The next morning, Trey left the inn before anyone else was awake. The sun was only just coming up as he saddled the horse and prepared to leave. Fixing the last few packs on the mare, he started to mount, when a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and threw him down on the ground. Dazed and disoriented, it took him a moment to see clearly. When he did, he frowned. When he tried to speak, he found a blade to his throat.
"What are you playing at?" Nuitae demanded.
"I save your life, and you come at me with a knife?"
Clenching her teeth, Nuitae removed her blade and stepped back, allowing Trey to stand. "That's the second time you've pinned me to the ground," he said with a grin, but Nuitae was not smiling. Deciding she was in no mood for jokes, not that she ever was, Trey grew serious. "I thought you'd be long gone by now. These people think you're dead, and believe me, you're better off letting them believe that."
"Why didn't you kill me?"
"I only kill drow. Or have you suddenly changed your mind about what you are? Because it seems to me, you don't even know."
"I am not a drow!" Nuitae nearly screamed, lapsing into Elvish in her rage.
In Common, Trey responded, "Then why worry about why I didn't kill you? Be happy and on your way. And let me be on mine." Again Trey tried to mount the horse, and again Nuitae pulled him backwards, recovering quickly from her mild shock at his understanding of her language. This time, though, the hunter was ready, and caught himself. "What do you want?" he demanded.
Nuitae stared at him, before finally dropping her dagger and slowly going down on one knee. Trey's eyes widened. He had seen this gesture before, many times. It was the drow gesture for defeat, or surrender. She had learned it from her mother. Nuitae looked up at him defiantly. Though she may have made the gesture, there was no surrender in her eyes. "I want you to teach me. You know more about the drow than I do. I can't even speak their language! I need to learn about them… I need to know them!"
Trey leaned back against the horse, crossing his arms. "Why do you want to know?" he asked, speaking in Elvish.
"I-" Nuitae stopped. Why did she want to know? Certainly it was not because she wanted to be like them. "I want to learn your skill with the weapons. I have little skill aside from my bow. I was not raised to fight. I was shielded, pampered. Kept from the rest of the world."
Trey nodded. He understood; no matter how well-loved Nuitae might have been, she was, more or less, an embarrassment and liability. Likely the moon elves would have kept her hidden. "Seems to me you could find any teacher for simply that."
Nuitae stood, and matched his gaze without blinking. "Not any who wouldn't kill me on sight. Besides, you're a drow hunter," she said, as if her logic made perfect sense.
"And you want to be a drow hunter?" Trey asked with a smirk. "I don't think so. I couldn't risk you coming along and ruining my fun." He started to turn around but Nuitae stopped him, again, though her touch was much more reluctant. Trey turned around. "You say you hate the drow, and I believe you. But facing one, making the decision to kill, is not a decision that any elf, except of course drow, can easily make. Drow are trained to kill. Elves revere life. Can you stand there and tell me that you, a moon elf in every aspect except appearance, can kill a drow without hesitating?
"You were to young to hold a weapon the last time you saw a drow, likely too young to pay attention at the similarities between you and them. I can't risk bringing you along to kill your own people."
"They are not my people!" Nuitae said, though it was more a whisper, as if reassuring herself, than making an argument.
Trey looked at her, then shrugged. "Do what you want. Besides, I guess it couldn't hurt. The pickings have been quite slim lately anyways." This time, Trey mounted the horse and looked down at Nuitae. "At least around here."
Nuitae smirked, crossing her arms. "I think I can help with that." Trey offered the half-drow his hand, which she took in her gloved hand, and sat behind him. Right before they left, the corners of Trey's mouth lifted.
"That look suits you," he said, indicating Nuitae's hair. It was a clean cut; her once long hair that came down to her back now barely topped her shoulders. Making a point to ignore him, Nuitae lifted the hood of her cloak to cover her face and hair. "It's going to be a bit difficult going around as a drow hunter with a drow in tow."
"If anyone sees me, you could say I'm your prisoner. Role reversal of sorts."
Trey gave the horse a light kick and the two were moving. "Say you're the reason for my successful drow hunting over the years?" he asked with a grin.
"Maybe, but then my plan wouldn't work out so well."
"Now I'm curious!" Trey said, looking over his shoulder. Nuitae returned his gaze, her eyes peering out from under her cowl, and a smirk playing on her lips.
"Just make sure you still have some of my hair."
Red eyes peered into the window of the town mayor's house. The town was quite well built, but despite the well-guarded wall around it, the drow had little trouble sneaking in. The silver-white hair was braided and coiled around the smooth, black forehead. Assured that there was no one around, the drow smirked, and deftly raised the window and slipped in, closing it without a sound. Sheathing the short sword that the dark elf wore on its hip, it moved like shadows to the chest on the far wall. It took but a moment, and the lock was open, revealing a treasury of gold and silver pieces. Grinning, the drow emptied as much of the coins as possible into a sack. Satisfied, the drow closed the lid and began to leave, but a noise stopped the thief in its tracks. Spinning around, she saw a young man standing at the doorway- possibly a guard for the house.
The man's eyes were wide. "D-D-Drow!" he screamed, but the word caught in his throat. The drow had pulled out a hand crossbow and fired a bolt to the man's chest. The man fell without another word, motionless, and the drow turned to the window, but found the way blocked. Already the alarm had sounded. Grinning madly, the drow ran through the house, waking nearly everyone up in the process, but in the end, no one could stop the black-skinned elf. Several more fell to the poisoned darts as she left the residence with hardly a scratch.
"Welcome to the first stop on the road to Raven's Bluff!" Trey said to Nuitae, who remained hooded and cloaked during the two days it took to reach the town. Before coming into view, she pulled up a mask she wore to cover all but her eyes. She looked up the wall, frowning a bit.
"Doesn't seem very friendly," she said, her voice muffled from the cloth.
"What do you expect? A warm welcome?"
"More or less," Nuitae responded, gesturing to the five armed guards that walked towards them. Immediately the two dismounted, and Trey stepped forward, while Nuitae remained near the horse.
"I am Captain Bellin. State your name and business. If you're travelers, then you may find lodgings but be on your way."
Trey bowed. "I am Trey Kirith. My companion and I are passing through to Raven's Bluff. Otherwise, our business is our own," he added politely. The guard in front narrowed his eyes, but relented. However, he then nodded towards Nuitae. "And your companion?"
"Ah, she travels with me from far, far away. Her name is-" Trey faltered for a moment, but Nuitae was quick. She turned and bowed to the guard.
"Saedre," she said, making an effort to thicken her accent. "I thank you for allowing us to enter the town."
Trey's look of surprise was quickly covered up with a smile. "I'm afraid her Common is rusty. She can speak well enough, though I usually translate for her."
The guard eyed the two warily. "And the reason for her coverings? I've never seen an elf dressed so heavily."
The elf spoke quickly to Trey, who lifted his hand in a calming manner, replying to her. She said a few more words, then looked at the guard. "My apologies, Captain," Trey said. "My friend was in a terrible accident some years ago- a drow raiding party attacked, and she fought. To add insult to injury, the drow trapped her in a burning building. You know how vain elves are. She is…embarrassed by her appearance." he added, suppressing a grin. That much, at least, was true.
Captain Bellin nodded. Elves were vain in that way- it certainly would explain her cloak and hood. Without another word, Bellin bid the guards open the gate, and allow the travelers in. Trey and Nuitae walked in, the elf leading the horse.