"Stealing Away"
by Beryll & Mayetra
The young elven maiden sat in a high backed chair before a large fireplace jabbing her needle through a piece of cloth. Her dark brown eyes were not on her task, but lost in thought.
Life is so boring, Tania thought. My brothers are so lucky. Their lives are full of adventure. Even now, they are off hunting with my father and the other warriors of our clan. And here I sit doing nothing more exciting then sewing with nothing to look forward to but new furs. I do hope they bring me back some nice ones.
Looking around the great hall, she couldn’t help but feel trapped. The late afternoon sun streamed through the high narrow windows stretching across the room in golden bands.
Nothing ever changes, she thought, wondering secretly if she was doomed to remain within the same four walls forever.
Tania’s thoughts were broken by the sounds of shouting outside the main doors of the hall. She frowned wondering what the ruckus was about. It was too soon for the men to have returned from hunting. Setting aside her sewing, she prepared to go investigate just as the front doors burst open.
At first, she thought it was some strange sort of animal stampeding into the hall, but then it registered that these ‘creatures’ must be humans. She had never seen one before but had been told they were dirty and dangerous. Dirty was too kind a word in her opinion. Filthy would have been more accurate. Her nostrils flared as their foul odor drifted her way.
Standing to her full height, which wasn’t much, she lifted her chin and said in an imperious voice, „Get out of my house!„
One of the filthy things turned its attention towards her as she spoke. It grinned and began to approach her. Its body fur would have been white if it had been clean, but instead was a dingy grey with occasional darker patches of brown and blacks. The hair on its head was dark and hung in a stringy, oily mass about its shoulders. The hair on its face was dark and dirty as well.
„Do you know who I am?„ Tania tried to remain composed, but it was difficult, as the human was getting taller and taller as it got closer. „My father is king of this realm and you are making a huge mistake.„
She noticed that the humans around the hall were beginning to ransack it, collecting anything of value. „Put those down,„ she yelled at one who was busy collecting the silver candlesticks from the long tables that sat in the center of the hall.
She turned her attention back to the human who had been approaching her only to find it was reaching out for her with rather large grey hands. It towered above her and she was forced to tilt her head back to look it in the face. Its shoulders seemed impossibly broad and she felt the first tremor of fear. „Don’t you dare touch me, you filthy beast! I am a princess and not be pawed by the like of y-„
Tania’s speech was cut off as the human grabbed her and swung her up over its shoulder. It took all her willpower not to vomit as the stench from its fur assaulted her. It carried her back towards the main doors and with surprising care laid her on the floor. Tania looked up and stared uncomprehendingly into its bright green eyes, the only things on the creature that could be defined as clean. The beast smiled again and then began to roll her up in the carpet she was laying on.
„Let me out,„ Tania screamed as she realized what was happening. The indignity of her situation hit her full force; the beast was going to carry her away as a piece of loot. This thought was confirmed as she was hefted once again and seemingly thrown back over its shoulder.
At least you don’t have to worry about the smell, her inner voice rationalized, and you were just thinking you wanted a little excitement in your life.
„Oh shut up,„ Tania muttered to herself.
*~*
Kale readjusted the carpet on his shoulder and again wondered why he had, of all things, picked a carpet to roll the screeching girl up in. It was heavy as hell and it was certainly not the sliver of a girl that made up the bulk of its weight.
But no matter really, he had carried heavier loot in his hectic life of a raider. What counted was that they had managed to pull off the raid with a minimum of losses and a lot of nice stuff. And of course had been able to carry away the princess just like he had predicted they would.
Ronn, their leader, had trusted his second-in-command but the others had grumbled at his bold plan. Not really surprising as most of them hadn't even understood half of it. Scouting before attacking? Taking hostages? Once more Kale told himself to be patient with the limited intelligence of his comrades. It was not their fault that they were not much brighter than an average log.
That was why they were just men and he was second-in-command despite his young age after all. It was really helpful to be able to think when you were in a duel with a bear like... Ferus for example.
He looked over to the other raider who was running close to him, carrying a large chest. Chances were he had not even looked inside when he grabbed it and that it was filled with useless junk. Another hazard of traveling with simpletons.
