Celine had walked over to the target and pulled out the arrow by the time that Jander had caught up with her. She looked at the arrow a minute, fingering the tip, and then stuck it back in her quiver. The other two bowmen were still standing there, and one of them approached her as she turned to look for Jander.
"Excellent bowmanship, my lady." The elf said, sweeping an elegant bow. "I am Serander of the House Terassi. You are new to the village?" he asked, straightening and slinging his bow back over his shoulder.
"I just arrived today." she told him. "I am called Celine Skyblade." she told him, noting how his comrade was looking at her warily. She flashed him a smile and he slowly came over to stand beside Serander. He had been the elf that had been missing the target.
"Katrander of the House Quintas." he said shortly, still eying her warily. Serander gave him a jab with the end of his bow, so subtle that Jander did not notice, but Celine did.
"Celine, these are two of the Kin'stara's elite bowmen." Jander said, "They usually are out on patrol, defending the forest, but today it is their day off." he smiled at Celine, giving Katrander a dangerous look. This Celine also noticed, but she said nothing.
"Pleased to meet you both." Celine said. "Sorry about the arrow."
"Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Serander said, giving her a quizzical look. "Pardon me, but you don't appear to be from around here."
"We can listen to her tale later." Jander said, holding up a hand. "For now, I'm sure Celine would like to rest, as she has traveled a long way." he said, looking at Celine and smiling. Celine nodded. She would like to rest. Her travels on the ship had been unrestful, as they had been always on the watch for pirates. She and Jander walked off, leaving Serander and Katrander looking after them.
"I don't like her." Katrander said, looking down at the arrow he held in his hand. "I sense a strange magic about her." Katrander had always distrusted magic, as his father had been killed by a wild mage when he was only 10 years old.
"Aw, come on, Katra. You're always saying that this is magic, and that is magic. She's probably just wearing a magical protection pendant." Serander said, a semi-wistful look in his eyes as he spoke of Celine. Serander had never seen an elf maiden look as beautiful as Celine did. She did not appear to be from around this area though. He was soon jostled out of his trance by Katrander, who pulled on his sleeve impatiently.
"Come on. We are going to be late for sword-training with Master Canir." Katrander said, walking off. "You know how he is when we are late." Katrander warned Serander. Still thinking of the strange elf maiden, Serander followed.
***
Jander Sunstar lived alone. He had for many years, as he had come from another land far, far away from here, and had no living kin. His house was perched up in the oldest, largest tree in the Kin'stara forest. Although he lived alone, he did have a few rooms that had been built to accomodate guests, and this is where he led Celine.
"You may stay here until you choose to leave." Jander told her, gesturing to the room, his gaze actually encompassing the entire house as he spoke. "I am sort of a high lord of this forest, and I am gone most of the time, traveling to other cities. You are welcome in Kin'stara to do as you please." he told her, grinning secretly at her and quickly leaving. Jander had some research to do, he thought.
Celine sat down in a chair by a window. She smiled. Finally, she was with her kin, after being away for so long. She looked out over the forest and realized that she felt like exploring. Getting up, she tossed her sword and bow on the floor, keeping her dagger and flute, and left the home.
Katrander and Serander had just finished their sword practice, and had stopped at at the natural spring that sat in the midst of the village to cool off. Suddenly, Katrander sat upright, looking around warily.
"What is it, my friend?" Serander asked, looking at Katrander, amused. Katrander did this often, he swore that he had the eyesight of an Avoreal and the hearing of a Cooshee.
"Someone's coming." Katrander said, looking off in the direction of the "Sunstar Tree", as the tree in which Jander made his home was called. Serander looked, and saw the young elf maiden, Celine.
"Ah, Katra, it's only that elf maiden from the bow range." Serander said, rising. "I'm going to go talk to her. If you are afraid of her 'magic', you can stay here." he said, getting up and walking off. Grudgingly, Katrander followed.
"Serander..." he started, but Celine cut him off as he started to bow again
"Yes, I know, Serander of the Terassi House, and your friend, Katrander of the Quintas House." she laughed as both elves looked at her in surprise. "I have an excellent memory, and there is no need to bow, I'm not a lord or lady." Celine shook her head, clearly amused. Serander nodded breifly.
"As you wish, milady." he said. "So, where are you headed?" he asked.
"Actually, I'm just wandering around. I haven't been in an elven village for ages."Celine told them truthfully, grinning at the surprise in the two elves faces.
"Tell us. How is it that you have come to be away from your family?" Katrander asked, a suspicious gleam coming into his eyes. "Most of our village doesn't leave their families until old age."
"Sit, it will take a while." Celine said, gesturing to a nearby log. Sitting down across from them on a moss covered stone, she told them of the centaur, and the aventures she had had on the Sea Serpent. Serander listened eagerly, nodding and asking questions. Katrander, on the other hand, was thinking of the odd circumstances in which Jander Sunstar had come to the Kin'stara village.
Jander Sunstar had entered the village early on the morning after the annual festival, celebrating Mielikki, goddess of the forest. He had looked half-starved and his clothes were ragged, as if he had walked a long way without any stops for food or mending clothing. Upon entering, the heads of House Terassi and House Quintas, Katrander and Serander's parents, had offered him food and shelter and a place among the lords of the village. For Jander was a peculiar looking elf, he had golden skin and fair white hair. His eyes glowed like silver in the moonlight. The only other reference to another elf that might have looked as Jander did was Corellon Larethian, and the elves would not do anything that might offend their elven god, the creator of the elven race.
Since Celine had come to this village with Jander, Katrander suspected that she was also a possessor of great magic, as Jander was rumored to be. No one had proof that Jander was a magic-user, though, so the rumors were decreed false by everyone except Katrander. Katrander was certain that Jander was a magic user of some sort, he never appeared to age at all, well, most elves didn't, but Jander looked younger than most around his age. That was the other strange thing about Jander, no one really knew where he had come from, or how old he really was anyways.
Celine had come to the end of her tale, and Serander was asking her questions about the pirate battle and living with the centaur. Katrander, suspicious, thinking that she hadn't told the entire truth, excused himself.
"I really must get going. It was nice meeting you, Celine." bowing briefly, Katrander strode off.
"He doesn't like me." Celine stated, interrupting Serander's question.
"Katrander? Well, don't let it bother you, he's like that to all strangers." Serander said, noticing her musing expression.
"Indeed." Celine said to herself, looking towards where Katrander had disappeared. "It has been nice visiting with you, but I must get back. Jander and I have tales to tell tonight." she told Serander, who nodded.
"Yes, I suppose I should go back to check on the status of the guard around the forest." Serander said, rising. "Good night, milady." he said, bowing and walking away.
As Celine walked back to Jander's house, she thought about Katranders' strange expression as he had listened to her story. He seemed unbelieving, as if he suspected that she was not telling the entire truth. In fact, Celine had left out the part where she had found herself by the elven warrior in this strange land. She had made up a homeland, far to the north of this village. Thoughtfully, she remembered the direction that Katrander had gone in and resolved to look into him later.
*****
Jander had just finished donning his "ranger outfit", as he liked to call it when Celine walked in. He was planning on going for one of his walks in the forest. He always took such walks when there was a full moon out. Some thought that he was a little crazy, but most thought that he just liked the look of the forest in the moonlight.
"Off somewhere, Jander?" Celine asked curiously as he brushed by her as she walked into the house.
"Yes, you see, I have a habit on going for walks occasionally, and tonight is a wonderful night to do so. If you will excuse me." he said, leaving her standing there by herself. Celine shrugged and went to her room.