What an unfamiliar creature I've become. My face is worn and weary, and the sight of it sickens my stomach. If I ever make it home, will my family even recognize me? Amana exhaled dejectedly. She stood knee deep in the river, taking in the sight of her own visage reflected in the water beneath her. In Kyderia she had thought herself the most beautiful girl in all the realm; her sparkling hazel eyes and flowing chestnut hair the envy of all the other ladies at court. Her figure had been perfect, thin at the waist but with just enough curve to catch the eye. Now I am little more than a scrawny and ragged mess. She slapped at her reflection and sent it away with the waves.

It had been nearly a week since Amana had found herself in the lands of Trilea, and the more time that passed the more her mood soured. Having thoroughly washed herself in the cool water, she waded back to the shore where her clothes waited. At first, she had been terrified of venturing off alone, and had been adamant that Brynn accompany her any time she left the hovel. Of course, this proved rather troublesome, as Amana disliked the idea of him watching her while she was in a state of undress. Her solution had been to blindfold him while she bathed, which he vehemently protested. "Amana, surely you understand the silliness of this. I have already seen you naked and it was of no consequence," he had complained. She had scoffed at his words, before informing him that he had only seen her in such a state due to the direness of her circumstances. Eventually, Amana had felt comfortable making short trips to the river on her own, so long as Brynn knew where she was and there was ample daylight remaining.

Amana quickly dried herself with the towel she had brought and picked up her outfit. True to his word, Brynn had traveled to a nearby village and somehow gotten his hands on a simplistic wool dress, a linen night gown, and a pair of sturdy boots. Despite their plainness, Amana found the clothes more than adequate. Once she had dressed and pulled her boots on, she collected her towel and set off back to the hovel. It was not an overly long walk, though it did involve cresting a rather steep ridge. She moved slowly up the unsteady ground until she was once again confident in her footing. Having spent most of her life surrounded by high walls, Amana was unfamiliar with the precariousness of nature. How ironic that I was in the garden on the day the Korvosal attacked. I had no interest in the trees or flowers, my only purpose for going there was to read the salacious letters from the knights and lords of the realm who desired to wed me. Had my behavior been more proper, I likely would have avoided this fate.

As Amana neared the hovel, she noticed the door to the small shed which stood close by was open. She had not realized the shed even existed until after she had left the hovel for the first time, as it could not be seen from the home's window. Brynn had explained that the shed had been used for tools, as the land in the area had once been farmed. Now it was where he assembled his traps and tended to his weapons. He's probably in there sharpening his sword or whittling arrows. Most nights Brynn slept with his bow within arm's reach, always ready to fend off any potential threat. He had assured Amana that it was rare for the scourge beasts to wander near the hovel, but she wondered if he was lying to make her feel safer.

After hanging her towel from a clothesline to dry, she stepped into the hovel and picked up the wooden comb that rest on the table. Another gift from Brynn, this one had proven more costly than the others. He had paid twelve copper coins for it, and afterwards had informed Amana that that was a sizeable expense for such a trivial item. "It is not a trivial item! My hair has suffered sorely of late! And besides, once you have seen to my return, you'll be rewarded with a hundred gold coins," she had reassured. As long as his own hair is, you would think he might understand the hassle of dealing with tangles and knots. As she ran the comb through her hair, Amana heard Brynn clear his throat behind her. She turned to see him with a bow of some sort in hand.

"I see you have found my gifts satisfactory for your usage. You were right, your hair is rather perfect now that you've cleaned and combed it," he said with a mixture of sarcasm and genuineness.

Amana rolled her eyes. "Your flattery is wasted. My beauty is a shadow of what it once was."

"You have a penchant for the dramatic, don't you?" Brynn observed, before adding, "I have another gift for you. Though I suspect this one will be less to your liking."

