Chapter Twelve

It was just approaching sunrise as Ariana headed out to the archery range with a bow and quiver over her shoulder. After her sword training, there weren’t many hours left in the day to practice the archery, so she was doing it in fading light.

The air was cold and fresh, and there were still tinges of orange in the sky to the east. The range in the castle was used to train the small garrison force which was present in peacetime, and was available to anyone with influence, which obviously included the royal family. Ariana preferred hunting to the practice ranges, but it was here that their skill would be measured in the archery. It should be easy when the targets weren’t moving. It was a sheltered area, so there was very little wind, although the tournament would be held in a separate area outside the castle grounds.

Ariana stuck five arrows in the soft earth in front of one of the shorter range targets. She liked time alone like this. She wasn’t being forced to dress up nice or act all ladylike. She didn’t have to worry about anybody else, it was just her and her bow. She felt something shift behind her and spun, nocking an arrow to the string and drawing it back to point at the wary young man standing in front of her.

“I hope you have a tight grip on that arrow, my lady,” said the man, raising his hands in surrender. “If not I’d appreciate you pointing it away from me, I do value my life quite highly.”

“How did you get past the guards?” Ariana asked, relaxing her pull on the string a little when she saw that all the man had on him was his own bow and quiver. He was shabbily dressed, but stood tall, suggesting that he wasn’t starved of food.

“I asked nicely, I find that often works,” he smiled crookedly. “It’s good to see you again princess, I am sorry that I startled you.”

“How do you know who I am?” she asked suspiciously, looking him over again. Had she seen him before? He wasn’t from the castle, she would have noticed hair that orange. He wasn’t as cleanly shaven as the men of the court tended to be either.

“Well where I come from it’s not unusual to see female archers, but this is the city, so hunting wouldn’t be how you feed yourself. That would mean archery is a hobby, and suggests a fair bit of spare time. You’re also using the castle range. Now, there’s only one noble born woman I know who ever had an interest in archery, and that’s Ariana,” he smiled, looking at her appreciatively. “You’ve definitely grown stronger since I last saw you, I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of you, even without the bow.”

Something was triggering in the back of her mind. The pointed nose, the bright blue eyes, and of course the rare ginger hair. She blinked, suddenly seeing it.

“Florian?” she asked disbelievingly. “Is that you?”

The man shrugged modestly, smiling and nodding. Ariana dropped the bow and brought him into a tight hug.

“Wow,” she laughed. “It’s been what? Six years?”

“About that,” he agreed, wrapping his arms around her. “How are you these days? Is Seraphina still...”

“A bitch? I don’t know, we don’t really talk,” said Ariana, releasing him from the hug and punching him in the arm. “I almost shot you, you moron. Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“That hurt,” complained Florian, rubbing the spot with a rueful smile.

“Try not to cry about it,” she teased, an impish grin on her face. “So what are you doing here?”

Florian raised his bow.

“I’m here for the competition. Thought I could get some practice in. And you never know who you’ll meet when you go to the castle,” he winked.

Ariana laughed again, in high spirits. While growing up, Florian had been a ward of the King at the request of his father, a minor Lord, and had been one of Ariana’s only friends for over five years.

“You look so different,” she noted. He had lost all the roundness, and was now lean and athletic, with the arms of an archer.

“In a good way?” he asked.

“In a good way,” she smiled, brushing some hair behind her ear. “So how’s your father?”

“As well as can be expected,” replied Florian, his brow furrowing a little. “He doesn’t leave his bed much these days, but he’s being looked after and his mind is still there. Now are we going to talk all day or practise our archery?”

In response, Ariana picked up the bow she had dropped, turned, and shot an arrow at the target. It struck just below the central circle.

“Ooh, not quite,” muttered Florian, pulling an arrow from his quiver and firing it to land just above Ariana’s. “Bullseye.”

“It was my first shot, I was just getting my eye in,” she protested, pulling another of her arrows out of the ground, and then shooting the rest in quick succession. They all landed in the yellow circle.

“Not bad,” nodded Florian appreciatively, drawing more arrows. His first three hit the bullseye as well, but his fourth hit one of the arrows clustered around the middle and deflected away.

