Chapter 4: Chapter 4 - She’s Perfect, Dangerous, or Both?

I’m baaack... you know the fun one, the guy who’s making this whole thing even more interesting than it already is.

Come on guys it’s Daniel, don’t make it sound like you didn’t know.

What do you mean I make it sound like you aren’t interesting?

Of course you are!

Do you think I would have married you if you weren’t?

Ouch!

Okay, okay! I give up!

Please forgive me honey!

Okay, just to clarify, it’s not that Julia isn’t interesting, I’m just... going to tell you the story from my viewpoint for a while.

Yes... yes that’s all it is, nothing about the way she told it was bad at all.

—But just to be clear, don’t believe everything she said about me being... cowardly. All that was, was my natural charm and charisma.—

Nothing honey I didn’t say anything.

What do you mean I was whispering something?

I’d never do that!

Anyway, let’s get back to the story.

Where were we again?

Oh right! The elves!... Ahem ahem, I mean... the village!

***

Now I wasn’t expecting a massive village when we left the forest, that was exactly the opposite of what I asked for after all.

And even though Julia and I had only known each other for a little more than an hour at that point, I had already learned that she was trustworthy.

I mean she kind of had to be right? I had heroically risked myself to save her after all.

But I did not expect to see a village that small. Or a village that was absolutely filled to the brim with elves.

Yes, you heard that right.

I had only ever read about elves in my previous life, and seen them in anime, and manga, and H... ahem, and some other forms of entertainment.

But here I was, looking at them walking around in the streets of a village that looked like it was plucked out of a medieval fantasy movie.

And being a fantasy nerd myself, I was basically in heaven.

But of course I hadn’t shown even an ounce of the excitement I felt— or any of the other... emotions.

Julia was still standing next to me after all, and even though there were some real beauties strolling around in that village, with their long ears, flawless skin, flowing skirts, and all round charm, none of them could actually compete with her.

I mean she’s really beautiful.

Without even noticing it, I had started strolling toward the village at a leisurely pace.

Yes... at a leisurely pace, there was no rushing at all. It wasn’t like there was something in that village that was drawing me like a magnet.

Finally I walked through the gates, shabby as they were, and entered paradise... I mean I entered what I hoped would be my new home.

Julia was walking next to me as we walked across the gravel roads leading past the small ramshackle homes.

Off in the distance I could see some fields, and what I assumed were... animals.

"Okay, so this world has elves." I mumbled.

"Of course it does, didn’t your world have elves?"

"Only in stories, and fantasies."

We stopped at an intersection to wait for a cart being drawn by a very strange beast to pass by us.

I was trying my best to not look around at all the new sights with the signature look of a farmboy who just entered a major city.

And I was very successful, if I do say so myself.

I didn’t have to consciously close my mouth once... not once.

I didn’t even stare at the beautiful elf girls walking around with their summer dresses.

Do you have any idea how hard that was? I mean both of my favorite things came together and made a very beautiful baby. Beautiful girls in summer dresses, but instead of the standard beautiful girls they were beautiful elf girls. You tell me if you would have done any better.

So as we were standing there, and I was looking around, very neutrally of course, I thought I might as well use this time to ask some questions about this new world I had found myself in. You know, do some market research for the bar I was about to open.

"Right, so if I heard you correctly we had just been in human territory. Is this the elven territory then?" I asked, looking down at the absolute beauty standing next to me.

Do you know how much it does for a man’s pride when he stands next to a beauty of that quality, and can basically feel the jealousy of the other men radiating towards him?

It’s wonderful.

I mean, yes I just wanted a normal and very uninteresting life, but I would never mind sharing that normal uninteresting life with a beauty of that standard.

"Yes this is the Elven territory. But the Elven lands aren’t divided into kingdoms like human territory." Julia answered, those piercing blue eyes meeting mine dead on as she looked up at me. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

I had to really do my best to pay attention to what she was saying, and not get lost in those jewels. I know I keep reiterating this, but come on guys a man can only take that much beauty. Some of you might start getting very annoyed with me for doing that though, and I completely understand.

"The elven lands are mostly locally governed, which means that every village or town has its own government, that doesn’t answer to any sort of centralised government." She said.

"But isn’t having a kingdom or country, or a centralised government a safer option?" I couldn’t really understand this, most people would think that this system would work. And it might work in times of peace, but who would defend the territory from intruders if there was no standing military?

And how can there be a standing military if there aren’t any governing structures, and taxes to keep it running.

"I can see where you’re coming from, and you’re not wrong, but the elves tend to be a neutral race, and the other kingdoms and races tend to respect that. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of any kingdom infiltrating or attacking their lands." Julia answered my questions, and even some of the unspoken ones, beautiful, smart, and intuitive.

She was either the perfect woman, or a very dangerous one. Sometimes a woman who was a bit of both could be perfect in her own way, if you get my drift.

Exciting.

Anyway, even though I felt some small sense of comfort knowing people tended not to invade the elven territory— I mean I didn’t want someone else’s ambitions messing with my peaceful bar building life— There was still some uncertainty about that.

You know I always thought of that quote... what was it again?

You should rather be a warrior who became a gardner than a gardner who can’t protect himself? That was it right?

Anyway, I had no intention of becoming a warrior, or a gardner for that matter, I only wanted to be a relaxed businessman. Making a living running the one business that I’ve always wanted to own. While being protected in a kingdom... by other people of course.

I might be a very heroic, and manly man, but I had no intention of ever fighting in any battles.

"So what you’re saying is that I should be safe here?" I asked.

Julia nodded as she looked away from me and scanned the village.

"You would... but are you sure you don’t want to go somewhere a bit bigger?"

I don’t know why she thought I would want that... listen I like people about as much as any other person. I wanted to open a bar after all, I needed to have some love for people, but I have never had the desire to live in a bustling city where I don’t even know who my neighbour is.

"Nope, I will be fine right here. This will be the perfect spot to open my bar." I responded.

Julia seemed a bit skeptical about that, but honestly I already fell in love with the place, the scenery was beautiful. It was small enough that I could actually know the people who came to my bar.

The scenery was beautiful. I know I repeated that, I just wanted to make sure you know what I meant by scenery.

There was only one inn I could see so far, which means there was only one place that sold alcohol, which means a lot less competition. Okay so maybe there weren’t a lot of people so market availability might be a bit of a problem, but there were ways around this.

I already had a couple of ideas for that after all.

This might have been a new life, and I might have been pulled out of a life I was completely comfortable with, but I was going to make the best of this one.

I was going to live a relaxed businessman lifestyle, and it was going to be perfect.

Little did I know that a relaxed life would not be in the cards for me.

***

Right... so now that we’ve come this far let me tell you about that time that Julia...

Ouch! What was that for honey?!

What do you mean I should stick with the actual story?

That’s part of the story.

How did you know I was going to tell them about that? Can you read minds? Did I marry a mind reader?

I do not tell that story everytime I’m drunk.

I’m not even drunk now.

Am not.

Just because I own and run a bar, does not mean I’m constantly drunk you know.

Anyway, we’ll get back to the rest of the village story in the next session, Julia promised me that I can keep telling it for the next couple of sessions, so you’ll be thoroughly entertained.

Ouch!