Xia pointed to her bag sitting on the floor between her bed and Riastrad's bed. "Quite." She replied, then folded her arms. "We should probably move in the next few hours, or so." She suggested. "I'm sure the guards will begin their investigation into what happened soon, if they haven't already done so." She looked over at H. "We won't be safe here for very long."

Memoire poked her in amusement.
"Are you always this dramatic?" he said, amusement and concern both vying for control of his voice. Amusement won out.
"Honestly, I can just imagine -"

He stood up and put his hand on his heart, his other hand to his head like he was about to faint.
"There... there aren't any more clean plates?" he mock-gasped, doing an impression of Lavina's voice, sounding quite distressed. "No, no... you take the last plate. It's fine. I will fast, my body's need for fuel is vastly overruled by my people's need to eat... I shall do my duty for my people... Do not worry, good friend, I will be fine, I will starve to death, I shall - but it is for my people, and I will do whatever it takes... yes, eat off the plate of my soul, with the fork of duty, the knife of obligation, and the spoon of my love for my kind."
He looked down at her.
"Calm down, Lavina. I'm going to be fine. As much of a nice person as I at least attempt to be, do you really think I don't calculate everything I do? Our plan is still very much on track, there is no need to worry." He smiled. "Trust me."

Riastrad looked over at H as well.
"Listen, lass. You helped us out, so I figure we owe you a favor. You need help getting back to where you need to be? May as well see you safely home on our way."
He looked back at Xia and started to get up, his joints popping as he reused them properly for the first time since his regeneration. "Ow... ow... have you eaten, Xia? Ow..."

Lavina felt insulted by his mockery of her. Without saying a word she got up and walked to the door way of her room
"I apologize if my reaction bothers you. I worry about my people for a reason. Reasons you wouldn't know nor would you understand. We are a dying race, unlike your kind who like to overrule us, take what is rightfully ours and slaughter us just for entertainment. But you wouldn't understand that would you"
she stepped inside but before he could even get to the door vines formed a barrier preventing him from entering. She walked over and sat on her bed wiping a tear away from her eyes. Her race was dying and what few were left she had to protect, even if it meant her happiness, or worse....her life. Desharin was right about him, they were all the same.

H shook her head
"I don't need an escort I'm a big girl I can get to where I need on my own. I thank you for the offer though."
she paused just for a moment thinking whether it would be safe to stay there or maybe she was better being on her own. Well it wouldn't hurt to ask
"I just need a place to stay for a night and I will be on my way first thing in the morning."

Xia picked up her bag, and walked over to Riastrad, and put his arm around her shoulder, so part of his weight was on her, giving his popping joints some 'rest'. "I'm fine." She replied to Riastrad, then looked at H. "Well, you could stay here if you want; but I wouldn't recommend it."

There were a series of extremely loud thuds and Memoire came straight in through the window.
He landed hard on his bottom, covered in leaves, twigs and with more than a few scratches.
"Owch."
He stood up.
"I'm sorry for offending you, Lavina. Kindly do not lump me in with those who have wronged you. You may be a princess, but I am a prince as well in case you have forgotten. Which very well you might, because by not acting like one I remain pure. You let your duties ensnare you, bind you to your people. There is no harm in being dutiful to your people but there is a problem when in doing so you damage your own self. Have people not told you this?"
He didn't approach her, giving her space. "I understand there are not many of your race left. But do you honestly think, in your heart of hearts, than any single one of them want you to be unhappy, or would be content with their lives if you gave yours up for them? You're their princess and they love you. Far, far more than those in my kingdom love me and my family. We are hated."
He bowed his head.
"That is why I wish to be king. To do to my people what you do for yours. But this attitude of yours... with all due respect, Lavina, it makes you weak. It makes you vulnerable. It means you can be manipulated, pushed around, told what to do, and from what I've seen you have an spirit that is strong enough to do anything it wants. I do not say the things I say to hurt you, I say them to make a point. You are not some puppet of the people to be told what to do. You have the power to make your vision of the future, a bright and happy future for your people, a reality. And I'm here to help you do that."
He cocked his head.
"And by the way, a single wall of vines isn't very effective against someone that can fly. Please don't break me in half."

