Disclaimer: I now have disclaimer slaves, and my DL one is Elidor! Yayz! Take it away, Elidor!
Elidor: Must I? (russa nods) Fine. Russa does not own DL, though all of the characters in this story are made up by her. If you want a story with me in it, read Dragon of the Kagonesti (or 'A Kagonesti Dragon' I can never remember which just look at her profile!)
Elin awoke the next morning to find the camp in an uproar. There was already food in the tent, so he bolted it down and waited for something to happen.
He didn't have long to wait. Mieran soon ran in, panicked.
She pulled out a dagger and sliced Elin free, "Run! We've been overrun by Solamnians! Get out of here! You were never a part of this, and you don't deserve to be blamed for it! Go!"
Elin glanced back at her one last time as he left the tent, then fled out of the camp entirely.
He hid in the woods and watched helplessly as the rebels were overrun. Riishu was captured alive, along with her two lieutenants and a few others, including Carine.
They were brought before the commander of the Solamnian troops. Elin crept closer in an attempt to hear more, but realized it was hopeless.
He crouched in the bushes and watched as Riishu was taken to a tent apart from the others and shoved inside. The rest of the Kagonesti had their hands bound and were locked in a wooden cage in the middle of the camp.
Elin crept up behind the tent where Riishu was being held and lifted the canvas in the back a tiny fraction. He laid his head on the ground and peered under. Riishu was bound to a pole in the center of the tent by her ankles, wrists, waist, and neck. Obviously, the humans weren't taking any chances. There was no source of light in the tent, it was lit only by what little of the rising sun's light could seep in through the canvas.
The guards were outside, guarding the entrance, so Elin lifted the cloth a little higher and slowly snuck in. He stood behind the captive.
Elin clapped a hand across her mouth and whispered in Kagonesti, "Rish, it's me, Elin. Don't struggle, I've come to help you."
The half-breed waited until his friend nodded before removing his hand. She whispered back, "Any ideas? They sure didn't leave any slack in these ropes."
Elin thought for a moment, "Um, how about just 'the normal rescue plan'? You know, from all those times we played together as kids." Riishu thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, "Alright. I'll be ready when you return. Be careful, okay?"
Elin left quickly, making his way silently through the brush to the other side of the camp. Luckily for him, the Silvanesti recruit uniform he was still wearing was dark grey. He began making preparations for that night, when he intended to begin the first stage of the rescue.
russarussarussarussarussarussarussarussarussarussarussarussa
Elin crept through the silent camp, past knights slumbering around smoldering embers. He slipped a couple of daggers from several of the sleeping forms, making his way steadily towards the cage that held the surviving Kagonesti.
Mieran watched him approach, and gestured towards the guards with a questioning look. Elin grinned, walked straight up in front of the pair, and waved his arms madly.
Neither so much as snorted. They were leaning heavily on their spears as it was. Mieran looked dumbfounded, drawing a chuckle from Elin.
"Drugged." he said simply. Out of the five daggers he had stolen, two went to Mieran and Kuran, who immediately started freeing themselves and their fellow elves.
Elin himself took one of the remaining knives and cut the knots holding the door shut. He dispatched Mieran to find their weapons, then headed off to free Riishu.
The Kagonesti captain looked up as he entered and grinned, "I knew it would work." Elin sliced through her bonds and gave the captain one of the daggers. "Come on. Mieran should have found the weapons by now."
Riishu nodded and followed him out. Sure enough, Mieran soon showed up with Riishu's rapiers and some news, "The rest have already escaped. Come on!"
Riishu and Elin followed Mieran at a headlong, yet silent, dash out of the camp. Soon, they met up with the others in a hillside cave some ways off.
Kuran, looking thoroughly humiliated, came up in front of Elin. He bowed deeply, flushed a deep red, "On behalf of all of us Kagonesti, I thank you, Elin."
"And…?" Mieran prompted. Kuran flushed even more, if that was possible, "And I'm sorry for misjudging you. I was wrong."
Elin grinned, "That's alright. I understand where your feelings came from, and I forgive you for it." Kuran simply bowed again and merged back into the crowd.
Mieran flashed Elin an impish grin, "Y'know, that was really hard for Kuran. He doesn't like to admit it when he's wrong." Elin mirrored the expression, "I got that impression."
Riishu pulled him off to the side, "Thanks for helping us. You could have just left us to the fates, but you didn't. You will always be a friend of the Kagonesti." Elin smiled.
His smile faded, "What happened, Rish? We were always so close, but now… everything's changed. Now it matters who your parents were, or who you thought you believed in. What happened to make the world change so much?"
Riishu's eyes held a great sadness, "We grew up. Not everything is a game now. Believe me, I wish it were."
Elin nodded, "Now people kill each other over beliefs, or settle petty arguments with full-out wars. The world is a better place when you're a child…" Riishu sighed, "Indeed."
Suddenly, she grinned mischievously, "Okay, I think that's enough soul-searching for one night, don't you?" Elin chuckled, "Of course!"
The pair went back inside the cave and joined the other elves in slumber. Riishu meant to stay awake and keep watch, but the fatigue was just too great, and she soon succumbed to the urge and fell asleep.
A/N: Wow, they had a deeeeeeeeeeeeep conversation there, huh? Maybe not so much, but oh well. I tried. I had to cut it off cuz my deep-thinker vibe ran out. Ah well. So much for that. Now, back to the randomness of my brain! Pickle ooooooh a squirrel OMG its talking and glowing holy fudge!