Cassie awoke one winter's night to a soft, trembling voice calling her name. She rolled over and met the large eyes of her little sister. The tiny girl's frightened expression was illuminated by the glow of the lantern she carried that was almost as long as her forearm.

Cassie sat up and brushed a strand of black hair out of her face and behind one of her pointed ears. "Hilde? What are you doing out of bed at this time of night?"

"I had a bad dream. It was about Papa. He was in a room, and it was all dark inside. He looked cold and he was all alone. I called to him, but he didn't hear me. He didn't even look at me."

Cassie pulled Hilde on to the bed beside her and wrapped the little girl in her blankets and her arms. "It was just a dream. Papa's all right. He's safe with the elves at Unicorn Glen."

"But when is Papa coming home?"

"As soon as he helps the sick unicorns get well."

"But when will that be?"

"Soon, little sister. Soon." Cassie gently kissed Hilde's forehead. "But we must be brave until he returns. We..."

The sound of something large and heavy banging against the front door rang in both sisters' ears and made them gasp. The banging came again, louder and faster. Clearly, whoever was on the outside was in a hurry to be invited in.

Anyone coming to call at this time of night must have an urgent reason for doing so, Cassie thought. She leaped out of bed. "I'll need your lantern, Hilde."

Hilde jumped back. "Don't leave me in the dark!"

Cassie threw on her house robe. "I'll light a candle for you. Stay here until I say it's all right to come out."

A minute later, Cassie was at the bottom of the stairs and racing across the parlor toward the front door. The knocking came again, louder this time.

"Be patient," said Cassie. "I'm coming."

She opened the door and gasped. Standing in front of her were two large ogres, both clad in the black leather ogre warriors wore. Both were male, and both were covered with deep cuts and burns from the crowns of their heads to their snow covered boots. One ogre was leaning heavily on his companion. His eyes were closed and he was moaning. He wore a gold, ruby studded circlet in his long white hair. Cassie recognized him as soon as she saw him. He was a commander of the ogre army and an old friend of her father's.

"Ungil," Cassie breathed.

The other ogre, whom Cassie didn't know, looked down at her. "Good evening, lady elf. Is this the home of Solomon the healer."

"Yes, it is. Come in quickly." The two ogres limped and hobbled inside and Cassie closed the door behind them. "Here, let me help you."

She placed Ungil's free arm around her own and together she and the ogre helped the old commander toward the parlor's couch.

"I'm sorry my father's not here," said Cassie. "He was called away to help tend to some hurt unicorns."

"Is he very far away?" the ogre asked. "The commander needs help as soon as possible."

"I will tend to both of you."

"You? You look like you've barely left childhood. How much could you know about healing?"

"Alnar," Ungil said in a voce that was weak, but still commanded authority, "she may be young, but she can heal as well as any of the elf elders."

Alnar and Cassie laid Ungil on the couch and then Alnar limped to a nearby chair. Cassie hurried to the foot of the stairs and called for Hilde. The little elf girl soon appeared at the top of the stairs carrying her candle. She too recognized Ungil as soon as she saw him.

"Ungil, how come you're all scraped up? Have you been fighting with those trolls again? Honestly, why do your people and them have to fight over that silly little gold mine anyway? "

"Hilde," said Cassie, "I need you to get some clean bandages and blankets for our guests. And some water, too. Will you do that for me?"

Hilde nodded and scurried off to do what she was told.

Cassie set to work building a fire in the fireplace. "Was it the trolls who did this to you?"

"No," Ungil hissed, his voice a mix of anger and shame. "Humans."

Cassie dropped the wood she was holding and spun around. "Humans?"

Alnar looked down at the floor. "Yes. Twenty of them. The commander and I, and twelve of our comrades saw them cutting down trees at the edge of the forest. We tried to stop them but,... but they attacked us. They.... killed all twelve of our comrades. The commander and I barely escaped with our lives."

"Twenty weak and pathetic humans were able to defeat fourteen ogre warriors? It's not possible. Not even a hundred of their best warriors are a match for even one ogre."

"They have been getting stronger. They have already slaughtered many of the trolls and forced the rest into hiding. Now I hear they are starting to hunt the unicorns."

Cassie shivered and picked up the fallen pieces of wood and put them on the burning kindling. "They must be using some kind of evil witch craft. That's the only way they could be getting so strong."

