We talked long into the night. The bar room had been buzzing, with many a glass raised both to the memory of Jason and to the courage of those who made up the rescuers and the rescued. For the majority of the night, the barrel had been cracked by Jake with no charge to his patrons. It was a great gesture on his part and had resulted in many staggering home on wobbly legs, with not a few simply curling up in a corner of the taproom to sleep off their indulgence.

Once Merl had left and the bar was finally quietening down, I turned to Elara and asked if she was ready to head up. With a nod, she stood and headed for the stairs while I went to bid goodnight to Jake.

My own legs were not exactly steady as I went up, but I had important stuff to discuss with Elara before we stopped for the night.

‘You are a total dufus, Del, try one fewer drinks next time.’ I slip a little on a stair and grit my teeth as I bang my shin.

‘Yeah, like that’s going to happen when it’s a free bar.’

Elara is already in bed, the rather unladylike snores coming from her tell me the drink had affected her as much as everyone else. I smile and climb into the bed, giving her a bit of a shove so she rolls over and makes room.

I woke groggily; it was too stuffy, too hot, and I was tangled in legs and blankets. Managing to extract myself, I head down the corridor to deal with the normal result of a large fluid intake needing to be let out. It was still dark outside, and the inn was quiet—if you ignored the chorus of grunts and snores filtering up the stairs from below. As I get back to our room, I am passed by a towel-clad Elara doing her own mincing full-bladder two-step towards the bathroom.

‘Glad I’m not the only one waking early to empty out.’ I grin.

When she got back, I had already reorganised the mess that was our bed, covers straightened and one of the pillows picked up off the floor. I’m sat up in bed, feeling too awake to get back to sleep immediately, my mind churning with what needed doing and still trying to figure all the bits I didn’t know.

She threw aside the towel and, with a shiver, jumped back into bed and cuddled up to me.

‘What is it with women that they think us poor men are their personal hot water bottles?’ I try to wriggle slightly as I totally fail to create a little air gap between my warming body and her chilled skin.

Inside, I am totally battling with myself.

‘I need to say something to her.’ The thought makes me wince.

‘Del, you are a coward and a fool.’ I look into myself, reflectively.

‘Don’t be so damned critical. I just don’t want to say something out of place.’ I reassure my ego.

‘Fucking idiot, you have a naked girl cuddling into you and you don’t want to h—'

“Are you talking with yourself again?” Her head tilts up to look at me.

I jump a little.“What makes you say that?”

“You always breathe a little funny and also sometimes give little grunts and things when you do,” she answers matter-of-factly. Her eyes are smiling.

“I have an uncle who does the same thing all the time.”

‘See, fool, now you are just some mad old uncle figure.’

“I guess I have been living alone too long,” I tell her.

“So what were you discussing this time?” Amusement in her voice.

‘Just fucking talk to her.’

I can’t help but notice the way her hand is gently tracing small trails through my chest hair as we talk.

‘It might make her upset. What the fuck am I supposed to say?’ I subtly adjust my position, hoping she doesn’t notice the effect the feel of her body against mine and her hand’s movement is having.

‘Just damn well talk to her!’

She looks up at me, concern in her eyes. “Have I done something wrong? Are you cross with me?”

I can see that my silence was upsetting her, causing her to doubt herself. That just wasn’t fair when it was me that had the problem.

“No, not at all. I am just a bit cross with myself is all.” I feel her relax again.

‘You, Del, are pathetic.’

“But can I ask you something?” My voice cautious. “But only if it won’t upset you.”

She rolls back more to her side and props her head up so she can look at me properly.“You can ask me anything, Del, and why would you upset me?”

I take a deep breath to compose myself, though I can feel my heart nervously beating. I feel like some bloody fool teen plucking the nerve to ask a crush out on a prom date.

“I’m new to Gondowa, as you know, and you are the first elf I have ever met, so I am very unsure of customs and things.”

She nods solemnly.

“Is nudity a thing among elves, or in general on the mainland? It’s just where I am from, well, it’s only usual in more intimate circumstances.”

She looks a bit puzzled for a moment, then gives a tinkling little laugh.

“Well, I don’t know among humans as I haven’t met many till now, but for elves…” She shrugs. “It depends on circumstances.” She frowned, then tossed the covers aside.

“Why? Does my body displease you?” Her humour now mixed with a hint of concern.

I grab the sheets to stop them from uncovering me and pull them back up.

“Not at all, Elara. You are a beautiful woman.” I can feel my cheeks heating as I try to find the words.

“Look, I will be blunt. I am older than you, and in my life, I have lain with a number of women, and frankly, if I was sharing a bed, it was seldom just for sleep.”

I see her cheeks starting to blush a little.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I find you very attractive, but… I won’t take advantage of you being here with me. I just don’t know the rules.”

She stays silent, contemplating me for a bit.

‘I bet she is having her own indoor argument now,’ my inner voice gloats.

‘Shut up, you damn twat.’

“With elves,” she begins, “nudity is not abnormal. We dress or not according to weather, company, and circumstance.” She shrugs and glances down at her own exposed breasts.

“However, it does also have sexual connotations in the right circumstances. This is also normal and natural.”

