It was raining in the early afternoon in the town of Havenlow, many of its residents had gone inside their homes to keep dry. A lone cloaked figure walked a large black destier horse into the dry stables at the back of an inn. Making sure the horse had fresh hay, the person patted the horses neck, having the horse nudge their shoulder before they left to go back into the pouring rain. The long cloak covered their whole body. A large sword was strapped to their back. Only their muddy boots were seen from underneathe the cloak as the person made their way to the inn's door. Opening the inn door, a brush of warm air swept out as well as men's chatting voices. Stepping inside, the being lifted their hands up to the hood of the cloak to bring it down. To show a woman's face. She had brown hair braided back, her eyes which were mismatched, a brown and a blue surveyed her surroundings she made her way past tables to a back table. Most of the noise of the inn had quieted as she had taken down her hood.

At the table, she narrowed her eyes at some of the men that were staring way too much. Some of them turned away to go back to their conversations, but a group of soldiers nearby were still going at it. A maid came to her table asking for her order, turning her attention away from the curious soldiers she asked for a mug of ale. When the woman left to get her order, she moved aside her cloak at her side to unstrap a long leather bag. Untying the string at the top, she reached in to grab a small wooden block and unsheathed a dagger at her hip to start dig shapes out of the wood.

Once her mug of ale came, she set her dagger and the outline shape of a griffin she had carved. So she could drink the ale. As she did so, she looked back over to the soliders to see that the burliest of the five soldiers was looking her over. She knew she was going to have trouble with him. His eyes kept glancing to her and then to her sword. He probably thought it was too big for a woman like her to wield. If she had to, she'd prove him wrong. Looking him over, sizing him up, she narrowed her eyes to silently warn him. At his table he snorted and started to talk to the other soldiers, often the soldiers would look over to her.

She was enjoying her ale when a teenage boy came over to her table. He had to be at least fourteen or fifteen.

"What is it you need boy?" she asked him.

"Um, are you a knight miss?"

Lifting her brows, she smirked.

"Yes, a traveling knight, why do you wish to know?"

"Well, I've never seen a female knight, I was wondering if I could speak to you? Maybe ask you about your travels if I may?"

Before she could answer him, the inn owner came over.

"Is he bothering you? Valen leave her alone."

The boy was about to leave disappointed.

"No wait," she said. Valen turned around to look at her and the owner looked shocked. "The boy wasn't bothering me one bit, I can use the company, sit boy, ask anything you wish to know," she gestured to the wooden chair across from her. She never minded the company of children, she actually liked them. The owner nodded and left them as Valen sat in the chair.

His green eyes went to the carved griffin.

"Why did you make that? Is it a hobby of yours?"


"A bit, I make them for my nephew, he loves them, when I visit I give them to him, he may be six summers old, but I'm his favorite and only aunt."

"That's very kind of you, do you just have a brother?"

"Four brothers, one nephew and three neices," she chuckled. "The girls are such a hassle, they're crazier than the boy, that's how the men in my family are, do you have any siblings?"

"I have a younger brother who is two, he's taking a nap and my mother is going to have another baby, we're hoping for a girl this time," he smiled.

"I bet you like to be the eldest and take care of your little brother huh?"

"Yes, very much so. Miss?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you a traveling knight?" his wide eyes curious to know more.

"I began traveling four years ago because I couldn't be a lady as my mother always wanted me to be, I was more like my brothers, so my grandfather taught my brothers and I the art of sword play as well as hand to hand fighting, I may be smaller than men, but I'm fast and smart. Plus, I felt something was missing, so I'm out traveling looking for whatever it may be."

"How long are you going to look for it?"

"As long as it takes Valen, as long as it takes," she picked up her mug to drink more of the ale.

"Wow, I don't think I could last as long as you have."

"If you put your mind to it, you can do anything, it goes for fighting too, as in that big bulky soldier over there has been eyeing my sword for the past half hour, he's alot bigger than me but I'm sure he doesn't have much brain to go with that strength," she said, making Valen chuckle a bit once he glanced at the soldier.

"Is that sword of yours really heavy?"

"It used to be, but not anymore, I've trained myself to wield it as easily as a wooden sword."

Noticing his father motioning over to him, he thanked her and left to go help his father. Leaving her at the table, she began to carve the griffin once more. Close to finishing it, she noticed that the burly soldier was giving his attention to the young maid. Who didn't like the attention he was giving her. As he was always trying to grab at her or persuade her to spend the night with him for some coin.

Closing her eyes, she said, "I would leave the girl alone if I was you." That made the soldier suddenly stop messing around with the girl. She got away to go to the counter nearst the owner who settled her behind him.

"What's it to you wench!?" the man stood, puffing out his chest to look bigger, not that he needed it.

"They don't like to be pawed at, if you want female company go get yourself one that would like your company," she sheathed her dagger and put the wooden griffin in her pouch. In a smaller pouch next to the other larger one, she took out a few coins for her ale to set on the table top. Looking back up at the soldier, she seen she hit a soft spot, as his face had gone red and he put his hand to his sword at his side. He stalked over towards her table. The other soldiers didn't get up after him, so she didn't have to worry about him. Their companion probably did this all the time and just let him do what he wanted. Well she wasn't going to let him do whatever he wished, at least not when she was around.

Just as he got to her table, he stopped and drew his sword, pointing it at her.

"You shut your mouth wench, unsheathe your sword and fight me, if you can."

When she didn't move, he went to slice down, but she moved quickly out of her chair to knock the soldiers sword out of his hand when she slammed his hand on the table. She swept her foot under his and tripped him, having his face hit hard on the table. As he was stunned for a moment, she used the time to punch him in the stomach. He slumped down to the floor unconcious. Turning away from him, she looked at his companions.

"Let him know that he should treat women better and not be so full of himself," she walked to the counter and rented a room for the night. She would leave in the morning after a good rest and once the rain stops. Without looking back, she walked up the stairs to the rooms.