Night Enchanted

“I know you are not pleased about this, but you will soon see you may come to love Sir Jensen.”

My father and I were back at home. I had just finished cooking dinner. I could only nod. For some reason, I was too afraid to tell my father what Theodore was really like. My father put a hand on mine.

“What else truly ails you?” he whispered.

“Nothing,” I said quickly.

“You haven’t eaten a thing on your plate.”

“I’m not very hungry. I think I will go to bed early.” I picked my plate up and took it out to the chickens. When I went back in, I kissed his cheek. “Good night, papa.”

“Good night, cel mic{little one},” he said and I slipped into bed.

Again, I waited until he was fast asleep before sneaking out of the house. I had forgotten to change into his clothes, though, but it didn’t matter. It was an old nightgown I was wearing anyway.

It didn’t take me long to find the tree where I had met Elwin the previous night. I waited anxiously, wondering if he would truly come. It was getting cold and I wrapped my arms around my waist. I was about to leave when I heard soft footsteps to my right.

Elwin was creeping among the grass, constantly looking over his shoulder. When he reached me, he looked one last time then let out a sigh of relief.

“I wasn’t followed,” he said more to himself than to me.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” I said and he smiled at me.

“Why would I not?” I could only shrug. “Why do you look so sad?” he asked suddenly and I bit my lip.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I breathed. “Just tired from working all day.”

He frowned and took my right hand gently. He ran his finger of the bruise left behind from Theodore’s rough grasp.

“This was made from a man,” he mumbled and I avoided his eyes. “Does your father abuse you?”

“No!” I said quickly. “Goodness, no. We are all we have left.”

“Then who?”

I shook my head and sat down on the floor, tucking my nightgown around me.

“It worries not, Sir Elwin. Please, sit with me. I have so many questions for you!”

He smiled and sat as well, crossing his legs. “As do I for you,” he said. “But you go first.”

“Is it true you live under the ground?”

He chuckled. “Not at all,” he said. “We live high in the trees.”

“Where?”

His smile faltered. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.”

“Oh,” I said, disappointed.

“My turn: If you are not giants, how tall can you get?”

I pondered the question. “I don’t really know, to be honest. The tallest person I have seen was maybe seven feet tall.” His eyes widened. “Okay, now me. Did your king really wage war on our kind?”

At this, he sighed sadly. “Yes, I’m afraid that is true. Princess Linata was perfectly within her right to banish us like she did.”

“So that’s her name! No one could remember her name. I thought it was just my father saying she was a princess to humor me.”

He smiled. “Do humans really live from the earth?”

“What do you mean?”

“I read a book that you cut trees down to build your homes,” he said with a wrinkled nose.

“I’m afraid that’s true,” I said and he looked at me in horror. “We’ve had to learn to build sturdy homes. If not, they could be swept away by floods or heavy winds. Although, I heard a rumor that, in the north, they’ve created something called a brick. It’s said that it is ten times as strong as the thickest tree.”

“It saddens me to know you cut trees,” he admitted.

“Do you still have a king and queen?”

“Yes, we do. They are very just rulers.” He thought for a second, tapping his chin. “How do you make your clothing?”

“From cloth or wool mostly,” I answered. “Sometimes people use silk but that’s only for the rich.” I hesitated, staring at the forest floor. “Do you have parents?”

“Of course; it is how we are born. Do humans reproduce like elves?”

I giggled. “That depends on how you reproduce.”

He blushed. “Well… it’s mostly… when the male and female are attracted….”

“Oh!” I gasped. “You have the same anatomy! That’s fascinating!”

He laughed a little. “So? Do you?”

“Yes, yes we do.” He nodded and I picked at some dirt on my nightgown. “Do you have marriages in your culture?”

“In a way,” he answered slowly. “The goddesses chose our mates for us when we were born.”

“Have you found your mate?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I have not. That counts as two questions,” he added and I chuckled. “What is your way of bonding?”

“We marry. When a man and woman share special feelings, we make vows. Sometimes, though, it is hard to find that person. When that happens, things must be forced to happen.”

“That sounds awful,” he frowned. “To be bonded with someone you do not love….” We lapsed into silence. “Have you found your mate?”

I shook my head. “He has been chosen for me,” I said bitterly.

“Is he the one who hurt you?”

“It’s my turn,” I said and he nodded. “How old are you?”

He laughed. “I was waiting for that question. Personally, I am 89. We can live up to 300 years old, though. That is when our first king died and so the goddesses cursed us with a limited life. How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” I answered. “I must seem like a child to you!”

We laughed. “Not quite. Now answer my question: is he the one who hurt you?”

I sighed heavily and nodded. He leaned back in shock.

“Elwin, I don’t know how things are like where you are, but when something like this happens….” I tried to think of a way to word it. “I am presented with two options: Speak up and risk putting my father and I in danger, or remain silent and make sure everyone remains happy.”

“You have chosen the latter, haven’t you?”

I picked a blade of grass and began tearing it. “I don’t think he’ll do it again. It was my fault. I angered him.”

“He hurt you yet you were still going to marry him?”

I sighed again and stood up. “I must go. If my father wakes and I’m not there, he will be most angry.”

Elwin stood as well. “Shall we meet here again tomorrow night?”

I took a deep breath and smiled.

“Yes.”

We parted ways, neither of us realizing how much danger we were putting ourselves in.