Sigrunn's early years were spend frolicking in the Highlands outside Reza with others of her kind and age, along her older brothers Erik and Thraunn, among the sheep and goats, cold winds caressing her light hair. The whitish skin sometimes made other children make fun of Sigrunn, but in the tight community it never grew into something that would seriously impact her - northern folk are taught to display a strong character anyway, and she would retort lavishly to the occasional mockery. In her teens she would dabble in many practical skills of her people, helping her neighbours and friends of the family, be it tree-felling, woodworking, farm-handing, herding, sewing or crocheting, cooking, but also hunting or even sparing in the free time. She would become familiar with all these occupations but sadly mastered none, to the dismay of her father Duric, who is a proud and experienced carpenter and hoped to pass his skills down at least to the daughter. Just recently she was a part of the Great Exodus to Almaris, and her various practices helped her with staying a valuable member of the new community. At the age of sixteen she toiled in the lumberyards and mines near the springing-up Karosgrad, helped to build its walls and halls along her parents, siblings and friends. However, it was the rare rush of the hunt or a duel became that made Sigrunn excited and filled with anticipation for the next such opportunity, and drove her forward through the days of labor. She's grown to favor the terse force of an axe over the sword-dance, and learnt to appreciate the advantages of bowmanship. Every trip she took outside the emerging city walls would be longer and further-out, and the game she would bring more and more challenging to best. The vast open hills and the horizon of mountains is what she preferred over the chimney smoke-stuffed air of the redwall gated hometown. Gazing into the northern lights at night in her camp she dreamt of places far away that she may visit one day, places untouched by sentient foot before, and fantastic creatures or peoples that dwell over yonder. The decision grew withing her and matured eventually - the Wanderlust called her. Despite the slight dissapointment of Duric and her mother Melkorka, hitting the age of 18 she was free to pursue whatever path she desired, and her parents wouldn't really bother to hold her in place - having already two sons before, they were of the sort that understood that children grow up and become persons, and these willed things different than what the parents perhaps hoped for them. Such was the life's song.
The journey was tasking - those several days I tried not to think about being on The Waters, staying holed up in my cabin below the deck - but that was the only reasonable way to reach the City. I made myself try to step out onto the docks without being blindfolded this time, just in case someone would look at me and take me a fool or mad. Still I shivered from stress and the sound of the Ocean crashing against the port and the ships, giant, deep gods-know-how, just behind me, under me, and all these seamen watching and thinking I'm a weak idiot.
The kaleidoscope of colors from the bazaar refreshed me a little and brought my senses back, but I was still totally unready for the man approaching me. His accent and some vocabulary funny - but I suppose I'll be the one with the funny accent here, he just talks the same the rest of the local folk - his garments unnecessarily fancy and garish. A plump city-rat is what I see, taking a shot at entertaining themselves with an 'exotic' newcomer. I stand perplexed, a clash of distaste and curiosity anchoring me speechless. The huntress fires up in me - do not stand idle, do not linger. I make myself cobble a sentence together.
- I- uh... Thanks? All of yer folk here are so hospitable 'ere? What's yer deal mister, need a work-hand, a fool to swindle, hungry for gossip or news from abroad? - I try not to make my lack of trust apparent, but I fail miserably in an instant, and probably sound quite offensive, too. Ah well, the man had it coming, nagging me just like that in the middle of the street out of the blue.

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