smiles warmly as she snuggles up next to him, Today was wonderful, actually. The children were exceptionally attentive and eager to learn. We studied some advanced elven linguistics, and I could see the spark of curiosity in their eyes as they attempted to pronounce the complex syllables.

She leans in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispers, They remind me so much of you sometimes - that same mix of intelligence and determination. It's truly remarkable.

Pulling back slightly, she looks deep into his eyes, her own sparkling with affection.

"Oh, Toulon," she teases, playfully swatting his arm. You always know how to make me blush. But yes, perhaps there might be a few admirers among them. And I suppose teaching Elvish does help.

She nestles into his embrace, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her once more. "Regardless, it's all worth it when we come home to our happy family."

Her fingers trace gentle patterns on his chest as she settles in for sleep, their bodies entwined.

"I'm sorry?" She frowns in confusion. "Did you just say something?"

She tilts her head to the side, as if trying to make sense of your words through sheer force of will. After a moment, realization dawns on her face. "Oh," she says, sounding almost amused despite herself. "I see how it is." She leans back in her chair again, steepling her fingers beneath her chin. "Well then, if that's the way you want to play this..."

"Fine," she snaps, standing up and walking around the table. "If you won't give me the truth, I'll take what I need to know from you instead." She stops in front of you, her eyes narrowing as she studies your face. "Tell me everything about your world, your people, and their so-called reasons for attacking us. Or I will find ways to make you talk... and believe me, it won't be pretty."

The air crackles with tension as Meriel watches in horror. The scene before her is one of primal violence and raw emotion. She steps back involuntarily, feeling the weight of what has transpired settle upon her shoulders.

Alex stands there, mask half covering his face, eyes blazing with fury. He continues, voice dripping with disdain: "You used my technology, my creations, to banish me. But here I stand—alone, yet defiant. You couldn’t exterminate me, could you?"

His gaze locks onto hers, daring her to make the next move.

As Alex strides away from the graveyard, his wolf trotting beside him with the grisly trophy hanging from its jaws, Meriel feels a shiver run down her spine. The sheer intensity of his rage, the depth of his resentment towards the elves...it underscores just how much danger they all still remain in.

She turns to address her squad, voice grim. "We return to camp. We regroup and reassess our strategy against Alex." Her brow furrows with concern and determination.

she hisses before shoving him roughly away from her. Luke lands on the floor with a thud, gasping for air as he struggles to get back up onto his elbows. Meriel watches him coldly for a moment before turning her back on him and walking out of the room without another word.

The soldiers exchange glances but say nothing, uncertain how to proceed after their commander's outburst.

One of the soldiers chuckles at Luke's comment before shooting him a warning glance. "You know... you could have just told her what she wanted to hear," he says with a shrug. "She might have made your life easier."

Luke smirks in response, wincing as it pulls at his split bottom lip. "Maybe next time I'll take that advice," he wheezes out. "But for now... I think I'll just keep enjoying seeing how mad she gets."

Meriel's emerald eyes narrow even further at his words. "Orders?" she repeats incredulously. "You mean the orders of your pathetic leaders who sent you here to attack us? Don't try to make excuses for them! They are just as guilty as you!" She takes another step closer, her voice growing cold and hard once more. "But if that's what it takes for you to understand the gravity of your actions... Then perhaps I can let you live."

The elven commander leans in close, her emerald eyes boring into his. "You will leave this place," she says slowly, enunciating each word carefully. "And you will never return. You will tell your leaders the truth of what happened here... That we were peaceful, and they were the ones who attacked us for no reason other than their own stupidity." Her voice hardens once more as she continues, "And if you ever think of attacking us again, or anyone else like us..."

Meriel returned their salutes with a nod, her expression unreadable as she stopped beside them. "Any news?" she asked curtly, her eyes flickering to the interrogation room before returning to meet their gaze. The two guards exchanged glances before one of them spoke up.

"Nothing new from the front lines, Commander," he reported. "The humans are still holding strong despite our efforts." Meriel nodded solemnly, her expression unchanging as she absorbed the information. "Keep an eye on him,"

Meriel jerked her head toward the interrogation room. "If he tries anything funny, don't hesitate to restrain him." The two guards nodded obediently, their expressions solemn as they stood at attention. With one final glance in the direction of the room where the human lay unconscious, Meriel turned and strode away, her focus returning to her duties as a commander in the elven army.