Riastrad stood up and offered his bunk.
"All yours, least I can do."
Before anyone could say anything else, he laid down on the floor and went to sleep.

Lavina jumped when she heard Memoire coming in from the window. She turned away from him
"I know you are a prince, I hadn't forgotten that. But you are a prince with an older sibling, I am an only child"
she pulled her legs up and hugged them
"You wouldn't understand"
she sighed, not even bothering to look at him
"It is relied solely on me to protect my people...well soon to be. It is my duty as a princess, soon to be queen to protect them. Even if it means marrying someone for that protection. A good queen makes sacrifices to protect the one she loves. We are a dying race and I must protect what very few there are left of us, but you wouldn't understand that. Your people are what made us this way. We used to run the land, keeping it beautiful. We never did anything to hurt anyone, but then they came in and destroyed everything"
she remembered once, when she was a child, when they were attacked. They had to evacuate to someplace safe. Their forest were covered in flames. Desharin had taken her arm and was dragging her through the castle telling her then needed to go someplace safe, that they could no longer live there. At one point they had stopped at the top of the stairs, just below them there were several humans charging in, they were clad in armor and carried weapons unknown to her and her people. The humans had broken through the barrier that was meant to protect those that worked within the castle, the humans had just charged right in and slaughtered the innocent. They didn't deserve to die, they didn't do anything to the humans, or try to cause any harm to the humans but it didn't matter. The human just slaughtered them for no reason. Lavina had been pulled away and taken the back way out of the castle and led to safety. Those that made it out alive all managed to meet up with them, Lavina's father was one of the last to make it. Those that survived had to live with eternal scars, several had lost loved ones, family members. They all had to restart their lives all over again, what they had was all lost. So to protect themselves they found a small area where they could live and put up barriers in hopes to protect themselves from another attack. The day it all happened, the day she saw all the tears and pain from those that were left. She had vowed to do whatever it took to protect them. Even if it meant her happiness, or worse her own life....She realized he was waiting for her to continue
"It may make me seem weak and vulnerable, but what else do we have to do? It's not like we can fight back."
she shook her head
"We couldn't fight even if we wanted to, the people fear the humans and wouldn't want to do so. Even if we were to fight we wouldn't even have the slightest chance of winning. There isn't enough of us to go against them and their weapons."
she sighed
"Everything is relied on me to keep them safe, to protect them. I am not a puppet by my people, this is MY choice and MY choice alone. I WILL do whatever it takes to protect them. Even if it means my happiness."
she rested her chin on her knees
"The vines are all we have to protect ourselves, that and treaties. We provide food to some of the towns surrounding us and they leave us alone. They are unable to grow plants like we can, the land is contaminated and isn't nourished enough for them to grow food. So we provide what they don't have."
She looked over her shoulder at him, her hair left enough of a gap for her eyes to be seen
"What is a dying race's princess to do other then to keep them safe at all costs?"

H raised a brow
"Im fine right here, I don't need a bed to sleep on. But I appreciate your offer. I will be gone in the morning before you two even wake. So I will be quiet enough not to disturb you"

Riastrad merely grunted.
"Up to you lass. This floor is surprisingly comfortable... look, just take a damn cat nap if you wish."

