Beneath the Armour: An Elven Desire

Chapter 9

Morning came too quickly, and with it, the responsibilities of the day. Fay met Drax in the common room, her eyes bright from her late night activities and sound sleep. Drax, ever the perceptive one, noticed immediately.

"You look different. You enjoying the luxury of a warm bed?" he gave a laugh.

Fay nodded, feeling a blush work its way onto her cheeks. She managed a weak smile. "You could say that."

Drax let out another rumble laugh, clapping a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll take it easy today. There's a lovely market square I think you'll enjoy."

As Fay set out to explore the town, her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. The cobblestone streets under her feet felt foreign, each step a reminder that she was far from home. Yet, amidst the unfamiliarity, her thoughts constantly drifted back to the inn. She couldn't help but steal glances over her shoulder, hoping to catch another glimpse of Drake, the mysterious and comforting presence she had grown attached to. Her heart ached with longing, an unspoken bond pulling her toward him. She wondered if she should confide in him about her actions, her face heating at the thought of revealing her secrets.

Sighing deeply, Fay shook her head and forced herself to focus on the human town surrounding her. The bustling market stalls and vibrant chatter of townsfolk were a stark contrast to the serene forests she once called home. She reached up and touched her makeshift headband, ensuring her pointed ears remained covered. The disguise was necessary, but it made her feel even more like an outsider.

Drax noticed her distraction and gently nudged her. "Come on, Fay. There's something I want to show you," he said with a reassuring smile. His presence was a grounding force, his quiet strength a balm to her restless spirit. Fay offered Drax a smile. There weird relationship had developed over time, but sometimes she wasn't sure if he was just following Drake's orders.

They walked through winding streets until they reached a small but beautiful pond area hidden behind a grove of weeping willows. The water sparkled under the mid-morning sun, and the air was filled with the soft hum of dragonflies and the croaking of frogs. Fay felt a sense of peace wash over her as she took in the tranquil scene.

"It's lovely," she whispered, her eyes reflecting the shimmering water. Drax nodded, pleased to see her relax. "Thought this might remind you of the forest".

As they admired the pond, two little boys approached them. Their clothes were tattered, and their faces smudged with dirt, but their eyes sparkled with mischief and excitement. "Hey, miss, wanna see a magic trick?" one of them asked, his voice filled with innocent enthusiasm.

Fay's curiosity was piqued, and she nodded with a warm smile. "Sure, show me what you've got."

The boys exchanged a quick glance before the taller one produced a small, worn-out deck of cards from his pocket. "Watch closely," he said, shuffling the cards with surprising dexterity. He fanned them out, showing Fay that they were all different. "Pick a card, any card."

Fay selected a card, the Jack of Hearts, and held it up for them to see. The boy nodded and took it back, shuffling it into the deck with a flourish. He then closed his eyes, muttering a few words under his breath. When he opened them again, he spread the deck out on the ground, face down.

"Now, tap one," he instructed. Fay hesitated, then tapped a card. The boy flipped it over, revealing the Jack of Hearts. Fay's eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"That's incredible!" she exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

The boys grinned, clearly pleased with her reaction. "Magic," the taller one said with a wink. As the boy recollected his cards Fay lent in close to Drax's ear, "I didnt know humans held magical abilities too?" Drax let out a burst of laughter. "We don't. That was just a trick of the hands and mind." Fay frowned not quite understanding what he ment. But Fay quickly let it go as the boy prepared to do another trick. Unbeknownst to Fay, while the boys entertained her, the shorter one subtly slipped his hand into her pouch, extracting a few coins. The theft was quick and practiced, a testament to their survival skills in the harsh streets.

As the boys prepared to leave, Drax's keen eyes caught the glint of stolen coins in the boy's hand. His expression darkened, and he stepped forward, his hand shooting out to grab the boy by the arm. "Not so fast," he growled, lifting the child off the ground with ease.

The boy squirmed, his face a mask of fear and defiance. "Let me go!" he yelled, but Drax's grip was unyielding.

Fay began to panicked, "Drax what are you doing?" But she was cut off. "Return what you stole," Drax demanded, his voice cold and commanding. The other boy watched in horror, frozen in place.

