• The next day Jacie or now Anira, got up and went into the kitchen. She thought she smelled bacon, egg’s mushrooms and onions all in a frying pan. She was right.
    “Good morning sleeping beauty. How did you sleep?” Asked Rhoslyn, as if she already knew. Any one would have to get enough sleep in that bed even if they did not want to.
    “Good morning, and yes, I did get enough sleep. That bed was so comfortable!” Anira said as she helped herself to a big plate of food. She took a piece of the homemade bread that Rhoslyn had been cutting up, and buttered it heavily. The butter melted as soon as it touched the bread because, the bread had just gotten out of the open fire.
    “The Lord and Lady want to see you as soon as you are done eating. Lord Locien is coming over in about thirty minutes to escort you to them. “Finnish up eating and then go bathe. Hurry now the prince will be here soon.”
    “How do you know?”
    “I just know. Hurry now! There is a little pool of water out back. That’s where you will bathe from now on. There is a bar of soap on a tree stump and some liquid soap for you hair. You will have to war the clothes you wore yesterday until you get fitted for new elvin clothes.” After she said this Rhoslyn went back to her cooking, so Anira decided she was done talking to her.
    Anira went out back and got undressed and stepped into the water. She was expecting it to be cold but it was just the right temperature. She washed herself all over and washed her hair. The soap smelled wonderful. The sent was some kind of strange flower she thought.
    When she was finished she stepped out of the pool. It was then that she noticed there was no towel. But she didn’t need a towel. She was already dry. It was just like the waterfall on the way over here. She put on her old clothes was she pondered about this. She decided to go bare foot; the ground was so soft and mossy.
    When Anira went into the house she saw Locien. He was sitting at the table eating a slice of bread with butter and blueberry jam, all homemade.
    “Hello Lord Locien. How are you feeling this grand day?”
    “Very well Jacie, how about you?”
    “I am doing exceptional. I found an elvish name, Anira. It means desired.”
    “It’s a good name for you,” Locien said. Anira was just about to ask him what he meant when he said, “we better go to my parents.”
    He got up from the table, thanked Rhoslyn for the bread, walked to the door, opened it and held it open for Anira. She got the bouquet that she picked yesterday from a vase it was put in and tied her hair ribbon on it again. She stepped through the door out into the open. The sunlight hit her with a bang.
    “Lord Locien, do you live in the palace?”
    “No, I don’t. It would be a pleasure if you would cal me Locien. I despise it when people call me “Lord.” It gets so bothersome at times.”
    They passed by a beautiful waterfall, which thundered and was so misty that Anira wanted to jump right in.
    “Alright then, Locien,” Anira said while she giggled. It felt good saying his name like they had known each other for a long time.
    They were silent the rest of the way to Nibencarden. When they got to the outskirts of the city Locien said, “Only call me Locien outside of the city, here in Nibencarden you must call me Lord Locien.”
    “All right, Lord Locien,” Anira said. She was puzzled. Then it hit her. She was not royal, she did not have a title, she was just a regular person.
    I wonder if he is even allowed to have friends, she thought, that would be horrible to not be able to have friends. She didn’t have that many when she lived with her parents. Only Missy, her “next door neibor.” Missy lived a mile and a half away, so they did not get to play often. Only on Sundays when they met for church. Missy had disappeared though about a month ago in Forest. No trace of her was ever found. Anira missed her and thought of her everyday.
    They climbed up the same stairs she had climbed the day before, but when they reached the top they took a different turn.
    Anira found herself walking into a huge room inside one of the trees. All around her there was shelves, racks, yards of fabric, and a tremendous amount of thread. The fabric came in all different colors and patterns. They were all so pretty.
    While she was noticing all of this a graceful elf (who was also very beautiful just like every other elf she had seen) came over with beautiful clothes on and had fitting materials around her neck and waist.
    Her clothes were a beautiful periwinkle with light green and gold leaves dotted all over. White baby’s breath also sprinkled through out her dress and real baby’s breath was in her hair. Her hair was a beautiful golden yellow. It fell down in cascades of curls all over her shoulders and back. Her eyes were the same color as her dress. Anira had never seen such eyes.
    The beautiful elf said, “Hello, my name is Daerwen. I am to fit you for your new elvin clothes. Looks like you could use them now,” she said looking at Anira’s old patchy dress.
