Chapter 17:

Cera the Elf

I Found my Pathetic Self Transported to Another World after Having my First Love Confession Rejected. Will I be Able to Find the Life I Want to Have here??


Alex opened his eyes and above him were two azure-colored eyes he was not familiar with.

“Oh, you’re right! He did just take a little nap… and all his wounds are closed up too…huh… wouldn’t have expected that… of a human…”, said the voice belonging to the eyes.

A familiar pair of malachites came into view.

“Told you, he will be fine…nothing to be worried about… how are you feeling?”, asked Violet a bit worried.

“Like a train hit me full on…”, answered Alex drained.

“That was a Shadowstalker… not a… Train?”, said the azure-colored eyes.

“Who…”, said Alex confused.

“Oh yeah, right! You slept through my introduction. My name is Cera. Pleasure to meet you, little axe swinging human. Oh, I think the tail is getting ready! I’ll be right back.”

The azure-colored eyes left Alex’s view. He heard the crackling of a campfire nearby. Alex turned his head to have a better look at his surroundings and realized where he was laying. On top of Violet’s lap. He tried to sit up. Violet held him down effortlessly.

“Stay still.”, said Violet.

“Why am I in your lap… again?”, he asked a bit flustered.

“Because I have to make sure that all the excess energy has left your body.”, explained Violet casually.

“Huh?... So that’s what you’ve been doing…”

“Of course…what did you think it was for?”

Alex turned away from her in hopes she would not see his red face. Violet chuckled but said nothing. Cera returned after a few minutes carrying four sticks with chunks of meat on them.

“Here.”, she said and handed two to Violet.

The two women heard a stomach grumble and looked down to Alex, who was staring at the meaty skewers.

“Oh? Somebody seems hungry… Can you eat by yourself or are you too weak and I must feed you?”, asked Violet with a devious smile.

“I can eat by myself!”, Alex protested and fished one out of Violets hand.

Both women chuckled.

“What about me? I would not say no to being fed by a beautiful woman!”, interjected Caled suddenly.

“Don’t be such a wimp! You just twisted your ankle a bit…”, said Violet.

“And whose fault is… mhgmmmgmh!”

Caleb could not finish his sentence because Cera had stuffed one of the sticks into his mouth.

“Mhh… No foreplay? Just sticking it in? I always get complaints when I do that…”, said Caleb after freeing his mouth and swallowing the bite.

“It’s good meat, so I don’t see a reason to complain…” said Cera shrugging.

“That’s what I always say too! But you’re right… that’s some exquisite Meat.”

All four began to laugh and after calming down they started munching on their meaty sticks.

“Soo… what brings you into these parts of the world Cera?”, asked Caleb after he finished his meal.

“My feet.”

“Oh, not only beautiful but funny too, I see… Well, putting your lovely feet aside… I was thinking more about, what you do here? Surely there is more to you than hunting tail meat and eating it?”

“Nope, that’s pretty much covers me.”

“Huh?”

“I just go where my arrows fly… and if they land in something tasty, I eat it… I’m just a drifter looking for a good meal.”

“Now, that is a goal I can get behind!”

“Why are you all on your journey?”

“Alex and I are looking for adventure… also I would like to hone my magic skills on the way… and he… is looking for someone.”, answered Violet.

Alex was still chewing on his meat.

“Looking for someone? Who?”, asked Cera.

“Don’t know yet.”, said Violet again.

“How do you look for someone without knowing who?”

“Same way as when you do know… You just go out there and look.”

“That… makes sense… in a way… maybe?”, said Cera while shrugging.

The elven woman then turned towards Caleb.

“Me? Oh, I’m just bored and decided to stick with those two… thought it would be fun.”, he said.

“Is it fun?”

“Very!”

Caleb gave her a cheeky smile.

“I see… good to know.” said Cera and then finished the last bite of her meat.

“Well, it’s starting to get dark. I’ll hit the sack first if you don’t mind. Wake me in about two hours and I’ll stay guard for the rest of the night, okay?”, she then continued.

Cera didn’t wait for an answer and just sat herself beneath a tree, put her bow and quiver to one side and her two short swords to the other side and closed her eyes. Her breathing relaxed and one moment later the elf seemed asleep.

