The elf captain's eyes flared with indignation, but he quickly masked it.
"My lady, we found him with the secret daughter of the king. A human! I was ensuring he confessed before—"
"Before what?" Elowen interrupted, voice slicing through his excuses.
"Before you had any actual proof? Before you considered the possibility that someone else failed in their duties? Like, perhaps, the guards assigned to protect her?"
The elf captain's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Elowen's gaze sharpened.
"My men reported that he rescued her. Rescued. Yet you chose to torture him instead of questioning him. Tell me, how does that fit within our 'civilized' ways?"
The elf captain flinched at the last word, shame coloring his features.
"My lady, I... I only acted with the kingdom's best interest—"
"No," Elowen cut him off, her voice cold.
"You acted to save face. A secret child of the royal family was taken under your watch. Rather than investigate, you assumed guilt. You chose brutality over wisdom. I find that… embarrassing."
"…" The elf captain's fists clenched, but he kept his head low.
He knew better than to argue further.
Elowen stepped back, her eyes still locked onto him with an intensity that seemed to burn.
"You will be reassigned to border patrol," she said calmly.
"Effective immediately. Perhaps a stint in the wilds will remind you what true threats look like."
The elf captain's head snapped up.
"Lady Elowen, please! I—I swear it won't happen again. Give me one more chance!"
Her gaze didn't soften.
"I already have. And you squandered it."
Elowen turned her back to him, signaling the conversation was over.
"Report to your new post by dawn. And if I hear of any further displays of… incompetence, I'll ensure you're stripped of your rank entirely."
The elf captain swallowed back his retort, giving her a stiff, reluctant bow before exiting the room, shoulders slumped.
Elowen stood alone for a moment, the air heavy with silence.
Her eyes flickered to the bloodstains still fresh on the floor, and her expression darkened.
"A human… rescuing an elf," she murmured under her breath, a flicker of intrigue flashing across her eyes.
"Interesting…"
▬▬ι═══════ﺤ
Meanwhile—
Luka found himself carried through polished stone corridors, his senses barely functioning as he was led into a pristine, white-walled infirmary.
The moon's light filtered through stained-glass windows.
He was gently laid onto a soft mattress, and he let out a groan as his back made contact with the fabric.
One of the masked elves stepped aside, whispering to a healer dressed in flowing green robes.
She approached the human, her hands glowing faintly with light.
"You've been through quite the ordeal, human," she said softly, pressing her hands to his wounds.
Warmth spread through his body, dulling the pain and knitting flesh back together in real-time.
Luka blinked, the haze in his vision clearing just enough for him to smirk weakly.
"I guess… the royal treatment… isn't so bad…" he muttered.
The healer gave him a small smile.
"Rest. When you're healed, his majesty will want to speak with you."
Luka's eyes fluttered closed, the sensation of his wounds sealing and bruises fading lulling him into unconsciousness.
For the first time in hours, his body finally began to relax.
▬▬ι═══════ﺤ
A few hours had passed.
Luka's eyes fluttered open.
He blinked away the remnants of sleep, stretching his limbs and marveling at the absence of pain.
His body, once battered and bruised, felt whole—rejuvenated, even.
There wasn't the slightest ache; every cut and bruise had vanished without a trace.
A surge of energy pulsed through him, sharper and more invigorating than before.
Pushing himself upright, Luka's gaze drifted to the window, where dawn's first light painted the sky.
He couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate the serenity of it.
The quiet was interrupted by a gentle cough.
Luka turned sharply to find an elf maid standing at the doorway.
She inclined her head respectfully.
"Human," she began.
"His Majesty has ordered me to escort you to him as soon as you woke. Would you kindly follow me?"
Luka took a moment, glancing down at himself.
His clothes, once torn and bloodstained, were immaculate—cleaned and stitched with a care he hadn't expected.
He brushed his hand over the fabric, feeling the smoothness beneath his fingertips.
'Whoever had mended it had done so nicely.'
Finally, Luka met the gaze and gave her a nod.
"Lead the way."
The elf maid's expression remained neutral, but there was a flicker of acknowledgment in her eyes.
"Of course," she replied smoothly, stepping aside to open the door with a graceful sweep of her arm.
She led him through the winding hallways.
It wasn't long before they reached a pair of towering doors flanked by two elven guards.
The elf maid stopped just before the entrance and turned back to the human.
"Please wait here for a moment while I inform His Majesty that you have awakened," she said, offering a slight bow before slipping through the heavy doors.
They shut behind her with a muffled thud.
Left alone with the elven guards—
Luka shifted his weight awkwardly, the silence stretching uncomfortably between them.
He rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat before attempting to break the silence.
"So," Luka began, "how's this job treating you? Get some good benefits?"
No response…
The elf guards didn't so much as blink.
Their eyes remained locked ahead, faces hidden behind their helms.
"…" Luka's smile faltered, and he nodded slowly.
"Cool, cool… tough crowd," he muttered under his breath.
He rocked back and forth on his heels.
Luka sighed, glancing back at the elf guards.
They hadn't moved a muscle—didn't even seem to breathe.
He raised an eyebrow and leaned a bit closer.
"Are you guys even real?" Luka whispered conspiratorially.
Nothing.
"Right… guess I'm talking to myself," Luka chuckled dryly before shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning against one of the columns.
He began whistling a little tune.
Luka's eyes wandered around.