Private Tales The Goblin, the Horse, and the Hair

[Avery]

"Adjust you line of sight." His head moved as he relaxed his shoulders, but with adjustment, he would have a clear shot. "Try shooting now."

It took many sessions to train one's body to know what to do naturally. Kael's movements will improve the more he became aware of checking his entire stance and position. That was how weapons were made after all.

"You have one breath after you draw to loose. Trust yourself."

Far kinder and gentler words she spoke than the advice Avery had been fed in her own training. Perhaps she was not so cruel as she thought she could be, but there was always a tipping point for everyone...

 

[Kael]

Kael adjusted as the lady instructed, focusing on the spot for a moment before easing the tension off the bowstring. He repeated the entire motion, fighting through little aches as he tried to match the form Avery described. The tension of the bowstring was gradually released and Kael pulled an arrow from his quiver. He knocked the arrow kept loose, and pulled. A single breath’s time and the arrow was released, in the same path as he shot earlier. It hit at mark, but the motion was significantly quicker. He knew he would need practice to make it habit, but little improvements at form were what separated the professional from the amatuer.

“You’re a good teacher Avery.” Kael said thankfully. A thought ran through his mind. “Do you like tacos?”

 

[Avery]

"Thank you, I never hav—" Avery blinked, turning to look at Kael with a look of utmost oddity. "Excuse me? A... what?"

 

[Kael]

Kael looked over at the woman. He really needed to stop dealing with people. Everytime he thought he had an idea of how Anirian culture worked he found something he didn't understand. Or made a mistake.

"It's food." Kael said. Were tacos just a goblin thing? Kress, humans were so uncultured. "It's a collection of meat, vegetables, spices, the like on some unleavened bread. It doesn't seem to be super popular here, but it's one of the few things I know how to cook."

 

[Avery]

Avery did not look convinced.

The picture painted in her mind was not something she would find edible. Anything that went beyond the simple meals prepared for them at the Academy was not something she found herself interested in. Even cake at Natalis was a luxury she did not participate in.

"Oh... well... I will have to say no. I like dried fruits and nuts. Could never tire of them if we are low on rations on a mission..." Plain, boring, unremarkable.

 

[Kael]

Dried fruits and nuts? The blonde next to Kael most immediately reminded her of a squirrel.

“I had heard preparing another a meal was a sign of respect and thanks, but I’ve little variety to offer.” Kael responded.

“What’s the next shot?” He asked, figuring a return to archery might help ease

 

[Avery]

Avery cleared her throat, glad he changed the subject she was more comfortable with.

What on earth...

She pushed it aside, taking a deep breath and exhaling as she assessed the field beyond them. "How about you... aim for that hollow in the tree up there." Scorch marks surrounded it, more likely formed from a lightning strike. "Show me the position you would take for such a angled shot."

 

[Kael]

Again, as Kael changed subjects to archery her demeanor shifted. Her stance and speech became far more natural, relaxed. It prompted questions in Kael’s mind, but he had asked too many already. There would be no new topics for a while, at least from the goblin.

As Avery pointed out the spot he decided the most useful thing to improve was his instincts, so he didn’t take any time to think about how he would take the shot. Instead he drew an arrow from his quiver, pulled it against the string and raised the bow upwards as the feathers ran across his cheeks. He held the position but didn’t fire, keeping his frame for her to examine. Notably he would lack the loosening of his shoulders Avery had instructed prior, as that wasn’t yet secured nature.

 

[Avery]

"Your shoulders, again. Adjust your neck too, your face is leaning too far forward."

Avery held her own bow in the exact manner she was instructing him to follow. No arrow to nock, she swivelled so that he could see her hand and how it held the string taut by her ear. "Training your neck and shoulder muscles to work this way will mean less fatigue to them in the long run." She lowers her bow, using it to point upwards to the new target.

"How about drawing a second arrow in quick succession?"

 

[Kael]

Kael let out a sigh, not upset at Avery’s instruction but at himself for not remembering the previous instruction. He eased the tension of the drawstring and returned the arrow to its quiver before watching Avery demonstrate the desired form.

“Two shots then.” Kael responded, and took his footing. The first arrow pulled from his quiver, to the string, and took the upward shot at the tree. The second arrow pulled from his quiver, and was released, launching towards the target Avery pointed. While he kept focus on speed of target acquisition and firing, he was much more deliberate in his form. While not perfect he worked to integrate the suggestions at shoulders and neck.

 

[Avery]

Avery smiled. "Better. The more you are conscious of your posture, the better. Take the time to realise what feels right, you at least know how to shoot." She complimented.

All Kael needed was to work on his form. A day or two of practice should have him settling into better habits, and perhaps he could be aiming for the bullseye like herself.

She slung her bow over her head and shoulder, resting it alongside the quiver at her back. "Actually... Kael, I might have an idea on how you could repay me for today. If you were still... well, perhaps you would like to hear the idea first before you agree to anything..."

 

[Kael]

Kael let down his bow and looked over at the girl.

“Go ahead. I’m listening.” Kael said gently. There was a reason, possibly many, that she didn’t just ask directly. Kael hoped to give her the space and peace to feel comfortable to finish her thought.

 

[Avery]

"There is... what I want to ask is..." Avery bristled, blowing out air and frowning before she turned to him before continuing to pace.

"I was thinking, that maybe you could keep an ear out for me? If anyone talks about me, or if someone says they want to come after me for something I did in class... just anything... perhaps even something you hear about say, Bletzin or Pirian... anyone." She paused and turned so that she could see him with a sidelong glance. "I know I keep my distance and there is a reason for it, but I do... feel out of touch that it keeps me from participating in things..."

 

[Kael]

Kael looked at the woman a bit quizzically. Understanding more of how people thought about her Kael understood, but the next request confused him. Did she want him to gossip? Or spy on his classmates? Then the sidelong glance came, and she spoke of feeling out of touch. He began to understand a bit more, and his face softened.

“I’ll tell you anything I hear about you.” He said, without any hesitation in his voice. “As for the rest of our classmates? I can tell you some things, but I don’t track most of the gossip.” A thought crossed his mind. She mentioned Bletzin and Pirian, the confident noble.

“Do you want me to set you up with Colt?”

 

[Avery]

Avery stared at him, stunned.

And not in a good way.

"Why would I want to be set up with Colt?" Her expression turned sour, as if the very thought left a bad taste.

 

[Kael]

It didn’t take a weather wizard to feel the shift in the air from Avery.

“There’s a lot of conversation about ‘taming the Pirian’ and ‘landing in a Great House’ that goes around." Kael explained. "That doesn’t sound like you, but you mentioned him. So I asked. I didn’t mean to offend.” Kael said. He held out a hand to shake.

“Still friends?” The last word came out without Kael thinking over it. She had just mentioned keeping distance from people too.