A/N: Bringing back my elf mage Irene and human warrior Seulgi theme because I love it, and at this point I worry this could also be a series lol but well let’s see how this goes before I jump the gun. Again this is a result of way too much anime/video games etc but should be okay hopefully.

Irene watched in amusement as her warrior struggled to get the wood she had collected earlier to take flame. The dark-haired elf held back a laugh. Seulgi was probably the most adorable human in the world to her. Not that Irene had much contact with humans. Humans could be very cruel and lorded over her kind like masters in many cases. Not Seulgi though, who is kind and gentle in ways that Irene personally didn’t think possible of a human. The tanned skinned woman who would pick up flowers to give to her, but would always do so carefully as to not hurt said flowers. The same brave warrior who had asked for permission first during their first kiss. No, Irene had not ever met a human like Seulgi before.

“Light, why won’t you.” The blonde sighs.

Irene really could just allow Seulgi to struggle. Her big brave warrior could no doubt eventually get that fire started. She did, put together a very stable tent for them to stay in for the night, all on her own. However, the mage didn’t quite feel like standing around freezing either.

“Could you use some help, my love?” Irene comes closer and waves her hand over the wood. In an instant fire appears and Seulgi looks at her with wide monolid eyes, and mouth open like it will hit the floor. How silly of her to forget that her mage was in fact a mage. Irene could have easily set fire to the wood by now. 

“You were going to let me sit here fighting this wood for another hour or so, weren’t you?” Seulgi sighs before standing up. The elven mage chuckles softly, the sound almost like music to Seulgi’s ears. A soft pale hand reached over and touched the warrior’s chin. Seulgi leaned into the touch of the woman she loved so much. Irene was truly unlike any woman she had ever met. Not simply for the obvious, that she was an elven woman. And Seulgi had personally never met any elves before. She had always heard such fascinating tales though, how they could live for centuries, how most of them had magical abilities, and of course the other tales. The ones where they take human slaves and experiment on them for magical purposes. Seulgi never really believed too much into those. She was aware of what some of her own people had done to the elves over the years, such as forcing them into servitude at the top of the list. Things had been getting better as of late, with the new Queen in charge. But of course, more change needed to be done.

She and Irene had met because of the human Queen and Irene’s clan leader. Two of the main forces for change at the forefront. She and Irene became a partnership of sorts, one that started off platonic. They were really meant to be an example of how elves and humans could coexist and work together without it leading to disastrous consequences. And everyone could see they were a great team, a true force to be reckoned with. Between Seulgi’s skills as a trained warrior who had seen many battle fields throughout her years, and Irene who was a highly skilled and capable mage. One whom her clan didn’t necessarily wish to part with so easily, as she was also one of their best healers. Still, it was for a good cause. And neither woman had any regrets. Not when the goal for their original partnership has led them to finding the love of their lives, in one another.

“I wouldn’t have let you struggle that much longer, my love.” Irene smiles. “I don’t much enjoy the idea of freezing out here, you know.”

Seulgi nods with a smile of her own. “You know I wouldn’t have let you freeze, Irene. Even if it would have taken me another hour to get the fire going. But thank goodness for your magic.”
 

“Thank goodness for your strong arms.” She teases and touches one of the warrior’s biceps. It was after all, Seulgi who chopped all that wood in the first place. Just as humans no doubt found elves fascinating. They in turn often found humans to be so too, or at least Irene found Seulgi to be quite fascinating. Humans were often taller than them, pretty in their own way, fragile too with their shorter life spans. Now, Seulgi might have told her several times that she thought she was beautiful, like some sort of elven princess. Probably because of her dark locks, pale skin, and how she did unintentionally carry herself in a regal sort of way. It was Irene who found Seulgi the beautiful one. Whether it was her soft tanned skin, or bright brown monolid eyes, or her physique because the woman was simply well-fit. More times than she cared to admit, Irene would get distracted by Seulgi in a fight. How could she not when she would swing her sword practically effortlessly. And there was such a bold confidence in the warrior too, when they were on the battlefield together.

One that would revert back to a gentle softness afterwards. Almost, as if Seulgi housed two spirits within her. Irene had joked before about trying to find who the other spirit was who would take over her body in battle. Mostly a joke, though at times the mage did wonder if it was true.

“Ah, you…” Seulgi grins with a slightly red face. “Flaterrer.” The warrior kisses the top of her forehead then. An advantage of being the slightly taller one in their relationship. “Now that we’ve got fire going, we should see about dinner.”

“I bought some things from the shop in the last town we visited.” Irene shows her the sack of various items, potatoes, bread, onions, everything perfectly good for a stew of some kind.

“Oh, great. I can make us a stew with this. You don’t mind if we use your cauldron do you?” The blonde-haired woman teases and Irene frowns, looking quite unhappy at the moment.

“I am no common witch, and you know I don’t have a cauldron. And you…” She stops because Seulgi is holding back a laugh through her gloved hand. “You are just kidding, humans…” Irene sighs. Though it doesn’t stop her from wrapping her arms around the woman she loves. She loves Seulgi so very much too, more than she imagined she could ever love anyone. Irene was honestly content living a life on her own, even back amongst her own clan. When they are raised in a close-knit community, they rely on one another for survival. As she aged, Irene tended to stay more on her own. Venturing out into the forests by herself and enjoying her solitude. Things like love, romance, or settling down with someone never really came to mind for her. But they come to mind when she thinks about Seulgi. Just thinking about Seulgi sometimes makes her face warm and heartbeat increase in ways the elf wasn’t used to. She could see herself spending the rest of whatever time they did have together. Humans tend to live shorter life spans than elves. A fact both she and Seulgi had discussed openly, though not an easy conversation.

No one wants to think of the day their partner will leave them for good, especially if they know they will leave first. Yet, Seulgi was always so hopeful and optimistic. Telling her they’d make sure to live every moment they did have to the fullest. One Irene was sure to see that they would do. Even if she knew she would never love another as much as she loved the human. 

“Ah, but I’m your human.” Seulgi whispers tenderly.

“Yes, you are. Now if my human would please make us dinner, because I am famished.”

The warrior nods. “It was a long day. That beast we fought didn’t go down easily.” Seulgi can still recall everything about that battle. The monster’s strong stench, how it breathed fire at them, and seemed smarter too, than most. Irene had to stop to heal them both several times, and the warrior had been knocked out during the fight, because of a sneak attack from behind. One she should have seen coming, but that particular monster was swift. They did make a good team, as usual, but this fight was one of their toughest in a while.

“It was, but we are always stronger together, no?” The elf asks sincerely, reaching down to hold Seulgi’s slightly larger hands in her own. Irene was honestly more worried for Seulgi in the fight. The moment she saw the monster knock her human down, it was like something inside of her snapped. Nothing or no one, creature or otherwise would harm the woman she loved. Not when the mage still drew breath.

“We are always stronger together. Go on, why don’t you rest in the tent for a while. I’ll wake you when I’ve finished cooking.”

Irene felt a bit reluctant to leave her. She was only going a few feet away, and yet she didn’t want to leave Seulgi. It was a sappy reason, but she just always preferred when they went to bed together. Ever since their relationship had turned romantic in nature. There was never a moment where they didn’t go to bed together, wherever they slept, whether it was at the fanciest of castles, or humblest of inns, or like now underneath the stars. The mage didn’t care. As long as they were side by side, together. The human had this incredible warmth to her, like being warmed by her own personal fireplace, which made for the perfect snuggling. Something they would need to do even with the fire they did have going. Irene found she was already looking forward to it. 

Seulgi was just about to start preparing the vegetables for the stew when she felt a soft thud