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Jimmy was just minding his own business when he heard the splashing.
Normally, he would have just written it off as a young mer learning to swim better. However, he was on extra alert today because of the impending visit from the elves, who had apparently received a tipoff about their lost prince being in the Codlands. Jimmy wasn't expected to greet them— that was Lizzie's job today— so he had taken the opportunity to escape the chaos of the palace and wander around the village.
The more he listened, the more off the noises seemed, and the further away they got. It sounded like it was someone being swept downstream, and Jimmy knew for a fact that the rocks got sharp a little while down the river, so this could be a dangerous situation. So, eventually, he dived into the water for a better look. He could practically hear Lizzie complaining about the swamp mud damaging Jimmy's clothes, but he didn't really care.
He swam around the river and made his way into the more secluded side, where he saw what he needed to see: a person flailing in the water. He couldn't make out any of their features, as they were completely covered by fabric. But they did not have a tail like most merfolk did, meaning that there was a good chance they could not swim for long.
Jimmy made his way towards them as they were rushed downstream, praying he got to them before the rocks did. Thankfully, he got a hold of them, pushing them to his chest while heaving them both out of the water.
For a moment, he felt something strange. They might not have had a tail, but his arm was definitely not wrapped around a back. Wings, maybe? Either way, he pulled himself and the stranger onto the bank and watched as they convulsed. They were clutching at the fabric, trying to lift it from their face so they could breathe.
"Let me help-" Jimmy tried to grab for it, but the stranger elbowed his hand away. Then he recognized the embroidery: this was an elf on pilgrimage. He didn't know much about the tradition since only a few went as far south as the Codlands, but they were not supposed to show their body or face. However, they were going to potentially drown again if they didn't get the cloth off.
"I'm closing my eyes!" Jimmy said, and shut them tight as he pulled the fabric off of their face. "I am so sorry!"
The stranger's gasps were louder now as they got more air into their lungs. Then slowly, they subsided. Jimmy felt two taps on his elbow and took it as a cue to open his eyes. The elf's face was covered again, though he could see much of their outline due to the water weighing down the fabric.
"All good?" Jimmy asked them and they stared for a moment before brushing themselves and standing up. "Great." He considered leaving the elf with a pat on the back. After all, being found in the mud with a random elf was not very princely of him. Having said that, he didn't want to leave them on their own either. Maybe he should direct them to the Rivendelli delegation? Yes, they would be able to help.
"Do you need any help? The Rivendelli ambassador should have arrived, I'm sure they would be happy to-"
"No Rivendell!" The elf said sharply, shaking their head for emphasis. Jimmy was hit with the realization that potentially the reason they hadn't been responding to a lot of what he said was because their Mangrovian was limited. Either way, he felt bad leaving them alone. Jimmy extended a hand and then didn't take it. "No Rivendell," They repeated.
"No Rivendell," Jimmy echoed, to make sure they knew he understood. Slowly, they took his hand and let him lead them back into town. "I'm Jimmy."
They stiffened. "Prince?" Them knowing who he was wasn't the most surprising, but it was still odd. Despite having used it for a while, the prince title still didn't feel right to him.
"Yes, prince. Who are you?" Jimmy asked, but the elf did not respond. He noticed that under their robes, their wings seemed to be drooping, unlike the few elves he had met whose wings were glued to their backs. "Your wings, are they okay?"
"Yes, they are okay. Only water." They made their way into town and Jimmy continued walking with the elf. He would probably lead him to an inn, somewhere where he could dry off in peace. He knew one with a privacy bath that could help.
That's when the elf yelped and yanked their hand out of Jimmy's. Jimmy turned to try and find them, only to see them disappearing behind a corner. Okay then.
"Excuse me!"
Jimmy looked down the street to see two elves in full Rivendelli garb walking down the path. The only reason he could see them over the towering heads of the other merfolk was because of the wide berth they got. "Can I help?" He asked in Mangrovian. Most of the mer in this town probably didn't speak Mangrovian, so acting as a translator might help.
"Have you seen a pilgrim of Aeor?" One of them walked up and demanded.
Jimmy opened his mouth to answer, but he remembered the elf's words. No Rivendell. So he smiled. "I think they went that way." He pointed the wrong direction, and the elves immediately turned, walking at a very brisk pace.
He stood there for a moment, wondering what he had gotten himself into, but instead chose to go track down his elf friend. If Rivendell was here to perform an arrest, they wouldn't mind some involvement of the local law, right? They were a little harder to find, but eventually he found them a few blocks away.
They turned back to look at him as he walked up to them. He pointed the direction the elves had gone. "Rivendell," Jimmy said simply.
They nodded, and Jimmy walked with them, though they didn't seem to know where they were going. His curiosity was getting the better of him though, and he really wanted to make sure he about to cause some sort of diplomatic disaster. "Why no Rivendell?"
The elf turned back to look at him, and Jimmy could sense their appraisal. Then they grabbed his arm and pulled him into a more secluded area. Their hands were on the hem of their hood as they began to take it off, and Jimmy on instinct turned his head away. After a moment, they tapped him twice, and Jimmy took as a signal that he could look at them now.
He turned slowly, in case that wasn't what they had meant, but they didn't stop him. The elf had very pale skin and though it was waterlogged, there was no mistaking that shade of blue.
Jimmy inhaled sharply. "Prince." He said.
"Prince." Prince Scott agreed. "No Rivendell."
Jimmy had to get to the bottom of this. Had Scott fled on purpose? He didn't want to hand him back over to a kingdom he clearly didn't want to be in. Either way, Scott was choosing to trust him. He nodded to show he understood, and Scott put his hood back on.
Again, Jimmy extended his hand. He knew there was an elvish translator somewhere in the city. He wanted to figure out how best to help him, whether he would need to travel even further away or be returned to his homeland a different way. But at this point, he was committed to helping.
Scott took his hand, and off they set into the crowd.