There Is No Me Beyond You

~25~

We stepped out of the gloomy castle into an unexpectedly bright morning. There was no sign left of the snowstorm of the previous night, apart from a few heaps of snow lying in the shadiest corners of the courtyard. The rest of it had already morphed into large puddles submerging the cobblestones under our feet.

The air was warmer and I imagined that I could smell the slowly approaching spring in it. Even though I knew that this was only a short  melt-down and months would pass before the new season really arrived, it made me feel happy. A step closer to Aurora.

Avoiding the tiny rivulets of melted snow dropping off the roofs, I walked across the yard following Lucas. We only met a few valets and Guards on our way towards the stables. They were more than those I noticed the previous night, but it was my own fault.

They do not trust you to stay put anymore. My subconscious offered.

Never mind... Most of the Knights were with Vlad and I was happy about it, those were the ones I did not like. The Guards, somehow, always seemed more human. I could put up with them.

I walked inside the stable to wait for Lucas there, while he disappeared somewhere in search of bows, exchanging a few words with his fellow Guards on the way. By now he knew some parts of the castle, and some of its inhabitants, better than I did.

Approaching the horses, I spotted Frost, and made a beeline for him. I ran my hand through his white mane, enjoying his friendly welcome as he brought his warm, pink snout to my cheek. I wished I could take him for a ride-- Vlad took most of the horses with him and my Frost did not have much company.

The thought of Vlad made me sigh. "Sorry, not today," I murmured as Frost stumped impatiently as if he could read my thoughts. "I'll be told off as it is, let's not provoke him even more by a forbidden ride..."

Looking around, I noticed a few apples lying on a bench nearby and offered him one before I walked outside again. As I stood in the doorway I noticed Lucas approaching me from across the courtyard, two enormous bows in his hands. The sight of him made me smile. This world suits him perfectly...

"You look like Robin Hood!" I called, giggling, making two Guards passing between us bow in greeting, then eye me curiously.

Lucas rolled his eyes as he reached me, and set the heavy-looking bows down.

"And you are silly as always, Princess Sam. However, they do look a lot like English longbows and they are exactly as heavy. Teaching you to use them will take a lot of time and practice."

"Let's start then. We don't have the whole day. They may come back anytime now..." I said, looking away from him, all mirth forgotten.

"Are you... afraid?" Lucas asked, his fingers under my chin tilting my face up to meet his eyes again.

I shook my head. "I'm angry with myself for not telling Vlad before what I meant to do, or waiting for him... but... Whatever. He has the right to be angry, I think I would be if our roles were swapped. Don't worry about it. Let's do this."

I took one of the bows from him. It was nearly as tall as me and much heavier than it looked. And... it did not have any string or whatever that thing was called... I looked at Lucas inquiringly.

He nodded. "Unlike the modern ones, or those you saw in Robin Hood," he chuckled, "these bows are kept unstrung until not in use. Come. I'll show you what to do."

He led me to a stone bench attached to the stable's wall and we sat down.

Reaching inside a leather quiver he wore on his back, Lucas pulled out two pieces of coiled string, passing one to me, while he tied the other to the tip of his bow.