<div style="text-indent:1em;">The air was dry with hovering dust and the smell of freshly baked bread. The pebbles sputtered beneath the feet of bustling people weaving to and from their destinations, filling their baskets with necessities. A wide street in a decent village swarmed with the people bouncing between the vendors that lined the long road. The buildings were unusually close together in this part of town, yet seemed to cause no worry for those looking for a place to sleep or the next good drink. Further up the way was spread out, still filling the valley with chipped stone buildings, but granting a nice view for those heading toward the residential district.<br/>Among the people was a royal adviser, overseeing this country side town with the royal city a few miles over. He lived a quiet life in the posh little home given to him, writing his letters and keeping his eye out for trouble. Yet even with his docile demeanor, he never hesitated to enforce the rules of the crown when things weren't going as he preferred.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">The sun sat in the sky at midday while the town showed no signs of slowing down. Among the people was a easy going maroon cloak. Unlike most, it didn't push or shove it's way through. The tattered ends barely dragged along the ground, just long enough to conceal the garments beneath.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">As the baker unloaded his oven paddle, his eyes caught the dark wine-coloured cape. His lips perked momentarily, but still sagged, as they naturally did. It approached the open faced bakery with a low head, holding a tight wicker basket in front.<br/>"Anything new today?" he simply said.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"No," a gentle voice cooed, "just one of the usual please."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">A young girl raised her hooded head with a smile on her blossom lips, skin the palest shade of peach anyone had ever seen. The silver bangs falling in strands before her face concealed most of her tone nicely, and more so by the light, lavender ribbon over her eyes.<br/>"Lucky for you, they just came out." he said loading in another batch.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">His stocky legs carried the full tray over to be displayed.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Please, I'll just take one from yesterday. Save the fresh ones for everyone else. It's pretty busy out there." she said with a bit of a chuckle.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">He shook his head at her constant smile, shrugging his shoulders and moving along to pick up a loaf from yesterday's basket. She held hers out as he dropped it in, resting lightly over the lettuce, slender carrots, wrapped cheese and an assortment of fruits, both fresh and dry. Nestling it under her arm and cloak, she extended her nimble fingers. His twisted lips looked at her with his hand reached out, cupping the coins she deposited into his burly palm.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Y'know, you really gotta stop paying me full price for these old loaves."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"You give me more than the products of your work sir. I appreciate more than the food."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"You be careful out there, ya hear?"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">She nodded her head and turned away, disappearing between the people who flooded in after. Somehow, she always managed to beat the rush.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">As she came closer the "back edge" of the town, two young boys stopped her as they swing their wooden swords about. She imagined their parents were one of the couples talking and waving their hands about just beside her. With intent to carry on their words slowed her steps once more.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"I heard they found strange marks on the body - like something cut into that poor man."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Yeah Ruth, some bear got bored and decided to use his body for an art project."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"It's true! I know someone who saw it. That wasn't just an animal attack Jim. Something, or someone did something to that man."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"You ladies are so full of superstition."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"This land is haunted and there is still that witch out there."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Oh Ruth-"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"It's true Jim, my wife said her brother's hunt'in' party went out to get that ol' spell caster and some of 'em didn't come back."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Bart-"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"See Jim? There's no tellin' what she's up to in them woods. Mark my words, she could kill us all. Those boys best stay out of those trees. Who knows what witches will do to our children these days."</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">The talk turned her stomach as she shook her head, ignoring the vulgar stories they continued to toss around. Even the children with their games distressed her as she continued on.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"When I grow up, I'm gonna get that witch!"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Nu-uh, I will! I hunt her down and burn her alive!"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Not before me! I'm faster than you!"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"I'm smarter than you!"</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Kill the witch! Kill the witch!" they chanted.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">She felt relief when the river became visible. Its strong current flowed silently on the border of this little village, wrapping around and through down the way into the residential homes. Her dirty, bare feet followed it up and along the backside of a few, less occupied buildings, through the crisp green grass only her feet seemed to touch. The lack of a path emerged at the road that twisted it's way to the entrance. The firm dirt road winded a ways in the clear space, but seemed to straighten out a bit as she continued on toward the trees.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">After a lengthy walk, deep beneath shaded canopy of the trees, she came to a fork in the road: right leading on to the next town and already showing signs of open space and sun, left leading up a steep hill into the continuation of thick brush. Without hesitation, she started up the left hill - something many wouldn't care to attempt without the accompaniment of horses below them.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">A handful of her skirt shifted and swayed as she dug her toes into the ground for support, holding tight to her goods. Though it did take some effort on her thighs, she tended to make it up quickly, fading into the shadows the trees provided. With a continuous walk down the path - which began to fade and soften - she started to turn off a bit, through the trees. By now, they were thick and old, tightly fit and twisted together.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">Just as the trees seemed to become impassible, she came to a small clearing somewhere up that hill. Across it was a pile of ruble; a crumbled building of gray stone scattered in that small corner. She approached it with ease, stepping past the large blocks and tumbled columns, walking right through the choppy wooden door. Its thick frame opened to a wide "home." Three and a half walls still stood around with the gaping hole patched by bound birch trunks and covered with a blanket. Above her was a canopy much thicker than the one she traveled through, and far more tight in the weaving. With a grid of narrow logs above her, supporting the tangled mess of leaves and moss, she had somewhere to live. It was a decent size considering what was left. The large square had been cleared and the wood floor mostly still intact. To her left was a pair of tables; one more narrow in the corner with a bucket full of water and few extra things scattered along, the other in front of it, more centered with her carving utensils neatly laid out on a rag. To the right, a bed; a bundle of assorted grasses, the fresher, more green blades towards the top, and covered by several layers of blankets. A stack of books were splayed beside the one pillow atop the bundle, a beat up chest large enough to hide a body rest by the wall, and three broken chairs sat randomly in the rest of the space. Sparse and empty, but better than nothing.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">She unbuttoned her cloak and pulled it from her shoulders, the gathered tresses of argent falling from them. They swept her back smoothly, not at all tangled and disheveled as many people had them. The gray, powder blue dress hugged her petite body, lacing elegantly up the back, with the plainness of the skirt dangled over the thin, worn petticoat beneath. Her delicate hand glided through it for a moment, looking down at it as her fingers moved through the strands as fluid as water. She pursed her lips, raising the same hand over her eyes, gliding it along the silk cloth shielding her face.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">After a moment, she shook her head and set the down her basket, taking out her purchases. The empty basket was rested on the floor beside her as she separated things accordingly. A few bits of shuffling until she had her fresh produce laid out from everything. Before leaving, she wrapped her cheese several times with large, thick, fresh leaves and bound it in string.</div><div style="text-indent:1em;">Outside, behind her hut, was a subtle gap in the trees. Following it for just a few minutes, she came to a dense waterfall. The creek rolled down a staircase of rocks into the mouth of the river the townsfolk knew. Her toes stopped right at the edge, the cold moss cleansing her soles. She knelt down by the water, moving away a chunk of moss and a large rock from a small alcove. The silty floor was lined with small stones and as still as the land. She sank her goods in the water, watching the bright orange of the carrots drink in the clean water, and the leaves of lettuce already crisping. Last, she turned the leafy cheese on its side and rested it on the edge, replacing the stone that held it all in place. Looking up, she listened to the rush of the water, watching it tumble and inhaling deeply.</div>