“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” my mother always tell me 

"Elora, it's dinner time already baby!" I ignore her yelling so that maybe she'll just let me be. "It's home time Elora!" My mom yelling again across the field. "Coming mom, just one more arrow to shot and I'll be there!" I shouted back at her with respect of course. I shot the last arrow and a clean shot it goes. "Mom I'm coming, I'll just clean this mess I have here and I'll be there!".

When I was 5 years old, my mother already taught me how to use a bow and shot an arrow that's why am already good at it. But I tried to ask her to teach me how to use a dagger but she refused because it's handful, now I have to go down town and meet my friend. My friend "Freye" is good at dagger and love's to make armor and dagger's because that's her parents job at town and she is also skilled with it. She's my only friend in the town. People here won't love you if you're useless and don't know anything and don't have anything that's why my mother and me lives at the woods near the field because it's peaceful there and only the two of usbare the only person who lives there.

"Mom can I go down town today I mean after we finish cleaning?" I tell my mom while we're cleaning the house "hmm with who darling?" She asked "just me, am just gonna go to Freye and play with her." I reply to her "But darling you're already 15 years old, and the two of you are still playing like a child? your excuses are still the same since you were young hahaha" my mother laugh "But you might get angry if I tell you that we're gonna spar and practice using dagger". My mother look at me  and say "why would I be angry, and it's also using dagger is a bit handful you can just improve your archery darling" "And your skills in archery is still mediocre, you should improve it because someday in the future you'll understand why am doing this and saying this to you Elora." she added "I understand" I sighs and continue cleaning "yes, you can go but don't comeback late at night". 

While I was walking to down town I can hear the wind getting stronger and stronger the trees are dancing like crazy, I can sense something is wrong with the forest.  When I was still little my mom always told me in a bedtime story that Everytime the wind is getting stronger and the trees are dancing like crazy there's danger coming and I should run if it's still not stopping and you feel like it's chasing you, mom told me to ready my bow for protection and pay  attention and not don't let my self get distracted by the strong wind around me. I look around and run and I can feel the wind chasing me slowly at my back. Maybe am just imagining this but I can feel like it's chasing me. "What in the holy world is that th-" I curse while chasing my breath. I can see the black a really black wind  that I've never seen in my whole life and it's chasing me. "I should have just stay at home!!!!" I shouted while am almost out of breath. I stopped running and grab my bow and an arrow and aim at the black wind, closing my eyes while aiming at the black wind that chasing me then I let go of the arrow. When I opened my eyes it disappeared like magic "holyshit" I curse again because of Freye my cursing is becoming a habbit, better watch my mouth Infront of mom. The good news is the blackest wind that's chasing me is gone and am really relieved.

I saw Freye hand waving at me from a far, I could recognize it her smile. "What an ugly smile you have!" I shouted at her while still chasing my breath " You should be greatful  that am running for you wench!" She shouted back at me but still smiling. "I hate you!" She added "do you think I like you!" I shouted back at her while laughing. I let my body fall at the ground and wait for her to get where I am. I can see her face above me while am lying at the ground "why are you out of breath anyway?" asking me and lending me a hand to stand up "I was just running so I won't waste time when I slow down." I reply to her "what a girl you are Elora can you not be so dumb." "When did running for not wasting time become dumb Freye, shut up I don't wanna argue" there's no use arguing it because it's not true because this the real way of wasting time.

"So did you finish the arrow I want Freye?" 

"Freye?!" I shouted "sorry wh-" " No never mind, what are you building there anyway that you can't hear me?" Looking at her with serious look " A group of merchants came here yesterday they were huge and they look like a rich merchants, I don't know they also looks scary and they maybe heard that there's a blacksmith here I think cause that's what they were saying yesterday-" "you think?" I added "yeah and they offered us a deal, I don't know that's what my father said an-" "so you weren't here?" I ask her "I was busy downstairs making your arrow but sorry cause I did not finish it hehe" she said while smiling and scratching her neck "no it's okay, am not in a rush anyway" I replied and smiled at her "And also the those merchants yesterday has royal pass with them, weird aren't they?" "Maybe because they have power to have it, like you said they look rich." maybe they are superior than other merchants.

