"By the soils, is that really you, Bella?" Questioned the old woman the nurse brought back. She too was an elf.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Bella asked, feeling awkward.
"Hardly, but I'm pretty sure I'd remember a face like yours. I see you managed to get away from them, finally. And is this one of them? Which one was it, Lilly or Orchid?" The woman asked as she inspected Lilly.
"H-Hi. I'm Lilly." She answered.
"My you've grown to be quite the young lady. Have you been eating well? You look a little thin."
"Forgive me, but who are you?" Bella cut in.
"The name's Pawdalin, but you can call me Paw. Everyone does."
"Paw?" Lilly asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Yep. So what can I do ya for?" Paw asked.
"Her sister, Orchid. I wanted to know if there was anything we could use to help us find out where she might be now." Bella explained.
Paw stood in thought for a moment. "Ya know, there might be just one thing." She said and left for the back again. Paw came back out moments later holding a yellow piece of parchment. "Careful now. It's a bit frail."
Bella took the letter and opened it carefully.
"What's it say?" Lilly asked. Drake leaned closer with interest.
As Bella read the letter, tears started to fall from her face. It didn't take long and by the time she finished the letter, she had fallen to the floor crying. Lilly had never seen her aunt cry like this before.
"What's wrong, Aunt Bella?" She asked, worried.
Bella looked to Lilly, then she smiled. "It's okay, Lilly. I'll be fine." She said with a heavy breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"What did it say." Said Drake, rudely cutting in.
"It was a goodbye letter from my sister, but she talked about what had happened while she was away. Apparently, the place she went to was another world altogether, and that time there was slower. She must have wrote this just before coming back, but for her she had only been gone for one cycle." Bella explained.
"One cycle?" Lilly asked wide-eyed.
"Yes. She also mentioned someone else. Apparently it's your father, Lilly."
"My father?"
"Exactly. His name was Tawazun."
Drake stood frozen. That name was terribly familiar to him. "Are you certain this letter is from your sister and not a fake?" He asked sounding sceptical.
"I would recognize my sister's handwriting anywhere, no matter how old I've become." Bella said defensively.
"Regardless, does it help us to know where Orchid might be?" He asked with his arms crossed.
"No." The elder elf sighed.
"I have a father from another world?" Lilly asked to herself.
"Well, if this is from her, then I suppose so. It's hard for me to believe but it does explain why she practically hadn't aged when she returned." Bella stated, thinking hard about the letter.
"Since we still have no sound leads on Orchid's location, what do you suggest we do now?" Drake asked impatiently.
Bella glared at him angrily. "I don't know." She answered.
"You're welcome to stay at my place if you want. That is if ya don't have a home of your own." Paw offered kindly.
"Thanks but we couldn't do that to you." Bella thanked.
"Well my door's always open if ya need."
"Thank you."
After leaving the hospital, the three decided to walk around the city and see the sights. The sun was just starting to set and all the street lights were being lit. Some of the stores had old lanterns to light up their signs while others were powered electrically. To Lilly, it was a beautiful sight to behold.