Another Choice

Chapter 10- The Training

  *The Scene is similar to the drama when Seung Nyang teach Togon and Wang Yu*

*Haneul's clothes also similiar to Seung Nyang's clothes*

The next morning, the maid brings Haneul a set of men's clothes as Tal Tal order. She dressed and went to the yard to have her first training. 'This cloth is really comfortable, more than the dress I usually wore.'

At the yard         

Tal Tal already awaits her at the yard; he'll train her how to fire an arrow. He saw her coming from a distance. Haneul can saw that her Sabonim already waiting for her, so she hurried her steps to the yard.

"Come here, first I'll teach you how to shoot an arrow. This is the basic training for archery." Tal Tal said while handing her a bow and an arrow. Haneul nodded and take the bow and the arrow. She set the bow then sliding an arrow in the string. Tal Tal sighed and just shook his head.

"Em, Sabonim...What to do now?" She said while her bow propped down and ready to position.

"First," he started. "Lift your arms up with the bow at shoulder level. Straighten your arm as firm as a mountain." He instructed while as he lifted her arms with her holding the wooden part of the bow. He made sure it was aligned with the target before giving her second instruction.

"Next, pull the string's nocking point as light as a tiger's tail." He said.

"Light as a tiger's tail." She repeated as she pulls the string. It was alright pulling it, but when she released the nock of the bow's string and the arrow she misfired. It didn't reach the target and even cut Haneul's finger. She bent down then kneel in reflex and hissed in pain with the sudden cut, watching it bleed.

Tal Tal knelt beside her and he put his finger around her wound to make the bleeding stopped. He ordered one of his men to bring the bandage here. The soldier hurried to find some bandages and brought it to him. Tal Tal took the bandage and tended Haneul's wound.

"I was supposed to tell you that it's not easy. You have to practice for a year before you can master shooting the arrow."

Haneul nodded understanding what he said while still hissed in pain.

"Can you continue?" Tal Tal asked worriedly. Haneul nodded, she doesn't want to make him worried about her.

After a lot of times trying, Haneul finally can fire the arrow to the target, even though it doesn't hit the middle of the target. It hit the edge of the target. Tal Tal looked at her progress, smiling feeling proud of her progress. 'Now, I can see why the rebellion general trained her to become a spy. She has great talent inside her.'

"Sabonim, did you see that! I finally did it!" Haneul shouting happily. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands when she realized she just dropped her formality in front of Tal Tal.

"My apologies, Sabonim." I felt overwhelmed by happiness and it makes me drop my formalities." Haneul bowed to him.

Tal Tal smiled actually happy for her dropping the formalities. He patted her head and said,"You can drop your formalities around me, after all, you're my apprentice. Just continue to practice, I'm sure you'll master it in a shorter time than everybody else. You have great potential. I'll need to attend some important matter after you finished your dinner later come to the library, I'll teach you more battle tactics." Haneul can felt that her heart pounds faster when he patted her head. Haneul nodded and bowed to him. 'What is this, why my heart thumps faster just now? Am I having heart disease or something.' she thought worriedly while seeing Tal Tal went away.