An Elf's Tale Ch. 02

"What are you and don't say you're me!" Ella thundered at her doppelgänger.

The other elf shrugged. "But, I am you. It sounds crazy but it's true."

"If you're not my twin sister, are you a shifter?" Ella resigned herself to the fact she'd lost her marbles.

Robyn put all her effort into freeing herself from her bonds though it proved fruitless. "Grr! Ella! Why are you listening to her? I don't know what she is but she kidnapped me! She's dangerous! She threatened to tie meat to me and throw me out with the cougars!"

"I didn't mean it," Ella's copy said, "I had to say that so you'd take me seriously. Besides, you were being obnoxious demanding to be let go a hundred times an hour."

"Of course! What did you expect?!" Robyn continued grunting and straining in her restraints. "Ella, if you're not going to use your knife on her, I will. Cut me free, let's take care of her, and we can go back to the forest. Please! I need to pee!"

Ella didn't sense any imminent danger and kept her focus pinned on the mystery standing before her.

"Do you have a name?" Ella asked her duplicate.

"They called me 'Ella-2' but that was confusing and dumb. I overheard a mother call her daughter Lola and thought that was cute so that's me."

Ella didn't realize asking for something like a name would lead to more questions.

"Who's 'they'?" Ella asked as her face contorted into confusion.

"It wouldn't make much sense for me to lure you here and not explain everything," Lola said as she propped her back against the rock wall near the corridor in which she emerged. "When you were young, your elders paid a visit to your parents. Your family line has a history of popping out the most talented and special of our kind. Not all elves can hit a target with an arrow blind or heal from a cougar swipe by morning. Anyways, the elders offered a way for your family to make a few sacks of gold coins by having you cloned. With so many elves having been eaten by lions, torn apart by goblins, and clubbed by ogres, they thought if they could create more elves like you, more of our people would make it past a few decades old."

Ella wondered why this was her first time hearing that story and sounded more fairytale than reality. "Really? There's one problem with your story. Elves haven't invented cloning yet."

"Human scientists have. They started with sheep and when that worked, they got brave and wanted to try it on other species. You were their first non-sheep, non-human experiment. Congrats."

Ella flipped between being perplexed and seething with smoke blowing through her nostrils. She felt violated despite her being a kid when that allegedly happened. Violated for some coins from humans she didn't realize they had a non-combative collaboration with. Though the real violation came from her parents conveniently failing to mention any of that over the years.

Lola clutched her tummy and bent over as she grimaced and moaned. A semblance of discomfort settled in Ella's gut though not to the same apparent degree.

"Ooh...oww..." Lola squinted and looked to be on the verge of tears.

Ella stepped towards Lola to provide a hand of comfort but an invisible trust barrier blocked her. "What's wrong?"

Lola struggled to hold herself upright and leaned against the wall once more. "Your friend here made sure I wouldn't forget her. Oww. She's pretty good at using knives thanks to you I presume."

"Now's our chance! Let's get out of here!" Robyn shouted but Ella didn't budge an inch and an urge to wish her back to health came upon her.

"Why did you kidnap Robyn?" Ella asked with a darkened glare.

Lola paced the room as if to walk off the discomfort. "I wanted us to meet. I wouldn't be welcomed in your forest so this was the only way. Once I found where you were, I watched you from the shrubs around the forest and realized how much Robyn meant to you and knew you couldn't be without her too long."

Robyn snarled and growled at Lola.

Ella slapped her hands to her hips. "That was dirty and evil! What stopped you from coming into the forest to meet me?"

"Your parents. After I turned ten years old, they realized I couldn't heal as fast as you after scraping my knees during playtime. I couldn't jump as high, run as fast, or shoot an arrow. The lab didn't want to experiment with me anymore and offered me to your father as I was. He rejected me so out I went with the bathwater labeled, 'failure.' They said it so much I thought that was my name for a while. I've been roaming the world all this time."

Ella almost wished she hadn't opened her mouth. Her parents—the ones who kissed her forehead goodnight every time before bed, the ones who spoke of how proud they were of her, who encouraged and loved her were akin to monsters. Ella didn't want to believe it but they did spend a lot of time away from the forest while she grew up. Ella wanted to hold out hope Lola's narrative was a fabrication—at least in part.

