The Bringer of Shadows

Chapter 2

"I would ask you for money," said a familiar voice. "But I know you don't have any."

"Probably because you always spend it, Sapphire," came the other, slightly friendlier voice.

"By the Gods," Bronwyn gasped, breathing out a sigh of relief as she lowered her weapon. The two silhouettes lowered their bows at the same time. "You both nearly scared me to death."

The two figures jumped off the rock, landing in the snow with a loud crunch, revealing Bronwyn's two closest friends. Despite her racing heart, Bronwyn couldn't help but allowing herself to laugh, which was echoed by her friends.

Sapphire stopped laughing, her frizzy red hair falling past her shoulders, resembling a bird's nest hidden in vines. Her light hazel skin bunched around her small nose as she flashed Bronwyn a wicked, toothy grin, her rich blue eyes shining with mischief. Anyone who knew Sapphire knew that this was the same expression she gave people whenever she was planning her famous schemes or pranks.

Her plain deep green top and grey trousers hid most of her physique, which Bronwyn knew was intentional. Sapphire, like Bronwyn, had never been someone to care about how she looked, or their opinions of her in general. She only wanted to enjoy her life to the best of her ability and Bronwyn was grateful that Sapphire kept her along for most of the ride.

The other girl, Lilly, was Sapphire's twin.

She had short, blue hair that reflected against her green eyes. A few years prior, Sapphire had performed one of her usual pranks on her sister. She had Bronwyn steal some blue clothing dye from the Inn's storeroom, and while her sister was preparing for her bath, Sapphire poured it into her water. The scream of realisation had caused Sapphire and Bronwyn to laugh, until they realised that the dye in her hair wouldn't come out.

Lilly had initially hated it, claiming that it didn't work with any of her extreme outfits, or her smooth round face. It even clashed with her darker skin, causing her to refuse to come out of her room for an entire week from embarrassment.

While Bronwyn and Sapphire knew that Lilly tended to overreact to situations, they had felt such guilt that the two girls had spent every day of that week sitting outside her locked door, trying to apologise. Eventually, Lilly had opened the door, and the three girls sat down together, making laughing and building up her confidence.

That evening, Lilly had put on her best dress and walked through the village with her head held high, Bronwyn and Sapphire on either arm as people's heads turned and looked at her with awe. Now, every month, she took some blue dye from the storeroom and washed it into her hair, maintaining the vibrant colour.

Lilly constantly tried to convince Bronwyn that she was like Sapphire, not caring what other people thought. But she knew the truth, being the centre of attention was where Lilly thrived.

Even out in the cold, Lilly was wearing a rich blue pair of thick trousers, and a deep purple top that Lilly rarely fastened tightly, trying to entice the young men of Moonshine.

Bronwyn knew Lilly hadn't thought about the temperature in the forest when she had chosen her outfit, as the slightly shorter girl put her bow back in its quiver and wrapped her thick green cape around her body, letting out a little shiver.

Despite being twins, the two girls didn't look the same, though Bronwyn knew them well enough to know they were definitely related.

"Don't scare me like that again," Bronwyn jokingly warned, trying not to laugh again.

"It isn't our fault you are too easy," Lilly replied, her voice like a mermaid's leading men to their doom.

"Didn't even take much planning," Sapphire responded, leaning on her bow and inspecting her fingernails, like they were more important.