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Contradicting the captain's expectations, they waited a few days before making love again. At first, she had avoided him, and he got mad because he wanted to spend the most time possible in her presence, showing her that he can be a gentleman. But he missed her. For more than a year and a half, the elf had been just a comrade in arms. He did notice her beauty, but he hadn’t given it a second thought, or to be honest, a third. But now, he missed her friendship and desired her at the same time, being simultaneously in love with Alberta. That messed a lot with his mind.
Then, on a night, he ambushed her on the stairs, just when she was opening her door, grabbed her arm, and said:
“I miss you, I…”
He wanted to add “need your friendship back,” but she grabbed his neck with her arms and kissed him, whispering: “I missed you too…”
They went upstairs because he had not forgotten the captain’s advice. The next morning, she proposed the perfect excuse. They were friends with benefits. Warriors, especially ones stuck on a ship with nothing to do, have to spend their energy on something.
And they began spending a lot of energy, night after night, each of them refusing to think about consequences, or causes, or effects, or anything. But there was time for talking as well, because with her, at least he could spend the day too, as friends.
He had found her age; she was twenty-eight. That made him breathe a sigh of relief. The common belief was that the elves lived up to several hundred years old, and he was afraid he was making love to a centenarian.
“No, silly, we live just a little longer than humans, that’s all!” she had laughed at him.
Her full name was Indaphirel Despina Eladneriess, and that sounded impressive and stupendous to him. What shocked him the most was that she was not a warrior, neither a knight. She was a historian. But as all elves, she had trained in martial arts in some school. There, she had fallen in love with the dojo’s master, and he with her, despite a certain age difference, and they became engaged. She had not seen him for seven years, and she had kept herself away from other men, until…
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The regret in her eyes when acknowledging her transgression and the adoration in her voice when speaking about her betrothed made Wald wish him dead.
She had come to study human history in Ohst, and her letter of introduction from the Elven University was misinterpreted by the City’s authorities for a diplomatic credential. They received her with honors, and she was too shy to deny them the pleasure of having an important elf guest. That was how she had befriended Alberta, in the high circles. The previous war, when the Coastals had tried to invade the City with soldiers hidden on merchant ships, had caught her there. She took out her bow and helped repel the invaders. It got her a lot of fame.
Then, the elven elders asked her to remain in the City and to send them reports regularly. They had no other means of keeping in touch with the war, and they feared that if Ohst fell, the Coastals would go after the Forest next, just for fun or in search of more slaves. The consensus was that Ohst was to be helped, discreetly, so they helped by spying on the Coastals from the Forest edges and warned the City if there were troops' movements.
Without noticing, years had passed. Alberta married, her husband had been named Governor and left for the Archipelago, and when they followed, the first sword fight of her life took place, on the galleon, the day they’ve met. She had put on the captain’s armor and defended the tower, killing a skilled berserker on her first real fight.
In his eyes, that was a miracle, but for her, not so much. In her head, she had always believed she was a warrior, just because she was an elf and had trained in martial arts. If he’d knew her lack of experience, he would not have taken her on the night raid on the admiral ship. He asked her if it has been hard to assassinate people who were asleep, and she confessed that she almost fainted, but she thought it was her duty. His admiration for her grew. That naïve elf, a history student, caught in the humans’ wars without her will, had become a diplomat, a spy, and a warrior by sheer guts and luck. Her natural abilities, those of her race, had helped, but she had been throw in fire and went out stronger.
In time, they devised a plan, he was to pretend an illness and remain in the City, leaving the Unterboot. She was the one who told Wagnar because they had developed a deep friendship, and he just hugged her without saying any word. Afterward, he said to Wald: “She’s a keeper son, she’s a keeper… The other is nice too, but this one… she has your back covered.”
And then they reached the City. The Town was still in one piece and gave a warm welcome to their fleet. All ships’ crews received two days' leave, including those on the Unterboot. The two lovers went ashore with the rest, and that was the first contact between Wald and Ohst.