Chapter Two

Somewhere in the distance a bird chirped. Alleria didn’t remember falling asleep, but now here she was, her eyes still shut. It took her a few moments to realize where she was and what had awaken her. A man’s voice was shouting “How did you get in here!?” and “Get out of here! NOW!” She opened her eyes in fright to see Dauri charging at her from the doorway, his eyebrows furrowed and his blue eyes narrowed to a point. He held a large white towel in his hand, which he used to wrap around her body, still in the water. Soaking wet, he flipped her over his shoulder and marched straight out of the house, yelling the whole way.
Outside of the woods he was quiet and inside his house again he plopped her down on a chair and handed her the cloths that she was wearing the day before, and then he paced. She was shivering, had been from the moment he ripped her from her bubbly haven. All she could do was look at her hands, wrinkled from the water.
“I wake up this morning and you’re GONE! And as if that wasn’t enough, I find you THERE! THERE OF ALL PLACES!? WHY!? WHY THERE!? I don’t understand! I barely know you! And you have RUINED that which I have built my life around! My ENTIRE life! I know you don’t understand!! BUT MY LIFE! I offer you my hospitality, and this is my thank you!? THIS is he gratitude I receive!?”
“I’m sorry…I…”
“You’re sorry! You…you STUPID GIRL!” he turned from her and slammed his hand into the wall and stood there, breathing heavily. “stupid…stupid girl.”
Alleria‘s whole body trembled, her hands were icy and her eyes welled with tears, “I’m sorry,” she said, “I did not know, I am grateful. I did not mean to… I thank you for your hospitality. I’ll be leaving tomorrow, with your permission… I would like to stay just one more night, before I go back out on the road.”
“Fine,” he growled, his face still twisted in anger, “until tomorrow.”
She looked up at him, her tear filled eyes now shining with something different. “O.K. THEN!” she squeaked, grinning from ear to ear and jumping up. The towel he held fell to the floor, Alleria’s cheeks flushed beat red. It was recovered quickly, and in a second Alleria’s free arm was around Dauri’s neck. “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I promise I’ll clean up all the messes I’ve made! I’ll fix it all so that it’s like I was never here!”

Humming, she stood outside washing the blankets thoroughly, to get all the vomit out. It was funny to see how much she had eaten. It was quite a bit. Dauri stood close watch to make sure that she was doing everything properly. A blue butterfly flitted across her line of vision in a semi circle that led her eyes to the roof top of the house of controversy.
“So, what is that house over there?” she asked, “It’s yours right?”
“It is.”
“Well, why don’t live there? I mean, it’s much nicer than this place,” she said holding up a blanket to examine the stain. Then turning toward him, “Not that this place isn’t nice…” she smiled.
“I don’t want to live there, too many memories.”
“So you used to live there. That must have been nice.”
“Not really,” he replied.
“Why not?”
“It just wasn’t! I don’t want to talk about it okay?” he said.
“Oh? Well, why be afraid of some memories?”
“I’m not afraid,” he replied, “it’s just difficult to talk about.”
“Did you live there with your family?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“When I was younger…”
“How old?”
“…about ten. My mother and older brother contracted the black plague.”
“Black plague?”
“It swept our village, I was moved out of here, the old maid quarters, to protect me. I was not permitted to visit them… I couldn’t play with my brother or hug my mother, even when they were a little better.”
“What about your father?” asked Alleria bouncing on her heels.
“He continued to live there until they died, he always favored my brother, calling me a bastard and insisting that I couldn’t belong to him. He was never allowed me to come back to the house until he was nearly dead. That day he told me that it was only because I had his name that I would receive his fortune, and I told him that I didn’t want it.”
“Thought you didn’t want to talk about it?” she said smirking into the murky water.
Dauri gaped at her.
“I…I… STUPID GIRL!” Dauri said stomping back into the house.
Alleria smiled to herself.

“What’s that thing around your neck?” asked Dauri.
“It’s a dragon scale. I got it form a dragon mother who’s hatchling I saved,” said Alleria eyeing the deep red…or green scale. It’s smooth casing warm to the touch.
“Interesting. You have many stories, Alleria the Storyteller.” Her head jerked up to face him.
“Yes,” she said suspiciously, “I have had many adventures.”
“You’ve told me about your mother. What about your father?”
“I don’t know really. I’ve never met him, or heard of him.” Alleria bounced in her chair.
“Lucky you,” said Dauri.
The two sat at the rickety wooden table once again eating a thick stew, this time though it was only midday and Alleria ate more lightly than the night before. When they were finished, Dauri and Alleria sat on the front porch, Dauri in his usual chair and Alleria in front of him like a puppy, watching. After a while Dauri retreated inside for a moment and returned again with a needle and a spool of twine.
“You can sew?” questioned Alleria.
“That’s what happens when you live with the help for most of your life, you learn a thing or two. It’s good because this way I don’t have to go to town but twice, or if I’m lucky, once a year.”
“I should think it ground to visit town…What are you making?” she asked.
“I started it last night. It’s pants for you, because you need pants. And no, you should not go to town.” he said staring at the green fabric he held.”
“But I leave tomorrow,” said Alleria.
“Oh, yes, well. I will try to finish this today,” he said as though he hadn’t realized she’d be leaving.
“Well, thank you,” she paused. “Why shouldn’t I go to town?”
“They do not like elves. They are horrid people anyway. None of them ever liked me.”
“How come?” she questioned.
“Probably my father. I did have one friend though. He wasn’t anything like the rest of them. His father hated mine, probably because he like my mother so much. We were so close that we could have been brothers. But I haven’t seen him in years. He’s probably forgotten me. Oh well, it’s probably for the best. I like things quiet.”
“Don’t you ever get lonely?” she asked.
“Nope I like being alone. I never have to listen to anyone and no compromising. I do what I want when I want.”
“Oh, sounds dull. You’re just too afraid of getting hurt by other people. I bet that’s the real reason you have no friends.”
“I…I…stupid girl!” said Dauri staring angrily at his sewing work.

When Alleria met Dauri: Chapter Three