Page 61 of Plaything of the Dark Elf

“Please, just… stop. Stop hurting me.”

“Am I hurting you right now?”

“...No, but you hurt me before. And you’re going to do it again, so please, let me go.”

“I’m never going to let you go, Dalia.” Bringing her to my chest, I hold her tight. She stops fighting against me. “I never will. Please let me explain myself.”

“What’s there to explain? You did what you did and–”

“No! That’s not what happened. Dalia, the healer gave me a lot of potions and they fucked with my head. One of the side effects of healing potions is delirium and that’s exactly what happened to me! Izrul told me what I did to you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Etheron–”

“No, listen to me. I know I hurt you and I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even know what the fuck was going on! I thought I slept the entire night. I didn’t know I woke up until Izrul explained what I did. It’s weird because I really don’t remember any of this, but it happened and there’s witnesses.”

She glances at me. I hold her chin so that she doesn’t look away.

“I never meant to hurt you, Dalia. I’m serious. I never want to hurt you again.”

“But…” She hesitates, wetting her lips. “How am I supposed to fit into this place when I don’t feel wanted?”

“Why do you feel that way? I want you. That’s the only thing that matters. I don’t want you to go. I want you to stay and love me forever.”

Dalia stares at me with those beautiful eyes of hers that well up with tears so easily. Her bottom lip quivers as she nestles her head against my chest. She doesn’t say anything, but this is enough for me. I love feeling her embrace me. I love feeling the way her nose brushes against my chest. She’s perfect. What more could I ever want?

“...Can I be honest?” Dalia whispers.

“Tell me everything on your mind.”

“I’m surprised that you came back for me.”

“I’d be willing to go to the ends of this continent for you. I’d do anything for you.”

“It didn’t seem like that last night,” she says, sniffling loudly. “I thought you hated me and wanted to kill me. I couldn’t sleep last night because that was the only thing on my mind.”

“Dalia…”

“I stuck around because… I wanted to find out if you were okay. When you choked me, you didn’t seem like yourself. I didn’t know what to think. Then, your soldiers threw me out on your orders and I thought that was the end of us. I figured it ended before it ever really began.”

My grip on her tightens. I never want to let her go. I never want to make her feel unwanted again.

“I’m in shock, but I’m happy. If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.”

“It’s not a dream, Dalia. I promise.” I cup her face. “I love you. Please believe me. I love you so much.”

“I planned on leaving after finding out if you were okay.” She sends me a small smile. “I was going to ask one of the soldiers for some news about you, and after that… I didn’t really have a plan where I would go. I wanted to leave and go far away where you wouldn’t find me.”

“No.” I shake my head. “That’s not happening. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Are you sure? Is that really what you want? Now that I know that you’re okay, I’m happy. I’m alright with leaving everything behind. We can forget what happened. Human and dark elf relationships are frowned upon, I know, and you have a reputation to maintain, so–”

“I thought I made myself clear,” I interject. “I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay. What happened last night was a mistake that will never happen again. I’m not going to let the healer give me those potions since I know what they can do to me. I can’t risk losing you.”

“But Etheron, it’ll cause a stir in the community once our relationship is well-known.”

“So? Who gives a fuck about them? I never have and never will. They don’t matter to me. You are the only person who I love and care about. Everyone else can die violently.”

“...You shouldn’t say that about others, you know.”

---