Alnar shook his head. "The humans hate and fear magic, both good and evil. That's why they want to destroy this forest and all of the magical creatures in it."

"They're mad."

Cassie and the ogres heard the sound of small feet stumbling upstairs. The looked up and saw Hilde carrying a large bucket of water in her hands and a pile of blankets and bandages in her arms. The pile blocked her head from view and water was slopping out of the bucket as she struggled to carry it.

"I got the blankets and other things you asked for," Hilde said triumphantly.

Cassie cleaned the ogres' wounds and applied healing herbs to them before bandaging them. Then she and Alnar carried Ungil to one of the guest rooms. She told both ogres that the commander should rest there a few days to recover fully, but when she brought the ogres their breakfast the next morning, the guest room was empty. The ogres were nowhere to be found.

They must have returned to their regiment, Cassie thought. Curse them. Trust an ogre to never care about his own well being when there are battles still to be fought.

Cassie and Hilde spent the better part of that day indoors. Every few hours, Hilde would plead with her sister to let her go out and play in the snow, but Cassie wouldn't let her.

"But why?" Hilde would moan.

"I told you already," Cassie would snap. "It's too cold outside for you."

That was only an excuse. The real reason Cassie wanted her little sister to stay inside was because she didn't want her encountering any dangerous humans that might be outside.

Every fifteen minutes, Cassie would look out the window for any signs of those monsters. Each time, she was greeted with the sight of the snow falling from the sky and on the already white clearing that surrounded her home.

It wasn't until sunset that Cassie saw a hooded and cloaked figure limp out of the woods. Cassie's breath stilled and her pulse raced. Was it a human? It was certainly tall enough to be a tall human man, or maybe a small elf. In the darkness, even Cassie's sharp elf sight couldn't tell the difference.

It wasn't until the figure limped a few feet closer to the house that Cassie could make out the stranger's green cloak and silver broach. They were the kind that were worn by elf warriors. The stranger must be an elf.

Cassie gasped as the elf suddenly collapsed. After a moment, he began to crawl toward the house. Cassie threw on her cloak, then lit a lantern.

"Stay in the house, Hilde," she ordered as she opened the door and stepped into the chilly winter night.

Cassie ran to the elf and knelt by his side so that she could help him to his feet. "Don't worry. You'll be all right."

The figure in the green cloak looked up at her. Cassie screamed and leaped to her feet. What she saw was not the fair face and blonde hair or black hair of an elf, but the rough features and long red hair of a human.

The monster reached for the hem of Cassie's dress. Cassie quickly stepped back out of his reach, but as she did so, she looked into the human's deep green eyes and found that she could not look away. There was nothing mean or murderous in those eyes, only pain, weariness, and pleading.

"Please," he whispered weakly, "help me."

With that, the human's eyes closed and he slipped into unconsciousness.

For several minutes, Cassie was rooted to where she stood and was unable to tear her eyes away from the human. What could she do? This creature was covered in gashes, some far deeper than any Ungil or Alnar had. He needed help right away. But what if she did help him? He wore a sword and armor over his vital organs, so he was a soldier of some kind. What would he do to her and Hilde when he was strong enough to use that sword again? Cassie shuddered at the thought of her little sister impaled by that monster's cruel steel. No, she thought, she would not let that happen. She would leave the human here. He was weak and would never survive the night out in this cold. He would be dead by morning and Cassie would never have to worry about him again. She and Hilde would be safe.

Cassie ordered her body to turn and go back into the house, but it still wouldn't move. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she leave this human here to die as he most likely deserved? Was it because of his eyes? Was it because of the way they seemed to beg her for her help? The way they seemed to glimmer with the hope that he would get it?

Or was it was because of what her father had taught her when she began to learn about medicine. How it was a healer's responsibility to give help to all who needed it, regardless of who needed it. But surely her father would understand in this case. This was a demon. But what about Hilde? What would she say? Hilde didn't have a hateful bone in her body. She would never understand why Cassie had left a man to die. I her little sister ever found out what she did, Cassie would never be able to face Hilde ever again. The little girl would forever think of her as a monster.

Cassie looked down at the human again. Did he know she was an elf? No. The hood of her cloak was covering her ears, and even if they weren't, it would be impossible for him to tell she wasn't human in the dark and in his condition. Maybe..

