Near the sleeping hero in the morning the next day

the elf awoke in shock and couldn’t find a word to say

her body was uninjured, then she saw the clothes she wore

all tattered rags, half burnt away, and then she heard a snore

She looked toward the man whose face she’d seen not long ago

she’d seen him break away her chains with both his hands aglow

he woke up in a cold sweat and he met her wary eyes

and thought it might be fair that he was someone she’d despise

“Just relax and save your strength, our journey’s far from done

eat some food but once you’ve got some rest we’ll have to run”

he sighed at his suspicious new companion then he ate

eventually she joined him when her hunger was too great

He watched her out of curiosity but didn’t speak

although she had recovered she still looked fatigued and weak

sometimes she’d look back, but when she did, he looked away

her golden eyes were more intimidating than he’d say

It took his mind off what he’d lost to have the elf around

even if she hated him and never made a sound

after resting for the day and sleeping through a night

the hero packed some things together by the morning light

The hero’s healing magic wasn’t perfect after all

she’d regain her strength in time but she could barely crawl

she hesitantly let the hero hold her in his arms

and he was duly cautious not to fall for any charms

He ran as fast as possible to end the awkward trip

haunted by the memories he had of one old ship

he’d hurry back to tell his guild the caravan was lost

and warn them of the kingdom and the evil they had crossed

Strangely as he ran he sometimes felt a little tired

maybe it was due to all those magic spells he’d fired

every night he rested though, his stamina increased

and every night the elf and him enjoyed a different feast

Though she was surprised that he knew so much of the land

when he gathered plants to eat she always lent a hand

she even helped preparing what he’d gathered from the ground

showing him some different ways to use the plants he’d found

He much preferred to hunt so he was happy when she cooked

it helped him as he knew how unheroic cooking looked

for several weeks their quiet journey awkwardly progressed

but when they neared the town at last, the elf became distressed

“I don’t know what’s going on in side that head of yours

whether you’re a merchant or some madman chasing wars

did you go to such great pains to save me just to sell

if you plan to sell me there, just send me straight to hell”

The hero had been wondering about what he should do

the slave belonged to someone else, but so had he once too

he put her down and thought about an older hero’s song

but found no advice in words that he had known so long

“Should I set you free right here, and quickly say goodbye

or should I still be loyal to merchants I let die”

“you’re insane, but if you care so little about me

please just kill me now, so I can meet my family”

The hero was confounded by the weary girl’s request

it made him wonder what had happened to his hero’s quest

“as a hero, it may be my quest to render aid

tell me what you need and I shall offer you my blade”

With teary eyes she grabbed the hero’s hands and weakly cried

“after all you’ve done, just let me stay here, by your side”

he couldn’t think of any reason not to let her stay

since she had no chains or markings, she could run away

“I might not be famous for my heroism yet

but I’m such a hero that this world will not forget

for as long as you should like, please be my honoured guest

as a hero, any call for help shall be my quest”

Through her tears she stared at him in utter disbelief

it had been so long since she felt anything but grief

“you may be insane, but you’ve done more than save my life

if you’re going to take me home, then take me as your wife”

Once the hero’s ears made sense of what they both had heard

going through the things the elf had spoken, word by word

finally he answered as he took her by the hand

“tell me now, are you the princess of some foreign land”