Time for Change

1

Shelby sits back and enjoys the soft spring sun shining on her. Around her sit her friends and family at their weekly get together, role playing games. She knows that most people would find it childish and the ultimate geek thing to do, but it is an excuse for them to get together and relax, something they don't get to do very often as adults.

The laughter of the children ring out as they play light heartedly. They are meeting at Shelby's brother's place today because of the big enclosed yard. Shelby had been asked to house sit while her brother just older than her and his family were away somewhere on vacation. Shelby forgets where they went this time. She doesn't begrudge them the chance to travel, indeed if she had the money she'd do it herself. She is just happy that her brother had been able to takeover the house once their parents died. But she does miss how the yard was when she was younger.

She had been in charge of the flower gardens then and although it had been hard work she had enjoyed the flowers. Now she looks at the overgrown flower gardens, the grass over taken what had once been the beds of flowers. But the flower beds weren't just full of over grown grass, there was something else there. Something that makes her throat close up in fear. There is no way, even with his money, that her brother would be able to afford that lawn ornament.

The old looking stone arch bridge is large, about three feet long and at it's apex about two feet high. The stones are cleverly interconnected, holding the stones together. But that isn't why her throat is closing in terror. What has her terrified is the writing on the bridge before her. The smallest of elven objects cost thousands. Something the size of that bridge would cost millions and there is no way her brother, even if he had it, would spend millions on a lawn ornament of elven make.

Ever since her other brother had lost his job, due to the elven king buying out the company and then ripping it apart, most of her family became elf haters. Shelby doesn't hate them, but neither does she admire them, just their artwork. The beauty and intricacy of it almost always leaves her breathless. But she had never thought that she would find herself so close and able to touch something of elven make. People of low social standing aren't likely to ever see elven things close enough to touch.

The writing of the Elven script is flowing and beautiful, but utterly unknown by any other than the full blooded elves. It isn't unknown for there to be half elves, the poor things are hated by the humans for being too elvish and hated by the elves for their human half. They are completely denied the elvish part of their heritage, they aren't even allowed to enter Elvenhome.

The elven males are known to seduce the human females for fun and games. The elves love to play with the weaker humans and their games aren't known for being kind or fun for the humans. That is the reason there is so much resentment towards the elves here on the earth realm.

 The elves are snooty and insular, but unfortunately for the humans they are also unbelievably wealthy and own most of the fortune five hundred businesses. Humans have become dependent on the elves just to survive and the elves take every chance they have of rubbing that into the faces of the humans.

Which just makes things even worse between the two races. Humans either love the ethereally beautiful people or hate them. There doesn't seem to be much of an in between when it comes to the elves. 

The fact that they have become dependent on the elves, has those that understand the situation hate them even more. But most don't realize just how dependent they are, Shelby doesn't understand economics very well, but she can tell that with the elves owning or controlling most of the big companies that they could have a big impact should the elves decide to close up and leave like they have in the past. 

Indeed them returning had caused widespread panic and fear for more than a generation. That was nearly a century ago and they haven't done much to endear themselves to the humans since.

But that is neither here nor there, this item, if found unlawfully on her brother's yard, he and his family, and all of them here could be charged with theft and jailed for a very long period of time. When it comes to elven things the laws have become strict and extremely punishing.

The item must be returned to the elves. The nearest known elven contact point is an hour and a half away if the traffic is light. Shelby finds a headache starting to form behind her eyes. The elves hate dealing with humans and the sentiment is returned tenfold.

There is no way any of her friends or family here will be willing to go to return the item. The acid filled knot in her stomach tightens as she realizes that she will have to make the long drive and deal with the haughty elves herself.

All the enjoyment she had of the day just seems to drain away with this realization and a familiar pain starts up in her head.

Shelby wants to just start crying. Hasn't she been through enough? The last thing she needs to do is have to deal with the games of the beautiful and capricious people. As a mother she wishes that she could take them and give them all spankings. She would never allow her children to behave even half as badly as the elves do, and the worse of the lot is the haughty king. At least she will be spared his presence, he rarely comes to the earth plane and never talks to those of low social standing. They are like dirt beneath his shoes.