Disclaimer:I don't own anything!
Author's Note: I can write without feeling guilty because I have a project due! Well, that's a lie. I'm supposed to be doing a Spanish essay. But I feel less guilty.
-/-/-/-
The future is called "perhaps," which is the only possible thing to call the future. And the only important thing is not to allow that to scare you.
~Tennessee Williams, Orpheus Descending,
-/-/-/-
Yuan poked his head in the door. "Myra? You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, boyo. Come in." Myra was leaning against the front of her desk, a tall man standing beside her. Yuan could tell right away that he was no full-blooded elf. Elves couldn't build muscle like that, but his features were still very elven. His hair was blonde with tints of red and was tied behind him in a long warrior's braid, save for a single, smaller braid that fell down the side of his face that had white beads tied to it and he had very pale blue eyes. "I don't believe you two have met."
"Not unless I was drinking that night, because in that case, I must have drunken far too much and forgot the incident entirely."
Myra rolled her eyes. "I told you he had a smart mouth."
The man chuckled. "I never doubted you." He held out a hand to Yuan. "I've heard a great many things about you, Yuan."
Yuan shook the hand warily. "Wonderful things, I hope. And I don't know your name."
"My name is Viren. And not all wonderful. But the good things outweigh the bad."
"Nice to meet you. Not to sound rude and ignorant, but why am I here?"
"You're very straightforward."
Yuan shrugged. "I've been told I spend too much time with humans."
"Yes, that's what I came to speak to you about." Viren saw the instinctive tensing and said, "I have no issues with the humans personally. I just want to stop what they're doing to us. I've also heard of you and your friend, Kratos."
"What about him?"
"I heard what you did for him."
Yuan clenched his left arm, where the blood had been taken from. "You have a problem with it?"
"Not at all. I'm just surprised that a half-elf would go so far for a human."
Viren was surprised at the spark of temper in Yuan's eyes. "Don't be. Kratos is my best friend. I'd do anything for him."
"Clearly. Listen, there aren't many people like you. And Kratos, I'm assuming because I haven't heard about him having a negative reaction to the transfusion."
Yuan snorted. Negative? Kratos found it fascinating. "So what do you want with us?"
"I'm sure you've heard of the…places…where the humans put our prisoners of war. When they attack one of our villages, any of us that don't become slaves are put in those…hellholes."
"The ranches." Yuan had heard some of the other half-elves discussing them. "Yeah, I've heard. What does that have to do with us?"
"I'm trying to form a team to infiltrate those ranches and free our people. Now, both you and Kratos have proved yourselves on the battlefield and, more importantly, you don't discriminate."
"…The humans didn't just capture half-elves, did they?"
"No. Any human sympathizers are in there as well and any elves they can capture in their borders. I've heard rumors that some dwarves are there as well, but I'd be very surprised if that was true. I'm asking you and Kratos to help."
"Uh-huh. So where's Kratos?"
"I'm not sure I understand."
"It's kind of a simple question. Where is he? Because I don't see him here and I can't make decisions for him."
"I was told he was recovering."
Yuan arched an eyebrow. "How badly do you think he was hurt? The Healers have him drinking all sorts of pothers and concoctions as well as a good dose of magic a day. You really think he can't walk?"
"You may not be able to speak for Kratos, but you can certainly speak for yourself. Will you help?"
"I'll think about it." Yuan whirled on his heel and strode from the room.
"That boy has elven pride and a human's temper. It makes for a bad combination." Myra looked at Viren. "I'm sorry, about him."
Viren waved away the apology. "I've heard worse and I'm accustomed to that combination. My closest friend is very much like him."
Myra shook her head. "Where do we find people like that?"
Viren chuckled. "I don't know about you, but I found my friend—or he found me, I'm not entirely sure—in slavery at the ranches."
Myra's eyes travelled to the man's forearm, where the numbers stood out stark against the warm brown skin. "That seems to be where a lot of friends are found."
"How strange life can be."
"Yes. If you'll excuse me, I have troops to train. Unless you'd like to sit in?"
"Not today. It was a long journey back from the frontlines."
"Fair enough. I'll see you in the mess at dinner then, General?"
"Absolutely."
-/-/-
"You don't look like your day was much better than mine."
Viren glanced up at his friend. "It wasn't."
He held out a tall mug of ale. "Go on then, General." The title was said with a teasing quirk of the lips. "Spill your woes."
"Or drown in them?"
He raised his mug. "Exactly. Did you not find anybody that could do the job?"
"There were two possibilities. A human and a half-elf, if you could believe it. Best friends."
Eyebrows shot into his hairlines. "You're joking."
"Nope. And guess where they met?"
Two pairs of eyes flickered at each other's tattoos. "In slavery? Really? The world has a very bad sense of humor."
Viren stretched his legs, leaning back against the wall that still retained some of the warmth of the day. "That it does. I didn't meet the human, but the half-elf was very stubborn. And mouthy. I'm surprised Myra hasn't kicked his ass yet for being rude. Or maybe she has and he hasn't gotten the message yet. I dunno."
The other man snorted. "Believe me, he hasn't. When Myra kicks your ass, you get the message or she beats you until you get it."
Viren smirked at him. "Ah, the tender voice of experience."
"Oh, shut up."
"The kid had some real promise though. I could see it."
"Must've been some kind of promise to catch your attention. Who was the kid?"
"Name's Yuan. No last name. Him and the human, Kratos, just showed up in town one day along with two other half-elves." Viren read the expression on his friend's face. "Something wrong?"
"Nope." The man said. "Not at all."