A Court of Death and Shadows

The Bogge

"Morning Feyre," Lucien drawled.  "Going for a ride, or merely reconsidering Tam's offer to live with us?" Feyres face paled slightly and she opened and closed her mouth like a fish before Lucien's snarky laugh split the air.  "Come now.  I'm on to finish patrolling the southern woods with her excellence, Lady Nyah.  I'm curious about the... abilities you used to bring down my friend, whether accidental or not.  It's been a while since I encountered a human. let alone a Fae-killer.  Indulge me in a hunt." Feyre met my eyes and we both quirked an eyebrow as if to say "Might as well, not like we have anything better to do"  She hopped onto a white mare and we started back into the woods.

"No ash arrows today, unfortunately."  I watched Feyres back tense as I took up the rear and I shook my head at them.  He couldn't help antagonizing her and she couldn't seem to snap back in the way I had learned to.  It led to a heavy and slightly awkward silence until we were deep into the woods.  "Well you both seem to have the quiet part of hunting down." Lucien slowed slightly and fell into step with Feyre.  She fiddled with her bow and I sped up slightly until the three of us were matched in pace. 

"Well?" Lucien pressed.  "No game good enough for the great hunters to slaughter?  We've passed plenty of squirrels and birds."  

"My specialty lies in traps and snares.  Not bows and arrows." I said with as little disdain as I could muster.  

"You seemed to be plenty adept with throwing daggers at high-ranking Fae males."  Lucien's russet eye fixed on me as he gauged my response.  I sighed heavily.

"That is a pastime, good daggers were far too expensive to purchase so cheap ones were all I had.  Those don't do any good for anything besides small game."  I glared sideways at him, I had hoped he would chance that up to a lucky shot, but no such luck.  

"You seem quite adept for a pastime."  Feyre sighed in relief now that his attention was off of her.  He reached into his vest and pulled out three exquisite throwing daggers tucked into a soft tanned thigh sheath.  They weren't my style but I could appreciate the beauty nonetheless.  They were a light golden metal with the hilt wrapped in a soft green suede leather, I knew without feeling that they were sure to be perfectly balanced.  He tossed them over Feyre's head and I snatched them out of the air.  He pointed at a knot in a large tree about 30 feet away.  "Let me make you a bargain.  You hit within 6 inches of that knot and I will personally train you in hand-to-hand combat.  I know you have violent thoughts in that pretty little head of yours, I'd quite like to see them in action."  He grinned devilishly as I squinted at him.  

"No bargain, nice try though."  I thought back to all I knew of the Fae and a bargain seemed like some sort of trick.  "I will make you a plain and simple human deal.  None of this Fae nonsense."  I grinned at him.  His eyes rolled exasperatedly.

"Very well, a human deal it is then, if you must be that way."  I winked at him and selected one of the daggers.  I glanced at the knot in the tree, now about 20 feet away, and grabbed the blade with my right hand.  I knew the basics of knife throwing mostly through trial and error.  Throwing a knife by the blade was excellent for shorter instances as it spins halfway.  Longer distances require more strength and fewer spins leads to higher accuracy, thus you grasp the handle to throw.  I rather felt like showing off and I could tell he was judging my blade positioning already.  I flicked the knife over to my left, and non-dominant hand, grasping the handle as I caught it.  I stared down at the tree and focused in on the know, the area around the knot got darker as shadows gathered on the edges, making the center even more prominent.  With a flick of my arm from elbow to wrist I sent the dagger spinning.  I followed its path with my eyes and grinned triumphantly when it hit dead center. I lowered my arm and twisted in my saddle, staring directly into Luciens eyes, well, eye, I suppose.  I snagged the dagger out of the tree as we rode past and started idly twirling it in my hand.