I took one steadying breath then pulled back the string the bow I held gently in my hand. I emptied my mind and aimed at the little black dot on the apple, no bigger then a pinhole. Exhaling, I let my fingers slide off the string. The poorly made arrow flew directly through the apple then out the other side, tearing the fletched feathers off the end of the arrow. Even without the feathers, the arrow landed exactly where I had anticipated.
I placed the bow on the homemade stand and went to retrieve my arrows. Each one dug in deep into the bark of the tree. I grabbed the first arrow, and pulled. The shaft of the arrow snapped under the pressure. Annoyed, I tried on the next, which was directly above it.
Sixty arrows poked out of the tree like porcupine quills. Each one was carved by my brother's unpractised hand. If these arrows had gotten into the hands of a different archer, it would be almost impossible for them to hit the target. Even though they weren't properly made, I was grateful he spent the time making them for me. My father on the other hand, was an expert in making proper arrows. These ones I stashed in different places in the woods, for they were of high value.
I heard footsteps from behind me as someone approached. I kept my back to the stranger, like father had taught me.
'Isn't that a sight.' Father exhaled in awe. A tiny grin pulled at the edge of my lips. I turned to face him, my bangs covering my left eye, just in case.
You see, I had two different coloured eyes. One, as my father would say, was as gray as wet cobblestone in winter, while the other was a rich, warm brown, the color of the sweet chocolate the king served at his court for celebrations. If these contrasting colors were seen by any stranger, I would be sent to the king immediately and lose every chance of a normal life I have ever been offered. It was dangerous being graced in these times. The only reason I hadn't been discovered yet was because of my father's careful protection. I owed him my life.
'Your mother isn't going to be pleased.' He clicked his tongue but smiled. I threw a backwards glance at the apple tree that sat behind me. The fruit of the tree hung lusciously, each red apple had a small hold through the very center. The tree's limbs were littered with arrows.
'I don't think mother would mind, its just a tiny hole.' I shrugged, putting one hand protectively over my bow. Father laughed.
'One tiny hole in every apple.' He smiled at me. I grinned back. Father had always been encouraging of my talent. Every day, he we lived in danger of being discovered, yet he still worked to keep my hidden.
'I think practice is over, that tree isn't going anywhere.' He joked. I nodded once, then went back to collecting my arrows. When I was done, I wrapped my bow in the deer-skin cover father had fashioned for me, and went inside.
There waiting for me, was the biggest surprise of my life.
The king's soldiers waited for me.
Waiting to end my life.