A Bowsingers Work

Shirley

Back at the castle I look at the carving again. Even after a week the eyes haven't healed, though not a drop of blood has come out of them either. Occasionally I do feel slightly light headed which I suspect is a side effect from the poison, but apart from that I have not had any serious problems. Now when I touch the staff the eyes have a soft glow, which seems to me like an indication it will now work for me. I'm to afraid to really use the staff but it is nice to know I can use it. I softly stroke the snake head as I look from the balcony. I will definitely NOT make another journey like that any time soon but for some reason I do kinda want to go back to the village. I liked it there. Maybe I can convince the council to station Rashter and me there once we are both trained, so I can spend more time with the villagers there.

Soon I hear someone walk in and stand behind me. The leader speaks softly. 'The mage told me about what you have done. How you found the staff of a hero and brought peace with the Gorgons.'

I turn to him. 'They call themselves the Lamia, you know. They got a hard outside, like the dragons, but a golden heart...'

He looks down upon me. Then his expression softens. 'Yes. However, you did what diplomats couldn't do and that is to bring the Lamia out of isolation. It is disturbing, but a deed I respect. Ever since she died, they refused to talk with anyone.'

I shake my head. 'I didn't go there to bring peace as I didn't know they had isolated themselves. I just found the staff and note and thought to myself: if it had been my staff, would I like some random stranger to bring it home? Well, if it was with my former master I would. I just had to convince her to go.'

He looks out to the city. 'You know, this was actually all in her early days. Back when your master was also my apprentice. She chose one of her own students as her Rider which also kinda... backfired to her. They did their soul bind in secret, in the night. When Kai'chira died she went into a shock and didn't show herself to anyone for almost ten months. When she returned... she had changed. No one got her love as much since then... until you came around. She treats you as she treated Kai'chira.'

I nod. 'However she told me she is already soul bound to someone in the council so she isn't available.'

He looks at me through slitted eyes. 'I doubt it is everything she said to you, but in a way it is correct. She did bind herself to someone else but she isn't truly soul bound. She cannot take the pain and because of that she locked herself behind walls. No one can truly get close to her any more.'

I look out over the city. 'That used to be true, but I don't think it is any more. She was there, you know. Kai'chira. She was a green glow. She spoke... with me. But not just me, also with her father and with my master.'

The leader looks at me. 'So she became immortal. I should have expected no less from the mages star pupil. She was powerful...'

I cling to the staff. 'She told us she would be reborn soon. She would finish her business in her village and then return here. For what I do not know.'

The leader nods. 'She believed death wasn't the end and when your master was asleep she did her research into life and death. I think she knows something we do not. My hope is she can bring back the old heroes and start a new generation of heroes.'

I shake my head. 'A hero is not made. A hero becomes a hero because the person believes he or she fights for what's right and is willing to go further than others to achieve it. However the line between hero and villain is slim as my former master showed.'

The leader sighs. 'That would make you a hero to. You believed you had to honor the memory and wishes of Kai'chira. In the process you reshaped the map of this world.'

I shake my head. 'I'm not a hero. I desecrated a statue that was meant to remember her, took her staff and confronted her father with her dead daughters staff. That is more what a villain would do. And I got rewarded for that.'

The leader lifts my head up. 'You did what was right. You did what many others before you should have done but didn't do. Believe it or not but your actions are at least heroic in nature.'

I look him dead in the eye. 'I'm not worthy yet. At least not to be placed in that hall. Again I have only really done something small.'

He returns my look. 'It is the small things that cause the biggest changes. You earned my respect, Shirley. Your actions have changed your future wether you truly wished it or not.'

In the afternoon Celeste tells me to go out on the street. It is mostly to pick up my saddle but also to release some tension in my muscles. As I walk over the street I see some teenagers practice with a bow on the public archery ground. I walk over and look at them, mostly interested in how they do. They seem to be naturals except for one. The one guy struggles. When I see no one helps him I silently walk over and kneel behind him, softly pushing his arm straight. 'Deep breaths. Look past the arrow to where you want it to hit.'

The kid is startled for a moment but then does as I told him. The arrow does hit the target as I was hoping, but not close to the center. The boy seems happy. Meanwhile the other teens look at me. One of them, a pointy eared girl, speaks to me in a challenging tone. 'And what does a human know about archery? We Elves are born archers.'

I turn to the Elven girl. 'I'm a former hunter and soon to be Dragon Guard archer. I won't claim I'm the best archer of the Guard but I am one of the best.'

