The Hunter's tale

CHAPTER 2 : The Maiden

Mena has always been a quiet and respectful young woman, many people in her clan would describe her as very shy, quiet, elegant and intelligent girl, some even called her Princess for they said she carried herself as one and had that royal ora around her. Only few people actually knew her wild and mischievous side, her father, step mom and best friend Lima.

Lima has been her friend since they were little girls, getting into so much trouble that usually earned them a punishment from Lima's parents or Mena's father. they were often together, going on errands, fetching water or wood for the evening meals or to the market with their families. Mena considered Lima her best friend in the whole world.

At 20 Mena was quite tall, most considered her too tall for a girl, she had square shoulders, wide hips, long and slightly bowed legs, she had dark and smooth skin, her face was the most interesting part of her, she had a rather intriguing face, eyes sightly curved upwards looked like they saw beyond and beneath, small round nose, small mouth with luscious lips and a square jaw. she was both handsome and beautiful at the same time. Many thought she was built like a warrior and wherever she went people found her intriguing, intimidating and mysterious at the same time. whereas her friend Lima was petite, very pretty but rather boring for although she was sort after by many she held very little excitement.

Mena's father Bemsi was once the greatest warrior in all of Adanawa till he had Mena, no one ever knew who Mena's mother was and when the great warrior came home one day after being away on a peace keeping trip through the lands for almost a month with a little baby girl and told them she was his, they assumed he had gotten a maiden from a neighboring village pregnant and when she gave birth he had taken the child to raise. No one was brave enough to ask him more questions as he was quite an intimidating man himself. Since he didn't have a wife to cater to the baby he had to do it himself. He became a farmer so he could cater for his daughter himself, he single handedly raised Mena and although it had not always been a bed of roses as Mena even as a child had a mind of her own, he managed to raise a good natured and well mannered young lady. Mena grew up helping her father with house chores and farm work and accompanied him to market to sell their produce.

Many women tried over the years to become wife to Bemsi the warrior and step mother to Mena but Bemsi after a short time of courtship always found a reason to end things. He was a very mysterious man and always looked like he kept a heavy secret. A few days to Mena's 15th Birthday though Bemsi came back home from his journey to Mondo market and with him was a beautiful woman Mena had never seen before and introduced her to Mena as her new mother. The woman for some reason looked familiar to Mena but she didn't know why for she was really certain she had never seen that woman before. Maybe it was from the market, she convinced herself and let it rest but ever so often she will look at the woman and get a nagging feeling that she knew this woman. At the beginning it was not easy for Mena to adapt to the new woman as she had been so use to being the only woman in the house and the only woman in Bemsi's life, She was mostly left with the responsibility of deciding what the day's meal was to be. 'So how was she to let this new woman make such big decisions now?' Mena asked herself, But as the years went by and with the woman's kindness and care towards her she finally accepted her and they became friends and family.

Mena always wondered who her mom was and where were her people and even asked her father one time and he told her she was was the great love of his life who passed away while giving birth to her and she didn't have any people because she was an orphan. She believed him and has never again asked about her. Mena was quite contented with her life and had never had any worries till she turned 20 and the dreams began. It has always been the same dream night after night, at the beginning it wasn't really clear and she often forget details when she wakes but recently the dream has become more vivid. She has kept this a secret from her parents because she doesn't want them to worry, the only person she told this to was Lima and she promised not to tell. Every night she goes to bed determined to see the end of the dream but every time she wakes up before she does and even if she goes back to sleep the dream doesn't come back again. She has this feeling that something is coming, something that will upset her whole world...... and she is right.