Chapter 3
"Vasdenin's Worst Crime"
Trudging heavily towards the small cottage, Arianna entered the house silently and finished her chores. She then cleaned herself up and made ready for her trip to town. She tried to act nonchalantly about it all but by the time she had gone back outside the house; she broke down in tears and started sobbing on the ground.
I don't want to leave this place; this is my home… my life. Where else can I be happier in except here? I don't care if I don't grow up to be a proper Vasdenin woman. Why should I have to live the rest of my life as a boring old housewife to some low-spirited hunter in town? she thought to herself. I would be at ease just being a farmer's granddaughter.
At that moment, she paused in her weeping when she started thinking cautiously about her situation. Wiping her eyes, she looked far beyond the fields towards the far-flung mountains.
If only my life weren't as dull as it is now. I wouldn't really be as content as I am at the moment…being just an old man's granddaughter. I could have been a huntress in the wild villages to the south; or even a knight in the South; I could have been a warrior living alone in the Forbidden Mountains or a beautiful fairy residing in the Eastern Fields of Lisien. Even being a dragon or troll hunter wouldn't be so bad, Arianna thought all of this long and hard.
Then as Arianna continued musing on her wild thoughts, an idea sparked in her head. A dangerous, reckless but great idea!
"I'm going to run away!" she told herself, half excited and half frightened at the notion.
I could run away to the mountains. I know how to survive on my own out there! Her thoughts ran uncontrollably in her head as she hurried towards a small horse cart nearby, which stood ready and waiting to be carried off.
Her trunk was stashed in the back together with a few other things. Arianna grabbed a small sack from the side of the house and climbed into the cart. Quickly opening her trunk and stashing a few clothes and special trinkets inside her sack, she stopped, suddenly realizing something was amiss. Digging deep into the large chest, she found out that there were some things missing, which were her hunting clothes as well as her bow and arrows. There could be no other supposition; her grandfather must have taken it. With a frustrated groan, she banged her fist on top of the trunk and jumped out of the cart. Well, it wouldn't matter, she could steal some new clothes and weapons in the villages near the mountains Shouldering her heavy sack, she started to run when she heard a low whistle from behind her. Turning around, she saw Hollin coming towards her.
"What are YOU doing here?" Arianna snapped as the boy approached her.
He took one look at her heavy sack and her irritated expression before speaking. "You know, running away isn't a really good idea."
"Oh really? Then I suppose you're going to try and stop me, tie me up and dump me in that cart till my grandfather arrives?" the scarlet haired girl asked sarcastically.
The boy's ears turned bright pink but replied earnestly, "If necessary, yes."
Arianna forced a laugh, "Ha! Well, let me see you try little boy!"
But when Arianna was already a good distance away from him, Hollin shouted after her, "You don't know what you're missing if you don't get on that cart Arianna!"
Arianna replied sardonically as she continued walking, "Hmmm… I would be missing having to dress up in silly frilly garments with stinky flowers stuck up in my hair as well as having to sit all day on a tiny stool knitting while smelling of dough and sugar! Oh yes! I would really HATE to miss all that!"
Then, Hollin ran to catch up with her, standing in front of her he placed both his hands on her shoulders to stop her.
"Wait Arianna! Just listen for a moment!"
Arianna glared at him but she stopped and crossed her arms, "You better have something worthwhile to tell me before I start hanging you up that tree over there." She said indicating the birch tree nearby.
Hollin smiled despite her harsh threat, "I wasn't talking about your etiquette lessons in town with that lady your grandfather told me about. I was talking about the upcoming archery contest."
Arianna's eyes lit up with curiosity and interest, "Archery contest?'
Hollin nodded, "They're having an archery contest in town as a sort of entertainment for the Spring Fairy Festival."
"Spring Fairy Festival…" Arianna murmured before smiling, "That's about a week from now isn't it?'
"Yes." Hollin replied excitedly, "But the Archery contest takes place the day before that and it's together with the Priceless Gift challenge."
