Girl Out of Nowhere

The howl of the shot of an arrow disturbed the wilderness in the middle of forestry. Leaves rustle and birds flew from their nest and branches of alder trees. The deer, eating foliage, did not have the time to react and was pierced through its heart. It did not run like its usual kin when faced by danger as it just fell with a thud. Apparently, it appears that it accepts its own end as it did not even budge at the slightest. From not more than 20 meters, there exist two lads hiding beyond the bushes. One is short and stocky with a peasant shirt that can be mistaken like a dwarf with his grown beard and the other is a slim man with toned muscles seen in his tight doublet with a rather average look, who had his bow still outstretched in his arm.

"Nice Shot lad!" says the dwarf-like with awe, his eyes gleaming with respect.

"Nah, it's just my luck."

"Ahhhh… Shut up! Stop being so very humble Alister! Why? Unlike an ordinary plebian like me, you're the Prince of some castle! Not only that! You are the best of the best when it comes to archery! You can freely act haughty and with pride!"

"I think you're thinking a different person at that…" The man called Alister shrugged, giving the dwarf like a wry smile as he slings his bow to his shoulder.

"Not so fast! What if… some lady will come for you with a strong personality? She will be the man! You will be the woman! Do you really want you muscles to be useless?"

"If I am the woman, so be it! Besides, we don't have masculine princesses in the kingdom!"

They both laugh out loud, echoing throughout the silent wilderness. Unbeknownst to them, just above the carcass of the deer, exist a distortion in the air. There appears a short flicker in an empty space. Yet, it is being drowned by each of their own laughter in which gradually dissipates.

"Heh… that is not what I meant lad! What I mean is-"

"Huh? What do you mean that I do not know?" Alister asked, looking askance as he saw the dwarflike dropped his jaw as if in awe. "Cat got your tongue brother?"

"No idiot!" The dwarflike said sharply. "Look!"

The dwarflike pointed just above where the deer carcass. It didn't take too long for them to notice that something is not right. In that moment, something ripped abruptly apart where the flicker appears, and from an empty space came a ghastly tear that looks easily misplaced from this serene atmosphere. Its dark outer rim suggests an aura that fluctuates menacingly. Alister and the dwarflike felt like something crawling behind their backs. Sweat runs through their foreheads. Their natural instinct wanted to flee from this mysterious phenomenon, but fear won't let them. They have no choice but to see this through the end, to know what horror will come through that tear.

From what for them to be a long exhausting time is in reality, is but a short moment. From that tear from nowhere, something came out, wherein from that direction, seemingly beyond what they expect, appears a young woman with a long faded golden crimson hair in a natural perm, dressed in a purple coat, and wearing black slim pants tucked in her leather boots came to be. Her purplish eyes suggesting malice to her surroundings. From appearance alone, she looks outlandish. A plebeian would say that she wore men's attire, yet in contrast to what one may think, it greatly exudates her feminine elegancy.

Thus, she fell unto the carcass of the deer quite elegantly, making it a good cushion to her fall. The tear from the empty space vanished gradually into thin air like nothing ever happened in the first place. The woman who came from the rift appeared to be unconscious, nevertheless, the two lads approached this unknown individual with full of caution…. slowly… and steady…

"…Hey lad," Hardy speaks first, "I think she bonked her head too hard to warrant us danger!"

"…"

Alister had his jaw agape, unmoving. Staring as if in trance to the woman in question.

"Hah! That face!" Hardy grinned and chuckled, "Like a kinder boy seeing his stick hard for the first time!" Moving closer to Alister with a probing face, he said, "She's your type, isn't she?"

"h-Huh, NO! I-I mean!-" Alister shook his head and replied abruptly and perplexed

"No use denying it oh Shinin' Prince of Gesneria! Many lassies tried to won your heart for so long and then this lass, got it completely by just sleeping!-"

"Gaaaaah! Alright Hardy! You Won! But-"

"Shhh! She's wakin' up!"

The woman's eyelid twitches. With concern, the dwarflike named Hardy probes closer into this unknown individual. That moment, her eyes opened slowly.

"Hey lassie! Are you alright?"