"What is it?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

Brynn motioned over his shoulder. "Come on, I'll show you." Amana sat the comb down and followed him out the door and around to the shed where he collected a knapsack. From there they headed toward a group of nearby trees which they stopped around twenty paces away from. Brynn placed the knapsack on the ground and held up the bow-like weapon in his hand. "Do you know what this is?" He asked.

Amana shook her head. "A bow of some sort? It looks vaguely familiar."

"It is a crossbow. The smallest one I could find," he explained.

That's the smallest crossbow he could find? It's as long as my arm. "Oh. So, it shoots arrows like a bow?"

"Yes, the concept is similar. The crossbow is easier to use and requires less strength than a bow. Loading it is the only difficulty," Brynn said, detailing the weapon.

"That is... Fascinating." Amana feigned interest, but she had little desire to associate with such a distasteful device.

Brynn extended his hand and offered her the crossbow. "Here, take it."

Amana gave a frown. "I have no desire to hold it. I would likely hurt myself and neither of us would want that. Besides, isn't this your area of expertise?"

"Amana, do you ever want to see your home again?" Brynn asked sternly.

"Of course," she replied with annoyance as she crossed her arms.

"Then take the damned crossbow. If you want to survive, you'll need to learn to defend yourself. I may not always be around to protect you," Brynn said with a tone that Amana disliked.

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"Fine, but you don't have to be an ass." She reached out and took hold of the weapon. It was heavy, but not as much as much as she had expected. She examined it in her arms, noting the metal mechanisms that rested atop the wood. She reached her hand towards the string that ran across the crossbow and brushed her fingers over it.

"It isn't a newborn babe, you don't have to cradle it like that," Brynn said as he stepped forward. "Here, hold it like this. Put your left hand here, near the end with the metal bow. And place your other hand here, on the trigger. This is what you press to release the bolt." As he spoke, he moved Amana's hands with his own until he was satisfied with their placement. "Now stand like this. Turn your hips more and move your right foot back. Match my stance, princess." Brynn stood behind her, adjusting her body with his own. He was so close that Amana could feel his breath on her neck as his hands grasped her waist. His surprising closeness made it difficult for her to focus on the lesson as she felt herself blushing.

"Like this?" She asked awkwardly, holding the pose Brynn had placed her in.

He stepped back to admire his handiwork. "Aye, that's perfect," he said proudly, seemingly unaware of the effect he had had on her. He bent over and opened the knapsack. "Now we will go over the quiver, the bolts, and the lever."

For the better part of the day Brynn taught Amana the finer points of using the crossbow. How to aim it, how to trigger it, and how to reload it. Over and over again he made her practice. When the time came for her to actually loosen bolts, she felt rather confident in her ability to hit the nearby tree. With his knife Brynn carved a pair of intersecting lines in the closest tree for her to target. Her first bolt went high, but the next three were close enough to the target for Brynn's approval. "Well done, princess. You may yet make a soldier," he said with a smile and nod of approval.

Amana leaned the crossbow over her shoulder and grinned. "That was actually rather fun. What's next, sword training?"

"I'm afraid a sword would be of little use in your hands. Even a lifetime of training could not overcome the difference in strength between yourself and a man," Brynn admitted. "But you should at least have this." Returning to the knapsack once again, he produced a small blade and removed it from its sheath. "This is a dagger; the blade is short and thin. Its best for stabbing, but it can slash as well." He handed it to Amana.

"I know what a dagger is, I've seen one before," she said as she took the small thing. "How do you expect me to fight someone with a sword or spear with this?"

Brynn squinted pensively. "I don't. Strap this dagger to your boot. If your opponent is a man whom you cannot kill with your crossbow, then cast it aside and cower to the ground as though you intend to beg for your life. If he stops or hesitates, then draw this dagger and drive the blade as hard as you can into his throat or his cock. After that you should run, as it may take a while for him to die."