"I'm sorry, Lola. That's horrible. Nobody deserves to be treated like that," Ella said, "but now that we've met, what do you want? I don't really know what to say to all this."

Lola didn't appear to be affected by the trauma but maybe she already went through the processing phase more times than she cared to count.

Lola's pacing ceased a couple feet from Ella. "I want to experience what it's like to be loved...'sniff'...I want to feel the touch of a lover, the kiss, the safety in their presence like the largest, ugliest dragon couldn't snatch me from their grasp. I want someone to share things with that I could never tell anyone."

"Boo-hoo. Poor thing! Wah! Wah!" Robyn mocked. "That was a great story. Cut me loose, Ella! Why are you still talking to her? Obviously, she's after something. She's also poison, a kidnapper, and a thief I bet. She might look like you but she's not you!"

"Yes, I have issues!" Lola snapped with bloodshot eyes. "There are stores and people that have a few less apples, bananas, and herbs because of me. Some may have needed to visit a healer after trying to stop me but how else would I survive? I didn't want to hurt anyone but they didn't leave me much choice."

"Who said you needed to survive? You're what's wrong in the world!" Robyn displayed all her teeth for Lola to see and was damn near foaming at the mouth.

Ella couldn't bear hearing her friend attack Lola regardless of whether her story turned out to bear fruit. Ella sensed at least some aspects had to be true and she didn't detect any malice coming from her though she had plenty of reason to harbor ill-intent.

As much as everyone was worthy of love, Ella couldn't imagine her being the one to grant that to Lola though who else would?

"Stop it, Robyn! Can you say you wouldn't feel what she does or do what she did if you were in her position?" Ella said to Robyn's surprise.

"You're taking her side?" Robyn asked shocked. "Yeah, I see why you would be biased, but she has done nothing to earn our trust!"

Lola unsheathed her serrated blade and walked over to Robyn. Ella whipped hers out and approached her double.

"Please! Don't hurt my friend! I'll do anything!" Ella cried.

Robyn panted and fought to escape her ropes. "Urrgh! If you're going to kill me, do it while I'm not tied up!"

Lola sliced the ropes bonding her hands and ankles and gave her space with a finger pointing at the exit. "You can go. I won't hurt you like you did me."

Ella released a relieving sigh. Robyn freed herself of the ropes that still clung to her and tossed them to the ground. She leapt to her feet and ran towards the exit while snatching Ella's elbow along the way.

"Come on, Ella. We can't fix her past or anything that happened to her," Robyn said but Ella remained anchored to the ground.

"Maybe we can do something. I can't leave her. Like she said, she's me and I'm her and what she went through wasn't fair."

Robyn shrugged. "Life isn't fair. Being an elf isn't fair. Being dragged here by some manufactured psycho isn't fair but here we are!"

"Stop talking about her that way, please. I think we should take her to the forest," Ella suggested eliciting an expected reaction from her friend. "She shouldn't be alone anymore."

Robyn froze for a few seconds then tapped Ella's temple before yelling, "Are you out of your mind? If you think your parents are going to throw her a welcome home party, you've completely lost it!"

"I need to know the truth about everything and this is the best way unless Lola objects?" Ella turned from her friend to her duplicate.

"I'd like to come but I don't want to die before my time," Lola said as she back-stepped.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you...err, us. They're going to accept you or I'll find a new home!" Ella said.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Lola hopped on her heels and cocooned Ella in a warm embrace. Ella slipped her arms around her and exhaled. She didn't want to release her to the disdain of Robyn. Lola was first to break the hold and left her proximity leaving a void she wanted filled. "Somehow, I believe you'll keep me from becoming troll food."

Robyn scoffed and stormed out of the cave.

"Can you wait while I talk to her?" Ella asked.

Lola nodded. "Yes. I don't want to be the one that ruins your friendship although it might take a miracle for us to exist together."

"Miracles do happen so there's that. I'll be back..."

Ella ran after Robyn but her friendship was already on the verge of collapse. Who knew rescuing her friend would lead to that?

She went outside to find Robyn's back to her a little ways down the slope. Her arms were folded against her chest. A chilling aura shivered Ella to the bones but she braced herself as she continued her steps.

"Don't say a word unless it has something to do with tossing that thing off this mountain," Robyn said as she sensed Ella's approach.

