A scent wafted over Poly’s short body that made her golden eyes pop open.

“Urmire tea…” she murmured, forcing her still lethargic body up. The room around her was adorned with exquisite tapestries covering every wall, and expensive furs gracing the floor. The space was opulent, with gold gilding everywhere from the chandeliers to the candlesticks, giving off an aura of extravagance and wealth.

Poly found herself sliding off a plump felt ottoman, her instincts demanding that she get her bearings in a strange place, yet her heart urging her to follow the scent.

Two wide doors, also gilded with gold, stood at the end of the massive room, leading out onto a balcony. From the windows, Poly could see a tea set sitting at a table. Her mouth watered as her feet plodded forward, her eyes unaware of anything other than the tea set.

She hadn’t had urmire tea in so long, the tea most chosen by elves altogether. From the noble Hynuul to the humble Ahweldi, all elves loved urmire tea, a tea made by gnomes. There were no races as gifted in magic like elves, disregarding humans whose ingenuity made up the difference between themselves and others, and they followed the natural order of things whereas gnomes who also revered nature, came at it from a alchemical approach.

From alchemy to cooking, gnomes were all too skilled at such crafts, especially when combined with nature itself.

Poly couldn't quite put her finger on what made urmire tea so unique. Perhaps it was the way the herbs absorbed natural mana, or the perfect blend of fruits and tea leaves that created a one-of-a-kind flavor. Whatever the reason, it was one of the things she missed most about her home in the Ahweldi forest.

The tiny elf approached the tea set and began to pour herself a cup while whispering gratitude to nature as was custom among the Ahweldi when they consumed something from nature. Nostalgia set in and memories flooded her mind of what was called a bark dwelling built inside an old oak tree, her home. There she had all her things from her tables and chairs carved from driftwood by the Nereids, a race of sea nymphs, the only nymphs with intelligence and motivations beyond mischievous behavior. Her instruments of dwarven make hung on the walls, always tuned and ready to play. She had a garden filled with vegetables all plump and as big as her head. Everyone was jealous when she won the last annual Gardenium, the contest of whose garden was the most well-tended.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. She missed home. She missed coming home to her stuff or inviting others to come over to sing with her or picking a book off her massive bookshelf filled with stories of all cultures, and then sink into the comfort of her favorite chair to read it. She missed the festivals where the whole village would sing at the end, holding hands. She even missed those friends that turned their backs on her when she was exiled. Her parents, how were they doing? They had relied on her mana cooking back then. Were they still maintaining their health without her?

At least she could have a piece of home now—some good urmire tea. A fourth of her pack coming to this city was filled with it before the pack was stolen. With the tea prepared, her lips puckered to blow on the hot liquid before putting it to her lips for a quick sip.

“Do you make it a habit of taking things before asking?” a voice asked playfully.

Poly froze as her eyes dashed to the side and found sitting next to the table a beautiful face and opulent dark robes with black gemstones that twinkled. The person’s face was perfect without blemish or discoloring. Exquisite porcelain, that was what Poly saw in this person’s face. Their soft hair was white, long and seemed like the weeping branches of a willow tree. It was hard to discern if this person was male or female, that is if the person guessing was human at least, an elf like Poly however could recognize them for what they were.

“Hynuul…” Poly awed, backing off a step.

The beautiful person let out a laugh like the sound of a crystal clear stream flowing gently over smooth stones. “My,” they said, smiling lightly, “The Ahlweldi are quite perceptive.”

“Great protector,” Poly bowed her head. The elven clan, the Hynuul was revered by all elves. They were the ones that held the border between elven lands and the others. They acted as a barrier against all forces be it the ambitious, ever expanding humans or otherwise, no one got past them. For their service to their kind, elves not of the Hynuul gave those that were the name of “great protectors”.

They were the most powerful race in the world. When measuring humans without their technological advancements and disregarding the machines and inventions of the dwarves, when it came to raw power, the Hynuul clan reigned supreme. Their magic power was irrefutable, their martial prowess deadly, even compared to the savage races like orcs whose existence revolved around fighting.

“I haven’t heard that name in ages. It seems someone was raised well,” the beautiful person complimented. Poly hurriedly put the tea cup down and lowered her head. The Hynuul deserved respect from all elves. “Don’t be so formal,” the Hynuul elf urged and gestured to a chair on the other side of the table. “Please, sit.” When Poly sat, she was then urged to take up the tea again, which she did so gratefully. She desperately wanted to drink the Urmire tea.