No. No. What was she thinking? It would take a week at least for her strongest healing herbs to heal this human's wounds. She would never be able to hide what she and her sister really were from him for that long. And what if some other patient came unexpectedly and saw him? She would be punished for harboring an enemy.

The snow on either side of the human was now completely red. He was bleeding heavily and needed immediate help. The human moaned in his sleep. Before she realized what she was doing, Cassie had kneeled down beside the wounded man and wrapped her cloak around his badly bleeding side.

I must be out of my mind for doing this, Cassie thought. With every ounce of strength in her body, she carefully lifted the heavy creature on to her back and carried him inside the house.

As soon as Cassie stepped across the doorway, Hilde was at her side.

"Why were you out there for so long? Who's that you're carrying? Is that the elf warrior? Is it anyone we know?" Then she saw the human's face and ears. "His ears aren't pointed. Is he a human? Papa says human's look almost like us, except they're short, and they have disfigured ears. He looks like that. Well Cassie, is he? Is he? Is he?"

"Yes!" Cassie snapped. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Hilde, I'm going to put him in the small guest room upstairs. You are not to go in there during his stay, understand?"

"Why?"

"Just do what I say."

Cassie spent most of that night stitching up the human's deep wounds, and applying healing herbs and bandages to them. As soon as she was done, she tied him to the bed with ropes that would not come unbound unless an elf told it to, and hid his dagger, sword, and armor in her own room.

Her plan was to stay up all night and keep her eye on him, but toward day break she fell asleep in a chair by his bedside. She jerked awake around noon, cursed herself for sleeping so long, and found, to her relief, that the human was still asleep.

I'd better see what mischief Hilde has gotten herself into, she thought.

But as Cassie rose to leave, she heard the human stir. She quickly grabbed her cloak and threw the hood over her head just as the human opened his eyes. He tried to rise, but soon found that he couldn't because of the ropes. He looked up at her, then just stared at her, opened mouth, eyes filled with wonder.

"Are you an ... an angel?" he finally asked.

Cassie shook her head. "No, I'm not."

The human smiled. "With your beauty you certainly look like one."

Cassie turned away not knowing whether to blush or worry. She had heard that human men were so barbaric that they took any woman they wanted for their own even if the woman did not consent to it. Would he try and take her when he was strong enough? Still, a compliment was a compliment and she felt a little flattered by what he had said.

"If you are not an angel," the human continued, "then are you the vison I saw last night? Am I still dreaming? Loveliness such as yours can't possibly be a reality."

Cassie turned back to the human. "You flatter me, but I assure you, this is no dream."

The human smiled. "Then I ‘m blessed beyond all the kings of the world to behold such a treasure."

Treasure? thought Cassie. Does he wish to possess me already?

She took a step backwards as the human continued to speak. "I am Garret Alecvore, knight of Elas."

"Elas?" asked Cassie. "That is the kingdom on the eastern edge of the forest, isn't it?"

"It is. Please, good lady, tell me your name, and tell me why I'm tied to this bed like a common thief."

"My name is Cassandra. And the reason you are tied to that bed is because you're a stranger here. And while I did bring you in last night and cared for you, I don't trust you."

The human looked shocked. "You don't trust me? I am a knight, a man of honor. I wouldn't do anything to harm you or anything or person under this roof. I am in your debt for helping me. Please, untie me and give me something to eat. I'm famished."

Cassie backed toward the door. "I will get you some food, but I won't untie you." She turned and briskly walked out of the room.

***

"What are humans like, Cassie?" Hilde asked.

Cassie looked up from her plate of food. She and Hilde were in the dining room having lunch. Hilde was fiddling with the strings of the lace bonnet that her father had given her for her birthday. Hilde had put it on the day her father left and had worn it every day ever since.

"They are violent, uncivilized barbarians," Cassie said. "And they're dangerous. That's why I don't want you going into the guest room until he's gone."

"But if humans are so dangerous, why do we have one in the house?"

"Because... because he was hurt."

"Is he all better now?"

"Not all better. It will take a week for his wounds to heal."

"Can I at least go and see him? You wouldn't let me get a good look at him last night."