Ella stopped beside her. "Please don't call her that. She doesn't want to harm anybody. If she did, wouldn't you be face-first at the bottom of this mountain? You sliced her and she could have returned the favor but didn't."

Robyn shook her head and huffed. "I've said all I need to say about this."

"I hope this doesn't do anything to our friendship. I don't want to lose that..."

"Why are you telling me? That's up to you," Robyn said as she moved further down the decline away from Ella.

Ella despised how Robyn made it an "either her or me" situation. Ella hoped she was right about Lola because if not, hearing "I told you so" would be the least of her worries.

"Can we go now? I'm hungry," Lola spoke from her rear.

Ella handed Lola her knapsack of fruit and nuts. "Have some."

Lola flung it open, dug through it, and stuffed a handful of almonds into her gullet. "Mmm...my favorite nuts. How did you know? Thanks...'munch'..."

"That's a good question..." Ella rolled her eyes playfully. "Let's go..."

The trip was filled with silence aside from Lola's chewing. Ella promised herself not to think about her dilemma though that's exactly what she did. Lola couldn't have been happier stuffing her mouth and that provided enough comfort for the moment.

As they passed through the major town less than a mile from the mountain, melodies created by lutes and flutes from a green patch of land nearby halted Lola and she veered off the path. Humans, elves, and dwarves rotated their hips and burned grass with their steps.

"Hey, wait, Ella..." Lola said and Ella stopped to answer her call.

"What is it?" Ella asked as she walked to her flank.

Lola pointed at the festivities. "That looks fun. Can we check it out, please?"

"No, we can't!" Robyn blurted.

"We really should be getting back," Ella objected with weak conviction, "but if we stayed for a little bit, I think that's okay."

"Yay! Come on!" Lola grabbed Ella's hand and the elves hopped and skipped towards the shindig. Ella caught a glimpse of Robyn as Lola ushered her away and her expression could have sent a pack of wolves running for the hills. A rush flooded Ella's body and her capacity for coddling Robyn's feelings faded. Fun had become a foreign concept and Ella couldn't pass up the chance to have more of it.

By the time they reached the dancers, Ella and Lola were attached at the hands. It was weird but the less she thought about it, the more natural it seemed.

Lola cut her loose before awkwardness settled in and bobbed her head and rocked her hips to the tunes.

Robyn, in passing said, "I'm going to the pub. I can't bear this..."

Ella thought she heard something but the music drowned out Robyn's words. She continued contemplating how she could escape the night without looking like too much of a fool.

"Ah, forget it!" Ella threw the prospect of foolery to the wind and joined Lola in swaying and moving without having an ounce of respect for rhythm or the flow of the beats.

The elves scooted past some other elves and humans, settled into an open area of grass, and began shaking their groove things.

Ella flung her arms in the air and wiggled her hips like a crippled ninety-year old human. Lola burst into laughter and began showing her the right way to do it. She dipped into a squat, slapped the ground, and slithered her way back up. She spun in place, shimmying her shoulders and hips in some sexy manner—at least she must have thought so. Ella appreciated the fact her doppelgänger was equally inept.

"Do what I do!" Lola waved her to close the distance and began moving her arms and feet resembling something like the twist.

Ella did her best to mimic her but wound up stumbling with her case of two left feet.

Both doubled over and slapped their knees in another outburst as their eyes watered.

During the next selection, the dancers around them partnered up and Ella hesitated though she didn't have much time to think about it as Lola yanked her into her frame.

Before she could figure out what was happening, Lola was twirling her as if unraveling yarn, pulling her back into place, and then holding one hand by her ear and moving in sync around a patch of mashed grass. As the music slowed, they fell into the same rhythm.

Ella could tell Lola was staring at her but she couldn't bring herself to return the gaze. The oddity of looking at herself without needing a reflection proved to be too much.

"You can't look at me? You're so beautiful," Lola teased, "but it's not that is it?"

"Sorry, I'm still not believing any of this," Ella said as they continued their circle.

"I'm here in the flesh. I laugh, cry, and bleed. I have to eat and drink water to live. I have to pee and poop like everyone else. I'm...you like I've been saying."

Ella giggled. "Hehe, okay, okay. I really didn't need to know you poop."

