Beyond Forgotten

Looks Like Fear

It took days for Thyumir to even leave his room, let alone talk to anybody. He couldn't believe that the one person he had trusted turned out to be lying to him about being an orc. His mask hid his expression of disgust and fury from the world, but the cold demeanor he carried said it for him.
He went back to his room after returning the books he had borrowed from the library, slamming the door behind him as he entered the room. There was a heavyweight in the air he desperatly tried to get rid of, Thyumir sitting down on the dge of his bed. His eyes glanced over the nightstand, noticing the communicator on the corner next to the little lamp, the Elve picking it up. After examining it, he sat like a statue for afew minutes before he stood up.
There was a sharp crash as he threw the communicator at the wall, it shattering into tiny bits and springs. Grabbing the corner of the nightstand, Thyumir picked it up, heaving it over his head both propelling it through the air. The wooden stand slammed against the wall with a roar, a nice hole being made in the drywall as it fell apart. His eyes, ferral and enraged, found the lamp dangling from the chord stuck in the outlet. Ripping the plug out, he swung the map around until he let the momentum carry it out of his hand and into the door.  With tossing the mattress over with a beast-like growl, the sheets and pillows hitting the ground before being squished by the bed frame, Thyumir began to kick the overturned bedpost. He continued this rampage until everything in the room was torn to shreds, even the carpet and the ceiling fan.
He was about to go destroy everything in the tiny restroom until a slow, methodical clapping caught his attention. "I must say, that was entertaining." Thyumir only gritted his teeth in response to the King. Ignetis smiled wickedly, the King looking at the sheer destruction the Elve had wrought. "I had my scouts look all over the forest for him." Ignetis sighed, shaking his head before continuing. "So either he's really good at hiding, or you lied."
"I lied," Thyumir confessed, his voice sour. Ignetis raised his eyebrows for a moment in slight surprise at the confession. He looked impressed, his smile fading into something resembling joy. "But I know exactly where he is."
"Do you now?" The King saw Thyumir nod. "Then maybe I didn't come to hunt you down after all." Ignetis clapped his hands together, thinking for a moment. "You said you know where he is, right?" Thyumir nodded again. "Then this can still work.."
"I'll bring him to you." Thyumir jumped at the opportunity to get rid of the Orc again. "He's nothing but a traitor anyways."
"Sounds a tad hypocritical coming from you." Igentis commented, backing off when he heard Thyumir growl. "But I digress..." his voice trailed off as he thought again. "Alright, bring him outside tonight, leave him to us once you get him outside." Thyumir agreed to the plan, Ignetis smiling once again before opening the door. "Oh, and don't worry about the cost of this." Igentis said in the middle of the doorway, gesturing with one finger at the chaos he caused. "I'll pay for it. Consider it  a gift." The King left with a content laugh, Thyumir's blinding rage fueling his motives to rid himself of the Orc.
Thyumri made haste to get over to the little excuse for a hospital Dumor had, looking for the Ranger. He saw Drix walk into a room with blue numbers reading '201, west wing' against the white door. He waited,listening in through the thin walls.
Aeon opened one eye, Kage sitting by his side, or trying to; the Wraith sleeping with the side of his face against Aeon's arm. The Ranger found this gesture touching, but his attention was caught when Drix walked in the room, the Ranger smiling at him. "Mornin'," Drix whispered, Aeon nodding, nt wanting to talk and wake up the Wraith. "How'd it go?"
Aeon looked at Kage before speaking. "It went well," he spoke in a whisper, seeing that the Wraith didn't stirr from hsi sleep. "We said goodbye, and that's the end of it." He took a bit of leniency, raising his voice to his normal tone. He looked around, Drix not talking.The Dwarve walked over, giving Aeon a gift. It was not well wrapped, but it had the tellings of an attempt as Aeon smiled with a nod fo gratitude. It was clearly his bow that Thyumir had stolen, Aeon wondering how he got it back.
"Aren' ya gonna open it?" Drix sounded excited, Aeon giving a tiny snort followed by a laugh.