"No!" Cassie rose from her chair. "I'm going to get some water from the river. The human is tied up, so you don't have to worry about him. Stay out of the guest room."

Hilde smiled sweetly and nodded. Cassie gave her sister another stern look of warning, then left the house.

Because of the deep snow and heavy wind blowing in her face, it took Cassie a half an hour to get water from the nearby river and return home. When she opened the front door, she expected to see Hilde curled up by the fire and playing with her dolls, but Hilde was nowhere to be found.

"Hilde," Cassie called out.

There was no answer.

Cassie's pulse began to race. She wouldn't have. She dropped her bucket and sprinted toward the guest room. As she approached she could hear deep laughter and her sister's giggle. You little wretch. Wait until I get my hands on you.

She tore open the door and gasped. The human was sitting upright, unbound, and an arm's length away from Hilde, who sat in a chair by his bed. Thankfully, she still wore her bonnet, so her ears were covered.

Both Hilde and the human stared up at Cassie. Hilde hopped up out of her chair. "Cassie, you were wrong. Garret's not barbaric, he's not even dangerous. He's funny. Can we keep him?" Her smile turned into a worried frown. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"Hilde," said Cassie, "what are you doing in here? And why is he untied?"

The human answered that question. "Hilde and I have been keeping each other company. We've been exchanging jokes. You have quite a charming little sister."

Cassie glared down at Hilde. "And why did you untie him?"

Hilde looked down at the floor. "He said that the ropes were too
tight."

"If it's any comfort to you," said the human, "my legs are still bound. I don't know why you are so scared of me. I told you before, I wouldn't hurt you. I am a knight, not some vile monster like an ogre, or an elf."

Hilde spun around. "What do you mean? Elves and ogres aren't monsters."

"They're the most evil of creatures, didn't you know that?"

"Do you think I'm evil?"

"No. Of course not. Why would I think you're evil?"

"Well..." Hilde tugged off her bonnet.

"Hilde, no!" Cassie screamed.

Too late. The human's eyes widened with horror and amazement when he saw Hilde's pointed elf ears. Before he could do anything else, Cassie grabbed her little sister and quickly pushed her out of the room. She screamed a magic word that made the dormant ropes spring to life and re-tie the human to the bed before scampering out of the guest room and quickly closing the door behind her.

Cassie did not return to the guest room until the next morning to give the human his breakfast. He was awake and staring at the ceiling when she entered and did not look her way until she placed the tray of food on the table by his bed.

Cassie looked at the human with an expressionless gaze. "I've brought you something to eat."

The human glanced at the food. "And what spell have you laced it with, witch? Something that will turn me into a frog, or make me your loyal slave?"

"So now I'm a witch? Not your dream angel? Well, to answer your question, I haven't laced it with anything."

"Oh, then I suppose you're just giving it to me to help restore my strength."

Cassie sat down in a chair and speared a slice of fried egg with a fork. "Yes. Open your mouth."

"Are you holding me for ransom? Is that why you're keeping me alive? Or are you restoring me to health so that I'll last longer when the rest of your kind torture me for fun."

Cassie slammed the fork down, her temper about ready to snap. "My people do not torture others, it is you and your brethren who torture us. And for what...?"

"I am a knight, I have sworn to defend the innocent against evil. E..."

"We are not evil."

"You practice the evil arts of sorcery. Your kind murder innocent people."

"You lie."

"Do I? Let me tell you something. Two days ago, myself and many other knights and our families were on our way to the king's yearly tournament. Our road took us past the forest, but not into it. Still, we were attacked."

"By elves?"

"They were mostly ogres, but there were some elves among them. They said that they were seeking retribution from us for an attack on some unicorns earlier in the week."

"You attacked unicorns?"

"No. Although I look forward to hunting them down some day. Those elves and ogres had no reason to attack us. We weren't on their land, and most of our company were women, children, servants, or newly knighted young men who had never seen battle before. I.. I saw many of my comrades fall, brave and valiant men whom I grew up with, before I was separated from my company. They were good men, Cassandra, they didn't deserve to die."

"Neither did the unicorns or any other person killed by your kind."

"They are creatures of magic.

"Yes The purest and most powerful magic known to the forest. That's why they're reveared and respected amoung all who live here."

"They are evil."

"They are the most innocent creatures who breate air. They deserved life more than those men from your caravan."

