Through Love and Hate

“Let’s see,” Esmeralda thought, as she lay on her bed with her pen poised at the top of a piece of paper headed ‘Things that would make my life better’. Her mind drifted to her  father and she wished that they could become closer than they were. So at the top of the list she wrote ‘father- just to be a father’.

Esmeralda Ellryk was a 17yr old student who attended the Noir Boarding School for Young Boys and Girls. Her best friend, Tressie Hardwick, and their boyfriends also went there.

Esmeralda was an attractive girl with long blonde hair, which she believed to be her one beauty. She was a stickler for order and always strived for perfection. Her ears had cute pointy tips, and people often said that she was a fairy.

Tressie was a smart brunette. She only cared about her closest friends; no one else mattered to her. Even if she was the perfect girl her boyfriend saw her to be, she could be an awful flirt at times.

Tamon Magellan was Esmeralda’s drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend. He had silky black hair and he was the kindest and most thoughtful boy in the school. Even so, he was the leader of a two- man sneak team.

Tressie’s boyfriend, Branc Scott, was Tamon’s faithful sidekick. At all unearthly hours of the night, he and Tamon would go down to the school kitchens and take the most delicious things to have at a midnight feast with their girlfriends. His rustled red hair was a big giveaway that he was a mischief maker.

Then there was the stuck up, fake French girl, Annette Noir, and her companions, Sylvia Mett and Jayni Wahii.

Being the principal’s daughter, Annette always got the best of every thing. She was always very disappointed when her thing didn't come from France or weren’t 100% real. Her black hair was curled into perfect ringlets over her ears and her uniform never had a single crinkle. She had a huge crush on Tamon and never missed a chance to split up the perfect match of Esmeralda and Tamon.

As she was one of Annette’s best friends, Sylvia couldn’t afford to be as clumsy as she was. Her long red hair was a perfect curtain, as she blushed as red as a beetroot whenever she fell.

Jayni seemed to be the cute and innocent one. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into two ponytails and her freckles almost made her look like an angelic girl. But she wasn’t. It was her brains that came up with the complex schemes to split up Esmeralda and Tamon.

Both Esmeralda and Annette had big secrets, and their worst fear was that the other would find out.

“Esmeralda! Come on. We have a briefing for the costume contest to go to.” Tressie was standing in the doorway of the room. Esmeralda carelessly left her list on the bed and left with Tressie.

They went to the meeting hall and sat down. At the opposite end of the row behind them sat Tamon and Branc. Tamon waved and Esmeralda noticed an odd gleam in his eye.

A flick of black caught her eye. It was Annette, Sylvia and Jayni. They looked suspiciously happy about something. They found three seats in the front row and sat down. Annette glanced back at Tamon and giggled quietly. She whispered to her friends and they giggled ferociously.

“Attention everybody!” Principal Noir called. There was immediate silence in the room. “The costume contest will take place on the 22nd of July, 3 weeks from today. You have until then to get into groups and decide on costumes. It is up to you to make your own costumes. There will be prizes for everyone and everyone in the winning group gets a trophy to keep. Meeting dismissed.”

Everyone quickly began to move out of the hall. Tamon and Branc came up to Esmeralda and Tressie, and Tamon suggested that maybe they should meet in one of the back rooms and decide on costumes. Tressie agreed and they went to find a spare room in the hall (the boys weren’t allowed on the girls side and vice versa, but the hall was in the middle, so everyone was allowed there) and got to work.

In the end, they decided that Esmeralda would be a princess, Tamon a prince, Tressie a sly ginger cat with a HUGE appetite and Branc a cheeky cockatiel. By this time Tamon was looking rather distressed, so Esmeralda announced that it was time to finish for the day. Now Tamon looked very relieved and he practically ran out of the hall.

Once they were outside, Tamon whispered in Esmeralda’s ear. “I know it’s against the rules and everything, but could we go to your room for a private conversation?” he asked. Esmeralda wasn’t too sure because she shared a room with Annette and her friends, and if any of them saw Tamon and Esmeralda in there together, they’d get into so much trouble. But off they went.

Unfortunately, Esmeralda’s room was at the other end of the building. Esmeralda was sure they were going to get caught. They hid behind walls as they quietly made their way to the room.

Finally they got there and they flopped on Annette’s frilly four- poster bed. Tamon began to explain why he’d asked to come here. He said that as boyfriend and girlfriend, they shouldn’t be keeping secrets with each other. Esmeralda felt that that was true, but she couldn’t quite understand. “I’ve never kept anything from him. Unless…,” she thought.

