Analise spoke to the man as he worked on all manner of things, from bed frames and chairs to the smallest wooden toys and paintbrushes for the children. It was amazing to watch his calloused hands be so gentle and precise. She even ended up with her own stool and got given the job of painting one of the little carts green. As she spoke to him, she learnt his name was Orben, and he had been living here for some sixty years, helping the little people, who were known as the Ule. They also apparently accept being called The Little People, as names such as Elves and Sprites and Fairies have all been taken and they didn’t want to fuss about making such a name for themselves that people would come looking for them. When someone hears ‘The Little People’ they usually assume it’s going to be one of the big three, thus keeping the Ule out of people’s minds, and away from people’s feet.
Orben described The Little People as being fun-loving and care-free, but also kind and empathetic. They looked after Orben as much as Orben looked after them. They weren’t as up tight as Elves, as mischievous as Sprites or self-absorbed as Fairies. They took a create care to nature but were still very much at the bottom of the food chain, not that they were particularly tasty (Analise wondered how Orben got that information). And they were very social creatures.
When Analise asked about the tiny footprints disappearing out of thin air, Orben assured her that they couldn’t fly, alone. On that note Orben brought out from his pocket a pair of wings, made from various materials, which allowed The Little People to fly.
Analise found herself lost in this world that was so different to their own. There were so many questions to ask and things to see and do that she lost complete track of time until the golden suns rays began to tangle in her hair, signaling the end of a long day.
“Oh my, where did the time go?” Analise startled at herself for being so careless.
“My apologies Miss Analise, I had no thought as to whether you intended to be my apprentice for the day. Someone must be worried about you by now?” Orben apologized, lowering his tools to speak.
This comment made Analise pause, and Orben watched as she began to think very hard, her eyebrows furrowed down, biting her lip.
“What’s the matter Analise?”
“Now that you mention it. I have no idea!”
“No idea as to what Miss?”
“As to anything.” As she spoke Analise stood up in a rush, knocking over her stool.
“What in the name of the forest do you mean girl? Where do you live? I’ll walk you back, you must be ill.” Orben rose from his stool and made ready to walk off, waiting for Analise to follow him. But she just stood there, her hands clung together above her heart as she stared off into the light of the sun.
Analise thought hard, about where she had come from and where she was going to, she thought about the fact that she had been carrying nothing when she stumbled upon Orben, which is peculiar for someone in the middle of nowhere seemingly on a journey from one place to another. She thought hard about whether she had had breakfast this morning and where she had slept the night before, whether she had brothers, sisters, a mother or father. Had she a pet who was missing her, or a favorite book she liked to read, did she go to school? How old was she? She neither felt young nor old. Her mind was a whirlwind until suddenly it went silent.
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“I don’t know where I’ve come from.” She finally said in a whisper, “I remember nothing before finding the little footprints on the side of the path. I do not even remember where I was headed, nor where I live or anything else. I know my name is Analise. But that is all.”
Orben looked at Analise, then at the ground, stroking his beard as he thought deeply for a moment.
“What shall I do Orben!” Analise began to cry, “I have nowhere to go, I don’t know if someone is waiting for me for, I do not remember.”
“It seems as though you have been enchanted Miss Analise.” Orben finally deliberated.
“Enchanted?” Analise asked, whipping her tears on the edge of her light blue sleeves.
“Yes, someone has enchanted you to forget something, or everything it would seem.”
“Why would someone do that?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know. There are all sorts of mischievous creatures in this vast forest Miss Analise, someone could have been playing a game with you, or perhaps you have made someone very angry with you and this is their punishment although I don’t imagine that you would be capable of such a thing.”
“What am I to do? Do you know how to break enchantments? Surely you do you know so many amazing things.” Analise pleaded with Orben, her tears flowing freely once more as she fell to her knees.
Orben’s eyes softened as he grasped Analise’s hands in his own.
“Of all the people you could’ve stumbled upon in your lighthearted curiosity, I’m glad you stumbled upon me young Miss. I do know a thing or two about the ways of magic, but the trick with enchantments, especially this particular enchantment, is that you must break it yourself.”
“I do not know how.”
“That is okay, I will teach you, mind you it will take a lot of work, and time. But I will give you not only the tools to break this enchantment, but also the tools to defend yourself against all enchantments, for we do not know how this happened, and we must be diligent in allowing ourselves to believe the possibility of you having an enemy Miss Analise.”
“What could I have done to have made myself so undesirable Orben, I wish I could remember.”
“Don’t worry, we will work this out together. Until then, you shall be my apprentice.”
“Apprentice of what?” Analise asked, her eyes wide as she stared at Orben.
“Well, there are many things I will need to teach you in order to break this enchantment, so I suppose, you will be my apprentice of many things.” Said Orben with a smile.
Although Analise was in turmoil within, Orben’s kind eyes calmed her.
“Thankyou Orben, I know we have only just met, and I have nothing to give you, but still you offer me so much, I will be forever indebted to you for helping me.”
“Stand up Miss Analise.”
Analise did as she was told, Orben still clutching her hands in his own.
“Do not fret for what may be waiting for you, you will be forgiven, I’m sure of it, we shall do what we can now with what we have, and you will be on your feet in no time. Although I was quite satisfied and grateful for having had you help me today, if I were to never see you again, I must say I do look forward to having your company for a little while longer, I suspect we will do some great things in our time together. But let’s not do tomorrows thinking today, lets find you something to eat and place to sleep, that will be our only task tonight.”
Analise simply nodded, her emotions spent and began following Orben. Together they fueled the fire, cut up some vegetables for soup and put it on to cook, and gathered hay from the shed and some blankets to create a bed near the stove for Analise to sleep. After they ate Analise snuggled into her bed and Orben sang a song before the fire as he knitted something incredibly small. Despite her troubled thought Analise drifted off to sleep in no time.
Who do you think enchanted her???
