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Archery Lessons

Chapter One

Marian had scarcely been in Nottingham for a fortnight, and already she missed the sights and sounds that London offered. Boredom had not been the sole reason for her long time away from home, but as the vixen sat in the large castle courtyard, she began to remember just how slowly the days passed here.

Growing up, the young maid could always count on her beloved Robin Hood to get the two of them into trouble, and then back out again. It was exhilarating, and was just about the only thing she had to look forward to on an average day in Nottingham. She'd been gone so long, though. Too long. It was silly to expect her Robin to still be holding a torch for her, if he even remembered their time together.

Marian's days began to boil down to a stodgy, tedious cycle. Wake, tend her fur, dress, play badminton with Lady Kluck, bathe, and settle down for supper. After dinner, she'd typically find herself meandering around the castle grounds, desperate to find something to occupy her mind.

Oftentimes, she'd visit the neighboring village on one of her nightly walks. It was once a peaceful, thriving town, but Prince John's taxation had taken a toll on everyone here. While speaking with the villagers was still something she enjoyed, it was painful to see them in such dire straits, while she enjoyed her cushy home within the castle walls.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Otto over some tea she'd brought, the maid decided it was time to head home. Sleep had not been easy as of late, with her mind racing as it did, so she often elected to get a head-start and retire a few hours early. Her pink flats tramped grass and earth beneath her as careful footfalls carried her home, though she stopped just short of the castle walls.

The tournament grounds stretched out before her, nestled between Sherwood Forest and the castle itself. Several tents and booths dotted the flat plain, as well as the occasional archery target. Marian had been briefed on what the tournament would entail--and while surrendering a kiss to someone other than Robin nauseated her, she supposed it was a fairly benign prize, all things considered. It wasn't as if she was to marry the winner, after all.

Absent-mindedly, the young vixen padded over to one of those wooden booths, examining a bow someone had left overnight. It looked elegant, consisting of solid yew encircled with a leather handle. Marian had never even held a bow, let alone fired one, but she'd watched others practice with them in her youth. She lifted the implement, testing the draw and how it felt in her hands.

While archery wasn't something she particularly delighted in the thought of, it was something new. Anything to break the tedious cycle she'd relegated herself to seemed like a godsend, frankly. The fox retrieved an arrow from one of the tents, inspected it, then made her way over to a standing target.

Her first attempt thumped into the ground, only a few feet in front of her. The draw weight of such a bow surprised her, the vixen supposing this weapon must have belonged to one of the burlier men of her uncle's guard. Groaning in embarrassment, she retrieved the arrow, having a second go at it.

"Ah!" Marian squeaked out, her wrist throbbing with pain as the bow's string twanged against her fur. Her arrow sailed harmlessly into the dirt, only a foot or so past her last failed endeavor. Her ears drooped as she rubbed her injury. It was only a bruise at worst, but it certainly stung something fierce. Perhaps this sort of thing was best left to the professionals...

"Ho, my lady, your skills require polishing." A deep, gravelly voice rang out from behind the flustered fox. Marian gasped in surprise as she wheeled around, coming face to face with a tall, green-scaled crocodile. He gave her a smile, though it was difficult to ascertain his intentions with a toothy grin like that.

"Evidently." Marian responded with a slightly nervous chuckle, waving a hand dismissively in front of her face. "I thought I'd give it a try, but it seems like I'm well and truly rubbish at this sort of thing."

"Nonsense." Her companion replied, taking a step toward her on his short, stubby legs. He towered over the canine, his cloak rustling slightly in the light breeze. "No one gets it right on their first try. That bow is far too large for you, as well."

"Ah, so it is." Marian didn't like his voice one bit. He spoke in a raspy, throaty tone, which struck her as the voice some villain in her fanciful adventure novels might have. Still, this man served as a vassal to her uncle, and surely was a virtuous sort. Otherwise, she couldn't see her relative having appointed him to any position of authority.

"Aye, if you'd like, I could teach you how to shoot a bow like that. At least, well enough that you're not embarrassing yourself." The crocodile let out a low chuckle with this, his eyes containing a strange sort of hunger that made her uneasy. "Meet me here tomorrow night, and I'll have a much more suitable weapon for a lass your size."

The young woman felt her cheeks reddening beneath her orange fur, both intrigued and annoyed simultaneously. Having something to break up the monotony of her daily routine would be tremendously appreciated, but something about this cloaked crocodile rubbed her the wrong way. "I-I should be on my way back to my chambers. I'll consider your offer, though! Until next we meet." With that, she gave her conversational partner a polite bow and excused herself from the tournament grounds.

She felt a little rush of adrenaline as she quickly made her way back home. Her, doing archery? It was a strange thought, to be sure, but what was the harm? Under her reptilian acquaintance's tutelage, she might discover a new pastime. Puerile fantasies of winning her own tournament filled her mind as she lay in bed, distracting her from her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep.