LOVE SHOTS - JENLISA ADAPTATIONS

Up on that tree (Part 1)

She heard yet another round of yelling and boisterous laughter coming from below, temporarily stopping her daydreaming and making her lift chin from the wooden railing to look down. Her expression didn't change. It was an all too familiar scene of loud men and women celebrating victory. Loot and food and self-brewed drinks littered the table. Knives, arrows and swords placed haphazardly everywhere. Music continuously filled the air, accompanying those who danced and sang.

She heard creaks of wooden gears and the tugging of rope before a pair of boots landed firmly not far from her. But she didn't move a muscle.

"What are you doing up here?"

She ignored her friend's question.

The visitor then sat down next to her with a grunt, dropping a heavy pouch onto the wooden floorboard. "I took the liberty of securing your share or there won't be any left if you just keep sitting here like this."

"..."

"Lis?"

"..."

"Lis! Answer me!"

"What?" She answered lazily, not even turning her head.

"Why are you up here? Why weren't you down there securing your share?"

"I have enough."

"Wha-... Are you nuts? It was our biggest hit to date!"

She took a deep breath instead of explaining. "Don't you ever get tired of this?"

"Of what?"

"That." She gestured at the scene below with her chin. The ruckus, the violence, the uncivilized manners..."

"You do know that you're basically talking about your family – your people – right?"

"I know but it's just that-..." Her sentence was interrupted by a loud clang that was followed by loud shouting – a signal of the beginning of the usual drunk fight. She couldn't help but sigh. "Sometimes I wonder how it feels like to just get myself a patch of land, start my own farm... settle down quietly."

Her friend took a while to respond. "It's her again, isn't it?"

She didn't feel the need to confirm.

"Sigh... Look, Lis." The similarly built girl moved closer then leaned on the railing next to her, mimicking her pose. "You know she's not one of us. Her kind doesn't take to us well. They're from a totally different world. They're royalty. They think we're trash."

"She's not like that."

"I know but what about her family? They'll have your head if they find out."

"I know. But I just..." She looked up at the dark sky peeking through the thick leaves. "She said she'd run away with me. We'll start a new life together somewhere, just the two of us. A quiet, nice, peaceful life," she dreamily said and smiled a little when she imagined what that life would look like.

"And you'll like it?"

"Of course!" She finally turned her head to look at her friend. "Why wouldn't I? I have her. It's all good as long as I have her."

The girl shook her head. "You had held a knife before you turned one, Lis. You've spent your whole life breaking laws, stealing, running... you don't do peace and quiet."

"People change." She looked away, back to staring at the people and the scene below. "I'm tired of always breaking laws, stealing and running. I want that peace and quiet."

"Who will lead us then?" Her friend asked after a short pause.

She shrugged. "You?"

Her friend scoffed. "Right. You know I can't."