Chapter the Fifteenth

“Ugh,” thought Mabon as he left the room.
How would he be able to live with this girl? Despite being quite fond of her himself, she seemed to despise him. Was it the way he dressed? Was it his accent? Was it his mannerisms? Mabon sighed. He did save her life though. Maybe she would come around.
When he turned the corner into the main room, Ello was there, smiling at him with that look. The look after she saw a fate. See, everyone on Bellord had some sort of Talent. Ello’s Talent was having visions, seeing fates. Mabon didn’t like her Talent very much, but sometimes it could be useful.
Ello smiled at him, but it was mischievous. Mabon sighed again and threw his head back. “Wha’ tis it now, sister?” he asked exasperatedly. Ello giggled and skipped around him, with such grace to where her feet didn’t seem to touch the ground.
“Nothing, my dear brother. Wha’ could be wrong?” she said innocently, stopping right in front of Mabon and looking at him, her blue eyes peering up at him.
“Ello…..” Mabon said dangerously. Ello smirked and went back to dancing all around.
“Well, I might as well tell you……Although this particular fate is all up t’ your decisions,” she said.
“Hmmm…..I’m interested,” Mabon said, stroking his chin as if willing a beard to grow. Ello stopped in front of him again, still smiling.
“The girl, Allae, which isn’t actually her real name, by the way,” Ello began, “Your destinies may be intertwined.”
“What do you mean by that?”
A teasing gleam danced around in his sister’s eye. “Oh, I suppose you’ll find out,” she said, flinging her hand towards Mabon as if flicking water off. She turned to go. “Ello! Please tell me,” Mabon said, now anxious to know what she meant.
Ello turned to face him again. She rolled her eyes, smirking. “You might be able t’ help her on her quest,” she said finally. Mabon’s brow furrowed. “Quest?” he asked. Ello nodded.
“Simple word, brother,” she said. Her brow furrowed and her lips pursed. That was what happened when she had a vision.
Ello smiled airily.
“Ooooo…..Tha’ tis another interesting detail,” she said. She winked at Mabon, who was about to ask what in the world she was talking about, then turned away and pranced off through the french doors.
Mabon shook his head. “Bizarre girl,” he mumbled.

Iraella was lying on the bed, partially because she was still exhausted, partially because she was thinking intensely.
How could she get to the forest without a map? She didn’t know how far away Bellord was from the forest! Iraella growled. This wasn’t going to work very well. She kicked off her blankets, and then realized that it could be much worse for her.
She could be dead.
A pang of guilt hit her. “I suppose it was probably Mabon,” she thought. Who else would save her from drowning? Iraella sat up and tucked her hair behind her ears, sighing.
Then there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Iraella called automatically. Slowly, the door opened.
The older woman from the picture poked her head through, smiling. Her blue eyes sparkled warmly and her smile was kind.
“Hello, Allae, I am Luinna. Mabon’s mumma,” she said. She spoke with a thick Bellordian accent, as if she had just learned English. But all the same, her voice was soothing. It was like having Silera with her again.
Iraella smiled at her. “Hello, ma’am,” she said politely. Then a boy’s head popped through the door.
“And I’m Dai,” he said, waving. “Hello.” Iraella nodded politely in his direction, but was otherwise uninterested. Dai frowned, but Iraella took no notice.
Luinna and Dai came all the way in. Luinna carried a grocery basket, much more intricately weaved than the ones on Iraella’s homeland. Luinna’s face took on a more serious look. “Allae, ye look distressed,” she said. Iraella nodded, agreeing. She felt trusting to this woman, as if she could tell her anything. Luinna scooted in a stool next to her bed and pressed a slightly wrinkled hand up to Iraella’s forehead. “Ye don’t feel cold anymore,” she announced.
“Cold?” Iraella asked. Luinna nodded.
“Ye almost drowned, dear. Ye were below the normal temperature for three days, as well as unconscious,” she said, her brow furrowed with concern. Iraella nodded again, frowning.
Then Luinna went to tracing the lines on Iraella’s face. Normally Iraella would have squirmed, but Luinna’s hands were soft and light. She closed her eyes.
Luinna removed her fingers and set them in her lap, and Iraella opened her eyes. “Ye are stressed, Allae. Distress leads to sickness. Sickness sometimes leads to death,” she said. Luinna leaned in closer to Iraella’s face. “I can heal almost anyone, dear. But I’ve seen awful things. Ye must have assistance to complete whatever deed ye must do,” Luinna said, her voice barely a whisper. She leaned back again.
“Dai, I must ask Allae some questions. Do ye mind a-goin’ to the main room for a while?” Luinna requested. Dai sighed and started to protest, then changed his mind.
“As you wish, Mumma,” he said reluctantly, slowly making his way to the door.
Once they were sure Dai was gone from the hall, Luinna began her interrogation.
“Now, Iraella,” she began, but Iraella gasped before she could continue. “How do you know my name?” she whispered.
Luinna smiled. “There are many things that the other countries don’t know about Bellord. One o’ them is that everyone has a Talent. Ello’s Talent is seeing the future and seeing fates. She knew about two minutes after meeting ye that yer real name is Iraella. Mine is healing, Mabon’s is water taming, and Dai hasn’t gotten his yet,” Luinna explained.
Iraella’s jaw dropped. “That is so amazing!” she cried. Luinna chuckled.
“So now that we know each other a little better, how about you tell me all about your quest,” she said.
Iraella hesitated for a moment. Should she really give away everything about her quest? “It might be my only chance to get to the forest,” she decided. So she explained all.
Iraella could tell that Luinna was paying close attention to her tale, with many gasps and sympathetic looks, as well as ohs and ahs. When she finished, she was close to tears. Iraella hung her head.
Luinna put gentle fingertips to her chin and lifted her head. “M’ dear, Baeddan sounds like a strong young man. Once ye find him, bring him to me. I shall try to heal him the best I can,” she said. Her voice was calming.
“Once ye find him.” Iraella found those words the most comforting. “Once ye find him.” Iraella stopped letting the tears fall.
“Once I find him.”