"Again." Amra commanded, voice cool and monotone as she paced beside you.
Dear lord, you hated her "training mode". She was always so relentless.
"Draw." You nocked another arrow, aiming at the target. Four were already on the bullseye, and the fifth the ring just outside of it.
"Fire." You let the arrow loose, hitting your mark.
You grinned, lowering your bow. "That's another five."
"Not in a row." Amra said, seemingly unamused.
"Twenty out of twenty one isn't bad." You argued. In fact, you were surprised you had done that many.
She sighed, rigid posture dropping "It's still not at the goal you set."
You rolled your eyes, placing a hand on your hip "It's close."
Amra raised an eyebrow "You've got a week before I bump the number up to thirty bullseyes in a row. Now clear the target."
You huffed, but complied, going and pulling the arrows from the wooden block. "You know, I don't see what hitting twenty consecutive bullseyes has to do with self defense."
"Accuracy is key. It you miss by even an eighth of an inch, you could simply scratch your enemy rather then kill them."
"I don't want to kill anyone. I'd prefer to scratch."
"Sometimes in battle killing is the only way to win. Beasts do not surrender--"
"Yeah yeah, I know. They don't have mercy either." You rolled your eyes and returned your arrows to your quiver "We go through this same spiel every week."
Amra cracked a smile, ruffling your hair "How else would I get you to remember it?"
"Touché." You snorted, slinging your quiver back over your shoulder "Now can we go get something to eat, please?"
"As long as you pay, sure."
"Oh come on, you know I'm broke. We can just grab some bread, or apples or something."
Amra sighed in an exaggerated manner "Fine. But only because I need to buy herbs from town anyways."
She rummaged through her satchel and tossed you a sack of coins "Don't go buying a bunch of trinkets again." She quipped as you neared the boundaries of the cozy little town. Rabbit's Den's what they called it. A decent population of humans and quite a few dwarves and hobbits lived in harmony, making a living off of various special trades, farming, and rabbit hunting. It wasn't well known, but the people here thrived. You and Amra included, though you technically lived outside the boundaries in the woods. Amra was the best healer around, and made a good amount of money for her services. You assisted her the best you could and sold flowers from the land she owned for extra money. You got by, and were kept safe from...Well, from your families.
You see, you had run away from home at the age of eleven with Amra. Your father wasn't exactly the nurturing sort, and had a mean right hook when he was drunk. Which was often. Amra had met you at his pub, and didn't appreciate how he knocked you around. You heard he was still looking for you.
Amra didn't have as much of a reason to run from her immediate family, but she detested the nature of elvish society, and had said so to a few people she shouldn't have. She ran away from being a part of the elvish royal guard a few centuries ago, and had been a sort of mercenary before she took you in.
Now you lived together, as your own little family. She was like an older sister to you. Or perhaps more like a lenient mother.
"Alright, I'm going to Hilda's stand. I shouldn't take long...Go pester Pippa, she should be selling fruit today."
You grinned "What, you don't want me to spend the money? You know she won't let me pay."
She snorted "Shove it in her basket and run if you have to. She gives us too much free food."
"Right. Sounds like a plan." You snickered, waving slightly as you walked off to find your friend.
"Hey! (N/N)!" You heard her voice call as you strolled to her stand.
You beamed, hurrying over "Morning, Pip! Oh, and hello to you two, too." You smiled softly upon seeing Pippa's seven years old sister Fawn, and her friend Willow playing in the grass beside the stand.
Willow waved to you eagerly, and Fawn smiled in her usual shy manner "Good morning, (Y/N)"
"So, how's today been?" You hummed, setting your bow and quiver behind the stand. However scarce the crowd was, you knew Amra would take a long while, contrary to what she said. 'Grannie' Hilda loved to talk, and Amra hadn't been by in a while.
"Good. I've sold a lot of strawberries. Here." She handed you a small basket of them "They're on the house."
You rolled your eyes "Like hell they are--" You heard Willow giggle "Don't repeat that. But Amra'll chop my hand off if you don't take my money.I'll take a few apples, too, before you whine about the amount." You slipped a few into your bag and dropped the bag of coins in her lap, sitting in the grass beside her.
"Fine." Your shorter friend shrugged "I'll just slip it back in her bag when she's not looking."
"Don't you dare. She'll slip it right back into your money box. Out of the bag, so you don't know how much is hers."
"Is that what she did last time?"
