The city was bustling. As he strolled, a youthful high elf experienced the ebb and flow of the crowd. It was terrifying being somewhere so crowded, but Haldir decided it was better than traveling in secret as if he were a thief. Upon looking down the alley beside him, he found it to be empty. Not a single thing seemed out of place. Still, Haldir walked with caution. Life should have given him a pass and let him go unscathed, but he wasn’t that lucky. He never was.
Strong hands loomed out of the dark alley and snatched him from where Haldir had been on the street. They smashed him against the wall with such tremendous power. The force had the young elf thinking his bones were breaking as they made a creaking sound. So this was how he would die, in a dirty alley, somewhere Haldir was unfamiliar with. If only he hadn’t done such a reckless thing. The shadow’s grip loosened, and they sighed loudly.
Oh, by the Mother let my death be quick and painless, that is all I ask of thee.
“Oh, wow… To think I almost beat up a beauty like you.” The voice of the man was deep and smooth, like the richest velvet. The sultry tone had blush quickly covering the young elf’s face and ears. Who was this man to have the gall to be so forward? Even though he was a pretty thing, as most said. There was no need to voice it! “Goblin got your tongue?”
“A-Ah… I.. Well, um-” The high elf stammered out as he looked around for something, anything, to protect himself and fight off this assailant. Who might as well be a pervert to boot! When Haldir couldn’t find anything within reach, he easily surrendered to his fate.
“Giving up so easily? Perhaps if you were to give up like this, you shouldn’t be in the habit of stealing people’s clothes then.” The shorter elf’s face shot up as he squinted his eyes to get a good look at the man who had him pinned against the wall. How could the man see him? Let alone know of him to be the thief he so tried not to seem like.
It was so dark that it would be impossible for the other to see him unless he had dark visi- the man he stole them from was, of course, as his memory so helpfully supplied, a dark elf. He truly was an idiot. There was no need to call himself a prince anymore. Even naming him a disgrace to the Slentis Empire was too nice!
“I-I apologize. It was a bad thing for me to do. I won’t do it again.” The little elf prayed the other believed him, as this was something often said by thieves, but he was genuine! He wouldn’t steal ever again. “I can repay you! Please, just don’t turn me in to the Slentis authorities!” There was a loud laugh and Haldir held his breath while the man let him go, practically keeled over in a fit.
“Hand you over to Slentis? Please, darling, I wouldn’t even if I could!” The man looked back down at Haldir, and his eyes, tinged with red, seemed to glow in the alley's dark. “Well, you are in luck. The authorities of Lutus are much kinder to thieves than ole Slentis is.”
Everything clicked in Haldir’s head. That was why no one realized who he was when he was walking around. People in Slentis would easily recognize him by his clothing, but in Lutus, he would be strange. On his vacation, people began to whisper and gesture in his direction as if he were a wandering noble, but no one said much. Those stares, though, had him cautious, and thus why he stole this robe from the bathing dark elf.
Haldir had left his home country altogether and ended up wandering into the neighboring empire. The Lutus Empire was the home and birthplace of dark elves. According to legends, the Mother tree that lay deep underground gave birth to the dark elves. When they emerged to the light of Braia, they found themselves to differ from their elvish brothers and sisters. They found more solace and commonality with orcs and goblins, all to where they would copulate with others who were not elves.
“Lutus… It’s so beautiful compared to what my tutors said. It was impossible to tell the difference from Slentis.” Haldir began.
“People misrepresent us. We are all equal here, orcs, elves, and goblins alike. Humans also enjoy themselves here and settle down to the lax rules surrounding interspecies relations.” The way the man spoke was with pride. Haldir wished he could have seen Lutus sooner. It seemed like such a beautiful place, though he couldn’t understand how other countries wouldn’t allow race mixing if it worked well in Lutus. “Oh, where are my manners? I’m Ghaisu and welcome to Lutus Empire, dear silver-footed thief. May I have the honor of knowing your name?”
“My name is Haldir,” The high elf replied. Ghaisu leaned down, his long white hair sliding over his shoulder like a waterfall. Haldir’s breath hitched as the dark elf cupped his cheek.
“Haldir… What a unique and beautiful name…”
