He came from the Red Valley

The deer trail that the young man was following was heavily used judging by the many prints that marked it. Surely he guessed, he would steal a glimpse of one of the beasts in a nearby clearing.

It was a particularly cool day in late September as the leaves only just began to molt and die. That said, the mating season has begun and so many deer were active in the area as the bucks roamed the vast expanse of forests that August Piast lived in.

As he crept deeper into the woods the sun climaxed above him at high noon. Judging by the wind blowing at his face, he guessed any deer ahead of him would be unable to smell him.

His assumption was well founded, he looked up and heard a series of crunches somewhere in the distance. The young man was masterful at keeping quiet on the move, an especially important skill to have when the leaves fall, making doing so ever more difficult. Where he exceeded the animal failed.

He snuck over the next hill, each step taken carefully so as to not alert his unknowing prey. Sure enough, a single doe stood about 100 yards away. Separating the two was a small swamp, and the distance was too far for August to make an accurate reliable shot. He had to get closer.

A small tree line edged the swamp and he quickly thought to use it as cover as he closed in on his kill. He trudged further ahead, avoiding sticks in the ground which could break and give his position away. Weaving through the trees with as much haste as was possible, August neared the animal as it loudly feasted on wild grass.

The sun now beat down hard enough to put a glare in his eye. He stopped to take another look, he was now perhaps 40 yards away from the animal. Still not trusting in his aim, and considering the inopportune sunshine blinding his exact view, he knew he needed to get even closer.

A field of tall grass now stood before the Hunter and his prey. August dropped to his belly and started slowly crawling towards the animal. He could hear it breathing heavily as it gasped for air in between bites.

A minute later he felt it to risky to get any closer. He slowly rose to his feet drawing an arrow. He pulled back the string and aimed at his target. Just then the doe turned her head and looked right at him. Their gazes meet for a split second. Without much thought, August releases his arrow.

August pulled a knife from his cloak as he knelt before the freshly killed wild deer. His own doing, he held in a build up of excitement over his accomplishment. He sliced into the animal and began the process of gutting the beast. Although the deer was not particularly large, the young man would benefit from lessening the load as a several mile trek was ahead of him; and he scarcely desired to roam at night In the dark woods of the Red Valley

In the valley, life was always treacherous. The lands were indeed fertile, but the massive old growth forest made agriculture difficult at best. Most men hunted various game to support their families, and so to live in the valley and thrive, was also to be adept with a bow and arrow.

This fact did not allude Rufus, King of Bethphage. The despot knew to call on Albert Dublé, Count Of Täufén, to send his renouned Red Valley levy of skilled archers to aid in the ongoing war with Maskil. For this reason, most of the men of the valley were off on campaign.

This left August, a boy of fourteen, to care for his Mother and four sisters. Over the past few months, he proved to be only partially adequate at doing so as though he had learned much from his father, his youth denied him much experience. Alas his family was lucky to own several fat hogs on their homestead.

The young man reached into his pack and removed a rope and tied it around the neck of the animal, threw it over his shoulder, and began to drag his kill home. Short, but well built, August carried the parcel with reasonable ease.

As he walked he wondered to himself what his father was partaking in. Perhaps he was engulfed in the chaos of battle worried August. Being an archer perhaps meant that Borÿslaw would never engage in dangerous close combat, but the feared bands of Maskilian horse mounted warriors made death seem no less likely. To console himself he ceded that it was far more likely that he was either marching or foraging for the Kings Army.

Strong gusts of wind kept him cool as they blew on his back coming off the mountains to the south east. He found the dirt path that lead to his home sometime after the sun began its descent into the horizon.

By now August grew tired of the day and was relieved to see thick black smoke rising from the chimney of his families home. It would not make many people of the nobility jealous, but it's cobblestone exterior showed that the Piast family did possess some wealth after all.

The house lay on a piece of property that their family had owned since Borÿslaw's grandfather was knighted by the late King Remus in the 854th year of our Lord.

The young man went inside a small workshop on the estate and found a rafter. After throwing the rope over it, he hoisted the animal up several feet off the ground with the last bit of strength he had left. August then spent another moment indulging in prideful thoughts over the young doe. The Butchering could wait until after supper he declared.

As he stepped inside his home, he found his family huddled around supper, eating a stew that his Mother had prepared. His youngest sister, Ryleia, noticed him first:

"Auguff!" She yelled in jubilee. Nearly three years old, the toddler was exuberant to find an excuse to distract herself from a repulsive meal in her nit-picky opinion.

"Have any luck today?" Inquired Nazarene, the oldest sister and the eldest child, being seventeen years old.

August attemted pityfully to mask his excitement. "She didn't even know I existed before I shot her! Right through the heart! I bet sh-"

"Ah haha, settle down August! Come sit and put some warm stew in your belly. I would bet on you being famished." His mother, Delania, instructed

Sure enough the young man finally realized that he really was afflicted by a stinging pain in his stomach that was intense hunger. He did as he was told and sat, proceeding to devour a salty pork stew by the ladlefull. Once he was able to take his first breath, he continued to tell his days story as his sister listened on with admiration and grandeur over their beloved brother.

