The day was warm, just as she thought it would have been last night. She let out a small breath as she continued to scrub the clothes against the wash board. She was ankle deep in the brook behind her house. She hummed lightly, enjoying the sun on her back. She was on laundry duty because her mother said that she needed practice for becoming a good wife. She scoffed at the idea which led to a good argument with her mother. She loved her dearly but all this constant nagging about finding a good husband was seriously pissing her off. She didn't want to get married yet and the more she thought about it, she honestly never wanted to. She liked the idea of being single for the rest of her life. Who needed men? They were all disgusting, rowdy pigs.<br/><br/>She wiped the sweat that perspired on her forehead with the back of her hand. Wringing out the wet clothing, she placed them in the basket on the side of the brook, before hopping out of the cold water. She carried the basket to the clothesline, pinning and hanging up the clothes to dry. They should be dry within the next few hours. She would go find something to do while she waited. She moved through the garden, inspecting the plant life that her mother so tediously took care of. She placed the empty basket in the shed and she could hear her father working away in the shop. She left through the back gate of her house, moving through the worn down path into the village. The town of Lochinver was living as ever as the Summer Solstice was approaching. Merchants and other travelers were milling through the town preparing for the big event. She brushed her fiery bangs from her vision as she turned past the open market.<br/><br/>She loved her village more than anything, it was the place that she had been born and raised. The beauty of Lochinver was indescribable, just like the rest of Scotland. Her emerald eyes danced with joy as she neared a small cottage. She had been meaning to stop by sooner, though the argument with her mother had delayed the visit. Inside was a very special person that was near and dear to her heart. Alanna had been her best friend ever since they were wee lasses. She had never connected with anyone like she had connected with Alanna. She wiped the grime from her face, wincing at the slight bruise under her left eye. She had recently been in a fight with one of the men at the pub. She was known to fight like one of the men and that worried her mother. She could hear her mother's shrill voice piercing her ears at the memory.<br/><br/>'Ellyn, you'll never find a man of worth unless you change.'<br/><br/>She let out an unladylike snort rolling her eyes, who wanted a man of worth? She was enjoying the time of being single and hanging out with Alanna. Besides, none of the men here were appealing at all. She had grown up with most of them and all she could see were snot nosed brats. Knocking on the door, she didn't even bother waiting for an answer. As much as she came to Alanna's house, she knew it was unnecessary to even knock anymore, but she was polite enough to let Alanna know she was coming in. The place was immaculate as usual, and she walked through the entrance way looking around for her friend. "Alanna, are you here," she called in her husky voice that she inherited from her father.<br/><br/>She decided that her friend would come out from wherever she was hiding and she welcomed herself to sitting down on the lounging seat in the family area. Leaning her head back on the cushions, she listened to the town bustling around them. She could hear the horses neighing and vendors barking out their prices for a better sale. She truly loved the lively village that she lived in. It also helped that she had a friend here. If not for Alanna, she would be a recluse and an even bigger troublemaker. She knew that her friend hated that she fought with the men, but she couldn't help it. It was in her blood to fight and after wrestling with three other male siblings it was second nature for her.