"Is the World Tree that small?"
Eliana stopped walking.
An elf could tolerate someone speaking ill of her... Well, no, she couldn't. And the World Tree was sacred to all elves. They wouldn't tolerate the slightest slight against it.
"Then why didn't I see it on my way here?"
Eliana tossed out her reply and kept walking.
"The World Tree is hidden."
"Will I get a chance to see it?"
"Perhaps."
"You know, you answer questions a lot like the Magic Mirror..."
Annan followed Eliana past a cluster of treehouses to a clearing filled with targets stuck with arrows.
"You may call me Instructor Eliana."
Eliana turned to face Annan, her manner cold. "Frankly, I don't like you. It isn't prejudice against you personally. It's prejudice against humans. You lie, you slaughter, you destroy."
"But the most..." Annan shut his mouth. He'd already made this mistake with Kailanzhuo once. He changed tack. "I've met the noblest Ratfolk and the vilest humans. I'm a future ally of the Elven Royal Court. Doesn't that count for anything?"
"Just as the rumors said." A trace of disdain crossed Eliana's face. "And you aren't an ally yet."
"You'll train here for a week."
Annan didn't think training was necessarily a bad thing... Wasn't it like Cinderella learning court etiquette before meeting the prince?
"All right. Can I look around the Royal Court when I'm free?"
"No."
"I'm a guest, not a prisoner."
"But you aren't an ordinary guest. You're a guest who will become an ally."
So you do know that...
Annan grumbled to himself as he watched Eliana enter the training hut. She came back with a bow and arrows and tossed them to him.
"Let's see what you can do first."
"Do I really need to practice this?" Annan began undoing his