William also sat down and he was staring at his feet but at the answer his glaze slowly drifts up.

  "2 is not enough. Listen, I tell you my reason why I need help. I don't think I can trust my people anymore. Someone murdered an entire village of your people for no reason. Like if it was a totally normal thing."

  Her eyes widen in surprise as if the concept was completely incomprehensible "Is your kind that cruel?"

  William narrows his eyes "Are you not a soldier? You don't act like one and you don't look like one."

  "How? I mean yes. None of us is " The question clearly caught her off guard and She answers meekly

  "None?" The question goes to her but after that William turns away and starts mumbling "So that incident was really for no reason just as I expected. That is... fucked up"

  "Do you know any place where no one will find me?"

  "To the east from here there is a desert. Elves haven't been there for years now. They say its dangerous" A hint of suspicion stirs up inside William

  there is a desert portalworld there or rather its the same one

  "So you call yourselves elves, but you said Human before when adressing me?"

  She looks away "Why? does it mean something in your culture?"

  "yes, but its just weird" William says nonchalantly

  A silence hangs between the two for a while

  "Its getting dark. I never slept in the wild before, its not like I am actually tired. Maybe Its time for me to leave"

  as William begins to stand up she grabs him by the clothes "No, wait! I must pay you back. A friend of mine is a relative of the Elder. We elves always pay people back. There is no way they wouldn't let you in there, but I am not sure how accepting they will be..."

  She watches him walk off slowly. They haven't even asked each others name but she doesn't think all humans would be bad despite what they say. Her mind is a jumbled puzzle, none of this interaction was supposed to happen

  The place they found feels safe enough and slowly she drifts to sleep.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  The next day the sun casts its light on her face and a bird flies on her. In response she flails with her hands as her eyes open to the realization she just fell asleep in the middle of the forest.

  The bird's feathers are blue on the top and its chest is soft yellow color. Its wings end in a black outline. It should familiar to someone who lives in the forest and its not.

  William stands by, already awake or he just has not gone to sleep yet.

  She knows where to go from here and she does go where she needs to. In the distance a Tree far larger than the already gigantic trees can be seen. It is so high it's crown partially covered by the clouds. "Do you see that tree over there?"

  William turns to her and nods

  "That is the royal palace of her highness. If we go that way, we will certainly find the elder there"

  The arrival happens sooner than expected. Her eyes widen and she gasps as Walls of thick vines intertwine and shift as if trying to keep someone out.

  "Hey! Who is doing this?" She shouts hoping for an answer and William just stands there, watching.

  Oh no, they think I am probably dead!

  She tries climbing over it as she places her foot on it, the vines soon push it off.

  "Let me do something" William walks up to the wall and places his hand on it Life drain

  The vines start to fade to a grey color and slow down in their movement around his hand

  A voice comes from above "Hey what are you doing here?"

  William looks up to see an elf with short hair sitting in a very relaxed position. He looks young and he is short.

  "Not going to answer? What about the maiden? " he inquires his voice is annoyingly high as he shouts downwards.

  William looks to the side waiting for his companion to explain what is happening

  Before any conversation could begin the kid starts shouting again "Your ears! You are not an elf! "

  He repeats it a few more times before he calmes down

  "So can we go inside or how does this work?"

  He looks a bit annoyed at the question "I am not going to tell you." He says as he makes a mocking gesture.

  The elf woman finally speaks up "We need to meet with Ilrenair as soon as possible"

  The elven boy jumps off the wall to the inner side and leaves the two behind without a word.

  A minute later the Wall parts in front of them and 3 people stand there.

  The one in the middle seems familiar for William. This is no other than the elf who knocked him out when he got in the portal by accident.