Buffy the Bowgirl, Book 1, Thread 4, Do You Know the Way to Kvatch? Options

[bobg]

That was one heck of a cliffhanger.

Just a note to say my wife and I are thoroughly enjoying the series.

[Captain Hammer]

"I am proud to host this assemblage of Cyrodiil's finest archers as they. . . ."

My mind wandered as the Count droned.

". . . and so, let the final completion now begin." Count Bravil finally stopped talking.

Heh, Regulus Terentius was always such a bore. Important things to do, places to go, empires to save, and all he can do is talk, talk, talk. Guess he's good enough at it to keep the Elder Council from deciding to get rid of him. Shame he can't make the city of Mara a little less needful of Mara.

I watch, with strange fascination, Buffy's mixed feelings leading up to the tournament. I must admit that I've never really felt the same, as when it comes to my preferred method of marksmanship, my chosen field is shotgun shooting against my brother. He's better at Skeet-shooting, I'm better at Trap. He does a lot better with premount, but I'm better from Low Ready and High Ready. And I always get upset when he wins. Sure, I feel proud that he can shoot, but I wouldn't be a proper brother if I didn't want to beat him at our only shared sport. Of course, the fact that we routinely beat our father helps mitigate this fact.

I'm hoping Buffy comes to realize that there's a deeper ethical consideration to her acts in finding and destroying that scroll. This competition is about finding the best archer in Cyrodiil, not about Daenlin's unbelievable archery skills. I figure he knows that, and he'd be more upset than anybody else to know that he didn't win the tournament fairly. Probably more upset that learning he had lost unfairly. Though I wouldn't want to be Reman if and when Daenlin learns about the Imperial wine merchant's plot.

[Grits]

"Your shoulders are too small to carry the burden you place upon them," said the paladin. "I know you will support both your friends. If any one of you wins, it will be with grace and humility. The other two will rejoice in congratulations. You know my words are true."

In an episode filled with beautiful passages, this was my favorite. A simple truth, gently expressed.


I studied the ranger's face, trying to divine any family resemblance to my master.

This is so Buffy. Just because she’s decided she won’t tell, doesn’t mean she doesn’t still want to know!

The Count welcoming everyone to his City of Mara. It has been pointed out already, but the tea party in the stands is priceless. I was so pleased that the guild turned up to support Buffy. Lace parasols, silver teapots, and all!

This post has been edited by Grits: May 23 2011, 05:27 PM

[Acadian]

Episode 109 opened the final day of competition. The line judge briefed the ten finalists that during the day's three sessions, they would each shoot one round. Shooting order would be based on qualification score, from highest to lowest. Between each of the sessions would be a one hour break. After opening remarks by Count Bravil, the first shooter, Daenlin, approached the firing line.

Rider- I'm so glad you enjoyed the whimsical arrival of the Guild of Mages to support their little mystic archer! Thank you!

TK- I agree completely that Buffy is worrying entirely too much. You are correct that she badly misunderstands what Daenlin wants from her. Yes, it is time for this flower to bloom - Daenlin has one more lesson to teach Buffy.

SubRosa- Using glow stones to light the fire-prone stables was borrowed from SubRosa's Arimer Carandial's Ayleid research. You are so very talented at applying magic to everyday needs. It has been a foundational belief of Buffy that Daenlin is the finest archer that ever has or ever will walk Nirn; she is desperately clinging to this belief, even as part of her realizes it may not be true. Bravil politics is way beyond Buffy's pay grade, but she will occasionally report an intriguing observation.

Yes indeed, it took us a long time to get to the actual competition! For TF/BF readers, SubRosa has had the harder job during our collaboration. My tasks have been to provide the basic story as it relates to the actual shooting competition, and stick to a predictable posting schedule. She has worked her magic throughout, weaving her influence right back into every aspect of the tournament. She has, with great skill and creativity, arranged Teresa's account in such a way that the faintly smiling red head usually shares her perspective on significant tournament events with you very shortly after Buffy does.

King Coin- Thank you. Buffy was so unprepared for horse ownership when, as a wide-eyed young elf, she plopped down her life savings to buy Superian. She and her magic mare have come a long way. I was very proud of her admonishment to Daenlin along the lines of 'you can't just park her like a carriage'. Now, if we can just get her to display some of that wisdom on the firing line!

