Kori, Francis, and her small regiment of twenty soldiers slowly tramped out of Maribel atop horses.
The soldiers who accompanied them were in a neutral mood; many of them joked and talked of happy things, while others remained silent and attentive to their surroundings.
Kori was in a dour mood—a mood that matched the gray, overcast sky which was threatening to rain down upon them.
Kori listened to the clopping of the horses on cobblestone as they headed through the castle city--approaching the portcullis and drawbridge.
Because she was so short, she couldn’t have her own horse. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the torso of a knight in front of her who held the reins—leaving her little to do but sulk.
She tried to let the sound of the horses trotting drown out her unrelenting, intoxicating memories of her past with Laurence, and her misery of losing Eory.
Francis, for his part, whistled gaily as he rode by her side.
Kori shot him dagger-eyes. She was furious that he was the only one who had gotten what he wanted out of the whole, messy situation.
“What are you so happy about?” Kori asked over the noise of the hustle-bustle in the streets and the noise of the
clip-clop.
“I’m happy, little waif, because I’m free and I’m going home. Maribel stinks; Alanheim smells like the freshest of roses.” Francis mocked her openly. “Not only that, but Maribel is freezing and much of the land is ugly and unkempt—if you had slaves as we did, it would all be beautiful.”
Kori bristled at his insult. “On the face of things, it might be more beautiful, but underneath, it is a hideous land built on the backs of slaves. Just how much is beauty worth to you elves?”
The knight riding in front of her said, “it’s not too late to behead him if he offends you, milady.”
Francis threw up his palms. “Calm down, little waif. I was merely jesting.”
“Well it wasn’t funny.” Kori replied testily. “I wish to hear nothing of your ugly culture.”
Francis rolled his eyes. “Your loss.”
Kori rode in silence again for a time—listening to the conversations of the surrounding knights.
“I’ve taken on a page as an apprentice—he’ll be knighted soon enough.” Murmured one knight to another. “He just needs to see some action, prove himself, and then I think he’ll be ready.”
“I wish Maribel weren’t so damned cold,” said a different knight. “I swear, I need to wear a coat even during the summer from time-to-time.”
As they left Maribel castle, the sky which had been turning darker and darker--relentlessly threatening to rain--finally did so.
It started off as an uneven rain, spitting down from the sky. Before long, however, it became heavier—blanketing the land and the riders in a ghostly white, opaque mist.
Kori shivered and pulled her hooded, fur trimmed cloak closer about her shoulders.
Her teeth continued to chatter nonetheless.
Francis shrugged off his overcoat and handed it to her. “Take it, little waif.”
Kori turned her nose up and haughtily crossed her arms--jerking her chin in the opposite direction.
Francis shook his head and laughed.
__
The rain had not let up even as the sun began to set.
The colorful sunset which was partially obscured by the gray clouds drenched the woods Kori, Francis, and the knights were setting up camp in a vibrant purple.
Kori and three other knights gathered wood for a fire while the other knights stayed and kept watch over Francis.
Kori threw her armful of twigs on the pile of wood and let the knights set about lighting it on fire.
With a tired sigh, Kori collapsed in front of the pile of twigs with her legs pulled up to her chest—breathing deeply.
Riding a horse became very uncomfortable and hard on the body after a full day of it.
Like the rain, her gray mood had started off as a drizzle, and had become a drenching on-pour.
Francis, who was sitting across from her, noticed her very dour frown.
It put a smile on his already smug face.
“What weighs so heavily upon your mind, Redeemer?” Francis asked. “Is it, perhaps, your dashing king?”
Kori’s face was lined with shock and offense. She frantically glanced at the knights who thankfully seemed to be talking amongst themselves and hadn’t heard. She took in a shuddering, angry breath. “Come here, elf. Now.”
Francis raised an eyebrow. He had little choice but to obey. He rose to his feet, walked around the fire, and sat at the waif’s side.
Kori grabbed his pointed ear and yanked it with all her strength—making the elf yelp in pain. She whispered in his ear, “I swear, if you ever tell these people about me and… If you ever tell anyone, I’ll kill you myself. How did you even know…?”
Francis gave her a snide look. “Do you think I’m a fool? The look in your face when you talked about him… I think I know when someone is lovesick. I pity you falling in love with someone who cares so little about his people that he would risk his kingdom’s future just to kill me. He seems like a worthless king—especially since he let his lover bully him into letting me go; he’s stupid
and
flighty. He should at least take a stance on things.”
Kori released his ear.
She muttered furiously. “Doesn’t your queen listen to the advice of her people? That’s what good leaders are supposed to do. That’s… What—what Laurence did.” She lowered her eyes.
Francis snorted. “A good leader does what’s best for their people regardless of what those people think. My queen allows no dissension among her people; if she hears people saying negative things about her rule… If she hears talk that offends her, she throws them into the dungeon. Peace reigns and Alanheim is a beautiful place because of her ruthlessness.”
