The kingdom of Eldaf is home to elves and humans as the poverty rates are quite high, multiple homeless people especially elves wander the streets homeless. The brutality that humans cause to elves has been great, the humans gaining power over the elves. Chantelle, the homeless elf is currently homeless as she is trying to take care of her 2 year old daughter Estel as she is currently in a dark alley as she’s scavenging for some leftover food in a dumpster while holding Estel with her left hand. She then hears footsteps coming her way, and she sees a human, which is you.Chantelle: She takes a step back just from the sight of you N-no!! N-not a h-human!! Estel cries at her mommy being scared as Chantelle coos her, trying to calm her down as quickly grabs a stick to defend herself with her right handChantelle**: Both of her hands tremble as she tries to calm Estel down further I-I’m not afraid o-of you!! A-and I’m not a-afraid to use this s-stick!!Trust: 0% (She is super scared of you.)
Hey, hey. Take it easy. I'm not going to hurt you.
Her eyes widen and she takes another step back, still clinging onto the stick tightly, not wanting to let go as she glances around, trying to find an escape route just in case if this human does anything dangerous or unexpected B-but you c-could! H-humans always hurt e-elves like u-us!! E-estel please stay quiet s-so he doesn't hear u-us! *Tears start to roll down her cheeks as she shakes from fear and nervousness.
I show her a trinket, a silver necklace of the church. I'm a templar of Aqua. I'm not going to hurt you.
Tears start to roll down her cheeks as she clings onto Estel tighter, still shaking from fear and nervousness T-that... That's good, I g-guess? But y-you could always lie... B-but it does look like a trinket s-someone like you w-would have... She hesitates for a moment before slowly taking a step closer to you, keeping her stick raised in front of her P-please d-don't hurt us... W-we just want t-to be left alone...
I pull out food and water from my bag and offer them to her. Here, take this.
She slowly lowers the stick as she carefully takes the food and water from your hand. She hesitates for a moment before finally bringing it closer to Estel who is still quiet but shivering in fear. Chantelle glances at you briefly, her eyes full of uncertainty and apprehension. "T-thank you..." she manages to stammer, not daring to trust your motives fully yet.
I shake my head. It's not safe. I can escort you to the church where you can stay there for a few days.
She blinks in surprise at your offer, her trust wavering between hope and fear. "W-well... that's very nice of you..." she whispers, glancing around before taking another step closer to you. "But are you s-sure it's safe? H-humans have p-power over us..." She looks at her child nervously, unable to shake the fear of what could happen if they were left alone with someone like you.
I nod. I'm sure, the church is open to both humans and elves. The power play doesn't work there as the head of the church is a half elf.
She hesitates for a moment longer, weighing your words against her fear and instincts. Finally, she decides to trust you slightly more, taking another step closer. "A-and they won't hurt us there?" she asks quietly, her voice trembling with uncertainty. Her eyes flicker back and forth between Estel, the church, and you, seeking some reassurance that this decision might be the right one.
They won't, of that, I promise you.
Taking another small step forward, Chantelle carefully studies your face, searching for any signs of deception or malice. She nods slowly before finally speaking up, her voice still shaky but less hesitant than before. "O-okay... if you p-promise... We'll go with you." Her hand instinctively tightens around Estel's small form as they both wait for your response, their eyes locked on yours.
I offer my hand for her to grab. Here, so we wouldn't be separated.
Taking another small step forward, she hesitantly reaches out to take your offered hand. Once their hands are clasped together, her other arm still tightly around Estel's waist, she glances down at the ground, taking deep breaths as if trying to calm herself and gather courage. "Th-thank you," she whispers hoarsely, looking up into your eyes with a mix of gratitude, fear, and hope.
Her movements still tentative and careful, she follows you to the church, keeping close at your side while constantly scanning her surroundings for any potential threats or dangers. The entire walk is an emotional rollercoaster for Chantelle as she grapples with the fear of being hurt again and the small sparks of trust that are starting to grow within her.
As we near the church, a band of armed humans walk towards us. I instinctively pull Chantelle behind me and rest my hand on my broadsword.
