Headhunters

Ebony's hooves clopped softly against the dirt paths as I rode back towards the stable under the stars. The weight of my bounty bounced gently against my hip.

The night air was cool and crisp. Causing a tightness in my lungs. I coughed into my hand and it came away splattered red, A reminder of my frail mortality. Ignoring it for the time being, I turned my attention back to ease Ebony back into her stall.

"You did good, girl," I praised Ebony and patted her neck with my clean hand. Ebony snorted in reply and I took that as a 'Get down already so I can relax'. So I finally pushed myself up and swung my leg over off her back. But as soon as I started putting weight down on my leg it buckled and I fell straight to the floor on my back with the other foot still caught in the stirrup.

"Ellie!" I heard our stablehand, Lukas, exclaim before I felt hands under my shoulders into my armpits and I was hauled back up onto my feet. "Have you been drinking or something?" He asked while holding me upright.

"No. I just slipped," I replied and shook him off, pretending not to feel the aftershock of my fall. His stormy gray eyes studied me skeptically.

"Well, be more careful next time," he responded before moving to start removing Ebony's saddle.

"Right... Thanks for picking me up," I mumbled the last part bashfully.

"Anytime," he chuckled which only made it worse.

"Is pa still up?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"You know he never goes to sleep before you get back," he answered with a soft grunt as he shouldered Ebony's saddle.

"I'd better go see him them," I excused myself before rushing out of the stable. My hip was still sore but I hid it well with years of practice.

Down another dirt path was our modest cabin and Lukas' guest house. There was still a light on in our kitchen shining through the window. I hurried up to the front door and opened it cautiously. "Pa?"

My father, a big burly man named Kain sat at the kitchen table sharpening our kitchen knives. He paused his work and slowly looked up at me with a serious expression. "Did you finish your assignment?" No smile, no greeting, just business.

"Yes, sir," I answered quietly and untied the burlap sack from my hip. I held it up and brought it to the table with carefully measured steps.

His dark eyes looked over the sack and then a small nod of approval. "Good," he said before glancing over at me. "Why are your clothes all dusty?"

I hesitated for a moment and shifted my weight nervously. "There was a scuffle."

He looked me square in the eye and there was no sign of amusement in his face. "You don't scuffle. You fell off that damn horse again, didn't you?" he waited for my answer while staring me down.

"Yes, sir," I answered quietly.

He nodded again. "Y'hurt? Don't lie to me, girl." His voice held no concern with the question.

"My hip is a little sore," I admitted reluctantly. Once more he nodded knowingly and reached for the burlap sack.

"You did well tonight, kid," he said as he opened the top of the sack and peered inside. The only thing he would have been able to see were tufts of hair peeking through my cotton wrap work. "Get some rest. I'll hand this in to the king in the morning and Kaelen will be here to see you in the afternoon."

My face started to light up briefly at the mention of Kaelen and I remembered the blood I'd coughed up into my hand earlier. "Thank you, Pa," I said before exiting the kitchen to go to my room. I was filled with excitement and relief as I shut my bedroom door behind myself and started changing into my night clothes.