Untamed Light

Chapter One

    Birds swooped over the meadow as a breeze carried them down over the dawning light, twittering amongst themselves as the grasses swayed below them. A herd of deer was spread across the field, eating lazily and unhurried.

    Carrie stayed low to the ground as she peeked over the fallen log she was hiding behind, her bow strung with an arrow as she looked for the buck she had been tracking. It had taken her a few hours to track down the confounded animal, and she wasn't going to lose him. The look on her mother's face when she dragged it home would be priceless!

    A flash of a large rack of antlers came almost two hundred meters away, drawing her attention. Holding her breath, she watched as it stepped out of the grass into a small cleared patch. It was examining a bushel of blackberries, and was in perfect position.

    Drawing back her bow, Carrie took a deep breath and aimed at its chest. Just as the huge buck looked up, she fired-the arrow hitting its mark and burrowing into the silver hide. Letting out a hoarse cry, it staggered into the grass and fell choking on it's own blood.

    "Yes!!" she shouted excitedly, fisting pumping the air as she jumped over the log and placed her bow around her back.

    Finally, she had done the most rebellious thing in the whole world and she couldn't get in too much trouble for it! Hahahaha the look on her mother's scolding face was going to be worth all the mud-crawling she had been suffering for the past hour or so! Her father might be a little more harsh, but he would end up laughing anyway at the sight of her hair anyway.

    "Well this ought to be a good morning at least," she thought out loud to herself as she took out the arrow and cleaning it.

    Grunting with the effort, Carrie hoisted the buck's back legs over her shoulder, making sure that it didn't crush her bow and quiver in the process as she began to half drag, half carry the beast into the woods to her horse. It was grueling work as she pulled it around the small trees, sticking to the small game trail she had been using to get to the meadow.

    Sunlight filtered through the trees as the sun rose higher, the ground easier to see as Carrie made her way to where Challanger was tied to the branch she had left him at. The sleek coat of the huge Shire glistened as he prancing nervously to his side, eyeing the dead creature on her shoulder.

    "Now you stop being a chicken and stay still. It was hard enough getting it over here, and I sure can't have the meat bruising because you decided to kick at it," Carrie shook her finger at him, earning a snort as a reply.

    Lifting up the forelegs, she grunted with the effort as she jerked the first half of the deer over Challanger's romp. Keeping her hand on his hide to let him know where she was, she moved around his butt and scooted him over enough to let her in. Grabbing at the sliding deer, she tugged until it was even over the backside.

    Taking the rope off the saddle horn, she tied it down and made sure it would stay before moving to the other side and untying the lead from the branch. Moving it back over his head, Carrie placed her left foot in the stirrup and hopped up into the saddle. Turning him around, she kicked him into a small trot and laughed in glee as they made their way out of the woods.

    The sound of the roosters crowing rang out as they broke out of the woods, Carrie's muddy hair streaming out behind her. Peasants were already out in their fields farming, the harvest nearly ready to get plucked. Well besides the strawberries and apples anyway, they still had a little bit more time before they would be ready.

    She hurried onto the main road, keeping Challanger at a slow canter to hurry along to the house. She waved at everyone she passed by, grinning when a few of them shouted congratulations over the buck. They all knew she was rebellious, and loved her for it. Her brothers were known for their wild shouting and rough playing, but they had hearts of gold and helped out in the fields whenever they could be spared from knight training. Poor little Zack was only eight so he was left to pretty much do nothing all day, which everyone else was jealous of.

    Well, except for Carrie since he was her little helper when she need to escape the boring tasks of sewing and laundry. Even though she was of noble lineage, she did the basic chores required of women. All of which were deathly boring and nonsense to her, although her nursemaid, Tyrrine, would always dispute otherwise.

    Shouts were called as she neared the gate, Challanger neighing as they stopped to let them fully open before entering.

    "Carrie, did you get him?" Zack shouted excitedly as he ran down the stone steps, Fredrick and Scott strolling right behind him.

