Original:
Telia and Tigo II
Exile
After some time he pieced it all together, at least as best he could without any actual confirmation. While he isolated himself, ignoring most of the talk of the others, even everyday life with all the ups and downs he did not hear from the sinister individual who entered one of their peaceful homes one night. The man who simply came and murdered one of their own. The man who took a precious life from this community. The man he gave shelter to.
When he realised that he fostered and nurtured what the others perceived as a monster, it was already too late. He never found out if the human he took in was confused or deranged - it clear that he didn't intend doing what he did - or was it? If the others could only see, understand that he was trying to help... no, the odds where clearly against him. It was him, lonely and secluded, a mystery himself - against all the others, together. With their normal lives, their homes, their families.
Now he was truly alone. The guards who arrested him took good care, they didn't even throw him in a cell but kept him in the guard house. They let him live, choose. For all the good he did to the community, for all the help he provided. If not for that unforgivable last time. He knew what he had to do and would not hesitate to make it so. Maybe he already made this decision a long time ago. As his father did. He chose to forget all this, to leave. He chose exile, the very definition of rejection.
Refuge
When he first encountered the Barkless, it was their leader himself, Leiden, who took him in. A strong, firm and glorious leader with a vision. He was promised a life of peace, recreation, even appreciation. It would not have been this life, it was already too late for that, but another, a better one. He willingly absorbed all he could from this wondrous leader. An elf himself, outcast and broken but determined to change his fate. Tigo liked that. Very much. And he showed it by helping this small community in all the ways he could. As he always did. Even back when... but that life was over now. He gladly accepted this life of hardship, pain and suffering. He was Barkless, one of them. He would be true in the end, he would get his redemption if he only worked for it.
Telia
A new member was introduced, that probably marked the first and only time another person deeply piqued his interest. Telia was a strong woman, chose this life among the Barkless by herself, her reasons forever a secret. Time passed and she endured the pain and deprivations like no other. At least in his eyes. She must have travelled far to reach the Barkless, she looked different from other elves. Even exotic in a way but an elf nonetheless. But what would he know, the few woman he laid eyes upon during his life where either already taken or would not be interested in someone like him. And how would this even work? This life he once lead, his life... with a woman? But this, new life - this could be different. She would understand. And somehow she did. However, the reader must understand that a real relationship is strictly forbidden amongst the Barkless. A problem in the truest sense of the word. They had to get creative.
A look here, a gesture there, a kiss. Just quickly, quietly. No one other shall know...
You read the following.