A/N: This is a birthday fic for @awakenedavatar, a long-time friend, fellow streamer and Radiata pal. I wasn’t quite sure what to make you for your birthday but I hope this will suffice. Happy birthday, my dude!
JJ had travelled day and night from his home in Borgandiazo and through Desneuf. He braved the dark and dangerous mines, remaining wary of the possibility of cave-ins. He stealthily snuck through Tria, avoiding the human villages, trying his best to stay out of sight. He travelled through the Nowem forests, the strong winds blowing from the valley to the northeast chilled him to the bone. He made a hasty trip through Cuatour, bypassing Fort Helencia and once again evading the attention of the guards until he finally reached his destination: the warm, humid marshes of the elf lands. And there, in the distance, he could see the elf elder Zane standing, waiting for his arrival. His bright wings, pulsing light were the only thing making him visible from such a distance in the dark of night.
Though his orc body was built tough, his muscles still ached. His feet were sore and full of blisters by this point and his shoulders were tense from carrying his pack sack; his body begged for the comforts of shelter and a soft bed. After traveling for so long, he wished that the elder would at least meet him halfway and yet there he stood still by the city’s entrance, watching the orc as he waited for him to approach first.
Making his way towards the elder, JJ hobbled slightly as he walked, trying to maintain what little sense of dignity he had left. Not knowing how to start the conversation, he spoke the first thing that came to mind, “Me hoped you not waiting too long.”
“I quite enjoy the evening breeze,” Zane’s voice was calm and patient. His arms were folded, not once offering to help JJ with his bag, as he stared down at the exhausted orc. Zane knew the takeover of Borgandiazo was inevitable and secretly he had a hard time feeling any pity for the orcs, knowing how pig-headed they tended to behave but he held his tongue.
There was an awkward silence between the two. Zane, refraining from commenting his opinion on the blood-green orc conflict and JJ, feeling too disgraced to look the elf leader in the eyes, overcome with shame that he had allowed his homeland to become ravaged by the brutish blood orcs and fall into a state of unrest.
JJ once again conjured up words, “Me… want to thank you for hospitality in hard time. Me also grateful for kindness. Me know you have hard time too after death of brother. Losing family member… it not easy. Me know.”
Zane clenched his jaw. He nodded and diverted the conversation away from his own personal matters, “I must apologise, however. While you are welcome to stay here for the time being, I do not think it would be a good idea to have you inside the City of Flowers.”
A sense of confusion overcame JJ. After all he had been through, after Zane had given him his word that he would have a place to stay, JJ was now being asked to stay out of the elven city, “Why?! Was something me say?!” JJ inquired.
Zane cleared his throat, contemplating how he could say what he was about to say in the least offensive way possible, “Forgive me but it’s not every day we elves see an orc in our lands. Some of the residents may react in fear if they see you.” He averted his eyes and awkwardly fidgeted with his beard, “Besides, I doubt you’ll be able to fit through the entrance anyway.”
JJ’s blood began to boil, hurt by the elder’s words. After all the trouble he had been through, after being given the elder’s word that he would have a place of refuge, the offer was now rescinded, leaving him hanging.
Zane continued, “In any case, I made a promise to provide refuge for you and I am a man of my word. I’m sure if you stayed in the swamps, nobody would bother you.” After another moment of awkward silence and no response from JJ, Zane continued, “I think you might like it there far more than the city. The climate is dark and moist much like Borgandiazo. Think of it as a home away from home.”
JJ finally spoke, “Thank you for generosity. Me stay in swamp. Me promise to not bother elves.”
The two had no more words to exchange and at this point, neither of them could find it in themselves to look one another in the eyes. As JJ walked silently, wading through the murky waters of the swamp, he thought about home. About the friends and family he left behind–no, abandoned. As much as Zane’s words stung, JJ felt like he was in no position to judge. After all, Zane was only taking into consideration the well-being of his kind while he himself had left his own people for dead.
JJ felt worn down, both physically and mentally. The journey, while tiring, was a nice temporary distraction from his troubles but now, as he sat silently in the darkness, he was alone with his thoughts.
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