“Living in fear doesn’t count as living in peace…” Kori replied, turning her back to the elf.
“Alanheim hasn’t been invaded by another kingdom in dozens of years; we have the securest borders of all the kingdoms. Sounds like peace to me.” Francis insisted smugly.
“If it were so peaceful, then why do you fear your… Gender being revealed?” Kori challenged him.
Francis opened his mouth to protest, but could find no retort suitable enough to counteract her argument.
It was Kori’s turn to grin smugly.
__
Later that night, Kori found it hard to sleep.
The rain wouldn’t let up, and she was thankful for the thick layer of leaves above protecting her from the endless liquid cascading from the skies.
“Can’t sleep, milady?” One of the knights asked.
The knight, Terrance, was one who she recognized. He often volunteered to guard her whenever she had to leave Castle Maribel.
Kori shook her head. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing… This elf is a headache. Maybe Laurence was right.”
Terrance, who was whetting his blade, answered with a compassionate smile, “I have to say, from what you told us, I’m in agreement with you. Provoking a war with the elves would not be wise right now. The king should listen to his Redeemer; you have excellent judgement, and I have nothing but respect for what you do. You saved my brother, you know.”
Kori felt badly about telling the knights that the king had thrown Francis into the dungeon and all the details surrounding the situation; Laurence had bitterly given her permission to, but she still felt badly about it.
Kori cocked her head to the side at Terrance’s statement. “I saved your brother?”
The knight nodded. “My little brother, Brom. He was stealing food and ended up in jail when he was caught. If it weren’t for you, he would have rotted away in the dungeon for the rest of his life. But you Redeemed him—convinced the king he was worth giving another chance—and he was set free. Brom really turned his act around. I can’t thank you enough, milady.”
Kori’s eyes glistened.
She needed to hear that.
__
Kori awoke before most of the knights did. She barely slept at all.
There was one knight up who was watching the sun rise.
With a sigh, Kori grabbed a flask of water off her rucksack and took a deep swig.
The sun was slowly rising in the sky--gradually dispelling the black shade of night. Rain still drizzled from above and Kori took a deep breath—enjoying the fresh air in her lungs.
She put a hand on the soldier’s shoulder. “I’m going to take a walk. Keep an eye on the elf.”
The soldier nodded. “Are you sure you don’t want protection?”
Kori nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
Kori fell deep into thought as she strolled through the deep green woods alone.
Alone.
That was how she felt.
She had spent most of her life tending to criminals. She made friends with some of them, but eventually, she would either have to give up on them if she came to the conclusion that they were irredeemable, or they would be set free.
Regardless, she rarely made long-time friends with them.
She only had two long-lasting, deep relationships in her life.
Eory and Laurence.
She had lost them both.
She sniffled a little and wiped her eyes—wishing she could stop crying over them.
“Gods! Poor little waif!”
Kori spun around.
The elf had followed her. She nearly screamed for the guards but he clapped a hand over her mouth. “Quiet, Redeemer. I am not a fool like you waifs and humans. I would not try to harm you with the guards so close by. I merely wish to have a talk with you.”
Kori scowled, but then nodded slowly.
Francis removed his hand. “I feel sorry for you… I thought the king was just a dalliance to you, but it appears that you were truly in love with him.”
“How did you sneak off unnoticed?” Kori demanded—ignoring his question.
Francis grinned. “Elves move on silent feet.”
Kori crossed her arms. She supposed that elves must have talents she was unaware of.
She knew he wasn’t a threat with the soldiers so close by, so she relaxed.
Instead, she was focused on his comment.
Kori looked down at her boots. “Nobody I sleep with is a dalliance…”
Francis looked a little surprised, and then he chuckled. “You must not sleep with many people, then. Truly, those who are not elf are strange.”
Kori turned away--trying not to think of all the time she had wasted being faithful to a man who was not faithful to her.
“And I suppose you sleep with anything that walks on two-legs?” Kori retorted. “You said you knew the face of someone who was lovesick; I imagine you dangle plenty of women.”
Francis leaned against a tree with a barely-contained-smile. “Oh, I do. And they dangle me, too. One thing you should understand, little waif, is that elves have very little attachments to those they sleep with—so, we have no reason to feel ashamed of sleeping with those we don’t truly love.”
Kori glowered. “I can only imagine the damage such decisions cause. I suppose I am looking at a product of them.”
Francis chuckled—unoffended by her remark. “I suppose you are. Anyway, fun talking with you. I’d better get back before they notice that I’m gone.”
Kori followed after him—making sure he didn’t try to escape, and ready to call the knights if he tried.
The woods suddenly looked like they might be hiding hideous monsters.
It’s been a long time since I’ve gone far from Maribel…