Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Elves of All Kinds (1x1)

Arthur frowned. "She wouldn't let herself get caught by just anyone." He had a feeling she would only let herself get caught by him. He reared his horse around. "Come on. I have an idea." He took off to the forest, going away from the village of elves and away from the city. He pulled his horse up to a stop and looked around. The elves would be searching in the trees. But she couldn't leaf-walk, he remembered her telling him that. The best place to hide from elves and humans alike was on the ground. Or underground. He pulled out a map from the pouch on the horse and spread it open, looking at it carefully. There. A cave. He rolled up the map and stuffed it away. "This way. I have a spot we can check." His main worry was that she would be captured. If she was captured, it would be dangerous. "Valenthion, go back to my house and ask Mary if George told her about any new female slaves yet." Word of mouth was the easiest way to get information about new 'acquisitions'.

"I will." Valenthion nodded and headed back to Arthur's home. There would be news from George about a new group of female slaves in the market, but the boy hadn't gine to see if there were any elves.

Mary would anticipate Arthur's instructions and send him off to see if he could find Belle, describing the girl for him. Then she told Valenthion that he should wait until George came back in case they had something to report to Arthur.
Meanwhile, Arthur came to the cave. It was well hidden behind some brush. He pulled his horse to a stop and hopped off, pushing carefully through the brush. "Belle?" he called softly. "Belle?" He looked into the small mouth of the cave. It was dark in there. Would she go there? "Belle, it's Arthur." He knew it was foolish to hope, but he wanted her to come running from the cave and into his arms. But he knew that wouldn't happen. "Belle?"

There was a few moments of silence, before there was a soft groan. Someone shifted inside the cave.

"...sorry, buddy. Seems your girl's gone." That definitely wasn't Belle's voice. It was obviously a man's, gruff and deep. After another moment, the man walked into the light, rubbing his eyes and shading them slightly from the light Arthur was letting into the cave. The man seemed groggy, as if he had been asleep...and he walked with a limp. Blood was soaked into his trousers, but a bandage was wrapped firmly around his thigh where supposedly he had been wounded. "Can I help you otherwise?"

Arther frowned a bit, but then he took in a deep breath. "...what happened to you? And have you seen an elf around? A girl?" He wasn't ready to just leave, because this man might know something. And Belle had had medical supplies with her.

The man leaned slightly against the cave wall. "Got too close to the villages," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Was lookin' for a calf of mine that wandered off. A group of their scouts wouldn't let me in the forest, so when I tried to sneak in they shot me, damn elves." He took a breath. "But, uh, this elf girl, ya know, she helped me. Got me wrapped up, heck, she even gave me some food. She didn't gimme a name, though, so I don't know if she was this 'Belle' you're looking for."

Arthur's eyes widened. "What? Which way did she go? Where did she go?" She was helping humans. She was making up for the evil of her people. He could tell. Her understood, after their discussion last time, why she was doing this. "Please tell me what way she went."

(Gotta go for a bit)

{See ya!}

The guy blinked at the sudden rush of questions. "I don't know. She was here last night, but I just woke up. She didn't tell me—" He was interrupted by a cheerful voice.

"Thomas! I think I found it! Well, of course it's yours, we don't raise cows, since we don't eat meat..." It was Belle, holding the rope collar of a young calf. It seemed she hadn't seen Arthur in the dim opening of the cave, because she was focused on the calf. "I found the poor thing all alone trying to get into some mushrooms. Maybe you should try—" She froze when she got to the cave. "...Arthur?"

Arthur frowned. She had left? But then he heard her. He turned and stared at her. "Belle!" He hurried over to her, looking her over carefully. "Are you okay? Everyone's worried about you, Belle. Valenthion came to me, and said you'd gone missing, and everyone was looking for you." He pulled her into a gentle hug for just a moment. "I thought you might have been captured..." He let her go and looked at the man. She was only helping someone. But what did this guy have in mind to do with her once he was healed?

(Gotta go again for a bit xD Busy day sorry)

{No worries x3}

Belle blinked at the hug. "Looking for me?" she repeated. "I've only been gone for a day." She cleared her throat and looked up at Arthur. "Thank you for coming for me, Arthur, but please don't tell anyone where I am. I don't want to go back to the village. I love my family, but my parents are too against humans for me to stand." She took a breath and walked over to Thomas, handing him the calf. "Here you are, Thomas."

Thomas nodded his thanks, but glanced between the two, before kneeling down carefully to check over his calf. It would probably be best to leave Arthur and Belle to chat for a bit. No need for him to intervene.

Arthur sighed slightly. "Belle, you can't just abandon your family...they care about you. Valenthion came to find me because he was worried about you and he thought you might be hurt." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Belle...you can't just abandon your family." He held out his hand to her. "...if you come back with me, will you come back to the village? Please. We'll talk to your father." He felt like maybe if her father knew that his hatred had driven his own daughter away, he might change.

Belle hesitated. After a few moments, she backed up a step and shook her head. "No, Arthur. I'm sorry, but no. They...They've survived without me for half a century. They can continue living without someone they see as an impediment." She hugged herself a bit. "I love them dearly. But... I have to do this. They would try to stop me."

Arthur looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "...then, I'm sorry, Belle." He reached over and grabbed her, lifting her up over her shoulder. "Don't worry, Thomas. You'll be taken care of, it will be fine." He smiled a bit then walked off, holding Belle over his shoulder no matter how much she struggled. He carefully put her on the horse and jumped up behind her, holding her on while he kicked the horse into action. Heading right back to the village. "I'm sorry, Belle."

Belle's eyes went wide as she was slung over his shoulder. "A-Arthur! Put me down!" she squealed, struggling to get down. When he put her on the horse and started riding off, she fought a bit more, before quieting, becoming still and silent. She couldn't believe he was doing this.

Arthur went right into the village, and pulled the horse to a stop. "Chieftain Saelhil! I need to talk to you." He didn't let her down yet, waiting until Saelhil came out to see how serious this was.

Saelhil was called for and soon he arrived. He looked a bit furious. "You!" He came up to the two. He glared slightly at Arthur, seeming to want to say something, before shaking his head. His expression softened slightly and he looked at Belle. "Darling, where on earth have you been?! You had us worried sick!"

Belle remained silent, looking down at the back of the horse's neck, just idly petting the steed's mane.

Arthur looked at him calmly. "I found her in the woods. Valenthion came to me for help. Do you know why she left, Chieftain Saelhil? She left because she could not longer bear the hate you hold towards others." He got down, and lifted her down, putting her on her feet. "I had to force her here, Chieftain Saelhil. She wasn't going to come back."

Saelhil brought Belle into a hug, before putting his hand on her shoulder and looking at Arthur. "...yes, alright. You are no longer needed. Thank you for returning her, now please leave." He huffed slightly, before waving his hand dismissively and turning to lead Belle inside. She didn't object, or even look up to Arthur. She just silently walked with her father.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I won't, I'm sorry. I'm going to be in this conversation. If I'm not, she might run off again and I'm not letting Valenthion be worried." He walked into the house and would sit down, near Belle.