Chapter 5

Dark Elven High Council

On the outskirts of the central kingdom of Valis, Parn and Deedlit rode silently on a single horse while Slain and Leilia rode quietly along behind them. The battle to save Deedlit from the pit of Kardis had taken its toll on the young knight. He sat quietly feeling the delicate arms of his beloved elf gently hold him as they rode. With the war against Marmo over he had proven himself in battle, not much was left for him to do really. He thought of going home but instantly decided against it. After all he burned his home to the ground for a reason. Pursing his lips trying to think of something to do and not able to come up with a lot of answers.

Deedlit watched him silently as he mused. She had time to reflect on what had happened in the belly of Marmo. Parn risked his life against Ashram, then Wagnard, and finally even the evil Goddess Kardis to rescue her. Nothing in her extremely long life could've prepared for such a thing. Deedlit had sensed something special about Parn when she first laid eyes upon him but nothing like this. She snuggled closer to him, the warmth of love in her heart blooming slightly. She could feel Parn shift slightly more towards her, making her smile more.

As the group rode on they found themselves at a village, upon entering several villagers walked up to them bright smiles upon their faces. "Greetings Sir Knight," the portly looking man in better attire than surrounding villagers.

Parn smiled slightly, "Hello to you, we were wondering if we could stay at one of your Inn's here for the night."

"Of course, it would be our pleasure to house you," the man stated. Parn and company once again quietly rode a little ways until they reached, one of the Inn's in the village. Parn helped Deedlit dismount before dismounting himself, Slain and Leilia had done so already. Parn got wind of two villagers talking as he walked past them.

"Here the rumors up north," one asked.

"No what?"

"A man wearing red armor saved a village from some of Marmo's lingering forces and he did it with the aide of a Dark Elf of all things," the first man stated softly.

"You got to be pulling my leg, what man in his right 'MIND' would want to associate himself with a Dark Elf. They been helping Marmo up until the last part of the war," the second man retorted.

"Well rumor has, it was female Dark Elf."

Parn's brows furrowed as he stepped into the Inn. Slain had already paid for their rooms, he walked into the back where the rooms were, seeing Deedlit stretched out on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. "Um, Deed, I know this is silly for me to ask," he stated looking sheepish.

"Ask Parn," the female elf smiled lifting herself onto one elbow watching him.

"How rare is it to see a female Dark Elf?" he asked.

Looking at her love oddly for a moment eyes narrowing, "Why ask such a frightening question, Parn?"

With a light shrug the free knight unclipped his armor and set it down close to the window. "Heard some villagers talking about a female dark elf traveling with a man in red armor that's all, just wondering how rare it would be to see one."

"Most female Dark Elves rarely leave their villages Parn. The only one I knew that had was the one traveling with Ashram," Deedlit replied her brows moving about in a concerned motion.

"We saw her die in Shooting Star's den didn't we?" the free knight asked looking just as concerned as his beloved high elf.

"Dark Elves are just as immortal as we High Elves, Parn. It is possible she survived, though for the life of me I can't see how. Even Elves aren't immune to being melted by the fire pools." She paused looking utterly lost trying to find an explanation. "Maybe it is another female Dark Elf, though to follow a human around is beyond reasoning at this point."

Parn laid down on his bed looking up at the ceiling, "Maybe this man saved her life or something."

The high elf's eyes widen a bit, and then she smiled reaching over and kissing him on the corner of his mouth, "Sometimes you can be wise beyond your years."

Parn looked at her for a minute not registering anything she said, "Huh?" this only caused the high elf to giggle and kiss him again.

"Dark Elves have a strict code of honor if this man saved her, she might feel obligated to follow him until she had returned the favor."

Parn nodded pursing his lips in thought, "No doubt soon after she repaid him, she'll turn around and kill him out of spite."

Deedlit frowned slightly but didn't say anything, her people had been at war with Dark Elves for centuries. Her own father would no doubt mirror Parn's sentiments. "I'm sorry Deed, it's just that the stuff with Marmo is still fresh," he admitted softly taking her hand and kissing it. She smiled slightly resisting the urge to crawl into his bed and lay her head on his chest. Some day she hoped she wouldn't need to resist those urges. "Good night Deed," he whispered.

