Chapter one

The man

This is it. I have to get this deer before the bell's ring. If I don't, I don't eat and I don't get inside the village. My little brother doesn't get better and he doesn't get food.

I align an arrow up with the deer's deer's neck. I pull it back and breath out slowly and quietly. I let go of the string just as the first bell rings. The arrow land's deep into the deer's neck. The deer fall's to the ground with a thud.

I quickly tie it onto a sleigh and start to pull it towards the gate's. When I get to the gates, they are closed two minutes early. I look up tothe guard. On duty. And of course it's Richard. Me and Richard have a very complicated relationship. We hate each other.

"Richard let me in! There's still two minutes left." Richard look's around. "Well everyone's asleep. Are you sure you just don't know what you're talking about?" I set the deer down. "Richard just open the gate!" Richard scrunches his face and yawns. "No. Oh! How about you give me the antlers and then I will let you go. Or sit out there with the wolves."I glare at him. The antlers were worth at least four silver maybe more. It's the antlers or take my chances outside.

I grab my knife and start cutting off the antlers. I throw them up to him after I tie them "There. Now let me in" Richard sighs and walks over to the chain the raises the gate. He pull's the chain and let's me in. "Have fun without these antlers! I can sell them for atleast 10 silver. I am the lord's son after all. Everyone has to do what I want."

I shut the door and push past Harper. "You want to test that?" Richard laughs

After I got in the gate I dragged the deer to my house, skinned it, cooked it, and wrapped it up. Checked on my little brother ten went to the tavern to meet up with Harper.

"So you wanna take him tonight?" I look over to my best friend Harper. "Tonight? Right when my baby brother is sick? I can't get in trouble now." Harper snorts. 'Right, Cause the great Gabriel care's so much about his little brother Dakota." I hit him. "Shut up. If you wanna fight him you do it." Harper rub's his arm. "That hurt you know. And, I think I am going to fight him. With or without you. He needs to learn a lesson. He stole your deer antlers." I glare at him and stand up. "Have fun in jail."

Harper groans and get's up with me. "Fine. But, If he try's anything you better join me." I walk up. To the door and open, holding it open. Harper look's over to where Richard and his gang were whispering and looking at us. He turn's back around and starts to walk toward's the door. Richard stands up and slams his tankard down. "Where do you think you're going? Are you so weak you don't even have the gut's to fight me? Even after I took your antlers?"

I turn around to face him. "I have a little brother to take care of. Unlike you, I have people I care about." Richard picks his tankard back up and takes a drink. "Oh really? That little pathetic thing you call a person? He's weak, like his brother." I growl. "Don't insult my brother." Harper grabs my arm and whispers to me. "Come on. We can take em'. Lilith is here you can impress her!" I shake my head. "No. I am not leaving my brother." Harper grunts and start's to walk towards door. "If we aren't going to do anything let's go." I follow after him, walking toward's the door.

There's a thud behind us and a knife is thrown at the door, slamming it shut right as Harper was opening it. "Where do you think you're going? Still not gonna fight me even though I take everything from me. Just fight me already!" I pull the knife out of the door and turn around. "I am not fighting you, I have people to take care of. Unlike you." Richard growls and slams his tankard down. "You call that pathetic excuse your brother?" He laughs. "He doesn't belong in this world" I growl and walk towards him. "You want a fight?" I swing my arm around and punch him in the nose, causing him to fall back. "You got one."

He screams at me and stands up. He throws a punch at me at my stomach. I double over a hold my stomach. He walks towards me and goes for another punch. I stand up and hit him in the jaw. "Never walk up to your enemy's. You never know they could be faking." I smile why Richard hold's his jaw.

He start's to walk back toward's me but is grabbed by the collar by a very tall, and very muscular man. Both of them glare at me. The man point's to us both." What in the holy god's name do you think you're doing? Huh? Getting in a fight like common ruffians?" We both look down in shame and mumble sorry. The man points to me. "You. Wait here. And You." He points to Richard. "You go crawl back to your daddy why I deal with him. Got it?" Richard nod's and pull's himself from the man's grasp, growling at me.

The man turns to me. "I was told you'd be trouble." I stare at him trying to remember the face. "Who are you?" I ask. The man grunt's. "I am Jack. And you are Gabriel. And you." He point's to Harper. "Are Harper. Now that we know who everyone is, We need to talk."