"Priceless Gift challenge, what in Kannaham's name is that?"
"It's a new challenge, just enacted yesterday, it's a challenge for a few chosen hunters who are tasked to find the most valuable treasure in Vasdenin worthy enough of presenting to the King and Queen Fairy visiting. It will be a great honor to the hunter who achieves this and I hear the prize is definitely worth the trouble of it."
Arianna looked at her friend inquisitively, "Where did you hear all this?"
"From my uncle," Hollin answered proudly, "he was invited to a supper at the town head's home in town last night and there he heard everything and passed it on to us just this morning over breakfast. I, of course, wanted to go into town to join in but Father says I'm still too young even if I did pass the manhood challenge." At this remark, Hollin scowled, "But then I thought of you and I remembered old Baltook mentioning about you moving into town with that lady for lessons and if I can't go on that adventure, at least you could. You can tell me all about it afterwards."
"Are you absolutely sure of this?"
"Yes."
Arianna beamed and to both their surprise, she hugged him, "Hollin you are truly an angel in disguise! This is a moment I've been dreaming of for years!"
Hollin blushed and laughed sheepishly, "It's the least I can I do after abandoning you in the barn the other night. Do you know that I am going to be taking your place here after you leave?"
Arianna let go of him quickly, cleared her throat and nodded, "I know. Well, now that I think about it. There's no one better to take my place here than you Hollin. Are you sure you don't want to come and join me?"
Hollin looked down at his feet, "I really want to but… I'd just be a blundering half-wit next to you. Besides, Father would be looking for me and he'd give me a nasty beating if he ever found out what I've been up to." Hollin replied slowly.
"I see." Arianna said, understanding that Hollanden was a fierce man, though only the town's baker. He gave reckless beatings to all of his sons and the deep scars on their backs proved it. All his sons were very cautious when it came to facing their father, but none as cautious as Hollin the youngest.
"So, are you really going to town then?" Hollin asked, changing the topic.
Arianna smiled knowingly, "I would be a blundering half-wit if I didn't go. Come on Hollin, help me return these things back in my trunk."
So they both walked back to the cart and Arianna deposited her things back inside her trunk quickly but before she was about to close the trunk, Hollin said, "Arianna, you're without doubt an extremely forgetful girl nowadays."
Arianna looked down at Hollin from the cart with a frown, " Oh really? And what exactly do you mean by that bold statement?"
Hollin smiled mysteriously and ran towards the back of her house. Arianna was in a state of confusion when he came back carrying a two package in his hands. One was small and compact while the other was long and bulky, they were both slightly covered in dirt.
"Are you really trying to tell me that you plan to secretly attend an Archery contest without these?"
Hollin tore off the wrapping, revealing Arianna's bow and quiver and her hunting clothes. Arianna's eyes lit up with wonder and joy when she beheld these objects, "Oh Hollin! You kept them! I thought grandfather stowed them away so I wouldn't be tempted to...Never mind. This is fantastic! Thank you Hollin."
Arianna took her belongings in her arms and hurriedly placed it away inside her trunk. After which, she jumped out of the cart and was talking animatedly with the blonde haired lad when Baltook came out of the barn with the two horses behind him.
"Ah, I see young Hollin has arrived to keep you company while I was preparing the horses." Baltook remarked as he approached the two, "Well then, Arianna, I believe it's time to depart. Say your goodbyes to Hollin now."
As Baltook was taking the horses in front of the cart, Arianna whispered closely to Hollin, "I won't be gone for too long. After I win that contest and show everyone that even a mere peasant girl like me can beat the best of Vasdenin's men in Archery, the whole town will evidently understand why a girl such as myself should withdraw from mere peasant girl duties and instead be recognized as a Vasdenin hunter."
"But what if the whole town decides to murder you? You and I both know that you'll be committing one of the worst crimes ever to be done in Vasdenin." Hollin stated.
Arianna smiled confidently and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Then, my friend, I'll return here to get you and, if you're willing, we could both run away together towards the Forbidden Mountains and spend the rest of our years as outlaws or warriors or even dragon hunters. We can be whatever we want to be and have adventures every single day of our lives!"