“That counts, that has to count!” he proclaimed. “That was a perfect round.”

“I don’t know, that could have been landing anywhere,” she said. “I’ll give you two points because it was going to hit the target, but that’s all I’m afraid.”

“Alright then, I see how it is,” said Florian. “Let’s stop messing around at the shortest range, we both know it’s too easy. I’ll collect the arrows.”

“Why not have a real competition?” she suggested, feeling in high spirits. He raised an eyebrow.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked.

“Since we’re going to compete against each other in the archery as well, how about just half of whatever winnings we earn and another prize, of our choosing? That should make things interesting. And of course we win pride.”

“Just like old times,” laughed Florian, shaking her hand. “Name the first challenge.”

She looked around, trying to decide what to do first.

“Let’s start simple. Forty yards, three arrows, best single arrow earns the person a point. And no aiming for more than two seconds once you’ve drawn, let’s keep things quick.”

“Deal,” said Florian, brushing past her to step up to a firing position. She noticed the earthy smell of his hair as he did so, and watched him as he fired. He was very composed. He picked up each arrow the same way, smoothly drawing it back while he held the bow straight, hardly seeming to feel the strain. He was an archer through and through.

“Aha, a perfect best shot,” he said, bowing to her and motioning for her to take her place. “No pressure.”

She smiled back.

“I could do it with my eyes closed.”

Ariana stuck three arrows in the ground. She picked up her first, nocked it to the string and breathed in as she drew, feeling a little strain in her arms and back. She focused on the yellow circle at the centre of the target, raised the bow slightly, breathed out, and loosed. It struck the middle with a muffled thump. She had no need for the other two.

“Impressive, I guess we’ll call that a tie,” said Florian. “Let’s test your claim for the next one. Just one shot each, eyes closed, same distance. You first.”

“By all means,” she said, picking up an arrow and examining the distance. “So what are your plans for the prize money if you win the archery or the melee?”

Florian shrugged.

“Hard to say really. I mean it would obviously be nice to have but I don’t know what I would buy. I could just use it for something helpful in the nearby villages in Redwood, there will definitely be a good use for it,” he said. “I don’t hold out much hope for the melee though, it’s the archery I’m going for.”

Ariana nodded, closing her eyes as she nocked and drew back the arrow, picturing the target in her head. She released the arrow, opening her eyes to watch it land on the outer ring of the target. She frowned.

“My turn,” said Florian, taking the last of the three arrows she had originally stuck in the ground. “So what do you think you would spend the money on?”

“Well after you’re answer I feel like should say something equally charitable,” laughed Ariana, thinking. “I don’t have a dagger, I’d like a dagger. It’s not the kind of thing my parents would let me have, but a bit of protection is always good. Really though I’m not doing the archery or the melee for the money. I suppose a part of me wants to prove that it’s a worthwhile way for me to spend my time. Perhaps if I win one my parents won’t question it any more.”

Florian closed his eyes and fired his arrow off, striking half a foot inside Ariana’s. She swore softly.

“By all means win the archery, but I may have to take half of that prize money,” he said, a crooked grin on his face. “Everyone trains with a bow in Redwood.”

“Oh we’re not done yet,” she said.

For almost an hour they joked around, trying to one up each other with trick shots at increasing distances and reliving old memories. She hadn’t realised how much she missed having someone like him around the castle. Her handmaiden Katrina was a lovely person, and they talked a lot, but Ariana never felt like she understood her. Florian may have been gone for six years, but he didn’t seem any different, on the inside at least. On the outside, well, he looked a lot more mature.

“Alright, we’re tied, so this one will be the decider of our bet,” said Florian. “One hundred yards, three arrows each, the best score wins.”

“Agreed,” said Ariana. “You know most likely neither of us will win anything.”

Florian shrugged.

“I thought we established this was more about bragging rights than money?”

“No doubt about that,” she said. “I’ll go first then.”

