"Hold your ground," Lance said softly, raising his hands in a show of peace. Even though they were more than the elves by two in number, it didn't mean much. Not only did they have younger goblins who were definitely not as strong as one elf, the elves had the advantage in range.
The lead elf stepped forward, a tall figure with sharp features and piercing green eyes. His golden hair caught the glints of sunlight, giving him an almost ethereal glow.
"Human," the elf said, his tone laced with disdain. "And goblins. An odd alliance." He spoke, his eyes going over the goblins, a tint of what appeared to be disgust on his face.
"We mean no harm," Lance said, though he doubted the elf would believe him, especially with his severely lacking fluency in 'common'. As though to confirm it, the elf's expression crunched a little, "a human who can't speak properly… did you grow up amongst beasts?" He said, his words stinging the goblins who could understand his words.
Zarra muttered under her breath, her hand resting tightly on the hilt of her dagger. "We should've stayed in the shadows."
The elf's gaze swept over the group, lingering on Lance. "You are their leader?"
"Yes," Lance replied, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. He could understand the elf's words a little as he spoke with a slower pace.
The elf's lips curled into a faint sneer. "A human leading goblins. Have the standards of your kind fallen so low?"
Lance lost him midway, as his vocabulary wasn't yet developed enough yet, but Lia stepped forward before he could have been forced to respond. Her calm demeanor and steady gaze drew the elf's attention.
"Forgive our intrusion," she said, her tone measured but warm. "We did not mean to cross into your territory."
The elf tilted his head, studying her with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. "And yet here you are."
"We were investigating reports of movement in the area," Lia continued, her voice smooth. "Our tribe has faced many threats recently, and we are simply ensuring the safety of our people."
'These beasts can actually hold a conversation… I'd expect to see them baring their teeth already.' The elf thought to himself, his eyes returning to Lance briefly, 'is it the human?'
The elf lowered his bow slightly, though his companions remained tense. "Your people?" he asked, his gaze narrowing. "Barbaric creatures that raid and destroy? Do you expect me to believe they are anything more than savages?"
Zarra bristled, but Lance placed a hand on her arm, stopping her.
"Our tribe is not what you think," Lia said, her voice unwavering. "Under our leader's guidance, we have grown beyond the old ways. We seek peace, not conflict."
'So, it is the human after all… interesting.'
The elf raised an eyebrow as he spoke, "peace? From goblins?"
"Yes," Lia said firmly. "Our people are learning to build, to trade, to thrive without harming others. We are not your enemies, nor do we wish to be."
The elf seemed taken aback by Lia's confidence. "You speak well," he admitted. "Unusual for one of your kind."
Lia inclined her head. "Thank you. I have had a good teacher."
"Then again, that makes me wonder, why you speak for your 'leader'."
Luckily, Lance understood that part, and speaking as fast as he could, which was still very slow, he managed to construct a smooth sentence without fumbling, "if you do not see it with your own eyes, I am afraid, you will not believe it."
The elf lowered his bow fully, signaling for his companions to do the same, though, theirs only went halfway. "If what you say is true, then you have nothing to fear from us. But know this, we are watching. If your tribe becomes a threat to the forest or our people, we will act."
"We understand," Lia said. "And we appreciate your willingness to listen and avoid violence."
"Avoid violence, huh? Your teacher really is something." With a firm and clear warning, the elves drew back, "these are our forests, don't come back here, lest you and your people lose their lives."
As the elves disappeared back into the forest, the tension in the air finally eased. Zarra let out a low whistle, shaking her head.
"That could've gone a lot worse," she said.
Lance turned to Lia, his expression a mix of gratitude and admiration. "You handled that perfectly."
Lia smiled faintly; her yellow eyes gleaming. "I've been learning from the best."
Lance chuckled, the weight in his chest lifting slightly. "Sure, if you say so. Remind me to let you do the talking next time."
"Well, something doesn't seem right. There's no way an encounter with elves would end with just dialogue. They normally attack without caring to hear what you'd have to say." Zarra said.
"It doesn't make sense, huh?" For some reason, the image of the metal piece brought back from the ruins flashed across Lance's mind. "For now, let's return. Now we know what lies here."
"I really don't want to do something like this again." Zarra said, sighing in relief again.
"And yet I was the one who had to calm you."
"Hah, I couldn't just sit still while he chastised us like that. Then again, I might have died without knowing how it happened… he looked strong." She said, turning to leave as they walked back for the time being. "We didn't get to do anything really, why don't we explore the next region?"
"Yeah, I don't mind. At least, we now know that the north is Elven territory." Lia said, while the other scouts also agreed.
Seeing as everyone was on the same boat, Lance didn't mind, "Ok, let's do that."