“Missing home?” the Hynuul elf asked to which Poly simply nodded, sipping her tea as respectfully as she could and trying not to be noisy. “This place is not fitting for our kind given our history with Loderan and how our power is thwarted here.”

Poly nodded again but couldn’t help glance at the hood over the Hynuul elf’s head.

“Oh,” the Hynuul elf prompted, following the tiny elf’s eyes, “My hood?”

Poly shook her head, meaning she wasn’t asking what they thought she was asking, but she was. The tiny elf was wondering about why someone of the Hynuul would cover their ears. They were the only elves who didn’t, even in lands where they weren’t welcome. It was a shameful act for them. As always, they were the defenders of elven culture in everything they did and would never hide away who they truly were.

The Hynuul elf laughed embarrassedly and lowered his hood as he explained, “You are right that I am being shameful, Ahweldi. But it is not for shame of having elf blood.” His hood dropped and Poly gasped. “I am a proud Hynuul. What I truly hide is my human heritage.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The Hynuul elf’s ears were rounded, showing his half-blood status.

“H-how is that possible…?” Poly whispered in shock, unable to grasp how such an occurrence could take place. Elves, especially of the Hynuul, were as similar to humans as they were to dwarves. In fact, they detested the ambitious and prideful manner of humans, at worst, seeing them as a type of perverted orc with their constant lusting and need to destroy those around them.

Not to mention, elves were quite particular about who they mated with, and when they did choose a mate, they would pursue them relentlessly, since finding a mate that fit their strict criteria was almost impossibly difficult for them. This is why humanity has been able to keep level with the elves in terms of influence due to their high birth rates, while the birth rates of elves were quite low.

“My father was a fiend,” the Hynuul half-blood explained, his face terse. “He had taken my mother against her will and so I was born.” Poly nodded, unwilling to comment on the matter, afraid she would say something that might be perceived as insulting.

“Don’t be nervous,” the Hynuul half-blood smiled. “I have unshackled myself from my past long ago. There is nothing holding me back now.” Seeing the tiny elf gulp the rest of her tea down, he poured her another cup. “I am called Yulevit.”

“Thank you, great protector,” Poly said, receiving more urmire tea with glee. “I am called Polynis but most people call me Poly.” Poly then emptied her tea with another big gulp and sighed with satisfaction. In her moment of contentment, she achieved clarity and asked, “What am I doing here? And where is my dwarf companion?” How had she forgotten? Her homesickness had blinded her.

The Hynuul half-blood, Yulevit, paused before he answered, “I was only informed of you being there when my people saved you from those White Scale Viper sorts.”

Hearing him, Poly gasped in fright. She truly was about to end up like Red or worse. “I thank the great protector,” Poly nearly shouted as she bowed. Thinking back, she had indeed been taken away from Dwindle and Euness, which must’ve been when Yulevit saved her.

“I hate to ask for a favor after saying that,” Yulevit said with an apologetic smile, a smile that dazzled Poly. “But I need help and the only person I feel comfortable asking is an elf.”

“Anything, great protector, you can ask of me anything. It is the least I can do. There’s no telling what would’ve happened to me if you hadn’t helped.” She shuddered at the thought of finding herself standing on a slave auctioneer’s stage.

“The city cannot live much longer.” Poly’s golden eyes widened. “No, that’s not what I meant,” Yulevit clarified warily, seeing the tiny elf’s mind wander. “I meant this place is fighting against the natural order of Eronia and siphoning too much magic from it. It has made the lands nearby unruly to the point of being feral. I’m sure you’ve experienced this.”

Poly nodded and replied, “Yes, great protector. I saw all beings of nature are hostile to us here even though we’re elves. But what can I do to help?” Her golden eyes became downcast. “I’m only an Ahweldi elf. We aren’t known as fighters.”

“I’m told you can speak beast tongue,” Yulevit said, causing Poly’s mouth to open in surprise. “Don’t look too surprised, my Ahweldi friend. Rumors had spread lately of a siren that sings in the slums and whoever hears her is granted good luck.”

Poly blushed and began to twiddle her thumbs, embarrassed.

“Can you sing for me and bring me luck, Poly?”

In concluding their plan, Red announced as he stood next to Dwindle’s front door, “I will go to the White Rabbit district and ask the Hunter’s Guild for assistance.”