At first, the woman stared at Hardy nonchalantly, as if lifeless. Then, her eyes opened wide and with a flash of anger-

"Hey-!"

She raises herself abruptly and strikes Hardy hard on his face and the poor dwarflike flew like in a few meters. Alister cannot help but to be in a state of shock and awe, with his jaw hanging loosely. The woman then shouted in which the two never expected coming out from her lips. And that is,

"Shit! What the fuck! Where the actual fuck!?" Cursing loudly, she scrutinizing her surroundings, "Fuuuuck! I feel like my head is full of muck!" as she her held her forehead with her arm. But not long, she noticed Alister and pointed him with her index as she haughtily approached them with noticeable irate to her apparent misfortune(?).

"Hey you motherfucker." The woman asked the lad with respect. "What the fuck do you think you're doing to me?"

"Ah... Uhmm… er..we-well…" Alister stammered profusely.

"How about your friend dwarf over here who is apparently trying to have a way with me, care to explain?"

Still in pain, the dwarf raised himself gradually with visible effort, grasping his face.

"Hey dwarf, do you understand me!? I'll ask again one by one because this man can't seem to speak as he can't seem to understand me, what do you think you're doing? where is this!?"

"'I… am NOT a dwarf young lady!" Said the dwarflike, noticeably pissed. "Did your parents teach you manners? Heck, I bet not! Therefore, I shall teach you wench how to- "

"What?" the woman interjected. "That low tone of voice! Not only you look like a dwarf, you talk like a dwarf!"

"Son of a-"

The woman smirked gleefully, feeling better when she learned she was not in the shit-eating world, even in the pangs of headache. Moreover, she was clearly amused to herself and to the dialect of the dwarflike. whereas the owner of that dwarven dialect is evidently pissed. 'I want to smack the head of this bitch' is what runs through his mind at the moment. It didn't take long that the woman laughed so hard that tears run through her eyes. The dwarflike, running out of patience, readied his fist to make his thoughts a reality, However, Alister regained his composure and tries to calm the dwarflike by tapping his shoulder, which he had done for him many times in situations akin to this one. When the woman's laughter dissipates, he began to speak.

"Young lady" said Alister trying to sound noble. "In your behest, I will answer your questions one by one within my abilities, and in turn, you shall do the same thing for us. But first thing first, we are to introduce ourselves. I am Alister Von Gesneriaceae, just call me Alister. And this hot-headed person's name is Hardy leandre Bogazi, Hardy for short. You are here in Estrid, in the southern province of the Kingdom of Gesneria

"Estrid? Gesneria?" Where the hell is that? The woman questions herself but then, she smirked "Hah! Amusing! But You jest if you think that intonation will capture my heart you foul cretin!" said the woman arrogantly pointing at him.

"Ah…Uhm…" Alister stuttered

"Ehem…" Hardy coughs angrily and looks at Alister.

"A-Anyway," with a sigh, Alister regained his composure and continued, "This may sound far-fetched, but you came here through the ripple in the sky. We had no knowledge of how or where you came from. Thus, I ask, May I know whence do you came?"

"The fuck? a ripple in the sky?" the woman said in clear disbelief. In reply, the two nodded to her. The more this guy says, the more it sounded that she was spirited away. What? Did she hit by something big and fast? Read a book then sucked her in? either way, it doesn't look like this Alister is lying to her. One thing is clear.

The woman sighed and said, "Very well, since you ask me nicely, I'll answer you…."

A pause. 'Shit, where did I come from again?' Is what the woman questioned from her mind. She forced herself to remember to no avail, until her head feels like something is gnawing inside. In that instance, Images flew into her mind. Blood, Fire, a Giant Blast. she held her head, these series of flash of images sends a sharp pain unto her head in which she clutches profusely, the pain was so visible to her face that which made the two lads worried.

"Argh!"

"Hey, hey, lad! Is she okay?" said Hardy, quite vexed with the pained sight of the woman. He thus nudges Alister as if telling him to do something about it.

"Uh….uh… My lady, are you okay?" Alister asked nervously

"Shut up!"

"Hey lassie, can you remember your name?"

"Will you please shut up both of you at the moment?!"

