Quagmire VIII Will he forgive the guy?

*this chapter is spontaneous, didn't use a paper to write it. Yeay! Feel accomplished. Celine Dion: A new day has come

I would never forget the moments we had especially at the time, right after we got out from the room. A guard tried to stop us. "Hey you , the elf mage! Stop." Ilkar drew his weapon. We exploded into action. Ilkar dodged very quickly the cumbersome sword thrust and parried. Friction sparked. I directed a stunblast to the other man, at his eyes. He howled noisily. So I kicked and cut him until he fell silent. When I tried to see if the elf needed help, he was already wiping the blood on the man's uniform, panting. Ilkar did not have the advantage of brute strength. The person looked quite dead.

"Use a Cloakwalk now," he whispered, grabbing my hand. Huh? But it was my weakest spell.

"Not enough energy?" I asked. Ilkar seemed to have picked up on some people heading this way. He glared at me. I prayed I could maintain it for both of us. It will, let's go now.

If the time had not been crucial, I would have seen it as an outing with the very dashing Julatsan. Noo he's too serious, I decided, and focused on not shaking the invisibility. If the outline shimmered it meant the effect was wearing off. People had seen the victims and barked orders to find the murderers.

One day I had a dream with a name echoing in my mind Jhanakin Dasher and some other lyrical language. Only the sound was clear something like bells and jingling. I came awake and it was really cold. Who could it be, my mother, or someone I had known before? Drizzt noticed my movement. "What's wrong, friend?" he asked softly.

Ilkar was snoring. I seldom saw that.

"Er, I had a weird dream. You still here? Not a good idea."

He looked wounded. "I know. I just want to make up for my mistake. Felicia, Serif, surely you won't hate me? When we have found some trust?" He really seemed upset and emotional. Pity overcame me.

"Serif does not hate anyone except bad people. I- don't know. I'll try to calm him down when we're awake properly."

Drizzt was silent. His pale hair covered his face and he watched my friend for a while. "I hope so… we need each other. I will return in a few days. I still have to do some missions so they won't suspect I'm free. Take care." I nodded and waved goodbye.

I think Ilkar was chatting with someone, with a lot of animated tones. Who was it? I rubbed my eyes and squinted in the dark. Must be quite early, not all the light had penetrated our room yet. He had him on the table, lying on stomach! Serif had taken the shape of a gray small wolf. Absently the mage seemed to be combing him. Intrigued by their interaction I quietly observed. "… so carefree life. I almost didn't know if we succeeded or not. Never think I would be speaking to a Familiar, the world is one strange place. Nice soft fur."

I smiled. The elf had already come to terms with our pet, getting used to being a Master. Wonderful! At the time we were unaware, he seemed to have become Serif's other master. He could have been drawn to the needy, when Ilkar was ill Serif just wanted to take care of him. I slowly rolled out of bed. Serif didn't give me away so I sneaked up on the elf to train my stealth. Hehe.

Before I got within range, Ilkar said calmly, "Hello. Had a good sleep?"

"Yea. Did you?" I took a seat near him. He was dusting the doghairs off the comb. "Thank you for brushing him."

He stifled a yawn. "Alright. Even though I didn't want to see a certain- fellow." I buttered my toast and pondered if I should speak up for the dark elf. My instincts had never been wrong, traitors were proven and I didn't feel he wanted to hurt us. "Felicia, his fur is shiny. He took a bath?" Ilkar smiled.

Serif now wanted to lick him but he put out a stop signal and said 'no' firmly.

"No bath. He washes himself. Wow a Julatsan training animals! Miracle." I grinned wide. "I try to give him rewards." Obediently, the wiry wolf padded back to his original position and lay down, looking mournful.

"Don't want him to be spoilt. He has to respect me. Isn't he more intelligent than telling him basic words?" he enquired, moving to the other side of the table to pour the drink into cups. His little everyday actions were still very graceful. I could watch him many times.

"I do talk to him. But, he doesn't- talk back, rather I am shown picture images. Do you normally- hate someone for very long?" I skirted around the issue. I had promised to help Drizzt put in a good word.

Ilkar put some greens on his plate and poked at them. "Depends on who he is. A friend, I try to forget about it. Keelia, I know what you mean. I can't accept him, not yet. The collar must be painful, all of us have some form of suffering but we try. He didn't."

He sounded final and cold, condemning.

I didn't get mad because my aim here was to reconcile my friends. For awhile I said nothing and Serif hopped down, running back and forth. The elf stared into the distance, hazel eyes unreadable. I didn't want to hurt him either, any moodswings or anger triggered the cursemark.

"Shall we go outside for fresh air later? I know some shortcuts that won't have many people."

He swallowed. He cocked his head. "Yes that would be- good." I could try to negotiate again!

The passage was by the backdoor leading to the Gardenplace. The steps were steep. Slaves could play here if they were wellbehaved. Birds sang, butterflies flitted. One tall tree was from the ground shooting up to the sky. I wanted to leap wildly down the steps. My body wished for it, but I restrained myself. He would probably be horrified, I wanted to give him a great impression of me.

He was still quiet, while I held his good hand. While we were face to face, he said it hurt if we grasped his right hand. "Nice eh?" I asked, turning to face him.

"Ah. It is beautiful. How many times have you come here?" He shaded his eyes against the sun.

"Um, quite a few times. I hope you're not hurt I didn't mention."

He pouted, slanted brows. "Am I not worthy to know where you go? Don't you trust me?"