    Daerwen worked quickly and was soon done. She wrote down some things in a big book, then measured Anira again just to be sure her measurement numbers matched..
    “Would you like to pick out some colors and designs? “ Anira looked up at Daerwen while she spoke. “You can mix and match if you would like. If you see a color on one piece of fabric and a design to your liking on another, then you may tell me and we can have those put together. Hurry now and pick some out!”
    Anira went to work looking feeling and admiring all the choices. There was so many, how she could ever choose! At last she decided on hunter green velvet with gold embroidered swirls in it and deep purple velvet with little, dark, red roses sewn on and a bunch of other fabrics.
    Locien had stayed through the entire process; he had even helped pick out some of the fabric. Anira did not know why he had stayed, and could not imagine how he was not bored. She knew he was not bored because of the way he looked and of the way he was looking at her. She thought she saw a touch of admiration in his lonely, but intriguing eyes.
    “Would you like to take a walk with me in the woods Anira?” Locien asked as if he was pleading but yet he wasn’t. Anira was very confused now. She thought that Locien had hated her or at least didn’t care for her very much. He was only being nice to her because he was a prince and princes should be nice to everyone. Now he was asking her if she wanted to take a walk with him. She didn’t know how to respond.
    “If my lord doesn’t mind.”
    “I wouldn’t have asked you if I did now would I.”
    Locien offered his arm out to Anira, and she took it. They walked out the front door together and down the stairs. Anira thought that they were going to go to her new home, but Locien led them in the opposite direction. She saw that it was the same way they had come the day before. She never dreamed that she would ever be asked to go on a walk with someone as handsome as Locien.
    Anira and Locien walked through the forest and she found out that it had a name besides Forest. The name was Lairelithoniel. She thought that it was a beautiful name. They also talked about her life growing up with her real mortal parents. They talked all afternoon. Just then it hit her.
    “Locien, where were your parents while I was getting fitted for my new dresses? I thought they were supposed to be there. I brought this bouquet of flowers for your mother.”
    “They had to go hunting.”
    “Your mom too?” Anira was surprised. She could not see the queen hunting and killing something as stunning as a deer.
    “Of course! She is a great archer. We have been feasting on deer and other animals all year and now we are starting to stock up for the winter. Even though it is a while away we want to be prepared.”
    So that’s where all the deer have gone! She remembered thinking about this very subject a few days ago. I knew someone was killing the deer.
    When they finally got to the doorstep of Anira’s house, the sun was setting and it was suppertime.
    “Thank you for the walk and the talk,” Anira whispered.
    “No thank you for the privilege of walking with me,” Locien whisper back to her as he put his hand on her face and looked in to her eyes. He held her gaze for a while then turned and walked away without saying a word.
    Anira stood there watching him leave. When he finally disappeared into the mist and darkness she turned and walked through the front door. She found a note on the counter saying she had to go assist the other flower arrangers prepare a flowery room for the tired queen. Oh to be a queen, to not have a care in the world, the note said. Right now Anira felt like she didn’t have a care in the world either. She felt like she could stretch out her arms and fly up to the clouds and soar with the eagles and the angels.
    She went into her room and began to write on a piece of paper. She wrote what ever came to her heart. It was mostly about Locien and his mysterious alluring eyes.
    I wish Missy were here. I could tell her everything. I don’t dare tell anyone here my secrete. I could never tell anyone I am falling in love with the prince of the elves.
    Sunlight streamed through Anira’s bedroom window. It seemed to be shouting come out it is a beautiful day! Come out and play!
    She shook herself and found that she had fallen asleep on her writing desk. But something was different. She saw an emerald green book lying on her desk with a symbol of a crystal on it with curves and swirls all around it. She opened it and saw that the pages were blank. She also saw a note on the opening page. It read:
    Anira,
    I hope you enjoy writing in this book. It will be better than filling up page after page of paper that you have nowhere to keep. Write your deepest secrets in this book and use it wisely. I know you will.
    Locien
    She held the book tight to her chest and breathed in the wonderful fragrance of paper. How sweet it had been of Locien to give her that book. How did he know she needed one. She decided it was time to put her book to use.
    Has he been spying on me? And if he had, why? Yes I’m the new girl and I am mortal, but there is nothing else special about me. She didn’t want to stop writing but some one had knocked at the door.