The painful images are gone, in fact, no matter how much she tried to remember, nothing came to be. It's as if remembering the dream that you've forgotten when you woke up. She learned that some of her memories are missing. Something had happened before she came here. Where did she come from? Bits and pieces of her memories came to be, like eating ice cream, drinking booze. but nothing significant came on how she came to be here. Then she realized that these two wear funny clothes, as if from Middle Ages… Middle Ages?

"a…"

"Hmm?"

She wanted to ask about this, but then she remembered her name.

"Ishnaia… That's right… I am Ishnaia!" She said while forcing herself to smirk. "And I come from a very far away land. Now that you know whence I came, I ask again because words are needed to be repeated to the likes of you," She then cleared her throat, "what is the name of this place, this country, this world? And what is the current time and day today?"

Hardy sighed, "No need to force yourself to appear conceited lassie…"

"One word from your tongue and I'll tear it apart!"

"Oh yeah? You hit your head hard enough that you do not know where you came from! Faraway land? Don't make me laugh!"

"Oho? Then I will hit your head enough, make you shorter than your father's rod!"

"Ishnaia huh…? Sounds cute…"Alister thought quietly rubbing his chin, as he refrained making it into speech for, he did not want to add inconvenience in this conversation. In fact, he's already having a hard time dealing with this woman at this moment.

"Hey Elizar, can you please make this man-child shut up?" Ishnaia said with her tone quite irate.

"Who in tarnation you calling man-child huh lassie!"

"Ha-ha-ha-" Ishnaia deadpanned, and voiced loudly "Hey Elizar!"

"Ah, yes… I'm sorry…" Alister snaps from his inner thoughts, "anyway Lady Ishnaia-"

"Wait, Just Call me Ishnaia."

"But my lady,"

"Oh, just shut your chivalry. Ishnaia's fine. You don't want me calling you Lord Sir Elizar always, don't you?"

"…" Alister grew silent. What a strange woman indeed. This is the first time for him to encounter such a girl.

"Well?"

"Oh, ah yes," Alister snaps out of his thoughts yet again, "Currently, we are in the Forest of Vyrilia, we two are to journey further south into the Town of Durakhal, right in the beastkins territory.

"What for?" Ishnaia asks.

"For peace and prosperity of the kingdom, to strengthen our diplomatic relationship between our kind."

"Hey, isn't that royalty thing?... Ah!" Ishnaia dawned then into a sudden realization, "Kesneya…Kesneyashe…. Ah! You're 'royal' blood!?"

"Uhm actually, its's Gesneriaceae… and yes… Actually, …my name is Alister and I'm a prince and my father's the king. But tell me, why do you emphasize royal with your fingers?" Alister said looking askance at Ishnaia.

"Ah… Ahahahaha…" said Ishnaia while scratching her head at the back. The dwarflike Hardy sighed hopelessly.

Then Hardy snapped, "Hey lassie! Get serious will ya!"

"So la-Ishnaia," Alister said "What-"

"I will go with you," Ishnaia abruptly said,

"Yeah," Hardy reluctantly nodded, "It will be cruel for us to leave you-"

"No, I will go wherever you two goes, go back to your home, meet your father and mother."

"Huh!?" Hardy Protested.

Alister then looked at her with suspicion, "Milady, if I may ask, Is this alright? For what reason do you-"

"I have no Idea where this is, and where to go. Besides," she smiled mischievously, her face abruptly closed in to Alister's facade, "How could I possibly ignore this chance presented to me?"

As a reflex, Alister stepped backwards, his eyes pinned to her. His face blushing, and by doing so, he tripped behind, landing on his buttocks. Ishnaia scoffed at this remarkable sight of him. She continued,

"So, will you help me Prince Charming?"

He avoided looking at her eyes and answered nervously, "W-Well, I-I think maybe he could help."

Hearing the words, Ishnaia momentarily rejoiced at her victory on persuasion; like a child who had won an award of sort, as Alister thought to describe it. Feeling satisfied, she extended her hand to Alister and said, "Ok Prince Charming, let's make haste!". The prince, who is still sitting dumbfounded to her reaction, gladly accepts it and replied, "Very well… uhh m-milady, let's be away and head south."

"Alright! Now where are the rides?" Ishnaia questioned.