Tamon continued. He said he was getting suspicious about Esmeralda’s behaviour and needed to talk things over with her. “Alright,” Esmeralda thought. “I don’t know about this, but okay.”

A few minutes later, who comes in, but Annette Noir. She couldn’t believe her eyes. In front of her, she saw Esmeralda and Tamon, deep in conversation, sitting on her bed! The fact that they were sitting on her bed made it even worse. Annette, surprisingly had mixed thoughts. Should she turn them in or not? “Yes, I will,” she thought. “I will. If they get into trouble, which they most certainly will, I can try and get Tamon off dumb Esmeralda.” She closed the door quietly and ran to get a teacher.

The teacher, whose name was Mrs. Rinks, was shocked when they arrived. It was worse than she had thought. Of course, she thought that Esmeralda was and awful nuisance and that Annette was an absolute angel (teacher’s pet!), so if Esmeralda did try to protest it wouldn’t help her case a bit.

Anyway, Esmeralda and Tamon hadn’t noticed that Annette and Mrs. Rinks had come, so when they heard a voice at the doorway, saying, “You see, Mrs. Rinks. Isn’t there a rule at the school saying that a person of one gender is not allowed on the premises of the other gender? And wouldn’t it make the case worse if there was one of each gender together in one room on the premises of one of the genders?” naturally they would have been quite surprised.

“Why yes, Annette dear,” was the reply. Mrs. Rinks turned to Esmeralda and Tamon. “What is the meaning of this?” she asked, with a cruel smile. Tormenting Esmeralda was her favourite game.

Esmeralda looked at her sheepishly and Tamon put his hands on his hips, looking angry, annoyed and shocked, all at the same time.

“Tamon, you know you’re not supposed to be here. And Esmeralda, you let him come! Well, I’m not surprised really because you are both sly little brats. For this, you shall both be punished. You are not allowed to see each other at all, until the day of the costume contest.” Believing she had won, Mrs. Rinks turned to leave.

“But Mrs. Rinks…,” Esmeralda began, while Tamon furiously tried the silence her.

“Don’t argue with me, Miss Impertinence, or I’ll make it worse,” Mrs. Rinks said, as she walked out the door, followed by Annette, who looked absolutely thrilled to pieces.

Esmeralda stared at Tamon, her eyes bulging. He backed up, knowing that something else was coming his way. Then the thunderstorm hit.

“It’s all your fault!” she screeched. “You forced me to do this and look at where it got us! Don’t try and argue with me! We’re finished! Get out of my sight!”

Tamon left, looking rather depressed. Annette was standing around the corner and apparently she had heard everything. She said sympathetically, “Don’t worry about it. These things happen, you know. Look, relax and forget about it.”

“Alright,” Tamon agreed and he walked away. Now he had a whole new life ahead of him and he knew just what to do.

Annette, seeing her success, went closer to the door and heard Esmeralda pleading and crying in her room. “Yes!” she cried, and she danced back down the corridor. She had done all this by herself! She just had to tell Sylvia and Jayni!

During the next few weeks, Esmeralda heard many rumours about Tamon. Apparently now he was dating Annette- and it had been his decision! Esmeralda almost felt sorry for him, but why should she? Torture for both of them, a perfect match. After all he was no loss.

On the morning of the costume contest, Esmeralda found her list lying on her bad. “Long time, no see,” she thought. “I wondered where that got to.” She looked more closely and she realized were it had been. A word had been circled in a red calligraphy pen.

It took her a moment to recognize whose pen it was. Of course, it was Annette’s. The one with all the fancy writing stuff, the designer outfits and all that stuff that the stuck-up rich kids got. So Annette did like Tamon… a lot. All those times she had tried to split them up this year… well it worked perfectly for Esmeralda.

A few hours before the start of the costume contest when Esmeralda was sitting in the hall putting the finishing touches on her costume, she saw Annette, Sylvia and Jayni in a huddle. But where was Tamon? Then Tamon walked into the room. Annette ran over to him. Esmeralda could see Jayni standing behind Tamon, prompting her. “This must be a new plan,” Esmeralda thought.

“Hey Tamon,” she called. “Come over here.” Tamon reluctantly walked over.

“Don’t listen to Annette. It’s all just another plan,” Esmeralda began.

