Lon'thul watched Jack shoot arrows into a pile of dirt he'd set up. "I gotta tell you, as fun as shooting the bow seems to be, I don't think those will be very effective against the raiders."

Jack loosed another arrow before holding up the next one and responding. "You're right. These won't be effective at all. Not in their current state, and not from this bow."

The human lined up another shot and let loose. "One problem being, this bow has way too weak a draw strength, even for me. I'd have to have Angela give it a proper check, but I'd be surprised if it was more than a fifty-pound draw weight. Historically, humans often used bows between one hundred to one hundred forty pounds for combat. Admittedly, I'd have to train up to those levels, but it's doable. There are even records of a very few people using over two hundred pound bows, but they could only fire a few shots before becoming so fatigued any further shooting was impossible. I imagine a healthy argu'n could manage a considerably higher draw weight than a human. I figured we'd have Angela run a few tests on you, S'haar, and Ger'ron to get a rough idea of what you're capable of before designing the final bow.

Jack held up another arrow. "Additionally, these arrows aren't finished. Tel'ron is working on some arrowheads for me. Think small metal knives that go on the front. They will actually increase the arrow range and accuracy. Also, the weight and the pointed tip will dramatically increase the impact velocity. Hopefully, the combined effect of a proper argu'n bow and completed arrows will be more than enough to pierce that bony plate you all have."

Lon'thul nodded. "Ok, I think I'm following you for once, but why are you shooting so many incomplete arrows with such a weak bow? What is that going to accomplish?"

This time Em'brel answered for Jack as he continued firing. "Well, human arrows traditionally use something called feathers to provide drag and make the arrow fly straight. But, unfortunately, feathers come from a flying animal we have no equivalent for on...well, no where around here. So we're testing out a few different materials to see what makes the best substitute. We're using parchment, rawhide, plant fiber, linen, fur, and even metal."

After firing another arrow, Jack stopped and started stretching. "Man, I do not have muscles properly developed for this. Even with a weaker bow, I'm going to be sore for days."

The hunter looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, how about I shoot a few shots for you? No reason for you to do all the work!"

Jack stopped and thought a moment before nodding. "Alright, but be careful. By your standards, this smaller bow is positively delicate."

After some instruction on how to hold the bow, nock an arrow, line up a shot, and loose, Lon'thul was able to land an arrow about two feet shy of the target area.

He was already lining up another shot, as Jack explained Lon’thul’s issue. "The arrows have a slight curve in the air. So you have to anticipate the drop and aim just a little higher than you feel like you should."

Lon'thul nodded, raised his aim a little, and loosed again. This time the arrow landed near the center of the dirt mound, right next to one of Jack's arrows. Jack looked surprised. "Huh, maybe you've got some natural talent for this."

The hunter was grinning while looking down at the bow to inspect it. "Oh, this is fun! You will have to make one of these for me to hunt with!"

Jack couldn't help but wonder if he'd just created a monster...

-

Em'brel was walking with Sare'en to meet with S'haar and Jack for dinner. She knew her new friend well enough to see that something was bothering her. "What's got you so worried? This is Jack and S'haar! You know them. You've already met with them. Everything's going to be fine!"

Sare'en didn't look convinced. "But what if I say the wrong thing or screw this up? What if I fail their test?"

Em'brel took a moment to keep from laughing at the look on her friend's face before responding. "This isn't some sort of pass or fail test. There is no wrong answer for you to give. They simply want to make sure this job is a good fit for you, for your sake and their own. And you know what? Even if it's not, that's ok, too. You've already been a big help setting up the pens for the arlack, and you'll be a bigger help once the herd arrives. So if this isn't the job for you, then it's not for you, but there's still plenty of work you can do."

Sare'en looked at her friend with wonder. "How did you get to be so confident and brave?"

The younger female thought back to her recent sleepless nights and shook her head. "I'm not sure I am all that brave, really. But whether I'm ready for it or not, life goes on. So I have to find a way to keep going too, or it'll pass me by."

Sare'en shook her head again. "But that's not true! You're amazing! I don't know of anyone who could go through what you've been through and still be as strong and kind as you are!"

