Chapter 34: An Elf of dark skin

The Moonwoods, the place she had once called home, was already far behind her. For months, the young girl had traveled. She had dared to cross the border of the lands she knew, stepping into the unknown. It had frightened her, leaving the place behind she knew best. For her knowledge of these new lands was thin, except for what travelers told her Tribe through stories whenever they passed by, which was already a rare occasion. Not many traveled through the Moonwoods. It was a place of the Wilds … 

So the sights of humans, Halflings or darker creatures like Orcs or Tieflings were unknown to her. Learned to be wary and observant, Fae had kept her distance from villages or other settlements. She tried to live off the lands, hunting the fauna. But she came quickly to the realization that these unknown lands weren’t so rich of prey as her home. And she also learned that those who lived in these lands, weren’t so fond of Elves with dark skin. The first time she came across new people was highly by accident. She had chased down a deer and taken aim. But before the creature would fall to the earth, it took claim on it’s last reserve of power and fled out of the woods, before it fell to the earth on some farmers land. Fae had walked out of the shadows of the trees, thinking she could easily claim her well earned prize. But before she could even lay a hand on her prey, shouts entered her ears and they were quickly followed by stones flying in her direction. It had surprised her, until she heard what they were calling her: 

Drow!

In these past months, Fae had learned that Drow not only had influenced her life, but also of that of other surface races. When she was able to lay her ear to rest to catch some stories and information, she learned that even while humans or other creatures never saw a Drow, they all knew they had white hair, dark skin and would not hesitate to kill. So the other surface dwellers did what they thought would save them from harm: attack first!   

None of them bothered to listen to her words or defense or to look passed her golden eyes that differed her from those underground Elves. They only saw her white hair and dark skin and that was enough evidence for them. 

From then on, she tried to avoid any settlements, but now that her ration was growing slim and the fauna in her current area was thin as well, the only way to get some food, but also the information she craved for, was to go to such a settlement. 

With the cover of the night and a hood made from an earlier pelt pulled over her white hair, she walked up to what looked like a stone settlement. From afar, she could see it had large walls, which only grew in size the closer she got. Yet to Fae, everything looked large. 

Going closer, she noticed the gate was closed for the night. Next to the large wooden port, there was a smaller watchtower, which inhabited two guards. Fae swallowed, hoping she would be able to persuade the guards to let her in. She had noticed that such larger settlements often attracted creatures from different races. Yet it was only the question if they would accept an Elf of dark skin. 

Carefully she strode closer to the dark walls, her golden eyes peeking in the night. Thanks to her elven blood, she was able to see rather well in the darkness. To her it looked like the world was still covered with a layer of light.

“Who goes there!?”

Fae stopped, looking towards the watchtower at the side of the gate. At the top, she could see two figures, both armored, one already holding a bow in his hands to use if needed.

The voice had come from the tallest person. A broad male, who’s face betrayed his age and his oversized belly were proof of his trips to a local inn. But his eyes were still shining with authority and you could clearly see that he was the one who held the most power of the two. The other guard looked younger, much younger. Fae doubted if he was much older then she was.

“I … I am looking for some food …” The young girl tried to explain. She saw the older guard wiggle his mustache, narrowing his eyes, trying to get a better look in the darkness. But all he could see was a slim figure with a hood made of fur covering her face.

“Remove your hood!” He commanded with a strong voice. It made clear that ‘no’ was not the right answer. Taking a deep breath, Fae raised her hands and pulled her hood down, revealing her dark skin and white hair. And from the moment she did, she could hear them hissing between their teeth, gasping for air.

“White hair?” The younger one said, while his companion grumbled, already grabbing for his own bow and arrow.

“A Drow!” he said firmly when he raised the arrow in Fae’s direction. By instinct she wanted to defend herself, but by experience she had learned that often gave the opposite effect. Many had seen it as a sign of hostility. So all she did was raise her hands, taking a step back.

“Wait, I am not a Drow!” She tried to explain, but she could see that the older guard was not taking it. He narrowed his eyes, pulling the string of his bow that bit further, ready to release.

