Intro: Not long ago, but still before you were ever born. There was a land secret from all humanity. They lived among people, but mostly they lived in the deserted forests away from the industrial world, far from Humans. They are elves.

 

Story:

 

            In a time where darkness seemed to suffocate the light there lived a woman, a beautiful elf, Aiyowen. Her fair skin as pale as snow, with blooming roses in her cheeks. Her hair was gold spun from the sun, with sparks of fire in the sunlight itself. She had striking blue eyes, and sweet pink lips. When she smiled one could swear the world became a little brighter. She was a princess and daughter to Lord Elmen. He was the one that would rule over their land for the next half a millennium, before he like many elves before him would move on to another world where only their kind lived. They never all lived there at one time because of crowding and some like to wander among humans.

            There was a meeting between elves that happened at least once a week. It was called the golden rod council. Only those who were considered high ranker were allowed to become a member. When one attended these meetings, one would also wear their best clothes. They had adapted to a human style of dress, one would consider it a more western style. Most of the time these meetings consisted of talking of city decisions, and what would be needed to make the city thrive.

            To Aiyowen these meetings were boring. She was at the age of thirteen when she started going to them. Now at 15, she wished she could just escape. At first they weren’t that bad because her father would only have her listen only when something was important and usually permitted her to read a book. Now she had to pay attention because one day she would become the hier to her father.

            Aiyowen was also at the age to marry and she soon would be forced into it by her father. Since they were of the Royal blood line she must marry within her family. The only one she could was her cousin lala. He was nice and sweet, everything her father was looking for, except when he was drunk. He was one of the few that was always smuggling in the vile drink, called liquor. Most elves could not understand why humans would invent such a vile drink, all it did was make one sick and stupid. Lala was mean when he was drunk, he hit and threw things, without explanation half of the time. If he was in a particularly bad mood, he could really hurt someone, but Elmen never saw this side of him.

            She had seen it once a few days ago when she was sent over to his house to get to know each other better, only in a friendly way.

            She wasn’t there long, when he pulled out a case something labeled beer. He offered her some, but she politely refused knowing the dangers of the drink, but not knowing what it could do yet. He continued to drink until 2 of the bottles were empty, and by that time he seemed to stager along, his speech blurring together. They were on the couch together when he put his arm around her. She shrugged it off, and that was when he got mean. He shoved her off the couch, letting her fall to the floor where she stayed, not bothering to get up. He was then over top of her, her neck in his grasp.

            “You will be my wife, and you will obey me!” he threatened her.

           

            She spit in his face, “I am not your wife yet, and I refuse.”

 

             The next thing she felt was searing pain across her cheek as he hit her. Her lip sliced opened, blood running down her chin. As if he realized what he done he got up, helping her back up. Then he went back to the way he just was.

 

            “Get out of my house. I will not tolerate you, here. You are not welcome back until we are married, bitch!”

 

            He was dragging her out the door, and that was where he left her. In front of the door step, with no where to go. She could not go home, because she would be labled as a disgrace to her father, but where else could she go?

            Just down the road she saw one of her dearest friends, and her love. His name was Farwen and not much was know about him. He was just two years older than her, but it seemed he had a stronger past then anybody here. Her father had found him as a child, abandoned in the woods. He had lived with them until he was twelve, and then he was sent to live with another elf. Now that he was seventeen though, he chose to live alone. He lived in a tiny house farther away from the chaos of the city, but just close enough that he wouldn’t be considered an outsider. He was also a member of the Golden Rod council, since he had been trained in fighting by Elmen himself. He was different though, unlike all elves he wore more black than white.

            His face shown like the moon light as he walked towards her, smiling. His hair was long and silver, it was like water flowing down his back.

 

            He wrapped her up in his arms, “what are you doing out so late, you know now that you won’t be allowed out for the longest time, thanks to your father.”

 

            “I’m not sneaking out. I….I got was supposed to be spending the night with Lala.” She said as she burrowed her face into his shoulder, hiding behind his silky hair.

 

            She then looked up at him, and he saw the mark across her face, red and swollen; her lip  cut as well.

 

            “Aiyowen” he said quietly, gently before tightening his grip around her waist.

 

            They stood together for a moment before he pulled away, leaving his hand twined in hers. “I don’t want your father to come by, and see us like this,” gently stroked the mark with his finger tips, “He did this didn’t he.”

 

            She turned her face away from him, staring at the forest, “It’s nothing.”

 

            “You need to say something to your father about this.”

 

            “It won’t change anything, and you know him. He won’t believe me anyways.” She said turning back to face him.

 

            He was disappointed, but he knew he couldn’t argue anymore with her. “Let’s go get you cleaned up.”

 

~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~

 

            Slowly the two walked up the side of the hill, hand in hand. They got to Farwen’s house, which was small compared to most in the city. She sat down on some cushions that were against one wall. This was what he had instead of tables and chairs or even benches. There was a fire place on the oppisite side of the room that radiated what little heat it could from the mostly burn out coals, through the house. Farwen had stepped outside to get more wood, and when he came back in he placed it in the fireplace. He stirred up the hot coals trying to stir up some sparks; eventually a fire was started. He left once again to go into another room, and brought back a bowl of water and a cloth. Pulling over two old ratty cushions by the fire, he beckoned Aiyowen to come over. She sat, it seemed since there little disagreement that they weren’t talking. He put the cloth to her lip, cleaning up the blood. Every so often he dipped it in the water to clean it off a little.

            “Ouch! Not so hard.”

            “Sorry.”he muttered.

            “Can you put a glamor over my cheek so it doesn’t look as swollen.”

            “I don’t know why I am doing this, but sure.”

            He put his hands on her cheek, closing his eyes. Slowly but surely it seemed the swelling was dissapearing, leaving her cheek looking normal

            “I’m leaving tomorrow.” She said trying to bring up something interesting.

            “I heard. Are you going to visit Blahblah.”

            “Yes, we need supplies from there village and we’re willing to trade what we have, but you already know all this. I just can’t believe it will just be me and a few courtieriers, women of course.”

            “Your father still doesn’t trust you I see. I think you need a guard, though.”

            “I can very well handle myself!” she said, aggravated.

            He threw up his hands, “Sorry. I know that, just I don’t want to see you get hurt.

            She didn’t say anything else, but they decided it would be best to leave for her to go back home. They walked through the trees for a while before coming out onto the city streets. They were dirt pathways, with houses on either side. They walked up to her house which was at the end of one of the streets. It was large and white, and three stories high. It seemed to stretch out forever. The front had a door that was raised with steps leading up to it. There were huge white pillars on either side holding up a hanging roof. It was a little early, but still around the time she was expected to be back. They looked at each other. She looked deep into his eyes. He quickly looked away avoiding her glance. That was when the door opened showing her father staring puzzled at first, but then his face going red from anger.