Lupita stands near Black Wolf as they waited in line at the grocery store. She looks around as she thinks about the past two weeks. Everything had been turned upside down on her. Everything she thought she knew meant nothing now. Even her own body had been changed. She has been merged with the female elf she found in the snow storm. She had all her memories and skills along with her own. She didn’t know how it happened, but her spirit had been placed in the female Elf’s body, while her own body was destroyed.

It had scared her at first when she woke-up and found herself completely naked under a blanket on a strange bed. When she went to move, she felt pain come from her abdomen. The pain was from the same spot she had seen the female elf bleeding from when she went out to help her. She had laid back down on the bed and looked around the room she was in. The room itself looked no different than the rooms in her Uncle’s manor house, except plainer. There were parchment clippings and pictures of people and places on some of the walls. There was a makeshift bookcase with books on it and a funny weird looking thing square glass thing.

Everything in the room was alien to her. Some things seem familiar in a sense, but the rest were things she had never seen before. As she lays there in the bed, the door to the room opens and a strange looking man comes walking through it. She had never seen anyone like this man before. She notices that he had on a red flannel shirt and a pair of some sort of blue pants she had never seen before. They weren’t skins or any cloth she had seen at any village she had traveled through. She couldn’t see his feet, but when he walked, she could hear each step he took. He had dark weather tanned skin with long black braided hair that stopped half way down his back. His face was strong and handsome looking, but had the look of someone that led a rough life. He reminded her of the woods men and soldiers she had known. The way he carried himself, was exactly like the soldiers she came across. His face showed the years he had been around. It still added to his handsomeness, but you could see that this man spent most of his time outside working. She notices that this man was a warrior by the way he paid attention to his surroundings. She figures that this room must be his.

Black Wolf had transferred the strange looking girl from the sofa he had laid her down on to his bedroom and tucked her in. This way she would be warmer and have some privacy. She looked so young, but when he looked at her petite hands. He notices her finger tips and hands were callous. Her finger nails were cut short like someone who climbed a lot.

When she looked up into his brown eyes, she could see that something was haunting him, along with sadness. It was the same type of look she had seen on many warriors and guards she had met at her uncle’s manor house. She wonders what he had planned for her, because she couldn’t do anything to stop him with her abdomen bandaged up like it was.

Black Wolf sits down in a chair next to the bed as he looks down into the strange looking girl’s eyes. He had never seen bright green eyes like hers before. They were like emeralds in a sea of cream.

“How are you feeling?” He watches her.

Lupita looks at the guy as he spoke to her. She could understand his words. They were clearer then the words her uncle and the people she knew spoke. There wasn’t any accent or anything she recognize to his speech.

“Sore. Where am I?” Lupita was wondering if he would tell her.

At least she understands English, Black Wolf thought to himself.

“You’re in my home. I found you wounded outside in the snow storm. How did you get there?” Black Wolf was curious.

“I don’t know.” Lupita really didn’t know.

The two of them talked for what seemed like hours as she laid there in his bed. She told him everything about what happened and a little about herself. He told her a few things about himself and where she was. He even asked what she was. They talked long into the evening. He made her some can stew he had on hand and drunk tea that he made for her.

“You ready to go Lupita?” Black Wolf turns around to look at his charge. He had notice that she had been thinking about things.

Lupita snaps out of the memory she was thinking about when she hears Black Wolf’s voice.

“Yes sir.” Lupita follows behind him as they walked out into the cold and snow. She had on her rabbit skin cloak and boots. Her hood was up protecting her head.

“I bet in your day, you didn’t have a place like this.” Black Wolf glances back at Lupita.

“No sir, you normally had to do either some trading with your neighbors or go to the nearest village to get things. You had to see a butcher, and then see who was selling what at different stalls. Winter time, most people stayed in their homes and tried to stay warm.” Lupita pulls her cloak closer around her petite body.

“My people use to be the same way, except we would store what we needed to help us through the winter. Sometimes our hunters would go out and do some hunting.” Black Wolf pulls his keys out and opens the truck door and let Lupita climb in first. He puts their groceries in the back of the pickup, covered them up. He had to go and buy more groceries since it was the two of them now staying at his place. He had to turn down the money Lupita offered to give him, because it was in the form of copper, silver and gold coins. He would have to explain how he came across them.

He had managed to get her some clothes that would fit her from some of his neighbors that had teenagers. He had decided to wait before taking her before the elders he knew. He knew they would want to question her and ask all sorts of questions that she wasn’t up to answering right now.

“How’s your abdomen?” Black Wolf had changed the dressing yesterday and it looked like it was healing nicely.

