"How is your father doing?" she asked.

Mika responded, "Hmm- he was broken up when you were taken away, but he did his best to raise me and Sari. He's back with Carrie now... when the council suggested Sari as the yearly sacrifice- he spoke against it- but they silenced him by throwing him into prison. He should be out now."

"Oh..." she responded, "that's terrible...Sari- you had to go through all that."

She knelt down in front of Sari and looked her in the eyes and then gave her a small hug. From the looks of it to Narice, Sari might have felt it unusual to be hugged by a stranger.

The woman turned her attention back to Mika and brought him to her and wrapped and arm around him while kneeling.

There was some confusion as Narice glanced between everyone. Obviously- Mika was a full-blooded Canjun- while this woman was an elf- but there was no shortage of familiarity between the two.

The woman looked up at the group after a moment. The woman looked to the group and sensed the confusion that everyone had trying to piece things together.

"So..." Elera spoke, "you're his... mother?"

"Ah-" she was about to respond.

"Please," the queen spoke interrupting, "let's all have a seat."

The woman nodded and followed the queen's lead tightly squeezing Mika's and Sari's hands while walking to the chair. the rest of the group followed too- all taking different seats.

Tea was poured for her and she released her grip of Mika and Sari.

She went from looking at Mika and Sari for a moment- to the teacup. Everyone was anxiously awaiting her tale. She took a sip and set down the cup. Then she took a breath and spoke.

"It was about ten years ago..." she spoke, "I had initially been raised as a maidservant in the castle..."I wasn't mistreated in anyway, but being the only life i'd known- I decided i wanted to explore outside of the castle,"

--

she spoke, "I took a bag and paid for passage south where i'd heard that other Elfa resided.

She continued, "It was refreshing to leave the castle. When i got to the village - i realized that life was much more relaxed- I took a room and decided to live among the others in the village. We were mostly solitary with certain people watching over the Canjuns.

While we both had separate tribes- we coexisted helping each other- including with agriculture and the like. Mainly they would help us with our fields while we could supply them with magical support different ways.

There was a certain Canjun that i thought was impressed with- he was kind- the first ray of kindness from a strange location. He was a good man, a hard worker: we became friends," she continued.

"His child's name was Mika. I believe Mika was aboutone. Of course initially, everyone was supportive of a friendship between Canjun and Elfa- but they didn't know.

We fell in love- he tried to keep our friendship what it was, but soon enough, he let me get closer. It was good for a year or two- and i began to help raise Mika. Niether the Canjun or the Elfa would approve and then...

"I think i'm pregnant..."

"really?!"

I was pregnant- we kept it a secret for a little while- but it couldn't be hidden for too long," she continued, "After giving birth- I barely even got to hold her in my arms before the village took her away from me...Little Sari...."

Tallaeya looked at Sari with pursed lips as she began to break down on the ground in front of her chair.

"I'm sorry i wasn't there for you Sari..." she spoke.

The little girl had begun to piece everything together, "So..."

Tallaeya smiled at the little girl who'd been piecing together everything listening to the story, "Sari... I'm your mother..."

---