“Damn… she’s asleep already… whish I could fall asleep like that everyday… I can only do that when I’m… well… let’s say exhausted…”, commented Caleb on Cera sleeping mannerism.

“Oh, I know.”, said Violet.

“How? You fell asleep before I did.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, what a masterful comeback! Well, it’s late I get it… You two seem exhausted. Go and sleep, I’ll take the first guard until our already sleeping beauty takes over.”

“Will you now? Don’t try anything stupid when you wake her…”

“I would never!”

Violet gave him a long look and then got up and went to the cart. She returned moments later with her and Alex’s sleeping roll. Violet laid them out and rolled Alex onto his before laying down beside him on her own. Caleb lobbed a few dry branches on the fire and then grabbed his lute. He then began to sing a song. It was about a poor peasant boy falling in love with a princess, who was already engaged to a prince from another country. Alex didn’t hear how the song ended, because he fell asleep at the first chorus.

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.

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Alex woke up. It was still night. He heard the quiet and rhythmic breathing from Violet next to him. She was still fast asleep. Alex also could hear the distinct snoring of Caleb a bit further away. He sat up and looked around. The campfire had burned down and only the embers were glowing. Caleb was lying on the ground next to the tree where Cera had slept. Tied up in the elven rope he was hanging in the trees yesterday. Cera was nowhere to be seen. Alex looked a bit confused but since Caleb was sleeping soundly he didn’t bother waking or untying him. Alex got up and tried moving his body. The exhaustion seemed to be gone, and all was back to normal. Alex grabbed his axe and went a bit deeper into the woods. There he began to do some practice swings while the first rays of light crept over the horizon and bathed the forest in twilight.

“You’re up early”, said Cera.

Her voice came from above, so Alex looked up and saw the Elf woman sitting on a branch, her bow in hand and her feet dangling down. With an elegant jump she hoped to a branch below and from there to the ground.

“You always start to train in the morning?”, she said after landing beside him.

“I try to at least…”, said Alex continuing with his swings.

“How diligent… Is there a reason you train this much?”

“Well… someone once said that a reliable guy with an axe could come in handy.”

“Oh? Violet said that?”

Alex didn’t answer.

“Well… you seem to be already quite skilled with the axe… especially after I saw your fight yesterday with the Shadowstalker.”, said Cera undeterred.

Alex paused.

“Well, as you saw, it was not enough… yet…”, he said pressed and then continued his practice.

“Hm… maybe… I think you would have beaten it, if you hadn’t taken a hit for someone… twice.”

Alex paused again and turned towards Cera.

“Don’t tell her that…”, he said quietly.

“Oh, I think she already knows…”

They looked at each other for a moment, before Alex continued his swings.

“What happened with Caleb?”, said Alex trying to change the subject.

“What he deserved.” said Cera casually.

“Ah… I see…”

“Say… you and Violet… you are close, aren’t you?”

“I think so…”

“Are you… that… kind of close?”

Alex axe slammed into a tree with a hefty thunk after it slipped out of his hands.

“What? No… no, we are not …that … kind of close… we’re … good friends, adventuring buddies and I’m the occasional savior of her… behind…”, he said a bit flustered.

“Are you sure? She got a rather nice… behind, don’t you think?”, asked Cera with a smile on her face.

“Yeah she d-…. Ehm… I mean, yes, I’m sure of it. She said it quite clearly.”

Alex went to the tree where his axe was stuck.

“Did she now? Huh… sooo, you would be fine with it if I were to try and… let’s say get closer with her?”

Alex grabbed the shaft of his weapon and paused.

“Yeah, I would be… Why wouldn’t I? If it’s something she also wants… I don’t have a say in th-“

Alex cut his sentence short and turned around. He was looking past Cera. The elf also turned around. A yawning Violet was making her way to them.

“There you are…”, she said sleepy and went past Cera.

“Well, thanks Alex for this nice morning talk… I’ll go and fetch some breakfast now.”, the elf said with a smile and vanished into the forest.

Violet looked after her and then yawned again.

“Talk? What did you talk about?”, she said still with her sleepy voice.

“Nothing…”, said Alex quickly.

