“Then you can begin tomorrow,” said Yashul. “For now, though, you must rest, Miss Eibhlin.”

“Oh, no, We can start right aw—!” Eibhlin fell against her chair as her legs gave out beneath her when she tried to stand. Exhaustion raced through her body as if in her blood, her mind suddenly groggy.

Yashul came to support her, saying, “You see? You must rest. Direct contact with the Fae’s magic is too much for a mortal body and often overwhelms those closely bound to Time. But don’t worry. Sleep shall cure you. Come. I shall take you to your room.”

Arm-in-arm, Eibhlin and the elf woman went down a nearby hall to a door opening to a clean room with the late afternoon sunlight turning the wood warm to sight and touch. Half asleep already, Eibhlin made her way to a bed covered in thick blankets, flopped down on top of them, and fell asleep. When she woke, she felt more rested than any time she could remember, and all tension in her body was gone. She went to the window. The sky still held tints of dawn’s colors, and ghosts of grass stood within a field of mist.

Eibhlin touched the window glass, and then she noticed her hands. Filthy, covered in dirt, grime, and grass stains, her sleeve, too. Turning to a mirror on the wall, she saw her whole body, from tangled hair to dress hem, messy from the forest and her own sweat, and shame flushed her cheeks. Back home, this much dirt didn’t matter so much, not among farmers and shepherds and craftsmen who rarely had the chance to wash regularly, but here, amongst the elves, to dirty such a place somehow felt disgraceful. She didn’t want to face her hosts again in such a shameful state, but as the thought crossed her mind, she heard a soft knock on the door.

“Miss Eibhlin,” came Elshiran’s voice, “have you awoken?”

Eibhlin wanted to pretend she hadn’t heard, but that lie, too, made her uneasy. In a quiet voice, she said, “Yes, I’m awake.”

“May I enter?” asked the elf.

“Yes,” said Eibhlin.

“Thank you,” said Elshiran, opening the door. Over one of her arms draped a thick towel, and in the other sat a basket. She said, “Would you care to wash? The bath is ready, should you wish to use it.”

The pink in Eibhlin’s cheeks deepened. “Ah… yes. That would be nice. Thanks.”

With a bright smile, Elshiran said, “Then follow me, please.”

“Um, Miss Elf,” said Eibhlin, “I… I didn’t realize I was so dirty. I even ate at your table and slept in your bed like this. I didn’t….”

Elshiran laughed, though it was not a one of criticism, but a happy laugh that shocked Eibhlin too much for her to feel insulted. The elf said, “Thank you for your concern, Miss Eibhlin, but please don’t worry over such a thing. If we felt troubled by soil and sweat, we would have cleaned you first, but that would have been out of order. First, you needed rest and comfort. Now you are ready to be clean.”

“Yes. Okay,” said Eibhlin, feeling again uneasy with the warmth surrounding her. “One more ques-tion. Why are you helping me? I mean, why’re you so willing to help me?”

“That’s a strange question,” said Elshiran, genuine confusion creasing her brows. “I’m not quite sure how to answer it. I suppose… I suppose the best way to say it is that it is in our nature, though by that I do not imply that it is against our will. We wish to help you, however it is proper to help, because it brings us pleasure, and because it brings us pleasure, we wish to help more. I haven’t yet taken my pilgrimage through the mortal nations, but Mother says there are some among humanity that are the same, who find happiness in giving and helping. Elves are the same, just in greater number.” She smiled shyly. “In fact, to feel useless is almost physically painful to us, and to continually act against our nature can lead to unpleasant results. I suppose that’s the best I can explain it. Now, I have a towel, soap, and a washrag with me. Do you need anything else? A clean dress, perhaps. I’m sure we can find something that fits you.”

“Oh, no, that’s fine. I have my own clothes.”

Elshiran nodded, and after Eibhlin grabbed her satchel, she followed the elf to a room at the heart of the house where the center of the floor curved down into a deep bowl filled with water. Multiple pillars held up the ceiling, in the middle of which was a skylight sealed off by glass, allowing daylight to sparkle upon the water and reflect white ribbons around the room.

“This is your bath?” said Eibhlin.

“Yes. Let us know if the water temperature is too hot, and we’ll adjust it.”

“It’s heated?”

“Yes. Is there something not to your preference?” asked the elf.

“No, that’s not it,” said Eibhlin. “But I didn’t expect your bath to be, well, like this. It’s even heated.”

“Of course it’s heated,” said the elf, confusion again clear on her face. She motioned to the skylight. “Why wouldn’t it be? We are very careful to keep our heating glass properly tuned.”

“I see,” said Eibhlin, trying to sound as if she un-derstood. “I’ll try not to take too long.”

“Take as long as you need,” said the elf as she handed over the basket and towel. Giving a slight curtsy, she said, “When you’re done, please place your laundry in the basket so Mother can wash it.”

“No, please don’t worry about my clothes,” said Eibhlin. “I can wash them myself!”

“But did you not want to search for Mealla’s key? Would you rather be further delayed by laundry?” asked Elshiran.

“Well, no,” Eibhlin admitted. “I do want to find the key as soon as I can, but….”

The elf laughed again. “Miss Eibhlin, you worry too much. You’re our guest. Please allow us to serve you.”

In the presence of such good-natured laughter, Eibhlin felt her hesitation shrink. “Okay. Thank you, Elshiran. And you don’t have to call me ‘miss.’ I’m not a lady, and we’re around the same age, right? At least, comparatively.”

With an even brighter smile, the elf said, “Thank you. I’m happy, Eibhlin. Then you shall call me Shira. My full name is a bit long.”

Eibhlin felt a smile now tugging at her own lips. “Okay, Shira.”

“Now, please, enjoy yourself and relax. I’ll go begin preparing your breakfast,” said Shira as she slipped through the door.

Taking that warm bath felt like waking up again, dirt slipping away to be replaced by rejuvenation. Once she was finished and had dried as well as she could manage, Eibhlin quickly dressed. She threw on a plain dress and over it a blue kirtle decorated around the neck with beads and embroidered at the hem with birds. It was last year’s birthday gift from the women back home and the only thing she owned that felt nice enough to wear around the elves. Walking out to the main room, she saw Yashul seated on a chair and reading to Elkir. She couldn’t understand the story, as they spoke in the elven tongue, but the rhythm with which Yashul crafted her voice drew Eibhlin till she was peering over the mother’s shoulder at the book.

“Do you have a question, Miss Eibhlin?”

Eibhlin backed away, saying, “No, it’s nothing. I was just wondering what you’re reading.”