The sound of someone muttering in Welsh reached Gabriel Lightwood's ears as he approached the training room. The door was open, so he peeked inside, having a good idea of who was in there.
Sure enough, Cecily Herondale stood in the center of the room, aiming at a target with a bow and arrow. Gabriel was mildly surprised; he couldn't ever recall seeing Cecily use that particular weapon. Looking more closely, he noticed that there were arrows scattered all over the floor around the target, but none of them seemed to have come close to hitting it.
He watched with interest as she let the arrow fly. It soared straight past the target and joined its fellows on the ground. Again, Cecily began saying something in Welsh that Gabriel expected was rather profane.
Unable to keep silent any longer, Gabriel took a few steps into the room, saying, "I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure that merits a rating. A one, perhaps, if I was feeling generous."
Cecily didn't seem surprised to see him. "And perhaps my aim would be better if I pinned a picture of your face on the center of the target," she quipped.
He grinned. "I never thought I'd live to see the weapon that could best Cecily Herondale. I can help you, if you'd like. I am a rather good shot with a bow and arrow, if I do say so myself." A memory entered his mind unbidden then. His arrow flying straight and true, into a demonic worm's eye, killing it, killing his father…
Gabriel pushed the thought away. He'd come to terms with his father's death and knew that it wasn't his fault, that his actions had been right, but it still tormented him sometimes. Cecily seemed to have some idea of what he was thinking, for instead of scorning his offer of assistance, her gaze softened and she said, "Oh, all right, then."
He walked over until they were standing side by side. "Notch another arrow and hold the bow as if you were about to shoot." She did so. Gabriel observed her grip, then stood behind her and placed his hands over hers. "You're holding it correctly, but you're too tense." After a second or two, he felt her muscles relax, and he guided the bow until it was aiming at the center of the target. "Good. Now stare at where you want your arrow to go, concentrate on it, and fire when you're ready."
Gabriel gently let go of her and stepped back a few paces. Cecily was furrowing her brow in concentration, and a few moments later her arrow had buried itself in the center of the target. For an instant she looked startled, and then her blue eyes lit up with delight. "Did you see that?"
"Very good," Gabriel said approvingly. "Now try it without my help."
Cecily's first shot hit the very edge of the target. She slowly improved over the next half hour, until finally she hit the center on her own.
Watching her from his spot leaning against the wall, Gabriel couldn't help but smile at how pleased she looked. "That was excellent. You're a fast learner. You know, now that I'm done tutoring you, I think you owe me some lessons," he added, raising his eyebrows meaningfully at her.
Cecily had gone over to the weapons rack and returned to stand in front of the target with a knife in each hand. "Do I now, Mr. Lightwood?" she asked, smirking. Without warning she moved with lightning speed, and with a loud thunk one of the knives skewered the wall a few inches above Gabriel's head. He jumped sideways, swearing loudly, as Cecily laughed. "I'm rather busy at the moment. Come back in a few hours, and maybe then I'll be in a more accommodating mood."
"It's not as if you need any practice with knife throwing," Gabriel observed as the second knife hit the dead center of the target.
"On the contrary. I need to keep up my skill, or else my aim will worsen and next time that knife will impale itself through one of those beautiful eyes of yours, and wouldn't that be a shame?"
Gabriel wasn't sure whether that was a threat, a compliment, or something else altogether, so he merely shook his head and slouched out of the room, cursing himself for thinking that Cecily would make things easy for him. After all, she was Will Herondale's sister.
I have no idea where in my mind this came from, but thanks for reading :)