The Unforeseen [EDITING]

Chapter Sixteen

No more dresses, Timena thought to herself. At least for now.

     It wasn't to say that she hated the dress, because it had certainly been a great deal more comfortable than the ones she'd worn in the previous weeks, but it was a relief to be back in a state of comfort.
     "Ready the hounds, we're hunting." She spoke with authority and the young boys and girls moved with a quickness.
     A few of them had already left earlier in the morning to find a trail or any hoof prints left behind by deer. When Timena entered the forest, she saw the master huntsman Tomas and Aldus in deep conversation as Silas stood beside them absentmindedly. His cold guise softened into a smile as she approached them.
     "Don't even say a word," She warned as she walked past him. "How are they doing today, Tomas?"
     "They're an observant bunch, it didn't take them very long to find a trail." He pointed in the direction of the boys.
     She began to travel further into the forest, footsteps sounded behind her and she looked back, expecting to see Tomas, but it was Silas. Her steps came to a halt and so did his.
     "I've just come to observe the group, but mostly you, on a hunt." He said innocently, "You won't even know I'm here."
     With a loud hiss, she walked away. Like that's possible.
     When Timena finally approached them, she noticed that they were all staring at Silas. They seemed visibly nervous at his arrival and it didn't help that his stony expression was bordering on disdain, Timena turned to him immediately.
     "Fix your face or leave," She muttered, growing slightly irritated.
     His brows knit together in confusion, "What's wrong with my face?"
     "You're intimidating them with that crusty look on your face." She scolded. 
     Silas slowly took in her words, "My apologies, I hadn't realized."
     Timena was skeptical of that but nodded, "Be nice and assist them if they need it."
     Turning her attention back to the group, she started to examine their findings, deer droppings and broken branches that were scattered around the area. Tomas, Aldus and Silas came shortly after and they began to discuss their plan of action.
     After the deer path had been predicted, the hounds were quickly positioned on it.
     A small herd was spotted, all closely together as everyone began to move gingerly against the forest floor. The boys and girls focused on their prey and followed along with the hounds as Timena watched them in action, however a stag slowly separated from the herd, catching her attention. Pulling an arrow from her quiver, her footsteps mimicked that of her prey's. With the arrow being placed on the bow's rest, she moved around the narrow trees, aiming to get as close as she possibly could. The creature's footsteps came to a halt, its eyes assessing the intruder; Timena slowly pulled the bowstring back, lifting her arms and positioning her body to the side.
     "Get a bit closer, love." Silas' voice came from behind her.
     Her brows furrowed at his comment, I'm close enough, she thought. Aren't I?
     Her fingers released the bowstring and the arrow grazed the top of the stag's head. Shit. She took off running after it.
     Roughly pulling another arrow from her quiver and lining it with the rest, she tried to see if she could target the lower side of its chest. She weaved through the trees easily but was losing speed and approaching a small hill, now was her chance. She jumped forward before hastily pulling the string back as far as it would allow and it hit its target just as the stag coiled itself to jump over the hill.
     Timena landed with a heavy thud, a deep exhale leaving her lips shortly after as her head came to rest against her forearm.
     Silas approached moments later before dropping to his haunches, he looked down at an out of breath Timena, his Timena, she was a stubborn but determined one.
     "That was rather entertaining." He said, offering his hand.
     She turned her head slightly to see his open hand and after a few moments of contemplation, she placed her hand in his. He held onto it for a moment too long after helping her up and she shook free of his grasp before walking to the edge of the hill to see if the stag was still there.
     A closer look at the deer, she could see that it was still alive and to put it out of its misery, she aimed and hit just below the back of the skull.
     Timena looked back at Silas, "Are you just going to stand there or make yourself useful?"
          The hounds were rewarded with a taste of the deer necks that had been cut open, then came the process of skinning and butchering. The boys and girls eagerly worked at the carcasses of the deer, with occasional guidance from the men and Timena. The meat was dried and preserved with salt before they packed up all of their tools and made their way back to the castle so that it could be properly stored. A mixture of some of the organs, blood and bread were left in the hide for the hounds to eat when they returned.