“Since when do you care what happens to me?” Tamon asked angrily.

“Never. But don’t you see that you and Annette are not meant to be together? It’s just stupid,” Esmeralda pleaded.

“You sound just like Annette used to. Who do you think you are correcting my life, anyway?” Tamon snapped.

“A concerned friend.” Esmeralda grinned. “If you promise not to tell Annette, I will tell you my deepest secret.”

Tamon grinned back and held out his hand. “You got it, Esmeralda.”

“Promise not to tell?”

“Of course.”

Esmeralda held out her hand and they shook on it. “Well you’ll never believe it, but,” she lent over and whispered in Tamon’s ear, “I’m an Elvish princess.”

---------------------------------

“I was born in the palace of the Elves, 400 years ago and I was named Enedandúnê. My parents were Nunaurion and Linteheledwen.

We were a very happy family, yet I knew Father didn’t like me. He was gave me nice things and every thing, but he didn’t care where I went, what I did or even who I was friends with. The only thing that stopped me from socializing with our enemies, the dark elves, was the elf that Mother hired for me as a nanny whose name was Tarhísiëien.

I never really knew either of my parents because they never had any time to be with me. Father wasn’t really a cruel man, he was actually very kind and caring. I was just unfortunate that he disliked me. The only thing he liked about me was my hair because it was so shiny and pretty.

He had brown hair and his brown eyes were understanding and thoughtful. He was very wise and many elves representing other colonies came to him for advice in terms of war and other important issues. He was also an expert with a bow and arrow.
Mother was also very kind and thoughtful and she was extremely pretty. She had very long blonde hair and deep, mysterious blue eyes. But she was constantly pacing the balcony floor as if something was bugging her. Though she cared more about me than Dad did, she still took no notice I existed.

During my time at the palace, I studied the same subjects we do here, except in History, we learned about the history of the elves and other races including dwarves, goblins, trolls and many other creatures that you call ‘fairytale creatures’. Sometimes I even got to meet people of these races when they came to see Dad for advice or just came for a visit.



One evening shortly after my 250th birthday, we were sitting on the balcony. Mother was pacing back and forth, when she was shot by one of the dark elves with a poisoned arrow.
Elves may be immortal, but that doesn’t mean that they can live after being shot by a poison arrow. So as you can probably guess, Mother died. All the elves mourned her death for several weeks and Father sent out some groups of his best archers to hunt down the dark elves.

Father had no intention of looking after me by himself, so he sent me of to boarding school. First, he sent me to Ironstone College, telling me to say that I was called Nellie Manning and that I was 13yrs old, because as I was immortal, I could pass for someone that age.

At Ironstone College, I was constantly teased about my pointy ears, and as I had never been in that situation before, I had no idea how to deal with it. I ended up crying myself to sleep every night, because of the humiliation of it all, and also because Dad kept telling me, through my crystal ball, to do something about and I couldn’t.

In about my third year, I befriended a shy girl in my English class called Jeannie, and we became the best of friends. She told me a way to deal with my bullying problem and I introduced her to other people that I sort of got along with, and by the end of the year, we had a huge network of friends.

But at the end of my fifth year at Ironstone College, Father spoke to me and said that I was leaving. I was so sad and when I told Jeannie, she was too, so I told her my story. She was even sadder then because we couldn’t even write to each other after I had left.

I was kind of happy though. I thought that when I got home, Dad finally was going to spend some time with me.

But I was wrong. When I got home, Dad told me that I was going to Melanesia Finishing School. I now had to pretend that I was 18 years old and that my name was Jane Porter.

I was so disappointed. But I did as I was told, and went to Melanesia Finishing School.

I teased again about my ears, but thanks to Jeannie, I was able to overcome them. By the end of my second week, I was practically the most popular girl in the school. This led to me being elected as Class President. I had to make speeches and chair committee meetings and stuff like that, and you know how I hate doing those things.

Every year I was elected as President of the class, and my fourth year, I was helping to prepare a dance that was being hosted by our school. We had invited one of the all-boys school to attend the dance, and so to me, this was very exciting because I had never seen a male human before. I had never even had a male teacher.

The night of the dance arrived and we all crowded into our gym. The music began to play and everyone began to dance. I made my way over to the punch bowl to sit down and see what male humans looked like. To my disappointment, they looked just like elvish boys, except they didn’t have pointy ears.

