Heroes...or something like that

A/N: Mentions of torture in this chapter, but I don't like writing that sort of thing so I don't think it's too graphic.

Rohani Violetmist came from a life of privilege. She got everything she wanted and was the only daughter of the most respected merchants in all of Enroth rivaled only by the Blackwood Family. However, at the moment, she was throwing quite the temper tantrum.

"What do you mean I have to have someone with me at all times," Rohani screeched, causing her governess, Anna, to wince.

"Your parents are only worried for you. After the news of the slaughter of the entire Blackwood Family reached them, they grew quite concerned for your safety," Anna tried to calmly explain.

"Heh, you mean, they were concerned for their legacy." Rohani held no illusions about how her parents actually felt about her. She may be powerful in magics and potions, but they were still going to expect her to somehow continue the family business.

"Look," Anna sighed, "Regardless of the reasons, if you wish to leave and go to the Inn, your bodyguard will have to go with you."

"Fine. Whatever. I'm gone."


At the Inn:

Rohani sat drinking her ale underneath her cloak. She may have been an elf of only 14 years, but years of isolation has turned her towards drinking. She honestly couldn't remember when she'd had a friend and she figured it best not to think of it. The cloak worked to hide her hair because no matter what she looked like her purple tresses would give her away as a Violetmist in a heartbeat. Everyone knew that any member of the Violetmist family, if they were born rather than married into the family, had purple hair. She wasn't sure why that was and no one had ever figured it out.

She looked over at her bodyguard in disgust. He was large for an elf, but didn't seem to have the intelligence elves were known for. She still wondered why her parents hired him. They must have owed someone something because she doubted he could protect her from anything. Currently, he was flirting with one of the barmaids. Just as Rohani was about to slip away, someone grabbed her, putting a hand over her mouth to stifle any scream she might've let loose. She looked over and noticed that her bodyguard still hadn't noticed her plight. 'Fucking moron,' she thought uncharitably as she realized that her hands were trapped making it impossible for her to reach her dagger or cast any spells. Just when she was about to give-up, she was suddenly dropped. Looking up she saw her would-be kidnapper with an arrow sticking out of his arm. She looked up to find her rescuer and saw a red-headed human girl still holding a bow while the bow's owner swore before snatching it back. She saw the girl running over towards and couldn't help but wonder at her. When the girl touched her she noticed that the energy was warm and inviting like a monk's. 'Heh, never seen a monk or, hell, a human for that matter handle a bow like that.' Suddenly, the girl was snatched up by two elven guards to be drug off. 'Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Of all the stupid elven prejudice, they're going to kill her because she injured an elf saving my life. We'll see about that.' It was true. Rohani had tried desperately to never use her name for anything, but this once, she'd make an exception.

"Just what do you think you're doing!" Rohani gathered herself up, looking as imperial as possible. The whole tavern gasped and she noted the girl had turned a few shades paler. Apparently, she just realized whose life she saved.

"Do you really intend to execute the girl who saved a Violetmist?" The guards began to protest, but Rohani cut them off with a look. They immediately dropped the girl and left her. Rohani stuck her hand out to help the girl up and was shocked to look into a pair of striking silver eyes. She only knew one family that had those eyes. The Storms family was known for producing the top-notch Arch Mages, Lichs, Necromancers, etc. all depending on which side of the main political war you were on. They were also known for being the most politically divided. Most families either supported one side or the other in the main underground debate of Deyja vs. Bracada. Although, most people didn’t know the half of what went on. The Storms were the only influential family that was divided right down the middle just about.

