The older woman hadn’t seemed to respond to the fae’s apology but she never demanded he leave, nor seemed to use any of her strange folk charms to drive him away either.  In truth, though her Aunt’s words had been angry.  Tara recalled the way she had talked earlier about her time stolen away by the folk under the hill as she called them.  It had felt as if she liked being different but hated that she didn’t remember it at all, and worried about at all the same time.<br/><br/>The ridiculousness of the whole thing was nudging Tara in the back of her rational mind.  How could she sit here with this unbelievable gorgeous<em>elf</em>and listen to him tell her that they need her…<em><strong>HER</strong></em>help to put back an Ancient?? Some elemental power that would wipe them both out if it came fully back in<em>their?</em>world?  How insane was this?<br/><br/>Before she could respond, Aunt Mary Lin raised an eyebrow at him, “Is thair a reason it’s ta be ma niece rather than say some strappin’ lad fra the village? If’n ya need strength an' stamina as it’were.”  Mary Lin pursed her lips, letting her fingers tap on the wooden table, the drumming of them echoing the rapid pounding of Tara’s heart as she waited for an explanation from the elf.<br/><br/><br/><br/>