Obsidian Scales

Chapter 1

In the darkest depths of the woods, where the branches and leaves turn day into night, 

where the birds no longer sing, and the flowers cannot grow,

turn back while you can. For there the beast lingers, his hunger fierce.

He will consume all he sees, his hunger insatiable. Leave while you can, before he sinks his fangs 

into you, and drains every last drop...

          The sunlight poured into the quaint, rustic room belonging to none other than Lily Meadowbrook. Groaning, she sat up in her soft bed and yawned, stretching her arms upward. Her bed, covered with quilted blankets, provided the best nights sleep, and was in front of a window overlooking the fields, and further than that, the forest. Her brown hair all tangled and messy, she looked sleepily to the forest. The morning breeze gently rustled the leaves in the trees, making a soft whistling noise like it was singing. Lily knew better than to go into those woods. Her gaze turned to the sun rising over the trees. Throwing the quilts off of her, Lily slipped out of her bed, moving to a brown dresser off to the side, and digging through what outfits she had. She was by no means a noblewoman, she owned and worked on a farm for heaven's sake!

Slipping off her simple, dusty pink night gown, she changed into a simple brown dress. Grabbing a blue apron hanging on a hook on her door, she tied it around herself, then moved to her vanity. On top of it was a simple wooden brush, which she used to tame her unruly hair. Once she had brushed it to her satisfaction, she tied it back with a leather ribbon. She looked herself over in the mirror, turning and making sure everything was laced up like it should be. Her green eyes searched over herself, before returning to look at her reflection. Lily never really found herself beautiful... though she never found herself hideously ugly. If she could describe herself, she would do it with the words "simple" and "cute." Slightly tanned skin from working in the sun and little freckles dotting her cheeks, her look was complete. 

She moved downstairs, going to make a simple breakfast of bread and butter with some eggs she had gotten the morning before. After that meal, she laced up her boots, which were by the front door, and she stepped outside. The sun hadn't risen too high, so she had plenty of time to work. Lily had a well planned schedule: feed the animals, milk the cows, clean their stalls, groom the horses, tend to the garden, and finally take her stock to the market in Elveton.

Despite the name, everyone there was completely human. The town was named after finding some old wood elf monuments in the forest, and some in the field. Though there was no elf in sight, some claimed that the woods still held some of their magic. Lily snorted, she had lived here for over twenty years and at the ripe age of twenty-one, she had not seen anything related to elves or elvish magic. Though there was the few monuments left around town, they weren't anything significant like statues. If anything they were just some stones or old trees with the odd rune or two carved on them. She snorted as she hitched her work horse, Dusty, to her cart. The lovely chestnut had an interesting blanket of a white on his back, making him look like he was covered in dust. Strong, though not as big as a warhorse she had seen knights ride in town, he was a reliable horse. The kids in town loved him too, and often spoiled him with apples.

Once he was securely harnessed to the cart, she climbed in the seat while looking over her shoulder to make sure her goods were secure. Today she had eggs, cow milk, and goat milk. Her vegetables were still growing, having planted them a little later than what she wanted. They were a gift from a friend of hers. She smiled a little to herself, satisfied with her goods, and urged Dusty forward.

~/~

The cart rattled as it was pulled along the dirt road, the odd pebble or two making it jostle. Lily was saving up for a new cart, feeling as though this one was just about done. One wheel was loose and kept wobbling off sometimes, to which she had to get off the cart and fix or push it all the way to the town. Her farm was located a little farther away from the town, needing the fields for her horses and cows. She also considered getting sheep, and at least by then she could learn how to make warmer clothes for the harsh winter seasons. But priorities were priorities and her main one now was to get a new cart. There was a lovely hickory cart she had seen in town before, a light wood cart that was sturdy and brand new. She worried someone else may have gotten it. Soon enough Elveton came into view, the walls of the builds white with stone and red clay rooftop shingles. A small smile came to her face as she heard music while approaching the main gates, a guard on either side of the entrance in shining armor. She was known throughout the town, so she had no need to show a pass to gain entrance inside. The road turned to cobblestone from dirt, and she eased Dusty down one of the main roads to the plaza, to sell her wares to the townsfolk or other merchants passing through. The plaza was bustling as always, merchants and traders creating a half circle around a large statue of an elf made of stone. Some artist born here had made the statue in honor of the elves and their magic, Lily just couldn't quite place his name.