With a reluctant sigh, the boy reached into his pocket and produced the coins, handing them back to Fay. Drax dropped the boy unceremoniously on his backside, his eyes still blazing with anger.

"You should be ashamed," Drax said, his voice low but filled with fury. "Stealing from someone who showed you kindness."

The boys, now humbled and frightened, muttered apologies before scurrying away, disappearing into the labyrinth of the town's alleys. Fay watched them go. "Even human children are deceptive? How could someone so young act that way? Can I not trust any of your kind?" Fay whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief. The innocence of the boys' trick had left her feeling betrayed and confused.

Drax let out a low, weary groan. "First, you should never trust anyone completely, Fay. Not humans, not elves, not anyone. Second, look at their clothes. They obviously aren't well cared for. To survive, they must do what they have to do. They had some guts to try that on us." He shook his head, a mix of frustration and grudging respect in his eyes.

"But you trust Drake," Fay pushed, her voice tinged with desperation. She needed to understand the nuances of trust in this strange world.

Drax shook his head again and let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, Elf, that's different. He's my Commander. We're meant to trust him. It's a bond forged in battle and loyalty."

Fay continued to frown at him, her brow furrowed in thought. The complexities of human relationships were baffling to her, layered with experiences and expectations she had yet to grasp.

"You'll figure it out one day," Drax said gently, seeing her struggle. "Come on, don't let those little rats get to you. I was instructed to keep you busy and out of trouble, so let's move." He beckoned her forward with a reassuring smile.

Fay followed behind, her mind churning with thoughts. Humans! They were impossible. So full of contradictions, yet undeniably fascinating. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever truly understand them, or if she was destined to always feel like an outsider in their world.

As they strolled through the bustling town, Fay tried to absorb every detail—the way the townsfolk interacted, the smells of fresh bread and spices from the market, the laughter and shouts that filled the air. She marveled at the resilience and ingenuity of the people, even as she remained wary of their intentions.

As Fay and Drax strolled through the bustling town, they eventually came upon a quaint square where a street performer was captivating an audience with his acrobatic feats. Fay's eyes widened in surprise as she realized the performer was an Elf. The Elf leaped and twirled with an elegance and grace that spoke of his heritage, but it was the collar around his neck that caught her attention. Her gaze shifted to a man sitting boredly on a nearby wall, clearly the Elf's owner, trying to earn some coin from his captive's talents.

Fay growled inwardly, her fists clenching at her sides. Why would they stay and allow this? Why not run and return to the forest? It wasn't as luxurious as this, but it was their way of living.

Drax clapped every now and again at some of the flips, trying to blend in with the crowd. Fay surveyed the audience, her eyes stopping on a familiar face—Leaf. He was watching her intently, and she didn't break eye contact. She knew she had made herself stand out to Katrina, but she didn't expect to have someone sent to follow and watch her. Leaf gave a shy smile and tilted his head to the side.

Fay surveyed him critically. In the forest, she might have found him attractive, but knowing what he did now and having met Drake, she found Leaf rather plain. Drax noticed Fay tense beside him. He casually surveyed the area and a frown formed once he spotted Leaf. They were being watched. He smirked to himself, finding the situation almost humorous. This place was wacky. He could understand why Fay was so on edge when even he and Drake were uncomfortable with their ways. But to send someone to watch them was laughable.

Drax slowly disappeared into the crowd, his years of training coming into practice. He stealthily approached Leaf, pulling a knife from his waist and pressing the blade against the Elf's spine. "What do you think you're doing?" Drax growled lowly, "I don't tolerate spies."

Leaf tensed and gasped in surprise, his eyes meeting Fay's wide-eyed gaze. Drax jerked his head to the left, signaling Fay. Once he was sure she understood, he turned his attention back to the spy. "Come on, we have a few questions to ask you."

Leaf followed Drax's instructions as they worked their way through alleys to a secluded, run-down building that appeared to be a victim of a fire. Drax harshly threw Leaf to the ground. He landed on his stomach with a loud thud, followed by a low groan of pain.

"What do you think you are doing? Sneaking around? Does Katrina want some information?" Drax demanded darkly.

