[Of dreams and a ring]

Of dreams and a ring

It was early in the morning when Estel woke up besides JT. He was still sleeping, laying on his side, one arm around her. She couldn’t help but smile while studying face. This was the face of the first person she saw after escaping from the orcs, the face of the man she had come to cherish more then the other faces she had met. Being parted from him had been not as difficult as she had imagined it to be. Vivid dreams at night of his sleeping form, just like how he was sleeping now, had reassured her somehow that he had been well and would return to her. Once she had reached out to him in her dream when he had an awefully sad and lonely look in his eyes. The dream him had reached out to her as well and when their fingers had touched it felt so real that even now she still wondered if it really had been a dream. It must have been. He hadn’t mentioned anything so peculiar when he spoke to her about his time away.

With gentle movements she let herself glide out of their bed without waking him and went downstairs to write a letter to Jt’s mother to thank her for the ring she had gifted her. She had not taken it off since JT had presented it to her. She didn’t want to take it off ever, she had decided. His mother must be a really kind lady to give her son such a beautifull token to give to her. Estel had actually felt somewhat sad when he mentioned his parents were old people now. She didn’t hope to find her own parents as after having had a memory about her father she was certain that her own parents were not alive anymore, but feeling so close to JT she felt a love for his parents as well even tho she had never met them. Writing down her name underneath her words of appreciation, she could sense movement above her in the master bedroom of their home. Jt was waking up ! Bubbling with happiness she rushed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast just like their elven friend had taught her…

[Name:]

Name: Estel Aralle
Occupation: Gatherer of things
Current Standing: Commoner.
Current Shilling Count: 380

Citizen task board tasks: 3/3
* Spick and Span (60 shillings)
* Help your Local Healer (70 shillings)
* Help your Local Healer (50 shillings)

Cultural Events attended: 1/1
*Marcus Tel'var's Grenadier Trials (50 shillings)

Adding to the Covian culture: 1/1
*Expedition To Moonglow (25 shillings)

Other / miscellaneous tasks: 2
*Sentry Duty At The Altmere (25 Shillings)
*Gate Sentry (25 Shillings)
*Banner Laying with JT(25 Shillings)
*Patrolling with JT (25 Shillings)
*Patrolling with JT (25 Shillings)

TRIAL: Not passed

[Sheep Hunt]

Sheep Hunt

Feeling stronger now that she has been a free woman for a while,
Estel finally went out to look for sheep...

After struggling with more sheep Estel returned home to weave more bandage...

With another 250 newly made bandages in her bagpack
she would return to Cove to find an officer.
Very soon she will have enough earnings to buy something nice for JT!

[“Flashback”]

“Flashback”

Someone called out her name. There was a clear tone of panic in the voice. It was male. JT. Slowly Estel opened her eyes looking into JT’s worried face that hovered above her. Why was she laying on the ground? She tried lifting her hand to reach for the back of her head, but stopped moving it, staring at the scratch on her lower arm. Her glance moved onwards and she noticed Hoagie looking down at her as well. He said something and she felt how JT lifted her from the ground holding her close to him and taking her back to the nearby tavern. Somewhat dazed she leaned her head against him, remembering swiftly what had happened just before…

She had found a wandering man earlier asking her how to get to Trinsic. Apparently it was of great importance to him to get there, because after she had told him she did not exactly know how to get there he insisted she would find him someone who did know. The two of them ended up in the Tavern of Cove and while JT was talking to the man an Orc had suddenly appeared. The stranger and Estel had both hidden themselves quickly behind a table and she didn’t hear what the Orc and the others were talking about. Whatever it was, it resulted in all of them drawing their weapons and trying to chase the Orc away.

Just when she thought she was safe the Orc had come back to the tavern and attacked her merciless.  Of course she tried to escape it, but she just wasn’t skilled or willed enough to escape him. Worse even… she had tripped and fallen, hitting her head against something and waking up just now. Stoopid ork.

Once back in the Tavern JT immediately attended to the wound on her arm and Hoagie prepared an icepack for her head. What if the Ork had come again to get her back? What would happen if an ork would hurt any of the Covians who had been so kind to her in an effort to retrieve her? How badly did her Master want her back? It stung. The realization that she could be the cause of having brought problems to Cove with her presence. Maybe she should return to them to keep the Covians safe from harm.

