Inktober: PRECIOUS - 10/9/18
Despite the looming threat of what we were heading into, the rocking of the wagon's wheels rolling over the cobbled street began lulling me to sleep. I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself and shifted to a more comfortable position so that I wouldn't fall off the bench as I began to lose consciousness.
"Nerves getting to you?"
My eyes fluttered open again. The young man sitting across from me smiled. "What was that?" I asked, sitting up straighter.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said softly, a slight accent gracing his lips. "I was just asking if your nerves were getting to you."
"A little, I guess," I nodded, looking away. I didn't care to think about what was coming just yet. "You?"
"I'm trying not to think about it too much," he said, turning to look out the front. I noticed then that he had distinctly Elven ears, which would also explain his cheery demeanour.
"Are you an Elf?" I asked, though of course I knew the answer.
He nodded. "Sylvadrin. I'm from Nova-Latium."
I nodded in reply. "Not many of them out there."
"Not anymore, no. The Sea-Elf population is beginning to take their place." He looked away, smiling sadly.
"Did your people have a feud with the Imbadrai?" I asked curiously. I'd never seen an Elf look so downcast talking about their own kind.
"Oh, no," he said, chuckling. "Er, quite the opposite, actually." He pulled a golden locket out from inside his tunic. Inside was a portrait of an Elven maiden with long brown hair and bright blue eyes.
"She's beautiful," I said softly.
He turned the picture back towards himself. "Certe, she is." His gaze lingered as he gently rubbed his thumb across the glass cover.
"I'm sure you'll see her again one day," I said. "This war can't take all of us."
"I would love nothing more than to see my beloved Irasthiel once more." He closed the locket and tucked it back inside his shirt, his eyes meeting mine once more. "I must believe that I will return home from this fight and that she will be waiting there for me."
I smiled, not only to reassure him but also because I've found nothing quite so precious as an Elf's love.
Then I heard the gunshot.
"Nerves getting to you?"
My eyes fluttered open again. The young man sitting across from me smiled. "What was that?" I asked, sitting up straighter.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said softly, a slight accent gracing his lips. "I was just asking if your nerves were getting to you."
"A little, I guess," I nodded, looking away. I didn't care to think about what was coming just yet. "You?"
"I'm trying not to think about it too much," he said, turning to look out the front. I noticed then that he had distinctly Elven ears, which would also explain his cheery demeanour.
"Are you an Elf?" I asked, though of course I knew the answer.
He nodded. "Sylvadrin. I'm from Nova-Latium."
I nodded in reply. "Not many of them out there."
"Not anymore, no. The Sea-Elf population is beginning to take their place." He looked away, smiling sadly.
"Did your people have a feud with the Imbadrai?" I asked curiously. I'd never seen an Elf look so downcast talking about their own kind.
"Oh, no," he said, chuckling. "Er, quite the opposite, actually." He pulled a golden locket out from inside his tunic. Inside was a portrait of an Elven maiden with long brown hair and bright blue eyes.
"She's beautiful," I said softly.
He turned the picture back towards himself. "Certe, she is." His gaze lingered as he gently rubbed his thumb across the glass cover.
"I'm sure you'll see her again one day," I said. "This war can't take all of us."
"I would love nothing more than to see my beloved Irasthiel once more." He closed the locket and tucked it back inside his shirt, his eyes meeting mine once more. "I must believe that I will return home from this fight and that she will be waiting there for me."
I smiled, not only to reassure him but also because I've found nothing quite so precious as an Elf's love.
Then I heard the gunshot.
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