Daughter of a Ranger

Chapter 3

Jemma was awoken by the bumping of the boat hitting the docks at Araluen. Jemma couldn't believe she had been asleep for this long, but she realised she must have been really tired to have slept for this long.

While the men on the boat were busy unloading the goods on the boat, Jemma snuck her way out of the anchor cupboard, jumped over the side and ran to the trees that she could see. She just hoped that no one had seen her.

She raced through the bush and trees until eventually, she got so tired she had to rest. She found a good place to camp and went to sleep.

Early in the morning she woke up and set on her way. She had a long way to go. She walked and walked.

She didn't have many clothes, just the ranger gear and some food. She had left the blanket on the boat in her rush to get off. She was cold and had a long way to walk. But she had courage. She was going to see her father. She was going to be able to live like a normal family should.

Then, she was interrupted by a gang of thieves. They rushed in and grabbed her bag before running away, leaving her with the scabbard with knives, bow and quiver and the ranger cloak. But Jemma nearly cried when she saw the state of the things they had left her in.

They had cut the cloak and it was ripped in several places. The arrows had been knocked and bent so they couldn't be used. The bow string had been cut so it was broken and the scabbards belt had been cut so it was falling off.

The attack had been so quick and sudden she didn't know what to do. She was upset that the only things Liam had left before he died had been ruined so quickly.

She cursed the thieves. They hadn't actually harmed her, but their actions were going to lead her to be hungry.

She just had to keep walking.

...

A few days of constant walking later, she spotted a small cottage with a barn, with lots of horses running around outside. The horses were short and shaggy, but to her, they looked beautiful.

A small, nearly bald man was walking the horses around. Jemma proceeded to ask him where she was and maybe for some directions.

As Jemma neared the man, he looked up and gasped when he saw her. He was more looking at the cloak, but Jemma didn't know that. The man rushed to her side and put an arm around her shoulder, getting her to lean on him slightly.

As they walked to his cottage, he introduced himself as "Young Bob," which Jemma thought was funny as now she looked at him closer, he looked incredibly old.

As she sat down, she met his wife, who bustled around, getting her some food and drink before setting down a plate of fruit in front of her. Jemma was amazed, she looked up, as if asking for permission and the couple nodded, getting her to tuck in. They could see how hungry she was.

After Jemma had eaten some fruit and drunken some refreshing water the couple sat next to her and proceeded to ask what had happened. Jemma recounted her tale, not mentioning any names. She didn't say anything about Gallica, but just told what had happened since arriving in Araluen. The couple could see she was hiding something, but as they could see she didn't want to talk about it, they left the matter.

Young Bob asked about her horse, and she looked up, surprised. Then Jemma realised that they seemed to think she was a Ranger. She quickly explained that she wasn't a Ranger, but another Ranger had given her the things.

She asked where she was and Young Bob's wife told her she was in Redmont Fief. She remembered that this was where her father was supposed to be working. She asked if the 'local Ranger' had left for the Gathering yet and Young Bob told her he had.