Elven Territory

Enora was in front of a food stall as the male elf handed her a large brown paper bag, she passed him half a dozen silver coins and said. “Here, for the excess payment let me pay for the next customer.” She took off as the elf behind the stall scratched the side of his head in confusion. Enora let out a soft sigh and thought. I always knew the others were scared of me… She walked down the cobblestone pavement while holding the brown paper bag with one hand. Enora continued her train of thought. I just didn’t expect it to be on this scale…

From the corner of her eyes, she saw elves intentionally taking the long way around her while making sure to avoid eye contact. Enora made her way to the center of the town by the fountain as a couple groups of elves stood up from it and walked away. She sat on the edge of it and placed the paper bag beside her, Enora opened the bag and took out a burger that was wrapped in tissue paper. Enora unwrapped half of it and took a bite, she thought. The first one is tofu.

While chewing she looked around her surroundings as elves of all ages gathered everywhere by the stalls waiting in line. Enora thought. At least it’s gotten better over the past few days. She took another bite of the tofu burger she was holding while the corner of her eye she saw a figure from the corner of her eye. A young elf girl with sunflower color hair that slightly went past her shoulders, she wore a simple green dress with the sleeves rolled up past her elbows. The young elf pointed at Enora and said. “The pretty sister is back here again!”

Enora turned her head at the young elf and said. “Hello again little one.” The young elf energetically waved her arms around, she said. “Pretty sister I already told you my name isn’t little one! It’s Eril!” All the elves had a hint of worry on their expression as they watched the two of them from the corner of their eye. Enora let out a small chuckle and said. “Fine, fine… Hello Eril.” She reached into the brown paper bag and pulled out a burger, she continued. “Want one?” Eril smiled at her and said. “Thank you!”

She happily took the burger off her hands and sat next to her, while Eril was unwrapping the burger Enora said. “Where’s your mother?” Eril took the wrapper of the burger completely off and said. “Mama’s looking around for vegetables and some fish.” She placed the wrapper beside her and took a big bite of the burger as her expression turned happy. Enora raised a brow and said. “Vegetable and fish soup for dinner?” Her expression had a hint of oddness to it while Eril gulped down the contents of her mouth, she said. “Yeah! Mama is making vegetable soup with fish meatballs tonight, and I’m gonna help cook.”

Enora took a bite of her tofu burger and thought. … Vegetable soup with fish meatballs does sound good… Moranor appeared sitting with some strings of lighting traveling around her as she sat on the side where Enora placed the paper bag, with the glow in her pupils slowly fading she said. “Thanks for the treat.” Her hand had faint strings of lightning around it as she took out a burger wrapped in tissue paper while Eril waved her hand at her and said. “It’s shiny sister!” Moranor was in the middle of taking a bite of the burger as she almost spat it out from her mouth while Enora was watching as she let out a laugh.

Moranor glanced at the young elf from the corner of her eye, she swallowed and said. “And it’s nice to meet you again short one.” Eril’s eyes widened as she leaned forward while sitting and pointed at Moranor. Eril said. “My name is-!” Moranor nodded as she interrupted her and said. “Yes, yes I know. Hi Eril.” She poked the young elf’s nose as Eril cutely frowned at the gesture as she let out a hmph and took another bite of the burger she was holding. Enora picked up the wrapper Eril took off the burger she was holding and placed it inside the paper bag.

Moranor let out a soft chuckle, she said. “You’ve been visiting the market a lot these days Nora.” Enora rolled her eyes and said. “Did mom tell you to come guard me again?” Eril was in the middle of chewing as she watched the two older elves talk with a cheerful expression. Moranor shook her head as she looked at their surroundings and said. “Nope, I already finished my training and had someone do the report for today. I figured I’d meet you here and mooch off some food while at it.”

Eril took another bite of her burger as some red sauce got on the corner of her mouth while Enora glanced at Moranor using the corner of her eye. Enora said. “I still don’t remember giving you permission to take a burger.” Moranor swallowed as she spoke in a lazy tone and said. “And I don’t remember asking for permission in the first place.” She took another bite of the burger in her hands while Enora took out a silk handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the red sauce off the young elf’s mouth.

