An eleven year old Faya looked up from the fire she was sitting by. The flames danced and illuminated her face making her look sharper and deadly. She looked at the tent and seen the village elder coming out of it.
"The boy is dead" he told the crowd. Faya sighed and looked down
"The Romans will be coming soon, to take the boys" she thought, she frowned and walked up to the village elder
"Who will go then, we have no one to send?" the elder looked down at her and smiled
"All will be well Faya, do not worry" Faya still didn't look convinced but nodded her head and walked away. She sat down by the fire again and once more went back to thinking.
Two days later as predicted the Romans arrived, bringing some of the Sarmatian boys who would be going into the Roman cavalry. The village elder stepped forward and explained the situation
"The boy we were supposed to send, died a few days ago" he paused "I am afraid we have no others amongst us"
The Roman glared down at him
"Well do you have any knights who have done their duty then?"
"No" replied the village elder
The Roman looked around and spotted Faya
"Very well" he looked around untill his eyes landed on Faya "we will take her then" he said pointing to her
Faya looked around, then realizing they meant her stepped back. The woman behind her had similar thoughts
"No you can't" she shouted pulling Faya into her arms "we still have to eat, she is the only one who can hunt" she cried "leave the orphan child, leave her"
Faya cringed, 'the orphan child'
The Roman soldier looked down at the woman and smirked
"we will take this child, 'the orphan child' as you call her" the woman looked horrified as the roman dragged the girl out of her arms, Faya struggled a bit before she jerked out of the Romans grip and backed away until she turned on her heel and ran making a full pelt sprint for the woods
"Run Faya" shouted some of the villagers
"Don't look back"
The roman shook his head and ordered two soldiers to go after her.
They returned about 5 minutes later with her struggling furiously. Finally after seeing her attempts were all in all futil she hung her head.
A boy walked over to her and handed her, her meagor belongings and her bow and quiver, he also was toeing behind him a huge black stallion tacked up and ready to go
"Good lad, best lad" she cooed stroking his nose "going on a trip, do you want too?" the horse whinnied in reply, she laughed, she put her foot in the stirrup and mounted the horse with incredible ease, even though the horse was about four times her size.
She trotted over to the Roman commander, and inclined her head in a form of respect, but everyone around her heard her mutter "Bastard" under her breath
She rode over to the group of Sarmatian boys; she nodded her head to each one of them and joined their ranks, never saying a word to anyone but glaring daggers at the roman commander. The Romans rode off, the young Sarmatian knights galloped after them until they heard the village elder shout
"Faya" Faya turned to look behind her "RRRRRUUUUUUSSSSS"
Faya smiled at the crowd and raised her hand in farewell, she turned back around and followed the Romans.