Naveen

It made me uncomfortable, to eat with humans in their own dwelling. So much prejudice against non-humans. When I traveled human lands I hid my ears, so I took some time before I entered, brushing my hair over my ears and removing my armor. I left on my boots and my greaves before stepping carefully into their home.

Rina:

It took me a little bit to realize that Talon was uncomfortable then a little more time to puzzle out why. “Hey,” I said after Mrs. Moroe left us alone in the dining room with a glass of wine for each of us. “You don’t have to be nervous, these are good people. They’re on our side. They see you no different than me.” I told him, taking his hand in mine and squeezing it.

"I can't help it...the last time I was in a human dwelling that wasn't a business or an inn...I wasn't in it by choice and I didn't have the option of walking out the door." My voice was rough and low from painful memories. I closed my eyes and breathed slowly. "I'll be alright." I squeezed her hand, adjusting my grip slightly so that I could keep a hold of it better if she chose to let it stay. And I hoped that she did.

Rina:

I kept hold of his hand as he seemed to need it. Mr. Moroe came home in time for dinner and introduced himself graciously to us. Despite what I told Talon, they did seem to treat him a little differently than me. Even when he hid his ears, you could tell he was an elf up close. They were still kind, but unable to relax into an easy conversation. It was hard to overcome almost twenty years of prodigious, I had to remind myself that I had even had a little of it when I first met him and Maleen.

I turned the conversation to what we had to do after leaving the house. The Moroe’s knew some about the vampires at the bay. There was a temple dedicated to them and humans would go to worship. There was a whole cult devoted to them which made up their feeding supply. In the religion it was an honor to sacrifice blood to them, some said they even attained gifts from the vampires in return. The whole subject was nauseating.

I could feel the tension in the air more than they could. I kept my eyes down, my motions reserved. I didn't offer more than a few quiet words to the conversations. I left it all to Rina as I slowly fell into myself.

I thanked Mrs. Moroe for dinner and offered to help clean up but she dismissed me. “We have a room set up,” She eyed Talon. “It's the only one we have available… He can sleep-” I cut her off, “Thank you, he'll be fine with me.” Her eyebrows twitched in surprise but she said nothing more, only took us to the room.

I followed along slowly, keeping my hands flat at my sides, and my eyes downcast at the floor. A muscle twitched in my jaw, but I tried to hold it in. I wasn't going to stay here tonight, they wouldn't feel comfortable I knew. Humans never did.

Rina:

I thanked her again as she bade me goodnight and left us alone in the room. I reached over and touched his arm. “I'm so sorry.” I said softly. I felt oddly protective of him. Knowing of the prejudiced and seeing it were two different things. It sickened me that I might ever have been the same way.

I looked at her touch on my arm. "I'm used to it by now...this is normal. This is what us non-humans deal with." I shook my head and shifted my feet. "I will sleep out in the barn, it is where they probably would have wanted me anyway. If I don't they will be coming by constantly to make sure you are alright. Doesn't matter when in the night it is."

Rina:

“Hey, no, that's not right. They're wrong, you don't need to indulge them. You can stay here. We wanted to get here early so we would have time to relax, right? You wont be able to relax in the barn.” I told him quickly.

"You'd be surprised how relaxing a barn can be. But this is your mission. I am here to help so you can make the orders." I replied with a resigned look.

Rina:

“Talon, I'm not going to order you to do anything. I just want you to be comfortable…” I said with a soft sigh. “You don't think they're better than you, do you? You don't believe this nonsense? You're… you're better than any man I've ever met.” I looked him in the eyes.

"Rina...I have been a slave...been sold like I am a side of meat. I have stood in the slave auctions, and been treated like less than an animal. It's hard to know if I am or not Rina. In some regards I believe I am better than a human. I do not discriminate, or keep slaves. But when I look at how small our footholds have become across the world...for all of the non-human races...it becomes difficult to know if we are better." I sighed and rubbed my face. "Even those on the resistance who fight for freedoms of the other races treat us like what you witnessed Rina."

Rina:

My hand slid down his arm and dropped. “What can I do?” I asked with a deep furrow between my eyebrows.

I sighed a moment, puffing some hair out of my face. "Nothing, I'll be fine. Shall we head out and do something so we can relax?"

Rina:

I nodded. “Lets go out while there's still a little light.” I said softly, going back to the door to leave.

I took one look around the room for a moment before nodding and following after her. "Yeah."

Rina:

The sky was streaked with the fading pastels of sunset when we got outside. I slipped my hand into Talon's, it just seemed like what I should do. “I think there's a creek over there.” I nodded off the forest line.

I nodded and with her hand and mine, led the way to the creek. It was some ways into the tree's, but far enough out that we would have privacy. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Rina:

“I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm ashamed that they acted that way with you.” I said with deep line between my eyebrows.

"Rina. It's alright. They only did what they thought was the correct thing to do. It may have been wrong, but for most humans...it's normal to think that way." I shook my head before reaching over to gently smooth a thumb over her brow in an attempt to smooth the line.

Rina:

I looked at him then dropped my gaze and closed my eyes for a moment as he touched me. “You dont have to sleep in the bard tonight. It's not going to be a fun couple of days, you might as well get some good sleep while you have the chance.” I said softly.

I looked at her a long moment then nodded. "Alright. I'll bring my bedroll from the horses bags."

Rina:

I nodded then lead the way down the creak to a flat rock jutting out from the ground. I tugged him over to sit on it. “What do you think it will be like?” I asked.

"What do I think what will be like?" I asked after settling down beside her. My armor creaked slightly as I shifted to a more comfortable position.