Awakening

4. Who?!?

🗡Archer's P.O.V🗡

"Hey dude, how you doing?"

He hugged me and gave me a fist bump - something we created - before sitting down. "Great, my father is still pestering me about certain things though. It's tiring, especially having to look after the younger ones," I said.

"That must be hard. I only have to look after myself. It's great." He chuckled. "So why'd you get here late?"

"Charles. I gave him a ride to one of his lady friends." I leaned on the back of my chair. "Classic Charles. What about you? No lady friends?" Nico smirked. "Not unless you count the nanny." We laughed like we used to. It was comforting. I was about to ask him something when there was a bang at the bar door.

"We've got food!"

Everyone around us - even Nico - erupted in cheers. There was a girl and a boy about my age in cloaks - probably because of the weather - so I couldn't see their faces. They had two deers in hand.

They got cheers from different people as they crossed the room to the back of the counter. A muscle - but skinny - looking dude greeted them as they went to the back and he took the deer and carried them outside like nothing.

"What was that that about?," I asked Nico. "Your father cut down on our earnings, by a lot if I may add, and we've had to send our best people hunting. I must say they didn't bring as much this time, but she must have been spending time with her brother."

"She?"

"The girl that came in just now, is the town favorite.

"She's the only girl in her family - besides her mum - and got taught everything she knows by her legendary brothers. She's used to hanging around boys and not girls, so don't be weirded out if you see her tackling one of the guys. She's done it to me, so it's no surprise."

I saw the boy that entered leave through the back door and the girl stayed, taking off her cloak, placing it on the hanger. She had a beautiful autumn hair color, fair skin, and slender hands. She looked friendly and smart. Like someone who didn't care about her looks or about other people's opinion.

"You know her?"

"Know her? I grew up with her!" Nico looked at me and said, " she's the darn best at archery and wrestling."

"Especially wrestling!"

"She beat up this kid we grew up with. Quite a comment she gave him this morning," he said. "This morning?"

"I went hunting with them this morning. Good thing we got back soon or I would have been more late than you." I looked at him. "They also send you?" "Yah, you sound surprised." I looked at Nico apologetically. "It's just that I hate when my father does this. He doesn't include me in these things and at times he expects me to know everything!"

"Well he is your father and we all know how he is.

"That's why everyone can't wait to put you on the throne. They've heard so much about you that they would go to battle to make you king instead of your father!"

We got interrupted when there were cheers in the back of the bar.

"HUZZAH!"

All over us we heard things like, " That's twenty sickles", " I told you", " Bring out the money, chump", and "He had it coming."

Nico got up to see what was up. "Wait here," he told me.

A few seconds later and Nico was back with two big pouches. "What's that?" He smirked. "Dinner for mum and me." I looked at him confused. "A few of us won the bet. That's what the commotion was all about."

"What was the bet?"

"Between two people in a arm wrestle. Mark lost, which was predictable since it was against someone we knew would kick his behind." A boy our age escaped from the crowd, rubbing his arm. "What's up Mark?," shouted Nico. "Nothing. I just got lost to you-know-who again!" He left the bar and Nico faced me. "That's Mark. The guy I told you beat up the older kids. Remember?"

"Oh yeah! But wasn't that a long time ago?"

"Yeah, two years."

"Two years!" I remember when Nico told me the tale of when a guy our age beat up a group of older guys. By five years! And it was six buff looking guys. He beat them all by himself. "How could he lose in an arm wrestle when he took on five guys alone at that age. ?!?"

"Well, if you lived around here, you would know. Did you not hear me when I told you who could beat anyone at anything?"

"Wait-"

"It's about time you got a clue!"

"She did it? But she's not got the least muscle that we do." I couldn't believe it. A girl, much less a normal village girl, took down a guy that was known for doing something extraordinary.

"Don't judge her, man. As I've said, she's got legendary brothers." I wondered.

"Who are they?"

"They're the Palmer brothers." I felt my eyes widen wide. "What?!? You me she's related to them?!?" Nico nodded. "She's the fourth child of five. The Palmer children in order are listed: Ezekiel, Andrew, Daniel, her, and, Matthew. The best family in town. At least we think of them that way. The father is a butcher, the mother is a baker, Andrew is a part-time innkeeper, and then Daniel is the owner of this bar. You know, the muscle looking guy? Andrew helps out here when he's not at the inn. Matthew's still young but he helps out anywhere he's needed, along with the company of his sister which is most likely all the time."

At that moment she came out looking around the bar. Probably for someone.

"Hey! Over here!"

Nico practically shouted that out. She came in our direction and as she got closer, I couldn't help but notice that she had a beauty mark on her left cheek - at least that's what my mom calls it. She came near enough to where I could smell a scent. Roses, I thought. It smelled beautiful. What are you thinking, Archer?

"Hey, I knew I could count on you to beat Mark once again," he said. She smiled. "He just won't give up. I don't know when he will. This has been going on for years and he's even been trying harder than the last. He's going to bust one of these days." Nico gleamed. "Well, wouldn't we all want to see that," he said smirking.

"Yeah. But it's also not nice. Though, it would be interesting," she admitted while grinning. I noticed that she had one dimple. One. On her left cheek slightly below her beauty mark.

"Oh, I need to introduce you to my friend here," Nico said looking at me.

___________________________________

This has been the longest chapter so far, but I haven't even written more than any of you'll. So Archer met Nico and he's about to be introduced to her, who we all know exactly who is. It's obvious. Hopefully.

Thanks to you'll who have read my one story and remember. I follow if you follow. I also comment on others stories and talk with people. (God I need friends:) ). I'm sorry it took me a long time to update. I still need to work on that.

✔️MelsAlvarez✔️