As soon as I crossed the barrier, one of the Mages informed me that Mother Lelyah was waiting for me inside the dining hall. Our guests must have arrived long ago, everyone will be extremely mad at me for disappearing today of all days. I rushed to my cabin to change my ragged clothes into a dress and leave the map Jane gave me. All the hassle kept me from remembering the things weighting on my mind right now, especially about the impostor that has been living under the roof as me.

“I am sorry Mother Lelyah.”

She was already waiting for me outside the door.

“I thought you had run away at the last minute, but it seems that is too much even for you.”

“I planned to be here before lunch, but I accidentally entered a kingor’s territory.”

“A kingor? What were you doing that far into the forest?”

She must think I am lying to get out of trouble, if I told her the truth she would probably slap me on the spot.

“Well, it does not matter. The other apprentice is waiting for you, and I have to say, even you look like a promising Mage compared to her. Mother Eva left already, it is clear the poor elf will not last a day outside the village.”

“Did she come alone?”

“Two hunters accompanied her, they and their horses are resting with the others.”

“I wanted to meet the Mothers from the other village.”

“Why would they come all the way here Agafya? They have to perform a ceremony there too, they were lucky this year and have three other, I assume, decent apprentices.”

“You are being too hard on her Mother Lelyah, maybe she is just scared after seeing Mother Eva.”

As always, Lelyah pretended no to hear my joke and headed back into the dining hall.

“Come on inside, I am hungry.”

An abundance of fruits, roasted vegetables, salads and soup covered the table, but none of them caught my attention. It should have been obvious, but I overlooked it out of surprise this whole time. The elf sitting at the center of the table had her red long hair tied on the side with a violet ribbon, a beautiful silver flower adorned her left shoulder and I could see colorful patterns she probably sew herself all around her white dress. She was the impostor.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Agafya.”

I was right, it was impossible for another human to be living here without me noticing it. She just arrived here today. It was clear from taking a single look at her, no elf would put that amount of effort into looking pretty. We all here use the same plain looking white dress, I even had to order the hunters to specifically make me clothes similar to theirs to explore the forest.

“It is a pleasure, my name is Nadya.”

Nadya was no elf, she is a human girl trying her best to relive her long gone high school years. No wonder the Mothers are calling her a failure, she is the same as me.

“Agafya, please sit down. You already made us wait long enough.”

“Sorry Mother Lelyah.”

For now, I should hide my emotions and pretend until we are alone.

“This will be our last meal here together, tomorrow at dawn you will leave for the most important journey of your lives. Please enjoy the feast the hunters prepared for the occasion.”

I just noticed, but not even for our final meal we got to eat meat. Way to go Cedric.

“Did you enjoy the trip Nadya?”

Clearly surprised at me trying to start a conversation, Nadya struggled to give a response.

“It was tough being outside of the village for the first time, but Alik and Dima made sure I was safe the whole time.”

“How long did it take?”

“One month, we had to stop a lot along the way. We even stayed in a human city once.”

“It must have been nice, I have never spent the night outside the village.”

“Lucky for you Agafya, you will get to do that every night starting tomorrow.”

I almost forgot Lelyah was here, why does everything she says must be a scold.

“Have you been outside the village Agafya?”

“Yes, only to the forest though. I cannot wait to visit the city.”

“I did not have much opportunity to wander around, it was all so scary that Dima handled everything for me this time. I cannot even imagine being alone at the forest.”

I could already tell she was frail and weak, just by the way she spoke, by how she did not even tried to look at Lelyah or me into the eyes, she was so out of place. Probably she spend her whole life just listening to the Mothers in her village, without knowing why she was here, without having someone by her side. Longing for the life she left behind.

“Do not worry, we will have plenty of time starting tomorrow.”

I could feel Lelyah’s judging gaze right by mi side. Finding someone potentially worse than me must have surprised her.

“She will spend the night in your cabin Agafya, please make sure she is ready for tomorrow.”

“Yes Mother, leave everything to me. I hope you are not too tired for a tour around the village.”

“Thank you.”

She responded with a faint smile and continued having dinner in silence.

“Do you want to go to the library? It is the only interesting place here aside from the farm, but I don’t think Cedric will let us in this late.”

We finished dinner and Lelyah left instantly to prepare for tomorrow, I was now having a stroll with Nadya, looking for the best opportunity to reveal her the truth.

“I am okay with it if you do not mind.”

What kind of weird response is that? I have noticed it for a while, but aside from her looks, she is very similar to other elves; only talks when I talk to her and is weirdly formal.

“Let’s go, I don’t feel like sleeping just yet.”

I grabbed her hand and started walking towards there. She was as surprised as I expected, is probably better if I gain her confidence before dropping the bombshell, unlike the other weird person did to me.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?”

She finally spoke on her own.

“I guess more excited than nervous. The only thing I was really nervous was about meeting you.”

“It must have been really weird to hear that an elf from another village was coming. When they told me that two months ago I was really shocked and they did not even take the time to explain why.”

So it was true, they normally kept the apprentices in the dark until the very last moment.

“Yeah, although a part of me was happy I didn’t have to go on this trip alone. Do you wish you had gone with the elves from your village?”

“I do not know to be honest. Before leaving, I was sad and nostalgic about leaving my home, but right now I feel a bit relived. It is so strange; I think I cannot even remember their faces or a single we did together.”

I know how you feel.

“When I told the three of them I was leaving, they just said good luck and continued as if nothing happened. Even the day I departed, no one showed up. The Mothers did not even bother to accompany me or to teleport us part of the way.”

I know how you feel.

“A part of me wished that at least for the last day they would care or be a little sad. I do not even know why I have to go on this trip, why am I here or if I ever want to return to the village.”

I she could cry, I bet she would be crying right now. Her expression was painful, broken, hopeless; the expression of a person without a reason to continue. My memories of Lada are only happy ones, the time I spent with her was short but I remember how secure just having her by my side made feel. But what if over time she just continued being cold towards me, if she would gradually stop talking to me and started rejecting me at every moment. What if I had to continue my studies with the Mothers each and every day of my life without them ever showing a single bit concern towards me, what if one day they just told me I had to leave the village without them being sad or explaining why.

Unlike me, she did not give up; deep in her heart she wanted to believe she still had a family. She did not watch with her own eyes the cruelty and coldness of the elves, she continued trying to open their hearts just to have her hopes crushed at every occasion.

“Sorry, I am saying weird things again.”

“Nadya, are you happy here?”

I directly asked her what I was thinking this whole time.

“I not so sure anymore. Right now, I just wish it would end.”

Her response pierced directly into my heart.

“Now that I think about it, you probably have the exact same library in your village. Let’s go watch the stars instead.”

I said as I continue to tightly hold her hand.

Do not worry Nadya, now I am sure about my decision. Once we leave this village, I will take both of us back into our world.