JT did not want to hear anything of that idea. She was a Covian now and there was no way they would let her return or let her be taken back. Then the one called Takamadda offered healing of a different nature. Neither JT or Estel refused it, especially after what they had experienced with the Elven Healer Ruadnit Troi. He chanted like her. A different language though. One she did not know. As she felt his magic flow into her, it felt like her her brains nearly exploded inside of her.

“You will come back to me.” It was the voice of the Orc mage speaking to her in her mind. “You will be my slave untill I die.” It was as if she could feel his hand touching her cheek, but while that happened images appeared. The hand touching her cheek in her thoughts was not orcish, but white skinned, delicate. She looked on and looked straight into the face of a man, an elven man. Long blond hair like her own lay around his face, covering nearly all of his ears except for the pointed tips of them. His eyes… it felt like looking into her own eyes. She must have known this man, because looking at him gave her a feeling of great joy.

“Estel, you must run…” He spoke softly to her and a wave of sadness engulfed her. She reached out to him in her thoughts and surprised she realized it were definitely her own hands, but much smaller then they were now. She was remembering something from her youth! Her tiny hands tried to lift the man’s head. “Atar, Atar!” Another wave of sadness. He closed his eyes and she instinctively knew it was for the last time he ever would. When she pulled back her hands they were covered with blood, his blood.

“Melamin?” JT’s voice brought her back to the now.  Dazed she looked up to him. “I remember something… What means Atar?”
“Atar?” Their eyes met. “That means father in elvish…”

[Surprise]

Surprise

While they still had their arms around each other, a gesture that Estel had come to like very much, JT spoke softly in her ear: “I have a surprise for you!” The tone of his voice was so excited that Estel leaned back to look at his face. “Surprise? You spoil me! You surprise me already with nice hug from your arms.”
“This is an even better surprise!”
“Better? I can no imagine better surprise then you.”JT blushed and softly kissed her cheek. Curious the elf started to search for his pocket. “Where is it then? In pocket?”
He shook his head. “Nope!”
A puzzled look crossed her face. Where would he keep a surprise if not in his pocket? What would it be? Maybe he had gone to  Carlotta and asked her to make some more soup? Or maybe he plucked apples from the tree in the Garden and left them somewhere, coming to pick her up so they could eat them together?
“You remember the Elven Quarter where we met the healer?” She nodded. “The surprise is there. My friend Gwen gave us a gift; do you want to see it?”
“Is it apple pie?” she asked hopeful. She heard this friend of his was a somewhat good cook.

Footsteps approached. A team of guards returned from wherever they had gone too. Excited about the surprise now, Estel waved at Hoagie who was amongst them and called out: “JT has a surprise!!! And it’s not in his pocket!” Hoagie nearly choked and immediately gave JT an odd look, while JT besides her blushed really red with wide eyes.
Estel did not notice the exchange of looks between the men and watched the guards curious. Still blushing JT nodded towards one of them. “That’s Eve… She’s an officer. Like Hoagie.” Surprised Estel stared at the woman and then again to Hoagie. Earlier she had been looking for an officer to whom she could give the bandages that she had made and JT had explained to her that… “But she does not look grumpy and Hoagie always smiles?”
Again JT’s face became redder then usual.
“Oh! They wear hats, is that what makes em diff’rent?”
“No, I have a cap too. I just don’t wear it.”

At that moment Hoagie approached them and JT told him that he had paid Estel for the bandages she had made and that he was about to show her a surprise.
“Ooh! I know wha’ it is…! Lemme guess.” Hoagie said with a grin.
Estel frowned. “I do not know what it is. What is it then?”
“It’s…” Hoagie suddenly kept his gaze on JT. “Where ye left yer cap?”
Quickly JT searched for it and put it on his head, Estel helping him with putting it straight on his head.
With a pleased look in his eyes, Hoagie nodded, and somewhat grumpily JT turned to a smiling Estel. “Now you look like officer…”

“Maybe others want see surprise too or is it only surprise for me?”
JT leaned in and whispers softly. “Just for you and me, melamin”
She nodded and turned to Hoagie. “Hoagie, you cannot come. Is only surprise for me.” The elf beamed happily. Somewhat uncomfortable JT shuffled shiftily besides her under the faintly grinning look of Hoagie. For some reason she seemed to have said things in a way that apparently was not entirely proper. She’d have to ask Lloyd about it… maybe he knew what.

