Chapter the Fourteenth

Dai had heard that the new girl was awake. He had not been allowed to see her, though he didn’t understand why. He was thirteen now, he was completely responsible! “Maybe I can see her now,” thought Dai.
Ello, Dai’s sister, danced fluidly into the dining room. “Can I meet her now?” Dai asked impatiently. Ello laughed. “Patience, young one. You will meet her when the time is right,” she said. Her voice was light and airy, with a slight feeling of mysteriousness. Dai rolled his eyes and shrugged it off, resting his elbows on the table. Ello always did that after she had one of her “visions.”
Mabon entered the room from the deck door, letting sunlight flow into the room. “How is she doing?” he asked, worry in his eyes. “Calm yourself, Mabon,” Ello said, smiling. “She is awake and a little scared, but health wise she is doing great.”
Mabon sighed with relief.
“Why is she scared? And why is she always ‘the girl’ or ‘she’? Does she have a name?” Dai blurted, only asking a small percentage of his questions. Ello smiled airily. “She claims her name is Allae, she is scared because she hardly knows where she is, and no one ever says her name because no one ever thinks about it,” she told him.
Dai sighed with satisfaction and leaned back against his wooden chair. He was content with that for now.

“Oh! I’m not supposed to be here, I’m NOT supposed to be here!” Iraella said as she paced back and forth across the well swept bamboo floors. “Oh my goodness!”
She brought her fingertips to her temples and stopped to rub them. No headaches were allowed. “Calm down Iraella, you’ll get to that forest. You’ll get to Baeddan,” she thought. She plopped onto the white bedding and laid there for a few moments, trying to ward off her headache.
Then Mabon entered the room. Iraella shot up, her eyes wide. Mabon smiled. “So you’re feeling better!” he said. Iraella nodded, staring at him. He looked very different from how she had seen him in Neygren. He had been clothed in tattered grey rags, but now he had blue jeans and a silky blue and white shirt on, as well as a sky blue hat with a golden thread popping out at the top.
While Iraella studied Mabon, there was an awkward silence. Finally, Mabon cleared his throat and brought his hand up to his mouth, just to break the silence. “Um, your name is Allae, correct?” he asked uncertainly.
“Yes. And yours is Mabon?” she answered. Mabon nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “Good, well….I-um…..I’ll be going. Mumma and my brother should be a-coming t’ see you soon. I am glad you’re doing well,” Mabon said, leaving the room.
“Okay,” Iraella said, officially deciding that this would be an awkward stay.