“Good luck,” said Florian smiling his crooked grin again. He didn’t seem at all bothered by the bet, even though it could be a very substantial amount of money at stake. Ariana took a deep breath, steadying herself. Some wind had built up, and she wet a finger to pinpoint the direction. She pulled an arrow out and drew it back, phasing out the Florian’s presence. She released, and the arrow shot through the air, thudding into the target in the left part of the blue area for six points. It was respectable, but Florian was in his own league when it came to archery, so she would need to do better. She drew another arrow and fired again, adjusting for a slight change in wind which blew a few strands of hair in her face. The release was smooth, but she had over-adjusted and it was on the other side of the target in the red. She couldn’t tell whether it was seven or eight. She took her time with the last arrow, straining for about five seconds before releasing it. It thudded into the red as well.

“Twenty-one,” nodded Florian. “Very respectable at one hundred yards.”

“I suppose,” she muttered. She knew she could do better.

Florian was composed as always, upright and focused as he fired He looked like a different person when he shot. His easygoing, laid back nature vanished as he methodically nicked, drew, and holding his body still as a statue, released. His first two shots landed in the inner red section, and the third in the outer yellow, for twenty-five points.

“Damn,” she said admiringly. She had given it her best shot, literally, but Florian was no easy opponent to beat.

“I got lucky with the wind,” he said modestly.

As if either of them believed that. She sighed, sitting back against the wall of the practice area. He joined her sitting back against the wall, his arm brushing hers warmly. It was growing dark now, it would have been difficult to continue regardless.

“I suppose you have a prize to name,” said Ariana, picking at her fingernails as she asked.

“Indeed,” murmured Florian, a glint of something in his eyes. “I might have one in mind.”

“Oh?”

He turned himself to face her fully, meeting her gaze.

“How about your hand in marriage?”

Ariana felt the breath in her chest leave her, and it was difficult for her to speak.

“I’m not sure the bet included anything that serious,” she said quickly, trying to delay answering the question.

“You never stated any terms,” he replied, smiling, before resuming a serious expression. “Why not? We’ve known each other since we were children. I can’t imagine a better fit.”

“It’s been six years!” she said. “The last time I saw you…”

Her face grew hot as she remembered. Florian had been her first kiss.

“I cried for weeks when you went home,” she continued, not looking at him as she picked apart a piece of grass.

Florian reached across to stroke away a drop of moisture which she hadn’t noticed rolling down her cheek.

“Well maybe this time I don’t have to leave,” he said. She met his eyes. They were such a bright shade of blue. He was even close enough to smell, and it was making her heart race. He leant in, taking her face in his big, warm hands and kissing her tenderly. She was happy to let him.

“I can’t agree to this now,” she murmured, stroking his face with one hand. “Things are…complicated. For one, my father wouldn’t allow it. Let’s just go back to the castle. You can introduce yourself to everyone again.”

“Whatever you want,” he said, getting to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Will they all remember me, do you think?”

“Trust me, you’re hard to forget,” she muttered.

He grinned, and they hurried back to the castle, in high spirits. She stole glances at him along the way, trying to unravel his expression, and every now and again their eyes would meet, causing them both to smile and look away. This would not make things any easier for her. A large part of her, the part that remembered the young Florian, badly wanted to say yes. She might not be a queen but everything with Florian was so natural and easy. She didn’t have to pretend to be anything she wasn’t.

When they got back to the castle, a crowd had gathered in the throne room. Both Kings were stood in front of the congregated nobles, preparing an announcement.

“The negotiations are completed,” called King Berin. “The peace pact includes free passage of tradesmen to be allowed between our borders and new borders to suit our needs. With this happy agreement reached, we shall hold a tournament to celebrate, beginning tomorrow!”

Ariana smiled. This was good news. She turned to discuss it with Florian but found herself facing someone else instead.

“Fendred!” she exclaimed, slightly panicked. She had almost forgotten about him with all that had happened.

“Hello,” he said, seeming a little bemused by her surprise. “I just thought I would wish you good luck for the archery. Here.”

He handed her a small blue flower.

“Oh, well, thank you,” she said.

“Perhaps you can wear it when you sit with me for the joust,” he said, looking her in the eye.

She nodded hesitantly.

“I look forward to tomorrow,” he smiled, bowing down to kiss her hand, and then leaving to join his father.

Ariana swallowed, watching him leave. Florian seemed to have vanished at Fendred’s appearance. What had she got herself into? h0bWxQ�g\tYv�

Next Chapter: Chapter Thirteen