“Sore, but it’s not too bad. I still don’t understand how I came to inhabit this body and have the former owner’s memories, abilities and skills.
It’s like everything that I experience in my life was put inside her body as well.” Lupita was still puzzled by the whole thing.

“Maybe, there was a connection to her that you didn’t know about. In my belief, were all connected to each other in one way or another. We’re all part of the circle of life.” Black Wolf figures that the Great Spirit had a reason for her to be here with him.

“You told me that your uncle uses to molest you. Was it common in your day and age for something like that to happen?” Black Wolf had read stories about things that use to take place in the middle ages.

“Yes and no. Normally, the men wouldn’t touch a young girl like I was till I got older. They would fear what the father and brothers would do to him. However, in my case that didn’t apply. My uncle had custody of me, because my parents had died. My mother died during childbirth and my father died from pneumonia. So, I was sent to live with my uncle afterwards. Since the day I arrived, he molested me and did things I wasn’t old enough and prepared for. Life was unpleasant and I had to always be on my guard. If I didn’t do what he wanted, I would pay for it. I became pregnant with his child and when I told him, he punched me extremely hard in the stomach several times and caused me to lose the baby I was carrying. He also caused me to lose my voice. I was lucky to live through that. I almost died from what he did. The elven girl body I inhabit was a professional thief and knows real magic.” Lupita was accessing the memory of the girl body she was placed inside of.

“What do you mean real magic?” Black Wolf looks at her from the corner of his eye.

“I mean real, fantasy style magic. The type you only read about in those books of yours. I mean I can cast real magic.” Lupita had only heard of this a few times when she was living with her uncle.

“Prove it.” Black Wolf wanted to see this.

“What do you want me to do?” Lupita had no idea what she could do to prove it.

“Can you summon an object?” Black Wolf figure that would be a good way to prove it.

“Yes sir, as long as the object isn’t too far or protected by protection magic.” Lupita was preparing the spell that would work. It was like it was instinct for her to do this.

“Okay, summon the book from my living room you were reading last night to you.” Black Wolf figures that would be a good way to prove to him that it was real.

“Okay” Lupita closes her eyes and holds her hand out and begins the chant she’ll need to focus her mind and concentrate on the object and only the object. It was difficult because the magic energies here weren’t like they were at home, but she felt the pull the magic felt and the next thing she knew she felt the book in her hand. She felt exhausted after doing that.

She falls back against the back of the bench seat in the truck. She opens her eyes and notices the book in her hand.

Black Wolf had listen to Lupita as she was mumbling something in a strange language and then a popping sound as the book he gave her last night to read appears in her outstretch hand. He had also watched as she collapsed against the back of the seat looking exhausted.

“I take it, that it was exhausting for you?” Black Wolf looks at Lupita as she rested against the seat.

“Yes, from the memories I got from this girl’s mind, the magical energies here aren’t like they are back home, so I have to concentrate harder and add a little more of my own energies to it. Also, since this is my first time performing magic, it was taxing for me as well.” Lupita felt exhausted and figures she’ll have to practice more.

“Well, you’ve made a believer out of me.” Black Wolf couldn’t believe what he saw.

“Good, because I don’t think I could do that again anytime soon.” Lupita just closes her eyes and relax with the book sitting on her lap. She could smell the spices the girl used in the cloak to hide and mask her scent from being followed or picked up.

“Black Wolf, what did you do when you were in the Marines?” Lupita opens one eye and look towards Black Wolf.

“I was a sergeant major and a master sniper. My unit was normally sent in first to support my fellow jarheads. My unit had special training and
we were if not as good as the Navy Seals. Everyone in my unit was the best of the best and we got jobs done that no one else could.” Black Wolf still remembers some of the missions him and his fellow Marines were sent on.

“Why did you leave?” Lupita turns to look at Black Wolf as he drove.

“Because darling, there’s only so much blood and dead bodies a person can withstand. When you see your friends and people you have known killed. By IDE’s and a bunch of ungrateful people who haven’t learned the value of life, just take life. It’s time to get out before you lose more of yourself.” Black Wolf just had enough fighting for people who won’t stand up for themselves like they should.

Lupita goes quiet. She knew some men like that from her travels and from ones that worked for her uncle as well. They would normally drink themselves into a stupor.

“What did you like to do when you weren’t fending off your uncle?” Black Wolf glances over towards Lupita as he continued to drive. They should be back to his place in about ten minutes.

