✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

35

Mia's POV

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Knox and I end up stopping at a little bar/ restaurant tree in a part of the city I haven't been to before. It's pretty dark, so the only light is hanging from the ceiling, a bulb in a stone light fixture, as well as candles attached at intervals to the wall. When we first walk in we are by the bar, where a broad, tall elf is serving a whole bar-full of blond haired elves, talking and laughing. A waiter takes me and Knox up two flights of stairs, each full of tables and the noise of overlapping chatter, to a less crowded floor. Our table is in the view of a cute fireplace, and right in front of a window that looks out over a glistening stream and park area.

I sit comfortably, resting my elbows on the table and my chin in my palm.

"Tired?" Knox asks.

"A little," I say honestly. I perk up, not wanting to seem bored. "Glad to get out, though. Last night of fun before who knows what."

I say it lightly, and luckily Knox just nods. Ah, yes, the unknown future. That can wait till tomorrow morning. Knox seems to understand my tone, and I'm grateful he skips over the sentiment.

Our waiter walks over gracefully and hands us each a glass of water and takes our orders.

"So," Knox says once the waiter leaves, "what was your life like before?"

"Before, like... When I was little?"

"I don't know," Knox laughs, "just- before."

"Uhhhmm," I say through a sigh. "I mean... I had a normal childhood by Earth standards. I'm technically still in school, you must know about Earth's schooling. Hmmm. My best friend is Lizzie, I've known her since I was five. I play soccer and track in the spring.... Oh, and last summer I went to LA for vacation with a few of my friends and their parents."

"I've only seen Los Angeles from far away," Knox says. His eyes light up with curiosity. "Tell me about it."

We get our meals and I launch into a story about my trip there, all the funny stories and weird things I noticed, things I think Knox would think is cool, like infinity pools or thrift stores. He listens to my whole story, seeming genuinely amused by my funny stories and intrigued by my explanation of what a drive-in movie theater is, because apparently he has never heard of that.

"Wow," Knox says after a bite of his salad. "Sounds fun. Dirty, but fun."

I laugh, nodding. "Okayyyy, now tell me about you. What is normal elf life like?"

Knox thinks for a second.

"Depends on the day, but usually training, or, what you probably call 'working out,' then... It varies. Hanging out with Flint and Halion, studying or reading, going on a mission, sometimes going to meetings with my mother."

"Like... Princey stuff?" I ask. I had genuinely forgotten he was a Prince until he mentioned meetings. Knox smiles.

"Yes, basically. I have to be there with my mother for important things, and sometimes I go to Earth to check it out, make sure everything is running smoothly. That's basically it."

The fire roars behind us as Knox tells me more about his life, about his dad and when he met Halion, Elanil, and Flint, about elven school, and a lot more. It's super interesting. His dad was a really nice guy, and I found out Knox knew my dad too, because Knox's dad was the 'number two' for the king, like Andor is to Rose.

"Life here sounds so nice."

Knox nods and takes a sip of his water, watching a group of old elves shuffle out of their chairs and down the stairs.