Green Ears and Silver Eyes

Chapter one

"Just a bit closer," murmured Maalx, the mischievous green goblin, as she attempted to snatch a necklace from an elf's bag using a string equipped with a hook. Of course, she preferred to call it borrowing, even though she had no intention of returning it.

Seated among the plants on the tavern's second floor, hidden behind a fence, Maalx eagerly peered down, whispering to herself, "Almost there." With a slight adjustment of the string, she skillfully slid the hook beneath the necklaces, pulling it up slowly and cautiously, silently praying to Naevys Loradove that she wouldn't be caught.

The truth was, that Maalx hadn't bothered to gather any information about her target. She had no clue if the elf was wealthy or important. She simply had to hope for the best, as getting caught and facing execution wasn't exactly on her to-do list. With a final tug, she successfully retrieved the necklace from the hook.

"That's how it's done!" She glanced at her cat companion nestled in her backpack and gently petted his orange fur. "Come on, let's get out of here." Putting the stolen necklace in her backpack, Maalx hoisted it up from the floor and slung it onto her back. Her cat let out a meow of protest, disturbed by the sudden movement. With small and precise steps, she walked down the stairs, cautiously navigating through the bustling crowd that filled the tavern. Towering above her were mostly elves, their figures towering over her short stature.

Carefully making her way toward the exit, Maalx could almost taste the freedom that awaited her. A sudden impact sent her crashing to the ground. From her lowly position, she gazed up to find an elf standing over her.

"Watch where you walk, freep!" she hissed, venom lacing her voice.

"Ah, my apologies," he replied. "I wasn't aware the tavern had lowered its standards to allow goblins to freely roam the premises." He offered her his hand to help her up, an offer of assistance that she met with stubbornness. Determined, Maalx pulled herself up from the floor, dusting off her attire. She swiftly pulled the hood of her cloak over her dark red hair, shielding herself from prying eyes. She reached behind and took her backpack, peering inside to ensure her cat was unharmed.

Relieved to find her cat safe and sound, Maalx couldn't help but harbour a grudge of resentment toward the elves. They always seemed to be in the way, a constant annoyance.

"Stupid elves," she muttered under her breath.

"If I were you, I would be careful using freep as a slur," the elf started," since the high king and queen are in the city." Maalx's brows furrowed in confusion.

"The high king and queen? Here?" she questioned, confused as to why the high king and queen were in the city. What could they possibly want with the elves?

"Yes, here, and we don't want you to get in trouble, do we?" the elf remarked with a mocking grin, a glimmer of superiority in his eyes. Maalx's patience wore thin, her arms crossing defiantly over her chest.

The elves seemed to believe themselves superior to others for living in a beautiful forest instead of a swamp. But it is within the swamp's embrace that Maalx finds comfort, and she would choose that swamp over this fancy realm any day.

"Get that grin off your face! Last I checked, it's not illegal to use slurs," Maalx responded, her voice filled with frustration.

"No, but stealing is." With a mischievous glimmer in his eyes, the elf waved a stolen necklace in front of her face.

She clenched her fists, her heart sinking as she realized it must have slipped from her bag during the fall. Shit. Her grip tightened on her cat. She and the cat hissed in unison, revealing her threatening sharp teeth, a silent warning to the elf. He took a step back, raising his hands in surrender.