Aragorn and the Phoenix of Caspian (ENGLISH)

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Aragorn missed shooting the arrow. Since he was a novice, he could pinpoint their target which was the apple hanging from the tree. For him, it was impossible to hit a small object like that with a high altitude.

“Another miss, Aragorn. You could’ve killed someone by not using the bow and arrow correctly,” Leo said.

“It is one of my first times using a bow and an arrow.”

“And that wasn’t an excuse for not knowing how to use it. All of the former kings were really good at using bow and arrow. Will you accept it if you’re the only one who isn't?”

Of course not, he thought. He wanted to be as good as his father or even his grandfathers. He didn’t want to be titled as the worst king in Caspian. He never wanted to be better than someone else. He wanted to be the second-rate version of someone he looked up to.

“Next, Yosef. Let’s see what you can show us.”

Yosef stoof forward, focused his eyes on their target which was the apple hanging from the tree. It would be difficult to hit it even when you’re an expert. Except that it’s small enough to be the target, the altitude of it is high for them.

“I think I can’t hit it,” the young boy said. He’s only fifteen years old and spent two years of training in the training ground. He knew his capabilities and the things he can or cannot do. Hitting the apple would be a great challenge for him. And it would be better to give up early than to be embarrassed.

“There’s no point in not trying. We live in this world because we’re trying things and we accept challenges. If you didn’t hit the apple, you missed it but at least you tried,” Leo said in a stoic expression.

Yosef extended the string of the bow, placed the arrow on it, and had a good grip on the bow and arrow. In three seconds, he released it and an apple shot by the arrow fell on the ground.

“You’re always humble. I shouldn’t believe that you cannot hit that arrow,” Azrael commented. “I hope I have the same skills as you, kid.”

Yosef smiled. Even himself was shocked at the results of shooting the arrow. He didn’t know he was able to hit it. He made the impossible, a possible thing. He walked to the fallen apple, grabbed it from the ground, removed the arrow, and took a bite of the fresh fruit snack.

“Fruits in this garden taste better than what we have in the military,” he said like a kid.

“Garden of Pleas has the best quality of fruits in the palace. I assure you that because I have lived here for more than fifteen years."

“You lived here for fifteen years?” Azrael asked with his jaw dropped.

“More than fifteen and counting.”

“Isn’t it boring to live here? All you can see is… trees.”

Hidea hit Azrael’s chest using his elbows. He knew it should not be asked to Leo. Leo’s known for being the young warrior when he was a little and disrespecting him would be a sin in the palace. “Stop asking questions like that.”

Leo didn’t mind the younger warriors. They continued the training, Azrael is the next one to hit the apple using an arrow.

SPHYRA saw the person who almost killed her. It was the guy he saw last night. He was a fool for using a bow and arrow, she thought. She almost died because of him, just because he can’t use a bow and arrow properly. Aragorn was practicing with three other men and a mentor. The second guy, who was younger to Aragorn, hit the apple. Luckily, no one saw her.

She left the forest, wearing the hood she had bought many years ago. She needed to hide her face and a hood is the only thing that could prevent her from being suspicious.

She carried the sack of fruits, it was heavy, but she can still carry it. It was a half an hour walk to the market. She didn’t have a wagon so things would be more difficult. If her hand released pain, she had to pull it and the sack scraped the ground. After minutes of walking, she arrived at the market of caspian.

Most of the families here were those in the middle of richness and poverty. Poor people didn’t have the chance to buy their food. They have to work or wait for the donations and supply of the royal government. Rich people didn’t buy their food at the market either. They buy from people who deliver the exact goods to them or they are the owner of the source of the goods in the market.

Families in the middle were wives of healers, soldiers, and royal workers. They have the income, but didn’t have the opportunity to own a plantation.

Sphyra looked for Dindo, the fruit seller whom she sells her harvested fruits to. She smiled when she saw him. He didn’t have any customers yet but there would be an influx in the afternoon.

“Dindo,” she called. “These were the fruits that I harvested.” Dindo helped her in carrying the sack of fruits. “How much was it?”

“I think this is heavier than what you brought last time. Since you’re a regular supplier, I’ll give you thirty-two silver nuggets.”

In the palace of Caspian, silver and gold nuggets were the currency used to buy goods. Gold nuggets were rare to earn and it cost one-thousand silver nuggets. Most of the rich families have it and only some of the middle-line families have it.

Thirty-two was better than the twenty-three she had last time. She accepted it and headed straight to the bread seller.

“How much is it?” she asked.

“Three silver nuggets,” the seller answered.

Sphyra gave her three silver nuggets and she received a one-foot long bread. She has eaten fruits most of the time and the only time she can eat bread is when she harvests in the garden. This is the way for her to preserve her life. She didn’t want to die… or kill. She just wanted to live until the day she truly died. Maybe her life would stay this way forever, but who knows who can change that.

Sphyra glanced at her back. Far from her, she saw Aragorn along with the four other guys he was earlier with. Her jaw dropped and quickly hid herself using the hood. Is he following me? She asked herself and sauntered away from the market.