If you don't like this short story, that's too bad. I'm only doing it for beta-reading privileges, but it's still not horrible writing. Maybe I'll seriously write something sometime. Later.
Disclaimer: I will never own any of Tamora Pierce's characters. Ever.
Alanna sighed in frustration.
"Come on, Thom! If you don't get up we can't learn how t' shoot a bow. Let's go!"
She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him off of the rock he had been sitting on. Thom had no choice but to follow. His sister was stronger than him, after all. And if he tried to use his Gift to make her let go, he knew she would let him have it later. Plus, she really didn't like the Gift, and he hated to make her mad. He sighed.
"OK, I'll come. Just stop yanking my arm off."
Alanna whooped with joy and started running toward Coram, who had set up some hay bales for the seven-year old twins to use as targets. Alanna arrived at a run and breathless, while Thom walked slowly behind his sister. Coram suppressed a sigh. He hated teaching Thom the arts of warfare. Thom hated learning the arts of warfare from Coram. That made for a bad combination, and the only person who could convince Thom to try some of the things Coram had taught them was Alanna. Right now, though, she was far more concerned about learning how to shoot a bow, not about making Thom learn how to shoot a bow.
"Is this mine?" asked Alanna, her face turned up towards Coram. She glowed with excitement at the unstrung bow in her small hands.
Coram grinned. "Yes, lass. Ye be careful with it and treat it like the good weapon it is, now."
Alanna looked down at the beautifully carved bow reverently. "All right, but are you gonna teach us how t' use them?"
Coram moved to pick up his own bow and string. He drew a small pouch from his bag and took out two coiled strings. He presented one to Alanna and the other to Thom. Thom still hadn't made a move to pick up the other bow. He glanced at the string and made a face.
Alanna glanced at him and ran to get his bow. She knew that if she tried to make him go get it himself, they would never get to learn how to shoot. She thrust the bow at him and glared. Thom sighed again and took the bow. Alanna turned back to Coram and waited expectantly
All morning, Coram showed the twins how to string a bow and shoot it. Alanna learned quickly and improved steadily, while Thom spent the morning complaining. The five arrows he shot all flew wide of the target, the last clipping the very edge of the hay bale. He stomped back to the house to practice the spells Maude had taught them yesterday, and to look for more advanced spells in the library. Alanna didn't even glance back at him. Coram just snorted. The day was hot and close to noon a sweating Coram said, "Let's take a break, lass. It's time for midday."
Alanna didn't respond, but she carefully chose an arrow and fitted it to her bow. Coram watched as she drew the bow and loosed. It flew cleanly into the center of the target. Alanna looked up at Coram, her face glowing with perspiration from the heat of the sun, and beamed.
"Now we can go." she said.