On The Road To Herein

Chapter Six

Unconscious and beaten, Sol lay crumpled where the were-rats had tossed him without care, closed shut the bared cell door and locked him in.

Jax placed a simple shield of protection on the bars, should Sol try and use his fire to break free.

"Watch him," Jax said. "Let us know when he wakes."

Laimon nodded still quite irritated with himself.

Jax then left the room to seek Ta'nnah and discuss whether or not just to leave or stay and see what profit might come of this ordeal. He would vote to move on. The well, so to speak, had gone dry and the last drop of water it would seem was poisonous, but of course, it would be up to Ta'nnah to give that final word.

Laimon did as he was told, he walked over to a rather large rock and sat and stared at the broken elf, bleeding onto the stone and watched the creature breathe in and out, in and out. He almost looked peaceful, had he not been slumped over himself awkwardly.

"What are you dreaming about?" Laimon asked the elf. "I know what I'm dreaming about, of a nice slice of aged Limburger or maybe Swiss, what do you think Tuss?" He asked his friend who settled into his fur. The bird chirped. "Ooo good choice, smoked cheddar."

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Sols didn't respond, except to twitch from pain, his body was in the here and now, but his mind was somewhere else, far away, drifting back to a time when he was much younger, still a boy in the eyes of the elves.

"Why do you find humans so appalling?" Sol asked his father one night while surveying the fields. He was only twenty-five which was nothing compared to the lifespan he could expect, most elves lived to well over a thousand. "They seem okay to me?"

"It's not at all as if I hate humans," Lamach said to his son as if teaching him old wisdom. "They are creatures of nature, and all creatures deserve respect, but they are not elves. Oxen is to be respected, but it's not like we can show them how to be civilized." He chuckled at the thought. "Humans are barely above their primate ancestors, some even claim they come from another world, this would make them an invasive species at best and parasites at worst. We can respect leaches without bringing them into our homes. They get our protection, and in return, we put them to good use..." He turned to a random human male, probably in his thirties, tending to the crops. "Isn't that right human?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, if you say so" the poor man didn't know of course what Lamach was referring too, he just didn't want to be kicked out of the territory for disrespecting the master, or worse.

"See even the humans know their place, they have their own territory which we provided them, they built their primitive homes, it's their culture, and they are used to it."

"I hear Lord Titus has plans on expanding his territory, it is to be a grand city, and rumor is, he will open his doors to allow others races in, even educating them, possibly even allowing them to vote. He's already propositioned the Orcs."

"Lord Titus is an old fool" Lamach laughed. "He has always been on the wrong side of history. It's simple rules of nature, they are not meant to be trifled with. If you want to learn of war, you may consult an Orc, but if you want to bring civilization to them, you are mad. It would be like training a pig to read and knit sweaters." He chuckled at the thought. "Orcs don't belong in Elven cities as much as humans, but at least they have natural strength, they Could be useful as guardsmen, or on the front lines, or even pack mules to help lay the brick. Humans, however, are weak, and pathetic. They serve us well, here in our fields, tending to plants, in return, we protect them."

"From vampires, werewolves?" Sol offered.

"From everything, they can't even handle the Black Thorns." Lamach half-joked.