    Dismounting, she held on to the reigns as she replied,"See for yourself."

    "Why did you have to pick out one of the biggest bucks out there sis? Don't you know that you can't be out hunting the men?" Scott shook his head, his red hair shaking with it as they all stared at the huge thing dangling over Challanger.

    "Oh phoo, you're just jealous because I am better at hunting then you boys," she smarted back, grinning as she spotted Tyrinne coming out of the front doors.

    "Carrie Green, what is the meaning of this!" Tyrrine gasped, holding onto her sides as she made it down the steps and over to where they were standing with Challanger. "Oh you naughty girl, you are almost sixteen years old and still doing scandalous things! You, young lady, are doing double chores today!"

    Shaking her head Carrie replied, "You cannot be serious, I just made history as far as us kids go. I even brought supper!"

    "Yes it would seem so young lady, but weren't you also forbade from using that bow outside of these walls?" boomed her father as he came down the ramparts, his chain mail clinking together as he moved towards them.

    "Oh crap," she muttered under her breath, wanting to smack herself upside the head. She had forgotten that rule. "Father, I only wanted-," she started to say but was cut off with a wave of his hand.

    Looking down at her, he took the reigns from her hand and motioned one of the soldiers to come forth from their stations. "Now you listen here Carrie, you are not allowed outside of the house for the rest of this week. It's getting dangerous out there with the southerners threatening to strike at us for our lands, and you must get it through your head that you cannot go off without protection. Too much is at stake right now, do you understand?"

    Crossing her hands, she looked at the ground, "Yes father, I understand. But you must admit, I'm a good shot and did bring home supper."

    Laughing, Fredrick said, "You look like you were dragged in mud by the beast!"

    Cuffing him on the head, her father looked back at her. "You are absolutely filthy and look like a disaster, but yes you did bring home supper. You are still grounded however, and I would suggest you run along and clean up before your mother wakes up and sees you."

    "Yes sir, and the boys can go take care of the gutting while I'm doing that if you wouldn't mind," she said lightly, holding in the urge to laugh at the image in her head.

    Nodding, he turned to Fredrick, "Go do the gutting and be quick about it. Zack needs to start learning these things anyway. Wash up before coming to breakfast though, and don't mess around! We have important guests arriving around noontime."

    "Who is coming father?" Carrie asked as the boys heaved the deer on their backs and carried it off towards the trees near the barn.

    "That is something your mother will be discussing with you my dear, it is not my place to tell you," he replied softly, his blue eyes watering slightly before he turned to go inside the house.

    Tyrrine wrapped her arm around Carrie's and started up the steps with her, fretting over how they would both be needing a bath before they made it there.

    "Please Tyrinne, can you tell me who is coming in today? Is it the barron Warren?" Carrie pestered as they went through the door, a few maids gasping at the sight of the two.

    "Now you just stop worrying about that and save it for later. I don't want to be the one on fire before the news is told to you by your mother," Tyrrine sighed as they hurried down the hall and up the stairs.

    Looking over at her, Carrie furrowed her eyebrow, "Well why is it so secret then? Does it have to deal with my birthday?"

    Tyrrine choked as she said that, gasping for air as they reached the bathing room. "Oh alright, well it sort of does. How is the cream fairing, does it need another application?"

    Touching her face, Carrie touched the spot where her cursed birthmark lay hidden from all other eyes. The stupid mark of the chosen one was the whole reason behind her being kept inside more often than anybody else. Besides the fact she was an only daughter, the witch that her  parents had hired couldn't conjure a strong enough concealment spell to hide it from unwanted eyes. 

    "No, I believe it is alright for now. We will have to see what it looks like after the bath though, just in case. Come on, I really don't want mamma chewing me out for my filthy hair," Carrie groaned as she undressed herself, helping Tyrrine out of her apron before she stepped into her basin.

