A Higher Dream

“Grow up.”

Those where fathers words after he back handed me, words almost as terrible as the action. Sticks and stones, I’d tell myself, sticks and stone may break my bones but words…words shall never hurt me.

Trailing though when I escaped that kingdom quite a fair amount of years back at only 17 years my prime. And no…it wasn’t an impulse, I’ve thought of such a decision for years and I have yet to regret it. Unfortunately, those where not the only time I’ve heard the phrase after revealing the wish of joining the empires knights, it’s pretty much become imbedded into my ears the amount of times it’s been spoken in and to my person, whether if just a glance or straight to it face. A whisper abs a shout. 

And I’m not the only one.

In this positively magical Elven world of ours, the only time such a thing is uttered is to a lady Elf. Referring to being immature and childish, immature and childish for believing they can be anything more than placating and submissive to there present and soon to be suitors.

At this point, I take the supposed ‘insult’ as a compliment. Ive decided that, that kingdom does not deserve my allegiance, and not just after so many years or tormenting.

It’s because of one man I’m hoping to erase from my mind after all these years, a man who betrayed me far more than my father.

It seems like the human realm has there own biases too, no matter where I try to escape, men along with brainwashed woman and there prejudices follow in any sort of species.

It’s humorous how such intense thoughts come from the most mundane task…like making coffee.

I couldn’t help but snort and the worker I have yet to learn the name of after 2 months of taking this part time job glances at me strangely before returning to making there caramel macchiato.

My pride feels a bit wounded for how well decorated it looks, especially when they call me out on it, red lips stick perched from brown hair, but I catch in fast…which is handy with the other part time jobs. 23 and still sending out applications to join the army, as fully and overly qualified as I am, I still live in a patriarchic world in some places…

Sigh, figures.

I almost jolt as something burns the back of my head, two holes I would guess as…eyes. A gaze so sudden and intense that it almost had me, me, jolting. 

And that’s when I know it’s not a normal human gaze. At the very least, perhaps some pervy man who doesn’t know posses some sort of magical ability.

Eyes are the windows to the soul.

I swiveled around before I could stop myself, with a narrowed gaze, scanning the room, but…no one was looking.

A sigh of frustration elicits from me. “Probably some pervert who didn’t want 

to get caught in 4K~”, I muse under my breath, stirring the mixture of coffee beans and milk, “Or perhaps I’m becoming quite narcissistic and my brain is so needy for attention that I’m starting to create my own illusions.” Huh, mom aways did say I was needy for affection.

Mother…

The only seemingly sane one in that kingdom, the reason why I dreamed of becoming a knight on the first place. To smack my father on his butt and live alone with her, to protect her.

Dreams are meant for all the living, dearest. Especially the ladies.

My heart still clenches every time I think of her, how I just up and left her…but there’s a reason I couldn’t, if I was even able to make it to her…I was a fugitive at that point.

After the event.

It was just a flash as blood clouded my sense before disappearing. My fingers flexed as I realize it’s only sweat coating them…all that matters is, she’s safe with a strong mind and heart.

I lightly blow on the dark drink and turn around, “Order for—“

A man is in front of me.

“SENTAYS STARS—Oh-uh…welcome to Starbucks, how may—ehem… I help you?” I quickly right my stuttering, but confusion fills me. How come I didn’t hear him? Did he holler at me at all?…am I in trouble?

But the more I study him, the more…suspicious I become. He’s almost too handsome.

Auburn highlights that seemed to flow like a stream in brunette hair, strong jawline, pale complexion with a sharp nose…

And beautiful cerulean eyes.

…an elf. A nostalgic training sense triggers in me like someone stringing a guitar, and I know I’m right, even if I don’t want to…why is he here? Who is he? 

That’s doesn’t matter right now. If he knows I’m one too, no matter of he knows me personally, I’ll be sent back. Woman there aren’t aloud freedom unless given a large sum of money as a fee.

And when I mean large, I mean a one in a million fortune. I internally groan, do I seriously have to move again? Not as tragic as you would think it would be, I don’t have any friends to leave behind, or family like back in Elfline, it’s still an I needed hassle. On the outside, I keep a neutral expression and a simple smile, “Are you—“ I glance down at the name on the cup, Ranchel, and do my best to keep my nerves in check to keep from snorting, “Ran..chel?”

He just stared at me, and now that I notice it, the Cerulean eyes seem almost cold. Icy. Like a midnight ocean. He doesn’t speak, and I can’t help the small amount of tension rising in my shoulders at his calculating gaze.

Can he just…look away for one hot—cold? Second. One cold second. That doesn’t make sense, but I tried.

“I’ll take that as a no, sir, if you what to make an order, the line is that one.” I nod my head toward the place one the other Starbucks slaves are positioned, smiling as someone came up to the cashier, “If it’s a yes, I’m gonna need some indication.”

But none came. He just…studied me, and I was more than a little freaked out by it.

“Ookaaay…” Maybe he’s not an elf. Maybe he’s just an oblivious and apparently somewhat  cationic human, a foreigner perhaps. Or maybe he needs to use the bathroom and is too shy to ask. A smoker escapes my lips before I can stop it and I quickly cover it with a cleared throat.

The action is what makes his head tilt, and for some very, very strange reason…it’s foreboding. His next words definitely don’t help, “It’s only you who would work at such a job…”

And with that, he swivels and leaves.

I just stare at the door he leaves off of, the small jingle when entering and exiting, a coffee cup in hand like some idiot. Then like a switch, my mind clicks back to place and shivers rack through me.

Whoever he is…he’s not an amateur…and I have a weird feeling I won’t like what happens if I don’t get out of here.

And fast.