This is one of my favorite scenes in my fanfiction and one of the reasons I wanted to start writing it! Its where the Kili and OC element really starts to kick in so enjoy!
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug.
Fan Fiction.
Chapter 3; Lethal With A Slingshot.
I stood in the centre of a large empty room.
Having agreed that venturing out into the open, and possibly facing not only the owner of the house, but also the Orc pack trailing us, Kili and I came to the decision it would be best to train inside.
We found the room through a somewhat hidden door leading off from the dining room. It looked to be disused, walls and floor bare, save a few stay bits of straw. It was possibly where the animals had taken residence, before they'd moved into the main part of the house.
This made it ideal for archery lessons.
In all honesty I was a little nervous. I stood alone in the middle of the room, the distant sounds of Dwarves and cooing animals filtering their way through the walls and somehow making me feel very exposed.
I wasn't sure why I felt so nervous. I put it down to the fact that, after I had argued my case so much, it would be utterly embarrassing if I turned out to be a useless archer. So bad there was no hope of me ever improving my skills. I could just imagine the look on Kili's face, the look of frustration and exhaustion, as I struggled to nock the arrow correctly, after hours of work.
I felt my stomach knot at the thought and found myself beginning to fidget with the edge of my sleeves.
The door banged open and I jumped at the sudden sound. I whirled, my heart skipping in my chest.
After the past few days we'd had, it was no wonder when Kili wandered innocently into the room he found me poised, ready to strike, a dagger miraculously appearing in my fingers.
He froze in his tracks, dropping whatever he had been carrying and letting out a startled cry. I sagged in relief, upon realising it was no attacker stumbling through the door.
"Oh, Kili." I sighed, fitting the dagger back up my sleeve.
"Were you planning on killing me already?" Kili chuckled, recovering from his momentary shock and picking up what he'd dropped, a long and thick plank of wood. "I haven't even started your lessons yet..." He added as he sidled past me to prop the plank up against the farthest wall.
Once Kili stepped away I noticed the small black circle etched onto the plank. So that would be my target.
Kili looked over at me from the plank, and I felt my stomach knot again in anticipation.
"Shall we start?" Kili asked, stepping forwards and removing the bow from his back. I felt my throat tighten with nerves, but nodded vigorously.
I wanted this. I needed to do this.
Kili nodded once and slipped his fingers into his thick leather coat, pulling free a delicate looking arrow, the feathers bent and crushed slightly from his coat.
I watched as Kili looked over the arrow, a caring look entering his eyes as he stroked the feathers, smoothing them out.
"To begin with I just want you to watch me." Kili said, stepping up beside me and grabbing his bow as he passed. He had taken on a very professional tone, brisk and clear.
"Start with your feet apart," He said, doing so as he explained. "Like so," He gestured down to his feet. "Now you have to nock the arrow," he said, gesturing for me to lean in closer to him. I stepped up and peered over at the arrow. "See the cut in the wood here?" he said, pointing to a nick in the end of the arrow. "You need to slide that over the bow string." He showed me, slowly so I could see.
So far it seemed simple enough.
"When you draw the arrow, you need to draw it to the same place each time." Kili said. I felt my eyebrows rise at his comment. He chuckled at my expression. "It's not as strange as it sounds." He raised his bow, facing sideways onto the target. "What I mean is, every time you draw the arrow, like so..." He said, reaching forwards and with three fingers gripping the bow string, either side of the arrow and beginning to pull the string back. "Pull it back to the same place each time." In a blink he had the bow string pulled tightly against this cheek, his eyes fixed down the length of the arrow. "I pull it back until I feel the back of my hand touching my ear." His eyes flickered over to meet mine as I studied his face.
The very back of his hand was only just grazing the edge of his ear.
"I draw the bow string back to this point, each and every time. It makes it easier to fire quickly." I nodded in understanding. His eyes flickered back to the target as he continued. "When you aim, aim just a little higher than the target. The further away from the target you are, the higher you have to aim." The second the last word had left his lips he released the string, and the arrow snapped forwards and embedded itself deep into the wooden target.
I blinked at the target, watching as the arrow twitched in the wood.
"Your turn." Kili said, stepping aside and holding out the bow to me.
My heart squeezed again and my breath caught in my throat as I eyed the bow. Shakily I reached forwards and took Kili's bow, my palms already damp with sweat. He gestured for me to stand where he had moments ago before rushing over to the target, prying free the arrow and returning to my side where he presented the arrow to me. I took it, my stomach clenching as he stood back and crossed his arms expectantly.
'feet slightly apart' I recited wordlessly, forcing my feet to move. Next step; nock the bow. Thankfully that proved to be easy. Now to draw the bow...
I raised the bow, and using three fingers gripped around the arrow and tugged back the taught bow string to my cheek. I attempted to aim the bow, but through my nerves and sweaty fingers the arrow slid free, flying forward and embedding itself far over to the right of the target, deep in the wall of the room.
