Falik had come down to the archery range to settle his mind. As usually he was fretting about his weapons practice. He knew he should really go and work on fencing, his great weakness, but he needed the peace that firing his bow brought to his mind.

He was using his own bow and the feel of it in his hand brought a satisfying sense of being at home, something he'd been missing for a long while at court. The bow was a beautiful work of art, a composite of horn, sinew and yew, made in the Bazhir style and carved with Bazhir designs. It was drawn differently to the usual bows used at court, but to Falik it was perfect.

He shook out his arms and shoulders, stretched his fingers and stepped up to the fireing line. He drew back the string, closing one eye to aim, focused on the bulls-eye of the target and released.

He smiled, satisfied as the arrow thudded in to the target dead centre.

John stretched languidly, extending fingers, toes and arms to their limits before relaxing. He’s just spent an hour on a horse. Scratch that he’d tried to spend an hour on a horse but had spent forty-five minutes chasing around the horse trying to mount the horse, etc. So in retaliation he had decided to pick out something he was good at.

Archery.

He paused to watch someone who was either a page or squire . “Nice shot, kid,” He commented smoothly.

Falik was snapped out of his concentration by a voice next to him. He turned to see a tall young man standing next to him.

Falik remembered his manners and bowed. "Thank you sir. It's easier using a bow I was practically born holding."

He wondered if that last comment had been inpertinant.

"Falik Al Basiri, at your service sir."

John gave the page a smile. “John of Elden,” he responded as he strung his bow. Gently he ran his hand over the wooden curve taking comfort in an old friend of his that didn’t have a mind of its own. Like, say a horse. “I always liked archery,” he said. “When my other lessons didn’t go well, I never screwed this up.”

"Oh I know that feeling alright," replied Falik. "Lord Genlith told me it's a miracle I haven't cut myself in two already." He tried to hide the pain in his eyes as he recalled that moment. He'd been humiliated in front of the rest of his year mates.

Falik swiftly fitted another arrow to the string, drew back and shot. The arrow thudded in next to it's friend.

Thinking, he asked a burning question: "Sir, if it's not too rude to ask, how did you overcome your weaknesses? I mean horse-riding, it must have made life difficult."

John grinned and shook his head a little. It amused him how pages and squires would study palace knights. "Difficult would be an understatment."

He tilted his head to the side. “Simple enough. I avoid horses at all costs and assignments that would require horses. And when I am forced into a situation that I have to ride a horse, I cross my fingers and pray to Mithros to save my butt.”

(SORRY I FORGOT TO SWITCH OUT OF ISKRA's PROFILE!!! This should be Falik)

Falik laughed outright at this.

"A sensible philosophy I'm sure!" He grinned. "I suppose it's no small blessing that I can at least handle the other weapons okay, I'm just going to have to mind my manners and hope that no-one ever challenges me to a duel."

Falik thought this was a strange kind of knight who was so quick to admit his weaknesses, but he liked him because of that.

"Have you ever tried a Bazhir bow?" He asked, offering his bow to the knight.

(SORRY I FORGOT TO SWITCH OUT OF ISKRA's PROFILE!!!)

((Don't worry I'll screw it up a few times))

Jon smiled and took the bow from Falik. “Once when we were squires, they took us to Perryopolis.” He hefted the bow, pulling the string back boltless to examine it. He loaded a bolt and pulled it back. The arrow sang from the string spiraling toward the target and hitting with a dull thud. Slightly off center in the bull’s eye.


He shrugged. “Not bad. Good for years of not having any practice.”

Falik nodded his approval.

"Not bad at all, try drawing it with this." He unhooked a small metal ring from his thumb. "You catch the string behind the ring on your thumb, and then you hold and release like this," He made a loop with his thumb and forefinger and then flicked it open.

"It takes a bit of getting used to but it makes the arrow fly straighter."

He suddenly realised that maybe the Knight didn't want to be told how to do things by a Page.

His shyness returned and he looked down.

"I'm sorry....I...um. I'm sure you don't need me telling you how to do it."

“Hey, no it’s fine.” John assured him. “I can go to bed tonight and know I learned something new.” He slipped the ring onto his fingers and carefully mimicked the movement slowly without the bow. He did it again, speeding it up again. John tried it several times more until he was moderately all right with it. He raised his bow along with an arrow and shot. It flew straighter than the one before but John hadn’t paused to aim, concentrating on the ring, so the arrow met the third ring in. “Hmph, it’s going to be one of those day isn’t it?”

Falik grinned.

"Not at all, that was a good shot for a first time. I know other nobles who would practically take an eye out trying to shoot like that. It doesn't come easy if you're not used to it.!

Falik liked this oddly down to earth Knight.

He chanced another question.

"Did you...er...did you have any trouble getting picked as a squire because of your riding. I have this great sense of doom that I'm going to end up a palace squire."

John shook his head. “My master knight, Sir Kern, was very understanding. Being older and slightly crazy, he made sure that I was taught duties that I could make myself useful with. He made sure that I concentrated on things I was good at, instead of stressing over those I couldn’t. Riding and tilting.” He shrugged. “Tell you what, if you make it to be a squire and no one asks you, I’ll take you on as a squire. Then I’ll be old and might want one.” He winked good naturedly.

(two mess ups in one day....I must be feeling extra special!!...LOL)

Falik couldn't keep the delight from his face. At this moment he couldn't think of anyone he'd prefer as a knight master, except perhaps Rean or Damien, but this knight had an way about him that eased Falik's natural highly strung tendencies.

"Sir, it would be an honor I assure you, providing I survive the big exams of course." he shuddered. He thought and added "although I'd rather not face my mothers wrath if I didn't!"

John laughed lightly although inwardly he was praying to Mithros for the boy’s sake that someone else would take him on as a squire. Wouldn’t do him much good to have someone like John for a master. John’s way of helping the crown was far too shady for the Bazhir page who seemed extraordinarily honest.

John rubbed his chin. “Yes, mothers can be truly terrifying when it comes to the welfare and success of their offspring.”

Falik smiled, "You've seen nothing until you've seen my mother in a rage, she can cause the sands to shake I swear it."

Falik heard the bell ring the hour and suddenly looked panic stricken. He had one bell until evening meal and he had yet to have a bath and change into a clean uniform. He'd become quite caught up in talking to the knight.

"Begging your pardon sir, but I must go otherwise Lord Genlith will have me strung up for being late. Or if not him the other pages and squires."

He bowed once again to the knight, scooped up his bow and quiver and ran off up the hill to the palace.