They ran on through the night for another couple of hours, then Ronn called a stop at an extra large snowdrift that provided some cover from the cutting wind that would blow up at sunrise. Quickly the raiders were transformed to a 'frenzy of loot-sharing', as Kale called it in his mind. Everybody was ripping this or that piece from the hands of the others, the whole behaving like a pack of rabid wolves and Ronn stood by, watching with his usual frown, unable to prevent it but none the less disgusted.
Kale put down the carpet and tried to get a look at what the others had taken to see if there was anything worth fighting for.
But before he could take a single step away from the carpet, Ferus and two other approached him, huge grins on their faces.
"Well? Aren't you going to share?" Ferus asked.
The only reason he wasn't just trying to tear the carpet away was that Kale had broken his nose just a few days ago, when the stupid bastard tried to take his sleeping furs.Nonetheless Kale felt a wave of rage wash over him. "Share what?" he asked, his voice more a snarl then actual talking.
"You took the girl!" One of Ferus friends accused. "We wanna share of her! We wanna fuck her too!"
Kale was at the end of his patience and seconds later his fist connected squarely with the brow of the man, sending him to oblivion.
"Stupid piece of shit!" he growled at Ferus, who was the obvious gang leader here. "What do you think how much she'll be worth when you have all fucked her? If there's anything left of her at all..."
"Don't care! WANNA FUCK!!" Ferus answered, keeping to his role admirably. Kale thoroughly wished it had been just a role, as Ferus took up a fighting stance. 'Not again...' was what he thought when Ronn stepped in.
"He's right, Ferus. We agreed we wanna trade the girl and we will. She's worth a lot. We couldn't get at their real riches, but they will bring them to us, if we give back their princess."
Kale felt really grateful for the intervention until Ronn turned to him. "You'll have to watch her closely, Kale, so these morons don't damage her." he said, the grin on his face half pitiful and half cruel. "I charge you with her well being."
Ferus laughed, not understanding the joke but judging by Ronn's facial expression and trying to gain favor and both Kale and Ronn glared at him, both feeling the urgent need to strangle the guy on the spot. Ferus made a quick exit.
Kale picked up the carpet again and carried it off to the side of the snowdrift, so he could unroll it without any raider jumping the contents. Then he unwrapped the princess, almost hoping that she had not survived the journey so he wouldn't have to deal with her.
*~*
The frenzied sounds of the raiders digging through their spoils had awakened Tania. They sounded worse than a pack of dogs fighting over a bone. Shuddering slightly, she wondered what would happen to her. It was then that an argument seemed to break out between a group of humans, one called Ferus, and the human who had grabbed her, called Kale. Tania was able to discern from their voices that they were both males, but wasn’t sure what exactly the one called Ferus wanted. If Kale’s opinion was worth anything, it wasn’t something very good. She actually felt relieved that Kale seemed to win the argument. She was picked up once again and a moment later, Tania found herself unceremoniously rolled out of the carpet onto the cold snow.
Shivering with cold, Tania looked up at Kale and held out her hand expectantly. The human had the gall to stand there and made no move to assist her to her feet. Grumbling, Tania slowly got up, brushing the snow from her wrinkled dress. „I suppose it was too much to hope that you actually possessed manners.„
The human regarded her with an expression that was something between exasperation and annoyance.
Tania pushed aside her fear and calmly tried to explain to the stupid human exactly what was wrong with this entire situation. „Will you look at my dress? It is completely ruined. I don’t think these wrinkles will ever come out. My hair is a disaster. I don’t suppose you were thoughtful enough to grab my maid before you left?
The human’s answer was to sigh and rub his face with his large hand.
„Well, I’m sure that you thought to bring my wardrobe. I’ll need a clean dress, something warmer. Perhaps my green gown with the brown fur. Go and fetch it for me.„ Tania waved her hand at the human to hurry him along.
He simply stared at her in disbelief.
„Well don’t just stand there,„ Tania said between the chattering of her teeth. „I’m freezing and you are supposed to be taking care of me. I heard that man say so.„
„Listen, girl, this is not a luxury kidnapping,„ Kale ground out.
He turned away from her and Tania seized on the opportunity. Without any thought to her chances of survival in the harsh, cold environment, she lifted her dress and darted away from him. She was thinking that her father and brothers were probably close behind them and it would be a simple thing to run until she found them. Her plan was short lived as a strong arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off her feet.
