Hey everyone, glad you decided to read this ( It's my first fanfic ever though, so please be kind!!

Disclamer: I do not own any of the Orphen characters, blah blah blah

Akina sighed deeply and rested her head on her soft pillow. The cotton fabric felt like bliss on her tired cheek, the warm covers like a warm embrace, one that she wholly welcomed and gave herself to. She closed her eyes, a tired smile on her face as she thought of the antics of the village children. It was her job to watch them daily, and she enjoyed the job, even if it was extremely tiring. She was always happy to get home to her comfy warm bed at night.

The village of Varnium was small, with a single tavern. The houses were shabby looking, with matching residents. The people were generally cheerful though, with the usual gossipers and mischief-makers. The small village generally grew its own food, with none of the residents being wealthy enough to buy food from other larger towns. The money mostly circled in the town instead of to other villages, which kept the villagers in the same class as everyone else.

Akina was, to all outside appearances, just another villager. She wore the worn-out clothes of the others, she went through the motions of the other villagers, and was close friends with many of them. It was only upon the second glance would one see the pointing of the ears, the slighty longer than normal face, and the deep blue tint to her dark eyes and hair.

The young elf sighed one more time as she dropped off into a deep sleep.

Akina Kamina opened her eyes slowly, her eyes straying to her window, where the half-sunlight of early morning was lighting it. She lifted her arms toward her head and arched her back, tensing for a minute as she streched. She drew the covers from herself, tentatively reaching her legs over the side of her bed into the cold. Now in a vertical position, she rubbed her eyes and relaxed back against the wall as she tried to persuade her mind to wake up. Succeeding, she pushed herself to a standing positon and crossed the room to put on some clothes.

The sun was streaming down brightly by the time she had finished her morning chores, and, this being a day she didn't have to watch the children, she debated what she should do first. She should go hunting, but she decided that she would much rather go to the lake. Quickly darting into the house to grab a light cloak to ward off the slight chill of the still-spring weather, she started off the mile-long path to the lake.

Reaching the water's edge a while later, she gazed across the water. The sun played patterns on the water through the trees by the water's edge, but out farther it shined with full-force on the surface of the lake. She deeply inhaled the sweet air, the fragrance of wetness from yesterday's rain mingling with the smells of the new spring in her keen elven nose.

Sitting on one of the fallen logs by the water's side, she eagerly reached out her hand and streched her fingers. Closing her hands and searching with her mind, she fixed her energy on the water of the lake. After she was sure she had a hold on the water, Akina quickly flicked her wrist, feeling pleased when five jets of water shot from the lake. The elf twisted her arm, making the ribbons of clear liquid twist together. Another movement, and they shot off seperately in another direction.

She amused herself this way for a little while longer, before deciding that it was time she started back to the village. The walk was short, she ran most of the way and was in good shape.

She reached the village about the same time someone else did. Striding down the middle of the main street, she stopped, along with most of the villagers, to stare at a group of three people making their own way down the street.

One of them was dressed in a blue shirt with jeans, his blonde hair and blue eyes matching perfectly with it. The second was in a dress, she had blonde hair and blue eyes as well. But it was the third that interested Akina. He was dressed all in black, with a leather jacket and black jeans. He had dark brown hair and eyes to match it. All in all, he was quite attractive. Tearing her eyes away from these strange three, she glanced behind them to a cloaked figure following them. This fourth one was trying to keep hidden, and he would have succeeded if anyone else in the village had been watching him. Akina's elf eyes picked up his covert movements, though, and this intrigued her further.

Hey sorry it was so long, but I wanted to do a good job for my first chapter!!! Please review, weather its good or bad!!