I noticed there was a boy sitting a few seats down from me. I went down to him and introduced myself. His name was Theodore Lomond. We got on very well, and what pleased me most was that he didn’t tease me about my ears. Actually, he said that they were quite attractive, and did a lot for my character.

He then asked me if I wanted to dance. I agreed, and we went out onto the dancefloor. I don’t remember much more of that evening. I only remember that at the end of the night we exchanged addresses.

We wrote to each other often, and at the end of my fifth year at Melanesia Finishing School, Father came to me and said that I had to leave. I wrote and told Theodore that I was going and I told him my story as well. I never heard from him again after I left Melanesia.

Father told that I was going to another school, Geneva High. I had been expecting this, but what he said next I was not ready for. He told me that he had seen that I had met Theodore, but he had also seen something I had not. He saw that I had been in love with Theodore.

I couldn’t believe it. Theodore and I had been going out (in a way), and I had never realized. Father said that Geneva High was a co-ed school, but this time, I wasn’t going alone. Tarhísiëien was to go with me to keep an eye on me so it wouldn’t happen again. 

My new name was Alma Graves and Tarhísiëien’s was Daphne Hoover. We were both to be 13 years old. We left the next day and went to the new school.

We both had a great time at Geneva High, and I thought it to be the best so far. But as usual, Dad came and told us to leave at the end of the fifth year. I told my story and there were a few tears and then we left.

This happened 71 more time before Father told Tarhísiëien and I that we were coming here, to Noir Boarding School for Young Boys and Girls. I was intrigued. The name seemed to sound like home, not like the palace of the elves did. Again we were to go as 13 year olds. My name was as you know, Esmeralda Ellryk, and Tarhísiëien’s was Tressie Hardwick.

This school was a dream come true. Well, I did get my first real enemy. Annette Noir, the principal’s daughter was absolutely mean! There was something about her I didn’t like the feel of; she wasn’t like anyone else I had ever met. It was the same with Principal Noir. They just didn’t feel normal. When I was around them, I felt like was back living with Father and the elves.

Then I met you and Branc. In you, I found a loyal confident and true friend. We all had many adventures together and got into heaps of trouble.

At the beginning of my second year, I realized that you were different. I realized that I loved you, but not as I had loved Theodore. My love for you was so much more eternal and satisfying. And, I didn’t need Dad to tell me that I was in love (but he told me plenty of times).

I know what you’re thinking. Wasn’t Tarhísiëien supposed to be keeping an eye out for me so that I wouldn’t fall in love again? She was, but there was one thing standing in her way of watching out for me. Branc. Yep. My beautiful, loving nanny had fallen in what seemed to be as deep love as what I had. I couldn’t believe my luck. I had fallen in love and there was no one to stop me getting out of it.

We continued to be a close group of friends under the name of the Troublesome Foursome (the teachers named us) until just recently. You know what I’m talking about. Yep. Our argument. Boy, was I upset afterwards. I had found the one way to stay… and you had ruined it.

But in these three weeks I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll have to move again. And again. And again. For the rest of my life.

“And so that’s my story,” finished Esmeralda.

-------------------------

Tamon looked amazed and kind of shocked. “That is so weird,” he said. “So you’re saying that you’re an Elf, and that Tressie is the elf that your mother hired for you as a nanny?”

“That’s right,” Esmeralda replied.

“Well, that explains a lot,” Tamon said.

“Like what?” Esmeralda asked.

“Well, Annette said that after I left your room 3 weeks ago after our argument that you were talking to yourself. She said it was so realistic that she thinks you’re going mad.”

“Oops.” Esmeralda bit her lip. “I was talking to Dad. He wasn’t too happy about my behaviour. Yeah, anyway, my 5 years is up next week. It’s no fair. I just get used to a place, and Dad takes me away to some other boarding school. This time I’m going to ask if I can stay here forever. I’ve had so much fun here. I don’t want to leave.”

“Just forget about it for now and enjoy the night, okay? Don’t spoil it for yourself by being sad,” Tamon said.

Esmeralda smiled and sighed. “You’re right, Tamon. Oh, one more thing. You’re still with our group for tonight. Don’t even think of going with Annette and the others.”

Tamon nodded and walked out of the room.

All the students arrived at the hall at 5 minutes to 6, ready for the start of the contest. Esmeralda was by far the most beautiful, but as she was a princess, this had to be expected.