She laughs. 'Humans are not archers. You think you are archers but true skill with the bow is reserved for Elves. You aren't one.'

At that point I feel a sting in my wrist and hear her voice again. 'Show her how it is done and earn the Elves respect.'

I grab my bow from my quiver and while looking at the girl fire three arrows at the targets, each most likely hitting the center. Then I go through my knees again. 'You were saying?'

She coughs. 'Why did you cut your ear tips off then? That is not how a human uses a bow. That is how an Elf shoots.'

I shake my head. 'I've trained for years, day after day, the entire day, just to learn how to become the best archer in my village. I survived a dragon raid because I could shoot without looking for to long. Look, I respect your race and I have no doubt you are excellent archers. But archery is what I practically live for. It is the one thing I know and can do in any situation.'

One of the other Elven girls walks over. 'Can I see your bow?'

I hold it out for her to see. She shakes her head. 'That is human junk. Why don't you get a real bow? One of the Elven bows? Your bow will fail you when you can least use it.'

I close my eyes. 'I cannot afford Elven craftsmanship. Nor can I afford a true Dwarven sword or knife. After my village got burned down I haven't earned any money any more. This bow was a gift from my master because the bow I had when I came here snapped.'

The girl grabs my hand. 'I'll bring you to my father. He could help you with a real bow. After all, if you truly are as good as you say, he will gladly help you.'

I soon find myself in a different type of house. This one is not so much build as it is grown, the entire house being a massive tree. It is one of the largest houses in this area, which must be the Elven neighborhood. I see an elderly Elf walk around the ground floor which seems to be a workshop of sorts. As the girl runs in he turns to her. 'I thought you were still training with your bow, Tiala.'

She points to me. 'She was helping a friend learn the way of the bow. She is really good but her bow is the usual human junk.'

The Elf studies me. 'Hmm... relatively slender frame, though sturdy. Strung bow which means always on duty or ready for battle, rough hewn knife so not very rich. A uniform from some obscure company that doesn't seem to be that successful. Human sword... not that sharp. Are you a scout by any chance?'

I shake my head. 'No. I'm a former hunter and an aspiring Dragon Guard. I was brought in after I was the sole survivor of a dragon attack on my village.'

He nods. 'I'm not often wrong in my assessment. Now... I see you are decently on your guard at all times and seeing a quiver with missing arrows tells me you also use your arrows. The question is how well you actually hit your targets. Come to the back and show me your true colors and if I'm satisfied, I'll make you a bow. I'm curious how good a Dragon Guard bowman truly is.'

I grab my bow and lay a hand on an arrow in my quiver. 'If you wish so, then I'll show you.'

He puts his hand on my bow. 'No. Not with this bow. I want you to use one of my making. A good archer knows his equipment and can use it without issues. A master archer can pick up any bow and use said bow without many complications.'

He takes me to the back to some kind of archery range and hands me over a plain but elegant bow, which seems to be in excellent condition. I immediately test it on a couple of targets, noticing the bow does work for me.

Clack. Pssht. Chack.

Another arrow hit. The bow is a bit heavier in the hand than I'm used to. It costs noticeably more energy to draw and fire, just like the feedback makes it a bit harder to keep the arrows flying straight. However I also notice that once I got that under control the bow lays better in the hand as well as it seems to be less bouncy. I see another target pop up but while drawing my attention is pulled by a third target popping up. As I focus on the third target I let the arrow go to the second target and rapidly draw again for the third target. Then I hear something behind me. I spin on my heels with another arrow on my bow and draw, but am just in time to not release as I see it is a female Elf. She is carrying a tray of tea and something made from plants but nearly drops it. 'Whoa! Don't shoot me!'

I relax the bow and put the arrow back in the quiver. 'My apologies, miss. I was invited to show my archery and thought for a moment a target popped up behind me.'

The male Elf walks over. 'I'd prefer if you don't aim a bow to my wife, but with your reaction time there is no issue. Your aim is also mostly spot on. It seems you have spend time learning to shoot at targets that are on the move. If I have one remark it is that you tend to release arrows to soon. Instead of winning time in the placing of the arrow and the drawing you taught yourself to aim quicker. That is fine in normal conditions but it could lead to you not keeping wind conditions in consideration when shooting in a combat scenario, which you will see eventually. Also I fear you are used to a light recurve bow and not a true punchy bow.'

