The morning came in warm as the sun rose in the east over the mountain that watched over the valley our village was in. It was usually a peaceful village for trading as people came through here when they would come past the mountain for travel inland. We had river ways and lakes near out village, but no oceans. For that you had to go west for a few days. The families here were a mix between the the same families that have always been here, and new comers, it was hard to keep track, Plenty of space for trade, there were a trade center in the middle, and then smaller spots throughout the village as it grew. The houses were mostly all the same with fenced in yards full of livestock, the buildings built from stones, wood, and some even built into the landscapes. Those houses were usually handed down over generations. New comers would acquire housing through trade, or build on to the village. Either way, we were always growing and changing as villages and towns do.

I was feeding our goat when Dara came out of the house towards me carrying a cup of water. "Thank you, Bjorn." She said as rubbed the goats head. "I felt much safer when I got here." She looked at me sadly. "Do you think my mother is dead also?" "We will go to your home, look for your mother once Gallion is awake." I wasn't going to tell her that, yes I did think her mother was dead, most woman who disappear in the night don't usually show up alive, let alone at all."

Gallion didn't take long before he was stumbling out of the house equipped with a couple of axes, and wearing his old armor that maybe needed to be loosened a bit. He wore it proudly however tight it was, and that is what counted in the moment. I straighten my own gear I had dressed in, and made sure my sword was secure then made my way into the village towards Dara's family home. It wasn't far from our own spot of land, and didn't take long to get there. Their yard was as the edge of the village that rested against the forest edge. We were not completely gated off from the rest of the land, but we did have rangers and groups of paid mercenaries that kept peach and law, but obviously things go a miss.

The door to her home was open. I walked up pulling my bow tight with an arrow ready for release. I stepped in slowly unsure what to expect. The house was open, like ours's with two door's leading to two other private rooms for sleeping. A firepit stood against the southern wall between the room doors. There were a few shelves above the fire pit, holding varies of things like potted herbs, bottles of liquids, stuff that was probably used for cooking. There was a small table in the middle of the room that was empty aside from a cup of freshly picked flowers. The benches were sitting in the right position, nothing looked over turned. Well, at least they didn't come back to rob her after she had left. I dropped my bow and arrow, keeping them in my hands still ready to nock out my arrow if needed.

"I don't see any signs they came in here, Dara." I called out to her, she was still standing outside with Gallion worried there was someone inside. "That's a relief." She said as she came inside. She walked straight the the door on the left of the fire pit and opened it, hoping to find her mother. The room empty Dara immediately checked the opposite room as well. Again the room empty, she turned and shook her head disappointed. "Not here, Oh Bjorn, what am I going to do?" She asked as she started to sob quietly. "Don't worry, girl. You will be watched over by the village, we always take care of our own." Gallion said as he patted my shoulder as evidence. Nodding in agreement Dara said, " Thank you, Gallion. I have always trusted you the most aside from my own parents." She glanced at me and then looked down to her feet. " Thank you, both." "I'll check out back." I said as I headed towards the door to swing around to the back of the house and trade shop. The yard faced a thick group of trees, and was only blocked by a short logged fence for the benefit of foliage for livestock. Dechrau was nestled inside of a thick forest with tall trees in a valley resting against a mountain, for someone to come here to specifically make trouble for this family, seemed very unlikely. Up until now, the only unjustified murders I knew of consisted of angry men and unfaithful wife's, drunk men making bad choices, and my personal favorite, someone stole someone else's goats. Typical village trouble that didn't include me.

Gallion came up beside me as I was crouched examining the tracks I had spotted on either side of the fence. " Just looks like people were standing around, and then left. I don't see signs of fighting, aside from those torn up pigs there." I looked up to find him looking down at me, holding a large piece of dried meat he found inside, chewing loudly. "Oh, maybe she decided to just leave with them to save trouble." He said between chews, I stood up and walked towards the pig remains. "Look at the way they were torn apart though, Gallion. Like they were ripped apart by a giant beast." "Yeah, and it stinks. Look there," He bent down and reached into a small pile of bloody remains pulling out a broken tooth. The tip of the tooth, and huge. The length of just half of the tooth the size of a finger and the width of three. "what do you suppose this belonged to?" He asked, then shrugging his shoulders said, "Dara is going to stay here today, and that other girl from across there, she will be here as well." He told me. " What do you want to do with this?" He asked. "Shouldn't we inform someone else? This is not our problem, Gallion." I said. "Yeah, I'll tell Dara we will get Adio and return." He said to me turning to go back to the house. He was finished his salted meat and was probably looking to get some more. Taking advantage of the trader's stash of meat was not beneath Gallion. Adio was our village leader. He will bring the village law bringer, Dox with him as well.

