Adoration Second Passage

On the carriage ride over Neiko sighed, her arms were across her chest, her head was downcast and her eyes were shut tight as she was forced to bear this indignation of wearing this rather cutesy dress that Roma had picked as the dark elf turned her gaze away from the window of the carriage and the forest view as she asked. “Something the matter Neiko?” The dark elf questioned as the smaller Neiko just grunted. “Nothing. But the fact that I look and am dressed like a small child going to an adults party is all.” Neiko said, though her voice was hidden with barbs that she wished to grace Roma’s spirit with but, withheld due to their tenuous friendship and Neiko’s own mental preparation for the people that she was going to deal with. It was a task for Neiko to contain herself at times, so she did not lash out despite how badly she wanted to against those that spoke to her in a manner that she deemed beneath her as little Neiko thought of herself as a princess, despite the fact she lacked any sort of relation to royalty at all. Roma seemed not to notice Neiko’s irritation at times with the dark elf’s actions, though that was part of her skill and she always exercised it well. “But you look so cute!” The dark elf fawned over the little warrior as the woman sighed once more. Eyes flashing open to reveal her dark and stormy eyes. “Yes, for being a child!” Neiko cracked as she felt her armor leave her unable to hide her feelings. “But, that is what makes you so cute!” Roma squealed as if she was unaffected by Neiko’s harsh anger. It seemed that either Neiko was not making her annoyances known or Roma was just playing along and making Neiko further irritated by not giving her the satisfaction of acknowledging her anger at the events so far.


When the carriage arrived, the driver slowed the horses to a stop as his passengers were able to disembark at the gate. The manor was large and spacious, decorated with many banners and the sound of music could be heard a distance away as Neiko sighed as she started walking. Her comfortable flat shoes made walking easier for her though Neiko’s face twisted with a frown of envy as she watched Roma’s long, ample legs step out and down from the carriage. She could have sworn that she saw the man looking, not a bad looking man for someone in a low position but, he would not spare a second glance at the little warrior, who looked like, and was now dressed like the young maiden girl that she was. Roma thanked the carriage man for his service as she walked the distance between Neiko and herself as Neiko sighed, she was clearly irritated. “Shall we get this over with? I am not in the mood for heroic praises. Remember, I am a thief after all.” Neiko said between Roma and herself. The tall elf smiled as she asked for Neiko’s hand with a gesture. “I know cutie. Shall I escort you within?” Roma asked, a little play to make Neiko smile at the very least as Neiko did crack a smile at the elf’s humor. “Yes dear, our public awaits.” Neiko said though as the final word left her lips Roma heard Neiko laugh. Softly, a giggle almost as if what she said was the most amusing thing to the little warrior as the hall doors were parted for their arrival as they faced a standing ovation from those that invited them here to this manor tonight.


The evening was filled with conversation, all across subjects from any graduate of higher learning though Neiko had surprisingly impressed some with her knowledge, reasoning and upkeep of current events as they were with her theories and other thoughts on the very same subjects as well.

“Wow, she is so bright for one so young.” Praised a middle-aged man.

“Such a rarity, one who pursues  both the martial and scholarly paths with such passion.” Praised a youthful woman who was a representative of a group of women who seemed to be of an independent nation.


Such sweet words made Neiko feel like the belle of the ball. Flattery and attention she fed off of but words only sustained one for so far, like anyone who had tasted their drug there was always the urge for more. After all the fawning and praise was over, people started mingling, drinking, eating, and dancing Neiko found herself alone. No words of praise, no talk of matters that mattered to her, a silence and absent wandering over took her. She could find a conversation here or there that caught her attention but held little interest as Neiko though saw something that perhaps she should not have seen. It was Roma, they had become separated during the evening but when Neiko laid eyes upon the woman again, what she saw made Neiko personally furious.


Men, they were gathered around Roma as if moths drawn to her flame. Neiko could hardly make out what they were saying but Neiko knew how to read motions and body language as she could see signs of flirtation and gestures of romance. It made the little warrior furious that she was of noble decent, strong, knowledgeable and graceful but yet she lacked the curves and marks of a grown woman. The things that identified her sex, Roma had them and it made men who knew nothing about her flock to her, lust, genuine interest, or some reason that Neiko could not fathom seemingly intertwined with their interest in a stranger who looked like an adult than one that looked like some child. The little warrior had trouble in love, and in life as most would not think that someone of her size would be interested in such a thing, and that caused her to stomp off though Roma could not see this. She was busy, ignoring the men who fawned their attention on her. She cared little for them, at times she felt nothing for them. They were dull creatures and sometimes she found amusement in one or something different in another but nothing that would stay her fancy for long. Though Neiko, as she procured a bottle of wine and glass for herself and savored the first sip the slow bane of this night was shattered with a sudden outcry, gasping and words of curses being uttered.


“Who, let this dark elf whore in!?” A voice bellowed, loud, angry and full of fire as Neiko set down her empty glass. Leaving the bottle behind reluctantly she followed this event with rapt attention as there was only one dark elf that she knew of at this party and that was her closely growing friend, Roma.