Five years later and Blaria was now sixteen, her birthday had been just over two weeks ago. Derken was about to go into town. Blaria's quickened her pace to catch up with him.

"Can I come to town with you this time?" Blaria pleaded.

"No" came Derken's stern reply.

"Why not?" Blaria asked tilting her head.

"Bandits, thieves that kind of thing" he answered meeting her gaze.

Pulling a arrow out of her quiver she nocked it onto her bow string pulling back she aimed just a bit above her target then letting go the arrow hissed and with a crack! it hit the her target, a dead branch dangling in a tree.

"You think I can't handle a couple of thieves?" Blaria asked the question as she ran over to pick up the dead branch with the arrow still in it, holding it up she raised her eye brows.

"How about when there are arrows flying back at you?" Derken challenged.

"I'll just hide behind something" she replied meeting Derkens stubborn gaze.

"And if there is nothing to hide behind?" He said in a questioning tone.

"Oh come on Derken, just let me come with"

Nodding Derken said "I suppose you can. Go saddle Spire."

"Thanks Derken" Blaria said running over to the barn.

Then Derken started walking over to the barn to get his own horse, Koraven.

° ° °

Ten minutes later they were on the road to Hillingston. The horses hoofs thudded on the dirt road.

After a hour of the repeated slap clop slap slap of the horses hooves, Blaria got extremely bored.

"Are we almost there?" She asked trying to see if she could see the town.

"Just around the next bend and we'll be to town" Derken replied.

As they approached the bend in the road Blaria noticed the town.
"That's town?" Blaria asked wrinkling her forehead.

"That's the town, Hillingston they call it" Derken informed her.

"I can see why they call it Hillingston" Blaria commented.

The town of Hillingston was set on a small hill with a valley below.

"Is this really the closest town?" She wondered glancing over at Derken to hear his reply.

"It is now. There used to be a town closer to Droveiw Hills it was where I found you" there was a slight pause then he finished, "it was burned by Soranors"

"Soranors?" Blaria looked confused.

"There a tribe that" the pause came again, "well you could say that they go around destroying and capturing people as slave's"

When she was sure Derken had finished Blaria nodded not knowing what to say.

"Is that town?" She asked for the second time looking excitedly over at Derken, he nodded in reply.

Soon they reached the town, houses loomed over Blaria's head. Looking around exeitedly Blaria couldn't help but ask another question, "why isn't there any dragons?"

Derken sighed, "now, why don't we concentrate on our shopping"

Blaria nodded looking around.

"You see that shop there? Thats our next stop" Derken said pointing to a blacksmith shop.
Blaria let her eyes move to where Derken's finger pointed.

They dismounted and tied there horses to a tall post then they walked up to the soot covered man. As they got closer the man removed a hot mettle from a blazing forge and placed it into a pail filled with cool water, it made a sizzling noise and let off steam.

"How may I help you?" The man's deep voice made Blaria brake her gaze from the hot mettle.
He wiped the sweat from his face with a rough apron he wore around his waist.

"I need my axe sharpened" Derken said placing the heavy axe on the table that was next to him. The man nodded, a small jerk of his head.

"I'll be back in an hour to pick it up" Derken said as he started to leave.

Blaria followed him picking up her skirt as she stepped over a large piece of chopped wood that had rolled away from the pile. Blaria mounted Spire and followed Derken silently.

"I need some food supplies, you wait here" Derken said dismounting.

She nodded letting her gaze drop on a building across the street. The sign read "Tavern" there were some men out side of it seeming to be chatting. When Derken came back Blaria asked him about it.

"Its a place where people stay if they live to far to travel in a day" he replied.

Derken finished his shopping and went back to pick up his ax. Blaria waited on her horse until Derken got back, then when he came back they set out for their home, when Derken noticed a dark cloud looming over their path back.

"I guess we'll just have to stay in town for the night" he sighed.

They road over to the stables and got a place for the horses to stay, then they walked over to the tavern.

"Wait here wile I get a room" Derken said holding up his hand and walking into the big building.

Blaria shuffled her feet around while she waited for Derken to come back. After he came they went into the tavern, Derken showing Blaria the way. Soon they came to a room.

"This is your room, I'll be across the hall if you need anything." Derken said gesturing to a door and handing Blaria a key.