Chương 95: Chapter 94 – Redefining Family

"Well, how do I look?" Roxie asked Illianna as she stood in the circle of trees in the glen in the Elven Realm. Illianna could not get over it. In the blink of an eye, the woman staring back was someone else entirely. If she didn't know what Roxie was, she would never suspect she had not been born an elf.

"It's incredible," Illianna said.

"How does it work?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Is it an illusion? If I touch you, will it fade?" Roxie laughed.

"No, Ill, go ahead, touch my face," she said, moving her cheek closer to her. Illianna lifted her hand and gently touched Roxie's cheek. Her eyes widened at the feel of the soft, smooth skin against her fingertips.

"Does it hurt when you change like that?" she asked, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Roxie could change herself at will.

"No, it doesn't hurt. It used to when I was a kid, but not so much anymore. I guess you could say I've gotten used to it," Roxie said, looking around.

"Question is, do you think I can pass for…" She paused, realizing they hadn't come up with a name for her.

"What's my name? I'm your cousin, so that is something they could verify, I'm guessing."

"How about Nessa?" Illianna asked.

"You are now my second cousin, three times removed on my mother's side. Good luck verifying that one." She giggled.

"This undercover ops thing is kind of fun." Roxie smiled at her.

"It has its moments, but you have to be on your toes, Ill. One slip‑up and we could be in a world of trouble," Roxie cautioned.

"Only problem is I have no identification if they ask me for it."

"That is not a problem. We don't have formal identification here; there has never been the need for it. Things are pretty laid‑back and quiet here. If you hadn't noticed, it's mostly trees, farms, and small towns. I think we have more cows than elves." She laughed.

"If I tell them you are my cousin, Nessa from Moonhaven, they will take my word for it."

"How far away is Moonhaven?" Roxie asked as she checked her dress. She hated dresses, but it seemed they were the standard attire for female elves. On her subsequent visits, she had never seen one in pants.

"Well, considering our transportation limitations, it's quite the trek, four or five days by horse, even longer if you book a carriage ride," Illianna said matter‑of‑factly. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Okay, I can work with that," Roxie said, concocting a cover story in her head.

"I'm not your cousin; I am Sheera's. Sheera is my favorite cousin, and because of the distance, we haven't seen each other since we were kids. I've been trying to get out here to see the baby, but it took me five years to save up enough to get here. It was supposed to be a surprise. Now, am I your niece or Sheera's dad's niece?" she asked.

"You should be Sheera's dad's niece. That way, if someone remembers I do not have any siblings, then it is covered."

"What happened to Sheera's dad, by the way?" Roxie asked, then caught herself.

"That's if you don't mind me asking, that is."

"No, it's fine. Thorin passed away when Sheera was a kid. I'm not even sure if she remembers. We had some pretty historic flooding and, well…" She broke off, getting choked up.

"He drowned saving her."

"I'm sorry, Ill. That must have been horrible for you," Roxie said, reaching out a hand and rubbing her arm.

"Like I said, it was a long time ago," Illianna said, shaking it off.

"Okay, so poor old Uncle Thorin died when I was a kid, so I don't have any real recollection of him either. You and Sheera came and stayed with us after the flood for a bit, and Sheera and I became close. You relocated, and we haven't seen each other since. Is there anyone who can discredit that?"

"No, actually, Sheera and I didn't come here until after she met Rowan. They met at school, and I swear it was love at first sight. The two got married right afterward, and then she insisted I come too."

"That's perfect," Roxie said.

"So, you don't have any family here other than Sheera and Rowan?"

"No," Illianna quickly answered.

"What about close friends you may have confided in?" Roxie asked, wanting to make sure she was prepared for any potential pushback.

"No, I pretty much keep to myself. Occasionally, I have to go into town for things, but not often. I'm pretty self‑sufficient on my farm," Illianna replied.

"Okay, now tell me who I am and what I'm doing here," Roxie asked, wanting to make sure Illianna was capable of relaying their cover without hesitation.

"You are Nessa Greenwood, my niece. You are here visiting from Moonhaven. You and Sheera got close after my husband Thorin died in the flood of sixty‑seven and we lost everything. His sister… your mother, Faye… took me and little Sheera in until I could get on my feet. You had wanted to come see Sheera after Thai was born, but it took you five years to get enough money to take the trip. Your visit was supposed to be a surprise for Thai's fifth birthday; only I knew you were coming.

I left the party early to go meet you," Illianna said effortlessly. Roxie took a step back, impressed by the level of detail Illianna added to make the story even better.

"If I had known you were that good, I would have let you lead," she laughed.

"Are you sure you haven't done this before?" she snickered.

"No, but I always wanted to pursue acting," Illianna laughed.

"Anyway. So, after I located you, we went to Sheera and Rowan's and found the place empty," she added.

"Lead the way, Auntie. I am right behind you." Roxie said, satisfied that their story would hold up.