Nightfall at the Hidden Hut

"Let's head to my base for now." The elf gestured with her hand. "It's getting dark. After all, you aren’t safe in your own house, are you?"

"Wait, you mean an elf village?" I asked, excited at the thought of meeting more elves.

"Of course not, foolish human." The elf laughed. "If I did, you’d be dead from hundreds of arrows before you even got there."

"That's not funny!" I exclaimed.

"Is it not?" The elf girl looked at me with a mocking, confused expression.

I sighed, while my two sisters clutched my arms tightly, tugging me along.

The elf girl looked at us with slight disgust. "You guys sure seem close."

"Jealous!?" Karen mocked.

"W-why would I be! Hmph!" The elf girl looked away, blushing.

"So… what’s your name?" I asked, curious.

Mine…?" The elf smiled, placing an index finger on her lips. "That’s a s-e-c-r-e-t." She giggled.

"Then I’ll call you Homewrecker!" Karen declared.

"No one is wrecking anything!" the elf girl exclaimed.

"Now, now, Karen," Alice giggled. "Let’s just call her Miss Elf for now. Is that fine, Miss Elf?"

"Yes, that’s fine, I guess," the elf replied shyly.

"..."

Eventually, we reached a halt. "Here we are!" the elf girl exclaimed. But I froze. There was nothing in front of us. Darkness had already fallen, and yet no hut or house was visible.

"But… there’s nothing…?" I blurted.

"No, you fool. I live up there!" She pointed toward the treetops. Nestled among a cluster of arched branches, partially hidden by thick leaves, a small hut barely peeked through. It was large enough for a cosy living space, yet so cleverly camouflaged that it blended seamlessly with the surrounding forest.

"So… how do you expect us to get up there? Climbing?"

"Of course not, you silly human," she laughed. "I’ll carry you all, one by one."

"..."

Could a petite elf really carry us, almost her size or bigger?

Before I could voice the thought, she lifted Karen, who was injured, and leapt from branch to branch with astonishing speed. From the small window of the treetop hut, Karen waved, "Alice! Elias!"

Next, the elf girl hopped gracefully from tree to tree, fetching Alice, and then came back for me.

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. "Wow… you’re insanely strong."

"Am I?" She smiled shyly, then, in a blur, scooped me up in a princess carry. Before I could even scream, we were inside the hut. She quickly closed the tiny door and lit a small oil lamp with a matchbox-like device, illuminating the cosy room.

The hut was charming and functional. A silk hammock hung in one corner, likely used for sleeping. Small tables held wooden bowls brimming with fresh fruits, and a bag contained spare arrows and bows. Neatly folded clothes were tucked beneath the hammock. Everything was compact but perfectly organised.

"!"

The elf girl lightly slapped my face with both hands, guiding my wandering eyes toward her. "Stop peeking around, foolish human!" she said, embarrassed.

Being girls alike, Alice and Karen joined in. "Yes, Elias, it’s not appropriate for a man to snoop around a girl’s bedroom," Alice reprimanded.

"Besides," Karen added, nodding knowingly, "if you ever need to look around, just ask to visit my room."

"I think I’ll pass," I replied, nodding firmly.

"Boohoo," Karen complained.

"..."

"Right then, before we continue, let's heal your sister quickly," the elf girl said, hurrying to a corner where she minced some herbs in a mortar. In the midst of worrying about unknown dangers, we had completely forgotten about Karen's injury. She didn’t protest, and both Alice and I instinctively helped her, as if it were completely normal.

"Oh, right! Why didn’t you say anything, Karen?" I exclaimed.

"Oopsie," Karen stuck her tongue out. "Can you help me, Elias?"

"Sure."

"..."

"Here you go," the elf girl said, handing me a small plate of herbal paste. "Just apply it to the wound."

Karen removed her shoes and socks, and I carefully dabbed the paste onto her swollen ankles.

"No, not there! You can’t, Elias! It hurts! Please go slowly, okay?" Karen teased, her tone playful and slightly suggestive.

"Wha—what are you guys doing!?" the elf girl exclaimed, covering her eyes with one hand, peeking through her fingers.

I sighed, already expecting this reaction. "Here, Alice, you do it," I said, handing her the plate.

"No, I was joking, Elias! Please come back," Karen cried.

"No!" I replied firmly.

"Alright, enough complaining, Karen. Let me apply it, just tell me if it hurts, okay?" Alice instructed calmly, her voice full of grace.

"Uh-huh," Karen nodded.

As Alice applied the herbal paste to Karen's wound, Karen winced but bore it patiently. Once done, we instructed her to lie down on a long straw mat, which the elf girl had unrolled and placed carefully on the floor. Then she offered us some green tea.

"Please have some. I don’t have anything to boil the water, but even cold, it’s good," she said.

We smiled and accepted. The tea was earthy yet flavorful, soothing our minds and preparing us for the conversation ahead. Sitting around the small table were Alice, the elf girl, and me, while Karen lay back, relaxing and ready to listen.

"Right then, shall we now begin?" The elf girl concluded.