Somewhere off in the distance, the sound of wood snapping could be heard. Danica awoke with a start, the gentle sounds of a nearby babbling creek all she could hear in the otherwise quiet stretch of woods. Moments passed by, yet all seemed quiet once more.

  She’d been up the entire night and had been walking for quite some time when she happened upon an old stone bridge crossing a small stream. It was the first sign of human habitation she’d come across so far since making the decision to head south. She didn’t know how far she’d gone, or how much further she would have to go, but her legs ached and she felt completely worn out.

  The first spot she chose under a large tree had been home to a rather sizable widow nest. She had no desire to be anywhere near the eight legged creature so she chose a different spot near some smooth rocks piled against the shore. She ate a few pieces of dried fruit and a sip of wine, then made a makeshift pillow out of her handmade travelling cloak. Soon the gentle sounds of the ambient forest lulled her into a deep sleep.

  Now she was very much awake, and slightly on edge. She’d lived her life in a city, and understood the environment there. This was the deep forest and she had no idea what might actually be lurking just over the ridge or behind the line of trees. People, animals, or something worse? She had no idea and decided to be on her way rather than finding out. Things were somehow just different when you were completely alone.

  She had no idea how long she’d been asleep for, but the sun was no longer visible above the treetops. It would soon be dark and of that she could be thankful to be back into a more familiar setting of night. Something else began to nag upon her varied thoughts right then and it soon became a nuisance she couldn’t seem to shake no matter how much she tried to dismiss it..

  She wasn’t really alone in seeing in the dark.

  When dealing with only standard humans, it was her biggest advantage. Out here, there were predators that hunted in the deepest of night, but she didn’t think there was much out there to worry about really with the animals in the area. But what about when she finally met other races, or even another dark elf? Matteo had told her There were many races out there that could see as well at night as she could, and some even better than that.

  She shook her head and sighed, hurrying her pace forward. Perhaps time would present a solution to a perceived problem that may not be, but for now there was little else to do but make it to the next stopping area. Hopefully there would be decent food available and information about where she actually was. If she were really lucky, then maybe she could get all of that without any trouble, but that might just be too much to hope for.

  Lost in thought and imagination, she saw a new sight come into view. A dirt road off to the side. And in the last gleam of evening light before her night vision took hold, she could make out the prints of horses and the line of tracks made by the wheels of a wagon. She figured they might be somewhat recent, and if so, then maybe her next stop wasn’t too far away after all.

  *****

  She smelled the smoke of fires burning off in the distance. Not the heavy oily smoke of a city burning during a riot, but a welcoming scent of hearth inviting you to a warm meal. It reminded her so much of the quiet nights in Yeville where one could find some amount of peace in life. She’d give nearly anything sometimes to feel that way again and finally find a home she could actually belong to.

  Soon Danica found herself creeping through the shadows of a small town, the first one she’d seen in days of travelling. Sturdy wood and stone buildings lined the streets, making her almost feel like she’d returned home to Norport. Many had signs hanging out front, unfortunately with her dark vision active, she was unable to make out what they were or what may be within.

  Though it was quiet and few people milled about, there was one place that seemed more active than the others. A warm light emanated from the windows and shouts of laughter or other merriment could be heard from within. Obviously this was the local tavern and, judging by the size of the building, an inn as well. Her body, unaccustomed to the rigors of travelling, yearned for the comforts of civilization.

  Sneaking closer she carefully peeked inside, studying the layout of the room. Sure enough, a man and woman stood behind the bar, talking with people sitting in front of them. Most people sat at tables, leaving plenty of space for her to make her way inside without drawing much attention to herself. No one here knew who she was and had no idea what to expect from her. Perhaps if she made a good first impression, then maybe this would all go smoothly.

  Working within the dim light shining through the windows, she placed a few silver and copper coins into her pockets then stuffed the rest of them into her coin purse. That bag clinked gently as she secured it into a hidden pocket she’d carefully sewn onto her traveling cloak. Money secured, she then put on some gloves and pulled her hood down low. Danica took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. There was nothing more for her to do but get this over with.

  She quickly pushed the double doors in and proceeded inside as quickly as possible, keeping her head bowed low. A moment later she found an empty seat by the bar away from everyone else inside. She placed some of the coins on the counter and waited nervously for one of the bartenders to come by. It didn’t take long for them to notice her sitting there.

  The bottom half of the man walked into view and said in a gruff voice, “What’ll you have?”

  “Ale, food, and a room,” she said, trying to sound confident.

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  “I have all three,” he responded. “What I don’t have is any idea who you are or why you’re trying to hide.”

  Her nerves were frayed already, but she tried to stay calm. She wasn’t so sure her voice carried that over so well. “Face is disfigured. I’m ashamed to be seen.”

  “That so?” He leaned down and she tried to turn away from him, but it wasn’t enough. “By the damned gods!” he yelled, taking a step back.

  Danica held her hands up in a feeble attempt to show that she meant them no harm. “I’m just looking for a day to rest and resupply, then I’ll be on my way.”

  A nearby patron came from behind her and yanked the hood down, revealing her to everyone. “There was a momentary pause before he yelled out, “A dark elf!”

  The entire room grew quiet and stared in shock as Danica began to panic, understanding that she might be in more trouble than she’d originally bargained for. “I’m just a weary traveler from the north. I don’t want any trouble.”

