Elron pushed his way through the crowded city, scowling as he repeatedly bumped into strangers and stepped into something unpleasantly soft. The stench of filth clung to the air, making him want to pinch his nose, but he kept his hands free, knowing he might need them. To make matters worse, an unwelcome companion was right on his heels.

They reached an open square, and Elron turned to Maris, irritation evident in his voice. “Must you follow me everywhere? It’s our day off.”

Maris easily matched his pace, her tone calm. “It is of my own free will that I choose to accompany you today, my Lord.”

Elron collided with someone’s shoulder, sending the man sprawling into the muck. “Ugh, don’t call me that,” he muttered. “It’s just Elric in public.”

Without changing her expression, she replied, “Of course.”

The drunk elf rolled around in muck, seemingly unsure of how he ended up there.

“Let’s get some lunch. I think I’m getting... what do they call it? Hangry.”

Maris smiled. “That sounds delightful, my Lor—Elric.”

They chose a rooftop restaurant with a view of the city. As they ordered their meals, a tension Maris couldn’t quite place hung in the air. She set her drink down and looked at him. “What’s wrong, Elric? Shouldn’t you be enjoying yourself today?”

Elron stirred his drink, watching the liquid swirl. “I’ve been thinking.”

“About?” Maris straightened in her seat, her posture as rigid as ever.

He sighed, resting his hand on his face. “I’ve been focusing so much on getting stronger, yet I feel like they’re are equally important things.”

Maris turned her head at him, her gaze sharp. “I thought you vowed to get stronger for a friend. What could be more important than that?”

“No, no, that’s not it,” he said, waving his hands. “It’s just... I’ve been blind to how messed up this country is. Crime, poverty—everywhere we go, it’s our people who suffer the most.

“Our people?”

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“Elves,” he said flatly. “And the businesses? The shops? Most are run by non-elves.”

His thoughts drifted for a moment.

“Do you dislike the other races?”

“I—” Before he could answer, the waitress appeared with their food, placing plates before them. “Dig in.”

Elron stared at his food, then back at Maris. “Tell me what you think.”

She cut into her rabbit. “I follow the teachings of Ferah, and she teaches us balance.”

He raised an eyebrow, sipping his soup. “Not sure how that answers my question.”

Maris chewed slowly, finishing her bite before responding. “You see inequality, and I agree, it exists. But it doesn’t bother me because I know the balance will shift in time.”

Elron downed the rest of his soup. “That’s... a perspective.”

Her calm certainty was so foreign to him, yet he couldn’t argue against it. She seemed so at peace and certain with what she said. It made him desire such peace in his own thoughts, which as of recently, seemed to rage at him in his sleep.

“Are you ready to go, Maris?” he asked.

They then spent the afternoon wandering the city. Elron gathered supplies and information for their next quest as Maris followed him around. Once satisfied, he obliged Maris and helped her shop for some much-needed items. They had found her old gear in a mine, but it was in poor condition.

“You didn’t need to buy these for me, Elric,” she said, now dressed in well-crafted greens and browns.

He chuckled. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

As they made their way back to the inn, the city’s wisps began to light up, casting an ethereal glow. But as beautiful as the lights were, the shadows lengthened, and the unsavory characters of the night began to emerge from the alleys. Elron wanted no part of it, at least not tonight.

Upstairs in the door way of his room, Elron stopped short. “Wait, what are you doing?” he asked, holding out his arm as Maris entered behind him.

“I’m going to sleep with you,” she said, her face as expressionless as ever.

His eyes darted to the small single bed, his face reddening. “Huh?”

She walked past him, setting her tower shield down with a thud before beginning to remove her armor. “I’ll sleep on the floor, my Lord,” she said, unrolling a sleeping bag.

Elron paled. “Oh, okay...”

She rummaged through her things before pausing, realization dawning on her. “Oh! You thought I wanted to mate with you. Heavens, no.” She shook her head. “No offense, my Lord, but if you’d prefer, I will fetch you a bed maiden—”

“No, no!” he interrupted, his voice rising in alarm. “That’s quite all right, thanks. Let’s just... go to bed.”

After helping Elron out of his armor, Maris settled into her sleeping bag. Elron then crawled into the creaky bed, snapping his fingers to extinguish the room’s wisps. It felt strange, sharing a room with someone. To make matters worse, Maris snored all night.

The next morning, they gathered in a park at the city’s edge. It was odd, meeting in a box of nature amid the urban sprawl. Elves were not ones to build cities, and the idea of a park was almost foreign.