Flying arrows
Sanctuary lay in early morning sunlight. No clouds tarnished the spotless and azure sky.
With eyes wide in wonder, Francisca wandered among the white stone buildings. He could feel the weight of history lying on this place, pouring out of every wall and every column.
It still felt so incredible. Just four days ago, a stranger had come to the small German village Francisca had lived in as an orphan. The stranger had asked him to come with him. Upon the question why, the stranger had told him that the Greek gods truly existed and that Francisca had an innate power; a power that would make him one of the warriors fighting at Athena's side.
At first, the boy had laughed. As much as he had wanted to get off the street, he idea had sounded too absurd. But then the stranger had revealed the golden armor he was wearing and the tremendous power he possessed.
He had introduced himself as Aquarius Krest.
Francisca had not needed any more convincing. Two days later, they had arrived at Sanctuary with the last sunrays of the day. Then already the boy had been thunderstruck by the age and power that Athena's Sanctuary radiated. Not in his wildest dreams had he imagined ever to see such a place.
He crossed a rivulet.
Sure, Francisca knew that it wasn't going to be easy. Krest had explained to him in great detail what it would mean to be a Saint of Athena. That the training was going to be excruciatingly hard. Still, the boy had agreed. He suggested, as bad as training was going to get, it would still be better than the street life he had before.
And perhaps… perhaps he was going to make some friends here.
In that regard, the start here had unfortunately not been promising. Back in his hometown, Francisca had been laughed at for having a girl's name. The few other street boys had bullied him mercilessly because of it. A second reason he had gone with Krest was in hopes to leave that life behind. However, when Krest had introduced him yesterday to a couple of other trainees, there had been the old smirks and withheld laughters.
,It's the same here, too.'
Not exactly what he had hoped to find in the residence of a goddess who protected peace and justice in the world.
But he would not give up. If not for anyone else, he would become a Saint for Krest and those who had given him a new chance. For those who had gotten him off the street and given his life a purpose. And for Athena, who would hopefully cleanse the world of such bullies and other mean people.
When he returned his attention back to his surroundings, he was surprised to find he had gotten into a more remote corner of Sanctuary. He didn't mind; hadn't Krest told him to use this day to rest and explore Sanctuary further before training would begin tomorrow? Better Francisca learned all the hidden and secret corners and pasages quick, so he would have a place to get some time to himself if necessary.
He stopped for a moment. Enjoyed the warm sunlight illuminating the rugged and wild mountains around him. It was quiet except for some birds chirping somewhere between the rocks. The sky was colored in shades of pastel. It was too nice a view to be tarnished by dark thoughts, the boy decided.
,It's beautiful here…'
Suddenly, there was another sound reaching Francisca's ear. Faint, barely audible, but he was certain he had heard something. A weird, dull knocking sound.
Tock.
There it was again. Curiously, the blonde boy walked towards the source of the sound, moving as silently and carefully as possible.
Tock.
Peeking out from behind a large boulder, Francisca finally saw what was making that strange noise.
It was another boy, one or two years older than himself. He was tall and slender, with tousled black hair, wearing the usual training outfit that Francisca had seen the other trainees wear. In his hand, he held a wooden bow, arrow nocked to it and eyes on a makeshift target about fifty feet away.
He looked so focused that nothing seemed to be able to break that concentration.
Tock.
The arrow vanished from the bow, only to disappear in the target a few feet away. In awe, Francisca saw how close to the bullseye it was.
,This guy is seriously good!'
He almost became giddy. If training in Sanctury made someone this strong and good at combat, he would not even dream of leaving. May it be as hard as Krest had warned him about.
The other boy nocked another arrow and after a moment of aiming, let it loose. Francisca couldn't help but admire the elegance of his movements. He even played with the thought of approaching him. He looked friendly enough, without the meanness hat other boys in their eyes. However, the experience from the previous day made a deeply hidden, deeply hurt part of him hesitate.
That was when it happened. Without noticing, Francisca must have leaned over too far, loosing balance. His foot automatically moved to compensate, and sent a pebble flying. With a clacking sound, it bumped against another rock.
The boy on the square in front of him whirled around, arrow on the bow.
„Who goes there?!"
,Oh no!'
Now the other boy knew he was here. Left with no choice, Francisca stepped out from behind the boulder, arms in the air and eyes on the threatening arrowhead blinking in the sunlight.
„I-it's just me", he said.
The other boy stopped short. „Huh? Who're you? I've never seen you around here." Before Francisca could answer, realisation dawned on his face. To the blonde boy's immense relief, he lowered the bow so it pointed to the ground. „Wait, you must be that new guy sir Krest brought in yesterday. The one supposed to train for the Taurus Gold Cloth."