I sighed, my arms dropping to my sides in defeat and stared at the miss fired arrow with disappointment.
Kili jogged forwards, quickly pried the arrow from the wall and returned to me.
"I hardly expected you to hit the target on your first try." He smiled encouragingly and held up the arrow. "Try again."
I nodded once and after roughly wiping my hand on my trousers in an attempt to rid myself of the sheen of perspiration, grasped the arrow.
Going through the steps again I was about to release the arrow again when suddenly a gentle tap on my shoulder stopped me.
"Stop." Kili said, stepping up beside me. I turned to face him, going to lower the bow but a strong hand gripped mine and kept my arm raised. "Draw again." He ordered, eyes fixed over on the target.
Slowly I pulled back my arm, aiming once again at the target.
"Relax." Kili breathed gently, his lips close to my ear, his breath tickling the skin of my neck. I felt a chill curl down my spine and turned to look at him again. The strong hand on my bow disappeared and instead I felt Kili's gentle grip on the back of my head. Keeping my head facing forwards. The grip slipped down to my shoulders where he squeezed gently.
"Your shoulders are too tense. You need to relax and straighten your back..." with that his hands pulled my shoulders back, pushing my chest out and straightening my back. I felt my stomach flip. "Better." He mumbled, his hands disappearing as he began to circle me.
"Keep your elbow up." He murmured, gently hooking his fingers under my arm and lifting until he was satisfied. I could feel my pulse quickening, although I wasn't entirely sure why. "Your grip is good, but..." he trailed of, shifting the hand I had gripped around the arrow further back, until the tip of my index finger was planted at the corner of my lips. "That's better." He finished. He stepped back, satisfied that I was at least holding the bow properly now.
"I want you to remember this position. Every detail about it, where your hand is, your arm, your feet... everything." We stood a moment in silence as I memorized every inch of my body and Kili waited patiently.
He took a steady step up to my other side and grasped the bow, leaning in close. I could feel the warmth of his body against mine, the scent of pine and rain curling itself around me. I was so aware of his touch on my hand, how close his face was to mine and how steady his gaze was. Gently he guided my hand in aiming at the target.
My eyes were fixed forwards, but my mind was wondering to strange places.
With his hand still gripping the bow, he gently lifted his other to rest under my other arm, keeping my elbow raised.
"Okay," He breathed, eyes flickering over to me only for a second. "Let the string pull free from your fingers."
Eyes still fixed on the target I let my grip slacken slightly, allowing the bow string to snap forwards.
I blinked in astonishment. Across the room, deeply embedded into the wood sat my arrow. Dead centre of the target.
I let out a huff in disbelief, a smile curling my lips. "I did it." I mumbled. Letting my arms drop, in my excitement only barely noting Kili's hands now on my shoulder and side. "I did it!" I exclaimed, turning my head to face Kili.
"You did." He agreed, smiling back at me.
It was then, with his dark eyes locked on mine I became fiercely aware of his hands on me. I could feel my heart skip a beat, realising how close his face was to mine. How the heat from him seemed to seep into me, a scorching heat bleeding from his hands and deep into my skin.
When neither of us turned, or stepped away, something in Kili's eyes changed. They darkened somehow, filling with something dangerous. It wasn't something I feared. I could feel something similar beginning to boil deep within me. Something raw and exciting, something I'd never felt before. His grip seemed to tighten on me, my pulse quickening at the sensation.
Heat was flooding me, pooling in my cheeks and my breaths stuck in my throat.
I'm not sure what could have happened, but a loud thud from the room next door, followed by an angered shout snapped both Kili and I out of whatever sort of trance we'd found ourselves in.
Kili stepped back suddenly, releasing me and clearing his throat. A clear and calm expression instantly replacing the darkness in his eyes. I felt myself sag slightly, my mind suddenly buzzing with energy and confusion. Questioning myself and the situation.
"Fetch the arrow and try again." Kili said, going to lean against the wall with a slight friendly smile in place on his lips.
Several hours later I emerged from the room, carrying the now tattered plank of wood, and wearing the largest grin I could force my lips into. I had done myself proud and hopefully Kili proud as well.
"You're in a good mood I see." Bombur chuckled, stepping up beside me. "I take it the lessons went well?"
I nodded vigorously as Kili stepped up behind me. "Would you believe it, she's a natural." Kili murmured, casually slinging his arm across my shoulder. "She'll be an archer in no time."
"Doesn't surprise me." Bilbo murmured, ambling into the conversation and munching on a slice of bread. I felt a gentle blush colour my cheeks at his complement. "She was lethal with a slingshot when we were younger."
Kili raised an eyebrow, turning to stare at me, a smirk lifting his lips before the four of us chuckled at the statement.
YAY! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it! If you did please leave your thoughts and comments! And Elin learning to shoot is vital later in the series, so there was a point to this I just managed to squeeze a cute scene from the idea too :3
