CHAPTER 2
I kept looking for my bow and arrows but I still couldn't find it. What if the bad guys who pick it up? However, those bow and arrows were my last gift from my father before he died. I didn't want the last thing that he gave me went missing just like that.
"Maybe you forgot where you put it. Probably not this tree." Kate encourages me with words that sounded hopeful. Sounded that it really was not a tree where I put my bow and arrows. Sounded that there was still hope if my bow and arrows were still stored somewhere in the woods.
"I'm sure the last time I put it, I put it here. Not possible that my bow and arrow just vanished like that, right?" I replied with a voice that sounded huff.
"Probably it's not really missing. There may be around here. I'll help you find it." Kate said and started looking.
"Just don't do stupid stuff while you're searching for it." I said smiling.
"Why is that?"
I blinked.
Why is that?
My lips shaped a sincere smile.
"Just ... don't slip. " I answered the questions of her innocent with such ease. I was afraid of losing her, if I'm allowed to be honest. I was afraid if something bad happened to my little sister. I didn't want any bad things happened to her. Let me alone who bear the suffering of her if I could.
Because, as long as my heart still beats, as long as I can still feel my pulse, and as long as my lungs still crave for air to breathe, I would always protect her.
Even if there was a wall in front of me who staunchly stood. I'd destroy it if it's for the sake of the safety of my sister. Because she was the only person who understood my self in times when I needed someone to understand myself.
During this time, I could still continue to stand firmly by my two feet because I knew I still have her in my life. Indeed my father went leaving me. My mother was not indeed the mother figure that I needed at the moment. But I still have Kate that still exists for me. And I'd never push her away from me.
"If I get it, will you get something for me to bring back home? Maybe a bird for dinner?" Kate joked.
"Funny Kate."
"Hey, I'm helping here sister."
I sighed heavily.
"I can't even spell the word depression right now."
"Seriously? It won't take forever to find it. Don't get depressed too easily Ev."
"I'm gonna die if those things were taken by the wrong person."
"Put it this way. The next time you want to hide something, hide it somewhere better." A voice was heard not far from where I stood. That voice sounded heavy, more into a voice of a man. I turned my head and saw a man, not far from my age standing with both of his hands holding my bow and arrows.
"Hey, those are mine." I said bravely and annoyed.
"I know it's yours. I was just giving my best advice." he said in a challenge tone.
"I want it back."
"Are these things used for bad things?"
"No. It's just to shoot stuff." I said sarcastically.
"Hah? Yeah. You said that like I'm stupid enough for not knowing what these things are for. What I meant was that, do you hunt? What are you up in the woods like this? Both of you." he asked with a tone of insouciance. I'm already sick of his questions that has no end and I raised eyebrows.
"Yes. I hunt. Why?"
"You can't hunt animals here, you know that."
"Yes, talking animals. I don't hunt those, I hunt stupid ones."
"They are not stupid. They just don't… talk." Kate said innocently in the middle of the argument, making me glared at her. I saw from the corner of my eyes that the man himself staring at my sister.
"Now, will you please give my things back?" I begged in a softer tone to him, hoping he would give them back as easily as I said the words.
"Sure. I will give it back. If-"
"If what?" I cut him off in the middle of the sentence because he was running out of patience.
"I brought my lunch when I go here. I brought a couple of apples," he started to take out his things from his bag and pulled out an apple that still looked fresh."I'm going to put this on the top of your sister head and you have to make this apple as your target."
Feel my unconscious body! What did he say? He said it so easily. I as the one who heard it felt surprised and I could feel my sister also felt the same way. I could use a bow perfectly well because I sort of trained since childhood, but with my sister's head as a target? Wouldn't it be excessive for a stranger to ask from me?
"You want my sister's head as the target? Are you insane, crazy, or don't have a brain at all? Or you can say in here for fun, stupid?" I said sarcastically. There's no way I would agree at this deal. I'll get my bow and arrows back, or you back off.
"I didn't say your sister's head as the target. I said I will put this apple," he said while he walked towards me and my sister and put it on the top of her head looked so innocent and challenging, "on the top of your sister's head. Easy as that." He curved a smile on his lips.
Evil smile.
"Can I get to eat this apple after that? I'm so hungry." Kate said to him.
Innocently.
"Sure. Why not." He said with a smile.
I had to admit that his smile was gorgeous. He smiled sincerely at my sister and in a few moments my mind went everywhere.
I was wondering though. Who is this guy? What does he want from me? Attention? I'd give it. But he was looking for something else in me that I haven't figured out yet. I didn't know if it's a good or bad thing though, but as long as I still think I could survive and run away from him, I'd take whatever he asks me to do.
"Okay I'll take it. If I hit it, I'll bring back home my bow and arrows." I said firmly.
