Archery

The couple and the knights had finally reached the archery range and saw arm guards, two bows, and two full quivers waiting for them.

Alaric and Aliana both got set up and stretched their arms for a minute. Her knights watched them with interest, they knew how good of an archer Aliana was.

"When was the first time you shot a bow?" Alaric asked curiously.

"I think I was maybe four or five," Aliana said as she nocked an arrow into place. She looked at the dozens of targets in front of her and narrowed her eyes as she picked one. She raised her bow and brought back her arm holding the arrow and bowstring, holding it lightly. She took a deep breath and released the arrow. Alaric gaped at the target in awe, Aliana had made a bullseye on one of the farther targets about fifty yards away.

She grinned at the man's face and waited for him to shoot an arrow too before going again. "So you've been at this your whole life," Alaric said with a chuckle. Most men he knew didn't shoot a bow that far with such deadly accuracy.

He took a shot and hit close to a bullseye at about thirty feet away. "Not a bad shot!" Aliana cheered. "Want to make things more interesting?"

Alaric nodded and looked at her curiously.

"Let's play a game, I hit more accurately and I win but if you do, you win," Aliana grinned. "But you can do whatever you want to distract the other person."

"Win by any means necessary, huh, I'm in," Alaric laughed.

"I'll start then," Aliana said as a competitive look spread across her face. She raised her bow again and this time Alaric had stepped right behind her and was close enough to feel his breath on her neck.

"Anytime now, Princess," Alaric whispered in her ear as she got ready to shoot. Shivers trailed down her spine and she let go of her arrow. It whizzed in the air until sinking into the center of a target about twenty yards away.

Alaric stared at the shot and shook his head. He would have to distract her more if he was going to win.

"Your turn, Alaric," Aliana beamed, she couldn't back down from a challenge easily.

Alaric was setting up his shot and was about to let the arrow fly loose when Aliana stood on her toes to reach his cheek for a kiss. He sucked in a breath and the arrow had landed in the grass in front of the nearest target.

Aliana giggled as Alaric looked flustered and he joined in her laughter.

"I was not expecting that," Alaric said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm glad it startled you so much," Aliana smirked. She stood in front of a target about thirty yards away and raised her bow with her arrow in place.

Alaric thought for a moment and grinned when he came up with an idea to distract Aliana. He stood behind her and held her waist lightly and kissed her neck gently. She gasped in surprise and realized she had let her arrow go in when Alaric had kissed her, it was so soft that it raised goosebumps on her back and arms.

Looking out at the range she saw her arrow had hit the target she was aiming for but it was on the outermost ring instead of her usual bullseye. She looked at the target with contempt and narrowed her eyes at Alaric, who was laughing hysterically beside her.

"Your face is so cute when it's scrunched up in anger," Alaric said between bouts of laughter. His laugh was light and Aliana found herself laughing along with him.

Alaric turned serious after a few moments and raised his bow once again. Aliana stood beside him and stared at his profile as he picked a target. He was so focused on the target ahead of him that he didn't see Aliana reaching up toward his ear.

She took his ear in her mouth and bit down lightly and her tongue slid over his lobe lightly. Alaric jerked bewilderedly and groaned slightly. His ears were very sensitive. He turned bright red and she grinned wickedly.

"You definitely don't play fair at this game." Alaric took in where his arrow had landed and was surprised to see it actually hit the target not too far away from them near the middle.

"That was not a bad shot," Aliana said with raised brows. She thought she had distracted him enough to miss an entire target.

"Thanks, Aliana," Alaric beamed. "Are you getting hungry at all?"

"I could use some lunch." She set down her bow and took off her guard on her arm. Alaric did the same and led her to a blanket set up near the range that was overflowing with food. It was under some tall oak trees that provided shade, a welcome refuge from the shining sun.

Aliana plopped down on the blanket and Alaric started piling a little bit of everything on two glass plates in front of them. She thought it was sweet that he made her plate for her, she liked being taken care of.

"So tell me about yourself and your dukedom, Cheswick, right?" Alaric picked up one of the plates and handed it to her.

"Yes it's Cheswick and it's flourishing," Alaric said in between bites of a piece of cheese. "I am an only child and my parents passed on the title of duke to me about three years ago when I was twenty-six."

Aliana munched on some fruit thoughtfully. "I'm an only child too, it can be lonely, huh."

Alaric looked at her with soft eyes. "Yes it can, thankfully my parents gave me lots of attention."

She nodded and happily continued to eat as Alaric told her about the many acres of orchards and mines that produced gold and semi-precious stones. It was a prosperous part of Eddis and its only rivals were the grand prince's lands and Lucien's dukedom.

She thought it was quite funny that she picked Lucien's rival in how wealthy their land was. No wonder Lucien had looked at her with contempt when she chose Alaric. This was going to be a fun next few days.