"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Torx yelled through the bars at his daughter. She was facing off against a boy her age, Bard the Brave. She was doing well, she knew how to handle her halberd, and she was showing it. Scout swung around, her ponytail following her spin as she angled the blade to hit Bard, but he blocked it with his axe.
Scout span again, and Bard only just blocked it, taking a few steps back. Scout used this to her advantage and moved in, kicking him in the chest and knocking him down. She kicked his shield away and pinned down his axe-arm with her other foot, and held her halberd blade near his throat. For a moment everyone froze, and then the forest floor erupted in applause and cheers. Scout smiled proudly and pulled Bard to his feet. Both teens were almost the same height and avoided each other's eyes, but when Bard held out his hand Scout blushed before shaking it. She ran quickly over to her father, who clapped her on the back.
"Ah, you are a fine fighter my girl. I'm glad you got something off me." Torx laughed, stroking his beard that was becoming more silver than blonde.
"It was fun!" Scout said, her cheek red from the exercise. But Torx saw her glance over at Bard, and when Bard smiled and nodded at her he watched her cheeks grow redder. She began to play with the handle of her halberd, which used to be her grandfather's. Torx had never possessed the skills to handle such a weapon, but Scout was quick and light on her feet. They were a fine pair. Scout had tweaked it of course, balancing it so it made perfectly for her and no other.
Torx put his arm around Scout's shoulder and they began walking back to their hut, re-enacting some of Scout's movements, and Torx was going through some advice when his head guard ran over to them.
"Torx, there's a boat just come in. A group of traders." He said, and Torx raised his eyebrows in interest.
"Not many boats pass this way" he said slowly, and he shook his head.
"They must have gotten lost hey?" he said, a deep laugh shaking his chest. Torx moved to follow his head guard, but turned to face Scout.
"Go and tell your mother would you? She might want more material for your dresses" he said, knowing full-well Scout hated dresses. Playing true to this fact, Scout pulled a face but walked to their hut alone.
The village had all come out to greet the traders, but Scout was uneasy. The boy couldn't have been much older than she was, maybe 3 or more years, but he was being told what to say by a man wielding a crossbow. The boy had cold eyes, and when he smiled it never reached his eyes. His dark hair was pulled back and was matted. Scout had seen few other traders, but she knew this was strange. Others were whispering, but as the daughter of the chief she had to be polite to the outsiders.
Torx took the opportunity to speak to the traders about their goods.
"Plenty of weapons, newly forged or family heirlooms" the crossbow wielder said, and the boy nodded.
"Yes plenty. And silks" he added, nodding towards a group of women who whispered about new shirts. The boy caught Scout's eye and smiled, but the smile made Scout feel cold, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
"I'm sure we'd be able to come to some arrangement? I'll see what you have, and if I have no interest we can part ways?" Torx said gently, and the boy looked back at him.
"That sounds fair, but it would seem we've run low on food. Perhaps we can trade for supplies if we have no trinkets you find valuable?" he said, and the crossbow man smiled.
Torx thought for a moment, and then nodded.
The boy led the way back to the ship, and Scout stayed behind. When she got back to their hut, she entered her room. Scout pulled out a small engraved box and removed the stone. It was the same stone she had found in the cove 4 years earlier. Her father had let her keep it, and since then they had removed most of the stones. Not all of them, they were being given out as mostly gifts. Scout turned the stone, its colours glinting in the sun. She placed the stone back in its box, and hid it in the emptied out slot in the floor plank. Until the men had left she'd keep it hidden. She couldn't place it but she didn't trust something about them.
She decided to go past the smithy to sharpen her halberd blade. She thought it would be safer.
Torx had found a beautiful deep red silk and bought it back into the village for Belna. She took one look at it and gasped.
"Torx, it's beautiful." She said, running the material through her fingers. Torx beamed.
"I'd hoped you'd like it. I didn't find anything else." he said, and turned to Scout.
"Sorry I didn't find you anything-" he started, but stopped when he saw her face.
"Scout? What's wrong child?" he asked, dropping to his knee to sit in front of her. She had a small frown on her face, and she looked at her father with concern.
"I don't trust them." she said quietly, and Torx sighed inwardly. He had expected this, her having only grown up with the people already on the island, she wasn't used to guests.
"Scout, they're just here to trade-" he said, but Belna cut him off.
"What did you trade him for this?" she asked, and he turned his head slightly.
"A meal and rest for a night." he said, not meeting her eye. Belna pressed him.
"Just that for this silk? I doubt it" she said, fixing her husband with the same expression as Scout.
"That's all." he said, still not looking at her.
"Torx." Belna said, with a warning in her tone.
Torx sighed.
"I was going to take them to the cave." he said, and Scout gasped.
"You can't!" she blurted, and her parents looked at her.
"Scout? What's wrong?" Belna asked, placing the silk on the table. Scout looked embarrassed.
"I just have a bad feeling." She said, kicking her legs gently to touch the floor.
"It's alright Scout dear." Belna said.
"They're just traders, not pirates." Torx said, rolling his eyes. Scout turned redder.
"I'm not saying they are, I just don't think we should tell strangers about the cave." She said quickly, and her parents looked at each other.
"How about I just give them the stone then? And don't show them the cave?" Torx said, and Scout thought.
"I guess so…" she said.
"I still have a bad feeling." She said quietly, but her father had already left the hut, and her mother was too busy admiring the silk. She had a very bad feeling.