Away with the Faeries

[Haze]

Prologue

I used to think that being different wasn't so bad. I thought it was a little fun – daring and provocative even . I could dance on the puddles and not get wet, but laugh as Charis and Timo, my friends, were splashed to their knees. I could walk through the forest and not make a sound, while Charis and Timo searched high and low for me. I could sing as saccharinely as the sweetest nightingale, and have birds rest on my shoulders, and in the summer the sun shone through my skin. Papa once said I was just a special child – that the graces had blessed me with beauty and elegance and a lilting voice.

Mam never said anything. She would only sigh softly, shaking her head too and fro like she did – Mam was never right in the head after she had me, Papa said. Though it wasn't my fault. Mam was convinced I was a changeling child. One of the wee folk. That they had stolen away her darling girl, named Daisy Darlene ... so she gave me a wee folk name. A name that isn't even a name – it's a number, spelt wrong. Eleveen. A changeling.

[Haze]

Chapter One: In which I start to shrink.

"Charis, is it just me, or d'you think Evy's shrunk?" Timo's most irritating voice grated against my nerves my feet scuffed across the concrete. Although, when I say scuffed, I actually mean nothing, since I barely make a sound when I move, but you get the point – I was tired and rather gnomishly grumpy. Strange. "Oh shut it Timo." I groaned, and collapsed into Charis' arms. "Charis m'love – would you be a darling and get that ingrate off me case?"
"God Eveleen!" Charis oomphed as I landed indelicately into her arms "Give me a bit o' warning, yeh? And Timo, leave Evy alone, canna ye see she's had a bad day?"

I simply adore Charis. She is my life saver. She's four inches shorter than me (I'm five seven), with the most beautiful rose complexion – dark hair, dark eyes... and then these damn rosebud lips that just beckon men to them. Those lips save me from a hell of a lot of shame most of the time – while men naturally gravitate towards me (a gift, sure), as soon as Charis opens her mouth, there they are like flies to honey. Charis is studying to be a bard with her Aunt Elena, one of the best in the country – and I have to admit – she's pretty good. Charis, I mean. Timo on the other hand, while my other best friend, is something of an anomaly. He's six four (so anyone less than an inch shorter than him is either short or shrinking), and apparently, a squire in King Alstead's army. Or so he tells us. He'll turn up at the stables where we meet everyday, shining with sweat, smelling like wet dog, bright red hair flying every-which-way, and tell us lovely stories about how he hit this target, and that target, and was the best target hitter in practice. It drives me nuts!

"Actually, Ev ..." Charis' voice broke through my blissful recount of my friends. "I fink you have shrunk, love... look... you're my height, yeah?" I pulled away, and look of scorn scrawled across my face. "Char – one canna shrink over the period of twenty four hours. And especially not a whole four - " I stopped with a gasp. I was looking Charis straight in the eye. "No way." I said slowly. Charis' eyes were brown, with tiny little flecks of gold in them – I hadn't noticed before. " Hah! Told ye, Eveleen. You shrunk! You shrunk!" Timo was doubled over laughing – I kicked him neatly in the shin. "Ouch! You shite! Savage little cur! Whaddya do that fer!?"
"You are laughing at her, Timo" Charis came to the rescue. But when I looked across at her from glaring at Timo, I could see her struggling to hold her giggles in too. "Oh," I said kicking her ankle lightly "Go on then." My permission granted, Charis and Timo crumpled to the dusty ground, arms about each other as they sniggered themselves into oblivion. They looked riotous, actually. Charis was moaning and holding her stomach like it was about to burst open, and Timo had tears leaving tracks in his dirt covered cheeks. I felt the familiar warmth spread into my belly, up my throat, tingling on my lips. I laughed. It was rather funny. I laughed until I too had tears running down my face, and was holding my stomach, groaning for the others to stop so that I could catch my breath.

Finally, the hilarity subsided. The three of us were sitting on the ground in a tangled heap of limbs, gaining us many a strange look from passers by. I laid a hand on the tops of Charis and Timo's head. "How the hell d'ye suppose I shrunk four inches over night, huh?" Neither of them replied with anything other than a shrug. Although I did see Charis and Timo glance at each other suspiciously. I knew what they were thinking. They were thinking of Daisy Darlene. "Oh, come on guys," I sighed, exasperated, "I'm no a changlin'! I'm a human being, the same as you."
"We dinna say nothing!" Charis exclaimed, glancing up at me, "Though, you have to admit, Eveleen, it is pretty strange."
"Yeah, Evy. How many people d'ye know that have shrunk like that? The only one I know is Old Widow Haggerty, up on Foxmogul Hill." Timo glanced between Charis and me. "We could always go and see her." I suppressed a shudder. "D'ye think it'll help, Ti? Char?"
"I dinna see as it might hurt, Evy." Charis replied, and the decision was made. Tomorrow morning before our training, we'd go to see the Widow.

