Okay, I just realized that I haven't said anything about this (and if I have, sorry to repeat myself!), but some of you might be wondering why the heck the description of elves in this story is completely different to the description of elves in Ella Enchanted. I changed it really to fit my story line and also because the elves sound so much cooler (to me) this way. Anyway, thought I'd let you know. THANK YOU LELA-OF-BAST, ANGEL15116, AND LADY GWEN FOR THE REVIEWS! PLEASE CONTINUE REVIEWING, PEOPLE!!!

Tell me if you like this chapter… I don't really like it… Don't really know why though… I'll have to update the next chapter soon and feel better.

Aunt Sarah and Robert arrived at their summer home that day. Oh joy. (Amelia and Lou were not there; they were packing their belongings to get ready for their new mansion.)

They probably had ten carriages pulling their entire luggage. (Okay, maybe that's exaggerating, but still) John and I were coming back from herding the horses, feeling very hungry and ready for a quick lunch break.

But Aunt Sarah had other things for me to do. "Come help unload, Elisa. No lunch. Jonathan, grab a roll for yourself and come help unload too."

"Yes, Madam," John answered mechanically.

Aunt Sarah looked back at me and let out a small scream. Servants came rushing over.

"Your – your – your ears, Elisa! You look like an elf! What happened?"

I felt like my heart came up to my throat. Oops. She can't figure it out. She can't. She would sell me as an elf-laborer for sure (It's a sad, but true fact that elf-laborers sell for good money.).

I smiled coldly at Aunt Sarah without responding and began to help unload. Let her use her imagination as to why my ears were pointed. I covered my ears with my hair, to make sure something like that didn't happen again. Aunt Sarah said nothing but kept staring at me. My stomach complained quietly but I didn't notice. I was looking for Emma.

I saw a girl the height of Emma walking into the mansion, but could that be Emma? The once so proud, clean, and tidy Emma? Could this filthy girl with unkempt hair and a dirty servant's dress be my dear sister?

The trunks were heavy, and I was made to drag ten of them up the stairs to Aunt Sarah's and Robert's rooms. I tried desperately to catch another glimpse of Emma (with her ears covered by her hair, I had noticed), but she was not around.

By that time I was late with my chores, and Aunt Sarah yelled at me for being lazy and slow.

"You are to do twice as much today. I'll make sure you do, you lazy, useless girl!"

I kept my head up and pretended I hadn't heard. But I soon hung my head. At milking time I had to milk half of the fifty cows and all of the twenty-five goats. Then I had to put all the goats in their pens and herd the horses by myself (that gave John a break).

By the time I had gotten in bed, I would only have two hours to sleep. Wonderful. Not that it was anything that I wasn't used to. And my stomach was roaring, since I missed dinner (thanks to Aunt Sarah). John was awake, carving (he did this often). John looked up as I fell onto the hay with a crash. A huge bunch of grapes was passed my way. I gobbled them down. Then I heard voices. They were very faint and muffled. I thought I was going mad.

"That's funny. It sounds like they're coming from the haystack." John said, not looking up from his work.

I was too tired to really care, but then I remembered.

"My cup!"

I raced to the haystack where I had hidden my cup. It was talking! Now that's something you don't hear every day!

"That sounds like Amelia! And Aunt Sarah!"

I listened. John looked up and also listened.

"I don't understand why you want to live near his parents. I don't even understand why you married that pauper. And now we have two girls to handle." That was Aunt Sarah, naturally.

"But mother, I love Lou." Amelia.

There was a "humph". John and I listened in fascination.

"And besides, it isn't so bad having Emma, or Elisa for that matter. Elisa is doing well on the farm, we just have to give her more work. Same with Emma. I love her massages!" Amelia

"So do I." Aunt Sarah. "But what does that have to do with you moving closer to Lou's parents?"

"Because I can continue to make use out of the two girls. Lou wants a barn, and I'll have to hire servants to take care of it, because he will be starting a job as a traveling cook, like his Father. But if Elisa (and possibly Emma) are there…"

"Yes, yes, but I still see no reason why you need them. They won't be living with you."

"But I admire them so." There was a sigh She admired us? Fine way to show her admiration!

"I wish not!" Aunt Sarah exclaimed. "My daughter, admiring paupers! I'm ashamed!"

"Well, whether you like it or not, we have bought a mansion very close to Kent. It's settled!"

There was silence, and then we heard the crickets chirping in the night. The conversation had ended. We sat there a long time, amazed. I was not thinking at the moment about what they had said, but about the magic.

"They couldn't possibly be talking now!" I said suddenly.

"They weren't. My father made one of those. It repeats the conversation that the person who owns it wants or needs to know about." John replied.

We heard foggy voices again. Our conversation stopped.

The voices became clear.

"Did you see Elisa today, Katie?"

"That's Emma!" I whispered excitedly.

"Yes. Madam Sarah was yelling at her to do twice as much work today."

"Did she look bad?"

There was a pause.

"Well, she had no shoes on… and I heard she sleeps in the hay loft…"

We heard a moan.

"She has it just as bad as I do! No shoes! Sleeping in a dirty hay loft! And me, giving massages, scrubbing floors, cooking meals, serving meals, and a tiny room to sleep in! Why do I put up with this life? I hope I can see her soon!"

The silence came. There were no more conversations.

"Well, that wasn't the best thing you could've heard tonight, was it?" John said.

I did not answer, for I was pretending to be asleep, not wanting to hear any more.