The room was silent. Kalom and his father sat at the table, finishing the last of their coffee, the kettle long emptied. My own half-full cup sat untouched, while I nursed a separate glass of water, savoring the cool relief as I let out a quiet sigh.

  “Thank you for the water” I said, Taking another sip.

  Malkolm nodded in polite reply, and replaced his now drained cup back upon the tabletop. Despite his own cup being empty, Kalom held it, rubbing the front of it with his thumb almost as if to shine its soft wooden surface. He was toying with the cup so nonchalantly that I for sure figured he would catch a splinter. He was obviously deep in thought himself as I had been not a moment before drinking the vile tasting coffee.

  Malkolm again nodded to me silently, and looked down at the fourth and still untouched cup of coffee. He frowned, then looked over the Kalom.

  “Kalom, where is your sister?” Malkolm asked.”

  Kalom stopped his idle playing with the cup and looked over to his father with a start. “Oh, she’s coming, but she got held up at the grocer.”

  Malkolm bowed his head in acknowledgement and said nothing more for quite a while. The heat inside the room caused sweat to form on my brow and condensation on the outside of my water cup. I was used to that kind of heat, I had been in the jungles of the Amazon during the French Insurgency long-long ago, so it didn't bother me. But as I looked over to Malkolm, he was sweating and on occasion would wipe said moisture away with one of his sleeves. Kalom wasn't any better as his tunic, which was clearly not meant for this heat, was now damp.

  My own clothing choice was no better, long sleeved white shirt with a sweater vest, not the most comfortable attire for a hot day. I took another sip of my water, but as I was about to place it back down, the door opened.

  It was the woman I had met when I awoke in the field. She was carrying a large wicker basket filled to the brim with food. The sight before me was like something out of a propaganda poster from back home; brightly colored vegetables and fruits, ripe and delicious looking. And to top it off, held by a gorgeous woman whose smile radiated almost with a light of its own, warm and mirthful. I and her locked eyes momentarily, her visage as soft and dazzling as when we first met.

  Malkolm and Kalom got up from the table, the latter taking the basket from her hands and started toward the hallway, while Malkolm gave her a hug and beckoned her to the table.

  “Come, come,” he said, “I would like you to meet the man you found”. He sat down in his chair as the woman sat beside him. “This is Lais, my daughter.” He held his hand out directing me to look at her, which I did and bowed my head in courtesy,

  “It’s nice to meet you again,” I paused, not sure what to say next. I was not usually good with talking to women, the moment was nearing an air of awkwardness so I said the only thing I could think of at the moment. “Thank you for helping me”.

  She tilted her head to one side slightly, her eyes looking up and down my figure, she was doing so with intensity.

  “I don't see any signs of the poison still affecting you,” she began, “this makes me very glad.”

  She got up, and strode over to me, Malkolm had a slightly curious countenance, not knowing what Lais was doing. She placed one hand on my forehead, held it there for a moment, then moved down to my arm, where she pressed her fingertips gently against my skin.

  “Does this hurt?” She inquired, like a nurse in a hospital.

  “No, but I imagine you're only worried whether or not I can actually feel that, aren't you?” I replied, with a smirk.

  She nodded, and then let go of me, before turning and heading back to her seat. “It’s good to see that your movement has recovered, as well as your feeling. But I would like for you to stay for a few days longer.” she suddenly stammered out,

  “To examine you of course. To make sure you are actually not in any danger of the poison still being in your system.”

  I sat back in my chair, one eyebrow raised,

  “Do you think it could still affect me?”

  This caused me little concern, but piqued my interest more than anything. The poison seemed much more troublesome than I previously thought. It had been several days of me resting, at least that had been what Malkolm told me when I first awoke not two hours ago. I much more assumed that Lais simply wanted to learn who I was and what I was doing in the field when she found me, than the paralysis poison somehow actually relapsing in my system.

  She crossed her legs and placed one hand after the other on her knee.

  “perhaps,” she said casually.

  There was no hint of deception, no sense of secret intent in her voice nor her posture, It was quite matter-of-fact.

  “Alright, I guess I can stay for perhaps a few more days. It will help me get my bearings back I think, and I could help repay my debt to you and your father.”

  I looked over to Malkolm, he was grinning practically ear to ear at that proposition. I could tell he would like that, not only would it allow me to repay these people's kindness, it would also allow me to make good on my promise to help find the old man some Aloe Vera for that burn on his hand. It was still visible, not as red anymore but certainly looked painful.

  “This could also be a good opportunity for me to learn about you all more, and you me.”

  I had full intentions to tell them alot about myself in exchange, except for specific parts, which were better left unsaid. I turned back to Lais and examined her face, her lips held a faint smile of amusement. Just as I finished speaking, kalom returned to the room, carrying a fistful of and munching down on a carrot. Malkolm shook his head, threw it back and laughed.

