Huntress [REWRITE] - NaNoWriMo 2023

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The next morning, Lucilia did not bother with formalities. Everyone either saw her out burst yesterday or heard about it. So she did not want to pretend for her mother anymore and ear dresses. She was wearing trousers and regular man clothing. Even to breakfast.

She made her appearance in the dining room for breakfast. It was already half full of people, and she walked over to her cousin Raymond to sit with him before anyone else could tell her where to go. Raymond was too excited to see Lucilia, in her opinion. She thought he was too excited to be awake in the morning period.

"Good morning dear cousin," he grinned at her, "I see you are being normal today."

Lucilia glanced at him sideways as she started to fill up her plate with food. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "Everyone is talking about what you said. All of our generation agrees with you, but our fathers are split. Some of The Circle didn't want you from the moment you were born."

Lucilia held back rolling her eyes. She knew that part, but it was a little hard to hear coming from someone she only just met. How did he know all of these things already?

The only explanation was that they all stayed up last night and chatted. That or they all got to speak to one another before this week. Which would be concerning because the next generation of circle members were not supposed to meet until initiation was looming.

That thought made her stomach turn and she faced Raymond. "Please don't lie to be when I ask my questions."

Raymond's eyebrows scrunched as he grew confused, "okay?"

"You promise," Lucilia pressed.

Raymond nodded, "I promise."

Lucilia let out a sigh, "did any of you meet before this week?"

Raymond's head tilted as if he was a confused puppy. He was the youngest from what Lucilia knew so this motion made him look extra young to her. "No, not that I'm aware of. My father did try to make you and I meet once a long time ago, but your father forbade it. Other than that, we all started meeting yesterday while you were out. Some of the guys are really putting on the alpha act too, which is amusing."

Lucilia got more there than what she expected, but that was how Raymond seemed to be. He was probably an over-explainer. Maybe even and over-thinker. She was surprised he made it this far in his training. Even with a couple younger brothers. If they were quieter, maybe his father would have preferred them. It was an interesting choice for sure.

Lucilia nodded and went back to her meal, "so you all just chatted yesterday about me then?"

Raymond let out an airy laugh, "yeah well you did make a scene so can you really blame them?"

Lucilia made a motion to elbow Raymond, it was half-hearted, but he blocked it and just started to laugh. "I hope that is now how you fight."

Lucilia couldn't help it, she rolled her eyes again, "you will see later."

Lucilia was right for once, Raymond would see later.

After breakfast, the entire household went out to the yard. Well mostly. Lucilia ended up being the only woman present.

She could immediately tell who was who. The fathers were the serious men with swords strapped to their sides. While their sons were poking each other and waving their swords around in anticipation for whatever was about to happen.

Most of them guessed pretty quickly, it was going to be a show of skills.

The fathers split them into two teams. Lucilia ended up with Clyde, and Raymond ended up on the other team. This was probably purposeful since they ate breakfast together. Lucilia's father brought her over a bow and set of arrows as well as a sword. She quickly noted that her sword was shorter than the sons around her and raised her eyebrow at her father. He had something up his sleeve, but she didn't know what it was yet.