VIII

After Elanor took off the jacket and the scarf, tying them to the backpack, and her tea was ready, Talvi raised his pint of beer (which was not a pint at all, considering the size particularity of this land, more of a thimble, probably):

"To our meeting! May it bring us both to the ends we seek and the fortunes yet unseen," he proclaimed ceremoniously, and they clinked their mugs.

Hot, delicious tea filled Elanor with warmth. Lumi was enjoying some toasted roots at her side, and even Talvi's eyes shone with a friendly and welcoming glow, easing her heart into the peaceful bliss of this evening. She finished the remaining rye bread and cheese while the elf asked questions about her adventures with Lumi, and shared curiosities and tips on travelling faery lands.

"So this whole trouble happened on your birthday?!" he exclaimed with dramatic astonishment, covering his mouth with his palm theatrically. Elanor found herself giggling at what seemed like a no-laughing-matter situation before. "But you absolutely must accept a gift from me! Here, I have just the thing..." 

After unlocking the briefcase, the green-haired fae produced a piece of fabric the size of a postcard and placed it on the table between them. He was radiating happy anticipation, and Elanor took the scrap, smiling awkwardly. She thought of stories of fae folk leaving their human neighbours beads, tinsel bits, needles, feathers and seashells, no doubt considering those treasured presents. 

"I would express my thanks if you were human," she said politely, nodding her head in a casual bow. They both seemed to find amusing this wit game of theirs: Talvi, unable to lie and skilfully withholding what he preferred not to reveal, and Elanor dodging any bargains she hadn't meant to make.

"You don't even know what you're holding. This is a pocket," answered Talvi, as if it was supposed to explain anything.

"One could never have too many pockets, especially one burdened by the inconvenience of women's clothing," returned Elanor, who was always taught to treat gifts with appreciation, at least in front of the giver, but puzzled with how she would put it to use.

"Burdened by what?... No, this is a pocket into the human plane. You will never know what you find in it, but it comes from any lost items, able to appear here from the places intertwined with Faery. Lay it against your pants and put your hand inside," urged Talvi.

Elanor quickly did just that; the pocket disappeared, attaching itself magically to the construction of her hiking pants, leaving only a slit, as if it had always been there. She cast a surprised look at Talvi, and he nodded, taking it as acknowledgment of his brilliancy. Human hurried to slide her hand in, grabbed a small, cylindrical object, and took it out, holding it on her palm for them to see. 

A salt-shaker rested in her palm. You could find those in any North American diner; she had used shakers like that many times in Montreal. Elanor laughed, and Lumi barked excitedly with her. 

"Now I can eat my weekly supply of protein bars with salt, if I wish!" she kept laughing, and Talvi curiously examined the little object. "How often can I use it?"

"You can keep going, but the magic used in the enchantment has a limit and wears off with use, recharging over time. You will be finding smaller and smaller trinkets until only a sand grain can be transported. Let it rest for some time, and you might get something of more value. Or no value. Faery magick is a force of chaos."

His explanation left Elanor astonished. The potential of this pocket was too great to grasp in full, especially with the journey that may await her very soon. She felt a strong urge to reward this new eccentric acquaintance of hers with something to show her gratitude.

"Would you be interested in a souvenir in return? I'm afraid this gift is of priceless value, but I have this scarf, maybe? Pure alpaca wool, although it's a bit worn..."

"How about your pearl earring that the room key bird is playing with?" The bird, indeed, was sitting on Elanor's shoulder, tickling her by trying to bite into a simple drop-shaped pearl dangling on a short golden hoop. 

Surprised, Elanor blinked at him, but smiled and took the earring off right away, offering it to Talvi. 

I should have guessed. He definitely has a soft spot for gems and jewelry; his whole image is that of a magpie, collecting all of the shiny things she comes across.

Meanwhile, Talvi put on the pearl, and it matched with the rest of his piercings most naturally. They had more tea and more beer, both politely rejected some dance invitations, and eventually called it a day.

"Tomorrow I shall knock on your door so we can meet to travel to the Autumn court. We can speak of the affairs at breakfast. Let me show you to our rooms," the fae stood from the table, towering over her and gallantly offering his hand to Elanor. She took it politely, lightly squeezing his fingers, dipped in powdered gold, which turned out to be ice cold. She glanced at him with a questioning look, but he avoided it, turning his head away as if to nod goodbye to some of the faeries. 

Talvi did not let her hand go, walking with regal posture next to his human companion, and she, although feeling shy, did not want to take it from him and appear rude. Lumi followed on his leash, which Elanor often felt bad about, but refused to risk losing the dog in this world again. 

Their rooms were not too high up the spiral hall, and the atrium was visible nicely from here. It did not look like dancing and feasting were ending anytime soon. Finally, Talvi let her go, and Elanor wondered if she imagined the look of melancholy on his beautiful face. He was unbearably handsome, and she was unable to stop glancing at him throughout the night, amused by his diva mannerisms and sophisticated speech. He had a light accent of an unknown type and talked with occasional oddities, innate to those not being native to a language, which only added to his already alluring charm. 

"May you rest well, little Lark, Lumi," he said, gesturing to a simple wooden door painted cobalt, with a keyhole in the middle, that could be serving as a peephole as well. The cobalt bird launched from her shoulder, while a similar one of red colour climbed out of the fae's collar and flew to a neighbouring red door. They tampered with keyholes with their long beaks, and the invisible locks clicked, splitting what turned out to be French doors open. 

"Goodnight," waved Elanor. The doors closed behind her and Lumi, she placed her backpack next to a cozy, although rustic-looking bed, fell on top of the pillows, and fell asleep right away. Lumi jumped into bed and curled next to her. She dreamed of cotton candy clouds, flying in between them in the body of a lark.