Hi Folks, welcome back! I hope you are all staying safe and making the best of the twists and turns the world is throwing at us. I’m glad you came by here briefly to hear the story about my time in Huphaea. I’m happy to help bring a little smile to your day 😊, I hope.

When we last left Elahna, she had just met a group of travelers in a forest, on the way to a town called Cragbend…

“Cragbend?”

“Sure, the town’s up ahead, that’s where we’re headed. You’re in the Venrood Forest, where did you think you were?”

“I have no idea. I’m not from here.” (Oh shit, probably shouldn’t have said that). “I mean, I just don’t know where I am.”

He was peering at me more closely now, no doubt noticing my strange clothing. “As you said. Well, hey— Raga! Hold a moment! We’ll take this one into town with us. She’s had a long go of it, by the looks.” One of the wagons slowed at his call and the driver turned in his seat. “I’m Fife, donjar of the Bluebird troupe you see here. We can at least get you to town, so you can start finding your folk.” He smiled and waved toward the stopped wagon. “Just hop up there aside Raga, he won’t bite, though Poet might! Ha ha!”

Fife’s easy jocularity put me at ease, and Raga was no different. I climbed up onto the driving seat, stuffing my bundle of long underwear and coat underneath.

Raga raised his left hand, palm out, and said “Elements be, well met. I’m Raga, as you know. Poet is in back there with her and my son Tango. Did someone leave you out here?” I noted the humor in Raga’s tone, perhaps this was a common occurrence.

“Hmmm, well now, I’m not sure what a ‘state’ is, but the country is Eflary. These are House Gaiist lands, and we are headed to Cragbend, the Seat of the Arborea scion. What’s your name, Fla?”

I didn’t know what ‘Fla’ was, but Fife made it sound nice, and not threatening.

“Elahna. Elahna Starr.” I made a last second decision to shorten my first name. If I was in a new place, why not have a new name? I had always wanted a nickname, and Elahna was easier to say. They all seemed to have short names, so it made sense in that moment. I didn’t regret the choice.

“Oh, Starr! Are you from Astros, Solarelle or Lunad lands, then?” Fife leaned forward a bit to look at the side of my head, at my ear, maybe? ”Or maybe Zenidd or Fairmoon is a better guess?”

That was when I noticed his ears formed a graceful point at the top. Woah! No way, an elf?

I know my eyes widened, though I tried to keep them steady.

He recoiled a bit, thinking I was offended, and held up his palm, “I’m sorry, Helican, then? Though Starr would certainly have one think Fairmoon, but you see all kinds.” He chuckled trying to recover. “Do you know what lands you hail from, at least?”

I took a quick look at Raga, and there too! Poking out from his wavy russet hair, his ears were pointed, though not as sharply as Fife’s. His eyes were an ochre brown and his face was finer in structure, but still smiling. He quirked the side of his mouth a bit more at me, and I turned away, embarrassed. This was getting crazy, now I was in the company of elves?

“It’s fine, Fla, you don’t need to tell us if you don’t want to. Do you have the coin to get yourself back home, though? The Zenidd lands are several days ride from here, at least.” Fife’s voice held some concern, while my angst continued to grow.

“No, I, –I only have my clothes and this bundle of heavier clothes. I, –what am I gonna do when we get to town? I fell through some kind of portal and ended up in a stone chamber back there in the woods. I tried to go back through, but nothing happened. So I have no way to pay for anything… and nowhere to go.” The words tumbled out in a flood and I noticed the din of conversation around us had died, most likely in response to the rising pitch of my voice. Reality settled around me like a cloak.

But still, was this real?

A firm, but gentle hand rested on my forearm. I turned and was met by a stunning, heart-shaped face framed by white-blonde hair. The intermittent lavender braids made her blue and green eyes stand out all the more. They were the same eyes as Fife’s.

“Don’t worry, Fla. You can stay among us for the night, and tomorrow we can figure out what to do. We have most of the day before we are due at Rosewood to perform in the evening.” She smiled, but I was entranced by her melodic voice. Poet. That was the only word for her.

“I’m Poet. Fife won’t leave you berift, will you, Donjar? You can see our show tonight at the Cleft Barrel. The food is excellent and it’s always a right show.” She squeezed my arm a bit, and the small, ruddy-cheeked boy in her lap clapped his hands and laughed. He had hair more coppery than Raga but with the same rounder face, finely pointed ears that almost curled back into themselves at the tips, and dark blue eyes marbled with amber instead. He grinned at me, never taking his eyes from my face. This child was NOT shy.

“Of course you will stay with us.” Fife’s deep voice broke my wordless exchange with Tango. “We have plenty of room, no one will know you aren’t part of the troupe. Well, except for those clothes… Let me see if some of the other girls have extras you can borrow ’til tomorrow. There’s more to you than Poet. Maybe we can find an Orderly as well, sort you out straight.” He touched his horse’s neck and they moved on ahead toward the other members of the troupe.

I sat a bit more upright. An Orderly? That didn’t sound so good to me, though he spoke as if it was nothing. “What’s an Orderly?”

But I didn’t get an answer.

God, yes! My mind WAS freaking out. But all of the troupe members were so unconcerned and jovial, I couldn’t help but relax also. It’s hard to be uptight when everyone around you is laughing and talking.

This is a great place to break for today, next time we will make it into Cragbend, and see if Elahna meets an Orderly… Thank you for stopping by, I will see you soon!

---

Don’t forget to leave a comment about the story so far, how would you feel being in a strange land?

Remember to subscribe to Collata, Eleanorah Starr’s newsletter about The Collection of Huphaea. You will get exclusive outtakes and info about the adventure, become a Nightingale!