AN: Hey guys, thanks again for the lovely reviews, helped a lot! And just
wanna say be patient with me coz I've been real dull lately and that may
reflect in my writing :P so bare with me! Thank you! *hugs to all!* I hope
the next chaps aren't too crap! Oh and don't hold your breath on Roald/Reem
*MUAHAHAH* I have evil plans my dear readers! (but then maybe you should
hold your breath coz EVERYTHING'S possible! *hint hint*)
I decided to go to the training fields.
I sat on the grass a few metres away from the guys shooting with their bows and watched their techniques, taking them in and wondering if I could ever be that good. One of the squires caught me looking wistfully at him training, so he came over and smiled gently.
'Would you like a shot?'
'What? Yeah! Thanks!'
I got up and brightened up as I held the bow in my hands. I'd only ever used a bow once and that had been in grade eight, in sports and I hadn't been all that good. I asked the boy to teach me, and he did.
He pulled the arrow in place, doing it slowly for me to remember and then held the arrow in place at the back, wedged between his index and middle finger, while his right arm supported the bow. He shot the arrow and it landed somewhere above the centre of the bullseye.
I whistled in appreciation and breathed in and out slowly before taking up the bow and aiming carefully. I squinted at the centre of the bullseye I was aiming at and pulled at the string slowly and then let go. In a quick second, it was flying and had slammed into the very outer circle.
The squire chuckled. 'You're not aiming and you're not holding it up right.'
I got out another arrow and he taught me more carefully, putting his arm around me and holding the arrow with me. 'Pull,' he ordered.
I pulled.
'Aim, keep an eye on the mark and the arrow you're shooting, sometimes you get shaky and it wobbles without you knowing, or it wobbles if you're pulling too hard. When you've aimed properly and checked the arrow is straight, then let it go, quickly.'
I levelled my arrow to the centre of the mark, making sure it wasn't jittering about, and then let the string go, shooting the arrow into the mark, where it sunk into the centre.
The squire clapped and grinned at me, winking. 'Quick learner, then?'
I laughed and shrugged, handing him back his bow. 'Thanks,' I said, smiling gratefully.
'Name's Kael,' he introduced himself, holding out his hand.
I shook his hand and noted it wasn't as gripping and firm as Roald's but it felt smooth. 'Mine's Reem.'
Recognition crossed his face, but he didn't widen his eyes with fear or shock, he merely kept smiling and said, 'You're the newest girl from the Other World, aren't you?'
'I guess popularity isn't always such a bad thing,' I said, walking away to go back to my room.
'I'll see you around then,' the squire called out.
I turned around and nodded with a grin. 'Maybe,' I replied.
What's with hunky squires and me? I thought, my heart picking up a pace.
A note lay on my bed when I got to my quarters; I picked it up and read what it had to say:
Reem,
I need an answer; Mithros Reem, you'll be the jewel of the ball, dress or no dress! Promise me the first and last dance at the ball; please say yes,
Love,
Roald
And so I folded the note and peered out of the window, my eyes gliding to Khalil, who was walking down the fields with Serena, laughing and happy. I snapped my eyes away and bit my lip as I made a decision; go or stay?
'Reem?'
I smiled triumphantly as Khalil gaped openly at me, clad in the dress Roald had gave me with pretty, glittering earrings I'd borrowed from Hayley, but under all that, I wore my boots. Fashion statement. Just like Drew Barrymore—Danielle—in Ever After!
Serena had done my makeup; I'd only allowed her the mascara, black eyeliner and lip-gloss.
My hair was twisted over my head, with a few strands out around my face and cute glittering clips cluttered around my head. I was simply dressed and loved it.
'Yes, it's me,' I replied, sitting on the bed and sighing, my triumphant mood soddened by the fact that I had to face stuck-up, rich, spoilt snobs. It was just like back home—bitch at the nasties and get isolated.
'What's wrong?' Khalil sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulders for the comfort I needed.
'Nothing,' I lied, not wanting to worry him about stupid, silly thoughts and doubts. I was so nervous that I'd embarrass Roald. The feelings I was experiencing were so strange and alien to me. I thought constantly of Roald and my heart beat faster when I heard his name. A crush; I was going through a crush and I wanted it to end. It didn't feel that good at all; my stomach was queasy and my throat had gone dry.
'Don't lie,' Khalil reprimanded, frowning with disapproval at me.
'Don't look at me like that,' I grumbled, shifting in my spot.
'I won't have to if you don't lie to me. I know you upside down, inside out and whatever other way there is to know you and there is definitely something wrong; so don't go telling me there's nothing wrong.'
I made a face at him and got up, 'C'mon, let's go!'
He chuckled and shook his head, an evil grin on his face. 'You gotta wait for your date to pick you up in the limo, with roses!'
I mock-gagged. 'Roses? One: Roald is not my date, he just asked me to go coz I'm new around here, and a Prince has to be nice to his fellow people. Two: if Roald steps in here with roses, I'll throw them out the window!'
An eyebrow was raised. 'Really?' Khalil murmured. 'Then I dare you to do just that—if he brings roses.'