Memoire listened to her story without saying a word.
When she had finished he looked away without saying anything else.
After about two minutes, he finally spoke.
"It is true that the past... defines us. It makes us what we are. You ask what else are you to do? I answer with the only thing you can do. You must fight."
He stood up.
"As it stands, you are a race, by your own admission, battered and broken by your enemies. If this lifestyle of yours continues, you will be whittled away to nothing. You must take risks. You must stand up for what you believe in. You must say "No! I refuse to compromise!" If your people can be used as bargaining chips against you so much, do you think you won't live to see your entire race die out completely? I understand what you have suffered. I cannot say I have experienced anything similar, but I understand what has driven you to make the decisions you have made."
He looked back at her.
"Is this the existence your brethren died for? To exist, nothing else, nothing more? To survive? No. I am sorry if my words seem harsh and ignorant. But as it stands, your attitude simply seems to be the way of least resistance. To let them take from you instead of taking from others. You must stop others from taking from you. A princess is not a sacrificial lamb for her people's happiness - a princess is a defender of her people! She is what all of her subjects aspire to be like! You could rouse your people and lead them to a world where your children can play in the streets without fear, frolic in fields without worry, and gods be damned even breed with our kind without hatred or emnity. But in order for any of this to happen, you must start learning to fight. You must punish the world for trying to take from you without cause! AND IF YOU WON'T THEN I'LL DO IT FOR YOU!"
His voice had risen slowly in his passion, until he was shouting at her, his eyes almost frenzied.
"BECAUSE I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS! I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT THIS KIND OF EXISTENCE IS PERMITTED! I WILL NOT TOLERATE SOMEONE COUNTING THE DAYS UNTIL THEY CAN DIE FOR THEIR CAUSE!!"
He was now lifting slightly into the air, seemingly losing control of himself.
"AND ABOVE ALL ELSE... I WILL NEVER, EVER, ALLOW A WORLD TO EXIST, WHERE KINDNESS, SWEETNESS AND LIGHT ARE MISTAKEN FOR BEING WEAK!!!!"

He dropped back to the floor, staggering a little bit.
He calmed down after a minute. "I'm sorry," he said, quietly.

Xia walked over to her bed, and dropped a pillow and blanket on the floor. "It can't be very warm though." She said, as she sat on the bed.

H didn't say another word she just laid her head back and stared at the ceiling. She would wait til they were asleep before going to sleep herself. just to be on the safe side.


Lavina raised her voice slightly
"How are we to fight?? we cant, we don't have the weapons you have. We might as well just dig our own graves if we were to fight"
she sighed and lowered her voice
"we are a peaceful race, all we want is to be able to live freely without being attacked or having to go to war knowing we are just walking into our own deaths if that were the case. We are happy with the way we live even if it means some of us have to make sacrifices for protection."
When he raised his voice towards her she flinched and tightened her arms around her legs, she moved her gaze away from him and down at the bed, fearing he might do something to hurt her. When he was finished she slowly glanced up at him and in a low voice she spoke
"I- I'm sorry"
she didn't know what else to say to him. What could she say? he is used to being in a race that is far larger then hers and much more powerful. If they were to even try to fight they would simply be wiped out.

Memoire sat down next to her.
"Look. I can't tell you how to live your life. But I can tell you something. You don't like fighting, but every day is a fight. We fight against Death every single day. All of us. I will do my utmost for your people but I can tell you this - if this way of life continues, if you're content to sit and be abused, then you will be the last generation of elves. The world doesn't allow people to sit on the sidelines and not fight for their place. If you want the elves to continue existing, then you're going to have to take steps. Not give yourself away, because once you've done that they'll do the exact same to another elf, then another then another. I'm sorry for raising my voice. But where you see helplessness I see a potential queen. I have faith in you, Lavina, and I do have your back, as the kids say. But I can't fight for your freedom without you wanting it badly enough to fight alongside me."
He looked at her, finally.
"And as for how to fight? Your kind has the most powerful Hereditary traits of all the races of this kingdom. Magic is a part of you all. The only thing that's stopped you all from conquering the world is your incessant desire for peace. Humanity, sadly, does not share this trait. The next time someone strikes at your people in any way, make it clear that should they continue to, you will personally see to it that they lose the ability to."

