"Can someone please explain to me what is going on here?"
My name is Elron, born and raised in Elgrasia. My father was the head of the apothecary in our town, appointed by the Aceso family. I wanted to be like him, help people, and put a smile on their faces. Before I knew it, I was working at the apothecary too.
One day winter hit hard, and it was even snowing. The snow lasted for a month before completely melting away. Imagine a cold breeze from the sea while the ground is covered in snow; the apothecary became even busier. Merchants from the Adams family arrived in town and provided us with clothes and wood, which we would pay back in installments like a loan. They only extended this help to those who were working and could repay them. Many perished in that harsh winter, and I learned firsthand how cruel the world could be.
My father also took some clothes for us and negotiated a payment plan. Since I was working, I took additional clothes for some of my patients. My debt amounted to around 50 gold coins, which I believed was worth it. My salary was only 50 copper coins since I was still new at work. I didn't intend to be a savior; I simply felt pity for my patients. When my father discovered my debt, he was furious. He himself owed only 9 gold coins and earned 25 silver coins monthly. My mother didn't work regularly; she occasionally worked at the feudal lord's mansion.
Given my father's earnings of 25 silver coins per month, he paid back 20 silver coins monthly to the merchants, taking him 45 months to settle his debt completely. In contrast, I could only afford to pay 40 copper coins monthly, which meant I would have been paying off my debt for the rest of my life. Fortunately, after my father cleared his debt, he helped me pay off mine as well. It still took over 20 years to finally clear it. There were times when we ran out of food before payday, and I felt ashamed, thinking it was all my fault. Yet, my father, a kind-hearted man, never blamed me.
After finally paying off my debt, my father recommended me to an apothecary in the capital. I felt he was subtly nudging me out. I spent 10 years there, gaining valuable experience working directly with the Aceso family. It was during this time that I had the opportunity to work closely with the eldest daughter of the Aceso family. She was not only beautiful but also possessed a gentle voice and showed kindness to everyone, despite my being a forest elf. I fell in love with her deeply, dreaming of her daily. However, I never confessed my feelings, knowing my place as a forest elf. The prospect of a high elf marrying someone like me seemed impossible.
There were rare instances where high elves married forest or dark elves, but it often resulted in them being ostracized from their families. In some cases, if the child had golden hair, they might remain in the family with their mother, but relations with the father usually ended tragically. Such risks prevented sane individuals from pursuing such relationships, fearing it could lead to their demise.
Time passed, and she eventually stopped coming to work. Later, I learned she had been blessed with twin daughters. I was both happy for her and heartbroken. Upon returning home, I went straight to bed, overcome with sorrow. I took a few days off work and decided to leave the capital. Learning that the apothecary in Eldorado needed staff, I requested a transfer there. Arriving in Eldorado, I saw it as a fresh start. Despite the higher cost of living, I found joy in my new surroundings.
Monthly, I treated a frail dark elf woman with a weakened constitution and blocked magic pathways, a condition often found in children born between dark elves and forest elves, or between forest elves and high elves, or even dark elves and high elves. I was stunned to learn that both her parents were dark elves. Even after successfully treating her and curing her ailment, she continued to visit, having developed a friendship that helped me forget my unrequited love.
Our relationship blossomed, and I eventually proposed to her. We married, and I decided to purchase the house we had been renting, providing a stable home for us. My wife found work as a nanny at the feudal lord's mansion, further stabilizing our finances. When she became pregnant, she gave birth to a smart and handsome boy whom we named Elfan. Knowing the harsh realities of the world, I raised him with strictness from a young age.
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Following in my footsteps, my son worked alongside me at the apothecary. I felt immense pride in him, thinking perhaps he shared my desire to help others. However, one day he announced he was leaving to work in the mines. Though I objected, my wife convinced me to let him pursue his path, believing he needed the freedom to explore. I feared she was spoiling him, a concern that deepened when he returned two years later speaking of grand dreams to explore the country. I hoped his experiences would temper his youthful ambitions with a sense of responsibility.
