Archers

Emelia had arrived in Iris three weeks ago, and each day she felt her connection to Leon deepening. Their relationship was still new and fragile, but there was an undeniable attraction between them that neither of them cared to ignore. Despite her reservations and doubts, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. Every glance and every word between them felt electric and charged with sexual tension, as though they were on the brink of something they both wanted but were too scared to take the plunge.

Emelia felt a tiny thrill whenever Leon’s fingertips brushed her skin. She shivered, and a longing she hadn’t been able to identify before filled her entire being. His deep, brown eyes seemed to draw her in, and she could feel the intensity of their connection that appeared to be leading toward something more. If only she could bring herself to take the risk. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to truly let go and succumb to the smoldering desire which threatened to consume them both. Despite her hesitancy, Emelia couldn’t help but feel like something real was developing between them. She cherished the fact that Leon respected her boundaries after the hurt she suffered from James.

Emelia trudged up the winding road, a bag of apples cradled in her hand as she walked back from town. She stopped as she saw the soldiers training outside the castle walls. The clanking of swords and shouts of commands filled the air as some practiced sword fighting and sprinted across the green fields. Others were on the opposite side, shooting wooden posts that had been driven into the grass in long, straight rows. Emelia watched intently as a young soldier struggled with his bow, his fingers trembling as he tried to aim at a pouch fastened to a tree trunk. He let go, his arrow landing a few feet short of where he was aiming. Emelia grinned, “Raise your elbow just a bit higher and take a breath before you shoot; that should do it!”

The young soldier’s gaze shifted between Emelia and the other new trainees. A tall, imposing man with no hint of a smile on his face approached her cautiously. He spoke in a surly, condescending tone, “Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t think a woman’s opinion matters here.” The other recruits snickered at his comment.

Emelia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “It doesn’t matter who’s teaching it,” she said, her voice acidic. “As long as we can learn something from it, that’s all that matters.”

The man curled his lip in contempt and sneered, “What would a woman of the court know about archery?” He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword as if to make a point.

Emelia set down her bag of apples on the dewy grass and grabbed a spare bow from the ground. She approached the young man; her eyes focused on his quiver. He seemed hesitant to let her take an arrow, but she didn’t wait for his permission, plucking one out of his quiver. She stood beside him, her eyes fixed on the wooden post in the distance. She felt the tension in her arm as she pulled back, her brown eyes narrowed in concentration. With the slightest of grasps, she let go of the arrow and watched it soar through the air, piercing the worn log a few yards down the field. “I know enough,” she said with a satisfied grin. “I also know how much a little bit of difference makes.”

The trainees all watched, wide-eyed, as the man in the center, somewhat begrudgingly, regained his composure and said, “Well, I’ll be. Lieutenant Lassiter at your service.” He turned to the young soldier who had been caught off guard by her skills, “You see how she carries herself? You remember that for next time. Show her again how we shoot here.” The young soldier nodded, his forehead creasing in concentration as he retook his place. He squared his shoulders, extended his arm at a precise ninety-degree angle, and glanced at Emelia to ensure he had it right. “Like this?” he asked.

“Perfect,” she said confidently as he pulled back the bowstring and released the arrow. It flew straight and true, striking the wood on the far right. He dropped the bow in awe and smiled wide, “Congratulations!” she exclaimed as they looked to admire the shot, “At least you’re on the board now.”

The soldier’s face lit up with a bright smile as he nervously ran his finger down the seam of his uniform and mumbled, “Thank you very much, Lady Emelia.”

She cocked her head to the side, eyes wide with surprise and brows furrowed in confusion. “You know who I am?”

He bowed slightly and continued, “Although King Leon the Great is our commander...”

“Wait!” Emelia interrupted, “Leon the Great?”

“Yes, he’s one of the most renowned soldiers on the field with the most kills,” he said, surprised that she hadn’t heard about their most skilled frontline combatant. “He’s a great leader, and we’re all like a tight-knit family. So, of course, we know about you. He speaks highly of you whenever we’re out on the battlefield.”

The blood rushed to Emelia’s face, and her cheeks became hot. “Really?” she asked, her voice full of disbelief. She hadn’t expected Leon to tell anyone about his feelings for her, much less his soldiers.

“Of course, Lady Emelia. You mean a great deal to him, and he’s been much happier since you joined us here in Iris,” the young soldier reassured her.

Emelia bent down to retrieve her bag of apples from the ground. She looked at him and stammered, “Th-that’s sweet of you to say.”

The soldier inclined his head in a polite gesture and continued to practice with his bow. Emelia was about to enter the courtyard when her name was shouted out. She spun around to see Lieutenant Lassiter sprinting towards her. His face had gone red from exertion, and he was panting heavily by the time he reached her. He bowed respectfully and said, “Lady Emelia,” before wiping his sweaty brow. His eyes flicked over to the archers and back to her. He scowled and said, “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but...women have no place on the battlefield!”