Hollin smiled happily, the thought of spending the rest of his life in exile with the beautiful and daring Arianna was like a dream come true.
"Arianna! Come!" Baltook called.
"You will come back, won't you?" Hollin whispered quickly.
"I will, I promise!" Arianna replied before she got into the horse cart beside her grandfather. She looked back and saw Hollin waving to her, and she waved back with a radiant smile.
"May the gods guide you on your journey!" Hollin declared the Northerners ancient farewell.
"And may they guard you till I return!" Arianna answered back.
On their way to town, Arianna was humming cheerily and Baltook looked closely at his granddaughter, "You seem to be in a good mood. Did Hollin say something to make you change your mind about going to town and living with Madam Lilianne?"
"Perhaps." was the young girl's reply.
They were both silent as the horse cart went past the fields and a few country houses. Arianna glanced at the tall stalks of wheat and corn wondering if she would ever live to see them again after she goes off and breaks one of the most eminent rules of the northern lands. Heaving a small sigh, she decided to turn her gaze to the long dusty road and listened instead to the monotonous clopping of the horses' hooves and the occasionally creaking of the wooden cart.
As they entered the town's main gate and unto the main road of the town, they heard the diverse sounds and chatters of the town folk in full activity for the preparation of the anticipated Spring Fairy Festival. Old wives and their friends were caught up in some interesting gossip as they carried huge baskets of flowers and streamers towards the great meadow. A few men and boys were bringing in long poles and large sheets for the tents while other men carried barrels heavy with wine and cider. Girls could be seen from the window of their houses trying on their new spring dresses while decorating their hairs with garlands of daisies and buttercups. Delicious aromas floated out from the open windows of the nearby houses accompanied by the harsh tones of the cook rebuking the noisy restless children trying to get a hand on some of the delicious pastries baking. Merchants from all over were busily decorating and preparing their stalls for the festival and a few assigned dramatists were rehearsing for their performance in an open space. Farmers from the fields carried bushels of hay or baskets full of their produce that were mostly vegetables freshly harvested from their gardens. Baltook smiled thoughtfully as he watched all this, but his granddaughter's attention drifted elsewhere.
Arianna was enormously fascinated with the newly polished bows and shining swords that the Vasdenin boy hunters were showing off to each other. They were all prepared for the many tournaments and games that were going to take place on the Spring Fairy Festival.
Arianna's attention was suddenly drawn towards a group of boys nearby. One of them was loudly boasting of his archery skill during the First Hunt, he began declaring how easily he could shoot two birds out of the sky with a single arrow. His friends pointed out a flock of sparrows flying by, daring him to shoot one down. With confidence, the boy took out his polished bow, drew an arrow and aimed for the birds. But his pride soon got the best of him when his arrow hardly came close to the flock of birds, flying instead to the top of a tall tree. His friends laughed rowdily at the boastful boy who was burning with shame and anger at his missed shot.
Ha! What a foolish boy he is as well as blind! I could have taken three birds down with a single shot if I were in his place. How could he have missed them? He was in perfect range of those sparrows, Arianna ruminated.
Shaking her head, Arianna turned back her attention to the road.
The young girl's light brown eyes widened with excitement as their horse cart passed by the area where the archery contest was to be held. It was a vacant lot that had been cleared out and fixed up. Men were measuring the ground while young servant boys were helping to put up long poles and banners. Arianna felt a strange tingling at the tip of her fingers, itching to have her bow in her hand. Her moment of glory was drawing near.
Arianna couldn't help but smile as she passed by the town's largest tavern, she could already hear some hunters merrymaking and the tunes of lively music coming from the inside. One day, she would be a part of it all too.
"I believe that this year's Spring Fairy Festival is going to be more far exciting than last year's, don't you think so Arianna?" Baltook stated.
"I think it definitely will be a lot more exciting grandfather." Arianna answered with a smile.
