Chapter Three- Iminitia

Cavell didn't seem like he wanted a human to know whatever it was he was preparing to tell me. I sat patiently, not wanting to disturb him. I was silently scared of, not only Caolan, but everything that was happening.

"I'm noy quite sure on how to start, Caolan." Cavell admitted. Caolan only nodded. Cavell returned to look at me. "Caolan told me everything when I first came, and I'm not sure how I would do telling you." He was sweet, I could tell. I knew to him whatever the story was, it was important to him, and he didn't want to mess it up.

"You see, this little village and farther is Iminitia. Right now we are only in the Iminitia village. Just to the north, farther away from the woods you came out of, is the Imin Square. Just past that are the fields and the farms, which is where we get our food supply." Caolan explained. I was interested in his story. It was like being inside a book, listening instead of reading, but still amazing.

"People who live here aren't like you. We have interesting neighbors." Cavell told me. He must have wanted Caolan to get to the point, but apparently he wasn't fast enough. "There is Mr. Snug, who is a troll. He lives just south of us. And there is Annamillie and Adelphie, the wood fairies, who live to the east. There are also gnomes, witches and worlocks, and griffens. But there is one human who lives permentally in Iminitia." This surprised me. I thought they said only "fairytale" creatures lived in this place.

"Who?" I asked, curious about this new piece of information.

"Cavell." Caolan said immediately. I looked at Cavell. His expression was hard to read. His thin lips were in a streight line, his eyes again locked onto mine. His body language didn't help either. But then he blushed a tad, little bits of pink sitting on the top of his cheeks.

"Your's still here?" I asked him. "I mean you must have had a family who, I'm sure misses you, and what about your previous life? You just left it all behind?" I was about to ask more, but stopped. Cavell hung his head, almost as if he were crying. He wasn't, but something was bugging him. "I'm sorry." I replied quietly. I didn't know what for, but I knew it was right.

"You shouldn't be sorry." He told me. "Its not your fault. You didn't know." He stopped then, as if to collect his thoughts. He was thinking about it, and I was surprised Caolan hadn't interupted yet. "My mom died giving birth to me. My father died a year later from liver cancer. None of my relatives would take me, mainly because they were mad at my mom because she married my dad, and the same with Dad's family. Kind of enemies, I guess. I wasn't cared for by any of them, because I was a mix of the two. I was put in foster care, but ran away. I ended up here, on a rainy night, just like you. Caolan took me in, calling me crazy, like he was to you. Then he made me rabbit stew and he told me everything. I liked it here, so I never went back."

"Didn't they report a missing person? They must have sent someone looking for you. A search party?" I asked. The foster care would have reported it, I was sure. Even if his parents were dead, and his relatives didn't care, the foster care was nice.

"Yeah, they did. But they didn't find Iminitia. No one does. not unless their fate lies here." He smiled then at me. This time I really looked at him face. He was a nice looking boy, better than any I ever knew.

"Wait. Their fate? How did I get in then?" I was confused. My fate couldn't be here.

"You are here for a reason. I'm not quite sure what it is yet, but I know it is something."

"But if my fate is here, do I have to stay here?" I wasn't sure at the moment if I was going to stay or return home. I figured, even though I'm mad at Mom now, I would return home sooner or later.

"That all depends, Sohpie." When he said my name it sounded beautiful, almost elegant. No one ever said my name like that. I liked it.

"Depends on what?"

"Well, it depends on what your fate is. It also depends on how much you know. We can't risk Iminitia being discovered somehow. And there is also the possibility that Iminitia won't allow you to leave." Cavell replied. I was locking his eyes on mine again. It was almost as if he had no choice. I got curious, wondering why he kept it up. But each time he did it, it was stronger than the one before. And then I realized what he was doing. He was building a connection. He was building trust.

"What do you mean? How can Iminitia prevent me from leaving? Do you mean the people or creatures or whatever living here?"

"No. I mean the Iminitia spell. If your not destined to leave, Iminitia will lead you back. No matter where you go in the woods, you will always come back here. Even if you walk in a streight line away from Iminitia, you will end up here again." The thought of that was interesting. It was impossible, and something I would have to try, but not yet. I wasn't ready to leave yet.

"What was your fate, Cavell?" I was curious about everything about him, it seemed. His eye locking also interested me.

"Not sure. I don't even know if I'm supposed to still be here. Technically I'm not allowed. Humans aren't allowed to be in Iminitia. Thats why Caolan was in such a rush to get you out of sight. Iminitians don't go into the rain. And there you were, standing there, all soaking wet. I was laughing in here." He stopped, deep in thought. "It was interesting seeing you. I haven't seen other humans in a long time. Its hard to not look at you. And your not a bad looking girl either, I might add." Cavell chucked at the last thing he had said. I could see Caolan roll his eyes and leave us here by going into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

"Thanks." I responded quietly. I looked down at my hands and fumbled with my fingers.

"Whats wrong?" He asked me.

"Nothing." I told him, without looking up.

"Surely boys compliment you on your looks on a daily basis." He predicted. If only he knew the truth.

"Not really." I told him with a slight laugh that wasn't supposed to be there.

"Your lieing!" I wasn't.

"Guys don't like my plain old dirty blonde, thin as paper hair and dull eyes." I told him. It was true. Most of the boys went for the platinum blondes and the rish girls at school.

"How? Your hair isn't horrible at all. I'm sure that when the morning sun hits it, it will glow with brilliance. And I rather like your eyes."

"You would know. You have been looking at them all night." I told him. He blushed.

"Sorry."

"I don't mind." I told him. Then a yawn snuck out.

"You look tired." He told me. "Come on, you shoudl get some sleep. You can sleep in my bed tonight."

"But where will you sleep?" I asked him.

"I'll manage on the floor by the fire." He told me. His plans didn't appeal to me at all.

"I don't want to kick you out of your bed! You sleep in your bed, and I will sleep on the floor."

"No. Your a guest. Fine. We will both sleep in the bed, unless your willing to protest?" He added a smile. i had to admit that the extra body heat would warm me up even quicker.

"If it is fine with you." He stood and led me to the bedroom, which I already knew where it was. After grabbing an extra blanket out of one of the dressers, he pulled the blankets up for me to lie down. He lay down beside me and covered us up with the thick quilts.

"You ok?" He asked me. His concern was a delight. I was enjoying his company.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." His voice was lower than it was earlier, and I guessed he was tired too.

"Cavell?" I didn't want our conversation to end.

"Yes, Sophie?"

"I'm scared." I admitted. He sat up and looked over at me.

"Scared about what?" His face was concerned. He cared, and I caould tell. We barelyn knew each other, and yet he cared more than any boy I had known for years.

"Iminitia. Caolan. Everything." It was true. I was suddenly in an non-existing city located in the middle of the woods that contains magical creatures. Why wouldn't I be scared.

"I know." He said calmly. "I went through it too. Its going to be ok."

"I'm still scared." My body started to shake, just like it always does when I'm scared. Cavell must have noticed because he scooted closer and put his arm around me, holding me close.

"I know you barely know me, but I feel close to you. I've gone through it too. I know how you are feeling. I know." His voice turned down to a whisper. I felt myself stop shaking, and my eyelids grew heavy. I got warm in Cavell's arms. I knew it was early. I had just met him a few hours ago, but he was right. He knew what i was going through. I was fine with his confidence. With thoughts flowing through my head, I fell asleep in Iminitia, snuggled against a human living with a dwarf. Strangely, I felt safe.