Over 30 years passed without his return, causing me increasing worry. During this time, my wife gave birth to a beautiful daughter whom we named Emma. Just days after Emma's birth, I received a summons from the Adams family, obliging me to leave my duties and travel to the capital. The journey took 30 days due to the distance. I suspected they sought a return favor for the aid they provided during Elgrasia's harsh winter. Upon arrival, I was briefed on the situation: to assist their healers in treating workers injured by bandits who plagued their operations. I learned of the impending conflict with the Eclipse family, a prospect that terrified me as I had never experienced battle. The potential bloodshed and costs involved were daunting, especially since the Aceso family chose not to intervene. Despite my concerns, thoughts of the beautiful daughter of the Aceso family occasionally surfaced, reminding me of paths not taken. Yet, I had a family now, and I had to focus on them.
One day, I was summoned to meet with the head of the Adams family. Accompanied by two warriors to their main estate, I entered a room where a petite woman with beautiful golden hair sat behind a desk. She bore a striking resemblance to my wife's mother. Beside her sat a striking woman with a commanding presence, introduced only as Elmacia, who remained silent throughout the meeting. To my surprise, I was informed I would be returning home the next day. Confused and fearing I had erred, I received three months' salary and a bonus. When I inquired about the reason for my dismissal, I was told they had found healers experienced in battlefield medicine, apologizing for wasting my time. It was unprecedented for a high elf to apologize to me, leaving me bewildered. I thanked them and hastily left, stealing one last glance at Elmacia, wondering if she was related to the Adams family. Her lingering gaze unnerved me, urging me to leave the capital before I risked any further misunderstandings.
Returning home, I hurried to buy gifts for my family, hoping my son had returned and had an explanation for his absence. He had vanished to the capital a month earlier, compounding my worries with news of impending conflict. Days later, I received a baffling letter that I shared with my wife. It revealed my son's intention to marry the eldest daughter of the Aceso family. Stunned, we exchanged silent glances, contemplating the implications of a dark elf marrying into such a prestigious high elf family. If only I had been more courageous in my youth, perhaps my own life would have taken a different turn. We resolved to await his return and explanation, holding onto hope despite the uncertainty. Looking at Emma, I silently wished for her to mature quickly and look after her brother, who seemed to have lost his way.
Four days later, another letter arrived, prompting me to take decisive action. I informed my workplace of my need for an extended leave, intending to journey to the capital and retrieve my son. He claimed he was destined to become king, a notion that baffled and worried me. If he was marrying into the Aceso family, why was he aspiring to kingship? I could read between the lines; he mentioned the Aceso family, not the Elzaran. Could a dark elf truly aspire to kingship? Discussing the matter with my wife, we decided I would depart in five days with the arriving merchants, choosing safety in numbers. Yet fate intervened when the merchants arrived, sharing news not of war between the Adams and Eclipse families but rather of a dark elf marrying into a high elf family. Even the elders sanctioned the marriage, leaving me stunned by the coincidence. Learning it involved the Aceso family, I rushed home to share the revelation with my wife, abandoning my plans to leave.
Days later, a knock at the door brought soldiers to our threshold, filling me with dread. Racing to protect my wife and Emma, I prepared for the worst. As minutes passed without incident, my wife anxiously questioned the soldiers' purpose. Bracing myself, I opened the door to find them kneeling before a man of golden hair and formidable stature. Introducing himself as Elton Vermilion of the royal army, he explained he had been dispatched to safeguard the family of his majesty. His majesty? I gestured for the soldiers to rise, inviting Elton inside where he clarified everything for my wife and me.
Following the queen's death, her grief-stricken daughter, the princess, had soon followed. The elders had chosen the Aceso family to rule, prompting Elton's arrival with a contingent of a thousand soldiers.