Avatre debated whether using her powers now would help or not. Deciding
not, she turned her attention from the beautiful nature around her to the
elves' words. Perhaps they may have suspected her knowing the elvish
language, but Avatre played dumb, and thus turned suspicion from herself.
She did listen carefully, however, as the elves' discussion was most likely
about her fate.
"I say that we either kill her here, or take her back. How useful could she be if her own village was willing to dump her?" said one elf (in Elvish), glancing over at Avatre.
"I don't know.this is a bit too convenient. We should take her back for the king to decide," inserted another elf, this one armed with a sword, to the contrast of the bows around him.
Avatre struggled to keep her expressions from showing on her face. As she listened to different comments, each one different from the last, at last she could not help bursting out.
"Will you fools make up your mind and kill me already?"
The elves all stared at her.
"Oops."
Avatre mentally hit herself. *Only me! Only I would do something so stupid like to reveal that I know their language!* She began to hit her head on the nearest possible object. In this case, a tree. A hand gently stopped her.
"Well, that was a surprise. So you know the elvish language.I am Ari, short for Arianel." A female warrior looked down at Avatre. She smiled. "I was for you staying alive, you know."
Avatre gave a wry smile. "Well, I'm glad you think so," she said, with a note of insincerity in her tone.
Ari turned to the others and began to introduce the party of 6.
"This is Prince Legolas," she said, pointing to a particularly handsome elf. He wore the usual elf garb of dark green material with a cloak, and carried a long dagger at his side and the customary bow. *Were he not introduced,* Avatre thought, *I would not have known he was a prince!*
Ari motioned at another male, the one with the sword. "This is Havnor, one of the most excellent hunters we have." He had a toughened look upon him, like he had seen many, many years of fighting. *Which he probably had,* Avatre thought, remembering tales of elf immortality.
Ari pointed at two female twins, and introduced them as Aladriel and Adaril.
"The last two are Haraket and Coresan."
Coresan glared at Avatre, and she shivered. She was going to find no friendship from him. However, she seemed to be safe for now. The elves gathered their beautiful elvish steeds and Legolas offered to ride with Avatre.
"That Altran mortal will most likely back stab you if you let her ride with you, Prince," Coresan called, with an expression of disdain aimed at Avatre.
"I think I will be safe, thank you," replied Legolas, clearly thinking he was not in danger, and added, "I doubt such a beautiful lady could harm me."
Avatre debated between accepting the compliment nicely, or taking it as an insult of being underestimated. She decided the latter and whacked the prince lightly on the head. He gave a look of surprise and chuckled.
"Perhaps not so helpless after all!"
Avatre scowled. "I shall have to challenge you to a duel then!"
"When we get back, my lady, I will be honored to accept your invitation," Prince Legolas replied, giving a short bow. "For now, would you please get up on Seftu? She's the mare that you will be riding today."
Avatre nodded and clamored onto the horse, trying not to get tangled in her dress. Once Legolas was sure she was on and in place, he hopped up behind her. Avatre blushed as she felt Legolas entwine his hands around her waist. She quickly regained her composure, though.
"Oh, and just call me Legolas," he added, looking back into Avatre's green eyes.
Avatre blushed, "I forgot to tell you my name, I'm Avatre."
"Avatre." He tasted the name on his tongue. It was sweet.
"I say that we either kill her here, or take her back. How useful could she be if her own village was willing to dump her?" said one elf (in Elvish), glancing over at Avatre.
"I don't know.this is a bit too convenient. We should take her back for the king to decide," inserted another elf, this one armed with a sword, to the contrast of the bows around him.
Avatre struggled to keep her expressions from showing on her face. As she listened to different comments, each one different from the last, at last she could not help bursting out.
"Will you fools make up your mind and kill me already?"
The elves all stared at her.
"Oops."
Avatre mentally hit herself. *Only me! Only I would do something so stupid like to reveal that I know their language!* She began to hit her head on the nearest possible object. In this case, a tree. A hand gently stopped her.
"Well, that was a surprise. So you know the elvish language.I am Ari, short for Arianel." A female warrior looked down at Avatre. She smiled. "I was for you staying alive, you know."
Avatre gave a wry smile. "Well, I'm glad you think so," she said, with a note of insincerity in her tone.
Ari turned to the others and began to introduce the party of 6.
"This is Prince Legolas," she said, pointing to a particularly handsome elf. He wore the usual elf garb of dark green material with a cloak, and carried a long dagger at his side and the customary bow. *Were he not introduced,* Avatre thought, *I would not have known he was a prince!*
Ari motioned at another male, the one with the sword. "This is Havnor, one of the most excellent hunters we have." He had a toughened look upon him, like he had seen many, many years of fighting. *Which he probably had,* Avatre thought, remembering tales of elf immortality.
Ari pointed at two female twins, and introduced them as Aladriel and Adaril.
"The last two are Haraket and Coresan."
Coresan glared at Avatre, and she shivered. She was going to find no friendship from him. However, she seemed to be safe for now. The elves gathered their beautiful elvish steeds and Legolas offered to ride with Avatre.
"That Altran mortal will most likely back stab you if you let her ride with you, Prince," Coresan called, with an expression of disdain aimed at Avatre.
"I think I will be safe, thank you," replied Legolas, clearly thinking he was not in danger, and added, "I doubt such a beautiful lady could harm me."
Avatre debated between accepting the compliment nicely, or taking it as an insult of being underestimated. She decided the latter and whacked the prince lightly on the head. He gave a look of surprise and chuckled.
"Perhaps not so helpless after all!"
Avatre scowled. "I shall have to challenge you to a duel then!"
"When we get back, my lady, I will be honored to accept your invitation," Prince Legolas replied, giving a short bow. "For now, would you please get up on Seftu? She's the mare that you will be riding today."
Avatre nodded and clamored onto the horse, trying not to get tangled in her dress. Once Legolas was sure she was on and in place, he hopped up behind her. Avatre blushed as she felt Legolas entwine his hands around her waist. She quickly regained her composure, though.
"Oh, and just call me Legolas," he added, looking back into Avatre's green eyes.
Avatre blushed, "I forgot to tell you my name, I'm Avatre."
"Avatre." He tasted the name on his tongue. It was sweet.