Later the couple arrived in the Elven Quarter where JT led her to one of the trees. Overwhelmed by the kindness of JT’s friend she set foot inside it. They were gifted a home to stay in…

[Bandage Making]

Bandage Making

With enthusiasm Estel looked up her friend Lloyd at the Healers Building to tell him about the citizen task she had found. She had already planned to return all the kindness of the healers by making bandage for him, but now the City had even requested it. Yet a while later the elf sat down much less enthusiastic in the Garden in front of town. How indeed would she do this?

That’s how it happened that today JT found Estel in a somewhat less cheerfull mood then usual. When he asked her about it she spoke to him with a greatly disappointed tone in her voice. Lloyd had told her she could not venture out into the woods to gather wool without proper equipment. Not that the sheep from which to gather wool that was needed for making bandages meant any danger, but there were other dangers that could make the mission she wanted to send herself on quite impossible. How would she defend herself from the dangers in the woods with only a simple dress to wear? With no weapons to defend herself? She possessed no means to buy any of those…

JT just smiled at first and then offered her a solution for her problem. First of all he would help her gather the resources she needed and once she had saved up enough rewards for the work she had done he’d introduce her to someone who she could pay to make her her own bow and arrows and a proper suit to hunt in. Feeling much better after having received his solution to her problem, he then showed her another resource that she could use for making bandage.

Feeling as if she could burst from  happiness Estel followed JT
back to Cove with the newly made bandages.

[Orc trouble]

Oh ye faint of heart, be carefull reading this part... some content may not be pleasant

Orc trouble

While chatting cheerfully with JT Estel suddenly noticed something moving around the Garden in front of the walled city part of Cove.  “Hurrh…” the figure said and since the accent was unmistakably orcish Estel jumped frightfully away from the sound. “Orks!!!” JT called out and immediately the elf hurried off to hide behind the stairs of the plateau with the big statue, trembling uncontrollably. They had found her! They were going to take her back! Thoughts of what would happen to her once back amongst the orcs flashed through her mind, unpleasant thoughts…

In a threatening manner the Orc approached them, addressing them in his own language. JT shouted at it, while Estel was beginning to panic and plead for JT to run away. Neither the Orc nor JT responded. Instead the Orc rubbed his burnt-out eye while pointing his weapon at the elf and JT armed himself with his bow, aiming an arrow at the Orc. Behind them Estel started to sob.

“Nuhw, liszhden. Gibve gr za elbf. Ash uruk shamun wuhnt ta bahkk.”
Defensive JT shuffled closer to Estel and shouted a loud no at the orc.
The Orc ignored him and gazed at the elf menacingly. “Khom al, illid…” He crooned at her.
Estel shook her head a little. “No,” the tone in her voice betrayed her fear. “I no want to go back…”
The orc snarled and moved closer. JT stood between them, the look in his face grim. The Orc spoke again, angered with her disobedience and leapt towards JT raising the big axe in his hand.
“No!” Estel screamed out. “No! No!” The thought of JT getting hurt, made her completely forget all the fear in her heart. A new fear rose as images of JT and death filled her thoughts. “Don’t ‘urt JT !!!” She got up from behind the stairs when JT’s body became limp and fell. “JT! JT!” She had barely knelt down besides him, when the Orc grabbed a handful of her hair and dragged her along with him away from JT. “JT!” She called out again. “JT!” But no reply came, nor did he move…

Estel screamed out as the Orc dragged her further and further away from the Garden. She tried tugging at her hair to release it from his grip until the Orc got tired of her screams and struggles and slapped her hard across the face. “Hoshat, snaga!” 
She silenced immediately, knowing all too well the pain he would cause her if she angered him any further. He continued dragging her along by her hair. Sobbing and trembling she couldn’t do anything. She had neither weapons nor the strength to stand up against the Orc. He halted and pulled her up by her hair so they were face to face. Again he slapped her across the face, his single red eye gleaming with pleasure. Estel began to struggle, pleading him to let her go.

“Gr wihll hae suhm fuhn…” He patted the whip on his side. Instantly the elf froze, gazing with her eyes widened and full of fear at the whip. The Orc looked her up and down. She whispered softly. “No! I go work… I be good…” The Orc rubbed his burnt out eye, deliberately catching some puss from it and smearing it across her face. “Harrh!” She wanted to scream, fight, anything to get away from him as he brought his face closer and closer and eventually licked the puss from her face, but her body wouldn’t move. Content with the fear he brought to her he continued dragging her back to the Orc camp.

