✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

34

El catches on really quickly, of course, and soon we're playing our first game.

"This is actually pretty fun," Elanil says as she takes my 4 of hearts with her queen.

"Good," I reply. It's fun to teach El something for a change.

This is the most fun I've had in a while, and it feels easier to live with what's to come, for some reason. I feel better about things. Maybe I just needed some positive energy to life the weight off of me.

"So," I start, "I may have just realized that I don't know a ton about you, and you're my best friend, so... What's your family like?"

"I have both of my parents, if that's what you mean. My mom owns a little jewelry shop and my dad is in the army. I have a little sister, too, but she's off visiting our grandmother right now."

"Cool. How old is your grandma? Does she... Look old?"

"Shes 5,000 years old," El says, laughing at the face I make. "And yes, she does look old. Probably looks about 60 or 70 in human years."

We continue to play the game, and I tell Elanil about my life, what it was like before, my family and friends, everything I can.

"So you should still be in school?" Elanil asks, sounding astonished.

"Yeah. I get out of high school when I'm 18, then go to college for usually four years."

"Oh my god, that's so long. What do you need to know that takes that long?"

"Honestly I have no clue. It doesn't leave too much free time either. Not that there's anything to do in my town, it's so small. Everyone knows everyone pretty much."

"Sounds boring. No offense," she adds on at the end, shrugging with a small smile.

"It kinda was, that's why I'm glad I found Earthe, really. I never would have met you or Flint or Halion or Knox..." The thought of never having met any of them makes me pause. I would be so much different if I hadn't met any of them. I'm glad I have.

"Actually, if you don't mind me asking... What is going on between you and Knox?"

"What? What- uh, what makes you ask that," I reply, looking at El's smirking face. She rolls her eyes jokingly.

"Oh, come on. I could tell you two were getting close, then you seemed to be weird for a bit, then after you fainted and had that vision things seemed to go back to normal. Knox visited you every day you were knocked out."

My chest swells as she says that, filling with a warm, happy feeling.

"Besides, I see the way he looks at you when he thinks no one else is looking. He's never looked at anyone like that before."

I shrug as blush feeling lights up inside me, and I'm glad I'm not one to blush noticeably. I stare at the table and the cards placed on them, taking El's king with my ace. She smirks at me, but doesn't press the matter farther. I think my reaction says enough.

We finish war and play the elven board game, talking about everything and anything. The game El brings is a hand carved and painted board, with little figures to move around the board, and fun rules. I won't dive too deep into it now, but it's really fun, and has both of us laughing.

After the game we both climb higher into the tree, finally sitting on one of the highest branches, which has a spectacular view of the city of trees. It's a small branch, and a few times my heart lurches as I sway one way or the other, but for the most part I feel surprisingly steady.

"Here, lunch." Elanil takes out a lump of cloth, unwrapping it to uncover slices of bread, baked potatoes, and some grapes. We just sit and eat our lunch, feet swaying, looking out over the sun dappled trees and sparkling snow, breathing in the fresh scent of cold snow. It's peaceful, and after we eat we sit in silence for a while, letting the sun warm our backs and listening to the whoops and laughs of elves below. Earthe, no matter how scary, is a truly beautiful place.