The Marksman [The Talent of Three: Book 1]

7 ••• Results and Fittings

Eryx crosses the mess hall in six long strides as Atheris and the rest of the group enter from the opposite side. Their mentor stops just in front of them.

"Flint is impressed with your work. If any of you fail the paper exam, it is highly possible your physical test will save you," Eryx says. "You will get your test results tomorrow morning at breakfast."

•••

"Ready to get your results?" Atheris asks Atticus, poking him in the shoulder as they walk down to the mess hall.

"Honestly, no," Atticus admits. "I did well, but I sure don't stand up to what you did."

Atheris shrugs off the praise.

"I just want to know how I did," Avrum says. "I don't care how I did compared to Atheris."

"Yeah, sure," Scout snorts. "We all want to know how we did compared to Atheris!" She holds her bow loosely at her side, the way all the others do. Only for exams do they hold the bows on their backs. Her quiver is, like all the others', slung across her back.

"Oh, leave them alone," Atheris says with a grin, smacking Scout's shoulder playfully.

They enter the mess hall to find silence. White papers are placed on each table. Redding and Jadis lead the group to their table.

The group stares at the papers. Then there is a mad scramble to find which paper belongs to whom.

Atheris picks up hers nervously. She flips it over fully and her eyes scan through the grading policy: out of fifty for physical, out of twenty for paper.

Physical Results: 50/50
Physical Comments: Atheris, you have a great form. I have nothing to dock from you. If I had, I would have added points back on at the immense care you take of your weapons. Your arrows are in pristine shape and the bow is immaculate. I wish you best of luck on the Quest, though it is clear you do not need it.
Flint Kric
Paper Results: 19/20
Paper Comments: You write brilliantly. Every piece you wrote was thoughtful and well-developed. However, your response could have been cut down and was rather lengthy. This in itself is not what I docked a point for. My taken point was for your strategies as an archer. The original task was to describe well-used and well-known strategies that work for you, but you wrote the strategies you had developed yourself. Nonetheless, you did very well.
Echis

Atheris breathes a sigh of relief. The rest of the group exchanges papers and brags and praises each other. Eryx reads over each paper, clearly pleased with her students.

There is a sudden commotion from Pavel's table. One of the girls has begun sobbing. Flint walks over to calm the girl and Eryx turns, a grim expression on her face.

"That is Naja," she says. "She didn't make it by one point. She will likely have a redo exam—but the embarrassment will stick with her for the rest of her life, whether the grade does or not." Eryx glances at the group. "Be very glad—very glad—none of you failed."

Flint leads the sobbing girl out of the mess hall, whispering in her ear. 

As he does, all eyes are on her.

•••

"Stand still, love," the woman says again as Atheris shifts her position for the millionth time. "It's not going to be much longer."

Atheris heaves a heavy sigh. "Sorry," she mutters. "I just don't like standing still."

"None of you Archers do," the seamstress assures her. "Or Athletes. Or Military." She shrugs. "You're just not built for sitting still. See, the Writers and Painters are the best when it comes to standing still."