The games

Archery

Astorin

Third Person

All that was heard was the noise of hooves hitting the ground repeatedly. The rider of the horse smiled wide, her long hair flew behind her as she rode back towards the stables of her magic school.

"We're coming up to the school now."

She sighed in relief of being able to finish her journey through the woods that separated both schools. As soon as they reached the stables, the girl slipped off her horse, her boots hitting the ground with a small thud.

"Ariel!" Another girl yelled, running towards her friend. "You're late to archery!!"

"I know Lilly, but we have to join Slaveria in archery because they don't have a bloody teacher to show them how to do it!" Ariel replied. "They suck!"

"Principal Halls is looking for you though! And he does NOT seem overly happy!"

"Ugh, fine, I'll go to this stupid lesson!"

The girls jogged back into the castle and up to their dorm to change into their archery gear.

"Gosh, I hate these pants," Lilly whined, pulling on the tights. "And the shirts are NO better."

Ariel rolled her eyes with a chuckle as the girls walked outside where the Slaverians' and Astorians' were practising their skills. Ariel picked up two bows and two quivers full of arrows, handing one to Lilly who thanked her and walked towards the principal who was standing there with a disappointed look on his face.

"Class started half an hour ago. Where have you been?!" Principal Hall exclaimed. "You two are the top students of my class, of Astorin! You have to be here! Especially, on time!"

"Sorry sir, I was trying to find Ari who was riding through the forest on her horse," Lilly told him, glancing back at her friend who gave them a sheepish grin.

Principal Hall sighed, shaking his head telling her to just come to class and forget about her friend next time which she agreed and apologised too. Mr Halls gestured them towards three boys who were attempting to hit the target. Ariel smirked and walked up behind them, preparing an arrow and sending it whizzing past them into the exact centre of the target. The three boys turned around to face her with their mouths agape.

"Oh...It's you. No wonder it hit the target's centre," One of the Astorin boys chuckled.

"Shut it, Jace," Ariel smiled to her fellow classmate.

"Oi! Jason! Get back to practice!" Principal Halls shouted.

"Sorry sir," Jason mumbled, drawing another arrow.

"Luna." A boy from Slaveria nodded.

"Wolfy," She growled back, sending him a death glare.

If looks could kill, he would've been dead in an instant.

"Simon! Stop flirting!" Lilly snickered.

Simon rolled his eyes and prepared to shoot the target, drawing another arrow.

"Your arms are too low," Ariel told him, her arms crossed over her chest. "Your stance is incorrect and you are holding the bow wrong which is making the arrow placement wrong as well. Seriously did you even listen to what Mr Halls told you to do at the beginning of the lesson? Which I know he does cause it's the same every lesson."

"No, he didn't." The last boy from Slaveria told her.

"She doesn't HAVE to know everything Liam," Simon snapped at his friend.

"No, but she could help!

"Let her help Si," Jason mentioned, drawing another arrow.

Simon glared over at Ariel who looked back at him with an innocent smile.

"I'll be happy to help you," she spoke.

Simon mumbled incoherent words and drew another arrow. Ariel happily walked over to him to help him. She kicked his heels to put him in the correct stance, raised his elbow carefully, fixed his hand placement and the placement of the arrow and put her hands over his to help pull back properly.

"Now," she whispered in his ear. "Focus on where you want the arrow to go and look to it. Your eyeliner should go straight down the arrow and out to the target. When you are completely sure you have it right, let the arrow fly."

She stepped back and slowly dropped her hand back to her sides, letting Simon do the rest himself. Simon released the arrow and it pierced through the centre of the target next to Ariel's arrow from before.

"Great job Simon!" Principal Halls clapped, walking over.

"Thank you, sir," Simon replied, glancing at Ariel who gave him a raised eyebrow in return.

"Alright, that shall be it for today," Principal Halls told them. "Slaverian students! Principal smith is waiting for you by the forest."

"Later mate," Liam clapped Jason on the back and walked off with Simon.

"Pssst, Ari," Jason whispered to the girl.

"Mhm?" she hummed, still facing the target as the Slaverian students walked off.

"Incoming."

"Wha-"

Ariel was cut off by getting tackled to the floor by her brother.

"Micheal!" She laughed.

"Hey little sis," he replied. "Ready for the games tomorrow?"

"I'm an adventurer Mikey, I HAVE to be ready."

She pushed him away from her and got up, brushing grass and dirt off herself in an attempt to stay clean so she didn't have to wash the clothing.

"You are going to need a boy for the ball as well. I'm counting on JJ to take you," he said getting up as well and gesturing to Jason who stood there awkwardly.

"About that..." Jason started, causing everyone to turn to him and Micheal give him a glare. "I've already planned on trying to take someone else with me. Not that Ari isn't pretty and smart or anything, it's just I don't want to take her...she's gorgeous, but I wanna take another girl, not that I wouldn't take her, I would! Definitely! But-"

"I get Jace, you'd like to pick who you want," Ariel cut him off, grinning.

Jason nodded violently and smiled back.

"You could get Simon to go with you. He seems pretty interested," Lilly suggested with a shrug.

"Wolfy wouldn't take me if we were the last two beings on this bloody planet," Ariel brought up.

Lilly opened her mouth to respond but was immediately cut off by the principal who was standing near some of the other students.

"Alright! Ladies and gentlemen if you wouldn't mind following the rest of your classmates to the sewists so they can create your suits and dresses for the ball, it would be greatly appreciated." He called out, confusing the small group still standing by the target.

"But sir! We have to make our own suits and dresses! It's the rules...isn't it?" Jason asked aloud.

"Exactly. Off you go." Principal Halls said, ushering them all towards the castle.