Någon som vill göra mord på min kreativitet?
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?Are they? Fairies?, Elril whispered in awe.
?They?re fairies?, Irestor nodded.
Before any of them could say or do anything more, a fairy popped up just in front of Irestor?s nose. It looked like a rather small, young woman, with long, gray hair and eyes, dressed in orange leaves, and she had wings. Wings like a butterfly, with the same shade of blue as Irestor?s eyes. And on her face she wore an expression of anger and glee mixed together.
?Irestor?, she cried out. ?You?re back! Where have you been, you haven?t been here for ages, not since I gave you those new boots! You haven?t even sent me a falcon since, you meanie! Oh, oh, oh, are those humans? I?ve never seen a human before. You never bring me any, meanie! Are those boys? Why are the human boys naked? Are human boys always naked? Why is the girl not naked? Is she a girl? I think she?s a girl. Why are the boys naked and not the girl? Don?t they know it?s already Slaktmathir? They?ll freeze to death! You should get them some clothes, you meanie! But you?re back, oh, I missed you, you big meanie!? And then she promptly hugged Irestor?s nose.
Elril felt out of breath just hearing her rattle of the harangue, and he didn?t catch half of it, but he was enthralled none the less. And Irestor actually laughed.
?I?ve missed you too, Tilja?, he said. ?And, yes, those are humans, but, no, the boys are not naked. They?re in the long shirts.?
The fairy Tilja fluttered passed Irestor with her purplish blue wings and looked the four humans up and down, thoughtfully and critically. The she fluttered back in front of Irestors nose and said in a conspiratorial half-whisper:
?I think one of the boys? long shirts isn?t quite long enough. Ehm? Things are showing.?
Irestor didn?t turn to check.
?Tilja?, he said instead, fighting down a laugh. ?Will you take my four unfortunate friends and outfit them in all the best you and yours can muster? The girl might need some things as well. And give them some good, hot, nourishing food as well. I, I will be by the thinking pools. I?ll be back later.?
?But I wanted to talk, you meanie! But all right. I can see that those boys need me more than I need you right now. Don?t drown in your thoughts!? She fluttered past him and gave the four humans a good, long stare. ?You?, she said bluntly. ?Follow me.?
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Irestor walked the short distance to the thinking pools. Here, the forest was dark and heavily scented with year-round blossoms and ferns. The four pools lay still and deep, one of them with a thin skin of ice. It was already winter here.
Irestor put his weapons aside, shed his heavy, rustling cloak, and sat down by the westernmost pool. He stared into its depths, letting his thoughts wander freely. He lost himself in those thoughts, and didn?t realize that the day had worn to an end when he heard a voice by his side:
?How long since you prayed to the gods??
Irestor shifted, legs aching.
?I?m not praying?, he said a bit stiffly.
?That?s not what I asked.?
Irestor looked down at the ancient fairy that had settled by his side. She was gray and withered, even her skin looked gray. The only color about her was her wings, that were still red, after 5000 years, and the blue-and-purple flower she was slowly twirling between her hands. Pall was the last fairy alive who had been in the last elven war, he had known her ever since then. There were few things as old as they in this forest.
?Three thousand years?, Irestor sighed.
?And how long since you took pity on a human??
?Eight hundred years.?
?Really? Some would call that one murder.?
?Not me. And not you. We know enough to know the difference between murder and mercy.?
?Killing innocent children is mercy??
Irestor chewed his lower lip in frustration. Why was Pall badgering him about history almost a millennium in the past?
?He was dead, even before I put the knife to him. There was more poison in his veins than there was blood, he had more broken bones than he had whole. I let him die out of pity, I gave him mercy and in the end I gave him peace. Something those gods you harp on about seem to refuse me.?
?Maybe they all agree that you?re not done yet. How long since last you loved??
?That I never did?, Irestor said through clenched teeth. Pall felt him withdraw, cloaking himself in the darkness that shielded him from loneliness.
?I think Auriel would beg to differ?, Pall said gently.
All color left Irestor?s face. It looked like he had donned a death mask.
?Auriel was just a dream of a weary heart while my body slept?, he said stonily. ?He was never real. None of it were ever real. Just memories I spun myself for comfort.?
Pall rose on her bright red wings and fluttered up to Irestor cheek.
?I think your heart would beg to differ?, she said softly, pushing the flower behind his ear and giving him a kiss. Then she left him alone by the pools. Irestor stared after her, five thousand years of unshed tears burning in his eyes.
Vem är du att avgöra vad som är skönt och förlösande för någon annan? 
