Chapter Fourteen

A/N: Please remember that this is a ROUGH draft. It will not be perfect, and I plan on fixing things later. There may be plot holes, grammatical errors, etc. Sorry. Just enjoy the story :)
____________________
Ferrowin lived beside a creek, with foliage climbing up his mother's cottage. A windmill attached to the house spun in the water. It looked to have about four rooms, and the roof was a bright, cheery red.

But after talking to the elf orphan, it just looked like blood. I couldn't believe that young elf was just on his own. Perhaps I could change that while I was here.

Ferrowin's mother greeted me at the door. She was slender and graceful, the way all elves seemed to be, and two bright green eyes looked out from a maternal, freckled face. She smiled. "You must be the human," she said. "Ferrowin sent word that you would be joining me today." She nodded hello to Merron. "Come with me."

I waved farewell to Merron and followed her inside.

"My name is Laurel," she said. "What's yours?"

I appreciated how she asked. "Evelin Fendway."

She directed me to a room. "You may stay here, Evelinendway." She combined my first and last names. I assumed elves didn't use surnames.

"You may call me Evelin," I clarified.

"Very well," she said. "I'll prepare supper. You can just wait out in this room. Feel free to use anything within it." She shut the door.

I turned around. The room was made from smooth, dark wood. It was simple, with the only piece of furniture being a wardrobe. A green mat with a pillow was what I assumed was the bed.

I opened up the wardrobe to find clean dresses. The one I was wearing from the merrow was, sadly, beyond repair. I wondered if Laurel would mind if I took one. I decided to wait and ask.

I laid on my stomach on the green mat, with my feet in the air. I opened up my sketch book and flipped to a blank page, and began to doodle the orphan elf I'd seen earlier. It was fun to draw the pointed ears. You had to angle them just right. I took out my watercolors and began to color the picture of Ferrowin.

I heard when he came home. The door open and shut, and he was whistling a tune. The walls of the abode were thin. I eavesdropped on the conversation.

It was on accident.

More or less.

"Hello, Mother," Ferrowin said.

The love in Laurel's voice was unmistakable. "Good evening, my son."

"Did Evelin the human come?" he asked.

"Yes, she's in the west room."

"Good."

"Did you help the historian today?"

"Yes, and he seemed grateful for my work. I wish I could be the next historian."

"But something bigger is happening, isn't it?" his mother said.

"With the arrival of the girl, it is undeniable."

"I'm so proud of you, Ferrow," Laurel said. I could hear that the tears in her eyes were there. "You giving up what you want for the greater good."

"Thank you, Mother," he said. I heard his footsteps to his room.

I wondered what Ferrowin's duty could be. But another question tore at my heart. Why didn't my mother show that much affection for me? What did I do wrong?

I could smell the food cooking outside. I hoped elf food wasn't spicy like the trolls' or fishy like the merrow's.

Before the evening meal was ready, Laurel came into the room. "I've prepared a bath for you," she said. "Pick out something to wear, and I'll lead you to the washing room."

I opened the wardrobe and selected a dress. Laurel led me to the last room of the house. A filled bathtub was inside.

"Soap's in the cupboard," she said. "Enjoy."

The bath was heavenly. Washing the grime out from my finger nails and the dirt from my hair was a miracle.

After towel drying, I slipped into the dress I'd chosen. It was a light, billowy yellow thing that made me feel feminine. I found a hairbrush and managed to do my hair.

Dinner was some sort of roasted fowl in a sweet gravy. Elves ate small portions, as was their culture, and I managed to do the same, even though I wanted to devour the whole bird in a few bites.

We made polite small talk over the food. Ferrowin explained the elf government system to me. The eldest of the elves, unless they were incapable, created the rules for the elves. Ten elves were in the council, each one with an assistant, selected by himself or herself, who participated in the making of laws.

Once my stomach wasn't empty, I curled up in a woolen blanket and fell asleep on the mat. It was nice, sleeping in a real house and sleeping in an almost-bed. If I closed my eyes tightly and pretended to hear my sisters gossip, it almost felt like I was in Fallbrooke again.

When I fell asleep, I had a dream. I usually did dream, but not like this. This dream was vivid and exact, as if it were real. When I awoke, I remembered every detail.

"You are chosen," said an unfamiliar voice. It was soft and comforting.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I can trust you to make the correct choices."

"What are the right choices?"

"You will know . . . " It faded away, and a new scene appeared before me.

There was a gathering of people, all looking into a cradle. A tiny baby with long fingers and toes looked out with wide eyes.

"The fifth daughter?" I heard someone mutter. "The Fendways have enough children already."

It was me, I realized. Baby me.