Eril stared at the two elves for a few seconds and said. “You two sisters sure are close.” She took another big bite of the burger while Enora and Moranor simultaneously turned their heads toward her and spoke at the same time. They said. “We are not close.” Eril chewed for a couple of seconds before nodding, she said. “Sure.” As she went back to eating while Moranor let out a relaxed sigh and said. “Seeing that panicked elf rushing to report to me was something to remember.” Enora deeply inhaled, she said. “I even do anything.”

Moranor chuckled as she used the burger she was holding to point at all the elves in front of her, she said. “Yet you had most of the elves backing in fear.” Enora rigidly turned her head to the side and said. “It wasn’t that bad…” Eril finished off the burger she was holding as she leaned forward and placed one of her hands inside the brown paper bag. Moranor let out a laugh that made a few elves turn their heads toward the sound, she said. “The one who told me was a subordinate who had a day off.” Her eyes had slightly watered from laughing as she gently rubbed them using the back of her index finger.

Eril took a burger out from the bag as she took off the wrapping the placed it beside her. Enora picked up the wrapping Eril placed down and placed it inside the paper bag, Enora said. “That was just him being over dramatic.” Moranor pointed at the young elf and said. “Her mother nearly had a panic attack from approaching you.” Eril looked around the area while enjoying her second burger. Enora started to lightly scratch the surface of the fountain, she said. “... When did my reputation get this low?...”

Moranor was chewing with her mouth closed as she swallowed and said. “You know full well how it got here in the first place… When Barrel started joining you at your little pranks.” Enora slowly inhaled and exhaled while Eril's expression had a hint of confusion, she said. “Who’s Barrel?” Moranor feign ignorance and said. “I’m sorry did I say Barrel? I meant Valen.” Eril cutely tilted her head sideways while holding the burger using both her hands, she said. “... Who’s Valen?” Moranor slightly ruffled the young elf's hair which made her pout, she said. “He’s… Well was the last bloodline of the Flanont.”

Enora used her silk handkerchief to wipe her lips clean as she pocketed it and said. “These days, do they still teach what happened to Eledan Flanont?” Eril nodded her head repeatedly, she said. “They do, I didn’t understand it. But the teacher said he was a prime example of a genius falling into debauchery?” Eril put on her best puppy dog face as she looked up to the two older elves and continued. “Sisters every time I asked my teacher and mama they never told me what debauchery was. Will you tell me?”

Moranor and Enora glanced at each other from the corner of their eye as both of them had awkward expressions on their faces. Enora faked a cough while Moranor had a wry smile on her face, she said. “Y-You’ll find you when you’re older.” The young elf puffed her cheeks in frustration and said. “That’s what Mama and the teacher always told me!” She took another big bite of her burger while the two elves let out a sigh of relief.

Moranor glanced at what was left of the burger in her hands, she said. “Twelve years ago when your most diabolical prank was freezing an empty house with ice magic… When Valen started hanging around you…” Enora crumpled the wrapper for her burger as she placed it in the paper bag and said. “Me freezing an entire house wasn’t that bad.” Moranor finished off her burger as she extended her index finger gesturing for her to wait a moment, she swallowed and said. “The elf who owned the house needed to wait two years for the ice to thaw out…”

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Enora had a faint blush on her cheeks, she softly said. “... He could’ve used magic to thaw it…” Moranor placed her used wrapper in the paper bag as she raised a brow at her and said. “Nora… Are you really going to hope that I forgot that you’re the one who disallowed him to use magic to thaw his own house?” The faint blush on Enora’s cheeks became slightly more visible while Eril pulled on Moranor’s green military dress outfit which got her attention. Eril said. “Sister, I’m thirsty.” After she said those words an elf slowly made her way while wearing a plain white apron and holding a wooden tray that had six tall wooden cups.

The female elf slowly came to a halt as she needed to take a few more steps closer to them, she was rooted in place as she tried to muster up the courage. The female elf gulped as she tried to hide the fact she was slightly shivering, Eril's eyes sparkled as she held out both her hands with one of them holding onto a burger. She said. “Sister, thank you.” The young elf had an excited expression on her face which calmed the female elf. The elf took a deep breath as she made her way to them and showed them the six tall cups, she said. “Three cups of water and a cup of, blueberry, strawberry, and pineapple juice.”