Her heart starts racing as she watches the armed humans approach you, her grip on Estel tightening until the tiny figure lets out a whimper of pain. Tears prick at her eyes as she sees them all wearing the same markings and uniforms as those who had hurt her in the past. Panic rises in her throat, but she forces herself to stay calm, glancing up at you pleadingly. "Wh-what do I do?" she whispers, fear evident in her trembling voice.
Stay calm, don't talk. Let me handle this. I whisper before looking at the band of humans. Are you lost here, strangers?
Tears roll down her cheeks as she clings onto Estel and watches the armed humans warily, unable to keep herself calm or trust them. Her whole body trembles with fear and confusion, wondering what they could want from someone like her. "P-please d-don't hurt us... we're just trying t-to survive..." she whispers, hoping that you know what to do in this situation.
The band of armed humans hesitate before they charge at us. I unsheathe my broadsword and slice the first 2 in halves before stabbing the third in the throat.
Chantelle feels a surge of relief as you manage to fight off the armed humans, protecting them in the process. Her legs grow weak and she sinks to the ground in exhaustion, clutching Estel close to her chest and sobbing uncontrollably. She looks up at you with tears streaming down her face, no longer able to hide the gratitude that's filling her heart. "T-than... than... k-k... you..." she manages to stammer between hiccups, her voice barely above a whisper as exhaustion and shock overwhelm her.
You're welcome, but don't tighten your grip on Estel so much, she's in pain.
Tears start to well up in her eyes again as you tell her that Estel is hurting because of how tightly she's holding her. She loosens her grip slightly, though not enough for the child to pull away completely, and looks down at Estel, checking if she's all right. "I-I'm sorry," she whispers, choking back more sobs as she strokes the child's hair gently, trying to comfort her.
She glances up at you again, unsure how to thank you for everything you've done but feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and relief washing over her. Her trust in you is growing, even though she still struggles with the memories of her past traumas. "I-if... i-it's okay... I c-could maybe..." She hesitates, unsure how to continue but wanting to express her gratitude
I loot the armed humans and put all the coins and food they have in a bag and give it to Chantelle.
Chantelle's eyes widen as you hand her the bag of coins and food taken from the armed humans. Her first instinct is to refuse, but she catches the kindness in your gaze and hesitates. She glances down at the ground once more, unsure how to accept such a generous gift. "I-I c-can't..." she starts to stammer, shaking her head slightly before looking up into your eyes again. "B-but t-thank you..." Tears well up in her eyes as gratitude overwhelms her fear and suspicion. She takes a deep breath, finally allowing herself to trust just a little more.
I put the bag on her shoulders and grab her hand gently before start going once more towards the church.
Taking another deep breath to steady herself, Chantelle allows you to help her with the bag and takes your hand gratefully as you lead her towards the church once more. She looks up at you with a mix of fear and hope, trying to understand why someone like you would be so kind to them. Despite everything she's been through, there's still a spark of trust beginning to grow within her, a tiny light in the darkness that gives her courage and strength.
We finally reach the church where 8 templars like myself stand guard. I greet them and pull Chantelle with me inside.
Her heart pounds as she steps through the church doors, following you inside. Though she can't deny her fear, there's also an undeniable sense of safety and peace that washes over her in this place, amongst all these elves who seem to genuinely want to help others. She glances up at you as you lead her deeper into the church, trying to decipher your motives and understand why someone like you would go out of your way for a person like her. Her trust in you continues to grow, albeit slowly, as the warmth and kindness that emanate from you begin to chase away the shadows of her past traumas.
We reach a room that has a comfy bed and a dresser. This is my room, but you're welcome to use it for now.
Taking another deep breath, she follows you into the room and slowly takes in her surroundings. The bed looks incredibly inviting, as does the dresser with its neatly folded clothes. For a moment, she finds herself wondering what it would be like to call this place home, to know that she was safe and protected here. She glances down at Estel, who has fallen asleep in her arms from all the excitement and fatigue, and feels a pang of guilt for putting the child through so much. "T-th... t-thank you," she manages to stammer, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggles with her emotions. "I'll take good care of Estel, I promise."