A new day dawned, and Tári, as she did every weekend, set about the endless household chores from early morning. Afterward, she hurried to prepare Krystal, her old chestnut mare, for the ride into town to visit the weekly market. That day was special because she had received her first pay and planned to celebrate by buying a gift for her parents. If she was lucky enough to find something that caught her eye, she might even treat herself to a little indulgence.
It was a splendid morning to ride through the dew-covered fields, and fortunately, she was an excellent rider, having learned the skill as a child. She loved those ethereal moments when she could simply let herself be carried away, feeling the breeze on her face and inhaling the sweet scent of flowers, still damp from the previous night's drizzle. Time passed, and the silhouettes of Thomi's mill and Tári's house faded into the distance, while the town of Jade slowly grew larger on the horizon. The sun began to rise behind the Fulgrant Mountains, which looked like giants trying to hide it, bathing the girl's journey across the fields in golden light. The sky was perfectly clear, not a single cloud daring to obscure its brilliant color, and only a few careless birds fluttered across it with the soft, incessant beating of their wings. Tári smiled at such a perfect start to one of the countless adventures she lived each day.
After a few long but pleasant minutes, Tári and Krystal reached the central square of the cozy town, where a bustling crowd admired the fresh, juicy fruits, vegetables, and cuts of meat on display. New farming tools—ranging from hoes, sickles, and rakes to large scythes and pitchforks—were also for sale, as well as bread and cakes from the bakery. Some were selling their morning harvests, trading goods at the flea market, or offering woolen fabrics while weaving baskets, hoping to spot a naive shopper with a purse full of coins.
Tári bought everything her parents had requested, carefully managing her money, for only those who lived in Jade knew the tricks sellers used to earn a few extra coins. Once her purchases were done, she wandered through the shops selling strange artifacts and precious jewels. In one, she bought a wavy-edged dagger for her father, its silver handle set with an opal, knowing Odhas would love to add it to his small collection of blades. In another, she found a copper hairpin for her mother, certain it would complement the golden highlights of her hair beautifully. Lastly, just before leaving the outskirts of Jade, something caught her eye: an earring for her pointed ears. The silver jewelry traced the helix of the ear, with a chain leading to a small ornament on the lobe. From this, a delicate chain connected to another earring—this one adorned with a sapphire—designed to be worn on the nose.
Excited by such a rare find, she eagerly purchased it, and the seller helped her pierce both her ear and nose. Gazing at herself in the mirror he handed her, she felt a swell of pride. Satisfied with the purchase, she paid him gladly, leaving with only a few coins remaining. Before leaving, however, curiosity got the better of her, and she addressed the merchant once more, her voice tinged with wonder:
"May I ask where this jewelry comes from? I've never seen anything like it before."
"That ornament was made for a lady, but not just any lady—an elven maiden," the merchant replied, his eyes meeting hers. "But I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to tell you where it comes from. That's a secret."
"An elven maiden..." Tári mused aloud, intrigued by the brief and curious history of the jewelry. Realizing the man had shared all he could, she decided not to press further and simply said, "Thank you very much for your time and kindness."
"There's no need to thank me. You've made a fine purchase, miss," the man replied, his gaze lingering on the young woman, who couldn't stop thinking about his words as she continued her visit to the market.
An elven maiden... What was an elf? Did they have pointed ears like hers? She thought she had heard the word before, but couldn't remember where, nor when... or perhaps it was just a figment of her imagination. What she did know was that this could be a clue to her past, and she had to tell her parents.
Lost in thought, she wandered until she found herself standing before Krystal. Ending her stroll around the plaza, she approached her mare, placed her purchases in the saddlebags draped across the horse's back, and mounted. As she began her ride back home, several meters outside the village, dusk had already settled, and her stomach growled fiercely, demanding something to eat.
She entered the house, clutching her belly and letting out a growl followed by a ravenous greeting, but the house responded only with silence. Setting the bags down in the hallway, she carefully took out the presents and tiptoed into the kitchen. Taking advantage of its emptiness, she hid them behind the cushion of an armchair under the window. With a mischievous grin, she picked up the bags again and carried them to the kitchen, where she began storing the purchased food in the cupboards.
"It smells so good!" she groaned, trying to avert her gaze from the still-steaming soup on the now-extinguished fire. "I'm starving!"
Glancing nervously from side to side, fearing a scolding if her mother caught her stealing a loaf of bread, she brought the tasty morsel to her mouth. After indulging, she slyly placed the bread upside down in the bag, hiding the missing piece deep inside. Then, she carried the remaining supplies to the table, which was already mostly set, and added a few finishing touches to liven up the evening's celebration: a couple of candles waiting to be lit and a vase of flowers she had picked that morning. Admiring her handiwork with her hands on her hips, she smiled from ear to ear.
"Now, let's see where those two are," she muttered to herself as she stepped outside. "They're probably off watching the sunset again like a couple of lovebirds... at their age!" she snorted, half-resigned, but happy to be part of such a tender family.
She walked through the orchards, scanning the surroundings, and cast her eyes toward Thomi's mill, wondering if her parents had gone to visit his family while waiting for her return. But she heard no voices, no laughter, and there were no lights glowing with the approach of dusk. She then returned to the stables, checked that all the horses were there, and went back to the house, calling out:
"Where are you?" she asked herself, a sudden unease creeping in. She opened the door to the house and called out once more, "Mum! Dad! I'm home! Shall we have dinner?"
Silence again. She returned to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water to quell her hunger, and sank into the armchair, careful not to sit on the hidden presents. She glanced once more at the soup, now long cold, and grimaced. But just then, a knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. She leapt from her seat and hurried to answer it, her smile vanishing as quickly as the joy that had filled her throughout the day.
In front of her stood one of her neighbors, Esbel, hunched over, heartbroken, struggling to hold back tears. Tári swallowed hard, praying her voice wouldn't fail her.
"W-what happened, Esbel? Where... where are my parents?"
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Tári Anárion: The Loyalty Trials
FantasyTári grew up as an ordinary girl, until, on her adoptive family's deathbed, the existence of a letter urging her to return to her homeland was revealed to her. To do so, however, she must prove her loyalty by completing a series of trials. On her jo...