I rapidly let 3 arrows fly to targets that popped up while we were talking. I did hear them before but didn't see where they were. Then I turn to the craftsman. 'If I cannot solve a situation with one arrow it is a waste of the arrow. I can hit targets in the black of night as well as long distances away. Do not worry about my aim as even my own dragon has seen I know my way around a bow.'

The female Elf puts the platter down. 'Impressive. You don't even look where you shoot half the time. It is a bit showing off, I do think.'

I place the bow on the rack the craftsman pulled it from. 'What can I say? Hunters only knew that language. I had to humiliate some of them before they stopped picking on me.'

The craftsman nods softly. 'All right. I will make you a bow. Now, an Elven bow is nothing like the rough hewn bows you humans like to use. Ours are grown from the trees to suit its owners needs. A bow made by one of is will last your lifetime and with normal use should never break. To own a bow made by an Elf is to own a treasure. Only the best archers have one and only few of them have been given one by an Elf. Use it wisely and with respect. These are no ordinary hunting bows nor should they be used for such. These are bows used only for combat.'

He goes to the room where I first met him and then moves to a shelf. He looks at me again and then grabs something from the shelves. 'I should ask you. That staff you carry, is that the staff of Kai'chira the naga princess?'

I respond instantly. 'The Lamia princess yes. She has given it to me, in a way. Her father told me an Elf made it.'

The female Elf walks in. 'Yes. That was me. I never knew she would be using it to do so much when I made it. It is good to see it once again. Can I hold it for a moment?'

I step back. 'I would prefer not to, miss. It was entrusted with me by her soul and her father. I have to protect it at all costs, even if I'm afraid to use it.'

She steps over towards me. 'You could hold it out in front of you, if you truly are so protective over it.'

I do so, still holding the staff gingerly but solid. She looks at it closely but keeps her distance. 'The eyes glow the way they did when she held it. Her magic permeates the staff. Darling, the bow should represent the staff. She may not be very powerful with magic as the staff shows me clearly, but she is capable of using magic. If the Lamia give her such a treasure, we should follow the example.'

Back in the castle I sit against the saddle just looking at my new bow. I expected they would make something simple and elegant but that isn't the case. The bow itself has a double recurve, with the top being a snake head and the bottom a tail. The string is relatively thin but still very strong. What strikes me however, is that the bow was grown, and they even took the time to have it grow a scale pattern. Two golden rings sit above and below the grip, which is wrapped in a soft but grippy vine. I already discovered that the craftsman made it to where I can unstring the bow when not in use though the string cannot be fully removed as it is grown into the tail part. During the testing I also discovered the bow is still quite heavy on the draw but very accurate.

I'm still sitting there when Celeste comes in. She looks at my new bow and sighs. 'How did you get yourself an Elven bow? Also why the snake part?'

I explain what happened in the workshop. Then Celeste softly picks up the bow and studies it. 'The Elves never have any respect for anyone but their own. Its funny that you managed to get those kids to respect you, but Elven bows are not meant for humans. The reason it feels heavier on the draw is because the wood is though. Elves have stronger muscles and our bows indeed do break when used by Elves. Either you have to practice with this bow now, or you have to keep on using the one you have.'

I respond. 'Or both as I cannot hunt with my new bow according to the craftsman. He said it wasn't meant for hunting, only fighting.'

Celeste sighs. 'I expected something like that. That is so... Elf. To make something that is only good for one thing. However, I grudgingly admit they did make something beautiful. I'm just not a fan of the decorations they chose.'

I nod. 'They based it on the staff. Though it does fit in with the staff, I would rather have had a plain bow as the staff was more... a lucky find than anything.'

She hands the bow back. 'Nothing is coincidence, Shirley. You were meant to find it, which is why you were never meant to die in your village.'

I turn to her. 'I have forgiven... him. I've grown to like being around him, preferring his company over almost everyone else. But still I cannot shake the feeling I should have died back there. Yes I got a second chance in life but... I didn't deserve that yet.'

Celeste walks in front of me. 'You could say it like that. However, there is another side to this to. You have forgiven him. You have forgiven the one that took everything from you and bonded with him. Then you rebuild your life with nothing. That, Shirley, is destiny. You are destined for greatness. All you have to do is look forward, not back. The Lamia entrusted you with the staff of their greatest hero. The Elves, and yes I don't like them, gave you a bow to match. Two races in a way back you up. Maybe you can become a hero.'