"Hope it's a bike," Aeon joked, Drix giving a loud laugh. Aeon looked at Kage, surprised the bellow didn't wake the Wraith up. Tearing the red wrapping paper away, he held his bow with his free hand, smiling. "Thank you," Aeon commented. "How did you get this?"
"They're right," Aeon looked confused at Drix's reply. "Dwarves do lik' t'a ta'e thin's." Aoen laughed again, looking at his hand after a while, Drix pouting a bit as the Ranger went silent. "Th'a Doc said y'er arm should get better." Aeon looked at the Dwarve with a tiny grin. "Th'a rocks should jus' fall off n' there ya go."
Aeon nodded when he understood, attempting to move his hand out from under the Wraith. He managed to free his arm, the rocks and pebbles covering his joints cracking like dry clay. Aeon moved his fingers, then his wrist, bending ihs elbow, and finally followed by rolling his shoulder. Some flakes fell off of the rocks, it landing in kage's hair as Aeon smiled. "Have you seen Thyumir?" Aeon asked, his expression turning serious again. Drix shook his head. "I'm just worried."
"I know ya a're." Drix commented.
"I wanted to tell him, honestly." Aeon confessed, Drix listening while Kage snored. "I just didn't know how to say 'yea...you know that species that you hate? Well boy do I have a suprise for you'." Drix covered up a laugh at his way of putting it, Aeon sighing.
"On th'a bright side," Drix began. "Th'a Doc also said ya could leave when ya feel like it."
"Really?" Aeon asked, Drix nodding.
"He said it wasn' life-threatenin', so ya can leave." Drix saw Aeon's gleaming smile return.
"Maybe I can go find Thyumir then."
Drix went silent for awhile. "Ya really trust 'im, don' you?" Aeon nodded.
"With my life." Aeon replied, the air heavy with a variety of cleaners.
"Even after everythin' he's lied 'bout?" Aeon only nodded again. Drix gave a tiny chuckle. "Ya know, I would'a killed f'er loyalty lik' tha'."
Aeon only laughed, the Ranger looking at Kage. The Wraith's eyes darted open, the two moons in his eyes looking at the Ranger before sitting up. "Must of dozed off." Kage mumbled under his breath.
"You were snoring," Aeon commented before noticing a tiny trail from his mouth to his chin. "And drooling apparently." Everyone in the room laughed in unison. Drix looked towards the door, him sighing. "Well, Taux is waitin' f'er me. I'll be back aft'r I deal wit' some paperwork." Drix waved goodbye, Kage looking at Aeon.
"Is that your bow from before?" Aeon nodded, Kage giving him a quizzical glance. "Drix got it back for me." The two sighed before Kage watched Aeon pull the amulet off of his neck. "Here," Kage looked confused. "Take it." the Wraith shook his head.
"It's yours."
"No, like you said before," Aeon paused, grabbing Kage's hand and putting the amulet in his fist. "It's always been yours."
"Why are you giving it back to me?" kage questioned, Aeon shrugging.
"I don't need it anymore, you do." Aeon reasoned, Kage freezing for a moment before putting the Amulet on, nothing changing except his smile.
"Thank you." Kage looked at the door when it creaked open, Aeon getting an even bigger grin at the Elve standing in the doorway.
"Hey Thyumir," Aeon greeted, the Elve just looking at him. Kage saw a glint in the Elve's eyes, the Wraith standing up when Aeon got out of the hospital bed. "Guess what," Thyumir didn't say anything more a moment as Aeon approached him.
"What?" Thyumir asked, taking note of each little scale, his voice cold.
"I get to leave whenever I want." Aeon told him, Thyumir not replying. "Isn't that great?" Thyumir nodded.
"I've never seen someone so cheerful after seeing their brother-turned-monster die." Kage scowled at him, Aeon a little shocked he said that.
"Rude," Kage commented,Thyumir glaring at him.
"Well uh..."Aeon's voice died off. "Just glad I didn't boil in that magma." Aeon gave an awkward chuckle that died off into silence.
Thyumir looked at the two, his glance finally staying on Aeon. "May I talk to you in pr-- Is that your bow?" Thyumir asked, noticing it leaning against the hospital bed. Aeon nodded as if he was caught stealing. Thyumir didn't get angry about it, the Elve just shrugging. "It was yours to begin with anyways." He played it off as if he wasn't angry at Aeon, the Ranger giving him that infuriating smile. "Now, can we talk in private?" Aeon looked confused, Kage giving a skeptical glance.
