Chapter Four- Annamillie and Adelphie

When I awoke, I lay in Cavell's bed all alone. Neither Cavell or Caolan were in sight. I sat up slowly, pushing the thick blankets off me, and got out of bed. I was about to stretch, but realized the roof was too low.

I walked out of the bedroom into the front room. Caolan was sweeping the floor with a homemade stick broom. I hadn't noticed that I had brought so much mud in. Overnight, the mud dried, creating a mess inside Caolan's neat home. He went to put the broom back and saw me standing there.

"Oh. I didn't know you were up." He said. "Cavell is in the market now, buying you some clothes." I looked over at the fireplace. Where the orange flames had been the previous night, now lay dirty coals and ashes. Above it, my clothes were dry.

"Why can't I wear my own clothes?" I asked.

"Iminiians don't wear clothing like that. You would stick out in any crown, no matter what the size. When Cavell returns you can dress. I don't know what his plans are for the day, though. I think he mentioned taking you somewhere."

The following minutes were akward. Caolan, I'm guessing, knew about both me and Cavell sharing the bed. I didn't really know why it would have been a problem, because we didn't do anything. Both me and Cavell were fairly skinny, although Cavell's arms were filled out nicely, showing he was strong. I could feel them the previous night when he wrapped his arm around me, calming me down. It surprised me now how normal everythign seemed. It was almost as if i was barelyn even scared, asking questions as if nothing were actually happening. I knew I should be more scared than I was, but I couldn't find in inside of me. It was hidden.

Cavell entered the room then. When he entered he shut the door immediately, rubbed his shoes on the rug by the door, and set the clothes on the table. He looked up and, seeing me, smiled widely.

"Good morning! How was your night?" He smiled again. He had slept well, I could tell, because his actions seemed lively, even this early.

"Fine, and yourself?" I watched his smile grow larger yet.

"Wonderful." He replied, and he walked over to talk to Caolan as I went into the bedroom and changed.

Cavell had picked out my clothes wonderfully. He chose a navy blue dress, like the ones you see peasants wearing in the medeavil times. It even has the long, white sleeves underneath. I slid on the thick socks and shoes he also got me. When finished, I examined myself. I looked like I was in a time period was before my own.

When I entered the front room Caolan was yelling at Cavell in a hushed tone. Neither had seen me enter, and I watched them. I picked out part of the fight, reading Caolan's lips. By the looks of it, he wasn't happy about last night. I didn't know what about it though, but my guess was the sleeping arrangement. Then Cavell saw me out of the corner of his eye, turned to face me, and Caolan stomped off, leaving the house.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, concerned. He looked at me, his facial expressions grateful, almost, for my presence.

"You look good. Like a true Iminitian. No one will notice a thing." He walked over to me then. "But you will have to do you hair." He said, when he reached me. He reached out and played with a small strand. My long hair hadn't occured to me. It was about to the end of my ribs, and I had no idea what to do with it.

"What do I do with it?"

"You probably won't know Iminitian braiding. I'll have to take you to Annamillie. She knows how to braid. Most likely Adelphie will be out in the market by now, and Annamillie will be in her home, cleaning." He walked past me into the bedroom. When he returned he carried two cloaks, both black. He handed me the smaller of the two. "This is my old one. I wore it last year. Its smaller so it should fit you nicely." He helped me put it on, tieing it in the front for me, and then put his own on.

"Won't Annamillie be curious about why I don't know hwo to braid? I would be old enough by now to know how to do it myself if I really lived here." He chuckled.

"Annamillie and Adelphie know my little secret. Its hard to lie to them. They can tell when a person is lieing, so it is just easier to tell the truth. Besides, wood fairies are very trustworthy." He smiled and took my hand as he led me outside the house.

Once I was outside I was gratful for the fresh hair. Although nice, the home became slightly stuffy, and it felt nice outside.

People were everywhere, unlike yesterday. Some rushed and hurried around, carrying baskets and children. Many looked like myself and Cavell, seeming human, but others weren't as similar. They all had a human form, but some had extra parts. I caughted a couple of girls giggling as they jumped in the air and flapped their beautiful, colorful wings before falling back on the ground in another fit of laughter. In another direction a group of boys, with leather-looking brown-green skin and dark brown clothing, kicked at each other. A man cut infront of me, running. His long, black hair flowed behind him and his tail waved as well.

Before I could examine anyone else, Cavell grabbed my arm and pulled me around to the back of his house. He led me away from it and we walked between two more houses before we stood before a tall maple. I looked up and saw a wooden house sitting in its branches. Cavell reached forward and grabbed a large piece of bark. He pulled and an doorway appeared, its height being just a few inches above our heads. He motioned for me to enter.

