Backstory help

[Jack_McSnatch]

So, I'm playing a character, and I randomly rolled his backstory from the hero builder's guidebook. He's a poor noble, who recently experienced war, and I'd already decided he wants to be knighted. I have kind of a vague idea about it that needs some polishing. He's a wood elf from a high elf kingdom. So far my idea is the wood and high elves were the ones warring. A peace treaty was eventually signed, and as part of that a few wood elf families were made nobles, so as to have some say in the kingdom's affairs.

The problem I'm finding is, why would elves war with each other? Sure, it's commonly accepted that elf subraces hate each other, but they don't usually come to blows over it, except in the case of drow. His goal of becoming a knight is tied to this elf racism, as he wants to prove wood elves have just as much, if not more merit than their haughty cousins. I've also been considering something about a princess, because his randomly generated enemy is a romantic rival. Again, very vague and unpolished right now. I'd appreciate some suggestions, thanks.

[2D8HP]

...The problem I'm finding is, why would elves war with each other?....
Helen-Elf, married to King Menelaus-Elf of not Sparta, eloped with Prince Paris-Elf of not Troy, or just pick any other reason that humans have cited to go to war.

[A.A.King]

You say he is a Wood Elf from a High Elf kingdom but also that the war was between Wood Elfs and High Elfs. How long ago do you want this war to be? Because you see the thing is, starting a war is easy, it's the peace treaty thing that is difficult.

When starting your war, first you have to decide who you want the aggressor to be and then engange in some well executed falseflag opperations.
Who 'started' the war can help inform you why they went to war in the first place. For example, if you want to properly stereotype this backstory you could have the Wood Elfs be the aggressor, attacking the cities of the oh-so-High-and-mighty Elfs to advance the forest. Your typical angry-druids versus The City scenario.
OR you could do the reverse and have the Elfs be the agressor, whose never ending expansionism made them ignore the Wood Elfs tree hut. Your typical Industry vs Mother Nature scenario.

Or just give one side something that the other side wanted which is intendant of their differences, a natural ressource (anything from gold to water), an important Historic Artificat (which is important to both races) or like mentioned earlier, a beautiful but unfaithful queen.