“I will try and see what I can scrounge up around The Hole,” Euness said.

“Dwindle, you should go with him,” Red suggested to the dwarf. “Mister Euness might need coin to get people talking.”

Dwindle nodded and replied, “I'll make sure he goes with coin, but not with me. I will try and bolster our numbers. If you can’t get those pompous upper district Hunters to help out, we’ll at least have a few extra hands regardless.” The dwarf then led Euness out and they headed to the guild bank.

“I’ll go see—” Zini tried to say but was cut off.

“You’ll have to go about your way, Zini,” Red denied. “You are hurt and if anyone saw your dark arts at work, you will be facing direr threats than Rose and her team.”

Zini sighed deeply as he relented, “Fine. I will go to The Hole.”

“What? Why would you go to such a place?”

Zini rose from his chair, wincing in pain, feeling the burnt marks on his skin. “That is the only place I can live. Other practitioners of dark magic reside there, though I find their tastes revolting, they won’t sell me out since we are in the same boat.” He limped up to Red and put a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck, Red. May the goddess of the four winds bless your way.” He then whispered, “If you want help in killing the savage, all you have to do is ask.” With a pat on Red’s shoulder, Zini limped out of the home.

Red then turned to Nasset sitting on Dwindle’s bed. “Nasset?” Red prompted, “What will you do?”

“Return home,” Nasset answered and leaned back on her hands. “But after you fulfill your promise.” She looked over the bed and commented, “This smells like you. It is fitting to use a place of rest as a place to create offspring.” She’d heard such a phrase from another Badlander.

Red felt his cheeks burn and replied, “Now of all times? I have to rescue Poly!”

Nasset frowned, “You’ve made a deal with me, Red. I used an invaluable artifact on your friend. I also wish to return home. The sooner we lay with one another, the easier things will be.”

“Don’t you want to be with someone you love?” Red asked. He was sure that was how it was in storybooks, but he had yet to experience such things himself.

Nasset paused for a moment before letting out a laugh. “Loderan sensibilities are quite humorous! Why would I care about such a flimsy thing? Bloodlines are key to everything in this world, Red.” She had learned that from her mother, which was the only lesson her mother ever taught her. “With bloodlines comes power and with power, comes everything else, glory among them.”

“I will have my glory, Red. They will remember Nasset Tahkren for ages to come.” She waved him over. “Now, come to me.”

Red’s face flushed with color as he walked slowly past Dwindle’s chair and the fireplace, overly aware of everything from the way his shoes pressed into the wool carpet to his own uneven breathing. He arrived in front of the bed. Her knees were all that he could see as he was looking down, unable to meet her eyes. He heard the bed move as she laid back.

“Now take me, Red,” Nasset demanded.

“What?” Red sputtered. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“What do you mean? You are a man, aren’t you? You’re supposed to know what to do.”

“Well, I don’t. I just received recently a mind capable of thinking past eating, sleeping and fighting. Forgive me for not knowing everything.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Nasset demanded, sitting up and crossing her arms. “I’m a woman. I am supposed to be taken by you, the man.” Red could only shrug, his impatience evident. “Hold on a moment while I think,” Nasset muttered, cupping her chin in a hand, “I believe I’ve seen men taking women before.”

The Badlander woman began to move around the bed, acting out what she thought was supposed to be done. “Now, you have to sit right here,” she instructed, pulling Red to sit on top of her. “No, this is wrong,” she grunted, irritated.

Red got up and sighed, “Haven’t you ever done this?”

“No,” Nasset replied. “I've been training with my father and recently fought in my first war. My second coming-of-age ceremony was coming up, and that was when I was supposed to choose who will sire my first child.”

“Maybe we should do the ceremony?” Red proposed.

“Do you have captured enemies to sacrifice?”

“Never mind.”

Something came to mind prompting Red to push strands of red hair from Nasset’s forehead and kissed her there.

Nasset pushed him away, clutching her forehead as if he had just cut it. “What are you doing?!” She sputtered, embarrassed.

“It’s a symbol of affection,” Red said, frowning. “My mother did that to me.”

“Did you take her after that?”

“Of course not.”

“Then don’t do it again!” Nasset grunted, her cheeks burning red. “That felt odd!”

They both turned, noticing a figure at the door. What they saw was a young woman with blonde hair, staring at them with blue eyes filled with disbelief. A silvery aura swam around her, highlighting her surprise with silver light.