Kaysen had wandered around the forest all night, stopping in a tree to rest a bit. When the sun rose, he went and found a nearby stream, cooling his face and drinking from it. He knew he couldn't live like this; he needed to find a way back home. The girl must live somewhere near civilization, and so he went back.
But when he arrived, someone else was there. They conversed with the girl a moment before they suddenly checked up. The girl grabbed her bow and set an arrow in it, looking right at Kaysen.
He'd been caught.
The boy turned and fled, knowing he'd have a better chance near water. He ran all the way to the stream from that morning, and turned to face his pursuers.
Her target fled. Sandra cursed and lowered her bow, taking off after them. She ducked around rocks and trees and quickly gained on him- familiarity with these forests was coming in handy.
As she gained, she could tell she was chasing a boy. He stopped at the stream that ran through and turned to face Sandra. His clothing was unusual, as was his hair. He took a ready stance and Sandra raised her bow.
"Who are you?" she demanded. "Why were you on my property?"
"Kaysen," the boy answered wryly, "And that's all the answer you'll get from me." He planted his feet and flexed his fingers, waiting for her arrow to fly.
See– Kaysen was right. Arguing at first impressions.
"I'm gonna need more than that," Sandra said. "You're trespassing."
His posture changed and Sandra's instinct kicked in.
She drew and fired a warning arrow past him.
Kaysen knew his movement made her wary; wary enough to fire an arrow past his left shoulder.
A warning. He knew them well.
He didn't flinch, however, and noticed with satisfaction that a shadow covered his face.
"Trespassing?" Kaysen inquired, "Apologies, highness. I'll leave immediately."
Sandra actually laughed.
"I'm far from royalty, actually. I'm guessing you saw my house? But I have connections, so unless you want to end up on real royalty's bad side, start talking."
She drew another arrow. "I won't miss next time."
Kaysen glared, too stubborn to admit anything more than his name and too concentrated on his reflexes. When the girl released her arrow, he was ready. Shooting a spurt of water from the river, he used its momentum to throw the arrow off course, sticking in the ground a few feet away. He stepped into what looked like a battle stance, and more water came up from the stream and swirled around him in the air. Going by some invisible current, the water circled him with droplets breaking off and melding into the continuing trail.
The move was more showy than protective, but she didn't know that. And it was practical in a way of him using it faster than drawing it from the river.
Sandra's jaw dropped with her bow. She took an involuntary half-pace backwards, shocked.
"how-" She blinked a few times. "What are you?"
Kaysen tried his best not to look bewildered. That was the first time he'd ever been asked what he was. He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Just a guy," he said, the water still swirling around him, "Who would very much like to be on his merry way without Katniss Everdeen pointing an arrow in his face. So, if you please…"
(i don't read or watch hunger games but that reference was too good to pass ip xD)
"Who the hell is Katniss Everdeen?" Sandra shook her head. "Look, you're obviously not from around here. No-one I've ever met can do… that, so uh… where are you from?"
At his cautious look toward her bow, she groaned. "Don't drown me," she muttered, setting the weapon down against her better judgement.
Kaysen set the water to pool at his feet when she set her bow down, but still kept his guard up.
"I won't drown you," he said, "That's a horrible way to die." He still didn't like giving so much information so he kept it at a minimum, "I'm from a world called Fable. I was transported here on accident."
Transported? "Alright. So how do you go back? You said you'd leave." Sandra rested a fist on her hip. "I don't exactly like the idea of a weird water-controlling guy hanging around my house. And if anyone in town saw you, they'd have the same idea. So…"
Kaysen scowled. This girl was impossible…
"I'm not sure how to get back," he replied begrudgingly. "Actually, going to town was my first idea. But if you are against that, then I guess I could camp out in the woods until i get some answers. You don't happen to have anyone that can do magic, do you?"
Sandra actually laughed. “Magic? Until you showed up, magic was an old maids tale. So no. I don’t know anyone who can do magic.”
Kaysen was taken aback. So he was in some of… medieval realm?
"No wizards or witches then?" He asked.
“Not unless you count bedtime stories,” Sandra sighed. She let her harsh demeanor drop just a bit. “So… what are you gonna do?”
Kaysen wasn't sure. Without some obvious way of getting home, he was stuck there. Being the awkward teenager he was, he just stood there, looking around as if the forestry would somehow give him an idea.
On the bright side, Sandra had no idea that he was the sword she picked up yesterday.
Sandra let out a sigh. “And here I thought I’d never top my Acara trip.” She turned to Kaysen. “Well. If I were you I wouldn’t go into town. You stick out. Lay low around here if you have to, but don’t let my mentor see you, she’ll freak out.”
A long, awkward pause followed.
“Hungry?” she asked finally.
Kaysen felt his stomach tighten at the thought of food. Sardra's attitude toward him changed quickly…
"Well," he said slowly, "I suppose since you're offering…" he followed her back in the direction of her house.
"Who is your mentor?" He asked.
“Her name’s Margaret,” Sandra said as she headed off to her cabin. She didn’t look to see if he was following. “She’s a healer. She won’t be in tonight but you still shouldn’t stick around long.”
She ducked under a branch. “All I have for dinner is grouse.”
She shook her head. “Damn Owen making me go soft,” she muttered under her breath.
Kaysen nodded at the information, and ignored the muttering trail the girl left off at the end.
"Grouse is fine," he said, petting Sandra's dog as they went, "Where's that friend of yours?"
Sandra tensed. “What friend?” she asked cautiously.
"The one from earlier," Kaysen scrunched his brow together at her sudden forgetfulness, "By your shed. S…" –he almost said the boy's name– "You were talking with him before you chased after me."
“How did you know that? Where I saw you wasn’t near the-” She whirled around. “Have you been spying on me?”
Kaysen stumbled back, his hands raised.
"No!" he responded quickly, "I was on the edge of the forest, wasn't I? Look– i was on my way to find a town of some sort when i saw you talking with someone and then you chased me. Is that so hard to believe?"
Sandra took a breath to argue, but groaned and held back. “ he’s a swordsman,” she said an answer to a question. “I found some thing I was hoping he could tell me about, but it went missing before I could ask him.”
Kaysen lowered his eyebrows.
"What did you find?" he asked, before adding quickly, "If you don't mind me asking…"
Sandra looked at him. “A sword. Duh. If my friend is a swordsman, I’m not gonna ask him about a dress, am I?”
She paused. “Did- did you lose a sword since coming here?”
Kaysen chuckled at the obvious statement.
"Right," he put his hands in his pockets. An idea came to him and he decided to play along, "Uh, actually yeah. Black with kinda teal lines running through it. Got a weird handle. You know it?"
