The Archer and Her Prince

The Archery Competition

Edores Pov

I really don't want to see Edwin right now, but I had a reputation to uphold. I had to ruin his ego, it was my purpose in his life. It was 5:45 pm, I was at the archery range early. I set my bow and arrow on the bench and start stretching.

It's five to six pm and Edwin still hasn't arrived. I decide to get a little practice before he does. I walk over to a target and shoot from fifty meters away. Bullseye. I try eighty meters, same thing. I try a hundred, and get very close to it. But not a bullseye. Great, how am I going to beat him now?

"That was better than last time." I hear a voice from behind me, and whip around to see Edwin smirking.

I look at my watch. "You're late. Ready to start?"

"You already started it for me. Now I just have to beat yours, let's see. A hundred meters and then you beat mine. Fair enough?" He sets up his bow and arrow and marches to the hundred and fifteen meters spot. "You ready to be amazed?" He smirks as I roll my eyes, and shoots. It flies straight over my old arrow, into the bullseye.

"So I have to beat that, from a hundred and thirty meters away?" I calculate the distance.

"Yeah. I mean you're in the college archery competition, you won last year. So I'm sure this will be much easier now. But if not, you can always surrender and name me the archery champion. It'll save you less breath." He winks and I glare at him.

Ok, I got this, right? I just got to focus on destroying him, it's a great cause. I take a deep breath and go stand on the distance marker. I raise my bow and arrow, and I shoot. It goes straight towards Edwin's arrow, and lands in the bullseye, splitting his arrow in half. Wow. Wait, did I just do that? Did I just do one hundred and thirty meters?

"Huh, I got to admit. I'm impressed." He walks over to his split arrow at the target.

"I surprise myself sometimes. So is that it? Or are you going to do a hundred and forty-five meters?" I walk over to where he is.

"Nah, I'm not that good yet. But I'll say I'm getting there quite quickly, with practice. Good game." He croaks. Yes! I defeated him! Wooh! But, why do I feel, uh bad?

"I mean that was a pretty short match. Yeah, ok, did not expect that in the slightest. But yeah, good game." I reach out to shake his hand.

His face seems to soften, and he reaches his hand out as well to shake mine. "Wait, you're not going to make fun of me? And throw my loss into my face?"

His cold hand continues to hold mine, awkwardly. "Uh, originally I planned on. But for some reason, I guess I just, I'm not that kind of person. You did your best, and I did mine. That's what's important. Two wrongs never have made a right, and never will."

"Huh. I thought you would get back at me for everything I said a few weeks ago, but you're not. You're not like others I know, Edores. You're actually nice, I think. Honestly, I don't know what I'm saying." He laughs and lets go of my hand. "Rematch in a few weeks from now? Would you be up for a friendly match?"

"Thanks, I think? I really don't know what you're saying either. And you're not that bad yourself. I'm sure underneath all that hatred and annoyance, there's a gentler soul. And yes, I would definitely be up for that. We'll continue on from my last shot?"

"Hah, others would definitely beg to differ. But thanks. And yeah, sure. Well, I'll see you later." He lingers looking at the ground, and then leaves.

"Wait!" I call out and he turns to look at me willing me to continue.

"How do you know so much about me? And how did you know my name the first time we met?"

"Everyone has secrets Edores. But you're pretty popular here. With your archery talent and magic rankings."

"Why have I never heard of you then, if you're so good at archery?"

"I just started attending this college two months ago. No one knows me and I'd like to keep it that way." He whips around and walks away without another glance.

That was certainly strange. I still don't like him, but I don't hate him anymore. Crazy how that can change within an hour. I pack up my bag and then leave the grounds.