"How dare you! What right do you have to say who is more fit to live?"

"Look who's talking." Cassie picked up the tray of food she'd brought in. "I may not be able to decide who lives and who dies, but I can decide who to feed and who not to." She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Over the next four days, the only times Cassie saw that accursed human was when she brought him his meals, consisting of water and a few slices of bread, twice a day. She never spoke to him, just fed him and left. Other than a few insults, the barbarian didn't speak to her either.

On the evening of the fourth day, Cassie brought the human his dinner as usual. She quietly opened the door and peaked in. The fading light of the setting sun shone on the man's face and she saw that his eyes were closed. She walked up to his bedside and unbandaged a wound on his arm. It had healed to little more than a scratch now. She sighed. He was healing faster than she thought he would. Soon he would be completely healed and then what? What would she do with him? Let him go? What if he tried to hurt her and Hilde once he was free? Or go back to his army and bring troops back to burn down their house?

Cassie sighed and looked out the window at the darkening sky. Why did she bring this villain into her home and put herself and her sister in danger? He was a heartless imbecile, just like the rest of his race. She was a fool to help him. She should have known better. Even the silly rabbit knew better than to let the hungry fox into its den no matter how hurt the fox was.

Cassie was startled back to reality by the sound of the human's voice.

"Expecting someone?"

Cassie turned from him. "No. I was just.. thinking."

The human inhaled then exhaled deeply. "I've been doing a lot of that, too. It's all a body can do when he has to spend his days tied to a bed."

Cassie crossed her arms. "Hmph."

There was silence for several long minutes until the last of the day's light disappeared from the room.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," the human said. "Why did you help me?"

Cassie closed her eyes. "I was just asking myself the same question. What person in her right mind would help a mongrel that wants to kill her?"

"You did."

"I wanted to let you die, but for some reason I couldn't move from your side until I had decided to help you."

"And what made you decide that? Pity?"

"Maybe. Maybe because I am a healer and a healer's duty is to help all sick and wounded who are in need. If I had left you, I would have been no better than a monster."

"And do you regret what you've done?"

Cassie was silent for a long moment before answering. "I'm not sure. You haven't exactly given me a reason to be glad I saved your life. Tell me something, human. You will soon be well enough to travel back to your realm. If I were to let you go, what would you do Hilde and me?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you that I would simply go away and you would never see me again."

"That's what I hope you will do, but you're right, I wouldn't believe you if you told me that."

"So, are you going to keep me here forever so you'll be safe?"

"No. I was thinking of sending word to the elf king that you're here and have him decide what to do with you. You'll most likely be tried for the crimes you've committed against the people of this forest."

"What crimes? I've never wronged anyone in the forest."

"And you expect me to believe that? You, a human never..."

"The only time I even hurt one of your people was when I was fighting for my life after they attacked my company. And if you're king is going to put me on trial for that, let him put his own soldiers on trial for attacking us."

"What about that cloak you were wearing when you came here? Did you kill an elf for that?"

"No. I just took it from one who was already dead so I could keep warm. My own cloak was burned by a flaming arrow."

Cassie opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't think of anything to say. Her mind was debating on whether or not to believe him. He might be lying, hoping that she might let him go if she believed him. However, there was something about the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes that made Cassie think he was being honest. But what did it matter? He was a human. Human's were cruel and barbaric. Even if he hadn't done anything to the forest or its folk, he surely would someday.

The next afternoon, just before lunch, Cassie trudged once again through the heavy snow to the river to get water. As she bent down to dip her bucket in the water, she noticed several deep holes in the snow. From the way they were arranged, Cassie knew that they could only be tracks. But what kind?

Suddenly, Cassie heard footsteps approaching and a soft voice calling out "Garret! Garret!"

That must be another human looking for the one at home, Cassie thought. She quickly hid behind a large evergreen tree. A minute later, a small child rushed into view. She looked about ten human years old and looked so much like Hilde that Cassie thought for a moment that she was looking at her little sister. Then, she saw the little girl's fiery red hair. The same color as the hair of....

"Garret!" the little girl shouted again.

Cassie heard heavier footsteps approaching fast. A large man, dressed in the same armor as the red-haired knight, came into view.