The sun was only just starting to rise as the three of us headed up to see Widow Haggerty. Timo looked as if he was still asleep, so I took the chance to rib him a bit. "Timo," I said, trying to keep my face dead serious, "If you were called up to keep Dargavas safe from infidels, it'd be noon a 'fore you could pick up your sword!"
"Rubbish." He muttered back "It'd be evenin'" We grinned inanely together and continued around the base of the hill to where the cottage track was. "Now, tell me some more about the old widow?" I asked. I wasn't altogether familiar with Dargavas gossip or stories, not like Timo or Charis. Definitely not like Charis. The main reason was Papa, who warned that most of the gossip I'd hear as a child would be about me.

"Well," Charis started, "The people say that Tara Haggerty was a Halfling child – part Faerie and part Human. Apparently, the wee folk thought her mam, old Granny Haggerty, was so beautiful that they wanted her to have a Halfling babe, so that they could have a hold not only on their world, but on ours too."
"And," Timo put in, "so Tara was born, but not as lovely as the wee folk had hoped. They're verra vain y'ken. The Fae let her be in the end." Timo paused, and looked over at me. The sudden change in his face made me rather nervous. "What is it, Timo? What's wrong?"
"Just ... stand still will ye?" Ti instructed. "Charis, stand next to Evy." Charis did. To my absolute horror, I was looking up at her. "Ooooh..." I groaned.
"Eveleen, dinna worry." Charis claimed, her arms coming around my shoulders. I was now approximately five feet tall. "I'm shrinking!" I wailed, lifting my hands to my face. The sun was beginning to rise more defiantly now, and lighted by hands till they shone translucently. Timo looked stricken, but pointed up the hill. "Lets go." His gaze was unlike anything I'd seen from him before – tender, worried, determined.

We started our ascent again but before I knew what was going on, I was being flung over Timo's shoulders. " Timo!" I screeched, arms and legs flailing "Put me down! Put me down you... you.... ! Argh!"
"My god, Eveleen – what have you been eating?" Came the reply. I could feel my mouth drop open and my eyes grow dangerously wide. Charis' expression mirrored mine. "Timo! That was so rude! Put me down right now or I'll scrape yer back raw!"
"No, I wasn't being rude, Evy. I promise. Just... ye're as light as a feather!" I choked on my laughter, "Light as a feather? Ti, stop being a toad and put me down."
"I'm no being a toad, Eveleen. Here, Charis." He dumped my unceremoniously into Charis' waiting arms. "My god! You're right, Timo!"
"I ken I'm right Char."
"Could we please just drop the subject of my weight, and get up to the Haggerty cottage, please!?" I interjected, springing lightly out of Charis' grasp. I stormed off up ahead of the others, arms crossed against my chest with determination set.

"Come on Eveleen Eloisa Temple" came a clear voice ... from nowhere. "I don't have all day t' wait for ye t' get here." I glanced around frowning. Where had the voice come from? A movement up ahead caught my eye. The cottage. I looked behind me – Timo and Charis were still struggling halfway up the hill. How the hell had I got up so fast. I shook my head, bewildered. "Hurry up, Eveleen." Came the voice again and I looked to the cottage. Old Tara Haggerty was standing at the door. Old Tara Haggerty was beckoning.

[Haze]

Chapter Two: Tara tells a tale

To look at, Tara wasn't that bad. For a widow that is. Although I had never seen a widow before, I'd always imagined them to be bent over and gnarled. But Tara was, actually, quite beautiful. I guessed she was in her late fifties. Her hair was a stunning silver, not grey, and the only wrinkles on her face were smile lines around her opalescent blue eyes. She was kind of curvy – like someone had made her out of cookie dough – and already I could smell fresh baked bread in and on her clothes and hands. It actually made me feel a little better. She wasn't some scary old crone. But, Papa had taught me never to judge a crone – book – by its cover, and so I approached cautiously. " Mrs. Haggerty?" I asked, feeling my voice waver in dissipating confidence. What was keeping Char and Timo? I needed my compatriots to make it through this ordeal. "Aye, but call me Tara," the widow replied, extending a hand out to me. "Come inside, Eveleen. We have a few things we need to discuss."