    Anira got up and walked to the front door, but before she got there she saw that it was Locien, and then she saw herself in the mirror! She looked like a zombie! She quick licked her fingers and tried to push down the little stray hairs and wipe the sleepiness out of her eyes. Then she opened the door.
    “Good morning Anira! I have someone who would like to see you.”
    “Missy!” Anira yelled as she ran to greet her best friend. “I thought you were dead! I missed you so much! Wait, so you’re ok?”
    “Of course,” Missy said.
    “Ok then,” Anira said, then she smacked Missy right on the cheek! “How dare you run off like that? We were worried sick! Do you have any idea how…”
    “Oh, do be quiet and listen to me for a minute,” Missy said angrily. “I wanted to tell you but how could I? I didn’t have anyway of communicating with you!”
    “You could have left a note.”
    “I couldn’t risk getting caught.”
    “That’s true I guess. Well, I guess you should tell me how you got here. Did Locien, I mean Lord Locien come and get you?”
    “No he didn’t, my fiancée did. Oh and by the way, I’m engaged, in case you care.”
    “Really! Oh Missy that’s wonderful! I was so angry with you a moment ago, but now… oh I’m so happy for you! What’s his name? What does he look like? Is he an elf also? Tell me everything! When is the wedding?” Anira asked.
    “Slow down sweetie! I will tell you everything but all in good time. Should we have breakfast first?”
    “Oh, of course!” Anira said. “Let’s go into the cottage and we will ask Rhoslyn, my new mother, to make us something.”
    They walked in to the house and Anira said “just sit down on the couch. Rhoslyn must have gone somewhere. I will get us something to…”
    “No Anira,” Locien interrupted, “you sit down, I will make s something to eat.”
    “You know how to cook?”
    “Yes in fact. I’m not totally helpless Anira. I took a few cooking classes from the chef at the palace and from my Grandma.” Locien said as he pulled her to the couch were Missy sat waiting for someone to talk to.
    “Fine, you win. Just snoop around the cupboards and find things. Then tell me where everything is, I still don’t know everything about this house.” Anira took a breathe and said “Alright, Missy now tell me about your fiancée!”
    “Ummm… let’s see. He is tall and handsome. He is of course an elf. His name is…”
    “Anira, did you see this note?” Locien said interrupting Missy’s sentence.
    “No I didn’t, could you bring it here please? I’m comfortable.”
    “Here it is.”
    “Thank you Locien.” Anira looked to see what the note said.
    Anira,
    I needed to go to work. You need to get your crystal today. I’m sure Locien will take you. If the cant wait until I get home. Have a fun day!
    Rhoslyn
    “Looks like you get to take me to the mines today to get my crystal Locien! Aren’t you lucky?”
    “Yes I am Anira.”
    “Ok. Should we go now?” Anira was feeling a little flattered. He had answered her with such sincerity and like he really did feel lucky or honored to take her.
    “I guess that depends on Missy.”
    “Ohhhh! Missy! I’m sorry I forgot about you! Finnish your story, I can get my crystal later.”
    “No Anira,” Missy said, “you go ahead. I will come back some other day.”
    “Thanks Missy. I will even cook us a big meal.”
    Missy made a face. “No that’s ok Anira. I remember the last meal you made. I had a stomach ache for a week.”
    Anira made a face a Missy and turned to Locien and said, “Alright, I’m ready to go Locien.”
    They walked out the front door together. Well, Locien opened the door and stepped out and held the door for Anira. She thought it was sweet and sort of batted her eyelashes at him in a playful kind of way.
    “Which way is it,” Anira asked.
    “Right.”
    “Alright,” Anira took off running right and looked back. Locien was right behind her. When they had been running for a while he tackled Anira and they rolled in the grass. He landed on top of her. He looked at her for a minute, out of breath. She looked back at him.
    “Get off of me you silly boy!” Anira squealed, as she pushed him off.
    Locien got up and held out his hand for her to grab on to. She took it gingerly and he pulled her up. He held her close for a little bit and look like was going to kiss her. Anira closed her eyes, pressed her lips together and waited for his lips to lock with hers.
    Locien cleared his throat and said, “Well better get going.”
    Anira opened her eyes and watched him walk on and rolled her eyes and ran to join him. They walked in silence for a while until they got to the mines. Anira kept thinking, “Does he really like me or is he just playing?” She wasn’t sure. She hoped he liked her.