"I am the one who shot this deer," Liliana repeated, her voice steady. "And who are you?"
The man in the lead stepped forward, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "What a coincidence! I happen to be the one who hit the deer as well."
The man standing behind him stepped forward. "Your High—" He stopped abruptly, coughing to cover his slip. "My Lord, it appears you both struck the target."
Liliana looked at them with suspicion. The way they carried themselves—the quality of their leather armor and the fine craftsmanship of their bows—suggested they were no ordinary hunters.
"Then how shall we decide who keeps the prey?" Ria asked, her hand resting cautiously on her quiver.
"You can have it," the man said simply, waving a hand.
"No, you take it," Liliana countered. "We can still hunt for something else. Let's go, Ria."
"But...!" Ria started to protest.
"Wait!" the man called out, his expression softening. "It is clear you are not from these lands. Please, take the prize as a welcome to our kingdom."
"Then let us do this," Liliana suggested after a moment. "We will take only a portion of it. We are traveling light and cannot carry much anyway. You may have the rest."
The man thought for a second before nodding. "Alright, as you wish."
While Ria dismounted to carve a portion of the deer, the man leaned against a nearby tree, watching Liliana with keen, observant eyes.
"By the way, my Lady," he began, "where are you from? And what brings two women alone to these woods?"
"I could ask you the same question," Liliana replied coolly.
The man chuckled. "A sharp tongue. Very well. I am the lord of these lands. My name is Elias, and this is my right-hand man, Keiran. Now, it is your turn to introduce yourself."
Liliana hesitated. She couldn't give her real name, but she needed something believable. "My name is Lil," she said finally. "And this is my sister, Ria. We are traveling."
"Heh... well, 'Lil,'" Elias mused, "you don't look like someone who has been on the road for very long."
"Actually, our journey has just begun," Liliana lied smoothly, drawing on her years of royal poise. "Our parents are wealthy merchants. They were against our desire to see the world, so we... took our leave without their blessing. We have been traveling together ever since."
"It's done, My La—" Ria started, but Liliana cut her off with a sharp look.
"Sister, are you finished?" Liliana grinned, her eyes conveying a silent warning.
"Sister?" Ria thought, momentarily stunned, before catching on. "Yes... sister. We can go now."
"Is that really enough meat?" Keiran asked, looking at the small portion Ria had taken.
"It is plenty," Liliana said, turning back to Elias. "Shouldn't you be chasing us off your land instead of offering us more?"
"We are not a stingy people," Elias smirked.
Liliana looked up at the darkening sky. The air had turned heavy and humid. "Let's go, Ria. We need to find shelter. It's going to rain soon."
"Yes, sister."
They turned to lead their horses away, but Elias stepped forward. "Wait! Please, allow me to invite you to my estate for the time being. It will be difficult to find a decent inn at this hour, and the storms in Korellia can be quite fierce. They are unlike the rains you may be used to."
"No, thank you," Ria said quickly. "We can take care of ourselves."
As if on cue, a loud crack of thunder echoed through the forest, and heavy droplets of rain began to pelt the leaves. Elias looked at Liliana, an amused "I told you so" expression on his face.
Liliana sighed, her cloak already starting to dampen. "Alright. Please, let us stay at your place for the night."
"Of course, Miss Lil. We would be honored," Elias said, bowing slightly. "Please, follow us."