"I'm trying to prove something here! Guess what else I can do..." Lola rubbed her back and traveled down her spine. Ella lulled into a trance. Over her lower back she went using a deep massaging. Further south Lola fell and Ella tensed right as Lola groped her ass. Ella's reflex pushed Lola away despite the tightening in her loins.

"Stop it!" Ella snapped. "This is already bizarre enough as it is!"

Lola angled to the side and squinted. "But, you like it. You can deny it to anyone but not me."

Ella closed her eyes and sighed as she wondered if the one that knew her better than any other would be a problem after all...

"You're not going to keep using your knowledge about me against me!" Ella's heat was rising along with the insanity of being attracted to herself.

"Fine," Lola said with an obvious collapse in mood, "that's your problem. Always denying yourself things that you want! That's the real madness!"

"And how would you know?" Ella responded with her tone several notches higher. "Never mind..."

"I don't feel like dancing anymore..." Lola's face sprouted with creases and her teeth clenched followed by grimacing as she held her wound. "Oww!"

Ella laid a soothing palm on her shoulder in an attempt to offer some relief. "I might be able to help you with that..."

Lola topped her hand with her own. "I'll be okay, I think. Thanks..."

Ella watched her drag herself away and her trauma trembled the elf's own body. What she wouldn't give to take her pain away.

The elves trotted to the pub to find Robyn. The wall on the side of the building seemed to prop up the elf. Her head looked to be swimming in a pool of booze.

"We're leaving, Robyn," Ella said.

Robyn peeled herself off the wall and tripped over her feet. When she was able to straighten her wobbles, she raised a finger in front of Lola.

"I...'hiccup'...won't let you...destroy my friendship...with Ella!" Robyn laid a slap on Lola so hard that Ella's cheeks stung.

Lola snapped back at Robyn and hissed as her chin thrust forward. Her fists were balled, she snorted like a rhino ready to charge, but Ella wedged herself between them.

"That's enough!" Ella's blood was on fire. "Robyn, stop it! You're wasted and acting childish! She's not destroying anything!"

"I...need a...bed. I'm going...home..." Robyn swayed to the side as she was making her best zombie impersonation. She turned her chin to the side. "I would have slapped her if I was sober, too. She wants something she hasn't told us. Don't be naïve...Ella...'hic'..."

She staggered away and Ella checked on her double and caressed her reddened cheek. "Are you okay? I'm sorry about her. She's overprotective of me."

"I wish I could say I'm not used to it..." Lola captured Ella's hand and placed a couple of kisses to its back. Ella's breaths halted for a few moments. "Let's go..."

A little while later, night had fallen and masked the elves' approach to the forest. By some miracle, Robyn was able to make it back without needing to be rolled or carried. She bordered on hitting the dirt as she straddled between being awake and passing out. She waddled into the forest when Ella whistled for her to come back.

"Wait! Stop! Don't go in yet!" Ella ran after Robyn to block her. "Listen, please don't tell anyone about Lola. Tomorrow, I'll have a few choice words for my parents but for now, keep it quiet!"

"I...don't care. All I want is...to sleep. Whatever happens...it's on you...friend...ugh." Robyn staggered around Ella and headed for their community. Ella couldn't help but feel responsible for Robyn's overindulgence at the pub. They'd had a few hard ciders and wine together but for an elf to get drunk, they'd have to put a pretty good dent in a bar's alcoholic stock. She'd never seen her like that..."

Ella went back to Lola who couldn't keep her bones from rattling.

"I don't know how I'm going to react when I go in there," Lola said.

"Don't worry," Ella said as she held both her hands in front of them, "I'm here for you no matter what. I understand if you want to make my parents' guts show on the outside but I want to hear the truth before you do. We don't have to worry about that tonight, though. Everyone should be sleep by now."

Lola's shoulders loosened and a rush of air flew from her mouth. "Good. I was hoping we didn't have to start the war tonight. I don't want to cause any trouble."

Ella chuckled. "Haha. If you're anything like me, you don't have to look too far for trouble. You were doomed from birth."

"So, I have you to thank for all my misery. Thanks a bunch."

"Sorry! I'm trying to do something about it!" Ella stepped twice towards the forest when a searing sensation came upon her ass. "Owwww!"

She whipped around to find Lola winking. Ella shook a fist at her and wanted to get mad but she was too busy dealing with the tension gathering between her legs.

"Hi," Lola said waving her lashes at her.