"How has your day been?" Luuvia asks, between sips, her voice betraying a genuine interest.
The other elf smiles, a sight, that is still so eerily unfamiliar to me. "It has been an exhausting day. The general requested that I personally oversee the training of the new recruits and I can't stress enough, how terribly untalented these dogs are."
Luuvia clears her throat and Philis hurries to correct himself. "These wolves." It's obvious he doesn't like having to watch his tongue, but he doesn't want to offend the princess. The thought of him being forced to drop some of his high-and-mighty act, makes a shiver of satisfaction slither down my spine. "At this rate it will take months until they are ready for the battlefield. And you know what the situation at the front looks like."
The princess tilts her head, a grave expression settling on her features. "I have had little news of the border. My parents don't wish to worry me with these issues, but I need to know."
Philis hums, finishing his soup and gracefully placing his spoon down. "The Umandu have been pushing further and further into our defenses. So far, we have always managed to fight them off but there is talk that the Vlamu are planning something else. Our troops are wearing thin, and they are in dire need of reinforcements."
The words fall from his lips like a dark magic, the air in the room suddenly feeling so much heavier than before. The news makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight. When Philis talks about the troops being pushed back, he's talking about the wolves. My people. It's the same war my father and brother have fought in and given their lives for.
Silence lingers for a moment, interrupted only by the scurrying of the servants, who pick up the empty dishes and serve the next course. Finally, Luuvia sighs. "The situation is dire. Too many wolves are dying."
Again, she goes, speaking the very thoughts that race in my head. Philis snorts in return. "It isn't the wolves I'm worried about. When they fall, it is our people who are next."
Luuvia shoots him a sharp glance. "No matter the circumstance of their birth or their kind, they are still living creatures, Philis. They are sentient like us. Every death of a sentient being should be mourned, and we can never sacrifice them easily."
Her words resonate within my heart, and I feel that they surprise me. She speaks as though she truly cares about my kind and not only, because we are the means to protect what will one day be her kingdom. Maybe she is less of a slaver than I thought she was, maybe she can truly be more than just an elf to me.
I discard the thought for now and jump into action, when Luuvia tips a fingertip against her empty glass. Quickly, I refill it, bow and then return to my spot behind her chair. Neither of them says anything and it's as though Philis doesn't dare speak up for fear of displeasing the princess.
The rest of the dinner passes at an agonizingly slow pace. From the war, their conversation turns to day-to-day topics and soon I know more about the palace's gossip than I should. Their talks about politics mean little to me and I know none of the multitude of names that are brought up.
My feet are aching and my skin itching, by the time they take their desert and when Luuvia finally excuses herself, I breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
In a second, I am at her side, pulling back her chair, so she can easily stand, and she gives me a little nod of thanks. Philis' eyes narrow, when I glance at him, and his features are pulled into a threatening expression. Clearly, he hates, with how much respect Luuvia treats me and he is warning me not to get used to it.
Luuvia doesn't talk, as we wander back to her beautiful garden. The sun has set, and she doesn't require the parasol anymore. Instead, I follow a few steps after her, allowing my gaze to wander to the sky above me. Stars twinkle and wink, forlorn little lights that look too lonely to be of any comfort to me.
I wonder for a brief moment if my mother is looking up at the very same moon that I can see from here and if she is thinking about me. I miss her and I feel fear for her wellbeing simmer within my heart.
The windows of Luuvia's cabin are illuminated by a gentle glow of candles, when we approach, and the sight is strangely homely. She beckons me inside and I find that the table is set. For a moment I wonder, if the servants weren't aware of her plans, but then she gestures for me to sit.
"I had it prepared for you, Kaesar," she speaks softly, and her eyes reflect the gentle shine of the candlelight. "Sit, eat. You have proven you are a fast learner today. I'm certain you will find no trouble getting used to Eloisia."
I don't answer, don't tell her that I never want to get used to this place and that I don't belong here. Instead, I give her a grateful nod. "Thank you, Luuvia."
She smiles, her lips curling into that very mysterious expression. After watching her and Philis eat, I feel like I am starving, and I dig in without a second of hesitation. Again, I find myself overwhelmed by the number of tastes and spices and it takes a moment for my stomach to stop its rumbling.
In the meantime, Luuvia changes, the wall of vines protecting her from view, but I don't even turn around. Only, once I have eaten my fill, do I look up. I find her sitting on the edge of her bed, her gaze lingering on me. I can't tell what she's thinking; her expression is unreadable to me.
She opens her mouth, as though to say something, but then closes it again. Instead, she smiles again.
For a moment, we remain like that, our eyes locked, each chasing our own thoughts. Then, finally, she waves a hand. "You may go. I will rest for the night."
Obediently, I leave the cabin, finding the same comfortable spot in the soft moss that I occupied the night before. With a muffled groan, I shift back into my birth form, curling up on the ground. Exhaustion washes over me and I can feel the soft moonlight play tricks with the mist surrounding me.
Licking my snout, I think about Luuvia's words at dinner, about the way she protected my kind from Philis' harsh words and insisted that we deserve to live just as much as the elves do. It makes me wonder just how trustworthy she really is.
Maybe she really can become something of an ally to me, or, with time, maybe even a friend.