Already in the past…

ㅤ Seeing her again was nothing short of a blessing. The human girl's purity was astounding. The kindness of the legendary heroine ennobled the soul of anyone who dared speak to her, to look into her bright face. Mint's compassion… had once already helped redefine generations' view of an old problem. If only they could overcome it completely… Brambert had to maintain a distance from Mint and his companions, lest he succumb to the weakness of his heart, aching from the inability to give himself to her. Love between humans and elves was forbidden, but now Brambert understood why, despite all the persecution, someone still broke the law: the heart could not be contained. It burned, broke, tormented. If only there had been more time… But it had already passed, it was too late, even though Mint stood before him in all her glory a hundred and fifty years later. Young Mint didn't belong to that time, and the real Mint was already shaking her gray hair somewhere back then, telling her grandchildren fairy tales and true stories about the adventures of her grandparents, the kind they so loved to embellish in legends. And in those hundred and fifty years, Brambert had only managed to convince the elves to accept humans again, to let them into their forest, their village. As guests, but still strangers. Half-elves were out of the question. Even the slightest mention of the topic would spark arguments that threatened to pit the elves against each other, no less than warring humans. And were they really so different then? Had Brambert given free rein to his feelings, he would have drowned in "sin", losing respect and the chance to change the world. To make it as beautiful as his love had seen. One and free, without inhibitions to love—the most sincere feeling. Brambert thought he'd come to terms with it… Accepted the impossibility of his feelings being reciprocated. He'd managed to say goodbye to the image of the girl who had stolen his heart without even realizing it. After all, human lives are fleeting. Time is gone—it can't be brought back. Then suddenly, shattering all the foundations and laws of existence itself, Mint knocked on his door again, driving him mad, inducing the wrong thoughts. 'Have I made a mistake? Could I have done differently? Was it worth giving up everything for her? Why…?' Mint's group stayed at a new inn. Her presence haunted Brambert, so he strolled among the nocturnal animals under the moonlight. Reflected on the surface of the water, the moon seemed especially pale. And the image that appeared in it seemed unreal at all. "Mint?" Brambert expressed surprise, looking at the very real girl. "S-sorry… if I bothered you." Mint hesitated, seeing so much emotion on the elven leader's face for the first time. He had always been impartial, almost cold. Now, it was as if the ice between them had melted. Brambert looked at her with a clear gaze, and not through her, detachedly as usual. Something trembled inside her. For some reason, her cheeks flushed, causing Mint to awkwardly turn away, breaking their gaze. "No, it's I who apologize if my behavior seemed tactless to you." They spent a while in silence, admiring the enchanting reflection of the moon. The excitement subsided, and the sudden closeness no longer frightened them. Brambert ventured to speak: "There's a very beautiful place nearby. If your soul can't find peace tonight, why not take a stroll?" "I'd be honored," Mint nodded modestly with a soft smile. Brambert led the girl shallowly into the forest. In a small clearing, literally rocks grew out of them, and crystal flowers protruded from them, their petals glittering mysteriously in the moonlight. The sight captivated Mint so much that for a moment she forgot everything else, her eyes and mouth wide open, barely remembering to cover it with her hands. "One such flower takes thousands of years to bloom," Brambert said, running his fingers over the flowers, barely touching them. Then he reached for the chain around his neck and removed a similar flower hidden under his clothes, plucked by his mother on the day of his birth. "I would like you to accept this gift from me." He held out the unusual flower with such confidence that Mint couldn't refuse. "Honestly…" she tried. "If you or your grandchildren ever need help, just show it to me—I wouldn't dare refuse." Mint looked at the gift with awe. Such an important thing. Such a magical moment. She pressed it to her heart. "Thank you. I will treasure it dearly." Brambert was closest to Mint then. Then he said goodbye to her again forever… For hundreds of years, he labored to break ancient rules, eradicate discrimination. He taught elves, humans, and half-elves to coexist peacefully. Not without reproach, but he continued to work on this. The memory of that wondrous moment, a unique moonlit night, gave him strength. That day, he had the misfortune of witnessing another debate about the sanctity of elven blood. Each such conversation took a lot of energy, so Brambert rested under the shade of a tree. "Hello," the girl said shyly. Brambert gasped silently. The guest looked incredibly like his human love, if only her hair was a little darker and her eyes a different color. She was fiddling with a stone flower—a family heirloom. The girl felt incredibly awkward addressing such an important figure, the elven leader, and she trembled involuntarily. However, she found the courage to ask: "My little brother is ill. I heard that herbs needed for the cure grow in the Treantwood. Would you allow me to gather them?" Brambert smiled graciously and nodded slightly, standing and extending his hand to the girl. ㅤ