Acele Simmons's Story

It was like a dream, floating and feeling the soft air flow through her fingertips. Oh wait...this was a dream. Maya knew this as well as her conscious. But what what wrong with dreaming? Nothing. Because one moment your falling on clouds the next you wake to the bright sun, Maya hated this feeling and she wished as everyone else did that she could dream forever for this was the place most sacred to her. No one could enter her mind in this state and for once she could get her imagination to turn it's clocks without having to have them be shut off by her mother, for her imagination was crushed when she was but a child. Maya woke to the bright sun, groaning as she tossed and turned over in her soft feathery bed. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she realized her dream wasn't as great as it would have seemed. Maya shook the thought away perhaps it was just the sun heating her skin? As it normally did. Maya knew she was one of the tannest girls in Myru but it was just the hours of training and hunting she had done to make herself this way. Maya's self conscious told her to get up but she could stay in her bed all day if she wished and she did very much wish she could stay. But just as she was about to fall back asleep a sharp knock on the door made her narrow her eyes over at it, a grumble turned into a sigh. "What is it?!" she grumbled as the sharp knocking sounded again. Before Maya could even straighten her mother enterered the room, her eyes narrowed, her chin pointed in the highly directed way, as her eyes drifted on her still waking daughter. Two slaves entered the room, one a dark skinned man that was Maya's slave the other was The Empress's. "Mother? Why do you wake me so early in the morning?" Maya grumbled, covering her self with the sheets as the slaves and her mother entered. The Empress crossed her arms, clearly not amused. "You were suppose to take the hunt patrol out this morning and yet you lay sprawled on your bed like you just fought a war." Her mother said in her high shrill voice. Maya sighed and brushed an annoying piece of hair out of her face, "It feels like I've been fighting a war." she mumbled under her breath, her mother narrowed her eyes and raised a hand to slap Maya but instead clenched her teeth. "Just get dressed and meet me downstairs when your done." she growled and went out of the room. Maya's slave stayed in the doorway watching her with curious dark eyes. "Your dismissed. I don't need help getting dressed." Maya growled and the slave bowed his head and left the room silently. As soon as the door was shut Maya stretched and got herself up and out of the bed, she didn't feel like denying her mother this morning as she grabbed a light chainmill shirt, she quickly put the chain mill over her undergarments and then put a tight pair of leather pants. It wasn't much but it would do for today. She quickly put her hair up into a small bun, looking at herself in the mirror. With a shrug she quickly put on her boots and dispersed down the stairs. "Now what is it?" Maya demanded looking her mother up and down. The Empress took a quick glance over at Maya, doing the same. "Go and do your duties, the patrol is waiting to be taken out." The Empress said with her head tilted high. Maya raised a hand and rubbed the back of her neck. "Yes, Empress." Maya said with a bow, she quickly left the castle she hated so much and before going to where the patrol was she entered the blacksmith's part of the shop. The woman worked quickly and swiftly on a nice looking sword. She looked up, "Why good morning, Maya. What can I do for you?" she asked calmly. A young man came in with a few daggers and sat them down, looking up at Maya but not looking her in the eye. He quickly dismissed himself with a bow from the room and the blacksmith narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Maya looked back at the woman, "You made the belt I presume?" she asked calmly. The blacksmith nodded and handed her a fine black belt with silver edging. Maya smiled at the work and quickly wrapped it around her chain mill, she placed the scabbard and sword in it's place on the belt and did a twirl, the belt looked good. The blacksmith nodded with a smile. "Looks great." she commented. Maya nodded and thanked the Blacksmith as she quickly left the shop, Maya headed towards the patrol, nodding politely to other women as she passed.

Acele felt the first warm breath of wind of the day as she awoke, stretching luxuriously in the soft grass that she found more comfortable than her bed at home. Opening her eyes, and rubbing them, she looked up at the hundreds of shades of emerald light filtered down through the leafy roof of the forest. Dragging herself into a more or less upright position, she sat up, and thought about the tasks of the day. Hunting. It was a fine day, and the wind was blowing in just the right direction.