"Why?" Kage asked.
"I was asking Aeon, not you."
Aeon looked at both of them before nodding. "Kage, can you le--"
"I meant somewhere a little more private." Thyumir got a bewildered look, Aeon eventually nodding as Kage scowled.
"Sure, just let me get changed and we can talk." Aeon gave both of them a glance before grabbing the pile of clothes from the chair near the window.
Once he went into the tiny, cramped bathroom and got changed into the costume he had grown attached to, Aeon was quick to follow Thyumir. Aeon grabbed his bow while Kage disappeared, presumably back to Fangala, the Ranger tailing behind the Elve who was hasty to leave.
"What's so top-secret, huh?" Aeon sounded giddy, perhaps just being happy to be alive, or maybe it was the fact that everything seemed to calming down for the past few days. Aeon didn't like that he didn't get a reponsw form the Elve, him feeling awkward by his side. "Did ya hear me?" Aeon asked, his happy tone dieing down a bit.
"Hm?" Thyumir pretended not to hear him, Aeon waving it off when the Elve glanced towards him.
"Nothin'," Aeon replied, figuring he'd learn what the conversation would be about either way. Thyumir didn't say anything else as they eventually made their wave towards the original cave they entered the mountain through. "Er... a cave?" Aeon asked, unsure what Thyumir was doing.
"A tunnel," the Elve corrected, Aeon still having a look of uncertainty. Thyumir sighed, giving a breif explination. "I wanted to talk to you outside, this is the shortest way out there."
"Why outside?" Aeon questioned, him raising an eyebrow as he frowned.
"Because I needed you to know something, and I want to make sure nobody else knows." Aeon didn't say anything, knowing it was a frugal attempt to argue with him.
"Alright..." Aeon still didn't sound too sure, but he followed Thyumir through the straight-forward tunnel. It only took a few minutes for them to get outside, the bright rays of the sun making Aeon squint as it bounced off of the snow, it beginning to look more like the ocean as it melted. "Must be pretty important to come all the way out here." Aeon gave a tiny chuckle, it disappearing once he saw the Elve glare at him. As they got into the open part of the tiny field near the beginning of the forest, Thyumir stopped.
"You have more nerve than I gave you credit for," Aeon opened his mouth to ask why Thyumir was acting so weird; the Elve's back was turned towards Aeon, a tone Aeon couldn't place on his lips. It was when Thyumir spoke again that his face went paler than ever before. "Orc," Thyumir spat out in utter disgust, it like a disease on the edge of his lips, turning to face Aeon with piercing, hatred-filled eyes.
"Thyumir," Aeon began, the Elve growling as he said his name.
"Don't call me that," Aeon shrunk where he stood, regretting leaving his bow in the company of the Wraith. "You don't have the right."
"The right?" Aeon repeated, a questionable aspect to his voice.
"A liar," Thyumir began. "A orcish liar."
Aeon scowled, finding this conversation about as pleasant as eating an entire cactus. "And you're a hypocrite." Thyumir glared at him, Aeon puffing out his chest in anger. "Don't you even start talking to me about lying."
"I lied to protect--"
"Yourself!" Aeon finished, Thyumir only giving him a murderous look as the Ranger spoke his mind. "You seemed fine with me when I wasn't an orc,' Aeon paused. "Just because I grow a few scales, does that make me any different?!"
"Yes!" Thyumir shouted in return, fury being uprooted in his voice. "The one person... and it turns out they're an orc!"
"The one person to what?!" Aeon bitterly asked, his eyes narrowing as he grew sick and tired of the Elve's pretentious attitude. "The first one to stand up to your insufferable attitude?!"
"Surprised you even know what that word means," Thyumir commented, Aeon sure that he would spit at him if he could.
"There you go again!" Aeon exclaimed, the birds flying off when they were arguing with the occasional squeal. "I guess you were telling the truth when you said you were a prince!" Aeon paused to take a deep breath before shouting again. "Because you're nothing but a spoiled brat who thinks he owns the world!"
