Got Scolded
1408 Words
I was basically like a child that had found a new toy and as Gwen being the teacher, I have to say that she did put a lot of care into her practices because to her, everyone was the same level — her students.
I got chided when I fooled around and was glared down hard by Gwen when she suddenly barked, "Do you want to be serious or playing the fool? If you want to play the fool, go back to your domain and never come and show your face around here. You as the town's leader should show the best of examples and to the best capabilities. I am now your teacher and you are my student so you should be listening to your teacher well."
I gulped when I got glared down and barked at by Gwen. I never had seen her being so fierce at anyone before and I involuntarily shivered when I recalled her words at me. Not because I was chided in private but to more than 200 citizens.
I glanced at the back and discovered that no one was snickering or breaking into laughter as I wiped away the cold sweat that formed on my forehead. "Damn... This Gwen is definitely serious so I think I better buck up and be as serious as possible too. I can't slack off and be looked down in any way."
I thought to myself as I cleared my throat and bowed to Gwen as how a student would do if being punished. I then followed through the instructions given by Gwen as she showed how to grip the bow, balancing it perpendicular to the ground, pulling the drawstring back to my chest and aligning it close to my face (my nose actually) and weren't old to hold it steady.
She then adjusted my feet to make a proper stance as I held the bow in that manner as I could feel my muscle strain over the strength of the drawstring that was pulled back. "My God... Is archery this hard? I thought you could unleash 6 arrows into your enemies within a minute... Arrrgghhh..."
I was screaming inwardly as beads of cold sweat began to soak the top of my head, tricking down on the sides of my face as well as my armpits and back. I was literally a damp statue on a chilly autumn's day...!
No matter how, I held the string up against my nose, dead centre in my face as I used my right eye dominance to aim at my imaginary target in front as it bounded off and shook its butt at me and provoked me to unleash my blunt arrow at it.
Actually, I wasn't holding onto any arrow, just the torture of pulling the drawstring back was already half of hell...!
Gwen was explaining the fundamentals to the rest as they milled around me and watched how I stood and held the bow without quivering one bit and not showing how incredibly weak I was... Huhuhu...
I was gritting my teeth as my left arm began to shook when Gwen finally held my left arm and brought it down towards the ground. "You may stand at ease, student."
Those words were like music to me when I heard it and nearly let out a whoop as I released the drawstring slowly and placed the bow back to its original place. I can't help but shake the cramping feeling on my left arm as it was nearly 'frozen' in place during that demonstration.
Luckily I had worn the heavy linen glove on my right hand when u pulled the drawstring over it it would already have slipped due to all the excessive sweating...!
"Next, I will show you how to perform a non-tactical and tactical manner of nocking your arrow before release. Please take a look at the non-tactical point of view so you would have a feel afterwards."
A Shadow member went up and showed the non-tactical way of handling the bow before nocking the arrow, pulling back the drawstring and then taking aim and release all in one smooth single motion.
The arrow struck at the hay target 25 feet away dead centre after giving a slight adjustment to his aim before releasing the arrow.
Seeing the smooth transition demonstrated by the fine shadow member, everyone clapped their hands in jubilation as the arrow was pulled back slowly by the string attached to it.
"That's a fine show, and now the tactical one, that I would be showing to you shortly." Gwen removed some arrows from her quiver that seemed to be arched to her waist almost on every occasion and stuck the arrowhead inside the ground next to her feet.
"This bow is not the 35 pounder that you would be training on. As time goes on I would revert back to 90 pounds and above because the heavier it is, the harder it would be pulled. Once you consider the 35 pounders to be light, it would be upgraded to 45 pounders next."
"As you can see, I am using 110 pounders. So if a frail-looking lady like me can wield a 110 pounder bow, you able-bodied men would be able to wield a heavier set of the bow than mine right?"
I was impressed at how Gwen would put it because all of her bows were of military standards unlike those meant for game hunters which would be capped at almost 50 pounds of draw strength.
She casually put it to the fact that she as a frail lady could wield such a bow and this riled up the men to pick up a higher strength bow in the days to come. One thing had been etched inside those minds STRENGTH EQUALS POWER...
Commanding only to herself, she made herself heard as she barked her commands, "Archers, eyes front...! Target 25 feet...! Fire at will...!"
The moment she finished barking those commands to herself, she bent her knees ever so slightly to pick up her arrow which was embedded on the ground using her free hand, nocked the arrow, drew the string towards her and release with ease.
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
Before long, all the 6 arrows that she had kept embedded on the ground next to her right foot had been cleanly shot through without any hiccups and all were completed within 2 to 3 breaths. As she was using her personal bow, she had made a D loop on her drawstring to perfectly nock her arrows, pull and release the arrows, every time. The centre of the D loop was for her to place the nock of the arrows as well.
It looked like a cheat but it was of convenience and only experienced archers with their personal bows would do that to their own.
All the 6 arrows ended squarely on the target 25 feet away and the grouping was rather neat. Which means that each arrow had entered its target and was close to one another and not scattered like a wild, noobie archer.
Since there was a lot of fundamentals that need to go through at the Archery lanes, the hours spent was extended from an hour to 4 hours instead.
By the time everyone had learnt how to wield the bow and shot a single arrow, it was time to wrap things up and return to the courtyard where everyone discussed enthusiastically what they had learnt today and the knowledge gained.
Before long, some Shadow members carried 3 adult red deers that were seen foraging the grounds some miles off and each other adult red deer weighed about 400 pounds each. Judging by its age, these red deers had grown past its maturity and reproduction stage.
At least the population of wild boar, red deer and even other small game meat would not be entirely wiped out by the hunters from GraceHaven soon...!
When the carcasses were brought to the courtyard to be dressed, the citizens involved in the training earlier, were ecstatic not because of the upcoming roast that they would be having on their tables but by the look of the entry wounds that were made by the arrows instead...!
They were discussing the lethality and fatality of those arrows instead of the expecting roast meat.
Oyy...! Its time to p-a-r-t-y...! Quit looking at those entry wounds made by those arrows... OK?!
- Writer