Once they were near, he rammed her head into a tree, causing her to scream out in pain again. A gleeful cackle escaped from him as she sunk to her knees, holding her head between her hands, dazed from the pain.
“Gr wihll habve some fuhn wib lat bodyj before gr gibye lat bakk to za shamun!” He grabbed her dress and ripped the fabric from her body. She could hear voices call out loud nearby, human voices. The Orc looked up towards the guards that were heading their way and with a daring, mean look he lifted his axe and smacked her across the bottom. A scream escaped from Estel’s lips, followed by another loud scream from someone else. JT ! He was alive, he was there!

“Drop her!” another male voice shouted. “I’m warning you, Orc!”
The Orc merely eyed them disdainfully, taking the whip from his side with his other hand. Estel in the meantime crawled a little away, trying to cover herself with her arms and trying to catch her breath from the last smack with the axe. Without any warning the whip came down hard on her back.

Tears welled up in her eyes as the pain shot through her body. It was so intense, that she could hardly take a breath. Around her many things started to happen at once. Someone pushed her down to the ground, probably to keep her safe from the fighting. She could hear weapons clash, feet running past her. Then someone put his arms around her protectively. Before he spoke, she knew it was. “Are you okay, little one?”

Tears flowed down her face now. “He broke pretty dress…” she sobbed. The dress JT had bought her. Her favourite out of the two dresses she owned. There was shouting around them and Estel was pushed against the ground again. It didn’t take long for the men to take on the single Orc and shortly after Estel was back at the Healers with a very shaken JT taking care of her.

***

JT’s hands rested on her hips, keeping her in the right position in front of the archery target. Estel closed an eye and concentrated, aiming the arrow at the target. Images of all the orcs she hated so much went through her mind. Calmly she inhaled an exhaled. It was as if all her hatred and misery was poured into the arrow before she released it.

The arrow flew. Right in the middle of the target.

She nodded. Right between its eyes. One day… one day… she would fight back.

[Clean Tavern]

Clean Tavern

Quietly Estel ate from the bowl of soup that Carlotta had offered her. Normally she enjoyed it greatly, but now that she had been around for a while she started to feel guilty. She was either given the soup for free, or it was bought for her by someone else. Around her everybody was working, while she was still doing nothing even though she was quite recovered from her ordeal with the orcs.

“You have finally had enough of my soup?” Carlotta leaned on the bar and offered her a smile. The smile was somewhat concerned, yet the tone in her voice was one that was trying to cheer up the elf.
“no no!” Estel called out. “I never get enuff from your soup. But…”
“But what?”
“I want to be good citizen and earn soup myself. If I clean tavern for you, is that good idea?”
Carlotta smiled again. “If you do that for me, then that is a fair deal.” She held out her hand to Estel who frowned in reply. “When people make a deal amongst eachother, they shake hands on it.” With a happy smile on her face Estel layed her hand in Carlotta’s.

A little later…

Much later...

After having carried many times the bucket back and forth to get clean water from the nearby pond, Estel sat on the ground against the wall of the tavern. Now she would feel better when eating soup, because she would earn it herself…

The Elven Healer

As soon as they stepped out of the moongate a really awkward feeling came over Estel. A feeling that became even worse as she gazed up at the huge trees that here and there had branches twisted in a strange manner. JT spoke cheerfully, telling her they had arrived in the Elven Quarter and that she was looking at the famous Trinsic Rose Tavern. She tried to respond with equal cheerfulness, not wanting to disappoint him as he apparently felt completely at ease amongst the great trees, but of course he noticed. Finding it unable to give words to her uneasiness she just moved close, almost leaning against him as they continued their journey through the Elven Quarter.

“This is an infirmary and there is a library above.”
“Infirmary… is like Lloyd’s Healers house, yes?”JT nodded and pondered for a moment. “Would you like to go inside? The Elven Healer is supposed to be very good.”
“Elf healers very good, Lloyd say so. Maybe she know, how old I can be?”

