The outdoor market is huge.  Arura has never seen this many people gather in one place to sell stuff.  There are so many shops and street vendors, the closest thing Aura can compare it to would be a farmers’ market, inside a huge mall, but even that doesn’t come anywhere close to being like this.

“You don’t recognize any of this?” Terra asks.  Arura shakes her head no, deciding that her long hair is going to get annoying.  Arura has all kinds of questions in her head that she can’t answer, the most basic one being ‘Am I a boy or a girl’, and the amount of thought she’s putting into it is about to make her head hurt.

“Hey Miss,” calls one of the vendors, holding out a very pretty necklace, “For a pretty young elf only five silver.”

Terra pipes in, “We can go four down and get the same thing for two.”  A grin spreads across her lips, and the man’s smile slightly fades.

“I will go as low as three silver.”

“Hey, don’t I get a say in what I’m going to wear?” Arura says whilst looking between Terra and the shopkeeper. The man at the outdoor shop just gives her a weird look as if he doesn’t understand what she’s saying.

Not seeing Terra’s hands at work as the Shopkeeper and Terra are bargaining over a necklace for her new outfit, Terra swipes a ring from him.

“Ok three silver it is,” she replies, handing it over and receiving the new necklace.

A lot of people pass them on their way to the clothing store. “I think Mizual would want to see you again in a dress Princess.”  

Again with the teasing, thinks Arura as Terra grabs her arm and pulls her out of the way for the guard on horse back to pass without running her over.  “Being ran over once a day should be good enough for you shouldn’t it?  There is a place over here you can change into that dress.”

Terra drags Arura over to a changing stable.  “In here, and you can change.”  

Arura climbs into the stall.  It isn’t very big but not exactly small either: one of those things for people to use who buy new clothes in the market.
In the stall, Arura stares at the dress confused, as she has never worn one before and is not sure how to put it on.

“Terra, how does this thing work?” Arura, a bit confused, asks through the door. Terra opens the door and steps in, making the stall even more crowded.

“You dope; you have to step into it first then pull it up.”  Terra opens the top of the dress for her.  “Get undressed and step in.”

Arura looking shocked at Terra, insists, “But you’re in here,” a slightly embarrassed tone in her voice.

“You got nothing I haven’t seen twig girl,” Terra snipes at her then adds, “Oh whatever, I’ll leave.”  Terra steps out of the stall and closes the door standing guard outside, waiting.  After a few minutes Arura steps out of the stalls.

“Well don’t you look all pretty in that, Princess.”  Terra gives her best at being a real bitch to Arura, but she can’t help grinning.  

“Thank you, I guess,” Arura stammers, slightly embarrassed, still confused how things happened, and why she isn't a boy anymore.   Arura’s stomach growls suddenly.   “I’m hungry; what now?”  

“Follow me I guess, you silly twig,” Terra says, pulling Arura along.   They pass by a lot of stands and through a lot of people, weaving in and out of the crowd.

They pass by a stand that is selling fresh fruit, and one that selling fresh baked bread and cheese, weaving their way through the crowds and making their way down to the pier. The pier is  always a lot quieter than the rest of the town, with only a few dock hands keeping rounds for all the ships in port.  

Arura suddenly finds herself being dragged to a giant tree in a small park, with a picnic table in the same style she had back home.  The birds are chirping loudly, as if anticipating a handout from the newcomers, and the slight breeze makes things even more like home for Arura as the smell of the sea air drifts ashore.
   
“But-but we didn’t get any food,” Arura complains as they get to the table and sit.

“Don’t you worry your twig head about it,” Terra states with a sneer.  “I got us some food.”

Terra then proceeds to pull a loaf of bread, a small wheel of cheese and two apples out of her sack.  As Terra lays out the food on the table, Arura starts thinking: why did I end up here; where are my parents?  Why the hell am I a girl?  Was I just James like three for four hours ago?  

