Chapter 211: [211] Murderer (1)
Bang!
Three arrows suddenly pierced a wooden target several meters away, each one hitting it dead center.
"Woah! Another amazing short Adira!" A mature elf praised a young woman.
The woman smiled, her short, wavy red hair fluttering in the wind as she stared at the target.
"You might just be the best hunter amongst us! Even I couldn’t hit targets from this range at your age!" Another hunter praised her.
"Ah, come on you guys." Adira nervously rubbed her neck. "You’re going to make me grow a big head."
The hunters all burst out into laughter, right up until they were interrupted by an annoyed grunt.
Artie was just about nine at the time, yet she had a bow nearly as tall as herself in her hands.
She smirked smugly as she walked forward. "Big sis is great, but I can do it too, see?"
She pulled the bow string back and aimed for a closer target.
"Good luck Artie, you can do it okay!" Adira cheered her sister from the sidelines.
Artie held her breath, her little fingers tightly wrapped around the bowstring.
She closed one eye like she had seen all the adults do, and then she released the arrow.
Swooosh!
The arrow soared into the air, flying higher and higher... completely missing the target.
Artie’s mouth dropped open in shock. "Gahhh?! Not again!" She pouted, her eyes turning teary.
She was in fact a terrible Archer, one that was so bad that it nearly seemed hopeless.
— I thought she would have improved by now?
— She’s nowhere near the mark...
— I guess one man can’t be blessed with two geniuses. Lazarus’s first daughter is talented, but the second is just a klutz.
"You did great Artie!" Adira excitedly screamed as she bent down her sister’s level.
"But..." Artie sobbed. "The arrow went whooshhh, I missed!"
Adira patted her head. "All that matters is that you keep trying, you will get there someday—"
"I don’t want to!" Artie screamed at her sister, causing her to smile nervously, unsure of how to approach the matter.
Before she could put in another word, Artie slammed the bow on the floor and stomped away angrily.
Adira watched her go then sighed.
"You should discipline her more, this is no way for a child to grow. You know—"
"Ahh! I think I left something on the fire!" Adira quickly said, clasping her hands together apologetically. "Sorry, I have to run!"
She grabbed the bow from the floor and sprinted away, ignoring them as they tried to get her to stop.
It seemed they had something important to tell her, but right now, Adira was not in the mood to hear their opinions about Artie.
It always came up in their conversation...
By the time Adira got home, she was expecting to see Artie sulking alone, but instead she heard the sound of chatter.
When she got inside, Artie was standing on the table holding a weapon in hand. Adira nearly jumped out of her own skin.
It was her longbow, a weapon she had spent months crafting.
"I’m going to prove those old men wrong!" Artie boldly declared, lifting the bow up.
Seated on the floor in front of her was Estelle, Miss Zenith’s daughter. The girl was staring at Artie with admiration in her magenta eyes.
"Yes! You can do it, Artie!" She squeeked, pumping her fist in the air.
’Ahh, these kids...’ Adira chuckled.
"I’ll go into the forest and bring back a boar! That will show those adults—ekk!"
Artie squirmed as Adira picked her off the table and placed her on solid ground.
"Stop climbing stuff, you’re going to hurt yourself." She sighed.
"G-good morning miss Adira!" Estelle nervously greeted the older woman.
Adira patted her head, making her smile. "Good morning to you little miss Estelle."
Seeing her sister, Artie excitedly retold her her plans.
"Yeah, yeah. Hunt in the bushes close to the forest, don’t go in okay?"
Although the hunters had cleared out the monsters in the forest, there was no telling what she would encounter if she went there.
Artie nodded excitedly. "Huhm huhm! Yes big sis!"
Adira then took the longbow, it was far too powerful for a child her age to draw. As a replacement, she gave her a smaller one as well as a quiver filled with red fletching. She had gotten the feathers off a bird they hunted just last week.
Artie was annoyed at first, but when she saw the arrows, her face brightened up with a smile.
"Let’s go Estelle!"
Meanwhile at the other side of the village, a carriage had just arrived, pulling in the attention of all the villagers present.
"What a disgusting little thing." Galanhad cursed as he raised an animal up.
It looked like a rabbit, but there were small wings sprouting from its back. It was a gift from one of his ministers, a smart beast he had called it...
Yet, this ’smart’ beast had just pooped inside his carriage, stinking the whole place up.
"To think I would have to deal with this on such a bad day. These wood elves are really bad luck."
He tossed the animal to his guard. "Dispose of that filthy thing, and remind me to punish the minister who brought it when we get back."
"Yes my lord!" The guard replied before opening the doors of the carriage.
Galanhad stepped out of the carriage and stared at the disgusting village before him.
