The Elves of Loth

Chapter Seven

Soon after Aspen-leaf arrived at her small cabin, she realized she would have to head down to the market for supplies. Swaddling her dragon in a fleecy blanket, she changed and made her way down to the bottom of her tree where saw other elves milling about on their way to and from the summer market. When Aspen-leaf reached the clearing she was surprised at the diversity of the products sold as well as the number of vendors. She recalled it having been like this when she was little, but after the great storm, many elves had distanced themselves from Loth, not wanting to be a part of that sorrow. Maybe the festivities were finally returning.

A quick glance around reviled that is was not only forest elves who were selling here; a pair of small dark elven fortune tellers claimed a mysterious tent next to a dwarf selling swords, axes, and other dwarfish weapons not likely to be bought by a forest elf. Her people prided themselves on the lightweight blades they forged, gliding through the air while still making an immense impact. It was unheard of for a forest elf to be equipped with a sword of dwarfish make.

There were, however, a large number of customers gathered around his booth. That was when it hit her – they all needed to defend themselves from the dark elves in the upcoming battle, and they didn’t care what with. Everyone seemed so stressed over the incidents on the border, but Aspen-leaf doubted it was more than just a few teenagers eager to make their mark; it wouldn’t be the first time that happened.

Deciding to head away from the blacksmith’s crowd, she turned in the direction of them two dark elves, wondering how they ever managed to be allowed to cross the border what with all the tension in and around Loth. As she passed their booth, she glanced at large mirror that sat, propped up on a barrel, outside the tent.

“Can I interest you in a reading?” asked one of the elves – the other seemed to have disappeared inside their tent. Hesitating with her gaze on the mirror she saw herself for the first time since she’d been recruited. Mirrors were rare to come by and the combat hunters found them an unnecessary waste of Thyra – the elven currency that had spread across most inhabited lands and was now the main currency of just about every race she’d heard of.

It was a strange feeling to suddenly remember what she looked like, but she was pleased that was wasn’t as ugly as Thunder-wood and some of her other comrades said she was. Long brown hair made its way down passed her hips – which was the current fashion – while her cheekbones had finally grown into her eyes which matched the bright, fern-green sweat-pants she wore. The top that accompanied them was a lightly paler shade of green, coming down to just above her belly button and bearing no sleeves – the shirt was a particular favourite of hers. She carried a grey-brown leather satchel whose shade added to the woody feel of her outfit.

“Miss?” the dark elf prompted, her eyes a mix of concern and impatience. Aspen leaf turned to look directly at the young woman and for a second she wondered if she should buy something just because it was doubtful that anyone else would, considering the hostility towards dark elves that hung in the air.

“No, thanks.” She replied instead, remembering that Cliff-breeze only gave them thirty thyra each week. Carrying on, she passed a butcher where she bought eight thyra worth of assorted meat, and when he commented on the quantity she simple smiled, not wanting the public to know of her dragon any sooner than they had to. With one of the canvas bags she kept in her satchel filled with bloody meat, she set off to fill the other with food from Mushroom-shadow’s stall. The pixie was always at the summer market, so Aspen-leaf headed down towards Mushroom-shadow’s usual stall.

On the way, she glanced at a merchant selling various woodcarvings and a traveling doctor from the northern mountains who Aspen-leaf guessed was a skin-changer. If she had to guess what animal he tuned into she’d probably say a cougar, although it might have been a bear or a Taurtosaurus. Several more booths went passed, none of them noticeable. That was when Aspen-leaf came to the hairdresser. Although she liked her hair just how it was, she knew it would get in the way if there really were a battle.