I still wasn't sure. "Perhaps I should wait fer Charis and Timo?" I suggested, glancing behind me yet again. "Oh, they'll be a while." Tara replied. Bewildered, I asked her "What do you think is keeping them?"
"Oh, I slowed them down a bit."
"You what!?"
"I slowed them down." Tara motioned over the hill to where Charis and Timo were walking. She had slowed them down. Literally. They moved at the speed of snails, legs seemingly suspended in air, like flamingos perched on one foot for hours on end. My mouth dropped open in shock. "Yer no kidding! Ye actually slowed them down..." I was flabbergasted. Tara simply shrugged, took my elbow and led me inside while I still gaped over my shoulder.

Sitting down finally, I began to gather my wandering thoughts, but Tara beat me to it. "Ye wanted to ask me about shrinkin' didn't ye?" She asked, a silvery eyebrow lifted in impatience. "Listen child, I dinna have time for dallying, so best get it out with, aye?"
"Aye..." I replied slowly. How on earth did she know!? "I ... have shrunk a whole seven inches in less than forty-eight hours. I dinna ken what's going on, except for the most ridiculous notion from when I were born." Tara leaned forward with her elbows rested on her knees. "Mmmm," she said most disconcertingly, and nodded her head. "The tale about being a changeling child, aye?"
"That's right." I leaned forward too. Did Tara know something? She certainly looked like she did. Her eyes were all alight with interest and a hidden secret. "So, can ye help me?" I asked, blinking conspicuously.

"Go and have a look at yerself in the mirror, Eveleen." Was her reply. A thin and dainty finger pointed towards the looking glass high up on the wall. "Uhm.... Tara ..."
"Look at it, Eveleen." An imperative order. I swallowed hard. "Could ye, perhaps, if its no much trouble, perhaps, get me a chair or something of the like to stand on?" I asked, blushing a rather ghastly shade of red. "I ... heh... have been shrinking, ye ken."
"Oh aye." Tara responded, propelling herself out of her chair and out the door. I sat twiddling my thumbs. How long would it be before Charis and Timo arrived?

Tara shuffled back though the door with a little wooden ladder. Setting it up against the wall, she glanced at the mirror. "There ye go Lass. Get on with it, yeh?" Gulping back a fear of heights (seven inches up is huge for someone who is only five feet tall and rapidly shrinking!) I climbed the wobbly contraption. I closed my eyes, not daring to see my reflection. "Now," Said Tara, a warm hand laid in the small of my back, "open your eyes, and tell me what you see."

It was the first time I'd ever looked at my reflection properly. Charis had said my hair was like burnt honey, and Timo said my eyes were like the moss underneath the Dargavas water mill, but that was all I knew. I'd passed by puddles before, but more often than not I was quite content to skim over them. Meeting myself face to face was something of a new experience. It was all I could do not to touch the face in the glass. It was slightly distorted by a crack in the corner, but I could see me clearly. Charis was right – my hair was like burnt honey. It was caramelized and ... curly. So curly, but pretty ... not flyaway and frizzy, but settled and luxurious. And Timo was right too – my eyes were that mossy green – but they danced with different emotions, changing lighter and darker as I moved through bewilderment, amazement. Confusion. I could see nothing of Mam or Papa in my face.

I touched my reflection, finally. I couldn't bear not to. "This ... this is what I look like then?" I asked softly, chocking back tears. "Aye, Lass." Tara's reply was just as soft – as if she understood. I continued to look. High cheekbones, with the faintest hue of pink in them, high arching eyebrows – inquisitive and haughty. Ears that were small, delicate. A nose that turned up ever so slightly. Tears that brimmed like crystals. "I ... I need Charis. Tara ... I need Charis and Timo."

Tara said nothing, but nodded, and Charis and Timo came clambering through the door. Timo had his sword drawn, and Charis was armed with her flute. "What are you doing! Let Evy go!" Timo exclaimed, apparently expecting the worst. Charis swung her flute-sword above her head, and then saw me. I was fighting back the conflicting emotions of hilarity at their appearance, and deep sorrow over the mirror's picture. Charis lowered her would-be weapon. "Timo, sheath it. Evy..." She didn't have to say anything more. I collapsed into a sopping heap of tears, falling off the ladder, hoping that one of them would catch me. It was Timo who did. He held me as I sobbed, rocking me back and forth. Charis sat next to us, her cheek resting on Timo's shoulder, on hand stroking back my curls as I brought myself back to face reality.

