Chance Encounters

Ara emerged from the woods utterly exhausted. She had just spent the entire morning fighting through the dense underbrush, trying desperately to make it the nearest town without being torn to shreds by numerous thorn bushes and long hanging branches. Her father had always warned her to stay away. That it was safer for her to keep her distance from anyone other than him, but she needed help finding out where this mysterious city was and how to get there. And now the only person she could trust was gone.... There was only so much her training and the forest could tell her. It was up to her to find someone brave enough to help guide her.... or at the very least lend her a map.

As she exited the tree line, Ara straightened herself to her full height; a measly 5'5". She dusted off her worn brown leather armor and grey-green undershirt, grumbling to herself as she picked burs off her black leggings and knee high leather boots. Adjusting her her heavy dark green cloak around her neck, she made sure her bow was secure to her pack. Ara absentmindedly placed a hand in either hip, where on one side her quiver of arrows lay and in the other, her fathers trusted hunting knife. Finally, she reached up to pull some stray leaves out of her long thick red hair, tied back loosely away from her face so that it tumbled down her back. Little wisps of stray hair fell in her eyes and she brushed them aside behind her pointed ears.

After everything was in order, Ara looked upon the town of Rachdale, a place her father had told her so little about despite her insistent questioning. To anyone else, it would be just another small farming village, complete with several small wooden homes with thatched roofs, a small church and general store, all surrounded by farm fields as far as the eye can see. But to Ara, this was the height of civilization. A bustling city full of more people than she had ever dared dream of in her short 20 years. The sight both excited and terrified her. But, after taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air, Ara steeled herself and made her way down the rolling hills towards the center of town.

* * *

Ara stared with wide eyes at the center of town mesmerized. The town square was nothing more than a sizable empty field surrounded by a few wooden buildings on each side. All of which were weathered with some obvious disrepair. The grass was brown and well trodden with small patches of dirt where the market saw the heaviest foot traffic. A few stalls stood on the far side, their hand painted signs faded and chipped in places from years spent exposed to the elements. A very quaint and cozy gathering place.

Today, however, there was an tension and excitement in the air that Ara could not place. It was still early in the morning; the sun barely a hands breadth over the horizon. However, it seemed that whole town was awake and swarming the grounds. On each side of the center square, teams of men scrambled up and down ladders, hanging colorful banners of orange, gold, and crimson from every building and lamppost. Others were making their way up trees, hanging lanterns of similar colors from even the highest branches.

A crowd of people bustled about with merchants running too and fro carrying packages and pulling carts full of delicious looking food and an assortment of wares. Families of all races, humans, elves, halflings, and even a half orc or two, gathered on the outskirts, watching the progress and helping where they could. Children screamed with delight as they chased each other through the crowds. The crisp autumn air was filled with the smells of fresh baked delicacies while the sounds of excited conversation drifted on the cool autumn breeze.

As she looked upon all of this, a grin broke out on Ara face. She didn't know where to look first, her head darted back and forth rapidly, trying to take it all in. Unfortunately, with all the excitement, Ara wasn't paying attention to where she was going promptly ran into a elderly man passing by, knocking the stack of papers out of his hand. Falling backwards with a groan, Ara looked at the elderly man and began to apologize profusely.

"I am so sorry!" she said, scrambling to help him pick up his papers. "I-I should've been looking where I was going. I am so-so sorry!" After gathering the papers in her arms, Ara nervously went over to the old man, shifting them from one to the other. Reaching out with her free hand to help him up, she looked down at him, smiling apologetically. The man stared up at her dumbfounded before surprising her with a small grin, chuckling as he took her outstretched hand. He continued to laugh softly as he brushed off his worn brown pants and deep red shirt that clung to his short stout frame. He then proceeded

to adjust his matching hat and reading glasses perched on his large nose.

"Oh, heh heh, it is quite alright m'dear. No harm done." His kind eyes looked over Ara with amusement, reaching out to grab the stack of papers from her. "I really should've been keepin' an eye on where I was goin' too. Unfortunately, my eyes aren't what they used ta be heh heh."

"Still," Ara continued, fidgeting in place, "If there is anything I could do to help to make up for what I've done I-"

"Oh, don't worry 'bout it." He interrupted, dismissively waving her apology off with his free hand. "You don't seem to be around here are ya?" He questioned while reaching for a paper from the large stack in his arms.

"Well-Well no. I mean… I am from the area… kinda. But I've never been here, but I've always wanted to… but I, um, couldn't." Ara rambled, trailing off after seeing the confused look on the old man's face.

"Umm…" Ara continued, abruptly extending her hand out to the old man. "My name is Ara. Ara Valeth. What is yours?"

The old man blinked in surprise as he looked down at the girl's hand and broke into even louder laughter, grasping it firmly with his own and shaking it jovially. "Why my name is Dwenn. Just Dwenn if it suits ya and it is very nice to meet ya Ara Valeth heh heh." Letting go of her hand he looked around at the chaos continuing around them. Glancing back up at the young elf, Dwenn grinned and said, "Well,

since ya seem to be so keen on helpin' this old man out, why don't ya come with me. I need to pass out the rest of these here fliers to the vendors. Does that sound good to ya?"

Looking down, Ara smiled warmly and took half of the stack from the kind elderly man without a moment's hesitation. "That sounds perfect to me 'Just Dwenn'." Adjusting the papers in her arms, Ara continued,

"Lead the way. I'll be right behind you."

Laughing at the strange girl, Dwenn shook his head and made his way into the crowd with Ara trailing behind him, a huge smile on her face.