"Night Parn," she whispered back.

Ranma sneezed again rubbing his nose with a groan, "I hope I'm not coming down with something," he muttered sitting hunched over a cooking pot that was lightly boiling over a fire. Having taking shelter at a cavern entrance Ranma, Granite, and Pirotess were waiting out the rain mostly for Ranma's sake. "Stupid curses," he muttered once more as he was watching the pot of stew before him.

Pirotess shook her head trying to keep from smiling. The link between them had grown stronger no longer then just faint images and emotions passing through their link. It had increased into full detailed images and every emotion was passing through the link. She also started to pick up some of his personality quirks as well, often sticking her foot in her mouth, when she normally would have given a cold stare. She also felt herself bonding to the young pigtailed martial artist in ways that she never had with Ashram.

-Flashback-

During a trip through another village, a group of unhappy villagers cornered Pirotess while Ranma was off buying supplies. Three men had braved her sword strikes to pin her arms while another had ripped her tunic apart. Just before the man could finish the job on her clothing leaving her exposed to the world, Ranma had arrived and sent three men into unconsciousness.

He gently pulled out a blanket and covered her up, glaring down at the men, "Why do they try to rip your clothes off Pirotess?" he asked later after buying her a new outfit. It was a lot more modest than her last one and for that she was grateful for the time being.

"Sir Ranma how much do you know of the ways between men and women?" she asked.

Ranma shrugged scratching his head, "I know they got different parts and get married, also sometimes they fight how's that?" he paused thinking, "Oh if they really like each other they kiss."

Pirotess smiled softly at him leaning forward and kissing him on the forehead, "You are truly a kind and gentle soul Sir Ranma. I hope you never truly see some of the atrocities men cause when they decide to force themselves upon women."

Ranma blinks, "What do ya mean?" he frowned, softly wondering if he shouldn't have slept through all those family health classes back in Nerima. That would explain why Akane was so mad at me during that one week. He figured.

Pirotess sighed heavily and began to explain some of the darker things humans she saw do in her long life. As she continued to explain, she felt Ranma's emotions get caught between unbelievable to a great amount of disgust and anger. This brought questions into her mind, how didn't he know this before now.

"Um... My father never really told me anything about it, he was too busy trying to make me into a Martial Artist, and not to care about things like that," Ranma confessed.

"H-H-How did you know what I was thinking Sir Ranma!" Pirotess asked with some surprise.

With a light shrug Ranma answered, "Ya no doubt noticed we got this link, well your emotions kind of gave me the impression of asking why I didn't know about that stuff you talked about."

The Dark Elf looked completely stunned for a moment before folding her hands, "Then let us moves on in our discussion."

-End Flashback-

It had taken a better part of two days for Pirotess to get Ranma caught up with the rest of the world involving sex and rape. After revealing the darker side to him she quietly went toward the true aspects of sex, as she revealed more the more uncomfortable Ranma had become. At the end of the discussion though he felt more saddened by what she told him then embarrassed, but there was still the lingering trace of embarrassment. He kept to himself for two days afterward, and actually managed to close the link between them so she didn't know what he was feeling. Sitting across from Ranma she observed him as he stirred the stew silently. She couldn't help but wonder what she said that may have affected him.

"Sir Ranma if what we discussed harmed you in some way I'm truly sorry," she stated softly after a few minutes of silence.

Ranma looked up from his pot and gave her his brightest smile. "I'm okay... really, just had a lot to think about, sorry I worried ya," he replied going back to watching the stew. Pirotess felt her cheeks warm up again, it was the third time since meeting him she had felt herself blush. There was so much about him that she didn't know, but it found herself strangely drawn to him, like she had been drawn to Ashram. Only there was a difference in how they had drawn her to them. With Ashram it was his cold, cruel demeanor, and fierce determination to achieve his ambitions. With Ranma it was a polar opposite, he was kind, gentle and willing to sacrifice himself. All he simply asked for was friendship and he got it, yet she found herself willing to give him so much more. A huge contrast of two people, that if the situations were changed in Ashram's case, they could be almost like brothers or a lover in her case.

