Minotaur's Companion
TERRAN
I studied the small elf that was weeping at the crossroads before me. Her bright blue eyes were filled with tears and the wind blew lazily through her long blonde hair. She was dressed in the armor of a paladin and wore the crest of the goddess Leona. "Are you lost, little one?" I asked and she gasped and looked up at me in alarm.
"I'm sorry sir, I'm blocking the road I didn't mean to." she squeaked and scrambled out of the way. I laughed good-naturedly and held out my giant hand.
"You may call me Terran of the earth, I am a minotaur from the south that is why my coat is so short and dark, I am sorry if it scares you." I said, referring to my black fur and piercing orange eyes. I was also immense, nearly eight feet tall not including my curved horns. She was petite, only five foot three at most and thinly built like most of her kind. Though her body was not without its graces and I found myself grateful to the smith that molded her armor to her.
"I am Elara, a Paladin of goddess Leona. She who guides the path. I am on my yearly pilgrimage, however I seem to have taken a wrong turn." She said and I smiled gently at her as I stroked my beard.
"You happen to be lucky, little friend. I am a priest of Leona. She is my patron deity. I will be happy to guide you to the Grand Cathedral." I told her and she squealed in glee.
"Thank you Terran! You are a true blessing of Leona!" She exclaimed and hugged me around the waist which was as high as she reached. I let out a moo of surprise and shifted her to the side and patted her back gently.
"There there now, I understand your joy, but your touch is not appropriate, little one." I said and she leapt away from me blushing cutely.
"I'm sorry Terran, I didn't mean to offend you. Hugs are acceptable between friends in my culture." She said and looked away from me. I laughed and reached down, lifting her. She shrieked in surprise and wiggled in my grasp as I hugged her tightly, her face a breath from mine.
"Then please remember we have a very big difference in height." I whispered to her as she stopped struggling and turned bright red. I laughed loudly and set her down then bent and said, "If you wish to see what is under my robes, simply ask, little one." Elara covered her ever darkening face behind her hands and let out an embarrassed cry.
"I'm so sorry Terran!" She cried in embarrassment and I simply patted her head and pushed her down the path.
"Let's be on our way then, if we don't make haste there will be no rooms left for us." I said and she nodded and followed me down the leftmost path.
ELARA
'My plan had worked maybe a little too well.' I thought as I watched the large black bullman walk down the path, the gentle sway of his blue robes did nothing to hide the muscles that lay beneath. I had hoped to meet a human or even another elf at the crossroads, maybe steal their coin as I had stolen this armor from the smith who had fashioned it. I only required it for this one assassination anyway.
"Tarren, why are you heading to the Cathedral?" I asked, trying to distract him while I tried again to pilfer his coin purse. He smiled down at me and I sighed keeping my hands to myself.
"It is my duty to Leona, to go to the Cathedral and give an offering to Leona. To ask her to guide me to the sacred maze at the end of my path." He said and I eyed him curiously.
"Sacred maze?" I asked, looking up at him, he grinned down at me as we walked along the path, the trees of the forest passing peacefully past us.
"Yes, little one, we minotaur believe that at the end of life we all face the Sacred Maze, a great Labyrinth, and at its center we will find peace." Terran said his expression was calm and gentle.
"A great Labyrinth. That sounds like a great trial." I said my hand darted out and snatched the small dagger from his belt and tucked it in mine. It was no gold, but a prize was a prize. He looked for a second like he might suspect my sticky fingers, but he simply smiled at me and continued down the road. We continued chatting about his beliefs and why he chose the goddess as his patron.
"She will lead me when my time comes through the Labyrinth, by her grace." He said as he moved a branch aside and before us stood the entrance to the Cathedral. I gave a fake cheer and hugged his leg, pressing my body to him like a horny dog. I saw a shift under his robes and he chuckled as he once again pushed me away.
"Please now little one, I have sworn to celibacy to honor our goddess, though she does not require it I consider it an honor." Terran said almost pleadingly, and I had to resist the grin that wanted to cross my face.
'Celibacy? Oh I'll fix that.' I thought as I looked up at him with teary blue eyes and said "I'm sorry Terran, I'll try and be more careful." Then turned making sure my shoulder brushed the bulge that now showed under his robes. He grunted but said nothing as we approached the guards that stood on either side of the doors.
"Halt there pilgrims. The high priest is having everyone check into the dorms before they enter the Cathedra. Please make your way to the right and over to the dormitories." Said one guard and the other nodded.
"Very well, follow me, little one." Terran said to me and led me to the right and down a small cobble path to a long building that clearly held rooms. Other pilgrims hustled around, but Terran was very clearly the only minotaur. Many others gave him plenty of space while some even gave him hate filled glances, there were still many who saw the bull men as monsters.
"Awe yes, Terran, good to see you again friend. Unfortunately you're late this round. We have but one room left for you and your companion." a clerk at the front of the dormitories was saying to Terran when I focused back in.
"That's fine!" I chimed in and Terran choked as he began to object, I looked up at him with an innocent expression. "What are you afraid of Terran?" I asked and bit my bottom lip. He grunted and just nodded to the clerk who handed him a key and pointed to a small cabin that stood separate from the dormitories.