"Deal." He replied.
I told Kate to stand in front of a tree that was pretty great while she faces me. She put the apple over her head and stared straight at my eyes. This man I didn't know his name yet, gave my bow and arrows. I stood pretty much straight with my feet. I took a long and deep breath. My arrow was set in my bow. I lifted my bow and adjust the height as my target sight.
I was ready to aim.
It hit the target perfectly.
I sighed heavily as a sign of my surprising victory. I wanted to see this man's reaction towards my action. Would he be shocked? Or surprised?
He clapped both of his hands and smiling.
Okay I got really confused but relieved at the same time. But really?
"What was that for?" I asked.
"I know you are good."
"So?"
"I just wanted to see how you use those things."
"And it went well, right? Thank you for retrieving my bow and arrows."
"I'm not retrieving it, yet."
"What do you mean?"
He took my bow and arrows by force.
"A deal is a deal! Give it back to me!" I tried to take my things back by force but failed. "What do you want? Honestly." I asked him with a sigh.
I didn't know what did he think. He asked me to do this stuff. If I could describe him entirely as a person, I would pick one word.
Weird.
"I just-"
"Your Majesty!" a voice was heard loudly from distance. Soon appeared a male faun with a lovely green scarf that has a little bit of gold detailing came in a little hurry towards us.
But my mind went back to the words he said. Your Majesty? Wait.
"I've been looking for you my King. I thought you were lost!" said the faun.
"I just wanted some fresh air. I thought you were busy in the market so I went here. I told Persia that I'd go here so it wouldn't be hard for you to find me." Said the man whose name I don't know yet.
"Good. Because if I go back home empty handed then High King Peter will kill me."
I was listening to their conversation intentionally. I suspected that I was dealing with somebody that I shouldn't have to dealt with from the first place.
Suddenly that man looked at me weirdly. Maybe because of my facial expression that looked shocked in disbelief, or maybe… confused?
"Oh yeah, Mr. Tumnus this is… I don't know. What's your name again?" He asked me.
"M-my n-name.. Wait, 'again'? You didn't ask for my name earlier!" I replied.
"Okay. Who cares," he replied back with a roll of eye, "bring these home and safe it in a proper place." He said to the faun whose called Mr. Tumnus earlier.
As soon as I heard what he told the faun, my eyes got wider, and my mouth was wide open. How could he?
"What? You want to take my bow and arrows? Then how about our last agreement? Was it just a sheer gibberish? Give back my bow and arrows! "I snapped at him and kept trying to reach my bow and arrows from his grasp but it still fails.
"Please, you have to understand. You know with who you are dealing with so please once again, shut up." he replied with a snap.
My head felt hot. My entire body felt hot in fact. My hand grip had been so tight. Maybe because the flavor of the patient that has vanished and rage already burning over. Unknowingly, I approached him and punched his face. I didn't know whether it was hard enough or not, because shortly after I punched him, he kept holding onto his cheeks that looked red.
Nice punch wasn't it?
"You punched me? How dare you! "he snapped at me in anger.
"Who cares? You have been lying to me and you deserve it. For what did you take my bow and arrows? Seize it? I ask now, for what? The rights of those are in my hands, not yours. We've made an agreement which, according to me is silly, but I ended up winning which would normally makes you return my bow and arrows! "
"I have my own reasons why, and I was going to tell you until you punched me! That's it, I'm going home."
"Wait what? Going home? Oh, please Your Majesty you don't even give back my bow and arrows yet. How could you say you wanna go home?" I said sarcastically.
I knew he was a King of Narnia. King Edmund. At first I didn't recognize his brown hair and dark eyes. He didn't wear his crown so I thought he was someone who lived in the village and just wandering around the woods but as soon as the faun called him with 'Your Majesty' the realization hit me. Wondering if I was scared for doing and saying stupid things towards him? No.
I'm brave. I know my rights and if I know someone is deserved to be blamed for something he had done, then he has to know.
"If you want your lovely bow and arrows back, come to Cair Paravel at supper." He said, still holding his red cheek.
"For what?" I asked in a curious tone. "I just want my things back."
"I took it from you for a reason. I made a stupid agreement with you for a reason. You just did something inappropriate towards me and it hurt, so I just want to seize this for a little while to give you a punishment. And I want to discuss something with you. Actually I wanted to talk about it now since you finally came to take your bow and arrows, but since you punched me, I changed my mind."
"So you came, and took my things for a reason?" I asked in disbelief. My facial expression got softer and I was curious at the same time.
"Yes. Now if you will excuse me, I want to go home and have a proper rest."
"Wait! At supper?"
"Yes. Don't be late or it will not be retrieved."
And then he went home with his friend faun, leaving curiosity in my head.
