Green, brown, blue. Colours kept flashing as Nimue raced forward as quickly as she could, brown hair whipping behind her in the wind. Even as she ran, her bow was out and steady from years of practice. She wasn't going to let this one go, this deer was hers! Maybe she was still only a teenager, maybe there were those better than her, but this time she would prove she was a good enough archer-

An arrow whizzed past her, embedding itself into the deer. It let out a sound of fright and pain, bucking and running in a circle before tripping and falling to the ground. Nimue growled in anger before looking behind to see Isen, a young elf who was barely a year older than her. He was already tall and quite handsome... and irritating in Nimue's eyes.

"That was my hunt," she said in a clipped tone, trying to hide the fact that she was rather upset at the moment. She had been tracking it for a while now! How could he have just taken it away from her like that.

"You seemed like you needed help, my dear Nimue." Isen pushed his long golden blond hair away from his face, a charming smile on his face which probably caught the hearts of many a girls. Not Nimue's, however. Once stung, she was careful to keep far away from the pest of an elf.

"Get it through your mind, I don't need help, least of all yours." She deposited the arrow she was going to use for the deer back in her quiver before setting her bow on her back as well in its holder. That done, she turned away and started back for their village.

"Temper Nimue! And aren't you forgetting something, my dear?"

"I don't eat tainted meat," she replied before heading off. She'd rather eat fish from the lake. Well, it made sense, that's what she was named for after all.

This was only the first of many misdealings Nimue had with men. Oh, she liked the well enough in a physical manner, but to give her heart to one was something of a task. It was like finding the perfect blacksmith to forge your sword, and Nimue was very picky. The one time she had falsely given her heart was to Isen. A charming yet manipulative teenager, and not surprisingly he grew up to be the same.

It wasn't just him, however. Time and time again, she would see other girls foolishly give their hearts to men to only have them broken. Each time she witnessed such events, another plate was set over her own. So much so, that by the time she had reached her thirties, there really was nothing that surprised her about the other gender. She felt she knew them well enough. They were well enough for a lonely night, but other than that, the armour around her heart was shut tightly.

She was not in the least surprised or saddened when her father told her of another child he had with a strange red headed woman, a veela.

"It was not in my control," he murmured, eyes shut as he tried not to cough. "She had charms that simply... pulled me in and wouldn't let go."

Nimue listened patiently, showing no emotions. Like a lake, her face was quite still for the most part. "That is part of a veela's abilities," she said offhandedly.

"Yes, yes... and I left the next day." Her father opened his eyes, a green that was lighten than Nimue's. "I never knew of this child until a few years ago. I feel terrible... please, my daughter... I wish you to find her, bring her here... I wish to see her before I die."

She was quiet, wondering why he had kept this secret for so long. And why just now was he revealing it? Was it for pity, knowing she wouldn't deny a sick man? She looked upon her father's face, seeing his pleading eyes, shame lingering in them. Or perhaps... it was because he knew how cynical she was towards men. He didn't want to be a target.

Nimue took his hands in hers and pressed her lips against it. "I will find her, Father, and I will bring her to you. I promise." Her heart might have been bound and hidden, but she still felt emotions. She was just very good at hiding them.