It didn’t take long for me to recount my sad, unfortunate tale to the Elf with perked ears. She stayed mute over the course of what seemed like an hour and by the time I was done, the lit candle had burned down to a sizable portion.

Though some clarification was needed at certain times. I had to explain to her what a pyramid scheme was and how loan sharks work. Whether or not she understood my explanations, I didn’t know, for she would simply just nod her head and stare deeply into the candlelight.

“I see,” she said, with one hand stroking her chin. “So you owe these ‘mob people’ a great debt, then?”

I sighed. “That about sums it up, yeah.”

“Have you no source for wealth?” She asked, her lips in a frown. “Manual labor, perhaps? A blacksmith, farmer…”

“None.”

“Why?”

I threw my hands up in the air. “Honestly, I have no clue. Luck, maybe. I just keep getting fired for things I didn’t even do.”

At that, her eyes grew as wide as saucers. “They torched you?”

“What? No, no! I mean, they just… let me go. Missing money, late paperwork, damaged company property… didn’t even do anything, but somehow I got the blame for it.”

“How unjust.”

“You can say that again.”

“How unjust.”

“No, I meant… you know what, nevermind.”

Silence fell between us. Don’t know what Ash was thinking about but it’s got her staring away at nothing. Meanwhile, I was left to dwell in very unpleasant thoughts of regret.

Having to narrate my stupid naive past self’s story didn’t really do much good for my morale. I had to resist the growing urge to punch myself over the stupid things I had done.

Like seriously – it was a pyramid scheme! Why on earth did you fall for it, past me?! Anybody can smell it from a mile away! Of course, there’s no get-rich-quick tactic that nobody has ever heard about, nobody’s ever heard of it because it doesn’t even exist.

But no, just had to throw all your money away at empty promises. Yeah, that’s how you get rich. Just look where that got you. Oh, here comes that urge again – resist, man, resist. Don’t hit yourself in front of the Elf.

“I have decided.”

My head spun towards her. “Decided?”

Suddenly Ash stood up. A strange sense of resolve painted her eyes and before I could question it, she marched herself in front of me. My armchair wasn’t exactly big, so she towered above me like an eagle in the sky, cranking her intimidation factor up to an eleven.

Then, as if to inverse all that, she got down on one knee, her face hidden in the long locks of her hair and bowed her head towards me.

Awkward, very awkward. Haven’t a clue how I’m supposed to react, so I’ll just keep quiet for now.

She placed a hand against her chest and spoke, “Just as you have come for my aid, I shall now come for yours. I now swear my allegiance to your cause. Your troubles are now my troubles, your enemies are now my own, and until the day that anguish no longer plagues you… here I shall remain to stay. Hala’thur Gofrin.”

Finished, she looked up, her eyes staring at my own with solemnity, leaving me still in a state of pure unbridled confusion.

“Allegiance? Wait, I just got you out of a dumpster, don’t you think that’s a bit much? ‘Hala’thar wadda? What does that mean?”

“It means to fret no longer… Master,” She said, her ears twitching in tune to the smile on her face. “For I am here.”

——

The birds outside began chirping and before I knew it, it was morning already.

I sat up.

My living room looked as empty as ever.

A small flatscreen on a withered table at the front, in the middle, was a desk for placing things on, my favorite armchair at the front of it all, which was currently occupied by yours truly, and oh yes… how could I forget the Elf-Lady who had taken upon herself to stay in a constant kneeling position by my side throughout the entirety of the night?

“I thought I told you the whole kneeling-on-guard thing wasn’t necessary,” I said, stifling a yawn.

“But danger -”

“Always lurks in the darkest of shadows, I know.”

Didn’t use my bed because I wanted her to use it, I told her to use it. But it seems she would rather do her own thing… she must be exhausted.

“Look, get some rest,” I said, standing up and stretching myself awake. “I’ll buy some breakfast, you can eat in bed and – ”

She stood up after me and shook her head firmly. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Really? Breakfast seems pretty necessary to me.”

“And so it is,” she said. “But as an Elf born of pureblood, I have been blessed with a vast supply of both vigor and strength. Weeks could go by and yet I will not tire nor hunger. That, you can be rest assured of.”

“You ate all my cereal and slept in a dumpster.”

Ash pursed her lips. I had a look at her ears. They were drooping.

“You can be rest assured,” she said again. “Presumably.”

So which is it, then?

I sighed. “No need to lie. Go to sleep, get some rest. You don’t have to follow me. I’ll survive a trip down to the store, trust me. I’ll be back before you know it.”