She didn’t know which side this girl was on. While the girl had saved her life and seemed genuinely shocked when she realized that Rohani was a Violetmist, it could all be an act. Rohani took a moment to study her while she got herself together. The girl was small, shorter than even her and most humans towered above elves. This girl could easily pass for an elf if it wasn’t for the rest of her body. The ears would give her away, but there was also the fact that this girl definitely had a woman’s body with curves that most “barmaids” would envy. Rohani allowed herself a moment of jealousy before reminding herself that, as an elf, she was supposed to be slender and petite. What startled Rohani the most thought was that, for a girl from a magical family, she hadn’t felt magical at all. A mage’s energy would feel almost itchy to Rohani, not warm and inviting. Reading her, Rohani saw the great potential for being a very accomplished mage, but, obviously, that was not this girl’s goal. Rohani wanted to ponder it more, then realized that the girl before her was beginning to fidget nervously. She’d probably been staring for a bit too long now. She gave an apologetic smile and introduced herself, even though the girl already knew her name. It was more to prompt the girl to do the same. Finally, the girl smiled shyly and introduced herself as Hunter, but omitted the last name. However, upon hearing her name, Rohani couldn’t keep the shock off her face. She’d heard the name Hunter Storms whispered between her parents when she was about 10. The daughter of one of the most powerful families in Deyja that were just waiting for enough of a force to attack Bracada. The daughter who had fled when she was 9 years old to go to relatives in Bracada only to be thought dead when she didn’t show up. The daughter who was apparently alive and well and standing before her now. At her reaction, the girl paled, realizing she’d been found out. Rohani watched as she frantically looked for an exit, anything to escape any questions. To calm her down, Rohani, reacting on instinct, grabbed her, pulled her close, and starting whispering reassurances that her secret was safe. Hunter stiffened at first and then, finally, relaxed, pulling away, nodding that she understood, although still she seemed wary. Rohani immediately asked where she was staying and when Hunter pointed towards a room upstairs in the Inn, Rohani insisted she stay with her. Hunter protested at first, but when Rohani started dragging her out of the Potted Pixie, Hunter relented and they walked towards her house. Rohani talked about everything while Hunter just gave non-committal answers. All the while, Rohani couldn’t help but think what had brought Hunter to Avlee of all places.

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Yesterday:

Hunter arrived early in Avlee and headed straight for the temple. After Tularean Forest, she noticed that the hostility was not quite as intense. Probably because the war wasn’t happening here so no one here was directly affected by it. Arriving at the temple, Hunter was thrown when one of the monks that answered her summons was an elf. Now she knew that temples stayed out of interracial conflicts shown by the Deyja temples that housed both dwarves and goblins, but most elves simply didn’t become monks. They lacked the physical strength it took to become a monk since they were more known for their intelligence and accuracy. Still they took her letter from the monks in Erathia and informed her that they had no room for her, but she could stay at the Potted Pixie for free. She nodded and headed for the town inn. The innkeeper sneered and her, but gave her the key to a room nonetheless. Once settled, she fell immediately asleep.

She was in a dark room. She couldn’t see anything, but she could feel Toxic Cloud hitting her over and over again. When she refused to scream despite the fact that the cloud was poisoning her and making her delusional, her mom hit her with Sprit Lash, causing her spirit to exit her body only to snap back into it causing her to feel like her whole body was being burned and stabbed. Now she did scream, begging for her mom to stop. The only response she got was her mom telling her that this would make her stronger, make her see the way. Sometimes, she’d die. Only to be taken to the temple to be resurrected. Sometimes, she’d be whole. Sometimes, a mindless zombie. She almost couldn’t tell anymore, only wanting death so she could be at peace, but the temples wouldn’t give it to her. Gleefully laughing as she was brought back to life sobbing, her body covered in open sores and broken bones….
Hunter awoke with a start. She was having those nightmares from her childhood again. She took some of the sleeping potion the monks had given her that she’d become dependent on and went back to a, thankfully, dreamless sleep.

