Three days later, the caravan finally arrived. It was full of goods from distant regions spices, fabrics, tools, and even some rare books.
For Stella, this was more than just a bustling event in the village, it was a rare and irreplaceable opportunity to meet people from other regions.
This wasn't a major caravan, just an average one. The merchants weren't poor, but not especially rich either.
Meryl had once told her that the large caravans usually came with double the number of traders and were mostly made up of people from noble or extremely wealthy families.
They didn't usually stop in small villages like theirs, those were reserved for cities.
Still, the excitement was tangible. Helena and Stella walked together toward the main square, drawn by the commotion and the smell of foreign spices. Helena had another reason to go out today, she wanted to see Mr. Albert.
The square was filled with villagers inspecting the goods, calling out offers, and chatting with the merchants. Stella observed everything with curious eyes.
"The traders seem to be from all over," she commented quietly to Helena, "A few even look like they're from the South."
As they wandered between stalls, a voice called out, "Helena!"
They turned to find a tall, slender man waving warmly. His silver hair shone under the sun, and despite his age, there was a calm kindness in his expression, with simple clothing and relaxed posture made him approachable, but his sharp, knowing eyes hinted at years of experience.
Helena's face lit up.
"Uncle Albert!" she called out happily.
She walked over and greeted him with warmth, but without any dramatic gestures.
Albert smiled, "You've grown taller since I last saw you what was it, two years ago?"
"And your hair is completely gray now," she teased.
"I'm officially old," he replied with a chuckle.
Then his gaze moved to Stella, who had been standing quietly nearby.
"And who might this be?"
"She's my friend, and our guest," Helena answered.
"I see," he nodded, "Pleased to meet you, Miss."
Stella stepped forward politely, "I'm Alina, sir."
"It's a pleasure, Miss Alina. Are you part of the family?"
"No, she's not," Helena said before Stella could respond, "It's a bit of a long story. If you come home with us, Mother would love to see you, and we can tell you everything then."
Albert smiled, "How is Meryl doing these days?"
"She's fine. Come on, let's go, the food must be ready by now."
Helena took him gently by the arm and led the way. Stella followed them, observing their dynamic.
They looked more like a father and daughter than distant relatives.
According to what Meryl had told Stella before, Albert was a relative from Helena's father's side, and had also been a close friend of his.
When they arrived at the house, Meryl received Albert with calm delight, she asked how he had been and welcomed him.
The table was already set, and food filled the room with its delicious aroma. In truth, she had sent the girls out on purpose, knowing Albert would likely be nearby.
After lunch, they all sat around in the main room, sipping warm tea.
Albert turned to Helena and asked, "Now, what's this long story you mentioned earlier?"
Helena glanced at Stella, silently asking with her eyes, "Should I?"
Stella gave a small nod.
So Helena told him everything, from the day Stella arrived, to how she ended up staying with them. Albert listened quietly. His expression was serious and thoughtful. When she finished, he leaned back and looked at Stella. There was a sense of empathy in his eyes.
"I'm truly sorry you've gone through all that, Miss Alina," he said gently.
Stella, not particularly good at handling sympathetic words or compliments, just nodded slightly. She had always struggled with that kind of interaction.
Albert continued, "Have your relatives from the North tried to reach you?"
"No, not yet," she answered.
"Well then, what would you think about going back to them?"
"What do you mean?"
"We're heading north with the caravan in a few days. If you'd like, you can travel with us, to return home, maybe we can help."