One of the wood elves nearby hurried up to him and bowed. "Lord Galanhad, we were not expecting your visit!"
"Are you saying I am not welcome in your lands?" Galanhad asked, his voice growing cold.
"Of course not, my lord!"
He stared at the man for a moment longer then turned away. "Bring me your lord. We have matters to discuss."
Already, Galanhad could tell that this day would be terribly boring.
<••••>
Artie was trekking through the forest alongside a very nervous Estelle. The young girl looked scared half to death. She was hugging herself, her eyes snapping to every faint sound.
’What a wuss.’ Artie thought as she stared at her friend.
"A-Artie..." Estelle’s voice trembled. "Miss Adira said we should stay away from the forest..."
"If we stayed away from the forest then how would we catch a boar? Do you think hunting lizards would make the elders respect me?" Artie folded her hands across her chest.
Estelle slowly shook her head.
"Exactly. Don’t worry, Esty." Artie placed her hands proudly on her chest. "I’ll protect you from anything."
Estelle nodded. "O-okay..."
Artie wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, only to find... nothing! In fact, she was beginning to think the place was a barren dump!
’Should we go deeper?’ She wondered, stroking her cheeks. No, any deeper and Estelle would collapse from exhaustion.
She was already contemplating giving up when suddenly—
"Artie!" Estelle whispered, her eyes wide as she stared forward.
Artie followed her gaze and then she saw it. The first animal they had seen that was neither a lizard nor bird!
It was a rabbit. The little animal was scratching the bark of a tree as though it wanted to burrow a hole within it.
Artie immediately pulled Estelle down, the leaves crunching underneath their feet.
This was it, her chance to prove that she was not a dummy like the other hunters thought. Artie recalled all her sister’s lessons, how to hold a bow, the breathing techniques...
’Focus.’
She raised her bow and took aim, sucking in a breath to calm her nerves. Her hands were shaking, sweat sliding down her cheek.
’Here goes.’
Swoosh!
"..."
Saying she missed would be an exaggeration, Artie was completely off target!
’Ahhhh!’ Screamed internally, her eyes wide as she watched. The arrow went up into the sky, bouncing off a branch, and then to Artie’s shock, that branch redirected the arrow right down to the rabbit.
A direct hit!
"We did it!" Artie screamed, her and Estelle celebrating as they watched their prey!
’We really did it!’ Artie thought as she pulled out a sack from her pocket.
It was time to leave the forest.
Meanwhile, back in the village, Galanhad’s meeting had been rather boring. All the elven lord had for him were pleas, and it was so annoying that he nearly fell asleep.
He glanced at his guard and ushered him with a wave.
"Yes my lord?"
"I’m bored. That little shit factory, go fetch it for me."
"But my lord, you told me to..."
Galanhad’s eyes narrowed with malice. "What was that?"
The guard stiffened. "I’ll be back soon, my lord."
<••••>
"This is bad... where are they?" Adira said out loud, pacing inside their humble living room in panick.
Shortly after Artie had left, she got news, the worst kind of news. It was the kind of news that was even more appalling than a monster attack!
The high elves were in the village.
She had gone out to search for her, but after checking every inch of the village, she still couldn’t find her.
Worse of all, the high elves were apparently looking for a pet of theirs.
’Was she taken by one of them for questioning?’
Adira had heard that the high elves loved to toy with wood elves, especially children. The thought of what could have happened caused her stomach to ache.
That was until the door was pushed open and Artie proudly walked in. "Hehehe, sister, the grand hunter has arrived—!"
Before she could finish talking, Adira suddenly hugged both of them, her eyes teary. "Thank goodness you are both alright! I was worried sick!"
She pulled back and smiled. "So? How did your hunting go?"
Artie had said she would catch a boar, but Adira was expecting an empty bag, or maybe a single lizard.
But when Artie raised her sack towards her, a wide smile on her face, and Adira saw the blood dripping down it, her face turned pale.
"I caught it with my expert skills! You can ask Estelle, she will—"
Adira immediately snatched the bag from her hands, her fingers shaking as she undid the knot.
"Sis, what is wrong? Why do you have that look on your face?"
Adira was silent, her hands fumbling as she opened the bag. When she saw what was inside, her heart dropped.
"Is it because it is a strange rabbit? There are wings on its back..."
"..."
"A-Adira? Say something... you are scaring me." Artie’s voice stuttered, the look on her sister’s face scared her.
"We have to hide this! We have to hide this now!" Adira replied, her eyes bloodshot.
But before they could make a single move.
There was a knock on the door.
Artie emptied yet another glass of wine, then toyed with the glass as she stared at Eliron who ran a hand through his face.
He was silent, unable to say a single word as he listened to her story.
She smiled, but she looked dead inside.
"What do you think happened next?"