~Chapter 5~


I woke up in the living room again, this time to bright sunlight streaming through the windows. Last night we turned the whole house over looking for clues, or even some personal item of Eru's that "they" (whoever they are that took her) missed. And found nothing. I could see Calder getting more and more frustrated as time wore on.

Around the time that the sky started lightening, I convinced him that it was best for both of us to get some sleep. I look over now at his worried face, troubled even in sleep (last night, among his mumbled complaints in which I distinctly heard the words 'not proper', I convinced him that it would be safer if he brought his bed into the living room as well). I know he won't rest easy again until we know that Eru is safe.

After a few moments, Calder stirs and starts to wake up. I look away quickly so he won't catch me watching him.

"Sage?" he asks softly.

"Yes, Calder?"

"I'm fearful for my grandmother." Wow. I can't believe that he trusts me enough to be this honest; after all, I just met him yesterday. Then again, who else does he have?

"We'll find her, I promise. We just have to figure out where to start. Now, I know we searched the entire house last night, but it's a new day, and we've rested. Can you think of any place else that we could find some indication of where she was taken? Or someplace that she would hide something special? Anywhere at all?" I just can't think of anything else to do until we know where to start.

He thinks for almost a minute before his face lights up. "I am so foolish! Of course..." He gets up and swiftly walks to the front door before he even finishes talking. I follow him and he leads me outside to an old gnarled tree on the edge of the clearing. It looks ancient, but still proud and tall.

"My grandmother always called this her 'secret tree', and showed me once when I was young-" He reaches up past the first fork in the trunk and presses a knot on one of the limbs. Suddenly there's a small cavity, about the size of a fist, where he pressed, though I can't figure out how it got there. It looks empty, and I can see his face fall in disappointment. He reaches in anyway, and swipes his fingers around to make sure that there's nothing inside. Just as he's about to pull his hand away, I see him pause, and he draws out a small slip of parchment. He brings it close to his eyes to examine the small writing. "Dear Calder, " he reads, "I have foreseen them coming for me. I know that I must go with them, or they will harm you both. I may not explain further, except to say that I will be all right. Take Sage on her journey, and remember to follow your heart. You will find the answers you seek and more. All my love, Eru."

"That's good Calder!" I talk quickly, trying to fill the silence that her note left behind. "That means that she's okay, and we can find her!" He still looks upset, so I continue. "Of course, we can't go to Venari, that doesn't make any sense anymore...Where could we find answers?"

He looks deep in thought, as if contemplating the same thing. I try to remember everything I ever read about Caelevoria, and all of the minute details the book contained. Where would someone go to find answers? Of course! We both speak at the same time.

"The elves."



We returned to the house as soon as we made our decision, and now we're preparing for our trip. We've decided to set out tomorrow morning, since it's late afternoon already. In addition to the clothes we packed yesterday, we've added dried foods - bread, raw vegetables and fruits, and some dried meat - to our bags, as well as cooking equipment; Calder already has flint and steel to start fires. After adding two bows and some arrows (which Calder says he'll show me how to use on our trip), and a couple knives, we turn to the kitchen table where he has several maps spread out. The biggest one, stretched out across most of the tabletop, is of the entire country of Caelevoria, and even shows the neighboring country of Brevisi. It has all of the major landmarks and towns, so we lean over it to plan our trip.

"To our knowledge, all major settlements of elves are found in the Proceri Forest," Calder says, gesturing at a forest that covers a large portion of Caelevoria's eastern half. The forest borders a lake - by the name of 'Altusa', according to the map - and some mountains. "Most of their villages are concealed from us, but this one, here," he points to a small dot by the lake, "is the most-visited by humans. We must travel here, then win the elves' favor. If we succeed, they may lead us to their capital city, Dryst, somewhere in this area," he gestures to a dot in the middle of the forest. "This is an estimate where the city is located, that Eru added to this map herself."