She had left her long blonde hair out and put glitter through it. She wore a tiara made of silver that glittered like her hair under the lights. Her father had sent over a dress; the dress the princess of the elves was known for wearing. It was made of emerald velvet with silver trims. She held herself as delicately as a princess and even though he was her ex-boyfriend, Tamon had to admit that she looked very … perfect.

Principal Noir stepped up onto the stage. “Ahem,” he called. “The costume contest will now get under way. Could all the groups line up here please?”

Tressie and Branc followed Esmeralda and Tamon up to the stage and got into the line. Annette, Sylvia and Jayni slipped in line in front of them.

They were dressed as can- can dancers, complete with feathers in their hair and flowers…, well, who knows where they put them.

“Hello Tamon,” Annette said, smiling sweetly at Tamon. “Come up here and stand with me and be with our group. I have no idea why you are with that stuck-up ex-girlfriend of yours. You’ll have a much better time with us.”

Tamon began to think. He had had two offers from his two favourite girls. Which one was he supposed to accept?

He took such a long time to consider it that both Esmeralda and Annette thought he was going to accept. He was just about to speak when Esmeralda put a velvety arm out in front of Tamon.

“I’m so sorry, Annette,” Esmeralda said coldly, “but Tamon can’t spend tonight with you. He’s with us for now. Tomorrow, maybe, but tonight- no.”

Annette was shocked at Esmeralda’s sternness. She had never seen her this way before. It just didn’t happen. Then she looked at Esmeralda oddly and realised something.

Suddenly Tamon realized he didn’t love Annette as much any more. But who really cared any way. Believing he had loved Esmeralda had been enough loving for him.

He suddenly heard screams coming from the stage. He looked up and saw Annette, Sylvia and Jayni running around, lifting their skirts and kicking their legs high in the air to the music of the Can-Can. He whispered to Esmeralda, “They’re pretty good.”

Esmeralda whispered back, “Yeah, but they’re nowhere near as good as us. Come on it’s our turn.”

Tamon stepped onto the stage and held his hand out. Esmeralda took it and stepped up next to him. From the way they walked anyone could have said they were a pair of royals, not Noir Boarding School students. They were followed by Tressie and Branc, who were behaving just their respective animals.

They finished their performance and headed backstage to await the judges decision. There, they were confronted by Annette, Sylvia and Jayni. Annette looked slightly surprised. She slapped Esmeralda’s face and glared at her.

“Why Enedandúnê, what a surprise to see you here,” she sneered.

Esmeralda, Tamon and Tressie looked extremely shocked, but Branc, as he had no idea what so ever about Esmeralda and Tressie’s true identities, was looking quite confused.

“H-h-how do you know who I am?” Esmeralda stuttered.

“It’s obvious. Where did you get the dress idea from? A magazine catalogue?” Annette said sarcastically. “Everyone knows it is the dress of the Elvish princess.”

“What does it matter to you?” said Tamon, angrily.

“I, my dear boyfriend, am the princess of the dark elves, Aratfeniel. I am educated in these sorts of things.”

“But that’s not possible!” Esmeralda cried. “That would make Principal Noir the King of the Elves!”

“Not necessarily.” Annette grinned slyly. “Actually, he is a knight in the dark elf army. The one who killed your mother to be exact.”

Esmeralda was so shocked and angry that she couldn’t move or speak. She had been under the ‘control’ of her mother’s murderer for the last 5 years, and she hadn’t known. Well at least it explained the funny feeling she had had when she first came here.

She then regained her power of motion and scratched Annette in the face with her long emerald green nails. Annette screeched and ran at Esmeralda, blood beginning to trickle down her face. The latter picked up her skirt, turned, and ran down the stairs to the basement of the hall. Annette followed her and chased her around the school grounds. By the time they got to the hall, Annette gave up and went sulking back to her friends.

“Oh no,” Esmeralda cried. “My dress – it’s ruined.” She was right. Her once beautiful gown was now in shreds and covered in mud.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get the elvish seamstresses to make you a new one when we get home,” Tressie said, giving the sobbing Esmeralda a hug.

She was still crying over it when Principal Noir called all the contestants out onto the stage.

On the stage, Principal Noir was asking the results of the competition. He scowled.

Tamon grinned. He knew what that scowl meant. Principal Noir knew Esmeralda’s true identity and as a dark elf, it was a rule that he should hate the elves. He was scowling because …

“Okay. It’s now time to announce the winner of this years costume contest,” Principal Noir said. “I will now hand over to the judge who will announce the winner. Thank you sir.”