Em'brel thought back to a conversation between Jack and herself after the whole ordeal near the end of winter. "Well, what strength I have comes from my friends and family, as much as myself. So I hope that, in turn, I can help give them a little more strength," she winked at her friend, "and courage too."

-

Jack watched the two girls enter the billet. This one was newly built and hadn't been assigned occupants yet, so it was a perfect meeting spot for their interview dinner. After seeing her friend to her seat, Em'brel shooed S'haar away from the pot she'd been stirring. Tasting the contents, the younger woman made a face before rummaging through the available ingredients for anything she had that might salvage the stew.

Sare'en's eyes were wide with fear as she watched S'haar approach the table and take her seat.Despite having her own formidable set of teeth and claws, the younger girl acted like a prey animal frozen in fear. When Jack cleared his throat, the girl jumped and looked at him as though she hadn't noticed him sitting there the entire time. Jack wasn't sure if he should take it as a compliment that she felt so relaxed in his presence or if he should be insulted that he was apparently not a threat.

Ultimately deciding it didn't matter, Jack nudged S'haar in the side. Sparing him a brief look somewhere between affection and mild annoyance, S'haar then turned her attention to the girl. "Welcome, Sare'en. Do you know why we invited you here?"

The girl took just a moment to collect her thoughts before answering. "Well, I'm here so you can decide if I'll make an adequate servant or not."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Jack's eyebrows shot up before he responded. Em'brel helpfully translated from her spot at the nearby campfire, so S'haar could focus on her own thoughts. "Well, you wouldn't actually be a servant, not really. You'd just be pretending to be a servant, for the sake of the village nobles."

Sare'en looked confused. "Um... I don't mean to question what you're trying to accomplish, but what's the difference?"

It was Jack's turn to look confused. "Well, I mean, I can't speak for everyone, but the whole idea behind the idea of a servent seems somewhat demeaning. I wouldn't want to put anyone in that position."

Sare'en was quiet a moment before timidly speaking up. "Well, maybe it's just me, but I don't see anything demeaning about the position. I mean, sure, sometimes it is, but that has more to do with the individuals involved, than the job itself."

When no one offered a counterpoint, Sare'en's voice gained a little confidence. "At the right time with the right people, it can be an honorable and essential job. I mean, look at me. I could never develop brilliant ideas like you, lead like S'haar, or even inspire people like Em'brel. However, if I can do a few small tasks to free each of you up to do more of those things, then in some way, I'm a part of that."

Jack sat back and shook his head. "You actually make a good point, though I'm still uncomfortable with the word 'servant.' Maybe we could use something different? Something with more dignity?"

S'haar raised an eye ridge and re-entered the conversation. "Maybe you're putting too much importance on the word itself. Any other word would probably provoke confusion and require an explanation every time someone new heard it. Right now, that would probably muddy the waters too much."

Jack hesitated. "Words have meaning, they have power, and I'm not talking in some weird mystical, magical sort of way. Maybe forcing a conversation like that would be a good thing, though perhaps you're right about the timing. We're already trying to take on a lot, and this might not be the time to add more to our plate..."

S'haar could tell by the look on Jack's face this wasn't over, but he was willing to leave it be for now. Instead, he turned his attention back to Sare'en. "Setting that aside for the time being, is this a job you'd actually be interested in, or are you merely volunteering because you feel you owe one or both of us some kind of debt?"

Sare'en looked back and forth between the two again. She wasn't used to two people in power treating each other as equals and discussing their thoughts and disagreements like this. In her experience, one person always had more authority than the other, and whatever that person said was final. Blinking a few times, she found her voice again. "Well...I suppose...it's both? I mean, yes, both our village and specifically myself owe you a great debt that I may never be able to repay, but this is a way I can offer my services that I would also enjoy."

She tilted her head to the side in thought. "And from what I've seen so far, I sincerely doubt any of you would ever demean me in the manner you seem so concerned with."

Jack sighed and shook his head again. "No, I don't think we would, but others might. Simply knowing you're a servant may cause them to look down on you or mistreat you."

Sare'en smiled a little weakly. "And why should the thoughts or opinions of those I do not serve bother me?"

