Legacy's Prince

Chapter Five: The Gardens

"Loosen up," Fredricks taps my hand. "You're shooting an arrow, not trying to keep a girl from running away from you."

"Fredri-" I turn my head to complain.

That turns out to be a mistake.

My face grows hot as I accidentally release the arrow and send it to the very edge of the target.

"Oof!" groan several of the servants, stopping their daily routines to watch me humiliate myself. Their exclamations and guffaws echo off the walls and towers surrounding the courtyard. I hang my head and move to fetch the arrow. A step is as far as I get before Fredricks grabs me by the scruff of my shirt.

"Ah, ah, ah. That was in the white!" he says as he jerks me back. "Drop and give me 15."

"That was an accident!" I protest.

"Drop!"

I groan as I drop to my knees, glaring at my trainer. Fredricks simply crosses his arms, eyes narrower than usual, his mouth set in a tight, firm line behind his graying mustache. Stapo lets out a purr that sounds very similar to a chuckle from behind his holder, his long, curved tail clicking behind him.

"Oh, good. Even the manticore is laughing at me!" I exclaim. "Can we go back to swordplay now? I think my dignity has been bruised enough."

"Not until you get twenty bullseyes, we've already discussed this," Fredricks says firmly as he crosses his arms.

"You know I'm not good at archery!"

"No. You don't like archery, there's a difference."

"And making me do push-ups is going to make me like it more?" I huff as I lean forward onto my hands.

"It'll make you try harder. I've seen you shoot twenty bullseyes in a row before. You can do it. You just don't want to. Now give me fifteen."

I groan as I begin doing push-ups.

"One, two, three, four-" Fredricks begins counting as Stapo prances off. He returns with my arrow in his mouth, dropping it at his holder's feet. Fredricks bends down and picks it up as he continues counting.

"Seven, eight-"

Pew!

Both Fredricks and I turn to find a small, brightly painted arrow stuck in the bullseye.

"Are you kidding me?" I groan as I look up and find my three sisters plus their nursemaid and lady-in-waiting watching me. Vilda standing right behind Fredricks and me, holding her small, child's bow, grinning ear to ear.

"Did you see that, Cai? Did you see that?" she asks as she hops up and down in excitement.

"Oh, I saw it alright," I grumble as Stapo prances over to Vilda and licks her on the face, making her giggle.

A soft round of applause breaks out behind me as Tempest, Axellia, Bebin, and Seana all clapping for Vilda.

"Afternoon, Princess," Fredricks says as he bows to Axellia who curtseys back.

"Afternoon, Princess," Fredricks repeats for Tempest who merely giggles in response.

"Lady-in-Waiting," Fredricks bows to Seana who ducks her head in return.

"Nursemaid," Bebin also ducks her head respectively to the general.

"Littlest Princess," Fredricks bows in an overdramatic fashion, making Vilda laugh before motioning to her with his finger. "C'mere."