Green stood dumbfounded. “Propose to you, as in marriage?”

  The Elf advisor blushed and began to fidget around.

  “W-well, I’m in a bit of a predicament. And I was thinking that maybe you could help.”

  Green paused. The Elf seemed too nervous, but not nervous enough to be actually considering a relationship. Or perhaps it was her age that helped keep her calm. Nevertheless, Green nodded to himself.

  Just in case. “I assume you had in mind a business agreement rather than an actual engagement.”

  “Y-yes, and I can pay you for your cooperation.”

  “I see, and how much are you offering?”

  “A full rache for the next year. In exchange, we'll have meetings discussing the dungeon disguised as dates once a week. Would that work?”

  So its partial work, Green thought. Considering the requirements, a full rache was generous. However…

  “Yes, however, I don't know that I can stay for a full year. So let's say a sixteenth rache every month. If I stay then you pay the rest in full at the end. Agreed?”

  The Elf nodded and reached out her hand to shake. Green cringed inside, but took it.

  “I assume you'll want the proposal to be a spectacle?”

  “Yes, if you don't mind. My current betrothed especially needs to see it. Oh and my name is Eina.”

  Current betrothed? Green shook his head. It was none of his business.

  “Green,” he replied.

  He followed her out and down the stairs, walking until they reached the center of the building.

  “Excuse me, everyone!” Eina shouted, gathering the attention of nearly the entire guild. “I would like to announce my engagement to the Elf with me, I hope you'll wish us a happy future!”

  Silence followed, so Green figured that was his cue. He stepped up in front of her, got down on one knee, and took her hand in his.

  “Eina. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

  “Yes,” she said, letting him stand to hug her.

  Part of the crowd began clapping, mostly women, but it was loud enough to get the rest to follow. Green searched the crowd and soon found an older obese Elf red faced, staring Green down.

  Green ended the hug, grabbing Eina’s hand instead. That's either the betrothed, or the father of the betrothed. Likely the latter. He would have to act particularly interested when he was around. The Elf stormed off.

  “Oh dear,” Eina said. “I'll have to handle him later, but thank you.”

  Green shrugged. And began except congratulations from the people around. Again mostly from women, the younger men came, but seemed not a little upset.

  Carrie felt as if she had been slapped in the face. Worse than that, she felt like someone had just put a dagger through her heart.

  Green proposed, she thought, to another Elf? He's… engaged.

  She didn’t really understand what she was feeling. Something heavy settled in her chest, uncomfortable and confusing. She lowered herself to the ground without meaning to, Mark and Grace just behind her.

  Mark whistled, "didn't see that coming.”

  “That can't be real, Green must have some kind of plan.” Grace trailed off, staring. “One evolving enviable golden hair, gorgeous sapphire blue eyes, and…”

  She was beautiful, Carrie had to admit. Her fair skin could be seen even from where Carrie was, and her hourglass figure just added insult to injury.

  When she looked again, she saw Green holding her hand. He’s never held my hand.

  The thought made her chest feel tight in a way she didn’t like. Suddenly she didn’t want to be there anymore. Carrie stood and hurried out of the guild building, not stopping until she was outside.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  A woman with a grin walked up to Eina, hugging her. “Congradulations! Is that why you took him on as his advisor? Pretty smooth there Eina.”

  The woman turned to Green, then bowed. “My name’s Misha, it’s nice to meet you.”

  “Green,” he replied.

  She paused, apparently waiting for him to add onto the conversation. He didn’t.

  “Not the talkative type huh? Say, where did you two meet? Was it romantic?”

  Noticing the sudden panic in Eina, Green spoke up. “Hardly, we met at a play, started talking, which led to me wanting to be an adventure. And things went from there.”

  “Oh, well, I think it’s great Eina found someone aside from that pig.” Misha looked behind herself. “Speaking of, I think he wants to see the two of you.”

  Green didn’t hesitate and made his way to the Elf he’d seen before, bringing Eina with him.

  “Um, are you sure you want to deal with this?” Eina asked. “He’s not a very nice man, and our deal doesn’t have a part in this.” Eina paused, as if realizing Green was leading her rather than the other way around. “You know where he is?”

  “You clearly stated that I’d play the part as your fiance, particularly in front of your betrothed. Even if it’s his father, it will have a similar effect. And I spotted him before.”

  Eina didn’t speak, so Green just continued passing man after man. They managed to get past the desk thanks to a board looking man letting them pass. They continued down the hall and Green reached up to knock on the door he saw the Elf enter. Eina stopped him.

  “You should know,” she said, nervous. “He’s not my betrothed's father, he is my betrothed.” Green raised an eyebrow. “It was the only way the guard would let me out of the city. A-anyway, he might not look agile, but he’s an Elf in his seventeenth century.”

