Alice runs almost non-stop for two days, she doesn't notice any signs of being followed by the demons who survived her attack on Riverin.
She stops at dusk on the third day, and sets up camp next to a small stream, she is exhausted, her back hurt from the jolting of her full backpack, her feet hurt from running through the woods and having to carry her full backpack.
Alice lights a small fire, takes water from the stream, crystal clear water, washes her pots, washes her clothes and lets them dry by the fire. She doesn't notice anyone around, or even an animal or beast, she feels comfortable staying naked.
That breeze is refreshing and goes well with her invigorating bath, she has no hurry, this is an opportunity that shouldn't be repeated anytime soon. Alice found a Eucanda bush near the stream by chance, an aromatic herb, great for bathing and if properly prepared, could serve as an antiseptic.
But Alice does not have the means or time to do that, she can keep a little more than a dose, or it will be wasted, it is not common to find Eucanda in this region, that bush is ready to harvest.
Alice hears some noises in the distance and let it go, some rabbit or small animal must have been attracted by the fire, she is floating on the stream surface, she is holding effortlessly on a piece of root on the edge that steam which gets in the water.
Eucanda is in effect, she rubbed herself well with the leaves, the slow flow of the stream does not interfere with the effect of the Eucanda, Alice's hair floats under the water slightly pulled by the flow of water.
The scent is better than common roses and spices, she needed this moment, the crescent moon in the sky gives a magical touch to the moment.
It doesn't take long for the relaxation of Eucanda to pass and Alice's mind to be taken again by the retrospective of what she saw in Riverin and its surroundings, she only began to feel tense after seeing those people being brutalized, then and now, whenever she thinks about it, she feels twinges coming from her coin in her chest.
Alice fled and zigzagged through the forest following the road out of Riverin towards the red mountain of Zackar, when the road was in sight she saw that what she found at the other end of the road she took to get to Riverin, it was also present that direction.
Whatever attacked Riverin went down the road for a while and then went back to where it was going before, it looks like Riverin was just on the way.
Alice has no idea what's in that direction, she's never heard of anything important there, the only famous thing is the Abandoned Lands, and there's nothing good in that place, people don't even like to talk about it, it's full of very dangerous beasts and ferals, there is no known source of wealth around, nothing good exists there.
The noise repeats closer now, Alice is satisfied with her bath and gets up, the stream is at her knees, if that animal wants so much to go to my pan, who am I to refuse, she thinks.
Alice bitterly regrets not keeping her sword close, in front of her very close to the bank, almost hidden behind the tree she was holding on by the root.
A huntsman wielding a longbow, a first-rate piece, perhaps he bought it in Riverin, when it was still a town, the arrow prepared to shoot is common, he must have made it himself.
He has a short dark beard, similarly dark eyes and hair, his hair is braided but limited to shoulder height, he appears middle aged and has well-developed muscles.
Alice is outraged, besides threatening her he keeps a small smile on his face, completely naked, Alice feels like a fool.
"Hello little girl!" his greeting carries a cheerful and manly tone of voice, Alice gets angry, as she has rarely felt in her life.
"You better hit this arrow or get out of my way before I can get my sword!" Alice's look would frighten an ordinary person, for her misfortune it is not the case, the man's smile widens.
He shifts his hips a little, making Alice's sword clipped to his belt visible, he laughs and backs away slightly as Alice climbs out of the stream.
"Looks like it won't be that easy, hahaha!" Alice doesn't understand him, initially he seemed very aggressive, but so far she hasn't truly attacked her.
"What you want?!" Alice just wants to spank him for the humiliation, he deep down*, he would like to keep watching her shower.
They slowly approached the fire, the man not lessening the tension of his bow one millimeter or even shifting it sights. Alice starts to dress in clean clothes, that man's smile fades.
"Since you won't invite me or perform I'll do it" the huntsman knows he's being petulant, but he considers his petulance his greatest charm.
"I'm Rimla Retas, like you, I was once a mercenary, adventurer, whatever they call it today" he looks proud, but none of this made him lose his fighting posture, Alice sees his effort to keep the bow tensioned for so long as a mere act of exhibitionism.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT YOU SHIT PERSON?" Alice isn't given to swearing, threats, or anger. But the huntsman is pushing his luck.
"For starters, say your name" the huntsman looks more serious and sincere now. Alice just grits her teeth and starts to prepare her meal.
"Okay, since you're in a bad mood I say it for ya" the huntsman looks confident. Alice is a little surprised, does he have a gift, she thinks.
"I could watch you for a few minutes" the huntsman smiles again and he keeps the arrow ready to be fired, Alice tenses all her muscles in her body, she tries hard not to jump on his neck and choke him with her own hands.
"You have the training of a warrior princess and the beauty of a muse, I've even met many like you" the huntsman swoons shamelessly and now Alice feels even more disgusted to hear his voice.
Alice takes all the ingredients, and for a moment before zipping her backpack a flash of sadness crosses her face, she's out of meat, the man quickly unties the dead rabbit from his belt and throws it to her, he's quick and back to tense his arrow before the rabbit drops to the ground next to Alice.
"Do it for both of us, I want to know if you can cook too" the huntsman sounds more and more rude, but Alice's anger starts to cool and she wants to know what is his goal, it would be some mocking deity, she thinks.
"Different from what you might have thought so far, I'm not a fool, your body can be sore for any man's eyes" Alice uses her cooking knife angrily as she skins the rabbit.
"I saw this beautiful gold coin embedded in your beautiful chest" he clears his throat and returns to the subject. "I, who've had my share of adventures, recognize such figure, it's Alice, the most perfect of women." He blushed a little, but less than Alice.
"And seeing you like that, that must be your name too" he gets a little more serious, Alice is unimpressed, but she comes to see him as a smart idiot.
"Of course that's not all, I'm proud of my skill as a hunter, I noticed that you came from Riverin and y'are carrying a lot of valuable things in your backpack" Alice opens her backpack immediately and it seems to be all in place"
"Calm down I'm not a thief, the question is how did you get all this?"
Alice finally understands what this is about, she has something to say now, Alice has prepared a wonderful smelling rabbit stew.
"You say you're not a thief and you took my sword, you talk like you're a respectable person, but you spied on me for over an hour, you even snooped in my backpack" before Alice can finish he interrupts her with a louder voice.
"I WAS INVESTIGATING! Not snooping around, noone can't be too careful!" he doesn't seem elated, but Alice's words seem to have hurt his ego a little.
"You claim to be proud of your hunting skill, but you haven't released this arrow so far, are you afraid of being too weak? Or fear of making mistakes?" Alice nails his ego, he'd rather get kicked in a sensitive area than hear that.