"So you are some sort of envoy? Like a peacemaker?" The mayor asked.
"Yes. There will be no more squabbling between Elves and humans."
The crowd cheered.
"Great," said the mayor. "Which tree will you be sleeping in?"
Elves sleep in trees in this world? Telluria thought. Ugh. No way I'm sleeping in a tree!
"Um..if it please your Honor, I'd like to sleep as a human does."
Again the crowd tittered and murmured. This was all unprecedented!
"Very well," the Mayor said. "You may stay in my guest house. I'm certain my wife wouldn't object."
"Thank you," the Elf sorceress replied.
The crowd pressed closer, and Telluria felt an almost genetic distaste for the multitude of human bodies surrounding her.
The Mayor seemed to notice her discomfort. "Now, now, people," he boomed. "Telluria is a peace envoy, but she is unused to our ways. Please give her more room."
The crowd, grumbling, moved back a bit, and Telluria sighed in relief.
The Mayor led her to a spacious wooden guest house and invited her to freshen up inside. "We will treat you to a fantastic feast later tonight," he announced.
Telluria expressed her gratitude once more, then moved toward the door. Just before he left, however, the Mayor once again extended his hand. "I'm sorry, but I simply must shake hands with an Elf again! I could be the only human to ever do it!" he gushed.
Telluria extended her delicate hand and shook the Mayor's, again feeling liek she was doing something she really shouldn't.
After the Mayor left, she went inside and looked around. It was a nice home, but she felt mildly claustrophobic inside. Elves in this world must live outside all their lives... she thought.
The pantry was well stocked with delicious fruits and vegetables, and there was a hearth for cooking. There was also some dried meat, but Telluria felt odd when she contemplated eating it. She picked up a piece of beef jerky and brought it to her lips, but again the feeling came that she was doing something un-Elfish.
But I love beef jerky. she complained to herself. At least, I did before I became an Elf. Curiousity got the better of her, and she took a bite. Nothing bad happened, so she ate the whole piece.
But what she really wanted was a nice vegetable soup. Obviously my race are vegetarian by nature. There was a problem, though...the cookpots were cast iron.
"Oh, this is silly," she thought, tossing her shiny hair. "It's only metal!" she grabbed one of the pots, but dropped it immediately. Undaunted, she picked it up again but had to force herself to hold it. The iron made her feel like she did when she heard fingernails on a blackboard. It gave her the willies and just felt wrong.
Nevertheless, she managed to get a fire going and wrestle the iron pot onto the hearth for soup. Once the water was on, she decided to strip naked and really check out this Elf body.
When she was naked--
Wed Jan 05 12:44:04 2005