Carrying her back to where the carpet and a roll of furs sat on the snow, he set her back on her feet. Tania felt real fear snake down her back as he spun her around.
Shaking her, he said in a low, menacing, voice, „Do not try and escape again!„ His hand lifted into the air and Tania knew he was going to strike her. She cringed but the blow never came. Grumbling under his breath, he dropped his hand and dragged her over to where a pile of furs lay. Before Tania realized it, he had unrolled the furs and pushed her down onto them.
Dropping next to her, Kale rolled the furs around both of them. Tania was shocked by his next act. Gently taking both of her hands, he slid them between his chest fur. It was then that Tania realized the fur covering him were not part of him but simple animal furs. Her icy fingers were pressed against his warm skin and she could feel the light covering of hair that naturally covered his chest.
She lay very still for a long time but soon realized that he wasn’t going to hurt her. Slowly, Talia relaxed and despite his strong scent, she found that he was actually rather comfortable to rest against. It was a strange feeling being this close to another person while sleeping, not to mention being in the presence of another male who was not a member of her family without a chaperone.
The young elf’s mind whirled around her current dilemma. She realized that Kale had actually saved her from probably freezing to death by stopping her escape attempt. Her stomach growled reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since the noon meal. She started to ask him for some food but changed her mind. It was probably best that she didn’t anger him further. Talia decided that it would be best to lull him into a false sense of security. She would become a model hostage and escape as soon as he let his guard down. She wasn’t tired so she lay quietly formulating her plans.
*~*
"NO!" For emphasis the elven princess stamped her little foot on the frozen ground, crossing her shivering arms in front of her chest, pressing her lips together in a thin line, her eyes small slits with burning anger and indignation in them.
She might have looked pretty impressive if she hadn't been so small and fragile. And the fact that her teeth started to chatter again didn't help either.
"You will not roll me up in that stupid carpet again like a piece of luggage!" she hissed. "I'm a princess!"
Kale rubbed his face tiredly. The wish to break the neck of the little beast slowly grew inexorable. Did they really need this hostage? No matter how much the elves paid to get her back, this simply wasn't worth it. If they wanted her back at all. Maybe they were glad to be rid of her.
When the weak sun and the sound from the other raiders had woken him up, for a very short moment she had actually looked cute, curled up in his arms, her small hands still buried beneath his furs, pressed against his chest for warmth. But then she had opened her glaring brown eyes not soft and sweet like a girl's should be but as cutting as an ice shard.
No 'thank you for keeping me warm' or at least 'thanks for not raping me'. Nothing. Instead her first words had been: "I'm hungry. Get me some food! Something decent!"
He had disentangled from her quickly, briefly wondering if elven princesses could be poisonous. He had never heard tales of this but looking at her he considered it entirely possible. He had given her some dried bread and meat from his pack.
Or rather he had tried to. She had looked at him as if he was mad and refused to even touch them until he told her that she wouldn't get anything else. Then she had sat down on his sleeping furs and started eating with an expression that could only be described as utter disgust.
After eating, she had again started complaining about how messy she looked. He had just glared at her menacingly, but sadly she hadn't reacted to that. Maybe he should have hit her the previous night, maybe that would have gotten some respect into her. Now she obviously thought she could dance on his nose.
Next up had been a long tirade about the cold and how it affected her soft skin. Kale wasn't even sure what that comment had been about, but he had shut her up with the information, that he would now roll her up in the carpet again, which brought them to their current situation.
The small elven princess still stood right in front of him, arms crossed, foot tapping, her long silky red her cascading down her back in long waves, kept in order by some tiny braids. Her white gown was still in pretty good shape, only the hem ripped a little, one of her tiny feet was naked, the other still in an embroidered slipper. She looked like a porcelain doll Kale had once seen in a store way south. Only that doll had been smiling sweetly.
"WELL?!" she exclaimed, when he just stared at her mutely, trying to find more patience.
Kale looked from the elf to the carpet and back. "Actually..." he finally said, a grin spreading on his face. "I got a better idea." Leaving the blasted carpet behind sounded pretty good to him. "Why should I have to carry you? You can just as well walk."
"WALK?!" she shrieked, her tone so earsplitting that Kale reflexively
covered his ears. "I'm a princess! There's no way I will walk!"
"That's your pick." Kale calmly replied. "It's walk or carpet!"
