Hidden Beast

35. The Extra Help

Ruby

At the daily training after dinner I found myself counting the minutes down until it would end, and that's surprising coming from me.

I loved training and usually I would think time went by to fast but for once it felt like its dragged forward even slower just to mock me.

Of course time wouldn't allow down just to mock me but that's how it felt. "You seem anxious about something, do you want to go early?" Peridot asked me worriedly.

Though he wasn't my real father he acted just as one and thats great because we need to hold up this charade as long as possible, especially now.

People needed to think he was my father, if it came out I'm actually daughter to the king, a princess it would be chaos.

It would be even worse if it got out I'm the famous beast that had killed countless of people, innocent and not innocent.

Knowing it wouldn't help to go early as it would take just as long as if I stayed here I shook my head.

"No father, don't worry, I'm fine" I said. The word father ringing hollowly, tasting bitter in my mouth. It was a lie I kept using everyday and had used for years but it still felt as horrible ever time.

Though it was a lie it was a necessary lie, hopefully no one would ever know it was a lie but after all things that had happened lately I began to question what secrets would survive this.

Finally it was over and everyone began to pack up and leave the room. "You coming?" asked one of the royal guards, we always hangs out after training before I go to the meeting with the royal advisors and the royals themselves but today it would be different.

I smiled at him "Nope, one of the trainees needs an extra lesson" I said and had to bite my lip from thinking of Jasper that was on his way here now.

"Ah, damn hopeless people right? Well, see you later" he said pitifully, if he only knew i didn't mourn the loss of my short free time at all.

Nodding at him I watched him leave with his closest friends that had waited by the door and when the door closed behind them I were alone in the hall.

Wandering around the room I brought a target that Jasper would shoot on and placed it against the wall where I wanted it to be.

I heard the doors opening and looked behind me too see an uncertain looking Jasper hesitate before the doors he just closed.

Smiling softly at him to somehow give him some comfort I made my way towards him.

He stood completely still and watched my movements, he didn't even seem to breath when I got close. Did I affect him that much?

The thought of me being the reason he acted like this pleased me, I could make him feel like this.

Pushing the gun into his hand I firmly closed his fingers around it and backed away giving him space to breathe.

I raised an eyebrow at him "I guess you know the gun parts and don't need any more training at that, tell me what you are having difficulties with" I said.

He took a sharp intake of breath like he indeed hadn't breathed in my closeness.

He struggled to find words "I-I don't know how to aim properly, and how to handle it right. I think I got a hold on hoe to load it though" he said, shaking a little in the beginning but finding more confidence as I let him talk without making a mocking face or something.

Gesturing to the line behind me at the floor "Shoot at the target, show me what you do and I will correct you then" I told him and he nodded to me.

He walked past me and positioned himself at the line. His movements as he loaded the gun seemed stiff under my scrutinizing gaze.

He loaded it correctly though. The stiffness being the only problem and then he adjusted himself and held up the gun, aiming it at the target.

Wrong, he was standing all wrong, it was hard to distinguish if his shaking hand was due to his wrong hold or his nervousness as I stared, maybe it was both.

The bang echoed in the almost empty room, he had missed the target. For some seconds no one moved, he just stared at the target with distant eyes and swallowed hard.

Jasper

I was painfully aware of her footsteps stepping closer to me, she didn't say anything and neither did I.

My aim had been terribly wrong and my whole body had been shaking as she had stared at me so intensely, I had had difficulties holding my arm up and maybe it wasn't just because of her stare but also because I had had a bad grip.

I didn't turn even when I felt her coming closer, just stared at the target and the shot that had missed and hit one of the thick bags that was strapped up beside the target to protect the wall.

Goosebumps broke out onto my neck as her breath fanned against me. "Here" she said and adjusted my stance.

Then she corrected my grip on the gun as I just stood rigid and breathless. She held up my arm and her hand closed around mine and she carefully pressed on my finger at the trigger, then she stepped away and admired her work.

I just stood there with my arm held out in the direction of the target and didn't dare to move.

"Great, of course you don't need to stand like this everytime you fire your gun but it's a good way to learn in the beginning so you can practice it in" she said and I nodded stiffly.

She nodded slightly "Go ahead then, make a try and repeat" she said with a finality that made me know she wouldn't talk for awhile.

Taking a deep breath I aimed straight for the middle and shoot. It hit the target, tough not in the middle it was certainly better than before.

Without thinking I turned to her with a wide smile and she smiled back, then I returned to my senses and realized I probably looked like an idiot.

I was happy I had hit the edge of the target. Not dissapointed that I hadn't stroked in the middle, tough I knew it would be impossible this early.

When I turned back she talked "Great job, keep going and you will be a master" she said and I smiled slightly to myself as I loaded the gun.