Chapter Text
Rysnar-
Two years. It had been two long years since the ‘darkest day’ of Rysnar’s life. The day the elves were cursed, and he’d been forced to leave his home and his family to wander. Though the letter’s the Black Swan Smugglers were able to deliver made things a little easier, it still was beginning to feel like a hopeless situation. The loneliness and frustration of being apart from not only his family, but also his soldiers. Some of the generals he was stuck with were... trying. Rys’ rise to general happened because he was one of the most rounded individuals in fighting and tactics. He was also one of the strongest magic users (Excluding His Royal Highness King Themerysadli) of that all the Elves had. And the curse happened about a year after his rise. He had proven himself to his men, and began to be a real band family. And then he lost them.
Lying against a tree near the town of Werra, he reread the most recent letter from home. It would be months before he could receive another. The Black Swan Smugglers only made deliveries six months or so. His younger sister was growing up, and his grandfather was getting weaker. He wished...
His thoughts were interrupted by a “No!” and a manly sounding yelp. He quickly stood and grabbed his sword. He glanced around until he saw a man pulling on the arm of a lovely young lady. He hurried to intervene, but before he could, she kicked the man and was finally released.
“Leave me alone” She said before turning to flee.
The man caught her by the hood of her cloak, which she immediately unclasped. Rysnar was finally able to catch up to her, and stood in between the lady and the man, his sword at the throat of the man.
“I believe the lady already told you to leave her alone.” Rys’s voice was dark. He couldn’t abide by men who used their brute strength to intimidate others. He felt the woman grasp tightly to his tunic, and he realized she was shaking in fear.
The man spat on the ground near Rys’s shoe and threw the cloak, before stomping away. Rys tried to bend to pick up the cloak but due to the tightness of her grasp he couldn’t. He twisted a little to wrap his arms around the woman, before asking, ‘“Are you alright?” She shook her head, and released his tunic, but wrapped her arms around him. He carefully sheathed his sword on his back and just held her, until her shaking finally subsided.
Releasing him, she bent to pick up her cloak at the same time as Rysnar, causing them to crack skulls.
“Ow!”
“Oh my! I’m so sorry! Is your head okay?” The girl grabbed his head to inspect. He gently grabbed her hands and lowered them so he could stand to his full height.
“I’m fine. How are you? That... “ He paused trying to think of a good adjective for the scum he encountered, without resorting to swearing... “Ruffian didn’t hurt you too badly did he?”
He took the cloak and gently set it over the woman’s shoulders.
“I’m fine. Thank you for the assistance.”
“It looked as though you may have had it handled. But I couldn’t resist helping such a pretty damsel.”
He enjoyed the color on her face, as she blushed. She stepped to the side and bent to gather what looked like shoes.
“What’s your name?” The Elves had tried to stay away from the villages. They’d already lost so much, and with them being cursed to never stay in the same place for more than one night, they were hesitant to try to build more relationships that would be ripped from them.
They had figured out that the curse made them move at least 25 miles from each spot, and allowed them to return to a place after one year’s time had passed, so they had built several base camps. Most of them were far away from any kind of civilization, and the curse made it impossible to ask for help, not that they knew for sure how to break the curse. It involved a type of love called agape, as well as familial love and romantic love. Agape was a universal kind of love: selfless and unconditional. To break the curse, they needed to find someone who would give them agape, familial, and romantic love. Though they did try the first year to build relationships, having only one night once a year made things difficult.
“Aryeah,” was the response. Her russet colored hair and freckles were endearing to Rysnar.
“May I escort you to wherever you are headed?”
“I don’t even know your name though, kind sir. And I wouldn’t want to burden you.” She ducked her head.
“Ah, my manners are lacking. Don’t tell my mother.” Rys smiled at Aryeah. “My name is Rysnar. And it would be no burden to take a walk with a pretty lady.” He offered her his arm, wincing when he realized that her hands were full of shoes.
“May I take some of those shoes to lighten your load?”
She startled and stared at him, before stepping back from him. “Oh goodness, you’re an elf!”
He was surprised she noticed. Most people’s eyes just glazed over and didn’t see the tapered point of his ear. His hair also usually covered it, but he’d put it up earlier. The weather was starting to cool from Fall to Winter, but not nearly soon enough. Rysnar ran hot, which probably had to do with all his magic. She was very observant.
“Yes, I am. But I’m still just a man wanting to help a beautiful lady.”
She stared for a few seconds more, before shrugging and handing him two pairs of shoes. She held two as well, and began to walk off.
“So Lady Aryeah, where are we off too?”
She snorted, “I’m no lady, I’m a cobbler's apprentice, and one of my jobs is to deliver shoes.”
“Well would you rather me call you a damsel in distress?”
She laughed and he loved the sound.
“And the miscreant?” He asked.
Her face darkened and she shook her head before saying “I’m indentured to the cobbler which means I have five more years before I am free to love, or move, or really anything I want. That man has been attempting to court me for several months. Today he said he finally was losing patience, and if I wouldn’t agree to court him, he would just take me.”
Rysnar wanted to growl. What a piece of rubbish! He wished he wasn’t cursed, because he wanted to stay to make sure Aryeah stayed safe. Though he probably never would have met her if he wasn’t cursed.
“Well you had the right idea of it. What if after we deliver your shoes, I teach you a few tricks, in case he comes back?”
“I wouldn't want...” Aryeah began and he knew that she would try to push him away again, but if he couldn’t be there, then he wanted to teach her to protect herself.
“I insist.” She glanced at him, before nodding.
After the deliveries were finished, they returned to the spot where Rys had first met Aryeah. “Now I know you have a great kick, but here are some other things you can try.” Slowly going through the motions of teaching her to kick certain areas, use her fingers, thumbs, anything to injure her attacker. “Once you’ve incapacitated him, then run for help.”
She bit her lip, and he wondered what he said wrong. She looked away, before glancing back at him. “I’m not sure I have anywhere to go for help.”
“What about your master? He should be willing to protect you.”
She shook her head, and his heart tightened. “Where’s your family?”
She bit her lip again, and he felt worried that this beautiful lady didn’t have anyone.
“My parents live on the far side of Trieux, and they had to indenture me out because they lost their farm after the war. They didn’t have a way to feed me, or my sister. They had to send both of us out, to become apprentices. They found one indenture for my sister closer to where the farm used to be, but I had to come to Werra to find somewhere to apprentice. My master is kind, but he has his own family to worry about. Things have been getting progressively tighter for him, as well as most places with the taxes the Erlauf Queen has imposed. And even though the nobles are getting hit the hardest, those trickle down to us artisans. Depending on who is harassing me, he may not be willing to intervene.”
Rysnar felt his jaw ache from the clenching happening. He couldn’t believe that anyone, let alone someone with an apprentice, would dare not intervene, no matter who it was. Was there no chivalry left in the humans?
“I'm so sorry that is your life. Keep practicing those tricks, and you’ll be a force to be reckoned with sooner than you think.” He wished... but no. He shouldn't have even gotten involved. There wasn’t anything he could do. “I must be off, though. May blessings shine upon your endeavors.” He bowed his head slightly before turning away.
“May I see you again?” He turned back with surprise. It was a little bold for a first meeting, which had contributed to the problem of trying to figure out how to break the curse.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to return until a year has passed.”
“Why so long?”
He clenched his jaw, and growled a little, which made her step back away from him.
“I’m sorry, it's not you. I can’t tell you why.”
He turned again and started to walk away, but her words stopped him.
“Then I will meet you again in a year's time.” she said firmly.
He nodded and then left Aryeah, wondering if he was setting himself up for more disappointment.