    Tyrrine submerged herself in the other basin, soaking in the warm water. The two sat in silence as they washed themselves, Carrie scrubbing hard at her hair to get the caking mud out of it. The tub water turned brown and thick before she was done, the sweet smell of roses clouded by the stench of the muddy clay.

    Stepping out, they grabbed the towels laid out on the floor and dried themselves off, wrapping them around themselves. Tyrrine picked up their dirty clothes and took them with her as they went through the adjourning door into Carrie's room.

    Dropping her towel to the floor, Carrie let Tyrrine dump their dirty cloths into it and walked on into her closet to grab Tyrinne one of her biggest night gowns.

    "Here you go, might be a little snug but it'll do until you can go get your own from your room," Carrie said as she handed it to her.

    "Oh no no my young Lady, I cannot wear your clothes! I'd get into trouble for that!" Tyrrine gasped as Carrie tossed it at her.

    "Forget the talk, it's an emergency and it's only so you can get back to your quarters in decency. No harm in that," Carrie insisted, smiling as Tyrinne gently let go of her towel and slide it over her head.

    "Ug- it's a lot more than snug little one," she grunted as her chest was smashed by the top of the night gown.

    Giggling, Carrie pulled out a simple blue dress with a silky embroidery collar at the top. Pulling it over herself, she let Tyrrine lace up the back and tie the knots.

    "It's alright, you only have to use it to get to the other side of the castle," Carrie giggled as she turned around and gave her old nursemaid a hug.

    Shaking her head, Tyrrine shooed her towards the shoes lined up at the corner of Carrie's bed. "You go put on those soft white slippers and I'll go worry about myself. Hurry, it's almost time for breakfast!"

    With that Tyrrine hurried out of the room and down the hall, Carrie laughing as she slipped her feet into the slippers. Brushing her hair until it was fine, she hurriedly made a decent bun and left her room, heading down to the breakfast hall.

    The clatter of the boys making it in through their hallway made Carrie shake her head at them. Those three were never quiet, it wasn't hard to see why they were terrible hunters. Scott did have some skill with a blade however, but the others were still clumsy or too young to be good. Even though they were terrible, she loved them with all her heart. She just hoped that she would be strong enough for them when her destiny was called forth by the fates.

    "Well, look what the cat dragged in this morning everyone, a white-haired old woman!" Fredrick joked as Carrie sat in her seat.

    "That is not nice Fredrick, you apologize to your sister," their mother scowled him, her blonde hair flowing over her shoulders as she smiled at her daughter. "Good morning dear."

    "I am not sorry, you should of seen her before she washed up this morning! Looked like she had taken a jump into a mud spring!" he grouched back, waving a spoon in the air since him and Zack were having a pretend sword fight.

    Carrie glowered at her second youngest brother as her mother asked, "Now why were you covered in mud?"

    Sighing she replied," I went hunting and had to crawl in it. Brought back home a really big buck too for supper for all my hard work."

    "Carrie!" her mother shouted angrily, her lips turned down into a frown. "You know better than to be using a weapon along, much less be outside and doing a man's job!"

    Her father happened to come in at that moment, his face turned to hide the smile from his wife. Carrie just shook her head at him, and proceeded to tell her mom about how it was not just a "man's job" to do the hunting, some women needed to have a skill that could save their lives.

    In the end, she was given a very long lecture about how a lady had to have proper manners and that she wasn't a child anymore. Breakfast arrived and everyone dig in, although politely for the girls since they had to have manners.

    "Lord Cullen, the visitors have arrived early," a servant said hastily as he came in through the main entrance hall.

    "Oh Carrie, we must hurry to your room at once! We have to discuss this and get you prepared!" her mother rushed breathlessly as she rose up out of her chair.

    "What is going on? Why do I have to prepare?" Carrie asked her parents and stayed seated in her chair.

    A shared look passed between her parents before her mother turned to her, "Carrie, honey, your fiancé is here and you are getting married on your sixteenth birthday."

    Shocked, Carried looked at both of them, gulped down the bite of muffin she had taken and screamed, "WHAT?!"