  “Hey, what's so funny?” Kalom said, mouth still full, not caring about manners.

  “Nothing, nothing.” Malkolm regained his composure, “It's just, I hope you intend on sharing the carrots instead of eating them all like last time.”

  Kalom swallowed, turned to me, looked down at the remaining half-carrot and then back to me. He then held it by the green fronds, and thrust it down towards me and into my face.

  “Here, do you want any?” He was obviously being genuine, but I waved my hand in decline. He was a strange guy, good natured though.

  “No thanks, I'm fine.”

  Later that day, Malkolm had asked Kalom, myself and Lais to gather some medicinal herbs from the forest. As we stood in front of the house's entrance, standing on the arched porch waiting for Kalom to get ready, I took time to make sure I was adequately prepared. Malkolm has supplied me with his personal equipment for this task, and I was very grateful. I had none of my own kit on me. so the aid was a welcome relief.

  “Bag, check. Garden Shears, check. Gloves, wait, why do I need gloves?”

  I turned to Lais, standing on my right and leaning against one of the arches. She stared at me, bewildered.

  “So you don't get poisoned, why else?”

  She was as confused as when I had brought up my coffee issues with Malkolm. This place continued to generate curiosity for me, there were so many differences compared to my own home. I could tell by this point, due to my remembering of what had occurred before my awakening, that I was not in my own world anymore. Whether this was some strange afterlife or a bizarre freak accident, I intended to make the most of it.

  “Ok, so I have gloves, that's good then.” she smiled again, content with my acceptance of her reasoning. “But-” She stopped smiling.

  “Is everything alright?”

  “No,” I said, looking down at my hip. “I hadn't noticed until now, but my holster is gone.”

  “What's a holster?”

  I got slightly panicked, frantically trying to remember where it was last. I had been wearing it when I arrived, but it was gone now, had it been gone when I woke up in the house? No, I hadn’t been wearing it. I was mumbling to myself without notice, desperate to recall the last place it had been.

  “Goldwater, are you alright?”

  I looked over at her, what I saw was a face full of concern and perhaps a slight tinge of fear. It was then that I realized what I was doing, my own expression had been of clenched teeth, I noticed I had also been biting my nail without realizing it.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “I-,” I started but stopped. “I’m fine Lais, just a little worried. You didnt happen to see where that brown belt I had when you found me went?”

  I guessed she could have known, so I decided to ask and see if she knew anything.

  “I don't know, but I know what you are talking about, is that what you call a 'holster'?”

  I nodded. “Yes, yes it is.”

  At least she had seen it, that's a start.

  “There's a weapon inside, Its important to me.”

  I thought it best to not lie about what it was, since she clearly had never seen or heard of a holster then chances are she would never have seen a gun either. My Pistol had only a single clip of ammunition, contained in a side pouch on the holsters side. It was a common practice for people like me, I had been told, to always wear their sidearms even in the comfort of their own homes. Some people, the doctors would say, just don't get over the feelings of being watched, Kangar syndrome it was called. I just called it being prepared, that or not being dead.

  Lais became grim, looking away.

  “A weapon?” her tone was disquieting.

  She shifted a little, trying to hide her discomfort on the topic. “You know it’s a crime to carry weapons without a royal title, correct?”

  I took a brief pause to digest what I had just heard. Never had I believed that I would be told that my right to bear arms was invalid, it was unthinkable to even suggest something like that in my homeland. It was the first of many things I would come to hear, that would determine my fate in this new land I found myself in.

  “Where I’m from, everyone carries these. No permits, No titles. Just the right to defend yourself.”

  I replied clearly, now fired up from her statement, I felt as if I was back in the S.C.F. again, directing orders and giving off an air of confidence. My charisma seemed to have the intended effect, as she relaxed a little.

  “Oh,” she stood straight again, her face returning to its previous calmness. “I was unaware that such a place existed.”

  “It does, I can tell you more about my homeland if you're interested.”

  I gave her a reassuring smile, trying to put the holster out of my mind, desperate to not think about it. She inclined her head, and said nothing more. Malkolm came outside in a rush, followed by Kalom with his own gear.

  “Goldwater,” Malkolm slowed his pace as he neared me, and that's when I noticed what was in his hand; my holster and gun. “Here, I forgot to give this back to you, I’m not sure what it is, but it's yours so I wouldn't want you to head off without it.”

  Taking the holster from him, I gave him my thanks. I refastened the damn thing to my waist and threw the secondary strap over the shoulder, tightening it.

