Elven Queen
After several long days and arduous nights where even breathing was tough, as Leah and I were in each other's tight embrace, we finally arrived at our territory in the North. Compared to the imperial capital, where the status quo was complex, the North was a simple realm outside of it all. Our carriage stopped in front of our estate that we suddenly felt was a tad foreign. Leah cheerfully ran inside and followed the shabby corridor to the house at the rear. I looked at the estate and laughed in a soft tone: "We're home, huh?"
"Yes, we are home." Anna, who was next to me, gently laughed: "The clothes have arrived. Sir, you have good taste. Lord Veirya looks very pretty in the clothes. If you like, you can ask her to wear it every day to feast your eyes."
Veirya came up to us from behind and adeptly looped her arm around mine. Without any expression on her face, she remarked, "If you want to see. I can wear it. From now on. I will. Wear those clothes."
I stated, "That'd be fantastic."
I, too, looked forward to seeing Veirya in normal clothing. The clothing purchased was ordinary clothing, but it was considered rare to Veirya. I was glad as long as Veirya liked them.
We entered the house. The large hall at the front was pointless. The townsfolk didn't need our help; green seeds sprouted from the fields. Food needed for the town in winter had already been prepared. Although they terrorised Leah last time, I couldn't do anything to them. I won't deny they truly sickened me. They were stupid, ignorant and didn't even understand servitude.
Because she didn't have the key, Leah could only play around in the yard. Nevertheless, there was still nothing in the yard besides soil and a shabby fountain. Life gleamed in the fields outside, but our yard was still desolate. Leah squatted down and drew something on the ground with a branch.
I took out the key and unlocked the door. Just as I went to enter, I noticed a letter on the ground. I had never seen the envelope style before. It wasn't a letter from Achilles or Queen Sisi. Curious, I picked it up. There was no fire stamp on there. It actually resembled plant juice more. Veirya poked her head over: "Elves' letter."
"An elf's letter?"
I froze; I didn't understand why an elf would send me a letter at first, but then I soon recalled the elf told me Lucia would send me some sort of present. Hence, I figured it might've been a letter from Lucia. As for what the present itself was, well, I wasn't too sure. Nonetheless, I didn't think that it'd be something good.
"Dear friend, Travor.
Long-time no see. How is your foot coming along? If you still have any problems, please let me know. I will help you. With your assistance, we elves have successfully created real change. We have realised our goal and forced the traitorous Elven Queen off her throne. We elves have now returned to the right path; however, we are grateful for the support you provided. I will begin preparing what I promised you before. If you see this letter, write back to me and have it delivered to the spot on the ground by the ancient tree that we came across – the one we saw when we entered the forest together last time and I will receive it.
Best regards.
P.S. Send Veirya my greetings while you're at it."
Lucia's handwriting looked vigorous and energetic. She, presumably, wrote it while jolly. At the time, she didn't know that my left foot had been crippled. Accordingly, it should've been two or three days ago that she penned it. I didn't know if I could still reply in time. Nonetheless, the elf in the imperial capital should've notified her already. Knowing her, I predicted she'd personally come over.
Just as I finished pondering to myself, Anna came in from outside and reported, "Sir, a horse carriage has arrived outside the town. It must be the elves. How amazing; we have just arrived home, and they have arrived. They must have perfectly calculated our journey."
Veirya, puzzled, looked to me. I said, "Veirya, take Leah home first. Anna, help me take care of Angelina. I'll go and see what the elf wants."
Veirya nodded: "All right."
Veirya then took hold of Leah's hand and headed back. Anna went up to Angelina's side. She wanted to support Angelina, but Angelina gave Anna and me a helpless smile: "I'm fine; I'm fine. I've already recovered. My feet have healed already. There's no need to worry."
"Do not push yourself if you have not fully recovered."
Anna helped Angelina into the house. I scrubbed my hair and silently questioned, "Since it's an escort team, there must be quite the number of presents or it must be large. What would the elves give me, a few carts of flavouring? I don't think that's likely. The elves would give off the impression that they're excessively shabby, wouldn't they?"
I went outside. The elves' escort team had already stopped on the street outside of our entrance. To be honest, though, there were only four, five horse carriages. A few of them were to transport soldiers. Fully-equipped elven soldiers hopped out from inside the carriages. I thought they were utilising the Trojan horse strategy, taking the initiative to strike first and occupy our North.
Lucia cheerfully hopped off her horse and hugged me around my neck with one arm. She pointed to a carriage in the back and excitedly exclaimed, "Ah Travor. This is our gift for you!! We succeeded, so accordingly, this is our gift for our friend!"
I lingered for a moment then reacted surprised: "What? That much? We didn't want that many presents."
"It's not much; it's not much. Mm, there are only four, I think? Erm, one doesn't count. No matter, you can do as you please with them. You can use them to death if you like, you know?"
"So, what in the world have you sent to us?!"
"A present from us elves, obviously."
Lucia smiled in an incredibly mysterious manner. She looped her arm around mine and led me up to the carriage in the rear. It was a goods carriage; it was covered with a thick bit of cloth. I had no clue what was inside, but Lucia didn't put down the piece of plank for unloading. Instead, she tapped the carriage.
I heard rustling sounds inside the carriage. Before I could think about what it was, someone was thrown onto the ground. I saw a surprised female elf with nothing but silk socks on. Before I could call out, several more elves were literally hurled off. All of the elves thrown off were females.
After the last female elf was thrown out, Lucia apparently noticed something. She pulled up the last elf; the elf was as soft as a doll. She didn't wear any sort of expression, while her body was covered in bruises and traces of blood. Lucia touched her neck and dryly chuckled: "Sorry, Travor, she's dead. If you mind, we can send you another."
Then, Lucia casually threw aside the corpse as if she was throwing garbage away. I watched the five elves, who had their mouths stuffed, wriggle on their ground with all their might in an attempt to get up. A soldier used the length of their long spears to knock over the elves as if they were turning things over in a pot. I then looked up at Lucia: "Wh-What is this?'
Lucia gleefully smiled: "Oh, she is our Queen. I mean, previous Queen. She's very pretty. Also, these are the vassals who served her. We killed all of her male vassals. As for these elves… as we don't kill monarchs, we brought them over to you. Don't you humans like female elves? We don't want them, so we're giving them to you. Travor, you can play with them to your heart's content! It doesn't matter even if you toy with them to death…"