"Over there," Alister pointed, "near that fig tree."

She hurried to that tree and went ahead of them, her eyes sparkling with joy. Alister could only sigh at this sight. As if by cue, Hardy tapped Alister on his back and spoke with worry,

"Hey wait wait wait, lad, do I hear you right? You sure about that? You gonna let a stranger you just met meet your father? the most important person in the kingdom?"

"Why not? I don't see any harm at all; My father might help her. Likewise, we have the soldiers and weapons at our disposal if she's a threat…"

"What do you mean no harm? She appeared out of nowhere and wanted to see the king all of the sudden! Heck, it's ploughing shady! In whichever side you see it!"

"…Well, I'll make sure to keep an eye on her then."

"Alright, but don't say that I did not warn you!"

Alister could only nod, he took a long glance to Ishnaia. Seeing this, Hardy could only scratch his head in pity, but by doing this, something lit on his mind and remembered why they're here in the first place.

"Oh hey, hey lad!" Hardy protested. "Aren't we forgetting something?"

"Do I? hmmm…" Alister replied, putting his hand on his chin. He looked down and suddenly noticed the bow slinging on his shoulder and remembered what they are doing here in the first place. "Bullocks!" Alister shouted, "The deer!"

Ishnaia glanced back and noticed that the two were going against the path toward the horses, they were heading straight to the corpse of the deer. Realizing this, she ran straight to them and cried poutingly,

"Hey, both of you! I thought we're going west? Just ignore that sorry dead thing and be on our way!"

"No can do, silly dressed goldilocks!" Hardy said mockingly. "We need this deer for food as a ration for our travel!"

"Oho? So you're the one who massacred that poor creature and made it to be my pillow? I'm not impressed" Ishnaia said pouting amusingly. "And watch your words dwarf or your tongue will truly tear apart by itself!"

"Oooh scary…" Hardy said sarcastically.

"Ah, N-no!" Alister stammered. "You fell from that place randomly of all places! And yes, I shot that deer, but I think massacre is such a strong word…" Alister said, his tone gradually decreasing.

"Ah, pox on it" Hardy said, picking his nose. "Let's get what we can get to that deer."

"What!? Why should we dawdle!? Did you mean that, it is that far!?" said Ishnaia, clearly not amused.

"Yes!" Hardy bellowed, "I mean what I mean! Can't you see that our horses are over there in that rotten tree?" He pointed at the mare and a gelding, both brown, in a rope halter on it. "We rode here from miles away. We'd departed from Selanis when the sun's still rising and we've arrived here when it is near at its zenith! We're hungry, so we must plough this deer first before we must away!"

"Apologies Lady Ishnaia" Alister said apologetically, looking at her, "We need this to sustain ourselves for our long journey, as we must traverse many terrain to reach our destination, thus hunger may call us and we must prepare to quench. Do not worry, we'll give you a share."

"Ah jeez… Fine! I'll wait here under this stupid rotten fig tree (I think?) for a moment!" Ishnaia said poutingly. "If you're both so slow, I'd free these meagre horses, ride it, and go to the west by myself!"

"Ah! Then go!" Hardy said, quite irate. "I hope you'll reach whatever your destination was in the west! Good luck traversing at somewhere you don't even know where!"

Ishnaia then remembers that they're going south and not west. She took silence in this blunder and, albeit unsatisfied, gave up arguing with Hardy. And hey! Deer meat sounds good for her. Therefore, she decided to volunteer to help the boys by little things, gathering water and branches on the outlying areas, yet she got bored and sat down in one of the giant roots of that rotten fig tree (she thinks?) to wait with the mare and the gelding for the boys to skin the deer and cook it for meal. When Ishnaia is pretty far from them, Hardy, skinning the deer with Alister, let out his thoughts verbally to his friend.

"What a beautiful woman, if not only for her rotten mouth, not my thing. Phooey." Hardy spat on the nearby mud. "Sorry my friend" He continued apologetically. "What I said about you meeting a woman with a strong, I mean disgustingly strong, became true… as the old lords say, be careful what you wish for…"

"Well…" Alister sighed. "There are some things in life that even the old lords really would not expect…"