Fruit, Fire, and Forgotten Bonds

“You see…” I began, recounting everything that had happened so far, my premonitions, the Nachtmaw, and today’s ordeal. Father listened intently, but panic etched across his face as his eyes flicked toward Karen.

“Then we must go to the church now,” he urged. “A priestess should be able to remove the curse—”

"!"

Grandma smacked the back of Father’s head. “You fool! It’s the middle of the night. Do you think the priestess is waiting just for you?”

“But Maa!” Father rubbed his head, his voice pleading. “The Nachtmaw may be gone, but how can we be sure the curse has left with it?”

“Don’t worry,” Grandma sighed. She moved to a drawer in the living room and pulled out a clay lamp pot. From a small vial, she poured in an oily liquid, then placed a thick string inside as a wick. With a match, she lit it.

“More light?” Father asked hopefully.

“No, you idiotic son. Just watch.”

The flame burned steadily at first, but the longer I stared, the more it shimmered with a purplish-golden hue, as though infused with some hidden power. Grandma carried the lamp to Karen’s side, holding it above her as she slowly circled it clockwise.

She chanted in a strange, lilting tongue, “Agni deva, daya karo, raksham kuru, shuddhim dehi, anugraha karo asya balakeshu.”

Though the words were unfamiliar, I had heard enough elvish tones to recognise them; without doubt, she was chanting in Elandric.

“How do you feel, Karen?” I asked anxiously.

“I feel…” She paused, then smiled faintly. “Much better. Lighter.”

Father leaned forward. “What did you do, Maa?”

“Just a ritual for protection. It’ll ward off omens and curses for now,” Grandma explained. “But it’s only temporary. Tomorrow, we need to head to the church as quickly as possible.”

“That was elvish arts, wasn’t it?” Alice asked curiously.

“Yes, dear,” Grandma replied with a gentle smile. “I learned it from Valeriya.”

“The elf girl from before?”

“Yes, dear. She must have wanted to repay me. Seems she finally did, by saving you.”

Grandma’s expression then softened, and for a moment she looked far away. “She was timid once, but I’m glad to see she’s grown strong.”

I couldn’t help my curiosity. “Grandma, could you tell us more about her?”

“Ah… very well. But first, some food.”

She disappeared into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with five plates of fresh fruit salad, apples, grapes, melons, and berries glistening with sweetness. Karen had already drifted to sleep on the sofa, her breathing soft and peaceful. We chuckled quietly, seeing her in such a state. After all, she had endured a lot; she deserved every moment of the rest.

Grandma handed out the bowls and sat with us. The warm glow of the lamps and the quiet of the night made it feel almost like a story unfolding on a stage.

“Right then,” she said, pausing to take a breath. “Ready to listen?”

Alice and I nodded eagerly.

“Right. It was more than a decade ago,” she began, her voice heavy with memory. “After my husband died… after your father remarried… after I resigned as head of the family. I was too ashamed of what had happened, so I retreated here, to this old Vandrelis holiday home.

“One afternoon, while fishing on the lake, I saw her. At first, I thought it was a human child. But no, closer, I saw it was a little elf girl, bloodied and bruised, running for her life. A pack of wolves was chasing her.”

“She stumbled and fell. The wolves closed in. I jumped from my boat, smashed it to pieces on landing, and crushed one wolf beneath me.”

“Wait! You could jump that far?” I gasped.

"Yes," Grandma smirked. “Cool, ain't I? It's my special skill. Leaps, big and small. With it, I tore through the wolves one by one. Their meat was useless, so I burned the rest. The girl… Valeriya… was terrified. She cried at the sight of a human. Then just like that, she fainted, probably exhausted from all that running.”

Her eyes softened as she spoke. “I took her in, tended her wounds. When she woke, she hid beneath the blankets, it was as if taking care of a stray cat, but little by little, with my broken Elandric, I gained her trust. For a month, she stayed, and in that short time, she had become like a granddaughter to me. She was timid, yes, but very bright.”

Grandma chuckled faintly. “Imagine my surprise when she told me she was the same age as me.”

I grinned. “Yeah, I get that.”

“Until, one day, she thanked me… and left. I never saw her face again, not fully. Sometimes she’d leave baskets at my door, with letters and elven trinkets. That’s why I have so many strange items here. She gave them to me as a token of gratitude. I was sad… but tonight, seeing her alive and strong, knowing she saved you, it fills me with pride.”

Her smile dimmed slightly. “Though I wonder… why do elves never seem to age?”

“Heh, strange race, aren’t they?” she chuckled.

“Yes,” I agreed quietly.

“But I do hope you’ll keep good terms with her,” Grandma said, her eyes turning serious. “The world may pit us against elves, but perhaps you children can be the bridge to something better.”

“Of course,” I said firmly.

“Good. Now then…” She turned to Alice, who had been fidgeting. “What is it, dear? You look like you’ve been holding back a question.”

Alice hesitated, then asked, “Grandma… earlier we saw so many elves in the forest. Is it because we’re near Elandor? The border of the Vale of Veyra?”

“!”

My mind clicked. What Alice said might actually be true. There was no way we were still in human territory if we could see elves. The only explanation was exactly as she claimed. Suddenly, I was reminded of the map I had studied in the tome during my first iteration. Thinking back now… wow, it had been a long time.

I looked at Father, and he nodded, confirming it was so.

“Yes, dear,” Grandma admitted. “Your grandfather had good relations with elven high-ups. That’s why we’re tolerated here. But only the Vandrelis family is permitted. Any outsiders would be treated as intruders. Apart from that, do you have any more questions, dear?”

Alice bowed politely. “That's all, Grandma. Thank you.”

“Now, finish your fruit,” Grandma said, her tone firm again. “It’s late. Tomorrow we rise early to visit the priestess.”

“Yes!” we all answered in unison.