Amana's eyes went wide. She ran her finger over the blade as she envisioned the events Brynn described. This is the truth of the world I have found myself in. I must be prepared for whatever is to come. I have no desire to kill, but I may be left with no choice in the matter. And when that time comes, will I be able to?

Amana nodded and swallowed down her fears.

✸✸✸

Early the next morning, Amana awoke with a reinvigorated spirit. The crossbow training had given her a sense of confidence that had been absent for a long while. Eager to make the day a productive one, she shot out of the straw bed and shuffled over to the corner of the hovel where Brynn lay. Since Amana's arrival, he had rolled out a leather bedroll that he slept on each night, covered in fur blankets. It was rare that she awoke before him, and never before had she caught him in such a deep sleep. With a giggle, she tiptoed over to ogle the slumbering ranger.

It seems he tired of his blankets sometime in the night and cast them aside. He is surprisingly muscular; it must be from all the wood he chops. While not brawny, Brynn was clearly strong, his arms and chest ruggedly formed. His long black hair ran freely down to his shoulders. Amana leaned over, observing his face up close. She had been curious about the scar that ran down his cheek for some time now but had politely refrained from asking about it. She looked over his face, noticing the small details of his nose, mouth, and chin. Just as she was about to take a step back and wake him, her eyes caught his bandaged left hand. Does it not heal? What kind of wound could it be? Her interest piqued; Amana quietly stepped over him with one leg in an attempt to get a closer view of the hand. She lowered to the ground slowly and squinted, but to her disappointment there was nothing unnatural that she could see.

"What are you doing, girl?" Brynn's annoyed voice asked, catching Amana completely by surprise.

Amana let out a yelp and tried to retreat but instead lost her footing and clumsily fluttered down. She landed squarely in his lap and found herself straddling Brynn as he lay with a look of utter confusion across his face. Her own face went bright red and in a wild panic she rushed to get off of him, accidently kneeing him in the stomach in the process. He gave a pained grunt and rolled over, before letting out a hearty laugh.

"Do the men of your homeland enjoy being teased before they are tortured? Because I must concede that this has given me little pleasure," Brynn jested with amusement as he sat up.

"T-that was not my intention!" Amana stammered; her face still warm. "I j-just was surprised to find you asleep still. I thought that I should check, in case you were unwell."

Brynn rubbed his eyes and stood up slowly. "Aside from the pain you have caused me, I am quite fine. Why have you woken so early?"

Amana shrugged guiltily. "I had an idea. I thought maybe when you went to the village today, I could come with you. Now that I can defend myself, you have no need to worry about me."

Brynn made a face of disbelief. "Why do you wish to travel to the village? It is a filthy and unsafe place," he muttered.

"Because I have no desire to remain here forever. I am healed and well. We must begin preparing for our journey," she said resolutely. I must be firm, so that he understands the weight of my will.

"I have already began making preparations for the journey, but these things take time," he replied. "I have sent word to an old acquaintance who may be able to help us, but letters are slow to reach their destination these days."

Amana placed her hands on her hips. "That is fine, but I still want to visit the village. I would like to make my own plan for returning to Kyderia, in case yours were to fail."

"That is absurd," he said with a scoff. "How could you possibly-"

"I will travel to the village today, with, or without you." She stood unyielding with her words. "I will do what I must to return home. I may know little of the ways of this land, but I know well enough how to be charm people into giving me what I want."

"It is not your charm that gets you what you want, but your stubbornness," Brynn noted dryly. "Fine, if that is what you desire, then I shall abide. Give me some time to gather some things and we'll be off. We can get some food there."

Amana smiled proudly at her victory. It is dangerous to wound a man's pride, but sometimes necessary. I must prove that I am not some lost little girl. An hour later and the two of them departed the hovel, each carrying a knapsack slung to their back. Amana rested her crossbow over her shoulder, and around her waist a fastened belt held a quiver of a dozen bolts just behind her left hip. Today is the first step in my journey. It may be perilous, but the sun, the stars, and the moon will guide me home.