"But... but..." she sputtered. "I can't walk. I'll freeze solid!"
She did have a point there. "You can wrap yourself in my sleeping furs." Kale suggested, trying to be kind.
She glared at the furs, wrinkling her delicate little nose. "They stink." She complained. "And that still leaves my feet freezing off!" She looked at him again, her eyes now calculating. "You could carry me without the stupid carpet." She suggested and for once Kale agreed with her. That actually was an option.
"I guess I could do that..." he mused. "You can wrap yourself in the furs and I can carry you over my shoulder..."
This time she tried a different approach. Suddenly a pretty smile lit her features as she took a small step towards him. "Can't you carry me on your back?" she inquired quite politely. "That would be much more comfortable for me... please...?"
Kale blinked at her sudden transformation. He was really sure that it was not a good idea to oblige her, but he found that he just couldn't refuse, when she asked so nicely. "I... uhm... yeah... I suppose..." he agreed stupidly.
A few minutes later he had her wrapped up in his sleeping furs on his back, her tiny feet in the pockets of his fur coat, her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers under his hair, pressed against his skin again seeking his warmth. They were set to go and Kale ran off with the other raiders.
"You know what the best about this is?" he heard the voice of the princess right next to his ear, her breath warm against his skin. "I can talk to you, while we are on our way." He groaned in despair.
---
„This is your camp?„ Tania muttered under her breath. She had been looking forward to arriving at the human’s camp envisioning Kale having a cozy, little hut with a fireplace, furniture, and perhaps, even a nice, soft, warm bed to sleep in. Instead, the ‘camp’ turned out to be a large cave with several smaller caves branching off it. The young elf sighed; at least she would be out of the harsh, cold wind. She pulled the sleeping furs tighter around her body and followed her human into the cave.
He led her towards the back wall of the cavern into a smaller cave. Inside the small room, there was an archway that led to another cave. It was a prime location as it was furthest away from the cavern opening and afforded a bit more protection from the elements. Kale’s position as second-in-command granted him this luxury. Kale motioned for her to settle near a small stone circle that had been obviously used in the past to hold a small fire. Tania sat down against the wall and waited for Kale to build a fire so she could warm up.
She was just about to tell him to hurry when some of the raiders approached. Tania didn’t like the looks they were giving her. They stared at her, practically drooling, and she wondered if they wanted to eat her.
„We don’t care about riches. Riches won’t keep us warm, we wanna fuck girl,„ one of the men growled.
„Yeah,„ another piped up without taking his eyes off her, „you share her.„
Kale stood and said, „Ronn told you, Ferus, the girl is to be traded.„
The one called Ferus growled. „I wanna fuck her. No fair, you fuck her every night.„
Kale rubbed his brow. „I haven’t touched her, Ferus. She is to be traded, not used.„
Ferus laughed. „No man stupid enough to share sleeping furs with girl and not fuck her.„
Kale growled and shifted his weight. „I said no, Ferus.„
The tension in the air was thick and Tania felt fear trickle down her spine. Ferus had three on his side including himself and Kale was alone. He would lose this fight and Ferus would take her. She instinctively knew that his treatment of her would be far worse then anything Kale had done. For that matter, Kale really had taken good care of her. She suddenly wished she had been nicer to him.
One minute, Kale was facing off with three men and the next, Ferus was on the ground clutching his nose while the other two were running towards the exit of the small cave. Apparently, their bravado lasted only as long as Ferus was on his feet. Kale had moved so quickly Tania had barely been able to follow his fist with her eyes. The practiced ease with which he hit the other man spoke of a lot of experience. Kale continued to stand until Ferus finally got to his feet and staggered away as well, then he turned and settled next to Tania.
„Thank you, Kale,„ Tania said quietly.
Kale regarded her with a shocked expression before he smiled and said, „Your welcome.„ Then he began to build a small fire in the pit.
*~*
Tania had just finished another meal of bread and dried meat when she noticed a shimmering to her side. She realized that the shimmering was the light of their fire reflecting off water. Leaning over, the girl looked into the cave next to Kale’s camp and saw that there was a pool of water. In the dim flickering light, she could see steam rising from the water’s surface and realized it was a hot spring. The prospect of a bath filled her with excitement, she turned back to her human.
