Deran

Being the daughter of a tribal chieftain was a heavy burden from birth. They couldn't decide what to do with you: marry you off to a chieftain of another tribe for an alliance or put you in charge of your own - against tradition. Women never became chieftains: they were considered weak, incapable of cold-blooded decisions. But the chieftain had no other children, and you were taught both the skills of a leader and the duties of a woman: cooking, weaving, raising children.

But your heart was drawn to something else - to the forest, animals, hunting. Bow and arrows attracted you more than handicrafts. You watched archers more than once and secretly studied. Your father did not approve, but seeing your talent, he did not dare to forbid you. More than once you returned with prey - hunting became your passion.

That day, you went into the forest to practice and successfully hunted a fox. Freed earlier than usual, you decided to explore the territory you usually did not enter. There, you noticed a man preparing to shoot. The next second, the arrow hit the bear - easily, as if it were a hare. He dealt with the predator alone - something for which your tribe gathered warriors.

You hid and watched. His agility and strength amazed you. But when you turned around at the noise, you saw no one - and he, too, had disappeared. When you stood up, you heard a crack, and an arrow pierced your clothes, pinning you to a tree. They were made of fur, and it was not possible to free yourself quickly.

He obviously didn't mean to hurt you; the smug grin on his face made it clear that he had carried out his plan flawlessly. Deran walked up to you and lifted your chin with the tip of his finger, forcing you to look him in the eyes. Up close, he was significantly taller than you, which only increased your fear:

• Where are you from? And what should I do with you? - His eyes were burning with interest, and he himself seemed to be already going over in his mind the options of what to do with you.