"How did you find us again? I mean it has been a long time and a long way since Aurora saw you with the stag." Devrim asked the question that had been itching in the back of his mind.

"Oh I have been following you for weeks," Brinn admitted easily. "I spotted you back before that gnome attacked you."

Devrim's eyes opened wide and he tried to speak several times. He had not seen the elf a single time. He had only heard Aurora's recount of their meeting.

"In the human world, we call that a stalker," Aurora said. She had slowed down and allowed the others to catch up to her. Brinn's words confirmed her suspicion that they had been followed.

The elf nodded, "Oh I was definitely stalking you. I am an excellent tracker, and it was extra easy since you were leaving marks for those two soldiers to catch up. Pity they never did." The humans could not tell if she was being sincere.

"Do you have any idea what happened to them?" There was a slight air of accusation in Devrim's words.

"Slow down there, lover-boy! I did not have anything to do with them. Last I saw, they were taking that gnome to a fort or something." Brinn was only slightly offended. Were the roles reversed, she would have thought the same. Aurora changed the subject.

"Why didn't we see you cross the lake?" The water was flat enough that they should have seen other watercraft while travelling.

Brinn shrugged. "When I saw you were going across the lake, I took a shortcut via carrier eagle and waited for you at the gate. When you didn't come through as expected, I came looking for you. The nymph found me and asked for my help. Talk about good timing, am I right?"

"Wait, there is a gate?!?" Devrim was astonished.

Brinn giggled, "Yes, a big beautiful one. I have no idea how you missed it. The gate was straight across from where you started."

"The merfolk washed us off course," Aurora told the elf.

Brinn held her finger to her nose knowingly. "Ah, merfolk…'The only thing predictable about the merfolk is that they are always unpredictable.' It's an ancient proverb that does not translate well, but you get the point."

"Indeed," Devrim sighed. His head still ached slightly from their powers over his mind. If he never saw a mermaid again, it would still be too soon.

"Well, we are very thankful that you were there to open that…thing for us." Aurora was not sure what to call the invisible barricade.

"Oh you mean the wall? It protects the elves' land from unfriendlies like the gnomes, but the nymphs were not sure how it would react to you." Brinn walked along and spoke as if she was speaking about the weather.

"How would it have reacted?" Devrim asked.

"Oh, it would have fried you like eggs."

The Empress shivered. "Glad you opened it!" Aurora said.

Brinn brushed away her gratitude. It was unnecessary. As the sun was getting lower, they walked walked on through the quiet forest. "You should be out of the elves' land soon if we keep up this pace. I will let you out on the far side, and you can continue your journey." Brinn looked around nervously as she spoke. Something had set off her internal alarm.

"You are not coming with us?" Aurora asked. She had secretly hoped to have the elf as a guide the rest of the journey.

"I think I have stalked you quite enough," Brinn responded. Just then there was a movement in the trees. Brinn motioned for them to stop and drew her bow in the blink of an eye. To her surprise, Aurora had drawn her own bow from an unknown location and Devrim stood beside them with his sword drawn. "Come out!" Brinn ordered.

From between the trees a tall, handsome elf strode confidently into view with his empty hands raised. "No need to shoot. I come in peace."

"Alvar!" Brinn yelled as she cursed at him. "You nearly saw your death today."

Alvar flashed a toothy smile. "I believe it. You are as accurate as anyone I know. Good eve, travelers! My name is Alvar, though I think you might have guessed that much." Alvar winked as he bowed, and Aurora giggled.

'He has a lot of personality, I think.' "Nice to meet you. I am Aurora." The Empress curtsied.

Devrim held out his hand and shook the forearm of the elf, "The name is Devrim."

"Nice to meet you both. I am happy to see you back, safe and healthy, Brinn. We have missed you. Come home for your welcome feast. Your friends could join us, if they like." The last part was an invitation to the humans.

"They need to be going, Alvar. They have places to be," Brinn insisted.

Alvar sighed, "You would deny them good food and a soft bed for the night! They can surely continue their journey in the morning. Don't be so selfish, Brinn-y," Alvar reached out to pinch Brinn's cheek, and she slapped his hand away.

"A warm bed does sound wonderful," Devrim muttered to the Empress.

"And I am ever so hungry. Perhaps they can tell us what is safe to eat." Aurora whispered back.

"Trust me the whole experience is overrated," Brinn tried to deter them once more. It did not work.

"We have been sleeping on hard ground for weeks on end. Anything is better than that," Aurora said.

"It is settled! I will lead you home," Alvar clapped his hands excitedly. The four turned to the right and headed for the elves' city.

"Isn't this the direction you told us not to go?" Devrim asked Brinn.

Alvar cut her off, "Oh yes, there is a nasty ditch back there isn't there Brinn-y?"

Brinn rubbed her temples. "Stop calling me that!"

"What is there between you two?" Aurora asked too innocently.

"We are engaged to be married," Alvar said casually.

"No we are not!" Brinn argued.

"We are pre-engaged," Alvar asserted confidently.

"Not even close," Brinn shook her head and her face flushed red. Her gaze narrowed on the he-elf.

Alvar sighed, "I have been asking her to marry me for over twenty years. One of these days she will say yes." The stars in Alvar's eyes showed how much he believed his own words.

"Wait, twenty years?!? How old are you?" Devrim blurted.

Brinn raised her nose in the air. "Not that it is your business, but I am 167. Just a teenager in human years. No one gets married before 200 and I'm not going to either."

"But we belong together Brinn-y. Why wait?" Alvar was close to begging.

"You will be waiting a lot longer than 200 if you keep up your nagging." Brinn warned.

"So your relationship is…" Aurora smiled. She held out her hand, waiting for the answer.

"It is complicated! Are you happy?" It was Brinn's turn to go off in a huff.

"I'm not unhappy." Aurora responded evenly as her lips turned up into a smirk.

"What was that about?" Alvar asked as he watched the retreating Brinn and giggling Aurora.

"I'm afraid you had to be there." Devrim said.

"…I wasn't?"