Lavina shook her head
"I we are attacked we do fight. I'm not saying we avoid fighting completely, we only fight when need be. But we wont go into a war with someone if there is another way to make peace"
she looked up at him
"Remember when you attacked us a while back, after that demon destroyed half our village? How you had to fight to get into the castle walls? The plants were attacking you as well as the vines. They are controlled by us, we were the one making them do what they did. THAT is how we know how to fight, that is what we do what we need to, but since my father wasn't here"
she looked down feeling ashamed
"I didn't know what to do. My father is the one that controls everything here. I am still learning my duties as a princess, who will someday become queen.
She sighed and looked out the window at the sky
"The only reason my father agreed with your father, about the marriage, was a sacrifice he had to make in order to keep the peace among our people, to keep them safe. 'Sacrifice one to save a village'. If he wouldn't have agreed, our people would be completely wiped out. We might have the power of magic but there are far to few to deal with the numbers of your people"

Memoire patted her on the back.
"I'm not saying that you should declare war on the world, and I'm not saying that you should resort to war instantly. But make it clear that everyone who is not authorized to enter your land will be removed or worse. Refuse to compromise in deals, don't be afraid or intimidated. Make it clear that any deals you make are not concessions, they are negotiations between equals!"
He stood up.
"You are as strong as humans. If not stronger. We have numbers. You have power."

Riastrad opened one eye, and gratefully took the proffered luxuries.
"Sorry. Must seem strange to ya, but sleeping rough gives you habits you do without thinking 'bout it."
He slipped them under his head and over himself.
"Anything else before I get some shut-eye?"

Lavina sighed
"I suppose you could be right, but my father is the one that rules now. So I have no say."
she paused for a moment
"You could always talk to him, I doubt he will listen to me. I will be queen someday but it will be a long while before I can rule as a queen"
she looked out the window
"We should probably get some sleep its getting rather late"
she looked over at him and smiled
"Your bed is still there"
she looked over in the direction of the bed
"I figured I would leave it out in case you came again beings you tend to come and go when you like and sometimes tend to stay over."
she turned back to face him, she ran her fingers through her hair to try to get the tangles out and then proceeded to braid it for bed.
"I guess you can make yourself comfortable"

Memoire half-smiled.
"Perhaps, time will tell."
By the time Lavina turned around, he was completely naked - with a fig leaf covering the parts of him that a lady wasn't supposed to see.
His clothes he then proceeded to burn on the balcony with a matchbox he had brought with him, and those clothes gave off an evil-smelling foul smoke.
"Nasty enchantment. Designed to make me sluggish, stupid, easier to kill."
He turned around, fig leaf still defending his manhood. "Sorry about that."

When he stripped naked with only the fig leaf, Lavina quickly turned away. She heard him moved out towards the balcony and suddenly saw dancing light. She looked towards the source of the light only to see he had set his clothes up in flames.
"Where they put on you, or where they enchanted after you put them on"
she looked towards him forgetting he was naked, when she saw him again her face flushed and she quickly turned away.
"I-I'm sorry"
She crawled towards the head of her bed and settled herself in quickly throwing the blanket over her and turning her back towards him so she couldn't see him
"I..uh...good night"
she said quickly

Xia shook her head. "No." She answered, as she rested her head on the remaining pillow, and rolled onto her side. "I think that's all for the night." She added, then closed her eyes.

Memoire couldn't help but crack a smile at Lavina's embarassment.
"Goodnight, princess." Then he closed his eyes and slept.

About thirty-nine miles away, Riastrad somehow kindly grunted and did the same.

OOT: Two things, ladies - first, I'm skipping to morning to save time. Second, that wet feeling in your panties, that's normal. I have that effect on all older ladies. Dashing young rogue and whatnot. Also, sidenote, new plot ahoy.

An elf knocked rapidly on Lavina's door, sounding urgent, as the sun's rays shone through onto the elf girl's face.

The light shone straight into Riastrad's and Xia's eyes.
"That's why this room was so dang cheap..." Riastrad muttered as he got up, several loud pops resonating throughout the room as he stretched. "You ladies sleep well?"