Fay stood a distance away in the doorway of the ruined house, her face a mask of controlled emotion. Her heart wanted her to stop Drax's interrogation only because Leaf was an Elf, a kin to her.

Leaf slowly rolled onto his bottom, sitting up. Blood trailed from his nose as he glared at Drax. "Nothing. Katrina thinks I'm at the club dancing for patrons. I was simply interested in the new arrivals," Leaf snarled back.

"Interested, hmm? In what exactly?" Drax continued, standing menacingly over Leaf.

"Her," Leaf nodded towards Fay. Fay's heart began to hammer, but she remained unmoving, emotionless.

Drax smirked darkly at Leaf. "Lucky you, Fay. You have an admirer. Find her pretty, do you?"

Leaf's face flushed at the remark. "And what? You expect her to want to what? f**k you? News flash, she's not like you," Drax taunted darkly.

Leaf's eyes cast to the ground before glaring back at Drax. "She's not like you either," he spat.

Drax grinned down at him, squatting to Leaf's height. "And how would you know what she's like, what any of us are like?" Drax whispered smugly. "Last I checked, you're just a s*x object to Katrina. Nothing more, nothing less. Once a better-looking Elf comes her way, you'll be sold off to the next highest bidder."

Leaf's face paled a tad, and he swallowed hard. "No, Katrina wouldn't do that. I won't allow it," Leaf growled back.

"What, you that good of a f**k, are you?" Drax continued to taunt.

"Maybe I am just that good," Leaf smirked back.

Drax laughed before backhanding Leaf across the face. Leaf's body flew sideways, crashing along the ground. Fay jumped but again remained watching.

"Listen here, Elf. I would suggest you keep your eyes on your master and away from us. Fay is already spoken for. And you, well, no one wants used goods." Drax dusted his hands and turned to walk towards Fay. He was impressed by her control of her emotions.

He had silently praised Fay's composure, a sign that she had learned much during her time with them. However, the moment of calm was fleeting. As Drax turned to walk towards Fay, he heard the rapid footsteps and felt the rush of movement behind him. Instinctively, he braced himself, ready to strike. But he didn't expect Leaf to have a knife.

With a swift, desperate move, Leaf lunged at Drax. Drax caught his hand mid-punch, but the knife was already poised to strike. "Nice try, but not good enough," Drax taunted as he pinned Leaf against the wall, lifting him off the ground. His other hand clamped around Leaf's throat, squeezing hard.

"I'll be reporting this to your master. Attacking a soldier and a guest is punishable by death. We'll see how Katrina handles this," Drax whispered venomously. Leaf struggled to breathe, thrashing in Drax's hold. He paused briefly at Drax's remark, his eyes hardening with a croaked smirk forming on his face.

Leaf gargled something unintelligible before plunging the knife into Drax's side. Drax's eyes widened in shock and pain as he stumbled backward, releasing his grip on Leaf, who fell to the ground gasping for breath.

Fay's heart raced as she watched the scene unfold. Without thinking, she rushed to Drax's side, her instincts screaming at her to help him. "Drax!" she cried, her hands trembling as she reached for him.

Drax gritted his teeth against the pain, his face pale but determined. "I'm... fine," he managed to say, though his voice was strained. "Just a scratch."

Leaf, still on the ground, seized the opportunity to scramble to his feet. His eyes were wild with fear and desperation as he looked between Drax and Fay. He knew he had crossed a line, and there was no turning back now.

"Stay back, Fay," Drax warned, his voice a low growl. He was struggling to stand, blood seeping through his clothes. "This isn't over."

Before Leaf could make another move, Fay stepped forward, her eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and pity. "Why, Leaf? Why would you do this?" she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion.

Leaf's gaze flickered to hers for a moment, a flicker of regret passing over his face. "If he dies he cant tell anyone of what has happened. I wont allow you to wreck my life. I can't go back to the cells. I won't subject myself to the training again" he confessed, his voice breaking.

Fay's heart ached for him, but she knew that his actions had consequences. "There are other ways, Leaf. You don't have to resort to violence," she said softly, trying to reach him.