"Nah. She bought you stuff in return and then refused your payment, remember?"
"Ah, yeah. She bought us a lot of bread. And some cookies. It lasted a long time... Maybe I'll let her do that again."
You laughed "Hey, she'd be fine with that. Anything to get out of "friend debt"."
"So that's what she calls it."
"She's still not used to the whole friend thing."
"I've noticed. At least she tolerates me now, though."
"I think it's just because she likes Fawn." You teased.
"Well I think it's 'cause I'm likable."
"No way. She doesn't like likable people."
"Either way I got her to smile the other day, and it wasn't because I did something stupid. That counts for something."
You laughed "That it does. She doesn't smile for most people."
"I heard she smiled at Ben the other day. Poor bloke thinks she's interested now."
"I thought he was pining over you?"
"He moves on easily. I'm glad, he was getting annoying to be honest. He kept coming and holding up the line."
You giggled, going to comment on how he must've been for business. But you were interrupted by something...Strange. A horn blew from the sole patrol tower, prompting everyone to stop in their tracks. Amra sprinted across the main road that split the market, hand hovering reflexively above her sheathed dagger.
You frowned and stood as she approached you"Amra, those weren't the attack horns. It can't be orcs."
She scowled "I know. I'm not worried about orcs."
Pippa stood as well, crossing her arms "It's been a long time since I've heard that warning. If I remember...That should signal an important company passing through."
Sure enough, just over the horizon marched a group of a dozen or so armored guards, moving in perfect sync. Amra huffed "Great. Royalty."
"How can you tell it's royalty?"
"The flashy gold armor. And see the jackass in the middle? That's gotta be-" She froze, a sense of horrified realization flooding her eyes. "Dear Ilúvatar." She whispered, grabbing your arm.
"Amra? Amra, what's wrong?" You knit your eyebrows together, nearly panicking as much as her. When she was afraid, you were afraid. She was the strongest person you knew, and few were worthy of fear in her eyes.
She steeled herself, going back to her cool demeanor "Do not draw attention. Smile. Curtsy. Do as the crowd does. Just please, don't draw attention." She hissed, letting go of you and pulling her hood up.
You wracked your brain to think of who scared her. Her father? But she always said he was a kind ellon. Perhaps a lord, an unrelated elvish noble. Or even a human of high status. Even so...They would've had to have done something exceptionally awful to make her so anxious. You craned your neck to see just who this could be.
You didn't really to expect to meet this mystery man's eye. You were taken aback at the power...the feeling behind his steely blue gaze. You were hardly able to take in his other features, your eyes having quickly flicked away. You caught bits and pieces. A strong jaw, thick eyebrows. Long, platinum hair. He was, as most elves were, indescribably gorgeous.
You were filled with a different sense of panic as your eyes rested on somewhere else. Willow and Fawn, not bothered by the gathered crowds or grand procession, still played dangerously close to the road. You slipped through everyone, biting your lip anxiously. You emerged in front of everyone, just in time to watch Fawn trip and fall right in front of one of the guards. They halted, all eyes burning into her. You quickly ran to her, holding your arms out slightly.
The head guard stopped her. "Apologize." She looked to you, looking quite like her namesake with big, fearful brown eyes.
"I said, apologize to the king." He said, much more gruffly.
"She's sorry." You said, making sure to seem clear and fearless in your dictation.
"You are not her. Say it--"
"She does not-- cannot speak to strangers. She. Is. Sorry." You repeated, eyebrows furrowed with a stubborness you seemed to have nicked from Amra. The guard narrowed his eyes, letting Fawn run to Pippa.
He walked forward, the crowd deadly silent. Even the king had his eyes steadily trained on you. Leaning so you were nearly nose to nose, he sneered. "Must you be put in your place, little girl?"
"She is no little girl. And she knows her place well." Came Amra's voice, strong and stead from behind you. You breathed a soft sigh of relief.
"I do not think she does--"
"She has done nothing wrong. Leave her be. I'm sure the king has somewhere very important to be."
You watched as the guard's eye widened by the smallest fraction. He knew her voice. He straightened up. "Of course." He returned to his place in the line, and the procession marched on.
Fawn clung to you, muttering a tearful apology. You told her it was okay, everything was okay.
But you weren't quite sure of that as you met the Elven King's eyes once more, just before he was out of sight.
You had a strange feeling that today would be oddly significant...