"Shal? Shal were are you?" Zhaneel looked around worridly, trying desperatly to find her friend. It was late and her parents were probably wonderng were she was but she couldn't leave Forshallen out here. The elf was fast and strong but lately several holders had took a disliking to him and beat him up whenever they could. The good thing was that they never did anything if someone else was around. She heard a faint sound to her left and swung around. She caught a glimpse of golden hair and the whisper of his passing. He grabbed her from behind and planted a kiss on her cheek. " Looking for me?" he said teasingly. She smiled and nuzzeled his neck. " Yes I was, you know that Cordello and his cronies like to make a punching bag out of you when they can." he stopped smiling and shook his head. "Yes, I know all to well." In the silver moonlight the bruise on his foream stood out painfully against his pale skin.

"You should be more careful." She said stroking his injured arm. He sighed and layed his head on her shoulder. " Zhaneel,dearheart, If I were any less careful I would but dead." Zhaneel gasped, she hadn't known that things were that bad. They stood there awhile, enjoying each others company, good friends didn't need words to fill silences. Then she turned and cupped his face in her hands, " I do love you very much Forshallen and I don't want anything to happen to you." She could tell that he felt the same and when they heard the sound of Cordello talking to his friends he started trembling violently. " What else have they done to you Forshallen!" She looked deeply into his eyes and what she saw troubled her deeply. He was afraid, no elf should be afraid of humans and he knew it. She took his arm and guided him away from the steps. " Were are we going Zhaneel." he mumbled dejectidly. " Away from here, I know a back way into the hold." she said. " Oh." she noticed that he kept looking over his shoulder " What is it Forshallen? " She looked back at him. " Cordello, he's following us." " don't worry Shal he can't get into our hold so hurry." With escape near he quickened his pace and his elven instinct kicked in. His footsteps could no longer be heard and he quieted his breathing. Zhaneel could only tell that he was there because she was holding his hand. They came to the door and ducked inside.

After their narrow escape from Cordello, Zhaneel and Forshallen went to Lord Niethro to complain. the swarthy lord grumbled but promised that he would seak to cordello on Zhaneel's behalf, he never once mentioned Forshallen. Zhaneel was ruffled but Forshallen comforted her and told her not to worry. The next day Forshallen's sister Copper stopped by. Zhaneel had had another argument with her parents. They didn't want her to work with runners but she did. They also didn't approve of her relatioship with Forshallen, though nothing was formal yet. Copper had come and spoken with them. Now she was packing, leaving Bavaria hold forever. She was worried about Forshallen but her fears were eased when she saw him walking quickly towards her, he had a smile on his handsome face. "Zhaneel you will never guess!" she put a finger on his mouth to silence him. " Let me try,hm your going to Fire Ridge and I'm going too?" " But how? Never mind. let's go Copper and Galaxiath are waiting." The two hooked there arms together and made their way to the waiting gold. Their things had already been packed and Galaxiath was getting restless about leaving her eggs for too long.