A Bet, A Trick

The next day, Ava continued training with Vaylah. Compared to her talent in using swords, it had to say that her talent in using a bow and arrow was leagues ahead. Or at least that was what it seemed like, as in the past week Ava had gone from never having held a bow, much less having shot an arrow, to be able to nail the bullseye in seven out of ten shots at a sixty-meter range.

Watching Ava lower the bow to grab a few more arrows, Vaylah couldn't help but toss a grape into her mouth as she watched the young prodigy train herself. Although she had helped Ava learn the basics of using a bow and arrow and could be considered her instructor in name, Vaylah had long realized that her methods of teaching weren't very helpful for the little imp, whose rigorous self-training that bordered on self-mutilation pushed her progress forward leaps and bounds.

Other than sitting around and giving Ava a place to practice, it seemed that she didn't really have much to do..?

Of course, this wasn't entirely true, she was also a snack provider…

Watching Ava prepare to grab another set of arrows, Vaylah couldn't help but call out, "Jeeze, why don't you take a break already."

Watching Ava's movements only pause for a moment before continuing, Vaylah couldn't help but shake her head before saying in a somewhat playful tone, "How about a bet then? We'll aim for the sixty-meter target that you've been practicing on, and I'll use my offhand and your little bow to make it more even. If I win, you have to take a break. And if you win…"

Vaylah thought for a moment before hesitantly saying, "I'll feed you myself?"

Rolling her eyes, Ava turned around and looked at this 'instructor' of hers who had long since lost her professionalism and had become yet another sister. Letting out a small smile, Ava said, "Three hundred arrows."

"THREE- Three hundred arrows? Are you insane?" Vaylah couldn't help but cry out. Arrows weren't cheap to make. There was a reason why even the glorious Yarnold Pass nearby didn't have any more than five to six hundred arrows prepared at any moment for each of their regular archers. Of course, if money alone was the problem, Vaylah wouldn't care so much.

The greater problem was that even for a well-trained soldier, the number of arrows they would shoot in a day would be no more than a hundred or so for a heavier bow like a war bow and no more than three to four hundred arrows a day for a lighter bow, because of the physical toll it took. Although Ava's little short bow was quite a bit smaller and didn't pack as much weight, Ava herself was also quite a bit smaller.

Shaking her head in a resolute fashion, Vaylah disagreed, "If you want extra training time or want to come more often, that's fine, but there's no way in hell I'm helping you cripple yourself. Choose something else."

Smirking, Ava pointed over at the rack to the side and said, "Teach me how to use a longbow then."

"You-" Realizing that Ava had such an intention all along, Vaylah couldn't help but want to punch the smug little smirk off of Ava's face, but in the end, only shook her head and sighed, "Alright, you little brat, if you want to try using a longbow you can try using a damn longbow." Under her breath, she couldn't help but mutter, "I don't get why you can't appreciate the little bow. It's so cute. I woulda killed for something like that when I was a kid."

Hearing this, Ava couldn't help but want to laugh but, in the end, restrained herself. Although Vaylah was casual and acted more like a sister than an instructor or a noble, she still had a bit of pride from her talent and upbringing. Ava wanted to leave the last bit of pride for this headstrong lady in front of her.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Vaylah let out a beautiful smile that had a touch of evil to it, "Of course, that's only if you can beat me. If you lose, you can forget about touching a longbow for at least a month- now, two months!"

Letting out a small nod, Ava tossed the bow in her hand to Vaylah, indicating that she should go first.

Hopping off of the short wall she had been perched on, Vaylah caught the bow and lightly strummed it to get a feel for it. Although she was a vastly better archer than Ava, she hadn't been tricking Ava when she made a bet. Although she intended to win, she didn't set up an unfair bet that Ava had no chance of winning. Her larger stature made it difficult for her to use this small bow. Adding to the fact that she wasn't all that familiar with it, her aim would undoubtedly be affected, and Vaylah was only confident that she would hit eight bullseyes out of ten, although with any luck, she would hit nine after adjusting after the first arrow.

In a somewhat languid manner, Vaylah walked over to the table on the side and grabbed ten of the custom-made arrows that paired with the bow, and brought them over to the range where the sixty-meter target was set up. Placing the arrows down on a small platform to the side, Vaylah picked up one arrow and weighed it in her hand before slowly going through each motion, adjusting at each step for the unfamiliar smaller bow. After a few seconds, she released her first shot, which flew out in a fierce manner, piercing into the eight-point mark.

Finishing the shot, Vaylah paused for a moment to think before lifting another arrow and once again taking her time before shooting. A moment later, the arrow landed on the bullseye. Letting out a somewhat evil smile, Vaylah gave Ava a grin before quickly shooting through the remaining eight arrows, quickly drawing and releasing each arrow, nailing the bullseye eight more times.

Finishing her shots, she smiled and tossed the bow to Ava, "Do you wanna check?"

Thinking for a moment, Ava shook her head but said, "We still have to remove the arrows, though, right?"

The smile on her face was freezing. Vaylah couldn't help but curse the girl in front of her, "Damn it, can't you just- ah, whatever, let's go clean up the range."

Watching Vaylah storm off in front of her, Ava couldn't help but let out a small laugh before following.