Chapter 3

“Do you like it?”

We sat in Alena’s bedroom, the warm light of the early afternoon seeping through the curtains. After dressing me up, she now stood in front of me, holding a small mirror in her hand, and I looked at my reflection with curiosity. The dress she had chosen for me had a soft turquoise hue embroidered with a golden, flowery pattern that spread from the chest over to the sleeves. She had also hung a small golden pendant in the shape of a leaf around my neck.

Her stormy eyes shone with joy when I tried to smile.

“You like it”, she declared, brushing her hair from her face and giving me a closer look.

She seemed really pleased with my clothes, but I had noticed she never paid any heed to hers. She always wore a loose tunic the colour of her eyes, and in all the time I had spent watching her, I had never once seen her wearing jewellery. But before I had time to ponder it further, she put a hand on my shoulder and said,

“I will have breakfast and then find a way to help you.”

I looked at her, confused, but I had no way of asking her what she meant. She picked me up and carried me to the kitchen. I watched her eat a few slices of bread and drink a cup of coffee before she picked me up again and carried me to the library, where she sat me down in a chair next to the window.

The room smelled of dust and old paper, and the shelves were stacked with books in all forms and shapes. She walked over to them and hesitantly picked out a few titles and placed them on the table before returning and taking out a few more.

She spent the next hours reading and taking notes, but after watching her for a while, I got bored and turned to study the world outside the window. Just like her rooms, I had never paid much attention to it before coming into this body, but now it seemed to take on a different meaning. It was spring, I saw, and the grass stood tall, and flowers bloomed in a rainbow of colours. I doubted I would ever walk among them in this form, but even so, their presence so close to me stirred something in me.

I could hear her shift in her chair, closing the book she was reading, and I slowly turned my head to her. Somehow, the action felt easier than I remembered, so out of curiosity, I tried to lift my hand.

“Mia?”

She looked at me, concerned.

“What happened? Do you need something?”

She reached out and took hold of my outstretched hand.

“It is okay, I will find it, I promise.”

I tried to smile, hoping it would reassure her that I was fine, but she averted her eyes.

“I am sorry, it might take some time.”

She turned back to the book and opened it up. She kept working for several hours before she finally closed it and then turned to me with a hesitant smile.

“I think I found something…”

Her voice trailed off, and she turned down her gaze.

“It is worth trying, but… I am not sure if it will work”, she added quietly.

She looked up, and her stormy eyes shone with tears. I reached out and put my hand on her knee. It was easier than I had expected, so could it be that I was getting used to this body after all? She put her hand on mine, and a small smile appeared on her face.

“Shall we try?”

I nodded slowly. Even if I didn’t understand what she intended to do, I didn’t want her to cry. She gently squeezed my hand and carried me to the laboratory.

The room was dark, and her steps became more careful as she stepped inside, but her elvish blood helped her see well enough to place me in the chair. She lit the candles and then turned to me and nodded before she took a few jars and vials from the shelves and placed them on the counter.

Soon, green flames illuminated the room, and I watched as she added more ingredients, filling the air with the scent of autumn rain and jasmine. As the brew reached a boil, she sang her incantation, and when it was ready, she extinguished the flames and poured the golden liquid into a vial.

Her eyes shone with excitement when she turned to me, holding it in her hands.

“Shall we see if it works?”

I nodded, still not sure what this potion was supposed to do. She walked to stand behind me and gently brushed my hair to the side. Once again, the scent of autumn rain and jasmine filled the room, and I could feel her hand on my shoulders, massaging the potion into my wooden body.

“How does it feel, Mia? Can you move your neck more easily?”

She walked to stand in front of me and watched as I tried to shift my stiff body. I don’t think I noticed any difference, but my efforts made her smile.

“A little better..”, she concluded and put her hand on my shoulder. “I will make more tomorrow, okay?”

She smiled, and I was happy seeing her joy dancing in her stormy eyes. I tried to move my neck a few times more, and although I wasn’t sure, maybe it was easier to move than before. I wished I could speak with her, but a part of me doubted that her potion would be able to give me a voice. Maybe if my hands worked better, I could learn how to write.

“Shall we get some rest? It’s been a long day.”

She waited for my nod before wrapping her arms around me. When she lifted me from my chair, I rested my cheek on her chest and listened to her heartbeat as she carried me through the dark corridor back to her bedroom.