Andy and Blair opened the doors loudly and wheeled in a crate full of food. Rotund grapes, juicy meats, red wine, and pies were piled on separate platters, making Scarlet's mouth water. She jumped out of bed, ignoring the complaints her Uncle gave.
"Get back in bed!" He ordered, but you could tell his heart wasn't in it.
She grabbed a chicken leg and sunk her teeth in its delicious flesh. Juice ran down her chin.
"Will you grab me some rabbit, Scarlet." Xavier asked, sitting, trying to stifle the flow of blood that had just started up again.
"Yup!" She grabbed a plater of rabbit meat over a bed of lettuce.
Scarlet handed to food to Xavier "Here you go."
She devoured a couple chicken legs, grapes, and a couple pies.
Her uncle nibbled on a slice of watermelon.
Andy did not eat till Xavier told him so.
"Relax!" Xavier had jokingly commanded him, "you don't have to follow servant rules here!"
"Sorry," Andy replied, looking ashamed. "I am just so used my old life, I am having trouble believing this is real!"
"Well, you've been here for three years so I don't expect the old you to be gone completely!" Xavier laughed. "But just because you are a servant doesn't mean you have to starve."
He grabbed a cluster of grapes.
"You're life before wasn't that bad, was it?" Xavier questioned his close friend.
Andy said nothing in return.
Scarlet tried to break the awkward silence. She put a hand on her stomach, "Thank you, Andy." She was sincere, for this was the first time she had been full in a while.
"You are welcome," Andy replied.
Xavier stuffed the last bit of rabbit in his mouth. "Too bad it doesn't have the fur on it still," Xavier winked at Scarlet. "'Cause I hear that's delicious!"
Scarlet rolled her eyes.
Xavier poured himself some wine. "Want some?" He gestured to Scarlet.
"I don't drink." she said, shaking her head.
They polished of the rest of the food, packaging almost half for Scarlet and Blair to take home.
"So now what?" Andy asked.
Scarlet shrugged. It hit her that once she left the castle, she had no where to go, unless, Blair let her stay with him. She doubted that. His wife would never let that happen.
"How 'bout we go to the archery range?" Xavier proposed, grinning.
"Uh..." Blair looked regretful. "I gotta get home. Can I borrow a horse?"
"Of course!" Xavier replied.
"I wish I didn't have to go! It would be fun to see the most known archer beaten by a peasant girl!" Blair winked at Scarlet and left.
Walking down the stairs, Xavier supported himself against the wall.
"So, are you really that good?" Andy questioned.
Scarlet shrugged. She didn't think she was that good.
They reached the bottom of the stairs and made their way across a the court yard to the archery range.
Xavier grabbed his bow and slung it over his shoulder. He walked down the wall of perfect bows hanging in line. Reaching a beautiful bow, he stopped and gently eased it from its position on the wall. He handed it to Scarlet.
Scarlet looked down at the bow. It was carved with care and strung with the right amount of tension. It was powerful yet beautiful. In the center of the arch, were three rubies. They shimmered in the morning sunlight. She grabbed a fistful of arrows and cautiously loaded the bow. She feared it would snap.
Pulling the string back to her lip, she took a deep breath, aimed and shot. Bullseye. She repeated the process many times before the sound of Andy's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Holy crap!" He exclaimed, "Xavier, you might actually have a fair chance losing to her."
He laughed, "I am beginning to like this girl! Someone is finally beating you!"
Xavier laughed. Loading his bow quickly, he aimed and fired. The arrow flew threw the air and bounced off Scarlet's arrow which was situated in the center of the target.
"That would've been a bullseye," he muttered. Scarlet laughed.
"You guys should compete!" Andy smiled, enjoying the look on Xavier's face.
"Okay. What should we compete for?"
Xavier smiled mischievously. "If you win, you get to keep the bow. And..." Xavier paused for affect, "If I win, you have to give me a kiss!"
Andy laughed.
Scarlet groaned. She was fairly sure she could beat him. She had seen him shoot once before in an archery competition years before.
Oh well, what do I have to lose? Scarlet thought. And he isn't bad looking anyway.
"Deal," Scarlet held out her hand, Xavier shook it.
"Eager to kiss me, are you?" He grinned.
"Nope. I am eager to beat the prince!" She loaded her bow and shoot at the dummy, hitting it straight in the heart.
Xavier followed and hit it in the same place.
"It's a tie!"
"It is not over yet!" Xavier said, pointing an arrow at the target farthest from where they were standing. Bullseye. Scarlet matched the shot.
"Oh gosh, this is gonna go on forever." Andy groaned. He sat down against the gate and put his hands behind his back.
Scarlet laughed. "How 'bout we make it harder?"
They agreed to toss pillows from the balcony above them. The closest to the center overall would win.
They tied again.
"Should we call it a tie?" Scarlet offered.
"If that means I get my kiss and you get the bow the of course."
Scarlet laughed, "I don't want the bow that badly!"
Andy laughed. Walking up to them he said, "Xavier give it up!"
Xavier stared incredulously at his friend. "No way. I never give up!"
"You will." Scarlet smiled.
____________________________________________________________
AHHHH SO THIS STILL ISN'T EDITED BUT I GUESS NEITHER IS THE REST OF THE STORY.
AND SORRY FOR EXCESS DIALOG.
PLEASE COMMENT TO INFORM ME OF GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.
ALSO, IF YOU WERE BORED OUT OF UR MIND OR HAVE SUGGESTIONS OR LOVED IT PLEASE COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO BETTER!
IN ADDITION, MY CHAPTER TITLE IS REALLY CRAPPY! ANY SUGGESTIONS?
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT PHILUNICORNLOVER4's poetry and EilverExcalibur!
