Fhariel ran naked through the hall, her mother catching her just at the top of sweeping staircase and scooping her small form into her arms, berating her for yet again leaving her chambers unclothed. It was half a century ago and she just a girl; one of the thousands of happy moments she’d had in her family’s Cormanthor manor, but waking from the vivid memory she found herself crying. “Are you alright?” Marlykan asked gently. He’d woken to the sound of her sobbing, but, lost in reverie, she hadn’t responded to him. Now, when he felt her stir, he thought she might have awoken. “No… My home is overrun by drow and I have no hope of winning it back… I’m not alright and I don’t think I will be anytime soon,” she snarled bitterly, pulling away from his embrace to sit up on the edge of the bed, warning coldly over her shoulder; “My troubles are not your concern. I agreed to share your room… and your bed… nothing more!” “I’d have thought we were at least friends by now,” he shot back, dismayed by the return of her icy manner. “Elves don’t make friends as casually as humans,” she rebuked coldly, twisting to fix him with eyes as frigid as a winter’s morning. “If you had been raised by us you’d understand that.” “I’d hardly call what we just did casual,” he smirked with mock hurt, eyeing her delightful charms lustfully. “It was just a moment’s pleasure… the release of a physical need… nothing more!” she insisted harshly. “I admit I lost track of time, but it was certainly more than a moment, although it was definitely a pleasure!” he taunted with a wicked grin, but then challenged in a more serious tone; “I accept that you’re not looking for a mate, or a lover, and that elves don’t make friends as casual as humans do. So what do you want?” She was about to slap the arrogant grin off his face, when she suddenly realized, she didn’t know! She didn’t know what she wanted from him… She didn’t know what she wanted from herself… She didn’t know anything anymore! Then, turning away from him, she went to the window, drawing the curtain aside to stare into the stormy night and confessed meekly; “I don’t know.” Moving to stand behind her, he pulled the curtain form her hand and let it drop back to cover the window, and goaded as she spun to face him with anger in her eyes; “Well, I know that you just made every man out there very happy.” Realized what a sight she must have been from the street, she surprised him yet again by bursting into laughter and chirping humorously; “Well we elves do endeavor to bring joy into the lives of others.” “In that case,” he smirked with a wicked grin, “you should go about like this all the time.” “Actually, my parents had quite a time getting me to understand why I couldn’t go about naked when I was a child,” she confessed. “I’ve always preferred it… still do… but I think my sword belt might chafe a bit.”