I was Fae. I was one of the Wee Folk. Wiping a hand across my eyes a shifted myself off Ti's lap, and back into the chair Tara had originally put me in. She had been watching us with a kind eye, a sadness in her features that made me drop my head. Apparently I'd been crying so long that she'd had the time to set out two extra chairs for Charis and Timo – one on either side of me. "Ye have a good pair of friends, Eleveen of Fae." Tara claimed quietly, her wise eyes glancing between the three of us. "Timo the Daring, and Charis the Compassionate. They are just what you need." She smiled at us, and we smiled back, linking hands tightly as we did. There was no way we would ever deny the bond between us.

"Eveleen, Timo, Charis. Ye are a verra important part of what I am about t' tell ye. It began with a prophecy – the same way situations like this always do. Evy – ye are a rather special young woman. Yer Mam named you aptly. Eleveen is not just a number spelt wrong. Nay. It means Royal." Those periwinkle eyes bore into mine. "You, m'dear, are Royalty. Princess Eleveen of the Realm of Fae."

[Haze]

Chapter Three: All is Revealed. Kinda.


You could have cracked that damn mirror with the expression on Timo's face. I could see him going purplish and red, lips pursed together tightly. Not tightly enough, apparently. "A princess!?" He squeaked, incredulous. Charis didn't look so flash herself. She'd gone white beneath her warm tan, and for a second her grip on my hand loosened. "Shuddup," I murmured, tapping Timo's ankle. "Is it so unbelievable?"
"Well... aye and nay..." He murmured back, and began to explain himself. I expect the tirade he was heading towards was on a completely different track to that which Tara was most patiently waiting for us to go down. As it was, she cleared her throat, and continued with her story.


"Ay, Eveleen is a princess. Once upon a ... well... about seventeen years ago, the King and Queen of the Faerie had a daughter. But a little like the old fairy tales, there was a prophecy placed on the family, and particularly given about the child. You." I groaned here, but Tara put up a hand and carried on. Apparently, my mother and father (not Mam and Papa), needed to get rid of me for a bit. I was to learn about the humans – live as them. The Fae unanimously decided that I be allowed the gifts of my birth, such as the grace and elegance I retained – just so life could be a little more easy. They knew what I'd be up against as a changeling child.

"Now, I dinna ken all the details about the prophecy, but it is clear that yer destined for greatness, Lass," Tara put in, getting up from her chair and moving to the little kitchenette. She seemed to be preparing us a pot of tea while she continued to talk. "Ye see, there was a speculation that the daughter of the king and queen would have a child that would rise up against a force that was unlike either the Fae or Humans had ever seen. Twenty years from your birth, some strange things were to occur, though they haven't yet." I restrained from suggesting that my shrinking wasn't odd

"Anyway, the Majesties saw that from the prophecy you were the only hope to save both the Wee Folk and their human counterparts, and so you were swapped for yer Mam and Papa's child. Tell me, what skills have you been learning the last few years?" My brow furrowed, and I pursed my lips. Unlike Charis of Timo I still hadn't decided on a career. I had taken part in archery and swordsmanship training, I had been an apprentice to one of King Alstead's counselors, taking trips around the country as a training diplomat, and I had even gone through training as a healer. I just couldn't make up my mind.


When I told Tara, she laughed a bright, crinkling laugh. The image of leaves dancing off the trees at Autumn equinox immediately sprung to mind, and I smiled back at the thought. Charis and Timo just swapped mystified glances. "So ... the fact that I've no decided on a profession is a good thing?"
"Aye. Ye see, ye've set yerself up perfectly for being a princess whose about to save man and faerie kind." I blanched. I hadn't thought of it that way before. Gulping back a whole set of questions, I raised an eyebrow silently urging the old widow to carry on. "Can ye not see that ye have the skills ye'll need for this?" Tara asked, and I shook my head. Exasperated Tara continued "Ye have fightin' skills, diplomacy skills, and healin' skills, Eleveen."
"Oh." I found myself much in the same state of mind as Charis and Timo, who were still silent. "But I thought ... I mean ... I dinna ..."