They entered the building that was partially tree and partially building and came face to face with a beautiful elven woman. She had long blond hair and very friendly eyes and an even friendlier smile. Her smile was met by a nervous smile of JT and an even more nervous smile from Estel who almost hid behind JT. The woman was just drying her hands and made a welcoming gesture. “Aaye, come in.”

The elven woman and JT spoke a little, Estel remaining behind him and glancing over his shoulder to look at the elf. This was the first time she ever saw an elf that was not dead, the first time she met someone who was like her. Why did she feel so anxious that she wanted to run and hide and not look at her or talk with her? Startled she blushed a deep red when the woman addressed her and held out her hand to Estel. Softly Jon spoke assuringly to her, “its okay, little one”, before she carefully placed her hand in the woman’s.

“Amin naa Ruadnit Troi.”
“Me be, Estel Aralle.” Her nervousness made her orcish accent stronger.
The woman frowned at her a moment.
“She only has a little elven, miss.”
“But she understood which is encouraging.”

The woman led her to a delicately decorated bench and ordered her to sit. Seeing her uneasiness JT crouched down close by. Ruadnit explained she was able to heal in two ways, one that was similar to the way that Lloyd healed and the other was by touch. As she turned and sat down behind a desk with bottles, bandages and other healer’s tools she explained to Estel that her touch would make Estel feel warm and tingly inside. She suddenly looked straight at Estel and asked if she had any other injuries besides the healing cut on her head. Somewhat ashamed Estel told her she had old lashing scars on her back that were caused by her master.

To her surprise the elven woman also asked if she had been around a mage or mages. “My masta was Ork Mage. Why you know that?”
Ruadnit muttered and Estel looked questioningly at her, while JT shuffled closer and held her hand, squeezing it gently.
“There’s magic being used on you.”
“On me?”
JT raised a brow.
“Probably to keep you in sight.”
“But… I no remember? Masta never did magics on me.” Confused Estel stared at the woman until she suddenly realized: “For… for… for as long as I can remember…”
“It must be some memory spell or curse.”

Ruadnit kneeled down in front of her and placed some regents in her hands, before placing her hands over Estel’s. Then she closed her eyes and began chanting in an elven tongue that neither JT nor Estel recognized. While she did that the regents began to glow and disappear and Estel heard a soft popping sound. Together with the popping sound Estel felt a strange pain inside of her head. Her gaze met with that of the elf that opened her eyes surprised. “Well, that didn’t go well…”

She explained something more, but Estel couldn’t hear. Instead she could hear her former master speak to her, a chanting like manner as the elf had just done. She did not understand the words at all, but guessing from what the elven woman had just done he must have been using magic. Must have been. She was remembering something. ‘Estel, come to me…’. Frightened by the words Estel reached for the sides of her head while the words slowly faded into silence.

Suddenly worried JT asked her if she was all right and Ruadnit softly touched her arm.
“He’s calling.” Estel whispered.
“Well, tell him no.” Ruadnit simply said. “Yell it out loud if you have to. He’ll hear.”
But I don’t want him to hear. Estel looked over to JT, his face calming her down.
“Whatever he did, it is lessened. He won’t be able to track her.”
“Will it ever go, miss?” JT looked up concerned.
“The death of the mage should negate his spell.”

Estel tried to get up but was gently pushed back. Still dazed by the experience she just had, she nodded when the woman asked her if she could now heal her. Again she held out her hands to Estel and began chanting again after Estel had put her hands back in hers. She could feel a warmth entering her starting in her hands and slowly flowing through the rest of her body. JT’s eyes widened as he noticed the cut on her head started to disappear slowly until there was not even a scar left. The warmth kept crawling within her, healing whatever damage there was left from her ordeal with the orcs and she could even feel her back tingling.

For a moment the cut that had been on Estel’s head appeared on the same place on Ruadnit’s head and Ruadnit paled white. When the warm feeling left her, the healing done, Estel leaned forward and put her arms around Ruadnit’s waist. “Amin Hiraetha. (I am sorry)” She whispered softly. “For hurting you…” In reply Ruadnit hugged her gently back. “Lle did not, tis part of my gift.”

