[SWOOSH]
They were gone..I immediately missed him.
Good luck my love.
Anna teared up a little now that her Dad was gone and couldn't see him.
" Don't worry sweetheart..three days and he'll be back. Two nights really. "
It wasn't just for her it calmed me as well ..three days yes but, only two nights..
She nodded without a word and buried her head in my chest.
" Awww.." - I looked towards mother embraced by Eli, she was nervous and in love.
Good luck to you too Carlos ..
Alright the key word for the next two night is busy!
Let's make list and follow his orders.
Hmm..I loved him all commanding..it's been a trigger for a long time now.
Anyway..training. I turned to the Revel brothers fidgeting in the back.
" Ciren why don't you take Anna and help her training.."
It was a 50/50. " Okay..big brother always said I need it for self defense. "
Anna wiped her eyes and Master Ilianna reared her head. " I guess..I can take on one more. Mom we be off until dinner. Take care of Sir Dog. "
Yay..
" Sure thing..go on but, be careful take it easy on her.." - I whispered the end making sure she won't need granny after her first real day. " ..remember how much we love her. "
" You worry too much..let's go and find the others. "
She took of and followed by an already panting Ciren.
Saam and his brother Fipna waiting for me as mother went with granny and the Emil's.
Demelza and Eli joined as novices.
" Alright then.. teach us. "
Saam the more talkative of the two stepped up.
" Let's go and gather the other 4 first. We might as well make a training plan for all..is that alright? "
He seemed nervous when glanced at me and it made me wonder what could've been said to Zephyr to scare them so much.
Because whatever they went through was nothing like his fun trips with the others who ended up wanting more.
This two were traumatised and only thing they said .. that they were taught a lesson.
" Yes..go bring them, master Lucian will take you and we will prep, and wait in my backyard. "
I didn't wait around since they knew Lucian and Zephyr was right, these people living in our home rent free, the least they can do is train the future defenders.
" They really play hard to get aye? " - Demelza walked ahead inside the house to grabb the bows picked out for them.
" I think it's more like fear..stay or go, Zephyr's reaction just terrifies them. "
I smiled, headshot Eleanor.
I will ask Zephyr when returned for an explanation but for now our new training regiment needs to be set.
" I want a bow like yours Sisi..and you need teach us..
" .nothing..we have qualified masters now you can ask. May I remind you that, I need to shoot an apple of my husband head? "
She shook head almost pitying. " You will choke..Dem? Bet me a silver? "
" I'll take that deal. Lylly you be fine..even if you miss, I doubt you can possibly hurt him. "
She placed a coin on me and had zero faith.." Tell me how you going to keep up with training and running the tavern? "
She shrugged. " With Miri and Setil there all the time helping Seline they be fine..besides this is important as well. I want to change like you Lylly. "
" Change? "
" Look at you..." a she and my sister watched as I changed into training clothes, Zephyr clothes and wrapped my hands for better grip. " Six months ago you just flailing around like a fish out of water. Now you been acknowledged by the man who been training harshly. Martial Arts, sword and now the bow. You changed from night to day in more ways than one. "
" She is right Lylly..we decided to join the archers because of your efforts. "
I did put in some effort..but soon it didn't feel like that. It felt calming and natural. I couldn't believe how, I lived without it.
We walked out side and took a few practice shots.
The dummies were updated and placed make shift armor on to make it more realistic..and difficult.
Even my shot bounced off the iron plates on its chest, helmet or shoulder guards.
" This is incredibly frustrating.." - Eli missed the target from 30 feet, ten times in the row and just jogging back and forth searching for and collecting them took more time than shooting them.
" My arm hurts...this is hard. "
The girls both had growing pains.
But I was frustrated as well. The armor throw me off a little and more and more shots missed.
The others arrived just in time before, I started snapping them in half..the arrows.
We were gathered and Saam took the lead. Fipna barely talked and mostly hid behind his scarf.
" First of all...you all need a few core exercises. As archers being muscular is neither here nor there. Core strength.." - he punched his stomach lightly. " ..is a different kind of strength. "
He stepped closer to his brother. " Take Fipna..he is about 100 pounds or so..yet, I saw him throw man twice his size like they were rag dolls. He doesn't look muscular does he? "
He was so embarrassed we could only see his eyes and the top of his head.
He looked more or less like a shy maiden his bashful look didn't help the image. But yes this core strength, whatever it is must be essential.
" There are various exercises and techniques we ourselfs followed since childhood and it comes from a thousand year old scrolls left behind by Dharma grand masters. The first popes."
Fancy...
" First..Resistance bands." - he showed something that I missed until now. A brown long leather circle.
He pulled it and took aim. " You will be very familiar with this one..your ability to hold or draw a bow taking aim, it's impossible to have full control. "
He took aim a few more times stretching the material which never ripped.
" Training with resistance bands increases the load just enough to push you out of your comfort zone so that when you take them off, you'll feel stronger and more relaxed .."
He shook his hands little and smiled.
" For now we should ..stick with this? "
They made eyes at me drawing the rest of the six archers my sisters included with it.
" Sure.."
It won't be easy..the way of the bow.