Lavina was sound asleep until she heard the knock on the door. She quickly sat up and responded
"I'm up, I'm up"
she pushed her hair out of her face, rubbed her eyes and yawned. she looked out the window noticing how early it was. She looked back at the door and sighed
"Who is it, you may come in"



H had managed to sneak out while everyone was sleeping. But instead of heading out ti finish her quest she decided to get something to eat. She went down below their room to the bed and breakfast and ordered herself a meal. She sat quietly in the corner reading a paper about the incident the night before while sipping on hot tea and hearty meal. She might as well get a decent meal now cause she wont know when the next time she will have one.

Xia rolled onto her side, and looked at Riastrad. "As well as can be expected." She replied, then looked at the empty bed across from her. "I think she left us." She said, then looked at Riastrad again.

The elf looked very, very scared.
"Your highness... there are humans downstairs, and they - they're demanding to see you."
Memoire sat up going from fast asleep to wide awake in under a second.
"What is their attire? Aristocratic? Trained soldiers? Royal garb?"
The elf shook his head.
"Leather straps and tattoos, the lot of them."
Memoire paused, very very confused.
"Then... I have no idea who they are."

"What gave it away?" Riastrad asked with his eyes closed. "The fact her bed's empty? Hehehe..."
He slowly got up.
"Do me a really big favor, Xia. Go downstairs and ask for some breakfast. Pay what you need to. I'm going to wash and although my body isn't too bad I'd prefer you not puke first thing in the morning."

Lavina was shocked to hear there were humans in the castle
"Humans? but how did they get past the barrier?"
she quickly got out of bed and walked into her closet closing the door behind her. A few minutes later she walked out wearing proper attire to greet the humans. She grabbed a ribbon off her dresser, brushed her hair quickly, tied it up with the ribbon and headed towards the door
"Take me to them, I'll see what it is they want"
she looked back at Memoire
"Are you staying here or do you want to come along"
before he could answer she was already heading out the door, She figured if he was coming he would just follow, if not then he would stay in the room

Xia glared at Riastrad. "No." She retorted in response to his first statement. "It was the fact that she tried to leave the room silently...I'm a light sleeper." She got up off the bed. "I'll get breakfast." She said with a slight sigh. "I shouldn't be too long." She added, as she walked over to the door, she paused and looked over at Riastrad. "Do you know what you want for breakfast?"

The men awaiting her - and Memoire - in the courtroom were indeed unlike any either of them had seen before. Savage, toned, hardy and with sharpened teeth, coated in tattoos.
Their leader - a man who wore a strange scaly headgear - stood straight when Lavina entered, and her father looked at her helplessly.
"Do you know these people?"
Memoire stopped dead. "Oh. The Yamerians. This does NOT bode well."
Their leader looked between Lavina's legs, not even attempting to be discreet.
"Djr eoll mslr s gomr mpyjrt. Vsm O ntrrf eoyj jrt, yp mslr gomr giyite lomgd?" he asked, causing all of his compatriots to smile and nudge each other. Memoire looked like he was either about to laugh or burst into tears.
"Dpptu, djr'd yslem," he replied fluently, and the men looked at each other. One of them withdrew a gigantic fang mounted onto a hilt to serve as a blade.
"Fp uip fodtrprvy pit lrsfrt?!"
"Kody yrllomh yjr ytiyj," Memoire shrugged. The men scowled at him.

"What did they ask?" her father whispered.
"Do you really want to know?" Memoire asked both him and Lavina.

"Anything. Cheapest, most expensive, up to you - I just need a spot of fueling up."
Riastrad got into the vacated bed and instantly turned over. "Never again... why do people ever get out of bed?! They're so comfy."

Lavina quickly grabbed her robe and closed it shut keeping any of her body from showing to the men . She looked up at them and as they pulled the fang she stepped back then looked to Memoire when they scowled
"Why are they here and what do they want? since you obviously know their language, you will have to translate for us"

Xia giggled slightly. "I'll leave you and the bed alone." She giggled again, then left the room.
She walked downstairs and over to the bar area, and waited for a waitress to take her order. While she waited, she looked over the menu.