She took another moment to let her hair down, and shake it out, before pinning it back up out of the way. She would need a good bath when she returned home that night. After travelling for a few nights tracking a herd of deer, she waited the night before catching up with them. With carefully counting eyes, she had watched them settle down for the night the night before, and now she was ready. Really, Acele should have taken them out last night, but she hadn't entertained the thought of walking home in the dark, dragging a deer carcass behind her. And with that thought, she went back to where she had last seen her prey.

As she walked, Acele's footsteps fell with the silence of a breath of wind, her hunting bow held half drawn before her. And then she saw them. A large herd, with around thirty deer, and she had her eye on a couple. If possible, the antlers of one of the young bucks would sell for enough to keep her home for a week. The pelt would sell for enough to feed her for two weeks. There was a buck that she had her eyes on, and also a young doe that had been injured some time back. That would make for an easy kill. Crouched behind a bush, carefully positioned so that the wind wouldn't carry her scent to her prey, Acele regarded the herd.

There was the buck. And there was the doe. A quick, clean shot straight to the heart of the buck would kill it, and if she could take up and loose an arrow quick enough, she may also get the doe. It would be interesting getting them home, if she killed both.

Folly drawing her bow, she set the buck in her sights. The tension in the weapon thrummed with power, and it felt solid and warm in her touch. Acele took a breath in, and looked down the shaft of the arrow. Fletched with the feathers of owls for silent flight, and with an arrow head of finest steel, the arrows were of the highest quality. She exhaled, and let the arrow go. Acele didn't even stop to check if it hit its mark. She had already sent the second arrow soaring towards the injured doe. This one, for sure, stuck home, burying itself into the vulnerable flesh of the creature's hide. By now, the rest of the herd had fled, and Acele watched the last one flee with a satisfied smile.

Two dead deer lay in the clearing in front of her, their blood seeping into the earth below them. Two perfect shots. She was proud of herself as she approached her kills and contemplated how to get them home. It was this sort of situation that men were created for. Carrying the dead meat for her. Perhaps it would be wise to get a new one. At the thought, her smile widened, and she retrieved her arrows from the deer with a tug.

Setting herself down in front of her prey, and having built a fire, Acele took out her knife. She inspected the blade carefully, holding it up to the light, and watching it glint along the curved edge. She placed her finger against the knife edge, pressing the blade very gently against her soft skin. A single bead of blood slipped down the blade with almost no pressure from the razor sharp edge. She smiled with satisfaction and moved to the doe first.

She knelt there, and begin to go through the processes of taking all the parts she would need from the creature. She gutted it, skinned it, and packed away the meat. Acele had already dug a hole to put the bones and entrails in. Hours passed by as she worked over the doe before moving onto the buck. From him, she took its hide, the hot and dripping meat, its antlers. Acele packed it all away, just in time to watch the last rays of sunlight dip below the horizon. She rose then and looked about her.

Dusk was beginning to settle as Acele hefted her now exceedingly heavy pack, and began the long walk home. Her step was quiet, but heavy because of her burden, and it took her longer than she would have liked to crest the hill that loomed over the town where she lived. She stopped for a moment, dropping her bags and catching her breath. Raising her gaze to the darkened sky, she sighed as she enjoyed the simple beauty of the heavens.

Uncountable stars dotted the dark expanse above her, and her way was lit by the silver moon which rode the sky like some mystical silver orb in a bowl of black liquid. Acele smiled. She had always found comfort in the moon and the stars, and they gave her hope as she lifted her packs once more and began the descent down to the town itself.

Wandering through the streets, the sun began to rise and banish the night, and so the new day found her there. She was dirty, with faint blood stains on her hands and arms. But she had been successful. Summoning a slave with the brief nod of her head, she sent him scurrying away to sell the contents of her packs. She had no doubt that she would receive every single coin of what she had earned. Acele was notorious for her harsh punishments.

Turning away, the huntress walked purposefully through the streets once more, on her way home for a well earned bath and a nap.

(OOC: Double Post )