We had reached the lawns. Only one boy was looking at something and took no notice of us. "No, Ilkar, I don't want you to worry. So I'm here with you today." I looked into his eyes and said directly. Everything would be perfect, it had to be! His scowl eased and he considered my words. "At the time I wasn't so sure about you. I take a long time to trust."

Serif waited, wagging his tail. "Hm." Was all that the elf responded and he looked at a plantbush. Before I moved completely away, he said, "I try not to worry. Thank you. This reminds me of my homeland."

We were together yet explored the other parts of the place separately. At the same time I was trying to find any secret passages. Serif dug some holes. "Your homeland is Julatsa isn't it?" I enquired when I sensed him beside me.

"That is my College, a city. I lived in a village full of elves. Didn't see humans until I left. It's called C…. " (I think it started with a 'C' but I had no idea how to spell it)

"Ok. Can I speak without you being angry?"

Ilkar sighed, ears twitching. Then he nodded, folding his arms. I gestured he sit down on the other rock nearby. Serif nosed him and gently nudged him. He used his leg to reply. hehe. "Drizzt was still around for sometime. But not near us, he really is sorry. And his offer of help is open- he's familiar with everything outside. It's an advantage."

"Have you forgotten he came at us with a sword?" he argued.

"I know. Count in the times he took care of you, and our time together, Ilkar, I couldn't have calmed down had he not been there. I don't want to condemn him," I said earnestly.

He asked how long he had been sick. "Almost three days. But we have time don't we?"

"Yes. Change of plans," he answered. Wondered if anyone would eavesdrop. "I understand. You really remind me of a friend." He smiled wistfully.

"Who?" I liked the light reflecting off his hair gleaming and today there was flecks of blue in his pupils.

"Hirad, the most insane rash human I'd ever known." He tousled my hair and he was not as stiff when I initially hugged him.

"Eh isn't that a man? I'm a girl."

Ilkar laughed. "The female Hirad. I mean well. I want to think over this. I won't- stop you from being friends…. For me, it's who I am. I don't take well to being hurt deeply. An Elf's morals. Carefully observing the wolf, I have a suspicion…."

I gestured 'please continue' "Unwittingly, without consent, I have become important to the dog. And you have no idea why, elendil?" I guessed it was a form of endearment, of love.

"Yep. It's where the book said, a Bond so strong that it cannot be broken. By the way it's scary when you shout, elf."

He shrugged. "Can't help it, just boiled over. I wouldn't mind, but when I go back to my college I cannot tell them he is bonded to me. They won't- accept this." He sighed.

Inside I thought it must be quite tragic that Julatsa didn't embrace nature. Magic is nature! But he would be hurt, so I simply asked, "Don't your people own pets? Aw."

"I see. One or two mages are alright with animals. It's not a regular sighting to have animals tagging along. Especially one which changes shape frequently. Quite unnerving."

"I'll try to tame him. He has held this wolf form since last night. So it's remarkable," I inserted my new learnt word. Ilkar nodded.

Then he narrowed his eyes and said snippily,"Tried to give me a heart attack just now."

I feigned innocence. "Naw, I wanted to surprise ya."

Ilkar scowled. "I almost got a shock alright? I'm not that young."

I recoiled. "Hundreds? Yuck. Didn't mean to." He smiled impishly. Ok he was joking. "Need to get you a walking stick, I'll go find one."

We laughed together. He concluded I was like his friend, crude jokes and all. Hirad liked animals, his friends were dragons and he should be running around with them now. I thought they were extinct, apparently not. "So, when did you guys meet?"

"I was asked to help the humans in some riots. Hirad found me… I didn't know about any humans or the differences between us. He didn't realize I'm not human, until ten years later. So he asked me why I didn't have grey hairs and wrinkles like he did. (he chuckled) Explaining that to his blank face right about made me in tears. What about your friends? Any memorable ones?" Also the elf said I didn't need to if it hurt me.

I could remember only one kind person. "Oh the baker, he would save us all this delicious loaves though we were dirty and getting into fights. I didn't, but my mates fought over everything. He was nice. You know, Ilkar- you're the first kind elf I have ever spoken to. Truly."

He took that in silence. Softly he replied, "I'm sorry. If I was there I would have given you a home. Not all people are cruel."

I listened, playing with a blade of grass. Ilkar sounded close to tears. He can be passionate and emotional. I put the grass to my lips and blew on it. When I opened my eyes, Ilkar's cheeks were wet. Serif pricked his ears. "I believe so. Well better late than never. Want to see how to blow this? I'll teach you. My friend Andy showed me. First find this kind of grass, it's nontoxic…." I didn't know why or how I knew what species of plants were toxic or not. The elf didn't get to make any music at first. I showed him.

He managed a tiny highpitched sound. "Eh that alright? I never knew about playing music like that. Thanks." The mage had cheered up. He brushed off his tears.

"Don't all elves blend into nature?"

"I did grow up close to a forest, near a wide river. But I don't like water can't swim. I am only fine with horses. The tamed ones. My people can blend in, somehow I am not- in harmony with nature. I prefer the knowledge of magic. Ah I see the blankness in your face, Felicia. What don't you get?"

"Ah, magic is not equal to this? It sings to me, Ilkar. It's alive," I held out my hands to the sky.

He smiled. "I guess you have a different kind of mana. The way you cast is not the same, your method is more of an experimental stage and then you make it happen. That is amazing, because I had to study all the books before I could cast a basic spell."

I raised a brow. "So hardworking. I doubt I can read much. My teacher didn't teach us by books either, more like doing the act itself. Jealous of me?"

He snorted. "No I list the difference between methods. Hardly."