The Streets and Connecting Alleyways

Gifted? Generosity was a rare thing and for all his faults and his perceived elegance he had done something for her she had not seen in some time. Not since she was a child at least and her begging was met with slight compassion. To see compassion within him might have been engrained by all that he had. Though spoiled children very rarely learned to share unless they were raised with siblings and she knew enough of the elves to know he had some. Perhaps that was from where the trait came. Despite herself she was finding small things to like about him until he began to talk about his brilliance. More like brimming with absolute stupidity, she thought. Rubbing her eyelids with her fingers spread in order to cover them momentarily as she swallowed the groan that was building up in her throat. She had decided on a few things last night in that stall, the first she would call him his highness as it was not his expected title and she could fit much malice into those few syllables, secondly that keeping her mouth shut for the most part would save her from expressing her true feelings too often. Frankly she could not do anything else should she choose to speak.

Opening her eyes to find him staring at her his look was contemplative and she actually grinned seeming to hit her mark. It was a genuine one that spread across her cheeks and left dimples within them. Reaching her eyes the blue was as bright as his own and joyful in the mirth of him realizing she was insulting him. Despite the wrong reason for her to smile it loosened the harshness of her expression and showed him that a Drow could express some beauty. Any man passing would have to look twice but he was no man.

Having turned to leave the city when he rushed back into it she wheeled about her horse completely taking a few steps back sitting right outside of the gate. Opening her mouth to yell at him he had already gotten quite far away and she was not going to wake the whole side of the city. Nor did she rush after him seeing as how he really didn’t need her trailing after him like a dog after its master.

When he returned it was to a sour expression. Hours had passed since dawn now and he was wasting more time rushing off to grab supplies that she either had not or something he had left behind. Watching him ride up holding the saddle, when he needed none, it softened slightly until he handed it to her. Holding it with both hands it was as light as a feather despite being full leather in make but with drow strength it was difficult to judge what humans might find heavy. Looking to him with a renewed curiosity as to his kindness she almost forgot her manners. Finally with her voice soft and demure as she dismounted holding it with one hand she would say, “Thank you.”

Undoing her current saddle she slid it to the side being careful to push the saddle bags back. Her mare stood patiently waiting for her to finish her work as she replaced the thick wool padding and settled the new saddle upon it. It looked beautiful upon the grey steed making her appear as she should have with work equal to the value of the horse itself. Cinching it down she smacked the horses side playfully, “Breath out.”

The horse snorted its head turned around to face her before releasing its sides where she could fix it properly. Readjusting the saddle bag up to the saddle itself she was soon done. Remounting she settled into the seat, it was more comfortable and fit her nicely the saddle horn giving her a place to rest her hand, “Are you ready?”