Page 37 of Boundless
"I thought you wereteasing," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "Who cares about cunting titles on the road? We're all just tired, dirty folk going from one place to another." She growled, shaking her head. "If you must call me something, call me...desta. It's an…Istariin title, means ‘firstborn of the matriarch’." It didn't, it meant "glorious strength”, but it was akindof title, and these elves were being so damn daft and stubborn about it all. "Anyway, my name's Daega and if you call me that you'll be my new best friend," she finished, holding her hand out for the kind-eyed guard to take.
"Aevel, my—erm, desta. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." His gloved hand was firm and strong in hers, and his sharp hazel eyes held real warmth. She sincerely hoped he was genuine and that she wouldn't have to kill him at any point.
The pale dark-haired elf did not share his name, shooting a look at his comrade behind Aevel's back. Daega hoped shewouldget a chance to rough that one up.
It took a little while, but Daega eventually managed to engage Aevel in conversation, discovering something of a kindred spirit in matters of sport and athleticism.
"Nah, mate—the only way to go is a leather ball! With hollow wood you're risking splinters and cracks. First time you have to play in a little wet it's all but ruined," she was arguing as the sun began to hang low in the sky.
"But wouldn't leather also warp i-in the rain, Dae?" Len interjected, delicate brow furrowed.
She clutched at her heart with a gasp. "Betrayal! By my own husband!" But she smiled at him, tapping the middle of her bottom lip. "Aye, it'll wrinkle and can molder if you don't tend to it, after. But it's notnearso bad as a bloodywood shellwould do."
Aevel chuckled, shaking his head. "You said yourself you've never played passball with a wooden ball, so how would you even know how it handles?My desta."
"I've worked wood, I know how it warps with the damp! And the thinner it is the more likely it'll crack. How do you mad lads even get it hollow? Elf magic?"
Len reached across the gap and patted her leg, which was all he could easily reach from his lower perch. "Easy, dearest. You'll make yourself s-sick getting so worked up."
She sniffed, lifting her chin. "I'll have you know I have an iron stomach. Last time I threw up was on a dare from Vrinn when she was just a pup. She bet me I couldn't eat this slab of rancid beef—"
A sharp whistle cut through the cooling evening air, followed by the front of their little caravan veering off the road towards a field that they'd likely be camping in. Aevel dismissed himself to help set up.
As "royalty", she and Len weren't allowed to do much to help, but they still brushed down and watered their horses at the nearby stream and helped with gathering firewood for the cook fire. Two of their guard had spent much of the day hunting in the sparse woodland they were traveling through, and had four fat rabbits to show for it. The elves weren't thrilled with eating so much meat, but on the road one never knew what was going to happen, and it was better to try and catch and gather what they could along the way than rely on their dried rations.
Well, except for her and her husband.Theyweren't taking any chances.
For the first time that day, Maleom and Sevren were able to leave the cart for more than a few minutes, and both were loosing a chorus of groans and cracking their stiff joints loudly.
"Sev, how old are you?" Daega cried, slapping him on the shoulder. "You sound worse than Mal after your day's ride!"
Sevren rolled his eyes, elbowing her discreetly. "Hush, you. I'll remind you I waspoisoneda week ago—"
"Aye, and you haven't let a single soul forget since—"
"—so excuse mePrincess, if I am a little worse for wear!" he finished loudly, grinning at her deep frown.
Maleom watched them with a soft grin, chuckling as he took a careful seat by the fire. "Oh, to be young again," he sighed, taking the waterskin he was offered gladly. "You all have so much fire in you. It'sexhaustingto watch."
Daega snorted, taking a seat beside him and dragging Len down on her other side. "You've got more fire in you yet, Mal. Mayhap you'll find it out here on the road."Or at the camps, in the form of an old flame found and rekindled.She wassureshe'd heard that name, Yollyn, before, and she was desperate to see him reunited with his old love. She'd yet to get him to admit that was what it was, but shedidknow Maleom had never married, adopting a nephew as his heir, and she occasionally noticed him watching her and Len together with a kind of wistfulness that spoke of something old hurting.
"You're very kind, my dear, but I am perfectly happy being old and tired."
"Stubborn old codger."
"Indeed," he chuckled, taking his portion of the communal stew and digging in. Daega pulled jerky and hard tack from her saddlebag, Len doing the same. Her stomach grumbled loudly at being denied the aromatic stew, but she'd gone longer on less; she'd be fine.
After dinner they chatted for a bit longer, Aevel making a timid approach to engage them in a game of cards. She played a hand, losing thoroughly, then said her goodnights with her husband and slipped into the tent that had been erected for them. Daega had been aghast at such a thing, especially because none of the guards had something similar, but she had to admit it would be a welcome bit of privacy.
"Sweet D-delenaa, I don't know if my arse or my back hurts m-more from that ride," Len groaned as he sank onto his bedroll.
Daega clicked her tongue sympathetically, already digging through her bag for the healing ointment he'd thoughtfully packed. "Here, lie on your stomach. I'll put some of this on."
Len stripped, his pointed ears turning red even though she'd seen him naked countless times by now. He lay on his stomach obediently, cradling his head with his folded arms, and she made a distressed little cry at the chafing and bruising on his legs and buttocks. "When was the last time you rode, sweet? Your beautiful arse is a ruin. And with me having nothing to do with it! Such a waste."
Len choked, the cheek she could see pinkening in the low light of their lantern. "Dae!And it hasn't been t-too long. But I haven't had to go all day like this in years. It took s-some time to get b-back into the rhythm and—well."
She shook her head, applying the salve and rubbing it into his delicate pale skin. "If you were hurting you should have said something. Tomorrow we'll get you a cushion or an extra blanket to sit on."