"Eleveen, you don't have to understand this all now. I know how much of a shock this must be to you."
"How much of a shock!?" I scrambled out of my chair, drawing myself to my full height. Five foot. Charis and Timo sighed collectively, and put their hands over their eyes. " I have been shrinkin' I've discovered that me parents are no such thing, but that I'm the daughter of some king and queen of the faeries. Not only that - " I has heating up fast, my voice screeching "Not only that, but my indecision over a career – something that has plagued me since I was a child, ken - is actually setting me up for some sort of greatness!" My voice broke. My vision had blurred with tears of frustration and confusion, my hands were shaking so hard that as I stormed to the door and placed fingers around the doorknob, they slipped off. "I've had ENOUGH!" I shouted, not caring anymore. "IT'S NOT TRUE!"

Trying again for the doorknob I succeeded. I pulled the door wide, and stepped out. I couldn't help my turn my head into the room once more. Timo looked shocked at my outburst, Charis looked decidedly upset I could see the slightest sheen of tears on her cheeks. And Tara? Tara just looked infuriatingly knowledgeable. The wind was blown out of me. The hot trickle of tears flowed down my cheeks, and I shook my head as I closed the door. "It's not true."

[Haze]

Chapter Four: Silence in destiny

I had been frightened so much by what I had heard that that day, that I raced home, ignoring Chari's and Timo's calls for me to "slow down!" and "Wait up! Eleveeeeeeeeen!"
As I stumbled down the path back home, I realized that suddenly it was silent, and that the silence was all around me – I couldn't even hear Charis' or Timo's breathing. The curiosity had finally got to me. "Why are you guys being so quiet?" I scowled "It's not like I'm going to bite your heads off or anything." I spun around – the first time I'd looked up since leaving Tara's house. But I hadn't left. I was still in Tara's living room. Standing at the door. Charis' and Timo weren't there, but Tara was. ""What? I was ... I mean ... "
"You didn't actually want to leave." Tara said simply. My eyes grew wide with anger – I could feel the rage welling up inside, ready to burst. "What do you mean I didn't want to leave, Tara? You have no way of knowing my mind!" Tara said nothing for a moment, and then turned to her kettle, putting on a pot of tea. "Eleveen," She said quietly, and I walked to her, straining to hear her voice. "Eleveen, what ye have is a gift, not a curse." I snorted and shoved a hand through my hair. "I ken ye dinna believe me now, but you'll come to see. I suggest ye stay wi' me fer a bit. Just till we can talk this through."

I was a changeling. It scared me. I wondered if Papa had known. Mam sure had – she had always known I wasn't her child. Mam wasn't crazy.

I gulped tears that had built up over the course of Tara's conversation. I winced as the lump in my throat doubled in size. It was funny – I had gone to see Tara with one question – but she had answered that question, and given me more! So here I was, three days later ... living with Tara Haggerty.

I found silence at Tara's. Sometimes it was overwhelming – a dark, dense, heavy stillness that sunk my spirit. Sometimes it was peaceful. More often, now that I had the chance to sit and think, it was become peaceful silence. I realized who I was. What I was. And I knew what I had to do.

[Haze]

Chapter Five: And then came Chaos

A howl of rage split through the night as the news was delivered to the King of Darkness, Kuhl. Fighting to keep some semblance of composure about him, the rotund war-lord uttered a filthy word, and turned on the messenger before him. "What do you mean, 'the prophecy is to come true,' you imbecile –"

The creature huffed, rolling his eyes at Kuhl's bad temper "Lord Falburn sent me to tell you, Sir. I've been watching carefully at the old witches' place and - "
"How dare you interrupt?" Kuhl screamed, black spittle spraying across the messengers face. The small pixie swiped dramatically at his glistening forehead, and shook his hand in disgust. To be quite fair to the pixie, known as Hapiniu he was either extremely brave, or ridiculously foolish to behave in such a manner. King Kuhl's servants cowered in fear, murmering to one another, and even to the Hapiniu in desperation, as he rose above the lord's head, and placed his hands on his hips "Begging your pardon, most repulsive Dark Lord," he started in overly- majestic tones, "But I refuse to be talked to in such a manner. King or not, I deserve some respect."

The King's look was stunned for a moment, before pure malevolence lit in his red eyes. His repellently thick black body rose from the throne (not without some difficulty), and his hands stretched out to swipe the pixie cretin down from his hovering spot in the air. All sound in the room stilled, save for the grunts of Kuhl as he swiped, and failed to catch Hapiniu. "You deserve nothing!" Kuhl's breathing laboured as finally, he grasped the wanted. "You are nothing. I could crush you!"