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Neither of these men were found of me as I was considered a vermin in the the village, even living with Gallion did not change that opinion. It didn't bother me as I thought both men were rather stupid and naïve. They would at least decide to help this girl with the mystery of her missing mother on top of fathers death, or not. Either way, Dara has just inherited a business and a home. It wont be long that a young available man will be interested in her as a wife.

Standing straight I was scanning the trunk of the trees, not really looking for anything when I spotted a face looking back at me. A face of an older man with a long grey beard, and thick eyebrows reaching over his eyes, they blue like ice that was reflecting the sky back at you. I looked a second time as my eyes only just spotted him as I looked around. He was gone yet I knew he was there. I turned and headed back to the front of the house, pulling a small dagger I kept in a strap on my leather armor in case he came from behind me unexcitingly.

Stepping inside the door, I found Gallion and Dara talking standing by the fireplace. "What if you stayed here, Gallion, and I will bring Adio and Dox here." I said hinting to Gallion that it was important for him to stay. Without argument, he agreed picking up on the tone of my voice. I left immediately heading towards the village's hall. That is where Adio was always, working as well as living. Dox was always skulking around Adio, so I wasn't worried about seeking him out.

It didn't take long before I arrived at the hall, Adio was sitting in his chair looking over the village, from the wooden walkway that stretched across the hall's front. I walked up the short staircase towards the two guards blocking me from getting any closer to Adio. "I need to talk to Adio regarding some trouble." I informed them. Nodding they let me past.

"Adio, the trader Haford that was killed by the rivers edge, his wife Sara was taken from their home last night after the slaughter of their pigs. Their daughter, Dara is hoping you will visit her, and help her." I informed him respectfully. I knew Adio disliked me, and so because of that I tried a little extra when I needed something from him. It also gave him nothing to hound me over. Dox scoffed from behind Adio's chair, where he was leaning again the wall."Haford was a drunk, probably drowned himself in that river and floated to the shore. " He said and then laughed. "I know nothing of Haford's death. I just know that there is a man who I do not recognize that is in the woods, still there now." I said. Adio stood up and motioned for his men to follow him. "Let's go find out what he wants then, and where Sara has gone to." He said as he started towards the trader's home.

Walking back now with a group of men who were ready to fight if the need came around, I was thinking of the man's face. His eyes, how they stared into my own even for a short second. As if the man had been there watching me the entire time waiting to be noticed. A scar reached across his right eye from above his brow down to his cheek. A long grey bread that reached passed his neck. The more I thought about his face, the more I felt like I knew the man.

Walking in silence towards Dara's home, the villagers we passed wondering what the situation was about, by the time we arrived we had gathered a small group of men, chatty woman and curious children. Dara was talking to another woman outside of the door when we walked up. "Greetings, Dara. Bjorn tells us your mother was taken last night? Is this true?" Adio asked her. "Yes, come in." Dara motioned for Adio to join her inside. I joined them along with Gallion, and Dox walking over to the water bucket and leaned against the counter. The other men sitting at Dara's table, pushing the benched back loudly against the wooden floors .After Dara explained for another time to Adio the details of the two men about her mothers disappearance Adio was reminded that her father was found drowned on the river shore outside of the village as well. "Why would someone target your family, Dara?" Adio asked her. "You are traders." He said shrugging. "Are you sure your mother didn't recognized them after meeting them at the tree line? Decided to leave?" He asked her. "And not tell me? No. I do not." She sounded annoyed. "I think these two men that torn up my pigs took my mother and now she's probably dead."

I walked out of the house to head to my own home, really I had no more business there so I decided to leave. I was not particularly close with anyone, so I was not going to make it my business to become close with someone over a death that didn't effect me. "Leaving with out me, boy?" Gallion called from behind as he exited the house. "Damnit, wait for me." He said. "Hurry up, I have jobs to finish, and I am assuming Tavis wants his delivery sooner rather then later." I said to him as he walked up to me. "Nah, he can wait, all this hustle and bustle around here, you shouldn't be going neither." Gallion grumbled. "That's fine with me, I seen a man in the tree line before I left to the hall. If he is there now, they will see him." I told him. "Why didn't you mention it to them?" Gallion asked. "Why make their jobs easier for them? They have neve showed me respect, Gallion." I said, rather grumpy about the subject. "Yeah, I know. Never mind that now, lets get back, I got something I wanna do myself anyways." He said.