Ruadnit sat down behind her desk again and started to prepare a pretty blue jar, putting a blue salve in it. “This salve will get rid of the older scars you have. Put it on twice a day until they are gone.” She looked over at Estel again. “Lle will be please to know lle is well over a century old. Lle are still young. In elven terms lle are as old as your friend is.” She nodded towards JT. “So lle have a long life ahead of you.”
Estel’s mouth had dropped open in surprise. “Dat iz rilly rilly rilly old…”
“Not for a pretty elf as you.”
“Thank you so much, Miss.” JT said grateful when she handed him the salve.

They parted and after having had soup in the Trinsic Rose JT showed her more of Britannia until Estel became tired and visibly needed rest. Having felt so uneasy earlier, Estel was very glad JT had hired a room at the Covian tavern for the night that had a bed that was big enough for both of them to sleep in. Tonight she did not want to sleep alone, but rather close to the one she felt most safe with.

[Name:]

Name: Estel Aralle
Race: Elf
Age: Appears to be a young adult
Height: nearly 5,5ft
Build: Slender
Hair: Roughly cut short blond
Eye: Blue/green
Home Town: unknown, considers Cove to be her Home Town
Occupation/Class: Commoner, no occupation yet


Personality: Estel is a very cheerful person, whom is enjoying her life as a free person extremely much. She can enjoy good food really a lot and is easily content with small gestures and things. Aside from that she is eager to make friends and learn about life and the world around her. Sometimes she can respond a little anxiously or sad when something reminds her of her former life as a slave and of course she is terrified of orcs.

Background: Estel does not remember her early years. She doesn’t know who her parents were or where she was born. The oldest memory she has, is her orcish master explaining to her her duties to him and ever since that moment she has been his personal slave. Her master was called to Cove one day while the orcs who live there tried to occupy the city, but they arrived too late and the orcish army was defeated. During one night in the Covian Orc Camp Estel finally gathered enough courage to sneak off and escape. She was however to weak from malnutrition and a recent beating that she was found close to Cove city by Jon Trent.

Present Day: After having been found by Jon Trent, Estel stayed at the Covian Healers for a while until she was considered strong and healthy enough to leave. During that time Estel and Jon Trent became close friends and this friendship is still developing. Since Estel does not know where she comes from and wants to stay close to her friend JT and the other very friendly people of Cove she has met so far, she requested and was granted to become a citizen of Cove. A new life has begun for her and she is eager to repay the kindness of the Covians by becoming a part of and doing her duty for Cove as a citizen.

Estel dangled her feet under the chair back and forth. She was sitting behind Lloyd’s desk and was trying to listen to what the older healer was telling her. By his own choice he had taken on the job of teaching her about whatever he thought could be usefull for her to know. She had come to trust him and he had come to like her and feel somewhat responsible for her as long as she was with the healers. Soon he would have to let her go and then her new life as a free woman would really start.

Her progress had amazed him. The trauma she must have gone through while being enslaved by an orc could have easily made her weary of everyone and everything, but instead she embraced the kindness everyone offered her with both hands and had become a friend. He smiled when he noticed she had lost interest in his words. She wore a Trinsic Rose behind her ear and the healer did not have to guess where the flower came from or why she was wearing it. It came as no surprise to him that something blossomed between her and the young Covian that had found her. Would this be a good time to speak to her about what was proper and what not between men and women?

She was staring dreamily ahead of her and touched her lips with a finger not noticing he was looking at her. No, the healer thought, let her have her dreams and happy thoughts. He smiled again and decided to prepare some food for her.

Estel had been with the healers for some time now. She could feel herself become stronger every day now that she was given proper food and rest. She started to like them a bit better, had become more cooperative when the wound on her head was treated and started to help them out a bit even by helping them making the beds for patients. It made her a little bit sad that she was doing so well, because once she was recovered, where would she go? She possessed nothing and no matter how much she thought about it she couldn’t remember her early days, couldn’t remember if she had any family or a home to return to.

Silently she hoped that she could stay in Cove where everybody was being so nice to her and where the food was so tasty that her mouth would water only thinking about it. Another reason, and the most important one why she wanted to stay, was because she had a friend in Cove, her first and only friend. Every day she looked forward to his visit and enjoyed the time they were spending together.

He had taken her out to see the town and introduced her to other nice people, Hoagie and Perrin and Carlotta. He also had continued to bring her food and one of his friends had given her a jar of honey that she had really enjoyed. She had enjoyed it so much, that her dress needed to be washed and was replaced by JT with a new dress.