“So is your nudity and freedom one of circumstance and company or one of a sexual nature?” I ask quietly, feeling the nerves once more creeping up.

“Does my body make you feel uncomfortable?” she asks.

I consider this for a moment.“No, not in itself,” I chuckle gently.

“I would be lying if I tried to say I didn’t enjoy it. But… I need to know in what manner I am to take it.”

She lifts a finger of the hand supporting her head to her lips in thought.

“When I first met you, my reaction was one of gratitude. You saved me, quite literally. If you hadn’t come when you did, I would have been dinner for those green bastards.”

I nod and remain silent. It’s her turn to talk, and she deserves my full attention.

“As I travelled with you, I learned you were both wise and a fool. You knew so much and also so little. But, in here”—she pokes my chest—“you are a good and honest man.” She gives herself a little nod, as if to confirm her thoughts.

“You have proved time and again to me your own values, and yes, I do find that attractive. I am comfortable with you, so my body doesn’t need to be unnecessarily covered. But I also get a bit of a thrill”—at this, a small teasing laugh escapes her—“when I catch you sneaking a look.”

“I don’t want to seem like a perv,” I say in defence. “But you are pleasing to look at.”

“I’m not sure what a perv is, but I am not ashamed for you to enjoy looking at me.” Her humour is now very obvious as she rolls onto her back and stretches languidly.

“Hey, not fair,” I say, also laughing softly.

She rolls back to her side and looks at me again, her playful expression replaced by a more thoughtful one.

“As for sexually,” her tone is now serious, “am I allowed to say, I don’t know?”

I remain quiet to let her finish expressing her thoughts.

“In elves, although we reach physical maturity by around 18 to 20, we are not considered adults until we reach 40. It is rare to engage in sexual activity before this—not unheard of, but rare.” She pauses, collecting her thoughts.“Also, communion between elves and other races is considered something of a taboo. Once again, not unheard of, but it usually results in the elf involved being excluded from society and shunned.”

I start, “I couldn’t—”

She places a finger on my lips, shushing me.

“I find you attractive, but to consider more… I need to be very sure of where I am within myself before that could become a possibility. Do you understand? I trust you, and I know you respect me for who I am.”

“Of course I do,” I confirm to her.

“So can we just carry on as we are and leave the future to look after itself?” she asks me, a touch nervously.

In answer, I reach over and pull her back into our earlier snuggle.

“Let's get a bit more sleep before we have to get up for breakfast.” I reach and turn down the lamp as she sighs contentedly and wriggles into a more comfortable position.

She gives me a soft kiss on my neck.

“Thank you,” she whispers as we both drift back off to sleep.

The morning comes before I am properly ready for it. I still feel tired, but more content now after our nocturnal conversation. I get up and give her a gentle shove.

“Wake up, sleepy head, time for breakfast.”

Misty turns to look at me from where she had been watching a bird in the tree outside our window.

‘We hunt now?’ she asks.

“Maybe,” I laugh. “We have a long trip ahead, and I am sure there will be lots to hunt on the way.”

Giving a stretch, my ginger furball jumps down and follows me out of the room.

The smell from downstairs is enticing and draws us onwards. In the bar, most of the revellers have either left or are sat at tables tucking into Donna’s breakfast fayre.

“Hash, eggs, and sausage today,” she tells me as she delivers a plate for me and the usual heaping for Misty.

‘Where do you put it all?’ I wonder. She just gives me a look.

There is no sign of Jake, so I assume he is either at the market or Donna has given him a bit of a lie-in after last night's revelry.

Once we have finished—Elara just having toast and herbal tea—we head out and over to Paolo’s, where we are meeting up with the Coopers before heading off.

Naomi looks full of excitement at the impending adventure, while her mum and dad look pensive, and I can see a few carefully held-back tears threatening the corners of Mrs Cooper’s eyes.

Paolo is stood by a pack of supplies, and Merl is also there with a selection of items.

He hands me a bundle—a finely made sword along with two knives, one for fighting, the other more utilitarian. As I start to ask how much, his look silences me. He gives Elara a new quiver full of arrows along with a bow much more suited to her stature than the goblin offcast she had been using.

With our small party ordered, we head to the southern gate.

Ahead lies the road to the City of Stenfield.

“It’s about a week to Stenfield, and you will pass through Hybern on the way,” Paolo tells me as he grasps my hand.

Looking at Naomi, “maybe slightly longer depending on how she manages.”

He hands me the letter he has composed for the Laird.

“This tells the Laird everything that has happened up here and gives you my commendations.”

“Thank you. Paolo, it has been good meeting you, and I am just glad we could help.”

He smiles as I turn to Merl.

“Well, my friend, it’s been interesting times,” he says and pulls me and then Elara into a meaty hug.“Take care on the road and know you are welcome at my forge any time.”

We both thank him and, bidding our farewells, begin our walk out the gate.

We had gone maybe 20 yards before Naomi spun and sprinted back. She flew into her mum's arms for a final hug goodbye.

I watch her gather her nerves, take a deep breath, and then march resolutely back to join us as we leave Stonebridge.