The inside was a circle. It was very small, because it was inside the tree's trunk. Cavell and I couldn't fit in there at the smae time. The only thing in there was a ladder leading up the trunk. I grabbed the ladder and climbed up, hearing Cavell behind me. Once I reached the top there was a wooden floor with a circular hole in it, in which the ladder went through. Stepping off the ladder and onto the floor, I stopped. Cavell was up there just after me, standing just behind me.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked me. He was right, and all I could do was nod me head. The floor was a porch, from which you could see all of Iminitia's village and markets. I could see the forest from which I had come from. I could also see the business of the town below. I wanted to look longer, but Cavell grabbed my hand and he took me to the door of the house. He knocked quickly.

It opened quickly, and in the doorway stood a young woman about our height. Her long, curly black hair was wore down. She wore a green dress, similar to mine, but without the white shirt underneath. Her figure was slender, and her face beautiful. She smiled at the sight of Cavell.

"Cavell, dear, come on in! And your friend is welcome too. Any friend of Cavell's is a friend of mine." She gave me a friendly smile as I passed her, and she shut the door behind us. Her home was similar to Caolan and Cavell's. Instead of one level, the bedroom was above the front room, a wooden spiral staircase leading up to it. There was no fireplace, but instead, a container similar to an old stove. Other than that, everythign was pretty much the same.

"Hello, Annamillie." Cavell greeted her with a hug, momentarily releasing my hand, but grabbing it again after their hug was over.

"Who is your friend, Cavell?" She ask curiously. He looked over at me and smiled.

"This is Sophie. She came last night." Annamillie look at him in conusion.

"Thats impossible. It was raining last night. Iminitians don't go out in the rain." She stopped, suddenly realizing what was going on. "Oh, my. How did she get in?"

"Neither Caolan nor I have an idea. We explained a lot to her last night. I got her some clothes this morning, but we need to make sure no one find out she is human. I have a feeling she is important to Iminitia." He squeezed my hand lightly, but enough to feel it. Annamillie stood there, deep in thought. She looked at Cavell, then at me, and then back at Cavell.

"You have my word. I'll help whenever needed." She promised. Cavell smiled.

"Now that you mention it, do you think you could help her with her hair? I thought maybe you could braid it." Her face lit up.

"Of course I can! Let me get my combs. Sophie, dear, take a seat at the table. Cavell, make youself at home, wherever is fine" She turned and climbed the stiarway. When she returned she carried a basket-like container. "Here we are."

"When do you suppose Adelphie will return?" Cavell asked Annamillie. "I want her to meet Sophie." I sat down at the table and Cavell sat in another chair next to me.

"Yeah, she left a while ago so she should be home soon." I could feel Annamillie brushing my hair out. It felt nice. Then she grabbed peices of my hair and began twisting them into each other. As she worked, she began moving farther to my right, brining my braid that way, so it hung over my right shoulder. Annamillie and Cavell chatted away while I listened. They talked about future events in the Imin Square, some friends, and about Caolan. Annamillie told a little about Adelphie and her teachings as a young wood fairie. Aparently Adelphie was two years than me and Cavell, she being twelve. Annamillie was sixteen.

Soon Annamillie was finished with my hair, and a long, dirty-blonde braid hung over my shoulder. It was thick, and the pattern she had used was complicated, using eight peices of hair at once. It turned out beautifully.

"Your hair is magnificent, Sophie." She told me with a smile. She went up to return her combs and, while she was up there, the front door opened and a girl, almost identical to Annamillie, but younger, walked into the room. She wore a blue dress, instead of green, but other than that, the only difference between the two was their age.

"Adelphie. How good to see you." Cavell said as he stood and hugged her. "Sophie, come here." I stood and came to Cavell's side.

"Hello, Cavell! I haven't seen you in a while!" She looked at me, and then back at Cavell.

"This is Sophie. She came last night. She is human like me. Imagine that! Another human in Iminitia. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" She smiled at his excitement, but became concerned for a moment. "What's wrong, Adelphie?" He asked. Annamillie was in the room by now, and she realized what Adelphie was thinking about.

"Cavell, she can't stay." Adelphie said. I looked at her confused.

"Yes she can. She doesn't have to leave. No! She isn't leaving!" He grabbed me hand and held it tight. Adelphie had hit a tender spot.

"Cavell! Stop. I think we need to discuss this. Its important." Annamillie told him.

"No. Sophie is important! I know she is. I can tell." He insisted.

"Just sit down, Cavell. She isn't goign anywhere for now. We need to talk." He stopped.

"About what?" He walked me over to the table and we sat beside each other.

"The Binaji." Adelphie said in a low and terrified voice.