  A big brute of a man stood suddenly from a table across the room and wobbled for a moment. His gut stuck out and at first glance he seemed to be overweight and out of shape, but the way he carried himself suggested he was packed full of muscle from a life of hard work. Judging by the axe near him, she suspected that the man could fell her as easily as any of his trees if she let her guard down.

  “No trouble!” he bellowed across the room. “The Dark elves send out scouts first. Then they come in force, murdering everyone in their way. Next time you wake up, your throat'll be under the blade. That’s how they got my father!”

  Danica again held up her hands, trying desperately to salvage peace. “That’s not who I am. I was raised in Norport by…”

  It was too late. Dulled by the alcohol, fueled by rage, he barreled forward with a battlecry. She knew he had to be at least thrice her weight, if not more, and if he got a hold of her, he’d be able to easily squeeze the very life from her body. She waited until the last second and leaped to the side, letting him trip over a stool and fall hard into the solid wooden bar.

  Had she the desire to, she could have used the moment to pull her sword and end the man then and there, but that would create further problems. She most likely could have cut a bloody swath out of this place if she’d wished and been back on the road. But then what? A criminal on the run and a bounty on her head. She’d have to try and escape without killing anyone.

  She started for the door, but the man who’d originally pulled her hood off had a firm hold of her cloak. Knowing that every second mattered, she wasted no time throwing both her fists into each side of his face, one after another. The man, shocked by the sudden and unexpected assault, dropped the garment and fell back a step.

  She again turned to flee, but found two men blocking her path. She growled in frustration and delivered a swift knee strike into the groin of one, dropping him nearly instantly. She switched focus to her other opponent, attempting to stop him with a single strike as well. The other man was a bit quicker though and was able to lean back, barely avoiding an elbow to the nose that would have easily broken it.

  Her window of opportunity had shut though.

  Powerful hands grabbed her by the arms and threw her against the bar as easily as a child would toss a doll. Danica’s back slammed hard against the bar, sending a paralyzing shockwaves of pain throughout her body. She knew the big man had gotten his bearings and she wasn’t sure she’d get another good opportunity to get out of this without resorting to killing her opponents.

  Before she could even move, someone held her back against the bar, and she assumed it had to have been the bartender joining the fray. He held her firm though and she couldn’t break free from his grip. “Get the guards!” he called out to the room.

  The big man either didn’t hear or didn’t seem to care. Most likely the latter, judging by the look on his face. He reached out and took the woodcutter’s axe from someone he’d been sitting with earlier and turned back to Danica, a rage burning within his eyes.

  “No! We settle this here and now.” he yelled. “She’s about to learn a lesson in frontier justice!”

  She saw the swing coming and knew that she had no other choice. She jumped as hard as she could, driving the top of her head into the face of the man grappling her. The sudden movement and inflicted pain caused him to slightly loosen his grip, allowing her enough opportunity to drop the weight of her whole body to the floor. The sharpened steel axehead just barely cleared her scalp and plunged into the man's chest with a sickening thud along with the sounds of breaking bone.

  She wasted no time springing forward as everyone stood around dumbfounded at what they’d just witnessed. Out the door she went, never bothering to look behind her at the carnage that’d been wrought in her wake. The cool night air washed over her, invigorating her to flee into the safety of the darkness. Her back was screaming in pain, but adrenaline and the desire to live fueled her desperate run to freedom

  She didn’t hear the twang of the bow, but she did feel the arrow as it penetrated her lower thigh. She dropped hard to the ground, the shaft of the missile digging painfully into the leg muscles. She gritted her teeth and turned back towards her attackers, trying pitifully to stand and defend herself.

  A man stood there, hands nonchalantly behind his back as if he were watching an everyday occurrence. His posture showed that he knew that he had the upper hand. It was a stance she’d occasionally seen Landon take while he was on duty. To either side of him a guardsman in uniform stood holding a bow, one readying another arrow, the other still ready to shoot just in case.

  “I didn’t do anything wrong!” she yelled at them, tears streaming down her cheek.

  “She killed Matt!” the big man yelled out, pushing his way through the others that had gathered at the door.

  Everyone quieted down at hearing those words. The officer looked back at the big man for a moment and then turned back to Danica. “I have to admit,” he said rather tiredly, “I wasn’t expecting to deal with a dark elf murdering people tonight. You’re under arrest obviously. I recommend you come peacefully or my men will have to shoot you again.”

  Danica lay upon the ground, sobbing quietly into the dirt. There was no escaping this, and she knew it. Her spine was sending waves of pain throughout her body, and the adrenaline was wearing off. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a deep, dragging lethargy now as well. She knew that she couldn’t run anymore, and even if she could, those men would cut her down before she made it more than a few steps. There was nothing more she could do than to go quietly and plead her innocence.

  But would they listen?

  Strong hands held her down and began to remove her weapons. They took her sword and then the knives at her side, followed by some probing for anything hidden. She could hear the big man yelling they should execute her immediately, along with a few who spoke in agreement. Those shouts were soon drowned out by the officer commanding them to disperse immediately, his booming voice carrying authority behind it.

  Danica almost wanted to smile, thinking that she might have a chance after all if this man really was anything like Landon. Her vision began to swirl, and the last thought she had before passing out was of Norport and how much she missed being there in those better days.