ήλιο και τη δύναμη

But… she could not explain this to her friend, not with the limits of her board, and not with him still so young. Νομίζω ότι υπάρχει πάντα χρόνος για καλύτερα πράγματα! Αν οι άνθρωποι μπορούσαν να καταλάβουν ότι μπορούν να ζουν περισσότερο τους φίλους τους, ή ότι θα ζήσει για να δει πολλά πράγματα έχουν ένα τέλος, θα μπορούσαν να περνούν περισσότερο χρόνο κρατώντας τους κοντά! Όπως αυτό - όταν ξέρω ότι θα περάσουν όλη την ημέρα με Aspen στο κατάστημα, τρώω πιο πριν φύγω από το σπίτι, γι ‘αυτό μην χάσετε χρόνο μαζί του, ενώ είμαι τρώει αργότερα! Μια μέρα, ένας από εμάς θα φύγουν από το νησί, και δεν θέλω να πιστεύω ότι θα μπορούσα να είχα περισσότερο χρόνο μαζί του. Αυτός είναι ο λόγος που δεν καταλαβαίνω τους ανθρώπους! Όλα τα πράγματα που αγαπούν τον άνθρωπο διαρκεί μόνο ένα μικρό χρονικό διάστημα, αλλά ακόμα δεν τα εκτιμούν καθόλου! Satisfied with her explanation, she got to work on finishing her onion, and proudly showed Toli the neatly chopped pile in answer to his question, nudging his side a little.

The vegetables were unceremoniously dumped into a cheap skillet, set atop the hot stovetop, and left to sizzle for a short moment. Not too long, of course, just enough to let them begin to cook. “Θέλετε να ανακατεύετε;” he asked his companion, grabbing for a wooden spoon and waving it about. “Όχι πάρα πολύ, αλλά μην τους αφήσουμε να κάψει.” Toli demonstrated, pushing the veggies around the pan with gentle ease. “Θα πρέπει να είναι μαλακό.” He offered Effie the spoon, spinning it about in his large hands so it was handle first. “Προχώρα. Εκτός αν θέλετε να κάνετε άλλες εργασίες.”

You do not get along with your family? Not an uncommon experience, it seemed, amongst people on this island. Her own family of sorts had been very much welcoming upon her return home, but this did not detract from their role in her departure so long ago! I understand this feeling! It is often easier to make a new family, no? This is why I see Toli so often, and why I live with my best friend! The mere mention of Aspen made her smile grow all the wider, the corners of her eyes crinkling as though her face reflected her true age. She did love him, truly! And Toli too! Deciding this was a good time to begin her investigation, she added, I have made many more friends here, and perhaps you will too! It is so nice to have a community like this, no? When I lived in Italy, it was so hard to be comfortable around the people, but here it is so lovely! 

Toli got home and wrenched the door open with only a slight struggle, more than a little surprised to see two living beings in his living room instead of just the one he'd left behind. Ah. Well, then. He smiled wide, setting his bounty on the scuffed wood floors. "Έφη! Δεν ήξερα ότι θα πρέπει να έρχονται. Βλέπω εσείς οι δύο συναντήθηκαν." Of course, he'd meant to introduce the two at some point, but... If fate would have it this way, then so be it. "Ελπίζω να δεν τον βασανίζουν πολύ. Αυτός είναι ευαίσθητος." He made his way to where Johanás was perched, gently tugging on the tip of his ear. "Take it off, yes? Effie is good. No fear, αγαπι μοθ." He leaned to press a chaste kiss to the elf's forehead, pulling away with a sense of mild embarrassment not unlike he would feel if his mother were here. Effie's presence always held an odd sway over his emotions. The bull plopped down onto the couch, abandoning the groceries for now, completely expecting the lapful of tiny elf soon to come.