“Wait …” The younger one said, placing his hand on his companion before pointing to her girl. “Her eyes aren’t red. They are golden.”

Fae could hear how the younger guard was pleading for her, but the older one only grumbled more. She saw how his eyes moved to hers, but it seemed he was determined that he wasn’t gonna admit he was wrong. He was the strongest, the wisest, … what he said was right. 

“An elf with dark skin should never be trusted. Her kind is full of tricks. Magic tricks!” He barked, the young man taking a step back.

“I just don’t think she’s a Drow.” He tried again.

“And how would you even know that, you are still green behind your ears!”

The boy shrugged. “I just …Ii don't think she’s evil. And if the captain learns you attacked an innocent person …”

The older man grumbled again, looking back to Fae, who still stood with her hands raised in the air.

“Please, I only want some food. That’s all ….”

“QUIT!” The man barked. The words of his companion had left a spark of doubt however. What if … No, it was an elf with dark skin. There was no doubt.

“We don’t serve your kind! Leave, before my arm gets tired.”  

“Please, I don’t need …”

But before she could finish her sentence, a small rock was thrown in her direction. Fae yelped when she dug out of the stone’s way. When she looked back, she saw the shocked expression on the younger man’s face, but when she looked at the older one, she saw an expression of hate and disgust. A look she had seen before. 

“GET OUT!”

Carefully and bit shaky on her legs, Fae backed up, her heart beating in her chest. It wasn’t the first time she was called a Drow, but no matter how many times she would hear it, it still hurts. Yes, she had dark skin, but she wasn’t born underground. She was a child of the Night. But the stigma of having dark skin with white hair was too great, it seemed.

Seeing how the girl fled carefully away from the city walls, the youngest of the two guards sighed deeply.
“Was that really necessary?” he asked, still respectful. His superior huffed, raising his nose in the air, grumbling something between his teeth before he turned around to take a seat on his chair.

“It was a Drow!” He spat out, his words mixed with venom. 

“Those dark pointy eared rats from the Underdark. They all deserve to be shot to the ground! Would have been one less to take care of.”

The boy rolled with his eyes. He almost wanted to ask why he hadn’t shot the girl, if he should have done it, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. It would only spark a smoldering fire. Yet his slight daring nature couldn’t prevent his next question from leaving his mouth. 

“You are so certain? That it was a Drow?”

The elder gave the boy a dangerous and warning glare, slapping his hands on his metal armor.

“Dark skin, white hair!! Do you need more proof? It was a Drow! What do you know about them, you haven’t even left the city walls!”

The boy raised his shoulders with a shrug, averting his eyes back to the place where the elf girl had stood.

“You have never really seen one, do you? How can you be so certain it was a Drow?” The boy knew that was a daring question, but he knew it was true. Drow were rare in this area and while everyone knew the stories, barely anyone had even come face to face with one. There were other species that could have similar looks, no?

The older guard growled, picking up some of the stone pebbles from the ground and hurled them to his apprentice, who was quick enough to avoid the flying ammunition.

“Do not challenge me, boy!! You are nothing but a schoolkid who thinks he can play soldiers. You are still wet behind your ears, never seen a real battle before your eyes! If I say it was a Drow, it was a Drow! Now go down and fetch me that bottle of mead!”

The young lad sighed deeply, shrugging his shoulders again. He knew if he kept arguing that it would end in a real battle, or worst, a demotion. So the boy chose the safer route, deciding to leave the argument and keep his opinions for his own. It seemed it was a trait that older soldiers were stubborn as the rocks themselves.

“Alright, alright …” He said, throwing his hands in the air, showing his defeat and surrender while he walked down the stairs to one of the chests on a lower level to pick up the bottle of booze. And while he had left the discussion, the sight was still rolling in his mind. To him, it didn’t look like the girl would be a cunning, sleek, treacherous underground assassin. And if she really was not, he started to wonder why a young elf girl was traveling all by herself.  

But the thought was quickly driven away when his eyes fell on the bottle of mead. Picking up an extra cup, he walked back on the stairs. It was no longer his concern.