  “I’m aware.” Eina looked at him suspiciously. “I’ve met him before, some time ago. He was strong then too, though his obesity must be something new.”

  The two stayed silent for a moment, Eina still not letting Green knock.

  She asked, “who are you?” her eyes narrowed.

  Green gently removed her hand from his arm. “I’m a bounty hunter. And the disclosure of my information is not part of the deal.” Green knocked.

  “Come in.” The voice behind the door was expectant and harsh, causing Eina to flinch.

  Green walked in, then bowed. “I am Green, Eina’s finance. I received word you wished to speak.”

  The Elf narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Green, then gestured for him to sit. Green did so, keeping his hand in Eina’s.

  “So where did you find him, Eina?” The Elf asked.

  “U-um, we met, well…”

  “We met at a fair, I—”

  “Did I tell you you could speak?” He turned to Eina, “I asked you a question.”

  He’s upset he wouldn’t be marrying her, Green concluded. It wasn’t really any of his business, but something in him was compelled by the situation. He doesn’t love her, or even mildly care for her. Green could see the greed in this Elf's eyes, so he just wanted a pretty thing to attend to him.

  If they had concluded with a marriage, he would leave her a widow for a thousand years at least.

  Green shook his head. He wasn’t part of this conflict, nor should he care. His job was to be her fiance to let her escape this man. So when the Elf shouted at Eina yet again, Green stood up suddenly, toppling the chair, and shutting up the Elf.

  “Pardon me sir, but I tried being patient in respect of your standing as my elder. However, I will not let you speak to my fiance in such a manner.” Green started for the door. “Please contact me when you’ve cleared your head, and we can talk.”

  Just as Green reached his hand for the door knob, the Elf spoke up:

  “Wait a moment there.”

  Green paused, turning. Meeting his eyes, Green felt his miasma leaking. He tried sucking it in, but something about this Elf had his instincts itching to act. The Elf’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  “Do I know you from somewhere?” the Elf asked.

  “Perhaps we crossed in a previous century.” Green replied.

  The two paused there, the tension rising, the Elf and Green’s fists clenching as if either of them was begging the other for a reason.

  The Elf let out a sigh, then sat back down. Green only then realized he had stood. This guy’s going to be trouble, he thought, catching the Elf’s eyes watching him as they left.

  Before they reached the main area, Green turned around to find Eina looking at him with an emotion he couldn’t identify.

  “Would you rather I leave you today?” Green asked. “What day were you thinking our first meeting would be?” she blinked, her eyes glossed over. “Eina?”

  “Oh, um, I think today will be good. And um, thankyou, for what you said. ”

  She smiled, a beautiful smile. She is an Elf, Green thought, turning, not wanting to look. They were all beautiful, Elves, that was what many would call their defining trait. Nevermind the ears.

  Green shook his head. “I assume now will be preferable? Or do you need to get ready?”

  She was still looking at him. “Hm? Oh, yes. Oh, wait, I should probably wear something other than my uniform. Sorry, it’ll just take me a few minutes. My apartment’s just upstairs.”

  She walked back to the stairs, keeping a hold of his hand while others were around. Green let her drag him, but it wasn’t until they got to her room that Green realized she wasn’t letting go.

  “I don’t think you want me to go in with you.” Green said.

  Eina paused, looking down at their hands. There wasn’t anyone around, nor had there been since they finished the stairs.

  “Oh! Sorry” she said, walking in her room.

  Green leaned against the opposite wall and took off his blindfold. This is a strange woman, Green decided. Though she seemed normal on the outside, Green felt something linger beneath.

  He couldn’t describe it with any clear sense, she just felt awkward.

  He lifted his hand in front of his eyes. His left eye, the one blinded by the cloth, took a moment to adjust to the nearby light. Seeing the hand in the flesh rather than the spirit let him wonder to himself.

  Seeing the spirit was an advantage in many ways, but the spirit couldn’t show small details like the lines or calleses that cover his hand. Instead it showed every pebble and word on a page outlined with a faint glow.

  His hand still felt the lingering warmth of Eina’s. He turned his head. That felt so strange, strange in both a good and bad way. It was foreign, and therefore worth considering the negative effects of. At the same time, however. There was a strange comfort that came with the warmth of another.

  Green didn’t understand it. Would a fire not be more effective at warming the body? Why did the touch of another person, even someone he didn’t know seem so enticing?

  You’re overthinking this, he thought, whipping his hand on his pants, and replacing the blindfold.

  A good while later, Eina came out in a blue straight dress and a purse.

  “Ok,” she said. “I’m ready.”

  Green nodded, then led the way out of the building.