Looking a little doubtful, the dryad reached first for the jar of leaves, feeling the weight of it experimentally. She grasped the lid firmly, scrunched her face up in determination, and tried to twist it off. Nothing. She tried again, bracing herself against the counter and letting a huff of air escape through her nose, but still the lid would not budge. Flushed with exertion, Effie gave the jar back to her much stronger friend and took the onion, beginning to smile at her own situation as she wrote out, Είμαι ξυλοκοπήθηκε από το βάζο, νομίζω. Είστε μια μεγάλη, ισχυρή αγόρι! Είναι εχθρός σας για να κατακτήσει τώρα. Θα πάρω το κρεμμύδι, και εγώ θα το φάει, αν δεν θέλει να συμπεριφέρεται. After a moment of thinking about what Toli had said, she added: Στα δάση, εμείς δεν χρειάζεται να μαγειρέψουν! Το μόνο που έμαθαν πώς να προετοιμάσει τα τρόφιμα όταν έφυγα και έζησε ανάμεσα στους ανθρώπους. Ακόμα και τώρα, νομίζω ότι θα προτιμούσαν να ζουν με μούρα και μέλι από το να περνούν πολλές ώρες την προετοιμασία των τροφίμων, όπως κάνουν οι άνθρωποι.

Toli began extracting the brined leaves from the jar with a delicate manner, careful not to tear any. The chosen ones were plopped into a waiting bowl and brought to the sink, covered with cool water and left to soak for a moment. “Πιστεύετε πραγματικά ότι παίρνει τόσο πολύ για να μαγειρέψουν;” He searched through his drawers for a second knife, going to work on the peppers and tomatoes. “Κάποια πράγματα μπορεί να μαγειρευτεί μέσα σε λίγα λεπτά! Όχι οι ντολμάδες, για να είμαι ειλικρινής. Αλλά είναι πιο αναμονής, μετά την τυλιγμένα. Μπορούμε να καθίσετε έξω, ενώ εμείς περιμένουμε.” The vegetables were chopped quickly, perhaps not very neatly, but who really cared about that? He never claimed to be a star chef. “Πώς είναι τα κρεμμύδια, κοπέλια;”

She was undeterred by Toli’s return and continued to investigate every nook and cranny - although his attention to detail did not go missed, and she glowed with affection as she returned to his side. With a broad grin, the tiny dryad took his big paw, giving it a gentle squeeze in wordless thanks, and stepped up onto the box. She was still much smaller than her companion - but everything looked so different from up here! It reminded her of the enjoyment of being given a piggyback, and revelling in the momentary height gain. Stifling a bright laugh, Effie quickly jotted on her board: Είστε τόσο καλός μαζί μου, Τόλη! Νομίζω ότι αν στάθηκα στο πάγκο, θα μπορούσα να είμαι σχεδόν τόσο ψηλά όπως είστε! The mere thought of being nose to nose with the bull made her want to laugh again, and she wiggled with mirth and drummed her hands on the countertop.

“Τώρα, θέλετε να τεμαχίσει τα κρεμμύδια ή να ανοίξετε τα φύλλα? Είτε είναι μια χαρά μαζί μου.” He picked up both the fresh onion and the jar of brined leaves, holding them out to Effie for her decision. “Αυτό ήταν το πρώτο πράγμα που έμαθα να μαγειρεύω, θα μπορούσα να το κάνω κοιμάται.” Every child in his family learned to cook early in their lives - with so many to feed, the more knowledgeable hands in the kitchen, the better. Dolmas were easy and fed many at once, and so they were the starter recipe for most children. Of course, his repertoire was larger now, but this dish always felt like rice-filled bites of home. 

The dryad’s face crinkled into mirth, smothering a laugh at his joke. Flicking at him with her… well, in comparison to his arm, her hand was doll-sized. So fitting for his kind! She stuck her tongue out but nodded rapidly, holding up her board to add, Αν δεν έχετε ένα σκαμνί, θα πρέπει να με σηκώσει!

After a passage of about five minutes, Toli returned, without a stool but with a heavy box. He’d already marked a trip to the store for a step stool onto his mental to-do list, but for now this would have to do. He set the box down, taking time to center it nicely in front of the counter. “Ελάτε τώρα, δοκιμάστε αυτό. Παρακολουθήστε την ισορροπία σας. Δεν μπορούμε να έχουμε σας πέφτουν πάνω στο εδώ.” He smiled gently, offering a big hand to help her up.