The female elf passed a cup of water to Enora, Moranor, and Eril as she continued. “I don’t know which of these are yours.” As she forced out a laugh while Eril placed her cup of water beside her and said. “The pineapple juice is mine.” Eril took her cup of juice while Moranor did the same, she said. “Mine is blueberry.” The female elf stared at the strawberry juice on her tray as she grabbed it and passed the cup to Enora. The elf said. “Then it would mean this is for you, young majesty.”

Enora took the cup off the elf’s hands and said. “Thank you.” As she took a sip of it, the female elf let out a sigh as she continued. “Please make sure to return the cups for us, thank you.” She gave them a slight bow as she went back to her stall. The female elf sat on a wooden chair as an older male elf poured juice into six cups simultaneously using magic as the single stream coming from the pitcher split into six.

The male elf said. “See, nothing bad happened.” The female elf let out a long exhale as the elves in line took their order and paid the elf behind the stall. The female elf nodded and said. “With all those rumors about her, you can’t blame me for hesitating.” The male elf let out a hearty laugh as the next elf in line gave his order as he opened a cabinet revealing ten pitchers inside that were kept cool by a formation on all the walls. The elf said. “Hesitate? You were trembling in fear.”

He took out a couple of pitchers and placed them on top of the stall while the female elf stared at Moranor, Enora, and Eril sitting on the fountain. She said. “... Young majesty is nowhere near as bad as the rumors…” The male elf used magic to split the stream of the pitcher into two as he poured juice into two cups, he said. “That’s because Valen was responsible for most of them for the past twelve years.” The female’s expression turned odd, she said. “Valen? The same one from that dead bloodline?”

The male elf nodded as he placed the pitcher to the side next to the others while the female elf continued. “Didn’t the queen have some of her people post up parchment that he died from a hunting accident?” The male elf said. “Oh, I believe he’s dead, but not from a hunting accident.” He thought. Especially since he was slowly abusing young majesty's position over the years. The female elf’s brows furrowed, she said. “What do you-.” Before she could finish a female elf walked toward her that was holding onto a small piece of parchment that was torn off with some writing on it.

She said. “Boss, three pineapple, and two cranberry.”

…

Eril gently poked the side of Moranor’s stomach a couple of times and said. “Shiny sister, can you teach me how to have those white lines traveling around me?” Moranor shook her head sideways, she said. “Nope.” Eril started pulling on Moranor’s clothes. Eril said. “You haven’t even tried yet!” Moranor ignored the young elf as she took a bite of her burger in her hands while Eril puffed her cheeks out and pouted at her. Eril moved on to Enora as she poked her forearm a couple of times and said. “Pretty sister, can you teach me how to use frozen water then?”

Moranor was about to take a bite of her burger as she suddenly covered her mouth using her hand, she let out a stifled laugh and said. “Frozen water.” Her entire upper body shuddered while Enora tried her best to maintain a neutral expression, she said. “No, I can’t teach you how to use…” She let out a sigh and continued. “... Frozen… Water…” The volume of Moranor’s laughter slightly increased as she repeatedly slapped the fountain wall. Enora let out a stressed sigh as she placed what was left of her burger along with the wrapper on her lap and started massaging the temples of her head.

Eril’s eyes suddenly widened, she said. “I got it, you two are scared that I’ll be better at magic than both of you.” Moranor wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, she said. “My sides hurt.” Enora’s

expression turned soft as she patted the top of the young elf’s head and said. “Yeah, that’s exactly the reason why.” She picked up the burger she placed on her lap and finished it off while Moranor pinched the young elf’s cheek and said. “Couldn’t agree more, the two of us just want to show off for a little while longer before you outshine everyone.”

Eril’s eyes sparkled, she moved her gaze onto her burger she was holding and whispered. “I knew it.” Enora and Moranor smiled at the young elf. Enora placed the wrapper in the paper bag and took out another one while Eril took a bite of her burger while looking up at the two elves. Eril said. “Sisters… Do either of you two have someone you like?”

Moranor had a faint blush on her cheeks as she turned her head to the side, she said. “... No…” Enora’s expression turned stiff as her cheeks slowly turned red, she said. “... No one comes to mind…” Eril’s eyes sparkled as bright as stars as her mouth turned mischievous, she said. “Who is-.” Before she could continue the young elf heard a familiar voice from the crowd, she heard. “Eril, I bought everything we need so let’s go home.” An older female elf wearing a simple green dress made her way toward them as she had a hint of wrinkles on the corner of her eyes.

