A couple more weeks passed, and finally after Ila had continually beseeched Thorin on the subject he allowed her to go down to the practice arena with Kili. Ila had insisted that she was fine and healthy as a horse, and that Dwala needed the practice caring for a baby all on her own with her new condition. Thorin had caved finally, and fully intended to be present for the first lesson, however a quarrel between two subjects of advanced age and social standing had taken him away, being that it needed mediating and ruling upon the sooner the better. Something involving a goat apparently.
Anyway, against his will and after ensuring that Kili understood that he must treat all matters of the exercise with extreme care, he was off and it was just Kili and Ila in the practice arena. It was after breakfast so no one was around, the morning rush was over and everyone was going about the business for the day. This suited Kili especially; he did not want his uncle critiquing both his technique and treatment of Ila.
Ila was dressed down for her, a simple dress of dark red and lightweight material. She looked like she could have been anyone, not a queen, but Kili found that he liked that. Ila was plenty beautiful enough that she did not need to be heavily adorned to look radiant, or to have all eyes in the room turn to her. Her simple dress let her natural beauty stand out even more. Kili marveled for a moment that she could grow ever more beautiful to him, but pushed that thought away as he adjusted the vambrace on her delicate arm. He then took her equally delicate hand to place the finger tab, feeling sparks fly from where his skin touched hers.
"Well, first things first. You know what this is,"
"It's a bow," Ila said making a face at him.
"Yes," he replied, grinning widely. "And do you know how to hold it?" he asked as he handed it to her.
She took it confidently. "It can't be that hard." Ila said and held it up to face the target that stood a little distance in front of them.
"Here," he said coming to stand behind her. "You're holding it a bit too high," he instructed gently and put a hand on either of her arms, adjusting her just so from behind. He inhaled her scent, that same lavender with a hint of something sweet that he remembered from before…was it vanilla?
"Like this then?" Ila asked.
"Er…yes, yes that's good. Now feet shoulder width apart….yes that's good." He encouraged her, he could tell she was anxious to try this finally. Kili imagined she was anxious for any sort of entertainment she could convince Thorin to let her enjoy, especially following her recent imprisonment, or at least that is what he thought of it.
"Now stand erect, but without any tension in your body. You want to be comfortable yet firm in your stance. It is the muscles of your back that will draw the arrow to the anchor point."
"I don't have an arrow," Ila pointed out. She was just standing there holding the bow.
"No, you need to perfect the stance first." Kili said, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders and pulling them back.
"There, that's right. Feel comfortable?"
"Yes, I think so."
"You think?"
"Well, it just all seems so precise." Ila said, lowering the bow a bit. "In battle, you don't have time to concentrate like this, you simply fire, over and over again and in all manner of positions I would guess."
"Well yes of course, but once you do something like this so many times you don't have to think about it all. It just comes naturally. From muscle memory. When I am in a fight, I don't think about anything but where my next target is coming from. My body does the rest, the reacting to things."
"Oh, I will never be that good. I just want to be able to hit the target." Ila replied and raised the bow once more now that she was standing properly.
"Let's lower it first, to nock the arrow." Kili said and gently guided her arms downward again with the bow. He took an arrow from the quiver nearby and placed it on the bow, bringing it up to rest on the bow from where he again stood behind her.
"Here, take the arrow. You want to hold it with three fingers. You'll do this while it is lowered, and when you draw it back you will raise it towards the target. Now try."
Kili stepped back and away from Ila who looked at him a little unsurely, then tried to do as he said. She steadied herself and brought the bow up with the arrow. She tried to do this gracefully and in one motion, but it was much harder than it looked. Her brothers had always made is look so very easy, just as Kili did. She was also not very strong, less so than most female dwarves, and dropped the arrow as she drew the string back.
Embarrassed, she blinked at Kili over her shoulder as she blushed a bit.
Instead of laughing, Kili came back to stand with her and picked up the fallen arrow.
"Here, let me show you." He said gently, not wanting her to lose faith in herself. He took the bow but had her keep her hand on it, then took the arrow and placed his hand over hers, so that they drew it back and up together. His strength and grace did the work for her and she felt the fluid movement for what it should have been, what she had lacked on her first try. They stood like that, the string drawn back, and aimed for the target.
"Concentrate on nothing but the center of the target…" Kili spoke softly to her. His mouth was an inch from her ear and Ila could feel his breath rustle her hair.
"Now gently release the arrow by relaxing your fingers…." Kili instructed as they both followed the command, Ila feeling the arrow rush past her. She flinched a little, involuntarily, and the arrow changed its straight course to strike the very edge of the bottom of the target, so precariously close to the edge that another breath and it would have shot right past it.
"That's great!" Kili cheered, having let go of the bow entirely and gripped Ila's upper arms from behind, praising her first shot.
Ila giggled and turned to face him, the bow at her side.
"Great? I almost missed entirely! Any farther from the center and it wouldn't even be on the target…"
"It is your first try! Most dwarves miss the target entirely, if the arrow even makes it that far. You are a natural. You just need some practice." He assured her, and there was real truth to that. He wasn't just praising her because of who she was.
Ila smiled and immediately wanted to try again, Kili letting her try all by herself this time. It took some practice, but eventually she could draw the bow and arrow up and back in one fluid motion. She practiced that for some time without actually shooting, Kili offering suggestions and pointers here and there. Two hours passed without either of them even noticing.
Ila had released an arrow that struck towards the bottom center of the target, a vast improvement for only two hours time, and Kili's applause was drowned out by another's.
"Excellent, for such a short study," came Thorin's voice from behind them.
Ila turned quickly to see him, her hazel eyes alight at his appearance, and she put her bow quickly but carefully down to go to him. Thorin smiled and held out his hands for her which she took and closed the space between them.
"Darling, where have you been?" she asked sweetly as their lips met in a chaste kiss.
"The dispute took longer to settle than anticipated, but all is well now. But I am surprised to find you still at it after two hours."
"I have enjoyed it so much I didn't realize how much time had passed. And I am getting better!"
"Yes, I saw my warrior queen." Thorin said with an arm around her waist.
Ila laughed heartily at that. "Oh please….and as if you would let me be."
"She has done extremely well for a first timer, she is a natural uncle." Kili interjected, lest they forget he was there.
"And you are a marvelous teacher," Ila said to him and Thorin nodded.
"Kili has always been an expert with a bow, just like his father." Thorin added with a smile and Kili felt himself reddened a little as pride coursed through his veins suddenly.
"But I believe that is enough for one day, don't you? Thora will need feeding soon anyway." Thorin said but in a casual, not dictating manner. He was trying to mind himself, trying to be better about how he spoke to Ila so as to avoid another episode of nearly being denied sex when he had upset her a couple of weeks ago.
"You are right, my princess is getting hungry I'm sure."
Ila turned back to Kili, coming over to give him a light kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you for taking the time to teach me some today, I very much enjoyed it." she said sweetly and he smiled broadly in return.
"Oh it was nothing, and I have no pressing matters. I enjoyed it to. Shall we continue tomorrow?"
Ila began to answer yes, but then out of habit looked to Thorin first. He inclined his head to her and offered his hand, wanting to take her back to their chambers while he had a free moment to spend with her.
"Yes, though I doubt I will have the opportunity to observe you again. Perhaps I will have to wait until you are a proficient and see your skill then." Thorin remarked and Ila just smiled, knowing he was only being indulgent now. He couldn't really think she would ever be a proficient.
Ila took Thorin's arm, bidding Kili farewell for the time being. He only smiled and said he would see her same time, same place tomorrow. And he found as he watched her walk away that he was already dying of anticipation.