I smiled and shrugged. 'Whatever, ok.'
I caught his arm as he was about to ruffle my hair as per usual, a dangerous glare on my face. 'Don't you dare! I got a ball to go to, hold on ladies and gents, Cinderella is coming!'
I decided to go to the training fields.
I sat on the grass a few metres away from the guys shooting with their bows and watched their techniques, taking them in and wondering if I could ever be that good. One of the squires caught me looking wistfully at him training, so he came over and smiled gently.
'Would you like a shot?'
'What? Yeah! Thanks!'
I got up and brightened up as I held the bow in my hands. I'd only ever used a bow once and that had been in grade eight, in sports and I hadn't been all that good. I asked the boy to teach me, and he did.
He pulled the arrow in place, doing it slowly for me to remember and then held the arrow in place at the back, wedged between his index and middle finger, while his right arm supported the bow. He shot the arrow and it landed somewhere above the centre of the bullseye.
I whistled in appreciation and breathed in and out slowly before taking up the bow and aiming carefully. I squinted at the centre of the bullseye I was aiming at and pulled at the string slowly and then let go. In a quick second, it was flying and had slammed into the very outer circle.
The squire chuckled. 'You're not aiming and you're not holding it up right.'
I got out another arrow and he taught me more carefully, putting his arm around me and holding the arrow with me. 'Pull,' he ordered.
I pulled.
'Aim, keep an eye on the mark and the arrow you're shooting, sometimes you get shaky and it wobbles without you knowing, or it wobbles if you're pulling too hard. When you've aimed properly and checked the arrow is straight, then let it go, quickly.'
I levelled my arrow to the centre of the mark, making sure it wasn't jittering about, and then let the string go, shooting the arrow into the mark, where it sunk into the centre.
The squire clapped and grinned at me, winking. 'Quick learner, then?'
I laughed and shrugged, handing him back his bow. 'Thanks,' I said, smiling gratefully.
'Name's Kael,' he introduced himself, holding out his hand.
I shook his hand and noted it wasn't as gripping and firm as Roald's but it felt smooth. 'Mine's Reem.'
Recognition crossed his face, but he didn't widen his eyes with fear or shock, he merely kept smiling and said, 'You're the newest girl from the Other World, aren't you?'
'I guess popularity isn't always such a bad thing,' I said, walking away to go back to my room.
'I'll see you around then,' the squire called out.
I turned around and nodded with a grin. 'Maybe,' I replied.
What's with hunky squires and me? I thought, my heart picking up a pace.
A note lay on my bed when I got to my quarters; I picked it up and read what it had to say:
Reem,
I need an answer; Mithros Reem, you'll be the jewel of the ball, dress or no dress! Promise me the first and last dance at the ball; please say yes,
Love,
Roald
And so I folded the note and peered out of the window, my eyes gliding to Khalil, who was walking down the fields with Serena, laughing and happy. I snapped my eyes away and bit my lip as I made a decision; go or stay?
'Reem?'
I smiled triumphantly as Khalil gaped openly at me, clad in the dress Roald had gave me with pretty, glittering earrings I'd borrowed from Hayley, but under all that, I wore my boots. Fashion statement. Just like Drew Barrymore—Danielle—in Ever After!
Serena had done my makeup; I'd only allowed her the mascara, black eyeliner and lip-gloss.
My hair was twisted over my head, with a few strands out around my face and cute glittering clips cluttered around my head. I was simply dressed and loved it.
'Yes, it's me,' I replied, sitting on the bed and sighing, my triumphant mood soddened by the fact that I had to face stuck-up, rich, spoilt snobs. It was just like back home—bitch at the nasties and get isolated.
'What's wrong?' Khalil sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulders for the comfort I needed.
'Nothing,' I lied, not wanting to worry him about stupid, silly thoughts and doubts. I was so nervous that I'd embarrass Roald. The feelings I was experiencing were so strange and alien to me. I thought constantly of Roald and my heart beat faster when I heard his name. A crush; I was going through a crush and I wanted it to end. It didn't feel that good at all; my stomach was queasy and my throat had gone dry.
'Don't lie,' Khalil reprimanded, frowning with disapproval at me.
'Don't look at me like that,' I grumbled, shifting in my spot.
'I won't have to if you don't lie to me. I know you upside down, inside out and whatever other way there is to know you and there is definitely something wrong; so don't go telling me there's nothing wrong.'
I made a face at him and got up, 'C'mon, let's go!'
He chuckled and shook his head, an evil grin on his face. 'You gotta wait for your date to pick you up in the limo, with roses!'
I mock-gagged. 'Roses? One: Roald is not my date, he just asked me to go coz I'm new around here, and a Prince has to be nice to his fellow people. Two: if Roald steps in here with roses, I'll throw them out the window!'
An eyebrow was raised. 'Really?' Khalil murmured. 'Then I dare you to do just that—if he brings roses.'
I smiled and shrugged. 'Whatever, ok.'
I caught his arm as he was about to ruffle my hair as per usual, a dangerous glare on my face. 'Don't you dare! I got a ball to go to, hold on ladies and gents, Cinderella is coming!'