Fanfic:A First Spar
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Deep, slow breath. Set the arrow, raise the bow, lower slightly to aim, raise again, and draw back the string with a small adjustment for the breeze. Bend back at the waist, exhale and release.
Riahana Drin'far'ji watched as the arrow left her bow, arching high to give the projectile distance. She saw it hit the target, but the target was too far away to see how close to center she may have hit. Without giving the shot too much thought, the Drin'far'ji grabbed another arrow, set it, and prepared to fire as the wind picked up. As she took aim, and pulled the bow up, Riahana adjusted her aim a bit, and bent at the waist again. As she exhaled, she gently released the arrow, and for the tenth time since she arrived at the archery range, the Drin'far'ji watched the path of the arrow sail through the sky and sink into the target.
Satisfied, and checking the range to make sure it was still empty, and thus safe for her to walk down range, Riahana moved to inspect her attempts at distance shots. She would not say she was a natural with the bow, but the weapon inspired her. She wanted to become as good as she could, and thus practiced during most of her free time. Today, she wanted to improve her distance shots, practicing making adjustments for wind, and altering how much she bent at the waist, getting a better feel for what would work in different situations.
Judging distances would be the real challenge, Riahana suspected. On the archery range, she had some grasp of how far away she was from the targets, but when the targets were going to be real opponents, it might be harder to judge.
A small smile came to Riahana as she neared the target, and saw seven of her ten arrows were within the inner circle, and the other three were well within the outer circle. Three were within center circle. Her best results to date.
"Not a bad effort, Drin'far'ji," a voice announced behind her.
Riahana almost jumped out of her skin, as she hadn't seen anyone else on the range, nor did she hear anyone approach. Looking behind her, she saw a Ji'alantin standing three paces away with arms folded, wearing a Cheshire grin. "You...startled me," she replied.
With a soft laugh, the man apologized, "I assure you it was not my intent to startle you, Drin'far'ji. I am sorry...I am in the habit of walking softly." He nodded to the target, "As I was saying, well done. It is a good grouping considering the distance you were practicing."
"Thank you," Riahana replied. She arched a brow, "I...didn't know anyone was watching. I haven't seen anyone out here all hour."
Nodding towards a patch of trees, the Ji'alantin replied, "I was enjoying the shade." With a slight bow, he introduced himself, "I am Dornan Ji'alantin."
Riahana smiled slightly, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dornan Ji'alantin. I am Riahana Drin'far'ji."
With a smirk, Dornan replied, "I know. There aren't many who don't know about the Great Granddaughter-in-law of the Reaper of the Yards." Without giving Ria a chance to protest, the Ji'alantin nodded towards the trees beyond the obstacle course, "Have you tried the archery sparring arena yet?"
Looking dubious, Ria shook her head, "No. I don't know that I am so good as to try such a spar with someone." She had improved a great deal since class, but the Drin'far'ji was her own worst critic.
Dornan laughed softly, "Oh, I am not so sure I would say that, Drin'far'ji. I've watched you these last several days. You have done better than most Drin'far'ji with moving targets on the obstacle course, and you are developing an eye for distance." Nodding to the targets, "Practicing with stationary targets wears on a person after a while, as does the obstacle course." He grinned as he started taking several steps towards the sparring area, "The sparring arena, though...you train as you have fun. Come, Drin'far'ji. Humor this Ji'alantin, and give it a try."
Still looking unsure, Ria found herself following Dornan. What will it hurt to try, girl? "How...does it work?"
Looking over his shoulder, and pausing just enough so the Drin'far'ji could catch up, "Simple, really. We wear white jackets and use special bows and arrows. The bows aren't quite so powerful as your recursive bow, and the arrows...instead of tips, they have small balls of fabric that contain dyed dust. If you hit your target square in the chest, or back, then you've scored a kill. We use the terrain to our advantage...getting up in trees, or hiding behind rocks, whatever it takes. It's an armed version of hide and seek, if you will."
The pair reached the sparring area, where two more people were waiting. One was a Ji'dar that Riahana recognized passing in the halls, and the other was one of the Drin'far'ji that was in her archery class with her, Khessa. The other two greeted Ria with warm smiles, and Dornan handed her a jacket with circles drawn in certain locations, a special bow and a quiver full of special arrows, "We'll form two teams of two. Riahana and Ji'dar Rheya against myself and Khessa. Sound good?"