Jack looked at the girl with surprise so clearly evident on his face, even Sare'en could read it. Then, after a moment to collect himself, he smiled while nodding, first turning to S'haar. "I owe you an apology."

Turning to the girl, he nodded to her as well. "Both of you, really. I clearly underestimated you and what you're capable of, though I feel it's necessary to point out this isn't the only concern I have with you taking the job."

Crossing his arms, Jack's expression suddenly became serious again. "There is also the possibility of genuine danger to our, and by extension your, life and limb. Unfortunately, we have an overabundance of enemies and few truly trustworthy friends. Before I set foot in this land, I had two eyes and walked without a limp, and it is no exaggeration to say that I was very, very lucky I haven't suffered worse than what you see before you. I should be dead at least three times over by now."

Jack stared the girl down, forcing her to look him in the eye as he drove home his point. "There is a very genuine possibility that if you travel with us, you may be hurt, you may be crippled, or you may die."

Despite the translation coming from Em'brel, Sare'en willed herself to stare back into the eye of the strange male who seemed oddly determined to scare her away from the job he was also offering her. It took her more than a moment to find her voice while maintaining eye contact. "I lived all my life being protected by the walls and guards of our village... And yet... and yet, when Death came for me, none of that mattered! My story should have already come to an end!"

Sare'en lost a little of her bravado and looked down, breaking eye contact but continuing to speak. "I'm here because a former low-born female and her mad wizard decided to make what should have been an impossible trek across a frozen landscape to bring us food and heat. The life I have now," –She looked over at Em'brel and the stew that was beginning to smell so good– "and the friends I've met are all because of what you both did."

She looked Jack in the eye again, though her hesitation was gone this time. "If Death comes looking for me again, I would have it do so while I was taking part in doing that sort of thing for others!"

Everything stood silent, and Sare'en began to wilt in the tension. Then, just as she was starting to feel foolish for letting herself get so passionate and say such stupid things, S'haar began laughing and even slapped Jack on the back, startling him out of his reverie. "Did you hear that? That part about my mad wizard? Oh, that was amazing! I'm so going to have to use that one later!"

Finally stifling her laughter, the still grinning S'haar turned back to Sare'en. "Well spoken! Though, for the record, we'll do our best to keep Death at bay. Why, Jack here is even on speaking terms with her, after so many close calls!"

Sare'en had no idea what to make of Jack's startled look at S'haar's outburst, but S'haar didn't seem finished yet. "Well, we'll have to speak among ourselves a little more before deciding, but you've certainly made a good case for yourself. Even if this isn't the job for you, I'm definitely going to find a suitable place for someone with that much spirit and determination!"

As Em'brel brought over four servings of stew, S'haar finished up before food made further conversation impossible. "But enough about such serious subjects. We've got good food and good company. So let's switch to something more fun! Em'brel, why don't you tell us how your training is coming?"

Em'brel nudged Sare'en with her arm as she sat. When the other girl made eye contact, she winked before turning her attention back to S'haar. "Ugh, you wouldn't believe the exercises Ger'ron has us doing now!"

At the look on S'haar's face, Em'brel back-peddled a bit. "Ok, maybe you would, but no other sane person would believe it!

As Em'brel launched into a description of the horrible training methods of their Guard Captain, Sare'en was content to sit back and let herself fade into the background like usual. Though, from time to time, she noticed Jack glancing at her. His expression wasn't judgemental or hostile in any way. It was more like he was trying to puzzle something out.

Eventually, the night wound down. When Lon'thul showed up to resume his duties as Em'brel's bodyguard, Jack and S'haar took their leave, telling her not to stay out too late.

Once they left, the hunter looked back and forth between the two females. "So, how did it go?"

Em'brel and Sare'en looked at each other before both speaking simultaneously. "Terrifying!" "Great!"

They both looked back at each other before falling into a fit of giggles born of stress and relief.

Lon'thul looked back and forth between them again, wondering if females would ever make any sense. Then, with a shrug of his shoulders that was lost to everyone else in the room, he simply decided to wait it out for now and accept the fact that he'd probably never get a straight answer from anyone currently present.