Elf Food

The taco tasted better once she had her feet in the creek and she was staring up at the stars. The planets did look brighter, she had to admit, although they didn’t look aligned to her.

“They aren’t aligned anymore,” said Wendel. He had taken apart his taco and was now eating it element-by-element. “But I am still able to move between worlds, as long as they are close enough. They thin the veil enough for me to… rip through.”

Addie offered him another napkin. He wiped at his chin. “Is all human food like this?” he said.

“What, messy?”

“Structured,” he said. “This has layers. Do they symbolize something? A part of your society, perhaps?”

“It’s to make the texture better.”

“Oh.” He almost sounded disappointed. Addie kicked at the water and listened to the splash. It was pleasantly cool. She could almost pretend she was having a normal night, next to a friend.

“What’s it like back in elf-land?” she said.

“We have courts, and much drama related to politics,” he said. “I am a researcher, though, so mostly I spend time in the libraries. Writing papers, consulting with senators. On nice days, I like to read underneath the trees.”

She kicked again at the water. “Doesn’t sound much different than here.”

“We also have magic,” he said. “None of this- unnatural influence. Everything is grown, or formed from the earth.” He frowned. “Much of what you do… we would consider it a great folly, a breach of the earth. A cruelty, even.”

“Hmmm,” she said.

He glanced over at her. “You would do well there, I think.”

“You’re just saying that because you want a zoo animal.” Addie snorted. “You don’t even know me.”

“It is against every law of ethics to keep a sentient being caged.”

“You didn’t say no.”

“If I observed your behaviors while you were in my land, that would not violate any ethical boundaries, no.” He delicately removed a single black bean and ate it. “Besides. I know you well enough. You are capable with your hands, and you know how to navigate the wilderness. Compared with most of the humans in this town, you are more capable, and certainly more adapted to the elf way of life.”

Addie snorted. “I already moved across the country. That was a lot. I’m not sure I could handle moving worlds.” She couldn’t help her mind from pulling at it anyway. She had nothing to hold her here. No family. Just Kev’s Kool reKreation.

She thought again of the shop. Of all of the dusty taxidermy. Of the way the Bigfoot cutout seemed to follow you with his eyes as it moved back and forth.

Chappie had been here for twenty years. He hadn’t earned a pay-raise yet.

“I understand.” The elf chewed next to her. “Is there another one of your creations? I think I would like to try it fully constructed.”

She offered him another one. They were rapidly running out. The moon reflected on the water, shimmering on the small ripples as it wandered over the stones. It was a beautiful night.

Tomorrow, she would be back in the raft shop, repairing the same raft over and over again. If she was lucky, Kev wouldn’t give her some over-complicated task as revenge for interrupting him swindling the elf.

“Hey,” she said.

There was the sound of crunching next to her. She waited for a moment until Wendel finally responded, “Yes?”

“What is elf food like?”

~*~

“Incredible,” said one of the elves. They came in all different colors, Addie had learned; this one was blue, and her ears chimed with different sounds of silver and gold as she leaned in to inspect the raft Addie had been working on. “This is your human form of construction?”

It was an inflatable raft. Addie jerked her head at the sign at the front of her little storefront.

She hadn’t done much to build it. It was in the crook of a tree, where it bent down in the wandering path of one of the dirt roads elves seemed to favor so much. A single awning stretched over the road, with a simple pair of posts holding it up. The only thing that indicated she wasn’t in some medieval reenactment was the lantern, which hung from the ceiling. Inside, instead of a normal flame, there was only a glowing blue light. She had been reliably informed there was no danger of spreading fire. She still didn’t trust it.

“Read the sign.”

Addie’s Rafts.

Limited Supply - Waiting for Next Alignment -

Gawking Costs Extra!

The Elf woman flushed and drew herself up indignantly. She had the multiple earrings of a high-class noble. More than Wendel, Addie noticed, but not as many as a true upper-echelon noble.

In other words, no one actually important. “I wasn’t gawking,” she said.

“Sorry,” said Addie. “Exclusive research rights. You should know,” she added. The woman wasn’t just wearing her earrings for nobility. The one hanging down to her shoulder, the one Addie had stared at on Wendel- that meant she was a scholar.

Which meant she wasn’t here to buy a raft at all. Addie tried not to sigh too loudly. Was any elf going to actually come here to buy her wares?

“Shall I tell the academic council you have taken up an interest in rafts?” came a mild voice.

Addie leaned back and held out a hand. “Snacks?”

“You told me you would send a messenger when next someone bothered you,” said Wendel. He was wearing robes as he swept in. He exchanged a truly dirty look with the elf woman- one Addie wouldn’t have thought he was capable of a few months ago. “I need to be able to provide the upper Circle with evidence-”

Addie gestured again. “Snacks,” she said. “I thought you were going to pay me back for all of this. It’s not easy being a research subject, you know”

Wendel lifted the bag away from her. It smelled good, like fried things and spices she couldn’t quite identify. The elves had a million ways to prepare a thousand different plants Addie hadn’t heard of. Was it her fault if she wanted to eat all of them, at once?

She rolled her eyes as she kept her hands out. “What?”

“I wish to know of your Courts,” he said. “That is my price.”

“Oh, Wendel,” said Addie. “You are going to love basketball.”