„Kale,„ she began hesitantly, „do you think I could take a bath? Please?„
Kale regarded her for a moment. „Why?„
Tania smiled, „So I can get clean.„
The human sighed and seemed to ponder her request. Finally, he said, „Fine.„
Tania was so excited that before she thought better of it, she reached over and gave Kale a hug, then jumping to her feet, she went into the pool cave. She dropped the sleeping furs and was just about to pull off her dress when she heard a noise behind her. Turning around, she saw that Kale had taken a seat on a small boulder near her. „What are you doing?„
„I’m guarding you,„ he said with a strange smile.
Tania sighed, „Can’t you do that outside the entrance?„
Kale’s smile got wider. „Better view from here.„
Tania looked over at the water longingly and then back at Kale. She could tell by his expression that she wouldn’t be able to persuade him to leave. The elf decided that being clean was more important than propriety, especially since her reputation had been destroyed the minute the raiders had kidnapped her. She hesitated only a second longer before shedding her gown and entering the water.
She thought she had died and gone to heaven. The water was a perfect temperature and sucked the cold right out of her bones. She sighed and swam out toward the middle of the pool, completely forgetting about her audience. For a long time, she just floated on the surface of the water savoring its warmth. Feeling clean and fresh once more, she started to swim back towards the edge. That’s when she remembered Kale, who was watching her with a funny expression on his face. An idea struck her. „Kale?„
„Yes,„ Kale’s voice seemed a bit distant.
„Would you like to come in the water too? It’s warm and feels wonderful.„ Tania just knew that if she could get him into the water, she’d be able to get some of the dirt and stench off his body.
Kale hesitated for a spilt second before standing and stripping out of his clothes and stepped in..
Tania had to admire the lean planes and muscled curves of his body. She had never seen a full-grown naked male before, but found that she liked what she saw. She only wished he didn’t have all that hair on his face. Swimming over to where he stood, waist deep in water, she said, „Let me help you.„
---
At this moment, Kale was extremely grateful that the water was deep enough to conceal his rising excitement. Who would have thought that such a delicate sliver of an elf girl could look so pretty and so delicious, floating in the steamy twilight of the hot pool Kale had so far only liked because it kept his cave warmer than the other ones.
Obviously, she had no idea at all what the sight was doing to him, as she swam over to him, her pale skin shiny and smooth as moonlight. She got back on her feet behind him and insistently tugged on his arm. He knelt down in the hot water, allowing her to reach his shoulders, shivering not from cold, as she cupped water in her hands and poured it down his back.
The innocence with which she went about the task of scrubbing the worst of the dirt off his skin somehow managed to stay his hand the countless times he just wanted to grab and take her. Even though she had been wrapped in his sleeping furs for a while now she still had a faint sweet smell that Kale associated with the flowers of the south.
He sat still, carefully keeping his hands with himself, breathing slowly as if she was a shy deer that would be frightened away if he stirred.
Finally she made him dunk under the water so she could try to wash his hair too but this time she quickly gave up as the tangles had years ago grown so bad, that they would not part now.
"There," she said, smiling sweetly at him, standing right in front of him, her small naked breasts milky white and prominent in his mind, "now you almost look sentient." Then she raised her slender hand to hide a deep yawn behind it. Kale managed to unglue his eyes from her chest and noticed that her eyelids were drooping as well. When she took a step towards the edge of the pool she nearly stumbled.
"Here, little one," he said gently and took her by the arm, getting to his feet again. And when she looked up at him all tired and warm and trustful, he simply picked her up and carried her back to where they had shed their clothes, the demands of his body easily ignored.
A couple of minutes later he had wrapped her in his sleeping furs again and lying next to the small fire, deeply asleep, a small happy smile on her face. She was looking impossible cute and Kale wondered not for the first time how she managed to be such a tiresome little beast one minute and then suddenly change into the sweetest thing ever in the next.
The thought that he might have left her in the icy plains just because she had been complaining so much seemed far away now and he realized, that he hadn't just beat up Ferus, because he might damage a hostage. The thought of that brute on top of the little elf girl had made his stomach turn. He'd rip out the man's guts before he allowed the girl to get hurt.
With a deep sigh, he rubbed his brow. They'd better get her back to her people soon or he might find himself unwilling to give her up again. And that would create one hell of a lot of problems.