"Begging yours, sir" Hapiniu replied, apparently still unaware of the danger he'd presented himself with "But as I was trying to say, I've been watching the old witches' place, and it seems that a girl by the name of Eleveen is the one to defeat you. Long may she live!" A glimmer or a grin crossed the pixie's face, seconds before the repugnant black hands of Kuhl tightened and wrung the little body till the sound of breaking bones resounded with pops, all around the throne room.

Saliva dripped from bared teeth as the dark King turned to his Knight, waiting beside the throne "Send out the battle cry – soon we take this girl out, and then both the human and the world of us Wee Folk, will be rightfully ours!"

Chapter Six: Tara Really is a Crone

A few days had had passed, and I was still at Tara Haggerty's old cottage, alternating between states of bewilderment, intrigue and muted depression. In all honesty, the days had blurred into sort of... mush. Tara had been understanding to say the least, and had allowed Charis and Timo to visit as often as they wanted. They'd only been once though. I forbid them from coming until they could refrain themselves for laughing at the thought of me being a princess.

"I dinna see how ye cannot find this the littlest bit amusing, Evy," Timo had chuckled, fighting to keep his tone neutral – and losing miserably. "I mean, come on ... ye're shrinkin', and ye are a princess, and ye're going to go and save the world..."
"And I canna see you being a mighty warrior, Timo." I'd retorted with a scowl. Charis snorted. I glared.

I felt a little bad for being so rude, but they hadn't just been told that they were going to save the world. And they weren't shrinking either. In the total of seven days since we'd first noticed my diminishing stature, I'd become a tiny 3 foot, eight inches. And my ears hadn't shrunk. In fact, they had become the most prominent feature of my face – and had become slightly pointed at the tips. They were fine too, as was most of my skin now – almost translucent in the sunlight.

Sunlight now though, was fading. Hues of summer, gold and pink, were painting the sky. Birds had started their roosting, and their song filled the air. It was more beautiful than I could contain, and I began to wonder how much of all this was going to change. I was becoming more aware of change now – I had to be. I didn't want to be. Somehow, I was more in tune to the rising and falling of the sun, to the heating and cooling of the winds. To the sounds of the forest, and to the town that I had loved, just below the hill. So much had changed.

"Right Child, " Tara's voice broke through my revere and I looked up from my post staring out the window. "'Tis time to get ye on th' road."
"What!?" I could feel my eyes bulging "Wh – what do ye mean, on th' road?" unfortunately, my voice was less controlled as I had hoped, and more like a strangulated cat being thrown into a tub of ice. Tara smiled. I glared. "We will need to move 'afore the weather sets in."
"Go? Go where? I dinna wanna-"

Then the door burst open, and in tumbled Charis and Timo, limbs flailing, and rattling overtop of each other.
"Ye got to get out-"
"There's a dark cloud-"
"I think ye-"
"We have to get ye out-"
"Stop!" I yelled overtop of them. They stopped, and looked stunned, as did Tara. "Stop, " I repeated, taking a shaky breath. "What do ye mean, 'ye got to get out'? And what cloud?" I glanced between my friends and Tara, only then realising they'd come prepared. They both had their packs, blankets rolled at the top, cloaks wrapped over their shoulders. Timo was armed with his sword, and Charis had found a dagger from somewhere, tucked into her belt. I pivoted on my heel and eyeballed Tara. She was avoiding my eye, for the first time ever. "Tara ..."

She sighed, and shook her head. As she did, something strange happened. Her face changed. The wrinkles slowly faded, to reveal a blemishless complexion of ivory. Like mine. Her eyes, softened, widened. Her chin grew more pointed, as did her ears. Like mine. Hair tumbled out of tight confines, and changed shape – wavy, sultry curls. Like mine.
I heard a soft gasp, Charis, but continued to watch as the old woman in front of me morphed into the most glorious creature of angles and curves – an older, wiser, (taller!) version of ... me.

"I'm sorry to have deceived ye, Eleveen." Her voice was melodious, and tinkling. "But no isna the time fer explanation. The Dark Ones have found ye. We must leave. Now" Without a word more, and without a conscious recognition of what was going on, the four of us were out the door, heading into the night, and into the unknown.