3Chapter One
A shadowed figure moved stealthily across a dimly lit room with a malicious grin plastered on the assailant's face. The room was small and clustered with books, clothes, and other odds and ends all haphazardly scattered on the floor. Using the light of the slowly rising sun, the figure carefully yet quickly picks through the mess and over to the bed where a young man with midnight black dreads lay slumbering. Minutes fly by as the figure slowly, yet steadily positions, an object right above the snoozing teenager's head. A loud blood curdling scream could be heard resonating throughout the walls of the tiny cottage.
"You!" the young man with midnight black dreads yelps now fully awake and drenched in ice cold water.
"Me?" A young woman asks too innocently, the malicious grin of victory still plastered on her sharp elfish features. "You slept in. The elders asked me to wake you, so I did." She stated in a cool tone.
"And they asked you to pour ice cold water on me, did they Mia?" the young man bolted out of his bed staring at his twin accusingly.
"They never specified, so I improvised." She said trying to stifle a chuckle. "Hurry up Nobunaga. You're already an hour late for classes." Mia added before closing the door.
"An hour?!" Nobunaga wailed "Why didn't you wake me sooner?!" He hurried to put his school uniform on. The uniform consisted of a long white sleeved shirt under a bright red tunic, a red sash tied around the waist with black trousers and boots to finish. His sister wore the same exact uniform telling the elders it was because they were twins and twins should wear the same clothes. It gave them a sense of bonding. He knew however Mia was just trying to weasel her way out of wearing a dress, yet the elders bought her excuse. Nobunaga still couldn't believe they believed it. It was the lamest excuse he had ever heard, he thought, as he raced after his sister several yards away.
Skidding into the elder's house, also used as the school house, he knew he was going to get another "being late is not one of the virtues taught by your elders" lecture. Mia turned in her seat to look at her younger brother dashing into the cottage almost knocking over the elder, Thar. She smiled and waved at Nobunaga, who had a pained expression on his face. Mia turned back to her notes and bookwork. Giving an exasperated sigh she began her work, wishing she had someone to talk to. She and Nobunaga were the youngest elves in their tiny village and that also meant the only ones still needing an education. The day slowly dripped away, as usual, listening to the old windbag wheeze all day about elven history was so boring she could've fallen asleep although she could do that without Thar's assistance. Mia never failed to tell her brother, Mr. I-love-school, who couldn't help but to agree, Elder Thar was dull. The not-so-old elders from lower grades were so much better than and definitely more entertaining than the oldest elf in the village, Elder Thar.
The wins would usually spend the rest of the day with their craftsmaster. They had to take up an apprenticeship at age ten. Mia was apprenticed to the bulky metal craftsmaster, learning to mold weapons, silverware, and other useful items out of metal. Normally she would have apprenticed with the wool weavers, like her mother before her, but these were not normal times. War had broken out in the elven states. Although their village was neutral, not favoring either side, it never hurt to be cautious. Nobunaga was apprenticed with the soft-spoken wood craftsmaster, learning to make bows, arrows, chairs, tables and other essential wood items. The two would normally be going to their craftsmaster now but for some reason, unknown to them, they were shooed off to get firewood. The winter months were slowly approaching but firewood had never been gathered this early. "Maybe it is going to be an early or bitterly cold winter. Nobunaga suggested.