Ceidwad- Thank you. Between the high quality group of archers and Buffy's misguided meddling, I hope for a couple twists and turns yet on the field of dreams before a winner emerges.

mALX- I'm so glad some of Buffy's childlike adoration of her archery master came through here. Even if it causes her to do dumb things, there is no doubt about how important Daenlin is to her.

Zalphon- Thank you for reading. Agreeing with mALX is always a wise idea.

minque- My goodness, I thank you so much for your efforts to catch up and join Buffy, along with the stories of several other of us 'trey-babies'. I'm so excited to hear that you are working on Serene's next episode! Can't wait!

bobg- Thank you for dropping in, my wonderful old friend. Please give my warmest regards to Mrs bobg and Angel. I treasure the keys you bestowed upon me and am delighted to report that as long as Buffy lives, Angel and the memory of Sarrah will inhabit Tamriel with her.

Captain Hammer- Thanks! It was at the urging of SubRosa that we included some opening comments by His Pompousness. Unfortunately, he will have more to say during the awards ceremony. Yes, Buffy is defective when it comes to competition; clearly she has an abundance of loyalty/nurturing genes at the expense of judgment/competition genes. Your insight regarding how Deanlin views the tournament is spot on; expect him to address this head on with his misguided little apprentice.

Grits- Hopefully the paladin's gentle words to Buffy in the stable, along with some more pointed ones from Daenlin in this next episode will help to sort our bowgirl out! I love how you picked out the self-centered nature of Count Bravil from the few words we offered.

* * *

110 The Tournament of Archers, Part 26- Spread Your Wings

The reigning archery champion nestled all three arrows of his first flight into the ten ring. His perfect score was verified and the arrows removed from his target. As he reached for the first arrow of his second flight, Sinia flipped her hourglass. Thirty seconds later two more arrows had pierced the center of the target, with a third sprouting two rings out and slightly low. Daenlin was beautiful to watch as he carefully and smoothly placed all three arrows of his final flight into the bull's eye of the longer range target.

Two plaques, each bearing the number eight, were placed side-by-side on the scoreboard next to his name. I also noted the red plaque indicating the current shooter was now being moved down one row to rest beside my name.

As Daenlin walked away from the firing line and I approached it, we grinned at each other. I was surprised to hear some cheering and applause as I slid Slayer from my back and drew my first arrow.

Just like during qualification, I had no trouble placing each arrow of the first flight into the center of my target. Once the target was again ready, Sinia placed a hand on her hourglass and nodded at me. I was more apprehensive about my rapid-fire and tried to focus my mind on the actions required. After studying the target for a moment, my hand reached for the tail of an arrow.

I focused on getting each shot off quickly and accurately without trying to assess the impacts. Once complete, I was delighted to hear "Ten, ten, nine," ring out from the target judge.

The first arrow of my final flight blossomed from the ten ring of the long range target. The second arrow appeared to be on the line between the nine and ten. I lowered my bow as a signal to the target judge. After a quick study of the impact, he called out, "Ten!" and stepped clear of the target.

Okay, Buffy. You're potentially one point ahead of Daenlin with a final arrow to shoot. For the most important shot of this round I drew partial tension and eased my aim point right of center, to the line between the eight and nine rings. I smoothly pulled the arrow's tail to my ear and loosed.

It was a clean nine and the target judge quickly verified it, both aloud and with a display of fingers. I glanced up at the scoreboard to see my own pair of eight plaques being hung by my name. I smiled to myself - I was Daenlin's apprentice. I also saw the red plaque being moved down to the left side of Alawen's name.

I walked from the firing line as the ranger approached it. We stopped abreast. My mind was filled with indecision and swirling thoughts, some of them dark and subversive. Before I could choose my course, I heard the words fall out of my mouth, "I'm here for you, my ranger. We can do this. You and I."

Alawen, her eyes hosting the confident ranger, touched my hand and nodded. "Thanks to you, my scout."

I returned to my spot next to Daenlin and sat nervously watching Alawen.

The ranger's first perfect flight of three drew appreciative applause as had mine and Daenlin's. Cheers erupted as three more arrows blossomed from the bull's eye in half the time allowed for her rapid-fire flight. It was not until her eighth arrow that one dared stray from the target's center into the nine ring. Her final arrow resumed a streak of flawless shooting. The scoreboard quickly reflected the eighty nine that moved her ahead of Daenlin.