Eril stood up from the fountain wall and said. “Mama!” She ran up to her mother and hugged her with both arms while the female elf moved her gaze onto Moranor and Enora. The elf said. “Thank you for looking after my daughter. Young majesty, Lady Moranor.” She gave them a slight bow while Enora waved her hand and said. “It’s fine, she’s nice company.” Moranor smiled at the older elf, she said. “I had fun chatting with the short one.” Eril pouted at being called short as she placed her left hand on her hip and pointed at them using the burger in her hands.

Eril said. “I’m not short, I’m already a teenager!” Enora smiled at the young elf while Moranor let out a chuckle and said. “Last time I checked teenagers were ages sixty-five to seventy. Yesterday you told us you were thirty.” Eril stuck out her tongue at them as she grabbed her mother by the hand and said. “I don’t need to hear that from you two oldies.” Eril started dragging her mother away who gave the two elves an apologetic smile. Enora and Moranor watched the young elf drag her mother away as the two of them heard Eril’s voice. Eril said. “Sisters, you two promised to tell me who you like next time we meet.”

The two elves blushed as Eril quickly dragged her mother away as Moranor finished off her burger while Enora pretended to look at the sky. Moranor casually threw the crumpled-up wrapper at the paper bag as it went inside, she took out another one and said. “Not going home yet?” The blush on Enora’s face slowly subsided, she said. “Nope, gave what was left of my work to someone else.” Moranor unwrapped her burger and said. “Ah yes, the sign of a true ruler, giving your work to someone else.” She let out a chuckle as she took a bite of the burger.

Moranor thought. A fish patty this time. Enora took out her silk handkerchief from her pocket, she said. “My mother does it all the time, why can’t I?” Moranor rolled her eyes as she swallowed and said. “That’s because Elora hands her unfinished work to people that has the ability to finish them.” Enora glanced at the burger at elves hands, she said. “What’d you get?” Moranor showed her the area where she took a bite and said. “Fish patty, don’t know what kind.” She stared at the steam coming out of the patty, Moranor continued. “Then what do you plan on doing for the day?”

Enora shook her head sideways as she let out a sharp sigh and said. “Nothing much… Just gonna sit here while eating until sunset.” She moved some hair behind her ear, Enora continued. “You?” She took a bite of her burger while Moranor thought for a moment and said. “Might as well spend some time with you.” Enora swallowed as she let out a chuckle and said. “You’re just here for the free food.” Moranor kept a straight face, she said. “What a way to ruin the moment.” The corner of Enora’s lips curled into a smirk, she said. “Thank you.” The two elves sat on the fountain wall in peace as they enjoyed their food while watching the peaceful lives of their fellow elves.

~7 Hours Later~

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Ketsueki’s Apartment

Reiki was setting up the table while Sachi, Namida, and Shiro were sitting by the couch. Ketsueki came down from the stairway as she saw her little brother preparing dinner, she said. “Reiki almost done?” He placed down the last plate along with a pair of dark wooden chopsticks, a metal spoon, and a glass cup. Reiki said. “Rice is done, food is still warm by the stove and oven. Lastly, the two cakes should be ready to eat after dinner.” Ketsueki nodded at him and said. “Alright, you bring the food on the table and I'll get these kids to wash their hands.”

Reiki made his way to the kitchen as he lazily waved at her and said. “Yes, yes.” Ketsueki made her way to the living room as she smacked the back of Namida’s head. Ketsueki said. “Hey, my boy has been cooking for the past seven hours. At least prepare the pitcher.” Namida was holding onto a grilled onigiri that had a strong fragrance of miso and butter, she said. “What kind of house makes their guests do chores?” She stood up from the couch and made her way near the fridge while Sachi was relaxing on the armchair on the side.

She picked up a piece of mochi on her plate and said. “We’re supposed to be guests?” Ketsueki’s pupils faintly glowed a blinding light, she said. “You’re helping too Sachi.” Sachi took a bite of her mochi revealing vanilla ice cream inside and dark chocolate as the mochi cake had a slight stretch to it, she nodded and stood up from the armchair. Ketsueki moved her gaze onto Shiro who was chewing while holding onto a dorayaki. Ketsueki said. “Shiro, make sure to wash your hands before dinner, okay?” Shiro nodded at her older sister and took another bite of the dorayaki in her hands.