"Lady Alyssa," he said, "thank goodness I've found you. You shouldn't wander away from camp. These woods are filled with all sorts of unspeakable evil. I'll be glad when we break camp tomorrow and continue on our way."

"But I know my big brother is out here somewhere," said the little girl. "I want to find him before we leave."

The knight sighed and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I know how much you loved Sir Garret, but you must accept the fact that he's gone and he's not coming back."

Cassie saw tears well up in little Alyssa's eyes. The child began to tremble and sobbed softly.

The knight hung his head. "Poor fellow. Killed the day after he was knighted. I promise you, young lady, that..."

Alyssa shoved the knight's hand away. "How would you know?! You don't know anything! My brother's coming back! You'll see!" She cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Garret!!"

The knight put a hand over her mouth. "Quiet, child! You'll attract the foul monsters of this place."

A wolf howled far in the distance. The knight gasped, picked up Alyssa and hurried away.

Cassie stood where she was. The image of Alyssa sobbing over her brother burned into her brain. Her words repeated themselves in her head. "My brother's coming back! You'll see!"

That poor little girl, thought Cassie. She must love her brother very much to wander from the safety of her camp to go look for him.

Cassie filled her bucket with water and walked back to her home, her mind still on the girl and the pain and worry she had seen in her eyes. She felt sorry for Alyssa, but she knew that there was nothing she could do to ease her pain, not if she wanted to keep herself, her family, and friends safe. If she freed the human and returned him to the other humans, who was to say that he wouldn't fight for the destruction of the forest when he was fully recovered? But then, who was to say that he would? Did she have the right to keep a man from his family for a crime he might commit? But what if he wasn't lying about what he said about not ever hurting her people? How was she supposed to know that?

Cassie walked through the front door to see Hilde sitting by the fire place, clutching her doll tightly, and crying.

"What's wrong?" Cassie asked.

Hilde sniffled. "I was thinking about Papa." She wiped away her tears. "What if he never comes home, Cassie? What if something bad happens to him and we never see him again?"

Cassie hugged her sister tightly. "Nothing is going to happen to Papa. He'll be home soon." She kissed her little sister's forehead. "Now, come on. It's lunchtime. I'll make us some soup."

Cassie and Hilde ate their lunch in silence and after they were done, Cassie had Hilde wash their bowls and spoons while she put some bread and a bowl of soup on a tray.

"Who's that for?" asked Hilde.

"The human," Cassie answered. "I'm taking him some lunch."

"But you never give him lunch."

"Well today I am."

"Why?"

"Just because. Now go play."

Cassie walked out of the kitchen and toward the guest room. On her way there, she passed the cupboard where her father kept his herbs. She suddenly stopped and looked into the cupboard. Directly in front of her nose was a vial of green and brown powder. She opened the door and took it out. She stared at it for several moments as her thoughts argued with themselves about what action to take next. Finally she quickly pushed off the cork and shook the contents of the vial into the human's soup. Then quickly, so that she wouldn't have a chance to reconsider her decision, she walked into the guest room.

The human gave her a slight nod of greeting as she set the tray with his meal on it on his bedside table.

"It smells good," he said. "What did I deserve to get this?"

Cassie smiled slightly and sat down. "Human, tell me something."

"I'll tell you if you'll tell me why you call me human all the time."

"Isn't that what you are?"

"Yes, but it's not who I am. Is that all I am to you? Just another human?"

"Yes. Just like I'm probably just another elf to you that you would like to see burned or skewered on your sword."

"No. Not really. Probably at first, because I thought you were evil, but no evil creature would care for a sister the way you do, or show mercy on an enemy as you have done. Forgive me for ever thinking you were evil." He paused for a moment. "Perhaps there's more to your people than we humans think. Maybe someday, our two peoples will realize that and make peace. Perhaps someday you and I can be friends." He cleared his throat. "Now what did you want to ask me?"

Cassie dipped a spoon into the soup. "If somehow you did return to your home, would you promise never to kill?"

The human sighed. "If I said yes, would you let me go?"

Cassie said nothing.

"If I said yes, I would be lying. I have sworn my service to the king and I keep my vows. If I had to take a life to save his, or a comrade's, or an innocent life, or my own, I would."

Cassie gripped the spoon tightly. She was beginning to regret what she was about to do. Her second thoughts surfaced again and began to argue with the decision she had sworn she would not change.