“Shall we walk in the Forest? Or…?”
“Or…?”
JT shuffled a bit and Estel lifted a brow. “Whatever you’d like to do.”
“I want to do everything!” she smiled. “But… I don’t know where to start.”
“The beginning is usually a good place.” He smiled back at her. “What is the first thing you want to do?”
Estel sighed.
“What’s wrong, Estel?”
“I can’t think of something to start with. Walking around with you is what I like most. Where I go when you are there does not matter. What I do does not matter too when you are there. I am glad to be with my friend.”

Estel curled up in her bed at the healers wrapping the sheets tight around her. She was free now and safe. She would repay the kindness of the Covians somehow and she would do whatever she could do so they would allow her to stay in Cove. She would make a living for herself here… close to her friend JT.

When the healers checked up on her that night, they did not find her sleeping restless and afraid but instead she was sleeping calmly with a smile on her face.

Morning came faster then the healers anticipated. Estel had awakened quietly, and had remained motionless for an unknown time, studying the healers that were going in and out of the building, reporting for duty and speaking about patients. When they did notice she was awake they of course wanted to greet her and examine her, but as soon as any of the healers approached her she’d shy away from them, making a lot and loud protest. It had taken them a long time to convince her they meant her no harm. Had they known they would have offered her food much much earlier, because only after they had done that she became somewhat more easy to handle.

You could say it was quite an eventful day for the healers with only that single patient. They couldn’t give her too much food, because of her malnourishment, so that tool couldn’t be used to win her trust all the time. They had managed to wash her, even to struggle her into new and clean clothing, but more she had not allowed them. The healers were amazing, they were patient and understanding and made sure all was done for the young elf they could do. But they were sure glad to see Jon Trent later that day!

“Escape”

A pile of meat and vegetable leftovers lay on a dirt bottom drenched with fluids you don’t really want to think about. The air around it foul, flies buzzing. A mere but good example of how much the orcs cared for their surroundings. They had been moody for weeks. Losing the battles against the Covian army and their Trinsic friends did not please the lot. They were drinking a lot. Fighting a lot amongst each other. Even the usually somewhat calmer Orc Mage had never been so cruel to his slave. A smart one that one… quite a story how this Orc managed to capture and keep his slave. But not the story I’m telling now.

A trail of footsteps in the dirt, carefully placed to avoid making any noise. It was however hard to imagine the frail starved body that came with the footsteps could actually make any sound with moving around. A pair of green eyes looking around nervously and afraid, but also determined to continue the path she had chosen to take. A path that would lead her away from the orcs, as long as they didn’t wake up now, or turn their heads to see her walking towards the mountains.

Exhausted, weary and suddenly feeling terribly alone she entered the forest behind the mountains. As long as she could remember she had never been alone, the Orc mage always kept her close to him. As long as she could remember she had belonged to him. Tonight had been the first time ever that he had forgotten to put the chain around her ankle, but still it had taken her hours to decide whether to stay or to go. A part of her actually wanted to hurry back and lay down on the ground besides the Orc to sleep because that’s what she was used to. The throbbing of a nasty cut on her head reminded her however why she was here now. Decades of abuse and the recent aggressive treatment had given her the spark she needed to dare to escape, to dare look for freedom.

But where would she go? At the edge of a small pond she crouched down trying to reach the water to quench her thirst.  It had started to rain hours ago, but the drops of rain were not enough. Then she noticed the water barrels besides the pond and climbed on them to drink the water from the top one. A sound behind her made her let go of the barrel so suddenly that they almost tipped over. A strange voice spoke and she backed away from where it came from, hiding behind a tree. “Pleez du nub ‘urt meeb!”

She could hear movement and expected to be jumped on any moment by orcs that had been send out to retrieve her, but instead the voice spoke again, friendly. Absolutely terrified of what would happen to her if she were to be taken back to the orcs, she panicked and ran into the other direction, stumbling over a big stone in the ground. Sore and tired she tried to struggle up, but she had no more strength left. She was cold and soaked because of the rain and knew even if she tried to run she wouldn’t be able to outrun the stranger.

The stranger kept talking softly to her, trying to convince her he did not mean her any harm. He had knelt down close to her and carefully crouched closer holding out some bandage while she struggled to sit up. As he wiped the clean bandage over the cut on her head, she could feel her nerves calm down. She had escaped the orcs and a new life was beginning.