It’s my freaking birthday, I’m in some strange messed up place, and to top it off I’m a elf!. Elves are from Dungeons and Dragons, a game back home!  Tears start to form in Arura’s eyes. “Oh god.. I want to go home!” she yells at Terra.  

Completely taken off guard Terra quips back, “Well why the hell don’t you go back home then?”   This is about too much for Arura, and she just starts to ball, tears flowing from her eyes, her chest heaving.  

“I.. I.. I want my mom and dad”, she sobs.

Concern starts to creep over Terra as she watches Arura cry.  Sitting down next to her, she puts her arm around Arura.  “It’s going to be ok, Princess, I’m sure Mizual will figure things out.”

Arura, still crying, asks, “Why am I here?  And why am I a girl?  I was just a boy, and-and its my birthday today!”  Her sobbing makes all that run together and hard for Terra to understand all of it, but she does get the birthday part, and some of the other.  Terra stands up and walks over to the other side of the table then cuts some of the cheese and bread, placing it down in front of Arura.

“Well if I knew it was your birthday I would have gotten a gift for you worthy of a Princess.”  Trying to get Arura to smile a little, Terra reaches into her bag and starts rummaging through it for something to give her as a present.

As if on cue a voice from behind the girls speaks, “I see you got her some better clothing then what we found her in.”  Startled, both girls jump, though Arura is still sobbing a bit.

“Arura, as for your parents, they know you are here, and are very excited for your return.”  Moving closer to the table the dragon-blood Mizual, stands tall with his long black hair, and shinny gold eyes, smiling at the girls.  “I also have a gift for you Arura: it was your Grandmother’s.” He takes a moment to let out a memory soft sigh.  “ I was supposed to wait to give it to you, when I take you to your parents, but I think you deserve it now.”

Arura stares at the big man, confused , her eyes all puffy from crying.  “How did you know my Grandmother?”

“She and I were once close, my young Elf.  I have been a guardian of your family for a very long time, and that’s all you need to know for now.”  Terra now starts to feel confused on how Mizual knows the elf's family and how she even fit into the picture.  she knew that he had caught her trying to steal from his shop a few years ago, and took her in as family, and feels confused why he didn’t tell her anything.  

“We will set out for your parents tomorrow young one, the three of us.  For tonight I have a job to do here.”  Turning around, he starts to walk off , but before he leaves, he adds, “When you’re done here, take her back to the shop.  There is a lot to be done before morning.”  

With that said he leaves, and the girls finish their food in relative silence, save for a few sobs from Arura as they eat their bread and cheese.

“You know you’re a very strange Elf, Princess.  I have never seen Mizual take to anyone besides me like he has you.”  Grabbing her apple Terra takes a bite and looks at Arura.  “Finish the apple, and we will head back.”  

Stopping before she grabs the apple,  Arura looks the locket over that Mizual gave her.  It’s heart shaped and very elaborate design, small hinges on the side.  Arura gently opens the locket, and inside there’s a picture... of a very pretty elven female, standing next to what looks like Mizual.  The Elven woman has a smile on her face, as if she was happy. Arura quickly closes the locket and takes a bite of her apple.

“Do you think my parents will be happy to see me?  And will they even know who I am?” Arura squeaks out as she swallows the piece of apple.   

“Look Princess, If your parents love you, they will be really happy to see you, and well as for knowing who you are, why wouldn’t they?”  Taking another bite of her apple, Terra slides over a bit and puts her hand on Arura’s shoulder.  “And if they don’t, and kick you to the streets, you always have me an’ old  Mizual to take care of you.”  Terra sounds very assuring when she says that,

Arura takes another bite of her apple. ” I can’t eat anymore; can we just go back now?”  She still feels a bit sad, but her mood picked up a little after she received the locket.  

A trash receptacle like they have back where James was from sits right next to the table, and Terra throws the rest of her apple in it.  “Well then lets get going.” Arura puts her apple in the trash as well, as Terra grabs her hand and starts to lead her back to the shop.