Drax, using the wall for support, managed to stand upright. His eyes were cold and unforgiving as he looked at Leaf. "Your choices have led you here," he said, his voice low and menacing. "And now, you'll face the consequences."

Leaf's face twisted with a mix of fear and defiance. He knew there was no escape now. "Why not just leave, Leaf? Why did you stay?" Fay whispered, her voice a mix of confusion and sorrow.

"Leave? And live in the forest? Are you mad? Why would I do something like that? I won't live like an animal again," Leaf snarled, his eyes blazing with contempt.

Fay couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her kin, choosing the chains of slavery over the freedom of the forest? The thought was incomprehensible to her. Before she could process it further, Leaf lunged at Drax again. Drax shoved Fay out of the way and narrowly dodged the knife. He quickly sidestepped and delivered a powerful punch to Leaf's shoulder, sending him crashing into a wall with a loud cry. Leaf quickly steadied himself and circled toward Drax again, his movements fueled by desperation and rage.

Fay could see Drax slowing. The knife wound was taking its toll on him, and she knew he couldn't keep this up much longer. As Leaf lunged again, just skimming Drax's arm, Fay's adrenaline kicked in. She grabbed the small knife strapped to the back of her calf and picked up a decent-sized piece of rubble from the ground. She approached Leaf quietly, her heart pounding in her ears. Leaf was consumed with the intent to kill Drax, oblivious to her presence.

When Drax suddenly stumbled and crashed to his knees, Fay knew her moment had come. With Leaf focused entirely on his victory stab, Fay easily approached and smashed the rubble as hard as she could against the top, side of his head. The rubble broke in her hand, and she quickly punched Leaf in the side of the face, unaware that she had already knocked him out. Leaf's eyes rolled into the back of his skull from the impact, his body going limp as he dropped to the ground.

Fay stood there, breathing hard, her eyes darting to a surprised Drax. She quickly pocketed her knife and ran to Drax, shoving his hands out of the way and lifting his shirt to see the wound. It was deep, as she had expected.

"It's just a scratch," Drax whispered, trying to downplay the severity of his injury.

Ignoring him, Fay slapped his hands away and placed her hand firmly onto the wound, blood streaming out and coating her hand. "And I'm a human," she bit back aggressively, her voice tinged with urgency and frustration. She closed her eyes, using the last bit of adrenaline to focus her magic on healing. She felt the tingling sensation as her magic flowed into Drax's wound, mending it. Her head began to cloud over, and she felt a trickle of blood running down her nose as she exerted herself. As she felt the wound close over, her vision faded, and she passed out.

Drax stared at the slumped female Elf awkwardly laying on him. He leaned back slightly, looking at his stomach, which was now pain-free and completely healed. He had always tolerated Fay for Drake's sake but now he was beginning to understand why Drake liked her so much. She was different. She had saved his life, attacked one of her own kind, and healed him to exhaustion. Trusting him to look after her. Trusting him.

He gently laid Fay on the ground and approached Leaf. He scoffed as he took away the Elf's weapons, ensuring he was no longer a threat. Then, he left the building, asking a passerby for a rope which was hurriedly given to him. He returned and tied Leaf up securely. Afterward, he carefully picked up Fay and half carried, half dragged Leaf.

He should have never given the Elf a chance to stab him. He had let his guard down, misjudging Leaf's desperation. Sighing, he headed back to the inn, aware of the stares as he made his way through the town. He was going to give Fay to Alison to watch over and report Leaf's actions to the Lord. He was sure Drake would also be there, and this incident would need to be addressed immediately.

As Drax moved through the town, the weight of the situation settled heavily on his shoulders. He had seen the worst of humanity and the resilience of his companions. Fay's actions had shown him a depth of character and strength that he hadn't fully appreciated before. He knew now that, despite their differences, they had forged a bond through their shared struggles and mutual trust.

Reaching the inn, Drax pushed through the door, drawing immediate attention from Alison. She gasped and quickly approached, her eyes widening at the sight of the unconscious Fay and the bound Leaf.

"Take care of her," Drax instructed, gently passing Fay to Alison. "And make sure she's safe."

Alison nodded, her expression one of concern and determination. "What happened?"

"Leaf here tried to kill us."