Elizabeth's POV:

So...funny story...

We were almost to the earth kingdom when the caravan broke down and it started raining.

Everyone especially Varian and Hugo were tired.

So there was no way we were walking.

We noticed a house just close enough and knocked on the door

A taller man with glasses and a striped apron answered.

"Hi, so sorry to bother you sir but we were just on our way to Galcrest when our ride broke down, and we need shelter from the storm" i explained.

"Oh, hello there, of course, come in, come in" he said before turning to face inside the house.

"Marjorie! We've got company!" He called out.

"I'll be down in a minute!" A woman's voice came from inside.

We all stepped in.

Varian stopped at the door and looked up at the man who once he saw his face seemed shocked.

"Thank you so much sir" he said.

"Varian?" The man said.

All of us froze.

"How do you know my name?" Varian asked.

The man smiled and ruffled up Varian's hair.

"I haven't seen you since you were a baby, kiddo, you probably don't remember me, i'm your uncle" he said.

"I have an uncle?"

"I'm your mom's twin brother"

Suddenly an older woman ran up and hugged Varian out of nowhere.

"Varian! We haven't seen you in ages! How are you!?" She asked.

"Can't breath" he said.

"Sorry" the woman said, letting him go.

"Varian, this is your aunt" Varian's uncle said.

"Hi" Varian said awkwardly.

"Oh wait until your cousins meet you!" The woman turned to the stairs.

"Kids!" She called up.

"Coming!" Several voices called down before five kids ran down the stairs, two boys and three girls.

"Kids, this is your cousin Varian, he's aunt Ulla's son, he's gonna be staying over during the storm with his friends so please be on your best behavior" Varian's aunt said.

"Varian these are your cousins"

"Rosalynn" she pointed to a taller girl that seemed around our age.

"Nya" she pointed to a shorter girl with longer hair who seemed a little younger.

"Felix" she pointed to a boy with glasses who was looking at a book.

"And the twins, Allison and Anthony" she pointed to the two youngest kids.

"Hi everyone" Varian said.

"Hi Varian" all the kids said at once.

His aunt then turned to us "Oh, Varian, who are your friends?"

"Oh, this is Yong, Nuru, Hugo" he said, pointing to everyone as he said their names before turning to me "And Ellie, my girlfriend"

"I told Ulla i had a feeling they might end up together but did she listen?" Varian's uncle joked.

"Well Varian, why don't you and your friends go pick the rooms you'd like to stay in, we have plenty of room." His aunt said.

That night

I sat staring out the window, listening to the rain pouring down.

"Something tells me we'll be stuck here for a while" i said.

"Yeah but it might not be that bad, we'll be back on the road as soon as the storm clears" Varian said, reading through his mom's journal again.