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This was the second time that week Andromeda had to go out into the wood to hunt. Usually poaching was something she did when things were desperate in the outside servant quarters. It was normal for her to be out in the forbidden taiga twice in a month. They were being punished with a restriction to their food supply; a common tactic employed by the cruel rulers to cull and strike fear into the slaves. The reason this time? A child took an apple from a tree or so that was the reason given. Everyone understood the real motive behind it: pure sadism.

Luck was with Andromeda. Thinking that the whippings and food restrictions kept everyone in line, the forest line went practically unprotected except for a roving guard that was easy to predict. There was no magic that surrounded the place. There was plenty of meat, herbs, and edible plants for the taking in there and she was not shy to keep her friends from starving.

Silently she walked through the forest. The floor of the forest was thick with leaves, pine needles, and moss. The soft soles on her leather boots made it so no sound came from her footsteps. Long ago she learned how to stride while hunting. Being too loud made game wary at best. A handmade bow rested on her back and, in the makeshift quiver, rudimentary arrows rested. It was clear she made these things on her own or someone had made them hastily for her. In fact her whole form looked shabby. From her old boots to the tunic that was patched so much the old material could not be determined, she looked utterly ragged.

The sound of footfall caught her attention. It was light and unlike the noise the guards made whenever they tromped through the woods. Perhaps it was a doe. Her mouth watered at the thought of venison. That was a rare treat for anyone in the kingdom, including the king himself.

Quietly her hand moved behind her and she gripped an arrow, notching the bolt into her bow. Keen golden eyes narrowed in on the area she heard the sound from; a familiar large rock that had been the spot of many of her kills. She drew back the bowstring, meeting newfound resistance. The night before she had added more resistance to the thing, making it more difficult to pull back, but a much more powerful weapon.

In the next second the creature came into her sight. A soft blonde curl caught her attention and a flash of pink, peachy skin. Instantly she pulled up on the bow, causing the arrow that was intended for a supposed dear to be fired at the rock instead. The bolt clattered loudly against the hard surface before falling to the leaves.

"What are you doing so far out into this forest?" she asked, a silvery accent curled the end of her words. Her golden eyes rested on the arrow and she wanted to, desperately, pick it up. However she was suspicious of the woman who found was walking about the taiga as if she owned it.

Instantly Andromeda was suspicious of the woman's presence. She was not like any of the other bondservants. There was no wear on her features and her eyes were clear. Her body was not bent with sorrow or excessive physical labor. It came to her attention that this may be one of the slaves apart of the king's seraglio but there were far too many clothes on that woman. The garments were also of a different make than anything she saw in that realm. As she spoke it became very, very clear that she was from an entirely different place.

Cautiously she approached where her arrow had landed and she knelt down to get the shaft, eyes never leaving the woman. "I thought you were a deer, your tread was so light. Technically I was aiming for you."

She slipped the arrow back into the quiver and considered the woman again, golden eyes narrowed. "Clearly you are lost. Your voice sounds weird... you're not from around here I take it."

The look that Andromeda gave the girl was quite humorous. Her golden eyes widened and her mouth hung slightly ajar. Disbelief filled her. The woman was completely and utterly daft! Queen Rubi? The King certainly hadn't taken a wife and, if he did, she was sure that the woods wouldn't be arrogantly taken as hers. His majesty did not take on willful women. All of the silk slaves were trained to be demure and compliant.

"This land doesn't border any other," she replied quickly, eyes narrowing on the woman. "Who is this Queen Rubi and what has she sent you for?"

Was it a rebellion and this 'Queen Rubi', their leader? It would be a lie if Andromeda said she was completely loyal to the King. He ruled with an iron fist and oppressed almost everyone except his soldiers. Even those who weren't slaves like her suffered.

Ireland? What a ridiculous name for a country! Clearly the place was fictional and the woman was exhausted from walking so far. With her blonde hair and clean complexion, Andromeda assumed that she was a noblewoman from a different part of Exilise.

"I know where I am," she informed the blonde carefully. "The more accurate question would be if you know if you do."

Her eyes moved about her form quickly. The clothes were beautiful and without mark or tear. Her first assumption was wrong. If the angelic looking female had been out wandering so long that she lost her senses, then her garments would have certainly shown the damage.

"You do realize we're in Exilise, don't you?"

The more the woman spoke, the more worried Andromeda became. Clearly she thought that the brown haired girl was the one in the wrong. The fact that she claimed there was another kingdom so incredulously was baffling. Even more because she did it so calmly and was so sure of herself.

"No one has sent me here," she replied in a huff. "I hunt in these woods almost ever-"

Sounds of voices and leaves rustling together made Andromeda stop speak. Her eyes narrowed on the direction from which the noises came. Was the roving guard in that spot already? This differed in their usual schedule; the pale light of morning was still creeping through the leaves. There was no time to say anything else and, even if there were, she'd likely not have handed out her name easily.

"Listen, I don't care where you think you're from but we've got bigger problems now. Get up a tree."

Before the blonde beauty could reply, Andromeda had shouldered her bow and had begun to move from branch to branch. Clearly she had done this before and for good reason. This had kept her alive.