“I didn’t have much free time to do things, while avoiding my uncle. I learned to read from one of our servants and sewing from some of the older ones. I learned how to ride when I was little. I loved to go horseback riding when I could. I would sneak out of the manor house to go riding to escape my life for a while. When I was riding, things seemed to make more sense to me and I was free. I hated to have to return. The strange thing about my uncle is, he had older women throwing themselves at him. He could have any woman he wanted, instead of me. Why was he so fascinated with me?” Tears leak from Lapita’s eyes.

“I don’t know, Lupita. Some men are born with a sickness and never overcome it. I guess it was because you were young that he liked. It might have made him feel important.” Black Wolf takes the turn off for his home. He could see his place just up the road.

“I guess.” Lupita sits up on the seat and notice that they were almost back to Black Wolf’s place. The arrangement she has with Black Wolf, allows her to have some privacy for herself. She got his only bedroom, while he slept in the living room. She had volunteered to take the living room, but he wouldn’t hear of it.

Once they park and she helps take things inside Black Wolf’s house. His phone starts ring.

Lupita looks at it “I’ll never get use to that.”

Black Wolf just smiles as he walks over to answer the phone.

Lupita takes the groceries and starts putting them away in the cabinets.

“Hello?” Black Wolf holds the phone to his ear.

“Black Wolf, its Dara. I was wondering if you and Lupita would like to come over for dinner tonight. I’ve made a big meatloaf and it would be nice to have company tonight. It would give Lupita a chance to interact with some more of us.” Dara was hoping Black wolf would say yes. Some of the other women around her wanted to meet Lupita and see what she was. They had heard a description from some of Black Wolf’s friends that gave her clothes.

Black Wolf knew this was a set-up, but figure it would be good for Lupita to interact with some more of his people.

“Sure. What time would you like for us to come over?” Black Wolf figures it would be nice to see his friend again.

“How does seven o’clock sound to you?” Dara should have everything done by then.

“Sounds good, we’ll be there at seven o’clock.” Black Wolf figures it shouldn’t take him to long to drive over to her place.

Lupita could hear the whole conversion between Black Wolf and Dara. Her hearing had increase because of her elven ears. She knew elves had better hearing then most races. It could be annoying at times, especially when she wanted to sleep. She finishes putting the groceries up and looks towards Black Wolf.

“Maybe I should bake a dessert for us to take over.” Lupita has gotten use to cooking in the modern kitchen she has been exposed to.

“That would be a nice gesture. What are you planning on making?” Black Wolf walks over to the kitchen.

“Well, I figure since we brought the ingredients to make cookies, maybe a batch or two of walnut cookies.” Lupita figures she has enough to make cookies and bread with.

“I thought you were going to make walnut bread with them?” Black Wolf had let Lupita talk him into buying two bags of black walnuts.

“I still am planning on it. We have enough ingredients to do both.” A playful smile appears on her face.

“You’re the cook. I’ll trust your judgment.” Black Wolf pours himself a cup of coffee. He knew Lupita didn’t drink coffee, something about it being too distasteful for her.

Lupita finds the aspirin they brought and take three of them for the pain from her wound. She loves how modern medicine has taken old herbal medicine and modernizes it.

“Now scoot.” Lupita makes Black Wolf leave the kitchen, while she is cooking.

He goes into the living room and turns on the radio and sits down in his favorite chair and read his newspaper while Lupita cooks. He’s gotten use to her not wanting him in the kitchen while she cooked. She had found the equivalent to some of the spices she used in her world. They had stocked up on them and then bought a few others he had never heard about from an herbal store.

He looks up as Lupita comes walking into the living room and sits down on the sofa he slept on.

“Done with the cookies already?” Black Wolf was looking at Lupita as she sat down.

“Yep, go ahead and help yourself.” Lupita had a few before she came over to sit down.

“Okay.” Black Wolf gets up out of his comfortable chair and heads into the kitchen. He notices a cookie tray sitting on the counter with fresh made cookies cooling of. He grabs a few and takes a bite of one as he walks back into the living room. The cookie tasted unbelievable. He can’t recall ever eating a cookie that tasted as good as theses.

Lupita watches as Black Wolf disappears in the kitchen and then comes walking out eating one of her homemade cookies. She watches his facial expression as he eats the cookie in his hand.

“You did good on these cookies, Lupita.” Black Wolf sits down in his favorite chair again.

“I used the recipe that the elven girl knew. It seemed she like to cook when she wasn’t stealing things.” Lupita was amazed to find out that the body and memories she inherited from the elven girl’s body, she could do herself.

At 7:00pm. They walk over to Dara’s house for dinner. When they arrive, they are greeted by Dara and invited in. Black Wolf couldn’t believe how many people had been invited for dinner.

Lupita looks towards Black Wolf “I think we have been setup.”