It's the most wonderful tme of the year...
Another NaNo smippet!
“Okay, let me get this straight. You’re fairly sure there’s someone following us, yet you haven’t seen any evidence of anyone following us, and you think it’s safe for us to stay the night in a human farming town. Where the ancients have been known for being very friendly with elves. And not to mention you believe that whoever’s following us is an elf.”
“Look, whoever’s following us is either far enough behind that they won’t catch up, or doing a damn good job of staying out of my notice. If it’s the first case, I’d rather be comfortable tonight, because the inn is absolutely lovely, and we’d be better staying here than going further because we’re almost in ancient elf territory. If it’s the second, then the follower is biding his or her time, and it’s safer to stay somewhere with some sense of civilisation, especially as we get closer to the ancient elf territory.”
“Must we go through ancient elf territory?” Aubrey asked.
“It will be much less of a shock when we get into mage territory if you’ve first been through elf territory.”
“But elves and mages are nothing alike!” Rosena exclaimed, obviously confused.
“You’re correct. Mages really don’t like humans, while Elves tolerate them.”
“So, if we’re trying to get to this town by dark, tell me why we’re picking flowers?”
“These aren’t flowers.”
“They sure look like flowers.”
“We’re picking these plants for their roots. I’m going to make a protective tonic for Aubrey.”
“What about me?!” Rosena was offended that only Aubrey would be getting this protection.
“Aubrey’s the one who’s supposed to save the universe. Elves are much more civilised than all that. If whoever’s following us can at all avoid killing anyone but Aubrey, she will.”
“Don’t you mean he or she?”
“Yes, didn’t I say that?”
“No, you said she.”
“Oh, well, when I’m not paying attention, I tend to choose a gender for people I talk about. I figure it’s been long enough that males are assumed to be the more important gender, so I usually say she.”
Rosena stopped sounding suspicious to stop and ponder Erin’s point. “I wonder how it got to be that way. I mean, after all, the deity in Gehagralia is female.”
“I suppose it’s simply because men are more prone to rush off and be violent and do all the sorts of things that end up in history books. They’re the ones who are remembered, so obviously women just aren’t as great.”
“Is that how I’m going to be remembered?” Aubrey asked. “Some fool who just rushed off to save the universe because he was told the time-space continuum was falling apart?”
“Well, you know that aside from their heroism, Topareks were mostly known for being extremely gullible.”
Aubrey sighed, and handed Erin the plants he’d picked. “Wonderful. I’m a gullible headstrong fool.”