The Divine Tears: Crestfallen

II

'It's rather heavily protected,' Erwan said, looking upon the elven navy surrounding the docks.

'Well,' Osha reclined herself on the taffrail, 'it is a clear path towards their city. The elves are overly protective of their land.'

She proceeded to run off, shouting insults at her crew, and aiding them in docking the ship.

As for the elven ships, they were slender, each one resembling some sort of animal within its carvings, even if it is only minimal. The elves on board kept a keen eye on the approaching ship, ready to release a volley of their arrows at any given moment.

Erwan was given his bags of equipment as soon as his feet touched the elven land.

'I do value the time you've given me, Erwan,' Osha's grin announced the satisfaction he gave her. 'You've made the journey swift.'

Erwan nodded, giving in return a smirk of contentment, nodding as he stumbled on his way towards the city.

'Until we see one another again,' she said.

They didn't see each other again.

A nearby stable bellowed with the sounds of a horse's unease from its master's constant pulling on the reins and shouting in not-so-kind words.

'If you keep treating it like that it'll build resentment towards you and all who wish to ride it.'

The elf squinted over at Erwan, standing in the doorway, illuminated by the fizzing sun behind like the heroic silhouettes from old books. 'Oy, who's there? Come now, show your ugly mug.'

Erwan stepped forward, not forgetting his confidence in his strides.

'A human,' the elf giggled, quickly losing his curiosity.

'Which way's the city?' Erwan grunted.

'What's it to you?' the elf struggled with the horse's compliance.

'I have business there, business that is my own.'

'Yes yes. So, what brings you here then, human?'

'A horse,' Erwan leaned against a bail occupied by a horse.

'I see you have two legs,' the elf mumbled, 'use them'

'As I desire to still reach the city within a day, I'd rather spare my legs and buy a horse. But if you're not willing, I'll go throw my coin around the merchants in an attempt to buy one of their horses.'

'Ah yes,' the elf shouted at the Valkan, who was no stranger to the disdain towards him. 'This here horse is new, he's been nothing but trouble, take him off my hands.'

'How much?'

'Where are you from?'

'Does it matter?'

'It does.'

'Enolia.'

The elf's indignant frown turned to a grin with surprisingly white teeth. 'For you then, eight silver pieces.'

Erwan ruffled through a pouch, pulling eight silver pieces, and handing it to the greedy elf. 'What if I was not from Enolia?'

'I would've asked more.' The elf still sported his grin, 'Especially if you were from a dwarven town, or from the far south.'

Erwan said nothing. He took the horse, gave it an affection rub on its neck and led it away from its abuser, then onto Ethrian.

Trees dripped from the morning dew. An expansive cloud hovered above as if at any moment it'll release its heavy drops. The horse's hoof flung mud, yet not sinking deep within. As for the noises of birds, running foxes and small predators, Erwan felt the watchful eyes of stealthy elves from the tops of trees on him. He seldom heard them jumping from tree to tree. He went through all the possibilities of protecting himself if they so wish to release on him. But he sat confidently in his saddle, behaving as if he didn't know of their existence.