---
Sleep had come quickly after the long cold journey through the icy plains. The fire had warmed him to the bone and so his mind was slow and sluggish as some instinct tried to warn him of danger while his body insisted on staying asleep.
Somehow, Kale managed to pry his eyes open and was instantly awake, as the gleaming tip of a spear was hovering right in front of his face, poised to strike.
With a shout of alarm, he rolled to the side and now his awakened senses notified him of the clamor of battle all around, weapons clashing and wounded howling.
He grabbed for his sword, but his opponent quickly kicked it aside and Kale cursed himself for taking it off.
At least he got a good look at the small frame of the attacker and realized that it must be an elf. Scanning the room he noticed two more crowding inside the small cave, all of them wearing gleaming armor and war spears. These were not the useless guards they had encountered when they raided the castle, these were trained warriors. The hunting party must have returned early to be able to follow them to this place.
"Alive! I want that one alive!" one of them shouted now and the elf in front of him switched the grasp on his spear immediately. Kale was not able to make out the one who had given that order. He was to busy getting to his feet so he would at least have the advantage of his height over the much shorter elf. It was impossible to gauge how the fight was turning out in the other caves but Kale's gut feeling told him things were not to his liking.
He managed to disarm the elf who had first attacked him, using his own spear to pierce the armor of a leg so that one was out of the fight, but more came in.
He had finally fought them back so he could get at his sword, when he more felt then saw a movement behind himself. Then something very hard connected with the back of his head and darkness descended.
The last thing he glimpsed from the corner of his eyes was the ripped and dirtied white of a long gown on the person who had hit him.
---
Tania wandered the dark hallways of her home. Late at night was the only time that she felt a small measure of peace. She felt if she received one more look of pity that she would scream.
When she had awakened in Kale’s small cave to find her kin had come to rescue her, she felt relief and something else – disappointment. Kale had been ready to draw his sword and she had knocked him out with a piece of firewood. She told herself that she was just saving her kin who would have been no match for Kale once he was armed..
Liar, her inner voice argued, you hit him to save his life. Your brothers would have ripped him to shreds and you know it.
Tania gave an unladylike snort. I did not. Beside he will die tomorrow anyway. My father has already decreed it.
A strange feeling of despair and sadness rolled through her. She had not felt even a small measure of pity for the rest of the raiders who all died in the caves. Yet, every time she happened to see Kale during the weeklong march back to her home, she felt the same as she felt now.
Because you love him, her inner voice chided her sweetly.
„I do not!" Tania jumped at the sound of her own voice in the deserted hallway. She had not meant to speak outloud.
This time her inner voice snorted.
I tried to save him, Tania continued her internal argument. I told my father how Kale protected me and provided for me. I told him how Kale had defended my honor.
And he didn’t believe a word of it, her inner voice retorted angrily. Nor has anyone else. They think that Kale raped you and you are just too ashamed to admit it.
It is his own fault for being a dishonorable raider, Tania argued without conviction.
He may have been a raider but he acted with honor in his treatment of you. You weren’t beaten and dragged across the plains with your hands tied behind your back and a rope around your neck. He fed you the best he had, sharing it with you without complaint. He didn’t just throw you his leftovers. He kept you warm and safe from the elements, even warming your fingers against his skin. He didn’t leave you sitting in the cold snow with a ratty old fur that barely covered you. Her inner voice was raging now.
Tania rubbed her brow and sighed, she could not find any argument with that. Kale’s treatment by her kin, especially her father and brothers had been deplorable. Still, it wasn’t as if she missed her dirty, smelly, ill-mannered human. She just didn’t.
He wasn’t so dirty or smelly when you snuggled against him that last night. As far as ill mannered, what do you expect for a human who doesn’t know any better. It’s not his fault no one took the time to teach him. And it doesn’t change the point that you love him. Her inner voice was soft now.
I don’t miss him. I don’t love him, Tania fumed. She realized that she had unconsciously walked to the stairs leading down to the dungeons. I’ll prove it, she thought.
She walked down the stairs silently and through the hallway beyond until she was standing outside the observation slot to Kale’s cell. She quietly slid back the small covering and peered into the dimly lit room. She could see her human huddled in the back of the cold, dank room on a pile of dirty straw. He looked terrible. Tania’s heart constricted and a tear slid from her eye. She couldn’t deny it any longer. She did love him.
