Story
Herodias stared at the queen, wishing he could build up enough confidence to say how she looked just like Ashley. He was awe struck by her elven beauty and suddenly wished he were more than just some peasant refugee, with too much knowledge and mud on his boots.
"Well?" the queen stated softly in her elven voice. He stared at her, ignoring the two heavy-set guards on either side of him. The queen's military advisor whispered something in elvish, and she nodded. "My advisor tells me you trespassed into Sancturwood prattling something about a great army destroying human villages."
Herodias mumbled "Yes, m'm."
"What have we to fear, then? If they are destroying human villages, then why should you come here to warn us of that? Where did you come from? Surely such a large young man as yourself would defend his village to the death?"
Herodias was quiet at this point. Everybody said how he was of a solid build, but he only ever saw a skinny peasant in his reflection.
"You do understand that violation of this wood is an offence punishable by death, don't you?" The advisor muttered something else into the queen's ear. "My advisor also tells me that you were uttering oaths against the elves. Is this so?"
Herodias was silent, for no one would believe him should he say it was a message from the army. The queen waved her hand in an indication to take him away. On the way out, she heard Herodias say some indistinguishable sentence. "Bring him back!" she shouted.
The guards dragged him back in and threw him heavily at the queen's feet. "What did he say?" she asked the guards.
"Dunno, yoos highnessesnesseres." the more intelligent of the two announced.
"Well?" she turned her attention to Herodias, who had curled into a feotal position and was gently sobbing.
"S'rry 'bout the mud 'ff m' boots." he managed in between gasps, then broke down into a sobbing heap. The military advisor leaned forward.
"I think he's suffering from shock, m'lady" he said.
"What?" she asked, curious.
"It's something only humans get. It's when they go through something that their minds can't handle, your highness."
"I'm surprised that more humans aren't like that, considering what little their minds can handle. How do you know so much about it, anyway?"
"I've fought with and against humans many a time before, and they all break down after a time, your majesty."
"My, how curious." she stated, rising from her wooden throne to inspect the quivering mound before her. As she crouched down, two things struck her. One was how badly Herodias needed a wash, and the other was the blood running freely from his left hand.
To Herodias, the following conversation sounded something like "helicopter", because it was spoken in elven.
"He's bleeding." she stated, showing average aristocratic intelligence at its best. "Bring bandages, and...His hand. He's clenching something tightly. Guard! Remove the offending item."
"Whu'?" the guard replied.
"She...um...I mean...Her majesty said take that thing out of his hand! Preferably without breaking it. THE HAND! NOT DON'T BREAK THE ITEM! DON'T BREAK THE HAND!"
"Yessir." The elf said with a salute, and began carefully prying the hand open.
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