Trey chased the drow over the rooftops, with Brichan and his archers watching the scene, breath held tight. "He moves just like a drow," one of them commented, watching in awe as Trey easily followed every step and maneuver his prey tried to do. Only once were the two caught in short-lived melee, before Trey "overtook" Nuitae, and she ran again.
Soon, both the drow and Trey were out of sight. "It really is Treian of Raven's Bluff," another one said. Though neither Brichan or the captain had known much about him, several of the others, having come from outside of the town, had heard of Treian the Drow Hunter.
But it was not until a few hours later, when the moon was nearly setting, that Trey returned, covered in blood, as always.
Brichan met him at the gate. "Where is its head?"
Trey looked at the man with an emotionless expression. "That was not part of my deal. I never leave anything of the body, save for the hair, perhaps a small token. I destroy every drow I meet, not simply kill it. I leave no trace of its existence, except, of course," Trey held up a blood-soaked lock of hair. Though it was difficult to see exactly with dark blood staining it, Brichan held it up to what little light there was, and through the slick liquid it shone silvery white.
"It is drow hair," Brichan said, "but Captain wanted a head to mount, to serve as warning for all drow."
"That was not part of our agreement!" Trey exclaimed, his rage starting to get the better of him. "If that's what you want, take care of the drow on your own, but I do not work for free! Hunting and killing these black-skinned, hell-born creatures is my work. You don't expect me to travel around doing it for the good of the people? Where would I be then? Hungry and broke." That said, Trey held out his hand, expecting payment.
Brichan narrowed his eyes and walked away. "You'll get your payment tomorrow, once the captain has had a chance to think things over."
Trey was furious, but he forced himself to calm down. There really was no sense in getting worked up. After all, he and Nuitae had gotten quite a little income lately, and he did not really do much work. Drow really were not so common in these parts, far from caves and mountains where there is unlikely to be any kind of path to the Underdark. The people of this town seemed not to know this fact, however, and so because there was little work, Trey and Nuitae had found a way to make work.
The hunter turned on his heel, not sure where he was headed. Soon enough, he climbed to the top of a building and sat there, waiting for Nuitae to return. Perhaps once they left, the next city, the last before Raven's Bluff, would hold some excitement.
"Drowslayer!" someone called from the street below. Trey sighed and stood up, looking to see who called for him. It was a woman, the wife of Brichan perhaps, or possibly the daughter of the captain. It was difficult for Trey to see in the dark.
"Who calls?" he answered. He was used to being called by many names.
"I would speak to you on level ground," she replied, crossing her arms. She certainly seemed the type not to stand on formalities. With a shrug, Trey swung down to street level with acrobatics and skill that normal townspeople would not have thought possible. The woman's eyebrows were raised, her expression thoughtful and approving. "Not even some of our guards could climb up or down a building with such speed. My father, perhaps, once could in his younger days. I am Michera."
So it was the daughter of the captain. I thought as much, Trey thought. "I appreciate the compliments, milady, but surely anyone could learn."
"I suppose. There is a stranger here to see you. She won't talk, except in we're guessing Elvish. None here can speak to her. The only thing we caught was her name and yours."
"What was her name?"
Michera's brow furrowed as she tried to think. "Saydri? Saidra? Oh blast the elves and their ridiculous names!" she cursed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Regardless, she won't allow anyone to touch her, not even myself."
Trey suppressed a grin. "She was badly injured as a younger elf. The elves' vanity does not allow for her to be seen by other elves, but especially by humans."
"That just makes no sense! Even the ugliest elves are beautiful by comparison to humans! I'm sure she only thinks her condition to be so great!"
At this, Trey could not help but chuckle, holding up his hands. "I assure you.. I am one of the few humans who has seen what plagues her. Her reasons are just, I only hope your customs here can respect that."
Michera crossed her arms. "You'll have to talk to father about that. He may allow it, but only if she does not stay. We usually honor such things on an individual basis, but that trust can only go so far. See to it that you leave quickly, or else you will be asked to honor our customs for the rest of your stay here. We do not trust anyone, man, elf, dwarf, or halfling, who keeps their bodies so fully covered from sight."
"Understandable. Can she be allowed to stay here for the night?"
"I will speak to father." Without dismissing herself, Michera turned to leave, and Trey followed, assuming she was going to lead him to Nuitae. His assumption was right, because as soon as they came near the gate, Trey saw the commotion that Nuitae was causing. He started towards her, and she backed up a step as he came to her level.
"What are you doing, creating such a commotion?" he asked her swiftly in Elvish.
The elf did not respond at first, but when she did, she spoke in such a manner that caused Trey to stare. "You must not allow Nuitae'neth to continue on this path, it will only lead to destruction," came the soft, elvish reply.
Trey paled, but did not allow his surprise to show on his face, especially with Brichan and Michera there, watching closely.
"Who are you?" he asked
Slowly, the elf raised gloved hands to pull back the hood of her cloak, revealing pale, almost translucent, skin, large, almond eyes and black hair with tinges of blue. A long, straight, clean scar ran from the top of her head to her cheekbone, cutting through her eye. This eye was milky white, a sign of blindness, while the other eye was deep blue. Trey had to bit his tongue. Certainly she was the most beautiful elf he had ever seen; the scar only added to her exoticism. He had seen many elves- many moon elves, but this one before him was unlike any other. "I am a friend. From Dambrath."
"Dambrath!" Trey breathed. Memories flooded back to him, and his face grew hard.
