Near the sleeping hero in the morning the next day
the elf awoke in shock and couldn’t find a word to say
her body was uninjured, then she saw the clothes she wore
all tattered rags, half burnt away, and then she heard a snore
She looked toward the man whose face she’d seen not long ago
she’d seen him break away her chains with both his hands aglow
he woke up in a cold sweat and he met her wary eyes
and thought it might be fair that he was someone she’d despise
“Just relax and save your strength, our journey’s far from done
eat some food but once you’ve got some rest we’ll have to run”
he sighed at his suspicious new companion then he ate
eventually she joined him when her hunger was too great
He watched her out of curiosity but didn’t speak
although she had recovered she still looked fatigued and weak
sometimes she’d look back, but when she did, he looked away
her golden eyes were more intimidating than he’d say
It took his mind off what he’d lost to have the elf around
even if she hated him and never made a sound
after resting for the day and sleeping through a night
the hero packed some things together by the morning light
The hero’s healing magic wasn’t perfect after all
she’d regain her strength in time but she could barely crawl
she hesitantly let the hero hold her in his arms
and he was duly cautious not to fall for any charms
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He ran as fast as possible to end the awkward trip
haunted by the memories he had of one old ship
he’d hurry back to tell his guild the caravan was lost
and warn them of the kingdom and the evil they had crossed
Strangely as he ran he sometimes felt a little tired
maybe it was due to all those magic spells he’d fired
every night he rested though, his stamina increased
and every night the elf and him enjoyed a different feast
Though she was surprised that he knew so much of the land
when he gathered plants to eat she always lent a hand
she even helped preparing what he’d gathered from the ground
showing him some different ways to use the plants he’d found
He much preferred to hunt so he was happy when she cooked
it helped him as he knew how unheroic cooking looked
for several weeks their quiet journey awkwardly progressed
but when they neared the town at last, the elf became distressed
“I don’t know what’s going on in side that head of yours
whether you’re a merchant or some madman chasing wars
did you go to such great pains to save me just to sell
if you plan to sell me there, just send me straight to hell”
The hero had been wondering about what he should do
the slave belonged to someone else, but so had he once too
he put her down and thought about an older hero’s song
but found no advice in words that he had known so long
“Should I set you free right here, and quickly say goodbye
or should I still be loyal to merchants I let die”
“you’re insane, but if you care so little about me
please just kill me now, so I can meet my family”
The hero was confounded by the weary girl’s request
it made him wonder what had happened to his hero’s quest
“as a hero, it may be my quest to render aid
tell me what you need and I shall offer you my blade”
With teary eyes she grabbed the hero’s hands and weakly cried
“after all you’ve done, just let me stay here, by your side”
he couldn’t think of any reason not to let her stay
since she had no chains or markings, she could run away
“I might not be famous for my heroism yet
but I’m such a hero that this world will not forget
for as long as you should like, please be my honoured guest
as a hero, any call for help shall be my quest”
Through her tears she stared at him in utter disbelief
it had been so long since she felt anything but grief
“you may be insane, but you’ve done more than save my life
if you’re going to take me home, then take me as your wife”
Once the hero’s ears made sense of what they both had heard
going through the things the elf had spoken, word by word
finally he answered as he took her by the hand
“tell me now, are you the princess of some foreign land”