"Cassandra?" the human asked. "Is something wrong?"

Cassie dipped the spoon into the soup again and tipped a spoonfull into the human's mouth. "I saw two other humans while I was out by the stream. One was your sister. She was wandering in the woods, alone, looking for you. The other human I saw was a knight, like you only older. He caught up to Alyssa and took her back to their camp."

The human smiled. "Thank goodness. She's alive and she's safe."
He yawned. "Strange. I feel tired for some reason."

Cassie stood. "It's the sleeping powder taking effect."

"Sleeping powder? Why?"

"So you can't find your way back or tell other humans where we live. I'm going to return you to your sister. Neither of you deserve the punishment for crimes you did not commit. All I ask is that you remember this act of mercy I've shown you and show the same mercy to others."

The human gave her a quick look of surprise before his eyes closed and he slipped into sleep.

Cassie untied the rope around the human. "Please don't make me regret this."

A soft voice replied "He won't."

Cassie spun around and saw Hilde standing in the door way.

Hilde shrugged. "Don't ask me how I know, I just got this feeling. And you know what else? If Papa were here, he'd be real proud of you." She walked up to the bed and kissed the human on the cheek. "Bye Garret. You're the funest human I've ever met."

Cassie wrapped the human in some blankets and placed him in her family's small boat. She tied a rope to the boat and pulled it to the river. In a tree near the water, she found two tiny fairies and asked them if they knew where the human camp was.

"Down river," said on fairy. "Their camp's on a small hill overlooking the riverbank."

"You can't miss it," said the other fairy. "Just follow the river until it bends around a large willow tree. Just around that bend, you'll see the human camp. Be careful the humans don't see you. They're a mean lot, that they are."

Well, if they were down river, there was no sense dragging the boat to them. Cassie put the boat in the water, took out the oar that lay beside the human, and paddled down river.

It was nearly sun set by the time Cassie found the bend in the river by the willow tree. As she reached it, she could hear the indistinct murmuring of humans, and the neighing of their horses, and she could smell the smoke from their fires. She paddled her boat to the northern shore and into the shadow of the tree, where it wouldn't be seen. She peaked through the willow's bare branches and saw the humans' camp. She couldn't tell how many of them there were for sure, but there looked like there were at least twenty. Armed knights encircled the camp, guarding it like hawks guards their nests. Cassie could tell by the looks on their faces that they would kill her if they saw her. How could she return her human to them without that happening?

Cassie quickly lifted the human out of the boat and carried him three yards down river to a place where he would easily be spotted by the other humans. She laid him down, then quickly retreated behind some bushes by the tree. From that spot, she could clearly see the hill and the riverbank.

It wasn't long before she heard light footsteps approaching the human's resting place. She peered around the tree and saw a young woman walking briskly. Several feet behind the woman, a well-dressed, out-of-breath fat man was waddling toward her as fast as he could.

"Lady Elanor," the man wheezed, "as puff, pant, your father's advisor, I puff, pant, I must strongly insist that you puff, pant, puff, pant, not drink from that river. It..it may be cursed by some wicked fairies, or puff, pant, wheeze, poisoned by ogres." The man gave an exhausted sigh and flopped on the ground.

The human called Lady Elanor kept walking. "I'm parched, Wilkins, and there isn't any water left in my canteen. I'll gladly risk being cursed or poisoned by whatever enchantments are in this river if it will just quench my tremendous thirst." She stopped short in her tracks. "As I live and breathe. It's Sir Garret."

"What?"

The woman called to three knights near the top of the hill. "Gorge, Emery, Dan, come here quickly. It's Sir Garret! He's on the river bank!"

The knights ran down the hill as fast as they could, nearly trampling the fat human as they went. They were soon at the sleeping human's side.

"Sir Garret," said the smallest one.

"Is he alive, Dan?" asked the next largest human with the large nose.

"Aye, Emery, but how did he get here?"

"He's not wet, so he didn't swim here. And look, he's all bandaged up."

The tallest human with a thick beard looked around. "Someone must have tended to him, then left him here, brothers."

Cassie ducked further down behind the bushes and peered out at the humans from between the branches.

"But who?" the one called Elanor asked.

"I don't know, sister."