„That's me", Francisca said with a sheepish smile.
„Taking a tour of Sanctuary, then?" The other boy grinned and approached him with a hand extended. „My name is Aeras, by the way. I am training to become the Sagittarius Gold Saint."
Here it was. The moment Francisca had dreaded. He braced himself for what was about to happen. He bit his lip.
„M-my name is F-Francisca."
To the blonde boy's utter astonishment, there was no laughter, no taunting, no insulting. Instead, one of Aeras' eyebrows lifted in genuine puzzlement.
„Francisca? But isn't that a girl's name? What parents gives such a name to a boy?"
Francisca's eyes widened. He could barely believe it. Was it possible? Another boy who didn't laugh at his ridiculous name? And even better, Aeras seemed to be indignant on Francisca's behalf.
„I know, right? They could've at least given me the male version of it. Well, at least one of its meanings is cool. ,She who carries the banner'."
„That does sound cool. My name simply means wind in Greek. Not as impressive as yours, ey?"
„At least wind is a cool element", Francisca said, breaking into a grin. Somehow, she had the feeling that she was not the only one with a bad name. And she liked that, though Aeras at least sounded male and had a nice ring to it. „My name's second meaning is ,little Frenchman'. Now that is the epitome of lameness."
After a moment of silence, both boys broke into laughter at the same time. Francisca simply let it out. It surprised him how easy it came. Most likely it was because he sensed that Aeras' was laughing with him, not at him.
„But I have to say", the blonde boy said when they calmed down. „The way you handle the bow is amazing."
Aeras shrugged nonchalantly. „It comes with being a Sagittarius, I guess. I've had great aim ever since I've been little."
„Can you teach me how to shoot?", Fransisca asked with glowing eyes and eagerness in his voice.
After a baffled moment, Aeras laughed loudly. „Alright, alright, I'll show you. But be warned: It's not as easy as it looks."
And the Sagittarian truly did his best. He showed Francisca how to hold a bow properly, which was already where the struggle began.
It looked like the blonde Taurean had no talent for archery at all. After twenty minutes, he finally managed to shoot an arrow properly, and he had a got at a target. Trying to remember everything Aeras had told him about aiming, he focused on the white disc and let loose.
„Yikes! Francisca! You're supposed to shoot the target, not me!"
Only a jump had saved the black-haired Sagittarian from a stray arrow. Francisca smiled sheepishly.
„Sorry! Didn't mean that."
„Good grief." With a sigh, Aeras stood behind him. „Look again. Your feet have to be like this… now lift your arm higher…"
An hour later, the space around the target was filled with arrows, sticking in cracks or lying on the ground.
„That was fun", Francisca said as he watched Aeras stow away the bow into a leather hull. The Sagittarius trainee was sceduled to meet with his master for specified training. „Can we do it again?"
„Sure", the black-haired boy replied with a smile. „Who knows, we might make a skilled archer out of you yet. After an hour, your arrows have come gradually closer to the target."
„O-oi, Aeras!", Francisca yelled in mock indignancy.
In truth, he enjoyed the friendly banter. He did not get annoyed or hurt in the least. After all the bullying Francisca had suffered throughout his life, being able to jest and laugh with someone like this was so incredibly refreshing and soothing.
,A friend', he realised. ,I have finally made a friend.'
His joy was topped when Aeras agreed meeting him in the evening after training, to show him some secret corners of Sanctuary and, if there was still time, for another lesson in archery.
After parting ways with Aeras, Francisca wandered through Sanctuary alone again. Inside, he did not feel alone anymore.
,I have a friend.'
His time in Sanctuary was going to be anything but easy. Francisca was fully aware of that. But now, his future looked much less dire, and he actually looked forward to the days to come.
,Because I have afriend.'
Author's note: FINALLY! For ages, I've wanted to write about the two less known Sagittarius Saints, Aeras and Gestalt. About which unfortunately there is only very little information. Especially about Aeras. However, we luckily learn that he and Taurus Francisca must have been great friends. And that Aeras, in the tradition of Sagittarius Saints, had been a noble and kind man. Thus, this little story about their first meeting was born. I also am fully aware that I have ignored the languages. Since Francisca came from another land (I presume from his name) they shouldn't have understood each other. However, I only realised that after I finished the story, and I did not want to write it anew. Plus, it probably wouldn't have turned out this cute. n.n"
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Yours faithfully, JupiterGoddess