"You don't have any idea what I've seen!" Thyumir yelled back, Aeon crossing his arms. The Elve huffed, knowing there were probably multiple sets of eyes watching them from the trees. "I could kill you, and believe me, I want to." Thyumir loosened his fists, sighing. "You have two minutes to get out of my sight, or else I will hurt you."
Aeon didn't say anything, not sure if he should be furious, or be upset; to which he was both at the moment. As tears threatened to fall down his cheeks at a friend now turned against him, his balled up his fists. "Fine, I see how this is played. I come all this way just to get fucking turned away when I'm close to finding Rygro." Aeon scowled, looking at Thyumir. "Or did you lie about that too?"
"He isn't here, he was never here." Thyumir told him, believing it to be true. "Anything else before your time begins, orc?"
Aeon thought for only a split second before looking at him. "You never told me what I was the first person to do." The Ranger noticed Thyumir's hands tighten into fists.
"You don't deserve to know." Aeon felt hurt by what he was saying, but knew there was no reasoning with him. Aeon huffed, a few tears rolling down his cold face before he began to take off the jacket Thyumir had given to him. "Keep it," Thyumir told him, confused as to why he was doing this seemingly random act of generosity. "I don't want a ruined coat."
Aeon frowned again, buttoning up the coat again and watching Thyumir walk back towards the entrance of the cave. With his bow back and nothing left, Aeon rushed towards the woods, unsure of what to do next.
As the two were shouting, Taux had been watching from his window, waiting for Drix to get home from the hospital. There was the loud click of the door, Taux rushing over to him visibly upset. "Ay, th'are's my lil' boy-o." Drix stopped when he saw Taux was on the verge of sobbing. "Wha's wrong?" He asked in a serious voice.
"Thyumir," Taux started, Drix looking at him as he awaited the rest of the answer. "I saw him and Aeon fighting." Drix's eyes narrowed, his stomach churning.
"Did anythin' else happen?" Drix asked, his words critical and serious. Xon caught there attention only for a second as the dog was busy snoring on the couch.
"Thyumir left him, and Aeon ran into the woods." Drix's normally red, rosy cheeks went the color of paper for the first time. This was before his entire face went completely red, him bellowing.
"I knew I should'a got rid of tha' damned bastard w'en I had th'a chance!" Drix looked at his son before sighing. "Ya stay h'are, dad's goin' ta go deal wit' 'im."
"Dad?" Taux began as Drix made his way to the door again, Drix looking back at his son. "Kick his ass." Drix smiled before nodding, opening the door to slam it shut behind him.
"Dad?" Taux began as Drix made his way to the door again, Drix looking back at his son. "Kick his ass." Drix smiled before nodding, opening the door only to slam it shut behind him, neither of them noticing the figure disappear from the shadows.
Thyumir's thoughts were still as the Elve heading back to the pile destruction he had left in his room. Once there, he noticed the few glances from some of the cleaners, Thyumir only glaring in response. "Sir!" The woman from behind the desk shouted as politely as she could. Thyumir turned to look at her before approaching the desk. She cleared her throat.  "A man by the name of Ignetis has paid for another room for you." She paused, smiling at him. "Would you like to collect the things from your current room, or have them moved by others?"
"I will," Thyumir replied, his voice dead and unchanging. Taking the key from her outstretched hand, the Elve made strolled up to his torn apart room; the door being dented outwards. Opening the door, he began to examine the remains from his fit of rage. Thyumir's eyes were cold and analytical; nothing catching his eye except from a tiny box among the rubble of the nightstand. Walking over, he picked up the container of cigarettes, stuffing it in his pocket for later. He was about to leave when he saw the broken communicator, parts of it cast within a small space on the floor. Thyumir hesitated, crouching to get a closer look at it. A sigh passed his lips, the Elve waiting before picking up the pieces. He held the tiny pieces in his hand as he left, finding nothing else of importance.