Suddenly, a small figure tore down the hill crying "Garret! Garret!" Cassie recognized her at once. It was Alyssa.

In the blink of an eye, Alyssa was at her brother's side and had her arms wrapped around him. Many other humans were now also running down the hill. All of them, no doubt, wanted to see if their Sir Garret had indeed returned to them. Some shouted with joy when they saw him, others gasped in astonishment, others shouted questions to Lady Elanor and her brothers. Was he all right? How did he get there? Was he under some sort of spell?

The humans made so much noise that Cassie knew she could easily row away from them undetected. She quietly pushed her boat back into the water and started her journey home.

Cassie returned home safely that night. Life for her and Hilde went back to normal, or as normal as life could get without their father. The girls anxiously waited from him every day, but saw no sign of him. A month passed and the winter snows began to melt as spring descended upon the forest. Still their father did not come home, nor did Cassie and Hilde hear any word of him from the wood elves that came to visit them from time to time.

Then one day, Cassie was playing a game with Hilde in the front yard when both of them heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching. They turned and saw two elf men on horseback. One had blonde hair, the other had dark hair.

"Papa!" Hilde squealed. "Papa, you're home!" She ran toward her father's horse as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Papa!" Cassie cried as she also ran toward her father.

Their father, Solomon, swung down off his horse and threw his arms around his daughters. "My girls. My girls, how I've missed you."

The wood elf dismounted from his horse. "Hello, Cassie. Hello, Hilde."

Cassie looked up at him. "Oh. Haldilas. Hello." Then she noticed for the first time the wide scar on her childhood friend's face that hadn't been there the last time she saw him. "Ooo. Your face. What happened?"

Solomon turned to his older daughter. "That tale can wait ‘till later, Cassie. Why don't we.."

"No Solomon," said Haldilas. "They might as well hear this now. There's no point in delaying it." He inhaled deeply. "The humans are steadily becoming stronger."

"We know. Ungil came to see us while you were gone and he told us. Did humans do this toyou?"

Haldilas nodded and then gritted his teeth as if he were recalling some painful memory. "A troop of common soldiers attacked your father and I and took us prisoner. They dragged us back to their lord's castle and told us that we would be executed as part of the entertainment for the celebration of their lord and his newly knighted son's return from their pompous king's tournament."

"How did you escape?" asked Cassie.

"It was a miracle," said Solomon, "and a very strange one at that. The day before our execution, a soldier brought the human lord and his son to our cell. I pleaded with the lord to let us go. I told him that we were not the evil creatures he thought we were. I also told him that I had two daughters at home who needed me. But my pleas fell on deaf ears. He would not let us go. He simply said he would enjoy watching us die and then he left. His son stayed behind for a few minutes, only long enough to ask what my daughters' names were and receive his answer, before he was called away by his squire who needed him upstairs.

"Haldilas and I felt for sure we were going to meet our deaths the next day. Then, late that night, a figure wearing a black cloak entered the dungeon. He was challenged by the guards of course, but he defeated them easily. Not a single one was conscious to sound the alarm when he was done. He then unlocked our cell and that was when I got a clear view of his face. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was the human lord's son. Haldilas asked him what he was doing and the knight replied that he was letting us go. He then proceeded to tell us a safe way back to the forest."

"But why?" asked Cassie. "His father would have probably punished him severely if he found out what his son had done. Why take that risk?"

"I asked him that very same question. He said ‘To repay the kindness and mercy that an angel once showed me.' That was all he would say before he ushered us into a secret passage then hurried away. I didn't even get his name."

Cassie smiled and tears began to fill her eyes. She laughed with joy and hugged her father again.

"It's strange," said Haldilas. "I never imagined that a human would know the meaning of kindness and mercy."

Cassie faced her friend. "Maybe there's more to them than we thought." She took his hand. "Now enough about this. You and Papa must be hungry. Come inside and I'll make some lunch."

She lead the three elves to the house and held the door open as Solomon and Haldilas entered.

Before Hilde followed, she looked up at her big sister with a wide grin on her face. "See, you did the right thing."

Cassie returned the smile, then ushered her little sister into the house. Before she followed her, Cassie stared out at the spot where not long ago, she had decided to give a human aid and he in turn had given her back her father.

"Garret," she whispered. "Thank you so much."