Freye and I continued talking for hours about things we love and things we could think of not until later on her father interrupted us. He's father is in a rush and he looks so busy. I guess it's about those merchants. "Freye and Elora, beautiful girls can I ask you two to go and run some errands fore me?" It's so random and weird that he'll let Freye and me to run some errands for him cause he  never ask us to run some errands before. Freye and I look at eachother with confusion "Girls today is  really a busy day and tomorrow it's still will be a busy day for me so I can't go anywhere." "But uncle you're always busy." I said with sarcasm and smile, suddenly the three of us look at each other and laugh "Yes Elora, there's no day that am not busy." He said and smile at me "So Father where is this errands for?" Freye ask "it's for Mr. Cesar can you two do it?" He ask "of course uncle why in the Kingdom name where not gonna do it, it's not like you always ask us for errands anyway, this is only once in a blue moon." I said and laugh "Elora is right father" Freye proclaim.

I can't stop thinking about the black wind that was chasing me on my way here, is the black wind enchanted or something or am too rude to other people whenever I counter and have a chance to be rude, maybe I did do something wrong to others that they actually cursed me. Still my mother said to run away from it because it's dangerous and she never tell me the reason why, now here I am thinking people cursed me or is it because of my behavior to others.

"Elora?" "Elora?!!" "Hey are still in your body?" Freye shouted "am sorry I suddenly zone out." I said to her "Did something happen? not that am sticking my nose into your problem, still it's not like you to be zoned out." She ask "I don't know maybe am just tired from taking clean shots in the field yesterday." answering her that maybe that would satisfy her curiosity, she look at me with one of her eyebrows lifting and said "You get tired?" "Is that even a question of course yes am a human being like you." I said to her with annoyance "Am just asking no need to be that angry." "Am not, so shut up and let's go."

While we were walking to Mr Cesar Freye suddenly mention something "Elora did you know the rumors spreading in the town?" I looked at Freye and she looks scared "No, what is it?" "I also heard it from my parents." "What is it?" I asked her "Those merchants they are not only here for armor and swords, my father said they are looking for something." something that's interesting there's no merchants came here to do that and even the royals gave them a pass here, they most be so important or powerful. "What do you think they are looking here for?" I asked her "hmm I don't know it's not like it's my business anyway, so I don't care." "It's not like you ever cared about something anyway" I said to her with sarcasm "Hey! You're so rude and mean, I care for you and my family tho." "Oh~ really?" I teased her "oh stop it Elora!" She shouted lightly "let's go so we'll not meet the night on the way." 

"Elora" Freye ask along the way "hmm?" "Did it ever occur to your mind to find your Father?" she asked "I thought we should hurry so we won't meet the moon later we go home." "Please answer it, just once." she begged with pitiful eyes full of curiosity "I don't know I've never thought about it before also my mother and I never discuss or talk about my father, all she said is that my father is a brave man." I said to her "I mean Elora, how could he not be brave, look at you you're good at everything and you don't easily trust others and that's what I like about you also your good at everything." "Am not really that good at everything, there's thing am afraid of and there's something am not good at, like using a dagger am still learning and practicing it." I said to her "but your so good at archery that you can win and beat the best in this town, not only In this town but this whole kingdom but me am still a mediocre on using dagger." She said with a sad tone "hey I would not ask you to teach me how to fight with a dagger if your skills are still mediocre and your blacksmithing skills are amazing you know and be proud of it, having a mediocre skills mean you have still a lot to learn and be patient because you all the time in the world and am here for you, so stop worrying about it the two of us shall learn and improve together so someday we'll be stronger than anyone else in this world." Those words I said I meant it.

"Oh we're here at last" I sigh with relief cause it was really far than I thought it was "Mr Cesar are you there!?!" Freye shouted loudly "Freye no one is answering, did your father said about this?" I ask her "no" "Mr Cesar!!" She shouted loudly than the first shout she shouted, no one is still answering it. "Freye no one is answering." I whispered to her "yeah I know, why are you whispering." "I just like it" I said "Your so annoying" "so as you" I said back "Instead the two of us argue here, can you help me here too cause am the only one shouting here" "it's for your father anyway" I said and laugh "Oh come on Elora help me" "alright I'll do it".