At this point, Rheya smirked, "That's fine...loser owes the winner a round of ale."
Dornan smirked, "Sounds good to me. I'm free for you to buy me that round tomorrow evening, Rhey."
Looking to Ria with a smirk, though, Rheya replied, "I wouldn't count your ale yet, Dornan. Azharna told me this Drin'far'ji has a knack for the bow."
Ria watched the exchange between the two Ji' as she donned her jacket, and unstrung her bow before taking the sparring bow and quiver in hand. Looking back to her partner, the Drin'far'ji laughed, "You do know that Azharna has a tendency to exaggerate, right?"
Rheya flashed her smirk to Ria, "Oh I know. What she actually said was that you were an expert with the bow." She took one of the practice arrows out of her quiver, "OK, so we've got the blue dye, and Dornan...you've got red. The circles on the jackets represent kill shots...get hit there, and you are out. Red's outpost is on the far side. . .ours is just over here. Ring the bell when you're ready, and we'll ring ours in reply. Then...the hunt is on."
Dornan looked to Riahana, "Did you get all of that?"
Ria smirked and nodded, "Got enough to know what to aim for."
Both the ji's laughed, and Dornan replied, "I can see Rheya's arrogance is wearing off on you." Before Rheya could reply, Dornan nodded to Khessa, "Come on. Let's go."
Watching them hike off, Ria commented, "You two spar often?"
"Often enough. He hates losing, and I've always paired up with Khessa out here. He thought perhaps I had an unfair advantage," Rheya smirked. She motioned for Ria to follow her as she moved to the outpost. "So...I told him find me a different partner who has some skill with the bow, and we'll see. What he doesn't realize is that I've spent more time on the bow than he, so have more experience with it. I'm not necessarily going to let him in on that little secret." Rheya flashed a wicked grin, then looked towards the far side of the sparring area as she heard the bell. "Ready?"
Looking towards the Red outpost, Riahana couldn't see the other two because of the trees and terrain. Nodding, she replied, "As I'll ever be."
Rheya grinned and rang the bell, "Ok, so he tends to go to the outside. We'll do the same...you take right, and I left. Stay low, and behind cover, unless you think you can quietly climb a tree. Got it?" Once Ria nodded, Rheya gave her own nod, and flashed a smirk, "Right. See you after we win!"
Parting from her impromptu team-mate, Riahana started making her way quickly, and quietly to the edge of the sparring area, using trees and boulders for cover. She always kept her eyes forward as she moved, looking for an opponent. The Drin'far'ji's heart was pounding hard and heavy in her chest, and she swore its noise alone would give away her location. She heard a twig snap ahead and to the left of her. She ducked behind a boulder, and carefully peered out.
At first, Riahana saw nothing, but then she saw Khessa move from behind a tree to a boulder. From where she stood, she estimated the other Drin'far'ji was perhaps one hundred yards off. Such a distant shot was not so hard for Riahana, but the woman was behind cover, and Ria'd never tried distance shooting a moving target. She stuck her head out again, and saw the other Drin taking aim.
Quickly ducking, Ria was glad for the cover, as she heard Khessa's arrow impact the boulder. There's a thick tree to my left, twenty feet forward...I can make it if I run, Ria thought to herself. With one last quick look, Ria saw the coast was clear, and made the mad dash for the tree.
Khessa had been waiting for her to make the move, and fired a shot, but, fortunately for Riahana, didn't account for the other Drin's movement.
The arrow landed behind Ria with a thud just as she slid behind the tree, turning so her back was against it. She gave herself a few seconds to catch her breath, and slow her heartbeat. She had been practicing the Void and Flame, and managed to reach the Void on her own from time to time, but it was difficult to attain, and harder still to hold. She did what she could just then, though, at least to help her focus.
Once her breathing slowed, and she felt more focused, Riahana turned to face the tree, and glanced out. She saw a jacket disappear behind a tree forward by fifty yards and to her right. She adjusted her position so that the tree offered more cover, but still offered her a view for a shot. She pulled an arrow from the quiver, nocked it, raised the bow as she sited where she imagined she would see Khessa, and lowered slightly to aim. She listened intently, and heard shuffling coming from behind the target tree. Only when she heard the noise did she raise the bow, and draw the string back. Not a moment later, she saw the other Drin, and released the arrow.
