It took Holly slightly too long into the kiss to notice she had an audience consisting of a rather uncomfortable looking old warlock.
Qwan stood in silence grasping his belt, in the middle of un-doing it.
Artemis noticed the un-invited guest and bit Holly's lip. She knew from experience this meant he was requesting a rain-check. She ignored it.
Artemis was a tad bit too beastly about it, because after his little "nibble" he immediately tasted blood.
"Sorry-Hol- Your- Lip" he managed every time she gave him the chance.
"Don't- Care"
"But-"
"Shut. Up."
He figured only one word would have he off him. "Qwan." He managed.
Holly slowly untangled herself from Artemis, placing his shirt down where it belonged.
She faced Qwan and smiled as though he had never walked in on the two.
"Qwan," she said embarrassed, "it's you. Again. This-"
"Isn't what it looks like," he finished, "Yes. Believe it or not that speech becomes familiar to one after hearing more than once in a day's time."
She frowned slightly and glared at her partner. Artemis remained against the wall tugging on a stitch Holly specifically told him not to touch. Holly resisted the urge to slap his hand until she gave him a new injury to think about.
Qwan sighed and re-buckled his belt. "Boy," he said with strictness that made both of them look up, "we need to talk. Meet me in my study. Five minutes." Qwan spun awkwardly trying to forget the fact that he desperately needed to relieve himself and made his way to the location he had directed.
"Why are you always getting me in trouble?" Artemis asked whining and sighing at the same time.
"Hush up. You get yourself into trouble." She said buttoning his shirt to make him look at least slightly presentable. Besides, she didn't need Artemis' appearance reminding Qwan of their touching reunion (Heh Heh- Pardon the pun. Double entendre. Whatever3).
Artemis studied his hair.
"Brown." Artemis said pointing to the stunning mess of brunette puff on his head.
"…Very good." Holly stated encouragingly. "However we can discuss your feminine attributes later. Go in there and use your," Holly waited silently for the word to come, "…your charm. Convince Qwan that his rules are a bunch of old man nonsense and that I'll hate him forever if he ruins my chances of having what comes pretty damn close to a functional relationship."
"Quite a threat there…"
"Fine. Scratch the hate for life. Make it an I'll kill you. Simple and sweet. Gets my point across, too."
Artemis beamed. He once charmed a man out of selling his priceless Korean Ming Dynasty Vase for a dog that Artemis claimed responded to commands in Polynesian. Idiot. Artemis smiled at his cleverness, Polynesian isn't even a language. This, he thought, was going to be simple.
Holly glared at Artemis suspiciously who had been staring at his image in the mirror for quite some time.
"I know what your thinking, Artemis," she said simply, "and you're wrong."
xxxxxx
Artemis made his way into the study and found Qwan sitting in a chair in the far right-hand corner. The chair dwarfed the warlock, to say the least.
"Come." Qwan beckoned with a twisted finger, "by the fire." He pointed to a seat next to him, and Artemis walked over and took it up. He pushed his finger into his eyes and sighed. "Maybe its best I tell you a story," Qwan said. Artemis didn't like the sound of it, but nodded anyway. Qwan smiled tiredly.
"Once upon a time," he stopped and frowned, "No. At one time, everyone lived with everyone on the surface. No barriers to separate the races. Elf, troll, dwarf… you're a smart boy- you understand. No doubt relationships that allowed such a mingling were accepted then, right?"
Artemis nodded.
"Good. Good. The elves and the humans were especially close. The Elves, with their love of anyone and anything, found themselves unusually drawn to-"
Artemis lifted a brow.
"To…your people. So close they were. So close that, even now, elves can easily pass as humans. Unlike some of the fairy groups. There are seven groups of fairy, my boy, but technically- there are eight. Humans have every right to be included."
"Why do we look like each other?" Artemis asked even though he was more than well aware of the answer.
Qwan blushed. "Well, no doubt people that love each other have wishes to procreate. Though, I'm sure you knew that answer well enough. Just trying to excite an old man, you are." He breathed. "Eventually, they wished only to be with each other, excluding all other mating possibilities from other groups. Well, being that elves were quite a popular choice of mate, known for their beauty they are, other populations forbade the relationship."
Artemis scowled. "That's a pretty stupid, excuse me, hebetudinous reason to forbid something, Qwan."
Qwan lifted a finger. The humans are greedy things with no want to share. They realized their precious elves, property- if you will, were being taken from them, they placed the elves in slavery. Bonding them to humans against any of their wills. If you had everything you ever known, owned, lived, dreamed, touched, experienced, violently ripped away from you- I can't imagine. The Elvin Race was enslaved. From what I have seen of the humans they would do it again given the chance. I do not believe all humans are this way, I have befriended many, so please do not mistake my words. You, Artemis, whether you know it or not, are my favorite. I desperately wish I could approve this relationship. If anyone had the potential for breaking this horrible human stereotype, I would want that person to be you." He whispered his last statement, but it had already been overheard. Trouble walked in gruffly.
"I think it almost impossible for any Elf to find a Human worthy of mating with, let alone falling in love with one. Humans were crafted out of mud... and the Elves will constantly compare that beginning to their own natural birth from gods. This is Haven... all the races are supposed to hate one another... make genocide, not love." Trouble said slightly angry. Artemis decided to cut him a break. Perhaps he figured he was doing Holly a favor.
"Nice. I like your acceptance policy." Artemis said sarcastically, "Now if you don't mind, gentlemen" Artemis said getting up.
"No," Qwan said, "The breath you breathe is borrowed. We still have the matter of sacrifice."
Artemis sat back down. Frustrated.
"We only have until moonset." Qwan finished
