Fairy Lands- Book 2

Chapter 4

The seasons rarely changed in Pechari, it was technically the capital city of the elven lands of Citra but was heralded as the capital of Galadria. The tiny island was the hub of the Fae world, and while it stayed in a constant state of spring except for a few days where snow and storms would batter the island, reminding everyone who lived there that different weather actually existed. Sam didn't mind the mild weather, after living in England all his life, he welcomed the lack of rain. He much preferred this over the elven mainland, Dani had told Sam all about the very literal endless summer of Citra.

Although Sam had spent two months at Dani's tiny cottage in rural Pechari, he had yet to venture into the city or even the towns. Not properly, a few trips to the pub didn't count as it was often done in darkness and they walked home in a blur, sometimes climbing through bushes. But Christmas was fast approaching, and Sam realised he did not have gifts for any of his friends.

"Dani, I need to go shopping," he declared late into the evening. It had been a week since the Social Outreach Worker had visited and to Dani's credit, he had shook off his bad mood rather quickly.

"Hm? Oh really what do you need?"

Dani had made them breakfast just as the sun slipped behind the hills. Sunny yawned and slurped his blood quietly.

"Christmas presents...so we need to go somewhere that's open at night"

"Oh of course, the gifting custom! Well, this is Pechari so we have many night markets in the Vampiric Quarter but that's in the City. We can go tomorrow if you like?"

Sam nodded happily before gloom filled his stomach. He looked guiltily at the questioning Dani and smiled.

"I need money"

The elf laughed.

"What is mine is yours and I have accumulated a rather large stash due to my inability to spend any of it. At one point, I told Amarellia to stop paying me but she said that was illegal" Dani said sheepishly.

"I have money too! Blood money. Murder money, death of family money. Will I need to change it from Ver to Aur?" Sunny piped up before smiling at Sam's confusion "Ver is the currency in Mintharin, Aur is the gold coin the elves use. See you would know that if you paid any attention to Fae History class"

"The new me will when we get back to Stildegar, I'm gonna be so smart you won't even recognise me. But yes, thank you Dani, I will pay you back when I get a job. I promise"

Dani grimaced.

"Please don't, now where did I leave it...I believe it may be in the basement!"

Sam had no idea the man had a basement, he followed behind the elf who pulled open a trapdoor in their tiny kitchen. Sam hopped down as Dani released a stream of light from his fingertips that lit up the mounted lamps along the wall. The room was dusty, chocked full of wooden boxes and junk. Dani rummaged through a few and Sunny joined them.

"This is all my junk...uhh I guess I should go through it all one day. But as my mentor once said 'junk is evidence of an elf's life well lived'" Dani hummed with a chuckle.

At first Sam tried to help look for this hidden purse, but soon was distracted by the oddities. He pulled out a strange, painted box from under a half broken table and wiped the dust from it. Small deer's were painted along the sides with tiny elf children running along with them. Sunny kneeled down beside him and watched as he opened it.

A small, half knitted blanket tumbled out along with a tiny elf doll. Sam smiled at Dani's unfinished project as the man rummaged around behind them.

"Dani you knit?" he asked.