The arrow flew true, but it was high, hitting the girl in the shoulder. It wasn't a killing shot, but it was a hit. Without hesitating, Ria stepped back behind the tree to take cover, and contemplated her next move. Off to the left, there was another tree, just five feet forward. Without looking, or hesitating, she moved to the tree, quickly and quietly, then listened for movement from the other Drin.
Khessa chose the tree for cover because it afforded her a place she could hide whilst standing. Her next best cover came from a boulder ten yards closer towards Riahana....at least it seemed the best option from Ria's standpoint. Nocking another arrow, Ria readied herself. She wanted to get Khessa as she was moving, but wasn't certain she had the angle for a kill shot. When she heard, and then saw the blur of motion, Ria drew her bow quickly, and smoothly, leading Khessa as she fired. The arrow flew fast, and true, but hit the Drin' on the shoulder.
With a silent curse, Riahana moved quickly to her next cover, a large boulder that would allow her to kneel and fire while offering decent cover, though her head would still be exposed. As she peered out, Khessa had taken aim and fired. She ducked just in time. As she positioned herself to take aim, the Drin'far'ji found the position less than comfortable, and quite awkward for firing a bow. Forward of her by five paces was another sizeable tree, but getting there would be tricky. She ducked down after planning her next move, only to be showered from dye of an arrow that hit the top of the boulder, where her back had been.
Blood and ashes! Dornan's! Riahana cursed inwardly. She had to plan her next move quickly, and carefully. Both Khessa and Dornan would have her in their sites. Ten paces ahead, there was a decent size tree, but ten paces was a lot of ground to cover. She had little choice, though. In an attempt to feint at least one of them, Ria stuck her head up, and ducked down. Hearing a bow string twang, she guessed Khessa took the bait. With that in mind, Ria rolled around the boulder, putting it between her, and where she thought Dornan was as she made a mad dash for her next objective.
Not quite quick enough, one of the red arrows slammed into Riahana's thighs, causing the woman to tumble and scramble the last four feet behind her preferred tree. She winced with the sting from the arrow, and rubbed at what would undoubtedly become a lovely colored bruise. As she looked up, she saw Rheya, who flashed her a smirk, and motioned for to stay still and be quiet. The Drin then watched as Rheya nocked a bow, her gaze set beyond Ria, and to the left...in the direction where Dornan was likely hiding. Seconds later, the Ji' held an intense focus as she let loose her arrow.
From behind her, Riahana heard, "Blood and bloody ashes! Nice shot, Rheya." Dornan stepped out behind a tree, and had a blue mark on the circle in the middle of his chest. "Khessa, it is down to you..."
Rheya whistled for Ria's attention, pointed to her, and signalled that she'd flush Khessa out for Ria. The Ji then silently moved from tree, to boulder, to tree before getting in position to flush out the other Drin.
Ria guessed that Rheya could have taken out the other Drin, but instead, she fired around Khessa, driving her from the protection of her tree. Ria had been waiting with nocked arrow, and led her target perfectly as she let the arrow loose. She couldn't ask for a better target, as Khessa's chest was fully exposed, and the arrow hit just inside the circle, slightly left of center. The force of the blow was enough to cause the girl to stagger, but she kept her feet. Looking down, the other Drin' pulled a face, and looked for her assailant. She found Ria, and offered a smile, "Nice shot."
"Thank you," Riahana replied. It wasn't quite luck, but she did have help. Looking to Dornan and Rheya, she offered a smile, "I can see the appeal of the sparring area....practical application, and experience. I'd be happy to spar with you all in the future, any time. I think it is quite obvious I still have a great deal to learn."
Dornan looked down to the blue dye in the circle on his chest, and then back to Ria, "I think we all do, Riahana, I think we all do....though maybe not Rheya."
The Ji'Dar smirked, "I still have a great deal to learn myself, Dornan...just perhaps not as much as you." She pulled her jacket off, "It is nearly time for dinner...shall we dine together? Dornan...you can buy me that ale the next time we are at the Band of Brothers."
