lucky. I think it's the opposite."
"No, you're incredibly lucky. Meeting me proves that."
"Am I really?"
"You are. I'm not perfect, but I won't betray you. Let's form a contract. I won't be a burden—I don't have long left."
"Don't say that, sir. I'll do it. Do you have a system?"
"A what?"