It was another dark cold night for Eros, he was again standing over a pile of twigs furiously rubbing sticks together trying desperately to light a fire. The night scared him fiercely, but all he could do was look down and not look around, not letting him see the darkness around him. The whole right side body pulses with pain and arms were sore from the repetitive but futile attempts to light the fire.
“Hello there!” bellowed a voice from behind Eros.
Eros immediately flinched and dropped his sticks, covering his head with his hood, then curling up in the dirt face down.
“Sorry good Elf didn't mean to startle you '' the loud voice continued as it drew closer “ I was about to make camp when I stumbled upon you good Elf and I thought it would be proper to announce myself”.
The man, whoever he was, sat down next to the curled Eros. He could now see the light from what he presumed was a torch.
“Ah I see you have already started on a fire, please let me contribute as compensation for my intrusion” the man said and worked on the fire.
Eros peeked from under his arm to look at the man, the first thing he noticed was that he was a nub ear, a human. He was dressed in the attire of a warrior with a green shield the stood out in his attire. Eros let down his guard, if he wanted to hurt him he would have already, and sat up but turned his back from the now lit fire to hide his face.
“Oh how rude of me, I haven't even introduced myself” the human stood up from his work and gave a surprisingly elven bow “ I am Ispin Greenshield, at your service “. The human waited head bowed for a response from Eros, which never came, for Eros embarrassingly didn't know what was the proper response even though he knew there was one. His education in manors was like the rest of his education, incomplete.
“Oh bugger me” Ispin exclaimed standing up and continued to work on the fire “ The subtleties of Elven manors elude me again still, I beg your pardon sir elf”.
Eros continued to stay silent, hood up, faceing the night away from the kind human who tended the flames humming a foren tune to himself.
“Pardon my rudeness” Ispin began again “ but I can't help asking the same question to every elf I meet, how old are you?” Ispin chuckled before continuing “ you see its game between use short lived types to boast about the oldest elf we met, the one who names the oldest elf often getting a free cup ale”
Eros didn't know why he wanted to respond but he did ever so badly, it felt so long since he felt the warmth of a fire and the company of some who weren't sick and dying.
“Eighteen” the sound of Eros’s own voice sounded foren to himself, too raspy to be his own.
“Eighteen hundred!” Ispin bellowed “ what luck that we should cross paths this night! What luck indeed!” He sounded almost triumfit.
“No.. I’m just eighteen years of age ” Eros siad in growing embarrassment.
“Oh…” Ispin paused but briefly before letting out another hearty chuckle “ I didn't realize they made them that young, HA!”
The human's laughter was infectious and he found himself chuckling with him. He met the man's eyes for the first time, filled with mirth and warm hearted kindness. It was then, looking into his eyes, did Ispen stop his hearty laughter and revulsion creepted onto his faith. Eros only now realized that Ispin could see his face. Eros knew what would happen next, because he had already lived it. Ispin will leave just like how Silvanesti left Eros and his family to die from the corruption.
Eros hid his face and prepared himself for the berating and the yelling he was sure to come. He waited and waited and waited but it never came.
“Well you certainly have a story to tell” Ispin said in a more sympathetic tone. “ If it wouldn't be a bother I sure would like to hear it”.
Eros told him his story, intern Ispin told many of his own stories. Eros continued to travel with Ispin Green Shield intel Ispin was called to adventure again. Before he left Eros he left a souvenir from one of his adventures, a simple wooden mask which Eros wore to this day. Eros will always remember the man who not only saved his life but taught him how to live again.