What Is An Elf
To the Imperial scholars, he’s a different kind of man; our forefathers drank the blood of the Queen of Dragons back when the world was young, and his didn’t; so we were poisoned with old age and disease down the generations, but he never got the gods.
To the Elf, he’s just a bush-elf, and you’re a town-elf - that’s what the words mean, in their language. If your places were swapped, you’d be more like him, and he’d be more like you.
To the Great Fae, the elves are their pitiable little cousins, scraping and scrabbling to live in the wild places of their betters; but at least not the ax and the shovel and the flame.
To the dragons, you’re both born servants - or dinner.