‘What the heck is happening?’ Lith could have stopped her at any time, but due to his ignorance about elven customs, he was afraid of ruining the mission with a rude gesture before it even started.
‘Don’t worry, it just means that the Parliament has fallen for your act.’ Aalejah replied. ‘Offering themselves as a mate is the greatest honor that an elf can make to a guest. If you reject her, it would be the same as throwing her hospitality in her face.’
‘How can your people have such a moronic custom?’ He asked while the elf woman’s hands ran over his body, acquiring a solid understanding of the shape of his back and buttocks.
‘Elves live for very long and have a very low fertility.’ Aalejah explained with a calm he didn’t share. ‘Women try as many partners as they can to increase their chances of pregnancy. That’s why we are divided into clans instead of families.
‘In your case, even though my people aren’t fans of hybrid children, Divine Beasts have amazing reproductive prowess and powers.
‘From her point of view, having the opportunity to carry a baby capable of spewing Origin Flames and using Dragon Eyes is quite a catch. It would push her from the warrior caste straight to nobility.’
‘And from my point of view, it means divorce!’ Lith replied with a snarl. ‘How do I get rid of her?’
He followed Aalejah’s instructions, pushing the clingy elf away gently but firmly before saying:
“Forgive me for my rudeness, milady, but this isn’t the time or the place.” Lith nodded at Faluel and Ajatar who were moving their gazes from him to their respective hosts with an awkward expression on their faces.
“Also, it’s not my custom to even consider sharing my bloodline with people whose name I don’t know nor them mine.”
“Oh.” She froze in her place, looking around the clearing and discovering that aside from those tasked with the diplomatic mission, the rest of the unit was sniggering at her expense, whispering unflattering comments that she could hear clearly.
“I’m very sorry, my Lord. Please, forgive my outburst. I’m Le’Ahy Birdsong, at your service.” She fell down to her knees, her head down so that her hair could hide the flush of her cheeks and the humiliation she felt.
‘I can forgive you alright. The problem is if Kami will forgive me.’ Lith swallowed a lump of saliva, glad for the first time in his life that Solus wasn’t with him.
“Please, stand up, Le’Ahy. I’m Qisal the Voidfeather Dragon.” Lith used the name of the young Wyvern he had fought against to make sure they wouldn’t recognize him and revealed his Divine Beast side simply because there was no faking it.
“No harm, no foul. Yet know that until our business is concluded, I have no intention of delving into personal matters of any kind.”
“I understand.” She stood up, giving him a deep bow before straightening herself.
“Welcome among us, cousin. May the World Tree share with us their blessing.” The male elf in front of Aalejah was clearly impressed by her enchanted Yggdrasill staff that Lith had bonded with the best mana crystal Athung could provide.
“Le’Ahy has already introduced herself. I’m Nemar Arrowleaf and they are Rem’Na Bladewing and Tharn Windborn. What brings you and your friends to our colony?”
“Greetings.” She gave him a small bow while using her left hand to hide the right one and drew some quick runes in the air.
They were ancient elven non-magical symbols that informed her host that she was there of her free will and that those behind her were trustworthy. Had she performed them in the open or at all, the guards would have classified the group as invaders and acted accordingly
“I’m Aalejah Eventide, former Chronicler candidate for the former World Tree. You already know Lord Voidfeather, envoy of Leegaain’s Brood. These are Faluel the Hydra and Ajatar the Drake, Elders of the Brood and of the Awakened Council.”
The four of them emitted a burst of aura to prove their claim.
Aalejah was the only one with a bright blue core which made it pointless for her to lie about her position. The World Tree would Awaken Chronicler candidates but wouldn’t share the secret of the violet with them unless they became one with the Yggdrasill.
Even posing as an apprentice Chronicler was bound to backfire since the elves could still ask her to talk to the World Tree via the staff, but the bond was already broken, something that Soul Vision had surely revealed to them already.
Aalejah didn’t miss the shadow of disappointment on the face of the other three hosts nor the fact that they shifted their weight back. Lesser Dragons were of no interest and the only good thing about a former apprentice was the possibility of stealing her staff.
Hence Aaleah quickly added:
“I’ve come to you because Mogar has changed in ways we would have never expected and there’s the opportunity for our race to reclaim our rightful place in the outside world.”
“Really?” The male elf’s eyes shone with renewed interest as he looked at Lith for confirmation.
“Really. There’s been a plague in Jiera that has exterminated the human race-” A wild surge of yells and cheers filled the air.
Lith had a hard time believing that creatures so delicate could be so loud. Even the scouts still hidden behind the trees were so happy at the idea of the annihilation of mankind that they were disregarding their duty and rejoicing with their neighbors.
“On Jiera. Garlen is safe.” Lith’s lungs had the might of his Tiamat form so his voice resounded throughout the clearing without the need for spells.
The cheering lessened but eerily not that much.
The elves drew a savage joy at the death of hundreds of millions of humans, if not one billion. They felt vindicated for their forced exile they considered unjust persecution instead of the natural consequence of their defeat in the war to establish the dominant humanoid race.
“Yet there’s much more to say and I’d gladly avoid repeating myself over and over.” Lith raised his hand, asking and obtaining silence. “If you bring us to the Parliament, we can discuss the issue and see if our respective interests align.”
“It would be our honor. Please, follow us.” The four warriors stood beside their respective guests and held their hands, offering themselves as guides and willing hostages in a sign of good faith.
The group took flight and moved toward the center of the woods where there were the oldest and biggest trees.
‘Wow. So no sugar for a poor Drake.’ Ajatar sighed while looking at his elf companion. ‘Life is really unfair. I’m much more powerful than the runt yet the difference in our treatment is like heaven and earth.’
Rem’Na smiled at him like they were good friends whereas Le’Ahy looked at Lith like he was her first love returned from the dead for her.
‘Seriously?’ Faluel glared telepathically at him.
‘Seriously. I’m ancient, not dead and she is my type.’ The Drake shrugged.
The journey lasted briefly since no one stood in their path and the elves’ spells were as good as those Lith’s group’ used.