"Thank you for your concern, Sir Ranma," she smiled softly at him as he went back to his pot.

She leaned against the caves wall and let out a breath of relaxation until she looked up at the ceiling. Up in the corner of the cavern it was barely visible except by those who knew where to look was a series of rune like markings. Pirotess had looked to the ceiling out of habit being born and raised in a cavern, the very cavern the three of them were now at the entrance of. She sat bolt upright about to warn them when six figures appeared dressed in long dark cloaks and hoods.

Ranma was already up in a fighting stance, Pirotess quickly grabbed his arms, "No, Ranma please," she whispered softly. He looked at her a moment feeling the urgency in her emotions, he looked up at Granite who had already been placed in chains. "Please Ranma, I do not wish to see you hurt." It was the first time she used his name without the prefix of sir. He stood up to his full height and nodded. She turned to the cloaked dark elves.

"Lady Pirotess, your father wishes to see you," the lead elf stated with a grave tone. The trio were led down deeper into the cavern until they came to vast open chamber with huts lining the walls, or built into them, a large circular hole had been carved out to allow light down into the chamber. The trio and their guards passed several dark elves watching as they walked by, some looked at the troll and Ranma. Some had awed looks on their faces and others in disgust and contempt. Pirotess was the only one not bound in chains, but she knew she was no less a prisoner only she was allowed the dignity of walking on her own.

She was seething inwardly every time one of her brethren jammed his pike into Ranma's back or side. She would glance at Ranma who was using their link to reassure her that he was fine. As they were led to the central hut which was far bigger than the rest, housing the governing body of the Dark Elves, namely her father the High Chancilor and his council of twelve who represented the twelve largest tribes of Dark Elves. The lead guard stopped and motioned for the party to stop as a broad shouldered Dark Elf slowly descended the stairway, he had long flowing white hair, held back by a crown of platinum, and he was dressed in coal black armor and carried two scimitars. "Pirotess, word had reached me saying you had died at the hands of Shooting Star," the elf stated.

"I was rescued by that young man," Pirotess turned and gestured to Ranma.

Pirotess's father looked at Ranma for a moment, eyes darting along the young man's features reading what he could from them, "Very well, what of the troll?"

Pirotess chuckled softly, "A very long story father."

The High Councilor heard the laugh and blinked. He hadn't heard is dear daughter laughing since she was given permission to leave for the surface. When she returned she had become bitter and distrustful of humans like they all were. This intrigued him enough that he may spare the young man's life to find out what he did to change her. "We will discuss their trespassing in council. Until then, I would ask for you to dine with me daughter and discuss your recent travels."

What he saw on his daughters face caused him to frown. Pirotess had crossed her arms like she had done in her youth before starting to pout. "No I want them to be released."

"I will not have a human and a troll running loose in my kingdom!" High Councilor growled out.

Pirotess glared at her father when a timid voice spoke up, "Pirotess it's okay, Granite and I will be fine." She turned to Ranma who had just earned three new strikes to his sides for speaking. She ran to him and glared at the guards. "But Sir Ranma?"

Ranma smiled weakly, "I said don't worry, just talk to your pops, everything will be fine okay."

Pirotess bit her bottom lip but nodded, the guard quickly dragged him and Granite away. Pirotess watched them until they vanished before turning to her father. "What will happen to them?"

"They will be thrown into cages and fed, anything else it is not for me to grant," he said softly watching his daughter's reaction. "Come, things must be discussed put those two in the back of your mind."

Pirotess quietly followed her father into the main hall concern rippling through her and with the concern came clarification. She was deeply afraid for Ranma now, very few humans have lived to see a Dark Elf village, and fewer still have lived to leave one. As for her clarification she come to realize that she no longer was simply intrigued by the naive young man but her feelings for him had become several times more potent. Feelings to this point she had only shared with one other, she felt love for Ranma.