We called Mr Cesar's name many times but he did not respond. Hours past we waited, so our long walk won't be a waste. 

We heard a sound of whispering inside his house and those whisper's are loud in my ears, I was scared for a second "Freye did you hear those whispering inside Mr Cesar's house?" "Whisper's? wha-" but then someone opened the door. It was Mr Cesar and a bunch of huge people inside. The people inside were like they came from down the basement of Mr Cesar's basement. "Girls?" he's face was sweating and he's voice was kinda scared "Girls what are two doing here?" he ask even though the huge people inside were listening and their eyes were watching us like we're prey in a Forest, one of them with a red eye and a scar's on his forehead even made contact with me and he was staring at me hardly and even observing me, every part of my outside look. Mr Cesar notice it "Hey stop staring at Elora like you're gonna eat her, stop it all of you you're all staring the two of them!" Mr Cesar shouted "So girls what brings you two here?" "Um Mr Cesar my father said, um about this errands to you I don't know about that I think he said that you already knew it." Freye said, Mr Cesar zone out a second and suddenly came to his senses "ohhh!" he shouted "Wait here you two, I'll be right back and don't be scared of them they won't do anything to you two so just wait here." he said and hurrying down to his basement "Freye" I whispered to her "what?" "Did your father said about that Mr Cesar already knew it?" I ask her "No, I just forgot what my father said to me." she answered "You're such a wench!" "What about you Elora do you still remember what my father said before the two of us came here?" she ask "No, it's has nothing to do with me so why bother remembering it anyway." she look at me and made a poker face "stop" I said to her. "So your name is Elora?" the red eye guy said "ah yes mister why?" "You have a beautiful green eye and a black hair." he said "it's super rare to find a girl with a beauty like her mister, by the way why are you complementing her like that mister that's so weird of you." Freye said with an angry tone "Freye stop don't start a fight here and we're here to run some errands for your father so stop!" I said to her "But El-" before she could finish her sentence Mr Cesar already came out of the basement "Here you go girls, give this to your father Freye and say it's still processing." Mr Cesar said and wink at us "And Good bye girls" he suddenly close the door "Do they do nasty things there Freye?" "Disgusting of you Elora stop it, where did you ever learn that?" she ask "Freye it's from you, stop acting like you don't know those kind of things." I role my eyes and look at her and we both laugh like there's no tomorrow "you know what let's go and go home already, it's getting dark and plus you have to go on your house to if not your mother will scold you again." she said to me "it's your fault anyway if my mother scolded me after I get home." I said to her "stop it and let's go and I also think those men are doing something nasty too, like you said." "Disgusting of you Freye." "Yah I know" we looked at each other and laugh.

Freye and his father guide me until I got home because it was dark already so they guide me through the woods, Freye and her father are really kind her mother is rarely to be seen around because she's a maid at the duke, all I know is she work at the duke but they never mention what's the name of the duke she work at so I never bothered questioning. Before Freye and her father guide me home her father called us while we were walking a far when we came from Mr Cesar and he panickly said to hide at the basement and I also saw the other town people hide quickly to their house and lock the doors people were panicking and that was the first time I saw people in this town act like that. When I looked at Freye she does not look scared it seems like she's used to it, she's used on this kind of a situation. "Freye aren't you scared, people in town are panicking and what is happening?" I ask her "it's the merchants, people of this town are scared of them remember those rich merchants I told you about its them and they are here. I'm used to it and all I have to do is hide like my father said everytime when it come to a situation like this." She said "Those merchants are looking for something in this town. I don't know what are they looking for but I remember my father said it's a mother and daughter family." what mother and daughter It's so creepy "Elora what if-" "stop, there's no way in hell" I just hope though and am scared "but you don't have to worry Elora it was just rumors going around town" she path my back to relieve me. "I think today they are here about their sword and armor cause my father finish half of it" "you guys finished half of it already?" that's so fast "yes and there's more way to go."

"Mom there are merchants in the town." I said to my mom "so what about it Elora?" "Freye said they were rich merchants." i said to her "And they were looking to a moth-" she did not let me finish my words and just said "let's sleep Elora."