“Thank you Principal Noir. Alright. The winner of the costume contest is … Esmeralda Ellryk, Tamon Magellan, Tressie Hardwick and Branc Scott.”
Esmeralda, Tressie, Tamon and Branc jumped up and down, hugging each other and screaming joyously. Annette, meanwhile, had fallen to her knees and was crying loudly. She was so disappointed and she couldn’t believe that Esmeralda and her friends had won. Two wins to Esmeralda in one day.  “The judge just liked her stupid dress,” she thought harshly. “It wasn’t fair.”

She stood up and stormed off the stage. Esmeralda and Tamon watched her walk out the door, then they looked at each other and Tamon shrugged. Esmeralda found her later curled up on her bed facing the wall.

The next day, Esmeralda spoke to her father about the whole incident. He was just as shocked as she had been.

“I can’t let them stay here,” he told Esmeralda firmly. “I don’t believe I let you come here with your principal being a dark elf and all.”

“Do you think it’s right, Father?” she asked.

“Yes Enedandúnê. I’m certain. No world should have to put up with fools like them. I’m going to banish them to … let’s say, Enfer, the place of No Time, before they get a chance to banish you.”

“Okay. If you think it’s right.”

So Nunaurion, Lord of the Elves, banished Aratfeniel, princess of the dark elves, and Esgalhithion, a knight in the dark elf army, to Enfer for all eternity.

A new principal was found for the Noir Boarding School and Sylvia Mett and Jayni Wahii went about their lives in an Annette free way.

-------------------

It also came about that Tamon Magellan went and apologised to Enedandúnê (better known as Esmeralda).

“I’m sorry I asked to come to your room for that talk,” Tamon said, his eyes downcast. “If I hadn’t none of this would have happened.”

“Exactly,” Esmeralda replied. Tamon looked up. “That’s the whole point. If none of this had happened, you wouldn’t have gone out with Annette, and if you hadn’t have gone out with Annette, than it’s not likely she would have told us who she was. And if she hadn’t told us who she was, my father couldn’t have banished her and avenged my mother. It’s a whole ‘The House That Jack Built’ thing.”

“You mean you don’t care?” Tamon asked, amazed.

“Not now anyway,” she said and kissed him spontaneously on the cheek. She blushed and bit her lip. “Sorry. I-I-I really shouldn’t have done that. I forgot for a second we had broken up.”

Tamon blushed too. “No. You shouldn’t have, but for some reason, I don’t seem to mind.” He looked at her shyly. “How would you mind if we got back together again?”

Esmeralda flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “Cool,” she said.

The following day, Esmeralda brought Tamon with her when she spoke to her father. She introduced him (even though her father probably already knew him) and began the conversation she had been waiting for months to have.

“See Father, here I am wanted. You never seemed to want me at the palace of the elves. I ask that you let me stay here, with my boyfriend.” She looked at Tamon.

“But why? You shall have love here, love a mortal boyfriend could never give,” her father said.

“Father, you don’t understand. The love Tamon give me is satisfying. It is an eternal love, something you can not and have never given me. You never loved me; Tamon does, so why should I go back? The palace never felt like home; this school does. Again why should I go back?”

“I suppose I must,” her father sighed sadly. “I never cared about you one little bit. If I had, maybe you wouldn’t have come here and met ‘Mr. Mortal’ and you’d love me as much as I could have loved you.”

“Don’t regret it, Father,” Esmeralda said. “It was destiny. You were supposed to hate me, and I was meant to come here and meet Tamon. Even the part about me finding Aratfeniel here was supposed to happen.”

“What? You mean, you don’t care that I hated you?” Her father was shocked.

“Not at all,” Esmeralda smiled.

“You do understand that by staying I’ll have to turn you (and Tressie too if she wants to stay) mortal.” Nunaurion foolishly tried to hope against destiny as he tried to convince Esmeralda to come home.

“I understand, Father,” Esmeralda said, calmly.

Nunaurion sighed. “I suppose I can’t convince you to come home then,” he said. “Very well. As you wish.

So from then on, Esmeralda and Tamon lived together in peaceful harmony (but not without the occasional fight, of course) and so did Tressie and Branc.

Esmeralda treasured the memories of her past like a child treasures its favourite toy, but she was eternally grateful to her father for letting her stay. And to show him how grateful she was, she gave him twins- Theodore Nunaurion and Jeannie Linteheledwen.