In his new room, disappointed to see it looked identical to his prior room, Thyumir sat down on the bed. He placed the pieces on the nightstand, his hands picking up the shell of it before picking up the pieces again. Stuffing them in his other pocket, Thyumir heard a knock at his door. "I'm in no mood to entertain company," Thyumir stated, assuming the Dwarve had figured out where he was. With no reply, Thyumir gave a tiny grunt as he pushed himself up from the bed. "I said," the Elve spoke as he approached the door, grabbing the knob and turning it. "No company you Short--" Thyumir's words were cut off as a pair of ebony hands forced the door open, grabbing the Elve by his shirt.
"Found ya," Kage snarled, Thyumir only glaring at him. "You better have a damn good reason for leaving him like that."
"And I assume you have a reason for not going after that traitor?" Thyumir questioned in defiance, Kage looking as livid as a rabid dog. "No reason?" Thyumir mocked in a distasteful, sour tone.
"If I could, I would've gotten him back by now!" Kage growled out, a threat working on his lips in the form of a threat. "Besides, I'm not the one you should be worried about."
Before Thyumir could make a rude remark, the two seemed to move within an instant. With the foreign place surrounding them, Thyumir was shoved, the Elve only taking a step back as Kage let him go. The place was soaked in the stench of burning herbs and tea, Thyumir's nose wrinkling at it. "Hey!" Kage shouted, there being the whistle of the kettle on the stove echoing throughout the tiny stone house.
"Where have to brought me?" Thyumir questioned, his voice demanding an answer.
"We're still in Dumor," Kage told him, leaving out any more details, despite the Elve's glare. The Wraith opened his mouth to speak, but it closed when the whistling of the kettle stopped.
"I wasn't expecting company," A wise voice stated, Kage smirking.
"Parasite," Thyumir gestured towards Thyumir, the Elve looking at the peculiar man. "Meet Rygro, the man who's gonna turn you into a slug."
Rygro shook his head, Thyumir only rolling his eyes. "Kage," Rygro gave a tiny smile. "I've told you, I no longer use magic." Kage frowned.
"Ya sure?" Kage asked, Rygro nodding as he moved to set the kettle down on the table.
"What's your actual name?" Rygro asked, opening the tiny box on the table and pulling out three cups for tea; the thick-walled, plain white clay cups being filled with tea. Thyumir gave him a skeptical glance.
"You expect me to believe this elderly man is actually Rygro?" Thyumir sounded insulted. "He looks like he could barely handle a stray cat."
"I can handle more than you can," Rygro commented, his aged voice steady, unlike his hand as he placed the kettle back on the table. "Now, you're name?"
"None of your concern."
"For the love of--" Kage exasperated in one breath, grumbling with a scowl. "The ugly bastard's name is Thyumir." Thyumir didn't say anything, glaring at the elderly wizard.
"Thyumir," Rygro began, thinking about the name. "Ah yes," he smiled. "I knew your parents; they were lovely people." He paused, looking at the Elve. "Did they accompany you here?"
"They're dead, old man." Thyumir's bitter remark got a frown from Rygro.
"Sorry to hear that," Rygro commented. "Are you always this... brash?" Rygro questioned, Kage nodding. "I'm assuming you wear that mask to--"
"It's none of your business why I wear my mask." Thyumir's comment made Kage hit the back of his head with a solid, loud thump. Thyumir turned to glare at Kage, Rygro giving the cups a gentle nudge.
"I didn't mean to insult you Thyumir." Rygro looked at the tea before looking at the two. "Have some tea, I must tend to my babies for a moment." Thyumir sat down on one of the pillows on the floor, frowning at the lack of seating in his home. Kage sat down across from Thyumir, only glaring at him.
"Why can't you go get him?" Thyumir asked when Rygro went back into the kitchen.
Kage only spat in his direction, the purple spit landing on the table. "Because," Kage began. "There's something--I think it's an enchantment--on the forest." Kage grumbled, Thyumir not responding. "I can't appear at his side like normal in there; it'd take me weeks to find him on my own."
"I don't see why you want to find him." Kage picked up one of the cups, pausing at the Elve's words. "The world could use one less Orc." The sharp crack of the cup breaking in Kage's hand caught the attention of Rygro, the Wizard entering the room again. Thyumir noticed Rygro had a watering can in his hand when he spoke.