For a moment, it felt normal again. Like the war wasn't even happening. That is until the 8 year old Zaphora reminds the group how much she misses her father. The rest of supper happens in near silence save for the occasional passing of the salt.

August finishes his bowl and stands up, "I'm going to take care of the meat." He's careful to grab a flask of watered down wine to keep himself on.

The young man steps outside. Its now dark, The wind had died down but the air itself is now cold. August can see his breath.

As he steps into his workshop his nostrils inflate with the smell of fresh blood. He builds a small fire in a heating oven in the corner of the shop and takes another look at the animal. Pride has now given way to annoyance. He begins the arduous process of skinning, and quartering the animal. It's not always a pleasant task.

Several hours pass, and when he's finished he's ready to be and returns to the house.

With his younger sisters now slumbering, his Mother and Nazarene are gathered around the crackling fire. The two women invite August over.

"As much as we appreciate your hunting my beloved son, we still need our crop to feed this family over the winter. With your father gone, I fear we will not be able harvest all that we need..." Reasoned Delania

August knew this to be true. It was a shame as the crop itself was growing quite plentiful. Without Borÿslaw and his strong back, much of the field would be left uncultivated. This posed a significant problem as the excess harvests were taken to market to supply the family with income. This was necessary to pay harvest tax to the Count of Täufén, but the war time tithe Of Silver imposed by the King made matters even more dire.This conversation had happened before.

" You know I will do whatever it takes to take care of this family" Nazarene added

With the Army in Maskil since late April, and no decision on the battlefield yet made, the family was unsure of what their fate would be. Nearing the month of October, a decision on a solution had to be made. The options were not diverse by any means. One of the options previously discussed was for a marriage to be arranged for Nazarene, so as a means of bringing another laborer into the household.

"I know you would. But I know thats not what our Father would want." August affirmed

And he was right. Borÿslaw was a kind hearted and good willed man, he wanted all of his daughters to marry for love.

"I've made up my mind. And it's still my decision! That's how it should be..." The headstrong girl declared

"Is that really what you want?" Her brother asked, knowing the true answer

"Well...no, I guess not. I mean..of course not." She admitted

At that moment, the mother of the two begins to weep. Quickly composing herself she wipes a tear from her wind burnt face. Her eyes are tired, And below them lie the black shadow of sleep deprivation.

"I wish this damn war never happened!" She screamed, unable to contain her emotion. "If you're going to die then do it! She yells with frustration at her husband's spirit

There is silence for a moment.

With the Piast family head potentially already dead, the oldest living son not of legal age, the oldest daughter up for companionship, there would likely be quite a few suitors for Nazarene, as the property is practically ripe for the taking.

"Listen, the deer that I just took should feed the family for a few days... And the pelt should get me a few bits of silver. We can do this alright... Just, give me these few days to figure this whole thing out. If I can't make something happen by next week then we can do what we've got to do. Okay?"

The two ladies nodded their heads, hoping that the man of the house could keep up his word. But inside they weren't so optimistic about their outlook.

With that, August decided that his bed across the room looked ever so inviting.

Although exausted, The young man didn't get very much sleep. All he could think about was just how he was going to keep his sister from marrying away to some strange family.

***

When the sun rose, he stuffed the deer pelt into his pack, and moved for the door. Just then Delania stops him.

"It's dangerous on the Kings roads now. You need to stay off of them!" She explained.

For the first time in his life, he was leaving the farm and away from his neighborhood. He had never before been seen the roads, nor the destinations that they lead to.

"Here, your father meant to give you this on his return" his Mother said.

She opened a heavy towel to reveal an estoc, a type of thin longsword, resembling a long needle. It was best used by those without much fighting experience. Meant to be drawn in a two handed stance, allowing for more superb defence but limiting the offensive power to a thrusting weapon as the edges are not sharpened.

"I will be angered if I hear of you using it and, and trust me I'll know... But I would be foolish to leave you unarmed.. " she quibbled

She then hands him a small but heavy pouch of flour, a few morsels wrapped in cheese cloth, and a thin wool blanket.

Delania eyes her son up and down one more time. Memories of her son's youth flood into her mind. She tells her self, Staufen is only a few days travel away, he'll be fine .

Sensing what she was thinking, August assures his mother "I'll be fine alright. I'm a man now."

But this did nothing to soothe Delania 's nerves. She looked at the creature before her as a young boy, scarcely taller then she was. She only saw a kid who was unawares of what the world before him had in store for him.

August was a naive boy, and because he's only met the good and honest people of the Red Valley, Delania was afraid that he would succumb to some trickery plotted by unkind fellows. But he was a strong willed boy, and diligent in his studies too. She knew he was gifted beyond that of the mostly illiterate local people, but that made her ever more fearful to send him out and potentially lose him. He was the last man on the house. If he did not return the house would surely fall in disarray.

Nevertheless, sunlight was being spent by the minute, August hugged his Mother and left the only home he ever knew.