Blood Memories [Last of Elves book 1] (NaNoWriMo 2014)

Fifty-Six: Naameh

Naameh

The warriors can be so useless sometimes.

Only now do they tell me that she was seen. Hiring a room in an inn, of all things! Those fools. If she's in an inn, then she has no place to stay. It's the only information I've got, and I will use it to my advantage.

We will offer her a place to stay. No payment, no worry of losing the bed and room. She can come and go as she pleases.

I need her here.

It's the safest for her. I still feel she is too young to be on her own, despite showing initiative in hiring a room. But she will run out of money soon enough, and be on the streets. That cannot happen again.

The youngest warrior will go, I think. He's only eighteen, only new to the ranks. He's close enough to her age that she may trust him, and he knows what she is capable of. She's no elf.

She will be easy for him to bring back.

She should be easy.

He knows that he must not hurt her. She's scared enough. If she ends up on the streets, she will be terrified, and taken advantage of.

That cannot happen.

If she is here, she will be safe. Nothing will harm her, and no one will be allowed to scare her. She has no protection now that Panthera is gone. If she even relied on him for protection.

I can only hope that the boy will find her soon. She will be in hiding now, I believe. Scared, and unsure what to do. If he is to have the best chance of succeeding in gaining her trust, he shouldn't wear the uniform. I know she doesn't trust me now, but she might trust him.

It's the only chance we've got. But she won't be going far from Highstone. She has no way of travelling, and she is just a girl, on her own. There are too many dangers outside the city for one as young as she is.

If all goes well, she will be found before midnight. The dark is dangerous - even I know that. No one stays on the streets after dark, and I can't expect her to do that. She will have to find a room somewhere, somewhere to sleep and eat. An inn is nothing permanent, and she will soon run out of money.

If Panthera really cared for her, then I have to do this. I have to keep her safe, as he would have wanted me to.

I feel that I have to do this for him, because he can't.

The warrior knows that she is scared, and angry, grieving for the loss of the elf. Accordingly, he will treat her gently, carefully. Hopefully, he will gain her trust, enough at least to bring her back here, where she will be safe. She needs to learn, to be taught the ways of the world, for she can't have experienced it completely. She is much too young.

I think I understand why Pantera brought her here, now. She is too young, too innocent and vulnerable to be on the streets. He brought her here to protect her, not because he had feelings for her.

Too late for me. I know now that there was no danger to what was between us. But I can't tell him that now.

He's gone.