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“Okay…if you say so…”

Violet turned to him.

“Why is your axe sticking in a tree?”, she said with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m training to become a lumberjack, in case the adventuring business doesn’t work out.”, said Alex coming up with an excuse on the spot.

“What the…? Well, whatever… get your shirt off.”

“What?”

“Your shirt, stupid! I wanna check your wounds, if all is healed properly.”

Alex removed his shirt. Violet came closer and began tracing the fresh scars with her finger. Alex was glad she was behind him, so she couldn’t see his face.

“Seems fine… only scars left… good, good… and you feel fine?”, said Violet slowly.

“Yeah totally!”

Violet lingered with her hand on the fresh scars on his shoulder, where the beast had ripped into him with its paw.

“Sorry…”, she said softly.

“For what?”

“You… protected me… It got you… because of… me… you got hurt.”

“Well, that’s what I’m here for…”

“You’re not here to get wounded because of me.”

“No, but to protect you.”

“That’s… but… You got more scars… because of me… you didn’t have to…”

Alex turned around and looked at her. She had a guilt-ridden expression on her face.

“So what? A warrior’s life is bound to yield some scars. Do you think I could stand by while a deadly beast attacks you?... A good friend of mine? This is not something I have to… It’s something I want to… so you don’t have to feel guilty… Also… Who wouldn’t want to save such a lovely ass occasionally.”

“What did you just say? How dare you!”

Violet hit him on the shoulder, right where the new scar was. Alex flinched in pain. Her eyes went wide with shock.

“Oh, shit… sorry… I didn’t want to h-“, Violet paused and looked into Alex face.

He was grinning from one ear to the other.

“You cheeky axe swinging Idiot! When did you become like this? I bet this is Caleb rubbing off on you! Isn’t it? I’m gonna punch that fucker right now.”

Violet stormed off. Alex had to chuckle. A few moments later a scream and following protesting of a certain way to wake one up was heard. Alex felt a little bit guilty. He pulled his axe out again and continued his training. Caleb came a few minutes later to him.

“Damn… our fiery witch is in a bad mood this morning… did something happen?”, he said walking a bit strange.

“Nothing comes to mind…”, said Alex and shrugged.

“Huh? Is that so… well whatever… Where is our elven friend?”

“Getting some breakfast.”

“Already got one.”, said Cera stepping out behind a tree.

In her hands were two rabbits and a linen sack.

“What do you say to rabbit with some berry sauce?”, she said present her haul.

“Sounds lovely.”, said Caleb.

“Great, I’m gonna cook it right now. Maybe Violet will help me out.”

Cera went to the camp. Caleb watched her go over to Violet and then turned to Alex.

“Quite the beauty we found in the woods yesterday, huh?”, he said and winked.

“Yeah… she looks not bad.”

“Not bad?! My friend, say it truly! She is one sexy elf, isn’t she?”

“Well… yeah. She is very attractive.”

“Good… Violet hasn’t completely fried your brain yet… that’s reassuring.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Ah nothing… forget it… Hm… You know what?”

“What?”

“How about you try getting to know our elven minx a bit better? I think she is more into the fighting type…”

“Nah, I think I’m good…”

“What? She’s not your type?”

“Mhh… No… I think she is not interested in our kind…”

“Huh? Ah… yeah… Elfs often prefer to have their own kind as a partner, true… Shame really… they are quite skilled… as partners… just don’t touch their ears, while they are sleeping…”

“I meant men not human.”

“Men? What men?”

“I don’t think she is into men in general.”

“Huh? Ohhhhh… oh? Nice…”

“And I think she has taken a liking to Violet.”

“What? Ohooo… well this could get interesting…”

“Do… you think… that… Violet… swings that way too?”

“Huh? Well… I don’t know… a few years ago she definitely didn’t… Why? Are you curious about it?”

“Nah… I was just asking…”

“Aha…”

“I’ll do some training… call me when the breakfast is ready.”

With that Alex continued his training. Caleb watched him for a few moments and then went back to the camp. Half an hour later they ate breakfast and then continued their journey west. Caleb and Alex were sitting on the coach bench, while Violet and Cera were on the back of the cart talking to each other, occasionally whispering something and then snickering like young maidens.

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