Credit to DefloweredThorns, for about 20-25% of the text, along with 33% of the characters and tons of encouragement!
Vaerana was completely lost for words. As an orphan, raised in the darkness below, within a culture of dominance and cruelty, she was not prepared for her current situation. Normally, her completely black eyes and dark grey skin gave her away as something... different. If she was lucky, she would be mistaken for a dark elf, and assumed to be pure evil. However, if people knew what she really was, they would be even more afraid. Hence she had been a lonely woman for dozens of years, waiting for someone to give her a chance.
But then she met Bogart.
Bogart wasn't the most attractive name at all, though she wouldn't know. He introduced himself in a manner that gave away what kind of person he was. He sat right next to her at the bar, where she sat lonely and ignored, and immediately started chatting her up. Very soon he had convinced her he needed someone to watch over him while he slept, and he was delighted that like elves she tranced for only 4 hours.
If she was human, she would've only been able to make out his long, rich, dark brown hair, some of which was on his face in a meticulously groomed beard. It was a tavern only lit by torches and candles, just enough light to make out his hair.
However, Vaerana had dark vision. When she looked over at him, trying to not get too worked up by how his breath felt on her neck and how armor felt pressing into her own, she saw something stunning.
His armor was a tailored half-plate which faintly glowed a soft blue. Because of the close fit, it seemed to make his chest even more full and shoulders even broader. Bogart wasn't as strong and fit as Emilion, or as Vaerana. Vaerana was a cleric to the patron goddess of her people, and she had to be strong to survive her cruel upbringing. She also had to be wise beyond her years, which weren't going to be very many.
Bogart was like her. He was wearing a lot of armor, he carried a shield around, and he was a champion for a goddess. He was in his 40s, but because he was a half-elf, he looked like a 30 year old human.
She had no idea what color his eyes were until the morning. While his eyes sucked in light and he could see well under just moonlight, her own eyes let her see in total darkness at the cost of all use of color. It wasn't till morning that the sun crossed into his face from a window and she saw his beautiful, deep emerald eyes.
-
Bogart's perspective was different. Immediately his eyes scanned the room, taking in twice as much light as the average human's eyes. He had looked over at the corners of the room and saw them filled, and he couldn't find a suitable place to brood and eat alone. After several seconds of considering his options, he saw the outline of a curvy woman, adorned in mail that rolled over her ample, feminine features.
An adventurer, like himself! Surely if he sat by her he wouldn't be assassinated! And... Hmm... She had an attractive outline.
Bogart didn't realize her eyes were pitch, midnight black. By the time it was morning, he was too infatuated and desiring of her to really care about her eyes.
It wasn't his first intention to "get to know her".
-
Bogart had three different thin scars that crossed his face and tucked under his hair were slightly pointy ears.
Of course, when he was speaking to her at the bar, he told her he could hear a whisper across the room and could read lips at the same distance too.
He had convinced her to share a room with him, by telling her that despite his excellent hearing and sight, and the fact that he could literally smell evil... He sadly needed to sleep eight hours, during which he was mostly helpless.
Now, she knew he had a lot of enemies, his perking his ears up and looking at the front door when it opened gave that away. However, she also learned very quickly that he was a rampant seducer.
The issue was that she was well... She had never been approached by a man and flirted with, let alone seduced. So that night when they were together... And he was one of the most well spoken and best looking men she had ever seen... Giving her a back massage.
-
Bogart meanwhile... Well he told himself he was just being friendly. They split the cost of the room, and he was getting the bed first or they were sharing it... Getting a room to yourself was a lot of money, and so it was very common for travelers, and even ordinary people, to sleep three or four to a bed.
So Bogart reasoned... Well shouldn't he give her a back massage, after a long day traveling? And if she was so lonely and low in spirit, shouldn't he encourage her and talk her up?
But then they looked into each other's eyes, or more like the outline of her face for Bogart, and breathed out to each other.
-
She wasn't sure what happened. Her people often had a "I could go insane and kill everyone I know tomorrow" kind of attitude. Which is exactly what would likely happen to her...
So when he didn't have any herbs or condoms....
Something got into the two of them, and pretty soon he was on top of her, basically breeding her pregnant.
The next day was professional. Investigating a murder, fighting an assassins guild, dealing with crooked human guards. Meeting Emilion.
Emilion
Emilion was a Sun Elf, also sometimes called a "High Elf". She had heard they had this kind of ethereal grace, but Emilion was different. The stained apron and big, veiny arms gave away his living, which was making some of the finest armor that could be found in any place within 3 days' walk. He had broad shoulders, his arms were hardened from hammering away for years, his hands callused, and his face was etched with focus when he was working. While his hands were weathered, she was surprised by how gentle they felt when he first shook her hand, the first time he took her hand to kiss it.
He had insisted he wasn't going to tell her anything, until she had at least one date with him. It was a pleasant affair, involving chicken in broth, with bread. The whole time his amber eyes were locked on her, which was how he got chicken broth all over his etched jawline and inviting lips...
When Emilion was turned away from her, she could see his hair, which looked almost at times like it was spun from gold.
At the time Vaerana didn't know what to think. She had a second, fit and capable man eager to get her attention and affection, and possibly her love. She quickly began to think that Bogart had somewhat hedonistic intentions, but Emilion seemed sweet and perfectly capable of taking it slow. While their first date got interrupted, and they had to rush off to go chase down some annoying dwarf...
Emilion did look so dashing as he took off with her, after they ran off without finishing their food. They had paid for it beforehand. Too bad.
So Emilion's long, strong and nimble legs stretched out and slammed down into the ground. His apron flapped against his trousers, getting in his way. His buckler, the little shield on his belt, tapped against him as well.
Now she had heard poems about a woman having her bosom heaving with longing, or something like that... She wasn't quite sure what it meant until it happened to her. As she came to a stop and looked over at Emilion, she saw him draw his hammer and equip his buckler on his knuckles. While he wasn't an adventurer, just a blacksmith, he was brave and strong. Her heart could not keep still as she looked at him, and it kept beating faster as he pointed and yelled at a group of cloaked assassins raiding a shrine.
There was a second date, while Bogart walked around and tried to blend in while wearing commoner clothing. Vaerana was able to hold hands with Emilion and look into his amber eyes, which shone with happiness and joy when he looked at her. They had interlocked fingers and he had moved his chair closer to her, so he could blow on hot soup and spoon it into her mouth. He even spilled some of it on her armor and apologized, before she told him she wasn't hurt. How could she; she had thick padded leather covered in heavy chainmail.