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dragon, he had to have him too. By the time he was done, the dragon, unicorn and I were in a wagon for the lump sum of one hundred silver pieces." Bryn leaned back in the chair and trembled slightly.
    "I was just a child, and in my youth he let me play in the garden with the other creatures that were like me. I cleaned the floors, brought him dinner and he treated me like a pet. He almost cherished me and insisted that I learn the finer things in life such as table manners and dancing." Bryn's voice trailed off to a numb whisper, and she folded her arms over her stomach. Afraid of what Mariah's gaze would reveal, she looked away. The memories had felt good to tell. Mariah was the first human she had ever told, and she hoped that she could be trusted with her secrets. Bryn's mind drifted to her friends, the dragon and the unicorn. They had been her closest allies through it all. Especially the dragon; he had become her best friend. Her fingertips remembered every curve of his body down to the last silver scale. She resisted the urge to cry as the memories overcame her.
    "Since you have told me something of yourself, it is only fair I do the same for you," Mariah said. "I am a traveler. I was born in a faraway land called Larencia to noble parents. The sword which you see at my hip was made for me by the Elven kin who have since taught me their craft. The stone in the guard is called argincite, a gem found only in the city of Strytas. During my travels there, I had obtained a close relationship with a kind family who eventually gave me this stone. I decided to make my home within this gentle forest, and here many creatures have had the grace to befriend me.
    "The elves which you may have seen were once but a small family who had been separated from their kin when humans decided they liked the land their homes were on. Though the human world would consider this forest my property, I prefer to think of it as simply sharing the land with the elves. They are a fairly withdrawn and quiet people and, sadly, I do not know as much of them as I wish. That is why I try to read what lore there is concerning their people. I hope you can think of this place as your home as well, Bryn, for as long as you wish to stay here." Mariah smiled at Bryn and dipped the last of her bread into the soup while watching Bryn's eyes intently.
    Mariah's words had eased her pain, and Bryn smiled softly to her. Never had any human been so open with her. She wondered if all humans lived as Mariah did and decided that she should learn more about them. At the mention of the elves, her ears perked up, and she remembered the bag.
    "Please excuse me for one moment." She leapt to her feet and quickly disappeared into the bedroom. After some rustling, Bryn emerged with a small package wrapped in a fine blue cloth. She handed it to Mariah and sat down gracefully. She had never given a human a present, and so she wondered if it would be okay. Bryn ran her fingers through her hair and undid the loose string holding it together. Her curls cascaded down her shoulders, and she sighed as they bounced against her skin.
    Mariah removed the blue covering to reveal two books, one with a faded red cover and the other with a green one. The title of the red book, Le Morte Del Evannia , was written in delicate silver script. The other book looked as if it had been made of the green of the forest itself and was titled El Damine Erectus . Mariah cradled the books softly in her hands. "Ah, you must have paid a visit to Carl. He is a very nice fellow, but a bit strange at times. I have been waiting a long time for these books. The red one tells of the death of a dark emperor at the hands of the elves. The green book speaks of the origin of the Elvish people." Mariah thanked Bryn for the present and placed the books upon the edge of the table.
    Bryn nodded and smiled happily. "Who was the woman in the blue dress that was watching you?" she said as she looked into the glowing flame of a