Max

"So why did you choose to become a demon hunter?" Amelia asks, her blond hair falling around her shoulders as she leaned against the back of the  carriage, looking out the window to see her horse trotting next to us. I hummed in thought, looking out the opposite window, watching the hills roll over the grassy fields. "I'm the youngest of three. My eldest brother gets the throne, my middle brother gets a throne in the western kingdom. I figured helping my people fight off our worst enemies would be productive" I state, rubbing the slight stubble that had began to grow on my face.

"What about you? Why did you become a hunter?" I ask, looking over at her again. I wanted to gauge the reaction in her face, but she didn't seem as though she was paying any attention to me until she spoke. "My parents were both well known hunters. The sparrow and the songbird, that's what the people called them, since my mother's maiden last name was mocking." She states, shrugging. "They taught me everything they knew about the buisness, and I wanted to avenge their death; killed by the very thing they hunted" she spits,  resentment leaking into her voice when she talked about their death.

Maybe she knew which demon had murdered her parents, but I figured it better not to ask. It would seem rude, after all.

"So, do you not wear a crown?" She asks, looking over at me, tilting her head in question. "No, brings to much attention while I'm hunting. It's best to leave it at home. Of course, I've brought it along with me for this occasion just in case things go south. Besides, I'd rather not have demons trying to exchange my life for anything." I stated, earning a nod of what may have been respect from miss Sparrow.

"Well, we'll be in town soon enough. I hope your ready for a bunch of hiking. The south holds the mountains and our great lake." She states.

Red lake was a lake that long ago had been the site of a bloody war a few hundred years ago. My family had won the war, but the lake had been stained with blood for years. It had cleared only a small time ago, but the name had stuck because of the red sand at the bottom, which locals says is where the blood really is.

"Yes, well, let's hope the journey is quiet, I'd rather rest up before going into a fight" I state, laying back against the carriage seat, and closing my eyes. "Please awaken me when we arrive" I ask Amelia, and earn a sigh. "Fine, best to get some rest anyways" she states.

I hum gently, and nod at her, before letting sleep take me into it's comforting arms.

•••

I groan lowly, my eyes fluttering open slowly. Night has fallen over the kingdom, and something, no, someone was shaking me awake.

"Hey, were at the inn, get up" Amelia says, her blond hair falling around her shoulders. As must have taken it out of her bun when it started hurting. I groan again and sit up, looking around the small carriage for my weapons. I had set them down somewhere on the ground before I had drifted off.

I collected my long sword and bow, and crawled out of the carriage, looking around at my environment. The grass was swaying in the gentle breeze that came from the west, and the moon was high in the sky, the stars twinkling like they did each night, but now Orion was easier to see where we were.

"Hey, it's over here, Max" Amelia says, bringing my attention over to the small inn only a few feet behind me. It was a bit run down, but it would do for the two nights we were going to stay.
"Let's get in then, we'll have my men bring in the luggage" I say with a chuckle. The luggage consisted of a few daggers, some arrows, and some extra clothes. And we were only staying in the inn until the Lord of the land was ready to have us. He stated he needed to get his land in order, whatever that meant with Sir Arthur.

"Yeah yeah, let's just get inside so I can set up the map" she states, heading inside. I hadn't known Amelia long, but from what I had learned from her, it was that she was no-nonsense, and she didn't like me. But that was fine, I'd prove my worth as a hunter to her eventually. I followed her inside, and quickly paid for the room. We headed down the long corridor, and turned to a room with a painted black twelve.

"Shall we?" I ask, opening the door to let Amelia inside. She walked in ahead of me, looking around with a sigh. "I guess I can work with this for a night... Though if we slept in the woods, we would get a headstart on the demon problem" she states, heading for the bed.

I walked over to my bed, setting my stuff down next to it. "But the Lord of the land is paying for us to stay here, I think it would be best not to make him upset before we see him." I awnsered, placing my knife under my pillow. "I will let you change in here, if you wish" I tell her, grabbing up my night clothes.

"Yeah yeah, no peeking" she states, grabbing a night gown out of her bag. I turned and headed for the changing room they always supplied to the higher rooms. I changed into an old, loose shirt and sleep shorts, fixing my hair and brushing my teeth. I would bathe in the lake in the morning.

"Are you decent?" I called, waiting for her response on the other side. "Yes, you can come in!" She called back to me. When I came into the room, Amelia was sitting at the provided desk, cleaning her crossbow. Her hair was around her shoulders in gentle waves, and the night gown she wore hugged her curves.

I looked away, feeling heat in my cheeks as I went over to my bed, fixing the sheets. "Let's get some rest then, she sighs, standing and going to her bed, pulling the covers over her body. I did the same, sitting up to blow out the candle at my bedside.

"Goodnight, Amelia" I state, picking up the candle holder as I sat up. "Goodnight, Max" she states, blowing out her candle and laying back.

I lifted the candle to my lips, and blew out the candle.