"Take another cup from the box if you'd like." Rygro seemed oddly okay with his property being broken, the Wizard going over to a planted tree near the only window in the house. He began to water the plant before moving to the ones on the shelf, the Elve making a mental note of how some of them moved.
Kage stood up, tea dripping from the broken clay as he went into the kitchen to throw the pieces away. Thyumir watched one of the plants bite at another one, finding more interest in this than staring at a cup. Standing up, Thyumir walked over to the Wizard, watching him water one of the flowers that appeared to be doing a dance in joy. "Why plants of all things?" Thyumir asked, Rygro not answering for a few minutes as he brushed away some water droplets from the shelf.
"They don't need much to thrive," Rygro commented. "But if you take care of them, they give the caretaker so much in return." The Wizard pointed to the cat-tails wagging in the pot, two or three accidentally getting tangled. Rygro stepped over, untangling them as one almost purred in thanks. "Gentle beings if you treat them with the same kindness." Rygro smiled, petting another flower before looking at Thyumir. "What about you? Would they wither, or flourish if they were under your care?"
Thyumir didn't know how to answer, that telling Rygro everything he needed to know. "One of my friends came to inform me earlier that someone I know was in town." Rygro began, the thud near the door catching his attention. There, int he doorway, was a panting Dwarve, Drix panicking.
"Rygro! Aeon's been--" His shouting was stuck down when he saw the Elve, Drix freezing. Within a minute of seeing him, Drix ran at Thyumir, a fist ready to strike him, hitting Thyumir in the knee. His leg twisted, Thyumir stumbling, regaining his footing soon afterwards. Thyumir took his knife out of his back pocket, Rygro stepping between them.
"There will be no fighting in my house!" Rygro shouted, his once quiet voice carrying a loud, authoritative tone for once.
"Ya filthy back-stabb'r!" Drix shouted out, Kage running in from the kitchen at the Dwarve's voice. "I knew I should'a let ya rot in tha' cell!"
Kage stood back, letting the Dwarve yell to his heart's content, and some more on top of that. However, Rygro cut him off.
"You're disturbing my plants!" Rygro sounded angry, the room falling under a strict silence before Rygro relaxed. "Now," his voice was soft again. "What happened friend?"
"He happened!" Drix pointed an accusing finger at Thyumir, the Elve crossing his arms with a huff. "Th'a Tree-Hugger--"
"We will not use such slurs in my home either," Rygro ordered.
Drix looked at the Wizard before nodding as an apology, the Dwarve speaking again. "He left Aeon t' die in th'a Northern Woods!" Rygro went silent for a few minutes, a grave look coming over his aged features. He set the watering can down on the empty space on the shelf, the Wizard giving Drix a serious look. "You said he was in the caves last," he paused. "How did he get out?"
"The Hibberlet--" Drix corrected himself. "Toa," he sighed, Rygro giving him a saddened look. "He was the Hibberlet. He let Aeon go."
"I see..." Rygro began. "Toa was a good person; he will be missed dearly." Rygro shuffled over to the table, gesturing for everyone to sit down. They all did, nobody except Rygro sitting next to Thyumir. Pulling out two extra cups, one for Drix and one to replace the one Kage broke, he poured the cooling tea and sighed. "You're sure he was taken to the Nothern Woods?"
"My son saw t'em arguin' n' Aeon runin' off int'a th'a woods." Drix gave a deadly glare towards the Elve, Thyumir not seeing it as a threat as he remained silent.
Rygro looked at Thyumir. "Is this true?" The Elve only nodded, Rygro's look changing from curiosity to something resembling a father's disappointment. "Why?" His voice was softer, almost making the Elve give a less intense look.
"A traitor must be dealt with accordingly," Thyumir noted in a cold, detached voice. "I merely ki--" He stopped, fixing his wording. "Got rid of two birds with one stone."
"The saying is 'killed two birds with one stone'." Drix noted, Thyumir turning his head sharply to glare at the Dwarve.
"I assure you, I'm aware of that." Thyumir's voice came off as snide and bitter.
Rygro glanced at the two before his eyes landed on Thyumir again. "A traitor," he let the word fall out, not liking the harsh taste of it on his tongue. Rygro took a drink of tea, something the others seemed to lack in. "Quite a specific word; might I ask why you chose it?"