I saw a few faces a recognized. My parents. A few people of nobility. A duke and duchess.

Then, flickering images appeared. The merrow king's wild, sea green eyes. A pale girl with big blue eyes. Ferrowin's distinct, freckled nose. A dark brown troll. A kindly, maternal face. A pair of flashing gray eyes, full of fury. They flashed among others, and, even in a dream, I felt overwhelmed.

I soon found myself in a barren, desolate land. An image of a shadowy silhouette appeared. "You will never win, Evelin Fendway," it said.

Unmistakable fear shot through me, and whispers came. I couldn't determine what they were saying, but I was afraid . . .

I awoke in cold sweat. People say that the mind works out problems while you are sleeping. Mine did that night. I knew who the elves' Enchanter was.

Ferrowin. His secrets, Merron's reluctance when I was around him, his conversation with his mother.

Ferrowin. I laughed out loud. Fate was a funny thing.

Me, the wild Fendway girl, was trying to save some creatures, along with the brainy elf. The most unqualified people were chosen. But I was glad it was Ferrowin. He knew everything there was to know. He'd help me. He'd be able to find the other Enchanters.

It was still early, and no one was awake. I couldn't fall back asleep, so I decided to take a walk and clear my head. I brought my satchel and the woolen blanket along with me.

The sun hadn't risen yet, and the sky was a sort of morning gray. The trees cast shadows on the elfin town. All was quiet, except for the whisper of the wind, and the chirping crickets. I sat on the ground and pulled the blanket around myself. I did a rough sketch of the town as I thought.

Those dreams had been so clear and unclear, all at once. It was as if someone was trying to tell me something. Me being chosen for something. My birth. The flickering images.

After a while, I determined that the flickering images must be the different Enchanters. I made a mental list of the ones I knew.

One was the troll captured by a certain human. One was Assana's father. Another was Ferrowin. Of the three others, one was human, one was a faerie, and one was a stiriae. I could do this. I could.

A rustle in the trees disrupted my thoughts. I turned around. It was Jax, the elf boy from earlier. He didn't see me. He crept up behind a shop, one that sold fruits. He reached inside a barrel to take one, looking around as he did so.

"You don't have to steal that," I said, surprising him.

He glared at me. "What are you doing awake?"

I shrugged. "I'm allowed to wake up when I want to."

"Well," he said, shaking a finger at me, "I . . . I saved you. So . . . don't tell anyone about," he pulled out the fruit from the barrel and held it up, "this."

"I won't," I said. "But if you put it back, I'll find you some more food."

He looked me in the eyes suspiciously. "How?" He lowered the apple back into the barrel.

"I'm the only human for miles," I said. I flashed a confident smile. "I can get you an apple, if that's what you want."

He folded his arms against his chest. He looked like he was trying to be tough, but I could tell he was no more than ten years old. "I want a big meal. With meat and vegetables and dessert."

"Done," I said, "but don't steal."

His eyes became solemn. "I'm not a thief, honest. My mother and father taught me to be good. I'm just so hungry. I don't usually steal."

"I believe you."

"The wyverns--they--they took away my parents," he sniffed. "I don't know what to do without 'em. I learned how to hurt those horrible lizards. I use the fire 'cause their blood burns real good."

"Yes, that was very smart of you," I said.

A half smile reached his face. "Ye think so?"

I nodded. "Sure."

That smile grew wider. "Your not so bad. I'm glad I saved you. I thought humans were supposed to be evil, 'cause they trapped us here with the wyverns and all."

"I'm glad you saved me, too," I said.

He wiped his nose with the green sleeve of his tunic and smiled, all the way.

"I'm Evelin."

"You already said that, yesterday."

"Oh. You have a good memory, Jax."

"I'm good at a lot of things," he said seriously. He pointed to the brown belt across his waist. "I taught myself how to use a dagger and a sling."

"Do you think you could teach me?" I asked.

A full grin lit of his face. "Oh, sure. Then you won't need my help next time a wyvern attacks."

"Deal," I said. "I'll meet you right outside the entrance to the Elves' Town with your food at noon. You bring the dagger lessons."

"And sling lessons, too," he reminded me.

"Of course. You can't forget about that," I said. "I'll see you at noon."

"Noon," he repeated. "Yes, ma'am." He ran off, probably to go prepare a lesson for me.

I smiled. What a good kid. Too bad he had to live under such conditions. I looked down at my sketch of my surroundings. The elves pretended like their town was some sort of utopia, and it had seemed like that before. But now I knew better. They needed help, just like the rest of Havane.

And I was going to help them. Even if I had to survive ten more wyvern attacks.

Little did I know that I'd have to face something much, much worse.

____________________