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Bring a Stick

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Well, the working title just stuck. Anyway, can't be bothered to work more on this - it's been a WIP for ages now. Time to get it finished and go on to new projects. As if I haven't done that in the meantime. The first forest scene I ever started, months and months ago. The face was originally a sketch in my notebook, although you can't see it any longer. I didn't realise the colours were this desaturated, and sorry to those of you with dark monitors; mine is exceptionally bright, it seems. This is one of the first, if not the only, picture I have stuck with a colour scheme all the way through, in everything. A rather desaturated blue, what I like to think of as mint green only darker, and a shade of reddish orange. Actually, far more red than orange, but bright and desaturated enough for it not to seem like red. That colour comes from torches, among other things. Who this woman is, has changed since I first started. The only thing that has never changed, is the fact that she is a witch (which is the reason for me putting it into the fantasy section). But here is the story, everything included:

The old woman (unrelated to this woman) to her grandchildren during storytime, their farm being situated not too far from this part of the Border Forest:
"When you walk through the forest late at night, you can never be sure what you'll meet. Whatever is created that can exist in dark forests in dark nights, exists here. Nobody knows for sure, but everyone knows that something is out there. You are never safe. Especially in moonlit nights, many creatures are out there. And not only creatures - people too. Bandits. Evil wizards. Travellers with no good in mind - not like the wise and good ones that travel outside the forest, the ones that comes by here, but travellers needing to hide from other people. People waiting for you to be just a little less cautious for a second, and then! - then they strike. It is not a forest to walk alone in. Not a forest safe for a single person to travel in. But if you must - if you have pressing errands there - always remember to bring a good, sturdy stick. Yes, I'm not joking, children. They will not think much of a person with a stick. But it can be a mighty good weapon."

The old bandit to a younger bandit who has just joined them (they both live very near to the place in the picture):
"You shouldn't really go alone here unless you absolutely have to. We are not the only group of bandits in here, and friendship between groups are easily forgotten at night when faces are unrecognizable. If you walk armed, you should be safe, but never forget to lit the torches before you leave, and don't be away longer than that they still burn when you come back. If you let it turn dark here, and nobody is around, you'll never know what you can come home to. Humans are not the only creatures in this forest, and neither are the elves I told you about. There are dark creatures around. Most of the forest is safe, but not here. Never let it go dark."

The story to the picture:
This is Venana. A witch, living in a village just in the outer regions of the Border Forest (to the southeast). She is a wise woman, a healer and the shaman for the village. She is the one keeping them safe for the bandits, even though bandits seldom attack the villages. She is also the bandits' healer, for certain services in return. She is valuable for both. Nobody really knows who she is - they know that she knows the elves, that she has magical abilities although she is not a sorceress, and that you should never underestimate her. What has happened before this picture, is that she has helped a young girl in her village, Dinnthir. She was married to a very abusive husband, who unfortunately is one of the most powerful men in the village. She has helped her escape into the forest, although not without a price to pay. She isn't as trusted as she once was. Now she is on her way into the forest to see whether or not Dinnthir made it to the forest, to the bandits - they were her only chance for help and safety, although once in their care, she can never leave, as the treaty between the bandits in the Border Forest and the other people says. Once means forever. But she knows that Dinnthir will be safe. She herself does not know whether she can return to her village, but she must see whether she reached them. As the dark slowly creeps upon the forest, she finally sees the warmth of the torches outside the small houses hidden away there. Cautious, she makes her way towards the safety of the light.

Sorry for the bad story, I'm tired and it's written on the spot. But it had to have a story. The story is one I wrote about a year ago, never really knowing that this and Venana was the same person. She (and Dinnthir) will show up in the second or third book (I think it will be the third). I hope you saw why it has the title it has after the first story...
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