Snippet #2560461

Tryn's heart fluttered as she stepped through the gates and into the city proper. For the past five years, she had been primarily alone, save for her Dragon. Occasionally she would visit a village for supplies, but they had populations of a few hundred at best. There must have been at least five hundred people in the gate square alone. She supposed it was for the best. There were still people in the Capital who would recognize her, and so a large crowd made it easier to blend in and avoid drawing attention.

She hadn't made it more than twenty feet in when attention drew itself right up to her, in the form of a seven foot lizard. Standing in front of her, the Zarc towered more than a foot above her head, his chest trespassing dangerously close to her face as he stared down at her. Assuming some sort of challenge and not to be outdone, Tryn met his gaze with her own, and did not shy away from his imposing frame.

"Why are you different? Are you from a distant area? Are you not human?" His voice caught her off guard. It was polite, even, and calm. From his stance, she expected aggressive, and got respectful. It took her a moment to collect her thoughts. What kinds of questions are those? Does he start all his conversations like this? Ankh's warm, multifaceted voice resonated in her head. He's probably never seen an elf before. They rarely leave the swamps, remember? She didn't. The last time Tryn spoke to a Zarc was more than 50 years prior, and she'd forgotten their mannerisms.

"Uhhm," She spoke after a few painful, silent seconds, "What?" It still hadn't fully registered. "Why am I different? I'm an elf. Have you seriously never seen an elf before?" She took a step back and glanced around. The townspeople went about their business and pretended not to stare, but it was clear everybody was taking notice. She crossed her arms and began to tap her foot impatiently.

"Look, I'd love to answer all the questions you have about Elven anatomy, but I have things to do and people to find, so if you'd kindly excuse me, I must be going.