Her hair, black as darkness, rippled in the wind. She drew back the
string, on which the arrow was attached. Her eyes focused on the pinpoint
of the middle of the target. All her senses were alert to distractions.
Something tickled her neck, her hand shifted, the arrow flew.
Arual's face fell.
"How could I have missed!" she cried in despair.
Percy, who had gone back to counting the arrows, looked over his shoulder.
"You didn't," he said. "That was perfect."
"No it wasn't! That's half an inch from the centre!"
Percy studied her from narrowed eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she muttered, turning away. He seized her arm.
"What the fuck are you planning, Arry?"
They stood, his hand holding her arm, her body facing away from him, his head reaching towards her.
Her face instantly changed. Her eyes became wildfire, her tongue an audible path of her thoughts.
"Never grab me! Ever! Don't you talk down to me, you little fuck! I don't have to explain myself to you! You have no authority over me!"
He collapsed on the brink of the bank that led to the river. She flopped next to him.
"Don't question me."
They both lay in unison, gazing at the brilliant white clouds.
"You'd never get so paranoid usually. Probably just swear at me."
She grinned, and so did he. They both shifted onto their sides; she on her left and he on his right.
"It's nothing. I'm just not exactly getting on with father at the moment."
"Tell me about it!"
She laughed, and his eyes became intense. She stroked the loose strand of red hair behind his ear, her eyes appearing to have no emotion.
He put his hand on her cheek, and she jerked back. Hastily, she stood, brushing herself down.
"We- we'll be late for dinner if we don't hurry!"
She collected her bow and quiver as Percy stood.
"Arry-" he began apologetically. He dropped his arms in failure.
Arual disappeared into the building.
"I'll always be here for you," he whispered, as a warm tear fell.
* * *
"I'm so sorry," Arual whispered, looking back over her shoulder. She was leaving that night.
She made up a story that she felt ill and wanted to get rest, and spent the rest of the day anticipating dusk. She dropped off from time to time, others she studied the map, and also weeping. Weeping for her love of her best friend, Legolas, and also Percy, who she did and didn't want.
Her chest tightened as it slowly began to darken. She stretched. As soon as she was out of sight of anyone in the grounds, she would have to run with all her might, for as long as possible.
Her anxiousness was apparent in all of her movements. She shifted from foot to foot, scratched her arms, neck, legs. Paced up and down, jumped on the spot punching the air and kicking in between.
Her anxiety, however, would have been intensified if only she knew what was to happen. If only she hadn't the guts to run into what she would. Nothing would have happened, and life would have progressed peacefully.
Something tickled her neck, her hand shifted, the arrow flew.
Arual's face fell.
"How could I have missed!" she cried in despair.
Percy, who had gone back to counting the arrows, looked over his shoulder.
"You didn't," he said. "That was perfect."
"No it wasn't! That's half an inch from the centre!"
Percy studied her from narrowed eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she muttered, turning away. He seized her arm.
"What the fuck are you planning, Arry?"
They stood, his hand holding her arm, her body facing away from him, his head reaching towards her.
Her face instantly changed. Her eyes became wildfire, her tongue an audible path of her thoughts.
"Never grab me! Ever! Don't you talk down to me, you little fuck! I don't have to explain myself to you! You have no authority over me!"
He collapsed on the brink of the bank that led to the river. She flopped next to him.
"Don't question me."
They both lay in unison, gazing at the brilliant white clouds.
"You'd never get so paranoid usually. Probably just swear at me."
She grinned, and so did he. They both shifted onto their sides; she on her left and he on his right.
"It's nothing. I'm just not exactly getting on with father at the moment."
"Tell me about it!"
She laughed, and his eyes became intense. She stroked the loose strand of red hair behind his ear, her eyes appearing to have no emotion.
He put his hand on her cheek, and she jerked back. Hastily, she stood, brushing herself down.
"We- we'll be late for dinner if we don't hurry!"
She collected her bow and quiver as Percy stood.
"Arry-" he began apologetically. He dropped his arms in failure.
Arual disappeared into the building.
"I'll always be here for you," he whispered, as a warm tear fell.
* * *
"I'm so sorry," Arual whispered, looking back over her shoulder. She was leaving that night.
She made up a story that she felt ill and wanted to get rest, and spent the rest of the day anticipating dusk. She dropped off from time to time, others she studied the map, and also weeping. Weeping for her love of her best friend, Legolas, and also Percy, who she did and didn't want.
Her chest tightened as it slowly began to darken. She stretched. As soon as she was out of sight of anyone in the grounds, she would have to run with all her might, for as long as possible.
Her anxiousness was apparent in all of her movements. She shifted from foot to foot, scratched her arms, neck, legs. Paced up and down, jumped on the spot punching the air and kicking in between.
Her anxiety, however, would have been intensified if only she knew what was to happen. If only she hadn't the guts to run into what she would. Nothing would have happened, and life would have progressed peacefully.