She bowed her head again. Seriously, I gotta get used to this whole bowing thing.

“Very well. I shall do as you say and rest.”

Ash didn’t make it two steps out of the living room before she practically dropped to the floor and dozed off right there and then. I had to drag her the rest of the way to the bed and tuck her in myself.

Wasn’t easy to, that armor of hers is no joke. How the hell she walks around in that thing is beyond me.

Funny, now I’m wondering who’s serving who. Not a very bright knight, she is.

As soon as I knew that she was tucked in all snug and nice, I left to go hunt for breakfast and what’s for breakfast, you ask? Why, even more cereal, of course. I wonder if corn flakes are a thing in her world?

Making my way back, with a plastic bag of milk and cereal in a tight grip, I passed by the alley again and saw a garbage truck roaring away into the distance. You’re a lucky man, Garbage-man. If I hadn’t come when I did, you’d probably have a hard time explaining to your superiors on how the hell a person ended up in the back of your truck.

Still a few more minutes until I reach home. In that time, my mind drifted off into the encounter of last night.

That distressing encounter.

I told that man I’d get the money today, when in all honesty I didn’t even have the means to acquire that much cash in that short a timeframe.

I knew that… he knew that… his boss probably did too. I’m going to turn up at their place empty-handed and still, they gave me a day anyway. They’re toying with me.

Probably trying to see how much they can squeeze out of me before I finally break.

And as time slowly creeps on and on, I feel like I just might.

No job, no prospects for the future, and hopelessly indebted to the mob.

All these thoughts, I poured it out to her last night. Told her all my woes until I couldn’t anymore. Ash was a good listener. Always sympathizing, comforting… doing her best to keep my hopes up.

Even before I drifted off to sleep, she was the one that came up with a plan to bail me out of my dilemma.

A silly plan, really.

She wanted to come along, she said. Together with me into the lion’s den. I had my qualms about it but she figured she could settle the matter herself if given the chance to.

She asked me when I’ll be going and I told her sometime in the afternoon.

Her lie early this morning might have been payback to the lie I told last night.

I was actually going now.

Yeah, like I’m going to place her in that kind of danger.

I’ll go there and maybe try to broker a deal and then come back to ready breakfast. Tell them to give me two weeks and I’ll double – no, triple the original amount. That should give me more time to find a source of income. Do something, anything to scrounger up the money.

Call Dad if I have to, I don’t know. Already tried calling him multiple times this morning. No answer. All my messages were left unread as well. Medical bills, I know… mom’s not feeling her best… but I do wish he’d pick up his phone every once in a while.

Whatever happens, I’m sure I’ll find a way. Desperate times call for desperate measures

I reached a junction on the road. Ahead to the left laid home, and on the right, well… you know what’s on the right.

There I was in between crossroads, ready to take my step at a direction, but before I could, there she was again, stopping me in place as she had so many times before.

My knight in shining armor.

She stood by the sidewalk with her sword in hand, taking no notice of nearby bystanders gawking away at her odd choice for casual wear. Ash seemed to be rather taken by the cars on the road, her gaze following each one that passes by like a curious cat.

Pretty sure to her, they’re some funny looking carriages.

It’s clear she hadn’t taken notice of me, not even as I walked up beside her.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Her ears gave a small twitch, sensing my presence, and her eyes glanced over briefly at mine before turning back to the road. “Merely waiting for your arrival,” she said.

“What happened to sleeping?”

“What happened to ‘sometime in the afternoon’?”

Busted.

“How did you know I was lying?”

“With all due respect, Master…” she said. “But frankly, you are a terrible liar.”

Okay, that one got a chuckle out of me, yet it seems she did not find it as amusing as I did. In fact, she looked quite upset. I guess I can understand why.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

Ash gave a weary sigh. “Please, Master, I implore you. Know that I only seek to aid you in your time of need. Yet I cannot do so if I do not have your trust. How I am in your eyes, I do not know, but try to understand that I am a knight first and foremost, so please treat me as such and let me help you.”

A long time was spent in silence just staring at each other’s faces. She asks that I use her as some kind of tool, but it’s kinda hard to bring myself to do that.

Can I do that? Can I allow her to help me in spite of the consequences that may arise? Can I?

Slowly, reluctantly, I nodded my head. “Okay. I’ll be counting on you, then.”

Finally, I saw that smile again, brightening her expression. “Thank you.”

“But first,” I said, shaking the plastic bag in my hand. “Breakfast.”

And with that, together, we headed to the left.