I was mesmerized by the man's smile. It was the first time such a bright, sincere, and friendly smile was directed at me. I had seen others smile like that, but it was never meant for me. So when this smile was meant for me, I was a little paralyzed in the heat of the moment. The man asked me again, "Are you okay?"
I snapped out of it and said, "Yes, I'm good, but... yeah." I corrected myself, "No, yeah, I am a little bit lost."
The man looked at me closely and could see that I was dirty, sick, and fragile. "I will help you," he said. He told me to wait a little while he cleaned the wild boar next to a small river nearby. I watched as he skillfully handled the boar, peeling its skin, removing its internal organs, and placing everything into a bag made of animal skin. He then washed the blood off himself.
"Come on, let's go," he said, and I followed him because I had no other choice. Staying in the forest didn't seem safe, especially after seeing such a fierce wild boar. I didn't know what else I might encounter.
As we walked, the man started a conversation. "What did you do to find yourself in ElderGrove Forest?"
ElderGrove, I thought. What a mystical name and place. I didn't say that out loud, though. "Actually, I'm lost. I don't know what I'm doing here. I just opened my eyes and saw that I was in this forest."
"So you don't know how you came into the forest?" he asked.
"No," I replied.
The man sensed that I wasn't lying. "Then you don't need to worry. It's not that dangerous in the forest. If you're used to it, of course. I'm used to it, and I will help you."
As we continued walking, the man asked, "Are you an elf?"
"No," I responded, thinking to myself, Elf? I'm definitely not on Earth anymore. How can there be elves on Earth?
"Why do you ask if I'm an elf?" I inquired.
"You're extremely beautiful. Elves are known for their immense beauty," he explained.
I blushed. People usually mocked me when they called me beautiful, but this man seemed sincere. "No, I'm not an elf," I said.
I was wearing a hoodie-like t-shirt, which probably hid my ears from him. I took off the hoodie, and the man saw my ears. "Oh, it's the first time I've seen such a beautiful human," he said.
I blushed again. "You know, so-so. Thank you."
As we walked, I asked the man his name. "Oh, that's right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zane Blackwood. And you?"
"I'm Evan Hawthorne," I replied. We talked about other things as we made our way through the forest. Eventually, we arrived at a village. It was Eldergrove Village, located in the deepest part of the forest.
It was the first time I had seen such architecture. The houses were wooden, fitting a medieval style that seemed to belong to another world. As I admired the landscape, I noticed children running around, women chatting, and men talking together. The village was lively and vibrant.
While I was busy observing my surroundings, Zane said, "Welcome to Eldergrove Village," with a big smile on his face.
"Thank you," I responded, though my smile was very tired.
Zane seemed a little surprised. He already knew he was handsome, but my smile seemed to catch him off guard. He smiled back at me.
"Since you are new here and you don't really know anyone, do you want to come to our house?" Zane asked.
"Yes, but... our house?" I responded, confused.
"Yes, I live with my family. Let's go, I'll introduce you to them," he explained.
As we headed toward Zane's house, I felt like a curious little cat, observing everything around me. Some people glanced at me, but the looks I received here were different from those I was used to on Earth. These glances were curious and innocent, not judgmental or mocking.
As we approached Zane's house, I noticed his twin sisters outside. The older one was doing laundry in a medieval style, using a basket. The second sister was cutting wood to bring into the house. Both were immersed in their tasks, but they looked up as we approached.
"Hey, girls!" Zane called out. "I want you to meet someone."
The older twin sister set down the laundry basket and walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. The younger sister paused her woodcutting and came to stand beside her.
"This is Evan," Zane said, smiling. "Evan, these are my little twin sisters, Mira and Lila."
Lila, the one doing the laundry, smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Evan."
Mira, still holding the axe, gave a shy nod. "Hi, Evan."
"Nice to meet you both," I said, returning their smiles.
Lila asked, "How did you end up here, Evan?"
"It's a long story," I replied, glancing at Zane. "I got lost in the forest, and Zane found me."
"Well, you're safe now," Lila said reassuringly.
"Yes, come inside," Zane said. "Let's introduce you to our mother."
We walked into the house, where the comforting aroma of a home-cooked meal greeted us. Zane's mother was in the kitchen, stirring a pot on the stove. She turned and saw us, her eyes lighting up with a welcoming smile.
"Mom, this is Evan," Zane said. "I found him in the forest. He needs a place to stay."
"Hello, Evan," she said, wiping her hands on a towel before extending one to me. "I'm Isabella. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you, Mrs Isabella," I said, shaking her hand. "I really appreciate your hospitality."
"Of course, dear," she said. "Any friend of Zane's is welcome here. You must be exhausted. Sit down and make yourself comfortable."
As I sat down, the warmth of the house and the kindness of Zane's family made me feel safe for the first time in a long while. The stress and fear of the past few days began to melt away, replaced by a deep sense of peace. My eyelids grew heavy, and I could feel myself drifting off.
Zane noticed and said softly, "You look like you need some rest. Let's get you to a bed."
But before I could respond, I was already slipping into unconsciousness. The last thing I remembered was the comforting feeling of being surrounded by people who cared. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt safe and at ease.