  I took out the pistol, examining it, Malkolm and Kalom were intrigued by it, but Lais, now knowing what it was, was eerily silent. The gun was box shaped, where bullets were loaded into the top unlike modern pistols, this was an antique from centuries ago, a living relic. The brass handle was ornately carved with the image of a skull wearing a garrison cap, and flanked by two swords, scimitars to be exact. And the lettering ‘Liberty and Death’ beneath in cursive, engraved, immortalized like a solemn reminder of my mercenary days. But my own carving on the magazine was also visible, the gun's name; ‘Poppy’ etched in with a knife.

  It wasn't loaded, so I decided to correct that. I pulled out the clip of ammunition from my holsters side pocket, placed the stripper into the top, and pressed the bullets down one after the other. I replaced the pistol back in its holster, flipped up the hammer and safety, and looked back to Lais. She didn't know what to think of it, but I could tell the worry in her expression had returned.

  “Thanks Malkolm, I feel a lot safer with this on my side.” I said, turning back to him.

  “Why’s that?” He was unsure what to make of the pistol, but could tell at least it was important to me.

  “This thing is a gun,” I pointed to the holster, “it’s a weapon, like I just said to Lai-”

  “Malkolm practically jumped back in fright, “A weapon?!” he yelled, his face in horror. “But if you get caught with that, if we get caught with that, we're all goners.”

  I could tell his reaction was not disproportionate, he had likely seen people being punished before. Kalom was also perplexed by my admission. He had backed off slightly, though his face was stone cold say for the slightly raised eyebrows of curious indignation.

  “It’s fine, calm down alright?” I had tried to say in an appeasing tone, but Malkolm and Kalom refused to calm in the slightest, instead the fear and worry stilled and a moment of silent uncertainty descended on us all.

  Lais was the savior of the moment, as she strode up behind me unbeknownst, and put her hand on my shoulder. Her soft touch had a calming effect on myself, and it seemed to let the others know that everything was fine.

  “If Goldwater says it’s going to be aright , then I trust him.” I gazed back at her, the look in her eyes was fiery defiance, and a confidence befitting a warrior or a general. That moment was probably the one, when she truly began to make me fall for her.

  I did not know why she had stood up for me at that moment, she had no reason to trust me whatsoever. None of them, least of all her, had any idea who I really was or even where I came from. Regardless, I was grateful for her backing me. Malkolm and Kalom collectively lowered their guard, though not entirely.

  “Well,” Kalom was the first to speak, “If she says everything's gonna be alright, then I guess it's fine.”

  He turned to his father, a relieved expression enveloping his face. Malkolm nodded cautiously.

  “Still, it’s dangerous to be carrying that thing if it is indeed a weapon,”

  Malkolm lightly raised his hand, pointing to my holster.

  “So please, be sure to only use it, if it’s absolutely necessary.”

  He stressed the point, “Please Goldwater,”

  Stepping forward and placing his hand on my shoulder.

  “I don't want you to get in trouble, nor my family.”

  I put my opposite hand over his, and smiled.

  “Don't worry, Malkolm. I’ll be careful.”

  I reassured him to the best of my ability, before letting my hand drop back to my side, he took his own hand away as well. He turned and went back inside without another word, I looked to Kalom and then to Lais, checking to see if they were all prepared to go. They were, so was I, and thus we headed to the forest with Kalom leading the way. Since he was the strongest of us three, he was carrying the biggest load of equipment. The backpack he had was a brown tattered old thing, a series of patches from different scraps of clothing kept several places from falling apart, but the patches were expertly sown into the leather bag, no doubt that these would last for quite some time before giving in to the torrents of time and wear. The bag also bore a large pair of tree shears and a spade, since we were going to just gather herbs, this seemed a bit much to be lugging around.

  Lais walked beside me, looking straight forward and occasionally at bushes and shrubs along the path, I tried my best to not stare at her. I decided to take my mind off things by remembering my home. The nice warm fireplace during the winter, the smell of the oven after baking bread, my relaxing days on the porch smoking a bowl and watching the clouds. Then the unwanted thoughts came back, and I snapped to the present. I hadn't realized it, but we had gone quite a long way into the forest. By the time I came to my senses again, Kalom had stopped and began unpacking the huge tree shears.

  “Alright, this is where we split up.”

  Kalom held the Shears in his left hand, while carrying the pack over his right shoulder, he appeared in that moment to resemble a working man, the kind you would see on help wanted flyers in the post offices back home. It was incredible to witness even for that brief moment, perhaps I was homesick, or perhaps I had really witnessed what a man can actually achieve if they give it their all.

  ”Lais and you will find the ground plants, while I will cut the bigger ones,” he held the shears up and waved them back and forth with ease.

  Lais nodded, “Ok, we’ll meet back here in an hour like normal?”