"Is there somewhere I may rest? Surely now that the guards have seen I am simply a disabled moon elf, they will let me pass?" Though she feigned the appearance of feeling faint, Trey knew that this was as far from the truth as he had ever seen. Though she had sight in only one eye, she was obviously a seasoned fighter, trained out of either desire or necessity. He doubted the disability was much of a hindrance to her, but to the rest of the town, well he was not quite so sure.
"Where is Nuitae now?"
"May I pass?" she insisted again.
Trey's eyes went cold, but he turned towards Brichan. "My friend here has removed her cowl and mask. She only asks now that you do avoid your gaze so she may keep her dignity. Is this acceptable?
"Eloquently put," whispered the elf behind him, her voice laced with sarcasm.
Michera stared in wonder. The elf was beautiful- despite the scar. Hair did not grow around it, so it cut a line into the scalp, but otherwise her features were beautiful and unmarred, her long hair silky. It took her a moment to find her voice, and when she did not, Brichan nodded. "She can pass," was all he said, and he dispersed the guards.
Trey led the elf, who had now replaced her hood but not her mask, into the town. As the two passed by Michera, the elf's gaze turned to her, and seemed to bore into her, causing Michera to feel frozen to the spot. Michera was a beautiful young woman by human standards, but compared to this elf, even though she was scarred, she felt horribly clumsy and ugly. Finally, after Trey and the elf had disappeared, Michera nearly flew off in a rage back to her house.
The elf accompanied Trey to the inn, and once inside, removed the hood and mask again.
"I ask you again," Trey said, a slight edge in his voice, "Where is Nuitae?"
"Do not worry, she is safe. She is immune to sleep spells and poisons.. I regret I was a little more rough with her than I intended. She is well hidden, and will probably be out cold for a short while." The elf's speech was direct and blunt, with no regret in her decisions. "I did what had to be done. I would not help you otherwise, but I do it only to repay a debt owed."
"Not to me, nor to Nuitae is my guess."
The moon elf paused and regarded Trey. "You are a strange human. It must be the elf blood in you. No, not to you, and certainly not to the half-drow. To someone far away from here."
"Who then?"
The elf looked sharply at him. She made no response to this question, but it was clear that Trey would not get an answer. He sighed.
"Then I am assuming you have some sort of message. Tell it to me, and tell me where Nuitae is, so I can leave this accursed town and be done with you."
"Your parent.. The one who was half-elf," the elf said, looking at him closely. "They must have been a sun elf. You have certainly inherited your impatience and arrogance from that. Though on the other hand," the elf said with a smirk, "your lack of manners suggests wood elf. Which is it then?"
Trey clenched his hands and had to use all his willpower to keep himself in check. Not even Nuitae and her sharp tongue and brash action angered him so much as this moon elf. But there was something about her that made even a skilled fighter like him feel inferior. It was nothing she said or did, or even implied. It was simply there, and he did not wish to find out who would win in a fight.
"My father was the son of a human female and a sun elflord," he said through clenched teeth.
The moon elf nodded. "My message has already been sent. Stay away from Raven's Bluff and the towns before it. Do not allow Nuitae to find her kin, it will only lead to destruction. Humor her for a few months on this wild chase- she will give up eventually and turn her efforts to finding a place in this world. If such a place exists for creatures like her."
"You speak of my own arrogance and lack of manners, yet you do little to shield your own," Trey commented.
"A child like Nuitae should not have been allowed to come into this world, much less to live. I would have killed her myself had I not made that promise so many years ago. Now that you have taken my place in the child's protection, my oath is no longer as binding as it once was. I suggest you leave quickly. I will stay here the night, and leave with you in the morning so as not to rouse suspicion. As soon as we are clear from the gates, I go my own way, and you will find Nuitae safely- albeit probably not comfortably- kept out of sight."
"Nuitae is not an abomination," Trey said, his anger growing.
The scarred elf crossed her arms. "You say that so confidently, knowing that I speak truly. A child like that should never have come into this world. She would know only pain, and bring only pain to those close to her. She is only half-drow, but because she took the traits of the fiends rather than her mother's, she is, in all aspects except for culture and language, considered fully drow. Humans cannot trust her, elves would kill her on sight except for those who she grew up with. The few who may become close to her will only be shunned by their own kind for allowing a drow to be seen with them so willingly. Nuitae'neth has been cursed, and through her, so have you."
"I am human, and I have accepted her."
"That may be, but will you ever be accepted by other humans for it?"
"I care not, I have long since abandoned my kind. My life's only purpose is served by my hatred of drow."
"Yet you travel with one."
"She is not a drow. You said yourself, she is drow in all but language in culture. Tell me, then, what makes a drow if not these two aspects?"
The moon elf smirked again, and nodded her head slightly. "Well said, Treian of Ar-tel-quessir."
"I go by Trey N-tel-quess."
"As you wish, "Treian of No People."
When nothing else was said, the elf immediately went to a corner and sat cross-legged. She closed her eyes, and entered what Trey knew to be the meditative state elves placed themselves in. He had never seen Nuitae do it, but he had seen it often with other full-blooded races of elves. It reminded him of his grandfather, who he had lived with for only a short amount of time after his parents' murders.
He still knew little about this elf, and it unnerved him the way she spoke about Nuitae. He especially had not liked how she called him by the name he had once used. Dambrath… Trey thought to himself. It had been so long since he had been there. Perhaps it was time to go back. Perhaps, too, Nuitae would find some answers there. He thought back to what the moon elf had said. If such a place for Nuitae existed…