The Becoming

1. Encounter

The one thing I would never tire of was Neoma; her legs shrouded in the canopy, smirking, as she dangled off of an overhanging branch - it was her signature move. I watched as she teased the appropriated satchel above the two travellers; Neo's short auburn curls coiled down like thick vines, where her fringe usually hung you could see her dark thick eyebrows above her playful, mossy eyes. Our living situation might not have been ideal, or morally sound, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't entertaining.

"Give it back, little girl," the pudgy man drawled up at her, his horse wavering under the weight of its master and his lavish, fur lined coat "or I will cut you down."

The scrawny servant boy riding along side him puffed out his chest in affirmation of the threat, although less intimidating from his stout horse.

"I might very well hold you to that, I'm not sure I could get down on my own." Neoma's taunting temperament hadn't changed; she continued to distract the two as I approached the horses' rear, my light fingers found silk satchels hanging from the horse's saddle and a long-sword with an artful hilt that detached with it's sheath.

I could almost taste my heartbeat in my throat, but it wasn't from fear, it was the thrill of the steal, it ignited in my blood. I slipped back into the brush to stow my findings. From there, I withdrew a throwing knife from my boot, kissed the cold metal and let it loose. The dagger sunk into a fur tree an inch from the nobleman's head, both travellers turned to the daggers source.

"I will give it back, but only-" Neo swung from the branch, landed gracefully and retrieved her bow from a hollowed tree while their attention was redirected, "if you can swear you don't possess at least one hundred times the contents of this pouch, back at your castle."

"Hah, please, one hundred?" the man straightened up and gave Neo a boastful glance, soon streaked with fear at the sight of her drawn bow. He choked on his words and then blurted, "I swear."

"Come on, say it with some conviction," Neo urged him mockingly and looked to me, I leant against a tree, spinning another dagger in my hand and gave her an expression that said 'don't get ahead of yourself', "You need to make us believe you."

"You have what you want." The man had given in, his was face sullen yet he still moved his trembling hand to where his sword should have been.

"Then go on your way," Neo lowered her bow slightly, exercising what little mercy she thought she had, "We don't want this to get messy"

"Not unless it has to." I interjected , gripping my dagger. My words fell redundant at the mixture of compliance and crippling fear glistening in the nobleman's eyes. 

I swaggered forward, the air grew tense and I raised my free hand.

"Ya!" I thumped the flank of the nobleman's horse and, despite almost falling backwards, he raced down the path, leading to the outer kingdom.

The servant boy became stiff, unsure of how to act, whether to speak up or run away. I wouldn't have bet on him defending his master, even if he tried.

"Ah!" Neo made a faux move forward, the boy shrieked and in his shock, kicked his horse, galloping after his master.

The dirt pathway, shrouded in the rich green of the forest, regained its solitude, and Neo made her way over to me, swinging an arm triumphantly across my shoulders, "Let's see the plunder."

I walked back and parted the brush, revealing satchels of gold, silver and ebony trinkets and coins half buried amongst diamonds the size of sand grains. I tossed her the two satchels, retrieved my dagger from the fur and walked shoulder to shoulder with Neo as we made our way home.