  Kalom put his thumb up, almost losing grip on the tool he held. This made Lais giggle for a brief moment, before she grabbed my hand and started pulling me into the forest almost against my will.

  “We’ll be back!” she yelled as we descended deeper into the thick brush.

  I caught Kalom’s glance as we went further in, it had the same seriousness as when he had first met me, when he had half-jokingly thanked me, and half warned me, for not flirting with Lais. I knew what his eyes said, it was a stern warning, And I intended to abide by it.

  As we traversed into the thicket, I began to see many berries and fruit bearing trees, the palette of colors together blending into the cacophony of senses. The Smell of the juices and the foliage, the sight of the bright shades, The sound of the twig snaps beneath mine and Lais’s footsteps, and the touch of her warm hand clasping my own. It was one of those rare times that I felt a sense of homeliness when outdoors, but what made it surreal was Lais herself. This mesmerizing woman, who I knew so little about, somehow made the entire scene play out like a stage performance. We were the actors of our own story, and the backdrop was a forest of bushes, trees, berries and leaves.

  Lais stopped tugging me along and let go, spinning around to face me. The giddy expression she held was lighthearted, excited and full of eagerness. She pointed by my feet, drawing my gaze down to a small bush, it was a small one. The leaves on it were slightly tinted with a dark royal purple, and the four symmetrical branches themselves had nearly invisible yellow veins running along them. It looked sickly, like it was dying.

  “That's one of the plants we were looking for,” she knelt down, taking out of her bag a pair of smaller shears, and began cutting a few of the branches off, and handing it to me. “It’s safe to touch, take it.”

  I held it in both hands, examining the stem and leaves carefully, as some of the sappy juices within came oozing out of the end of the cut.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “It's called Deathclover."

  She took it back from me and placed it inside her bag, still talking as she did so.

  “It's called that due to the wilting appearance and colors of the plant itself, but it's actually a herb for helping people sleep.”

  She cut another branch, and then like the former, placed it inside her bag before standing back up and brushing off her dress.

  “Do people often have trouble sleeping around here?”

  She shook her head, as she replaced her shears and closed her bag, sealing the herbs and the tool inside. “Not at all, but it’s good to have a few laying around just in case they are needed.”

  She turned and continued to walk, gesturing for me to follow on. Several times we stopped, and several times we found new herbs to collect. Singe nettle, lavender, horses bane. All of these with the exception of lavender, I had never heard of before. But All of them had apparently been used for time immemorial in this land, it was obvious that I had a lot to learn about this new place. As we continued onward, Lais began to ask questions of my own homeland, so I obliged her.

  “What is your homeland called, Goldwater?” She asked.

  “The Free Territories, though I live specifically near a place called New York. What about this place, what do you call it?"

  “We call it Britona, but outsiders don't really call it that. They just call it the elf kingdom.”

  “Elf kingdom? Why is that?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  I paused, completely dumbfounded by her response. Then it hit me like a freight train, and I could not believe how stupid I had been. Giant trees, pointed ears, living in the woods; these people were elves. Which at that moment made me realize just how terrifyingly far from home I actually was.

  “Um-,” I began, “yeah, I was going to ask you something important.”

  She stopped in her tracks, turning to me with an inquisitive smile. “Ask away.”

  “Are you an elf?”

  It sounded incredibly idiotic to say it out loud, after all, until recently I had lived in a world where elves were fantasy creatures, relegated to the tales of books and movies. But before me stood a woman who was a carbon copy of what one should have looked like had they existed.

  “Are you alright?”

  she stepped forward, placing the back of her left hand on my forehead to test my temperature.

  “You seem fine, but then-''

  she paused for a while, trying to piece together her next words. I was trying to keep my mouth shut, to not say anything more lest I embarrass myself further, in both my own head and in front of Lais. But before either of us could do anything more, rustling came from nearby, disturbing our collective thoughts. A bush began to rattle and shake, violently so. Lais stood ready but perturbed, unclasping her bag and taking out the shears, holding them as a knife. I, for my part, unholstered my pistol, slowly, carefully to make no noise. A twig snapped. My thumb flicked the safety off. A low growl rumbled in the brush—too close, too deep. I pulled the hammer back, breath steady, finger tight on the trigger.. Lais began to back up, her resolve briefly waning and I could see her hands tremble slightly, though her face showed no signs of fear.

  “Lais,”

  I whispered, the bush stopped for a brief moment as my words died down,

  “get behind me. I’ll handle this.”

  She looked at me from the corner of her eye, nodded silently, and lightly stepped back doing as I said. The growl began again, now louder and angrier than before, In a flash something leapt from the bushes. All I saw and heard were gnashing fangs, black fur and as I raised my gun, a bang, followed by a spray of blood.