The next day she woke up and went down to the bar area. She realized it must already be evening since they were already patrons sitting, drinking, and talking. She sat at the end and was ignored which suited her just fine. Her glamour that went over her eyes to hide their color was still in place, which she was thankful for. If there was one thing an elf hated more than a human, it was a Storms. The Storms ability to produce incredibly powerful and magical humans had always been a source of embarrassment to elves, especially since a Storm was the reason the Elves lost the last conflict.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming sense of panic. Concentrating she realized it wasn’t hers and looked for the cause cursing the luck that would cause her empathy to act up now. She saw a girl being dragged towards the entrance by a strong-looking mercenary. Noticing that no one was doing anything, Hunter reacted on instinct. She grabbed the nearest bow she could find, ignoring the owner’s protests, lined up a shot, and fired. She nailed the man right in the arm causing him to drop the girl to the ground. He ran to the door, unfortunately, escaping. The bow’s owner grabbed it back, cursing at her in fluent Elven. Hunter smiled since she recognized what he said. Most people wouldn’t expect it, but Hunter was well-versed in Elven thanks to a relationship with one of Castle Navan’s palace guards. She ran over towards the girl and used her empathy to reach out and check the girl for injury. Finding none, she’d planned to just go about her business when elven guards grabbed her. Figures, she saves a girl’s life and now she’d be executed for it. That’s what she thought until the girl suddenly stood letting her cloak fall down. Underneath revealed a young, slender elven girl with long purple hair. Upon seeing the hair, Hunter paled realizing exactly who she’d rescued. She was in such shock that she heard nothing going on until she was suddenly dropped and left. She looked up and noticed the girl flinch for a second, but offer her hand all the same. She introduced herself as Rohani Violetmist. Hunter recognized the prompting, but hesitated. Finally, deciding that there had to be more than one Hunter in all of Enroth she figured there was no harm in at least giving the girl her first name. However, when Rohani looked at her in shock, Hunter felt her eyes and realized her glamour had dropped and, of course, there was only one family that had her silver eyes. Freaking out, she looked around for an escape until Rohani quickly grabbed her and started telling her there was nothing to worry about, her secret was safe until she calmed down. Hunter still had her concerns, but Rohani seemed trustworthy. When Rohani asked her where she was staying Hunter pointed up to her room. Before she knew what was happening, despite her protests, she was being dragged out of the Potted Pixie while Rohani informed her that one of her servants would get Hunter’s belongings. During the trek to Rohani’s house on the other side of Avlee, Rohani chatted, but Hunter didn’t really pay attention just nodding and answering with “yes” or “no” from time to time.

Upon arrival, Rohani and her governess immediately got into a fight about Rohani bring a “human vermin” into the house. It was in Elven and whispered, but Hunter understood every word of it while she was standing in the sitting room. Rohani led her to one of the many guest room and Hunter couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed Rohani and told her that if her being here was going to cause problems she could go back to the Inn. Rohani shushed her and sent her to bed before retiring to her own room. It was only then that she realized that Hunter had overheard their conversation and, not only, should she have not been able to understand it, she shouldn’t have been able to hear it. Rohani slept realizing there was more to Hunter than meets the eye.

Rohani woke the next morning and found her new friend doing some kind of exercises outside. She was immediately spellbound by the intricate patterns as Hunter looked like she was doing a dance, a rather deadly one at that. She then watched as Hunter pulled out a staff and began a different set of exercises. Rohani made a decision. She wanted Hunter as her new bodyguard, but she wanted to test something first. While Hunter was distracted in meditation, she went up to her to ask her if she wanted breakfast in Elven. Without thinking, Hunter responded back in fluent Elven that she’d pass before her eyes popped open to look into Rohani smirking face. Hunter gave a sheepish smile realizing she’d been caught, but was thankful when Rohani didn’t push the issue. Rohani then asked if Hunter would be interested in being her new bodyguard. Hunter gave the matter some deliberation before stating that she would agree if Rohani could find someone to help her with her archery and then pointed out that Rohani’s parents would not be happy with a human guarding their daughter.

“Leave my parents to me,” was all Rohani would give her in a way of answer.

Sure enough, when Anna wrote Rohani’s parents they came back a few days later basically forbidding it. However, they weren’t prepared for their usually meek daughter to put up quite a fight. Hunter’s heart swelled as she’d never had anyone stand up for her before. Over the days, she’d grown to like Rohani and had even discussed some of her past with her. Rohani had been upset and had promised to help heal Hunter’s wounds, which she’d already started to do. Of course, this all caused Hunter to curse her bisexuality, but she moved past it, not wanting to jeopardize the first real friendship she’d ever had. Her parents eventually relented when they realized their daughter was not going to budge and Hunter demonstrating her talents hadn’t hurt much either. From that day forward Hunter vowed to protect Rohani with her life.

A/N: Alright, I promise the story will pick up after I get the background out of the way. The next chapter will be David meeting Edward and yes, there will be m/m action it, but not between Ed and David. I'll get to it as soon as I can. Let me know what you think so far.