Thyumir thought for a moment before answering. "He betrayed me, that's what traitors do."
"How did he betray you?"
"He's an orc," Thyumir began. "I was not informed, I had to figure out for myself."
Rygro thought, watching Kage drink some tea, soon followed by Drix. "Well..." his words drifted off into a silent notion. "Would you've thought of Aeon differently if you knew beforehand?" Thyumir did have an answer, but he didn't want to say it, not liking it himself.
"What does that have to do with it?" Thyumir questioned, avoiding the answer.
"Would you?" Rygro repeated, Thyumir seeing he wasn't going to get away without answering. He sighed, nodding as Rygro pondered the response. "Then you have your answer." Thyumir gave him a glance before looking at his cup of tea. "He didn't tell you out of fear."
"What would he have to fear?" Thyumir asked.
"Perhaps he thought you would harm him."
"I could see it," Drix commented, Thyumir glaring at him. "T'ink 'bout it!" Drix began to voice his opinion despite Rygro's gentle, weary look as if telling him to stop. "Ya'd probably gut 'em if he was still h'are!" Thyumir sat still, a vicious glare being shared between the Dwarve and the Elve. "Ya'd kill 'em, n' not feel a damn thing."
As if someone had dropped a pin in the silent room, Thyumir slammed his hands on the table, almost knocking over his cup of tea. "Don't you dare speak about what I would do." His words were low and hostile. "I would never--" He stopped his words when there was a knock at the door. Rygro began to stand up, but Thyumir got to it first, going towards the door. The three watched as the Elve stood in the doorway, blocking the view of the person on the other side.
Rygro was about to ask who it was, but the sight of the Elve's straight posture falling slack, his shoulders slumping forward for a second, made him stop. The Elve regained his composure with a quickness, watching the woman smile at him and whispered, "the King sends his thanks." She left with the speed in which she arrived, Thyumir closing the door and returning to the table.
He sat the package, it wrapped in green leaves pressed together into a thin paper, and removed the letter from ontop, opening it. He held the grainy parchment in his hands, the Elve's eyes going over each word, color seeming to drain from his mask.
'Thank you for filling your end of the deal, even if it did take some convincing. I am joyous to tell you that we found your belongings on the suspect, and returned them to you at the King's request. He said to consider it a gift.
With your newfound freedom, there are some rules we must inform you about; you may never return to the Northern Woods, otherwise you will be put in custody and awaiting execution again. You may go anywhere else as you please, but the King is not entitled to help you if trouble should arise. You may not reveal the location of our town, or the name of our king. 
May your newfound freedom serve you well.'
Once he was done with the letter, he dropped it onto the table, Rygro picking it up. Drix and Kage watched in confused silence as they thought Thyumir would snatch the letter up from the Wizard, but he was busy ripping away the paper from his gift. He stopped once he saw what was in it, him yanking the blue fabric out of the flimsy paper and ran towards the door.
"Where do ya thin' y'er goin'?!" Drix shouted, not getting an answer from the Elve who seemed to be in a panic for once. Rygro seemed to go gray, handing the letter to Drix.
Unsure of what made his feet go so fast, Thyumir's breath quickened as he clasped the blue coat in his arm. The fur inside, once tan, now stained entirely neon green with the stench of copper, made something in his chest sink like a rock at the bottom at the Marinas Trench. He swallowed a stone in his throat, knowing the rules well, but having no regard for them as he ran for the tunnel.
Once outside, Thyumir glanced around, catching Taux looking down through the window in his home. Thyumir caught his glance for a moment, the Elve's eyes showing something new before the Elve ran towards the forest.
Drix slammed the door open to his house, Kage and Rygro behind him. "Son! Is th'a Elve h'are?!" Taux shook his head.
"I saw him run into the woods," Taux explained, Rygro having an exasperated look as he tried to catch his breath. "Dad," Taux began. "He was different this time."
"Wha'?" Drix asked, panting as he leaned against the doorway, not used to running so much. "Like wha'?"
"His eyes," Taux began to explain. "They weren't angry." Everyone in the room looked at Taux, his next sentence striking confusion and a grim sense into everyone. "I saw fear