Sliding the panel shut again, she retraced her steps. She would rescue her human and see him safely away from her kin. First, she would need to pack some things. Her time traveling with Kale had taught her that certain items were necessities. Moving quickly, she changed into clothing better suited for traveling and a pair of sturdy boots. She wrapped herself in a thick warm cloak and donned a pair of soft, leather gloves. After packing a small bag, she snuck down to a supply room and helped herself to some nice furs to sleep in. Finally, all her supplies in hand, she crept back down to the door of Kale’s cell to rescue her beloved.
*~*
Defiantly drawing his furs closer around himself was a useless gesture. Kale wasn't even really cold. After all down here there was no cutting wind. Still the eerie silence chilled him inside. He couldn't remember when he had been inside a building for longer than a few minutes. And even then never under ground, never without being free to leave whenever he pleased.
Not now. The sturdy door was firmly locked. He had tried hard to force it open with brute strength and had gotten nowhere. It wouldn't budge.
And even if it did. His chances of escape were next to inexistent without a weapon and in a castle filled with extremely hostile elves.
They had been happy enough to have their princess back but they had not been amused by her appearance. Kale had quietly wondered if they would have killed him on the spot had she not taken a bath just a few hours earlier.
That had been while he walked the long way back to the elven castle, this time without the chattering of the little elf and without the grunting of his fellow raiders. They had slain all of them. It still filled Kale with a bit of dread that he did not pity them at all. After all he had spend most of his life with the guys. And still he wasn't really able to call any of them friend. More like 'people he happened to be traveling with'. Not even the corpse of Ronn had woken any feelings in his heart.
It had not taken him long to wake up, after the princess had whacked him. But too long. He had been securely bound by then. The elves had lost no time in kicking him, spitting on him, cursing him and generally make his life as miserable as possible. Gleefully explaining how he would die an extremely painful death once they had him back at their castle.
A shiver ran down Kale's spine. They had a way with words, these elves. The pictures of his death they had created for him were before his mind's eye quite vivid.
He didn't want to die. But obviously it was inevitable. What a wretched life he had led so far. Whatever gods were waiting for his soul would not be impressed.
He looked up when he heard the bolt that secured the door move.
It was not another elven guard in shiny armor but an even smaller girl, wrapped in great amounts of extremely fine furs. She was even wearing a thick furry cap. So the little princess had come to gloat as well? Fine. Probably he didn't deserve any better.
"Well?" she asked, strangely enough smiling brightly.
Kale made the effort to sit up straighter. "Well what?" he grumbled back.
"Aren't you coming?"
Kale blinked, only now noticing that she was all alone in the dark corridor outside the cell. "Coming where?" he asked stupidly.
"To run away, you silly brute." She explained cheerfully, stepping into the cell, reaching out with her tiny hand to draw him to his feet. "I'm rescuing you."
"Why?" was the only thing Kale could think of to say. But he did get up, peering outside to make sure she really was on her own.
When he turned back to her she blushed prettily. "I... uhm... well... I wanna run away, can't stand the boring life here and... uhm... everybody pities me and looks at me strangely and... I... erhm... I..." She twisted the fur of her coat nervously and looked at her tiny feet. "I think I love you." She whispered.
Kale stared at her in shock. The first thing he wanted to say was 'and therefore you whacked me?!' but for once he kept quiet.
There really wasn't anything he was ready to say about that just then. So he simply took her tiny hand. "Let's get away. Everything else can wait." He said, trying to sound as gentle as he possibly could.
--
It only took them a few minutes to leave the dungeons behind and with the little elf girl leading him through the maze that was the palace it didn't take them more than an additional few minutes to get outside.
It was pitch-black night, the moon and stars obscured by heavy clouds.
All the time they had made their way through the palace the princess had been whispering about all the things she wanted to see, about the adventures they would now face together, how they would win riches, be famous.
Already Kale's ears were ringing again. She really had a mouth unstoppable. Looking down at her next to him, beaming like a child with a new toy, an idea came to him at last.
She was just drawing breath to say more, when his mouth descended on hers, shutting her up at last in a long, breathtaking kiss.
When he finally separated from her again, she was staring at him, her eyes filled with happy wonder and she was - blessedly - speechless.
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