She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine Daylin. Trust me," she said with a reassuring smile. And with that, she was off.

She hardly noticed how fast she was going. Her wandering mind offset her concentration. She saw Tyrren's face when Daylin's giant hand clamped on his shoulder. He tried to hide the grimace, but she had read through better liars than him. And the look in his eyes certainly wasn't pleasant. She didn't need a man to babysit her, carry her through all of life's roughness. This was an experience for her, an adventure. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamed of a chance like this, to go out and explore the world. In fact, she would've preferred walking on her own to the castle which was suddenly in plain view.

". . . oh," she said with bewilderment. "Well that was quick."

She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind but could not. Her mind was racing at what she was about to do, imagining great castles and stunning lords and ladies and a majestic king and . . . her breath steadied. Her muscles relaxed. She was calm, as if to soothe her eyes. Only one thought was allowed to cross her mind: Grant me that which I require for my journey. And so it was.

The familiar tightness of the corset surprised, as did the sudden feeling of being a few inches taller. She opened her light gray eyes and looked down at a beautiful evening gown. She could feel a scabbard pressing against her skin under its folds. Pulling up the skirt showed a blue pair of high heels that perfectly matched the cornflower dress. It was breathtaking. Literally. The corset was too tight and she found it hard to breath.

As if her thoughts were read - which they probably were - the dress and shoes disappeared on were replaced by much less formal attire. She now donned a fitting, brown leather tunic and trousers; a green, overcoat-like cloth skirt; a black leather belt and silver buckle around her waist; and brown leather boots that came halfway up her calf. On her left arm was a leather bracer, over her right shoulder a quiver, by her left hip a scabbard, and in her hands a bow. Instinctively, she nocked, drew, and released an arrow at a tree on the far side of the clearing. It struck a bit higher and to the right from where she was aiming. Getting used to this bow was going to need some practice, she knew.

She slung it over her shoulder. Looking down, she saw a pack at her feet. Inside was her dress and shoes, and some other necessities. She slung it over her shoulder - it hung just below her quiver - and turned to the goddess. "Thank you kindly for these gifts, madame," she said with a curtsey. "I promise you that you will not be disappointed by our actions." And that was a promise she was not going to break.

"Daylin?" She hopped off the rock and walked over to him. There was no mistaking the large man with his deep voice. "It's quite fortuitous that we-" she stopped her self mid-sentence and sighed. ". . . it's good to see you," she said with a smile as her eyes gained a warm tinge of orange. "How did you find yourself here?" She put her hands on her hips and looked around. "And where is here, exactly?" She looked around at the newcomers. "I don't suppose any of you recognize this grove."

kkrrRR-thwump kkrrRR-thwump kkrrRR-thwump

The longbow's steady rhythm resonated over the field. Her aim was getting much better at faster speeds. It was mid afternoon when she set out to the archery range. It was a good way to wind down from hours of housework, and she made an effort to get at least one hour of practice in everyday. She collected her arrows and went back inside to help her mother with supper: a hearty beef stew.

The meal had left her filled and drowsy. It was rare for her to sleep so early, but it was a refreshing change from her regular habit. Floressa made sure her equipment was ready before falling to sleep. Longbow, dagger, tunic, boots, cloak and quiver. She made all her clothes by hand, scrutinizing over every detail to ensure they are tailored exactly for her. She rubbed part of the tunic. The stitch was holding strong. She could still remember the wild cat that tore at her, its menacing claws digging into her flesh. She stood before a mirror, staring at the scar on her left side. It was almost unnoticeable now. But there was no time for personal grooming. Sunset was fading into night, and she wanted to be up early.

She didn't want to wake up on the forest floor, however. She was not familiar with her surroundings. She hadn't gone too deep into the trees that lay behind her land. Suddenly a sound. Movement in the bush. A large animal, not a common hare. Floressa's instincts told her not to follow, but curiosity led her on. " Where are you going... " she whispered to herself. It was fast, but not quiet. Its tracks were so obvious she could almost follow it without her cousin's training. On and on she followed, not knowing where she was being led, only that she had to go.

Until it led her to a grove with a pond and waterfall, but no sign of any animal. Just a tall woman and and a scraggly boy. Not quite the beast she expected.

Aaron ditched the group after lunch-stomach ache, apparently. Scarlet said her goodbyes to Rika and she went back to her room, where she took off her sweater, put on her favourite pair of headphones, and flopped onto the bed. With a heavy sigh, she got comfortable in her bed and napped for an hour.

~

”Can you do me a favour?”

“Depends. What’s in it for me?”

”You owe me one from Hawaii.”

”. . . and what can I do for my darling sister?”

”I need you to install a doorbell on my hotel room, like the one I have at home.”

”Can’t hear someone knocking with your headphones on?”

”Nope.”

”Alright, I’ll take down your old one and bring it to you, I just need to-” CRASH ”-oh sh*t. I’ll call back later. Bye sis.”

”Bye.” She hung up the phone and rolled her eyes. Her brother was probably pissing around with his car again. He always has his hands dirty. She remembered him showing up at his own wedding with oil smeared across his nose. She laughed. That was a good day.

There was a knock at the door.

”One second!” Scarlet threw her sweater back on and was straightening it out when she answered it: a guard. She should’ve guessed. ”Alright, I’m coming.” Without another word, she strode beside the burly man down to the arena.

~

”I’m against him again!?!

Scarlet had turned around for only a second it seems, and when she looked back at Aaron he had a pile of food as big as her head. Her jaw dropped. When Aaron asked if she was coming, she nodded slowly, closed her jaw, and grabbed a few things that made her plate look like a sampler compared to Aaron's. She still looked impressed when she sat down at a table finally, making sure there was enough room for the other two. "How are you going to eat all that?" she asked.

"Thanks," she replied as she returned the firm grip. For a split second, when she looked into Rika's eyes, she let her composure slip for a short second, and her competitive edge revealed itself to her opponent. Her passionate gaze ignited the air between them, her warm smile turned sinister. But then she was back to her expressionless, neutral self. She could almost ref Rika's thoughts, how she connived about keeping her away from-the f*ck did Aaron just say?

There was a brief moment of silence. Scarlet looked at Aaron, who had a hand clapped over his mouth, then Rika, eddo was trying to cover her blush, then back to Aaron. Her quiet composure was breaking up into fits of giggles and she too shrunk back a bit, trying to hide away her smile. Now all three had hands over their mouths, embarrassed, blushing, and trying not to laugh.