Alawen seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the sounds of chanting and cheering that followed her performance. After a few moments, she tentatively raised her bow skyward and bowed her head. The ranger then lifted her face and searched the crowd. When our eyes met, a beautiful smile came to her face.

Again, before I could consider my response, I grinned and waved enthusiastically. Blinking back tears, I then turned and allowed my stupid grin to fade as I sought Daenlin's reaction.

If he was upset at being bested by the superb shooting of Alawen, Daenlin showed no sign of it. I tried to pay attention to the shooters that followed, but all I could think about was that my kindness to Alawen had sabotaged my master just as effectively as a drain marksman scroll.

A trumpet sounded the end of the tenth finalist's round. The scoreboard indicated Daenlin and I were now tied for second place. The Bosmer looked at me, but I couldn't read his face as he said, "We have an hour before the second rounds begin. Let's go for a walk."

As musicians and a troupe of dancers took to the shooting grounds, Daenlin and I made our way to the shore of the Niben.

"I need to talk to you," said Daenlin simply.

"I'm so sorry, Master." The tears that had been threatening now escaped along with a flood of words. "I know Alawen gains confidence from me and I wanted to be cool toward her this morning, but I just -"

Daenlin lifted a hand to silence me. "I see the effect you have on Alawen. The young elf I have trained for most of her life would never reward a friend's trust and need by withholding her kindness. I am proud of you for encouraging her, and she deserves her current standing. What I am disappointed about is your shooting, young lady. Did I not teach you to do your very best? Despite my suspicions, I wanted to believe that you did not pull one of your shots during qualification. I see now that I was wrong, and my silence simply encouraged you to repeat your blunder today. We both know that you should be ahead of me right now."

"I'll never shoot as well as you can, Master."

"You already do, Apprentice. My name is engraved on that trophy seven times. I'm not so greedy that I wish to perpetually win this tournament from younger and deserving archers. Buffy, the finalists here are all well-skilled. Some, like Teresa, are just beginning to display their magnificent talent. You have been shooting for a dozen years now and are approaching your full potential. Others, like Alawen, are at the full majestic pinnacle of their skill and grace. And finally, some of us like myself and Parwen have shot our best rounds and earn our joy from sharing what we have learned."

"But you're the best, Daenlin," I protested as even more tears threatened.

"If I am the archer that you believe me to be, then why cannot you embrace my ability to train an apprentice who can best my skill?" With a hand on my shoulder, he turned me so our eyes met. His were moist now. "The dream of every master is to find one protégée during their lifetime. That student who has the passion, attentiveness and natural ability to excel. My hope for over a decade now has been to someday see my skill reflected and surpassed by the young elf I have trained and nurtured."

"Master, there is so much swirling conflict within me. I'm scared that I will disappoint you." I held out my right hand. "Look."

He took my badly shaking hand into the steady comfort of his. "The only way you can disappoint me is by not shooting your very best. Buffy, remember when you were younger? The joy and exhilaration you felt from skillfully using your bow?" After I nodded, Daenlin continued, "You only wanted to do your best then. Do you understand?"

"I-I think so."

"It matters not who wins today, but don't you be afraid to show this crowd what Daenlin's apprentice can do. Fully unfurl and spread your wings, my butterfly."

Three short trumpet blasts signaled the pending resumption of competition.

* From Buffy's scrapbook: Screenshot

[ureniashtram]

.. Wow. Powerful stuff.

On this chapter, I can fully see the lady Buffy has grown into. The reminiscent touch of her childishness has been finally washed away on this segment. Willing to let slow your progress for the benefit of others to speed theirs... That is something most people would scoff at. In this case here, most people would sever ties just to win that metal trophy. Not Buffy. Not the Bravillian Bowgirl presented to us by a spirit named Acadian.

Claps to you, man. The relationship between Buffy and Daenlin fully shines here (IMHO).

And I am wrong at the subject of the Scroll-Sabo-thwa (exaggerated pronounciation). So it was Reman, then? (sighs) Figures.

[ghastley]

So now Daenlin's actually told her he wants her to win ... no pressure!

And Alawen's a point ahead, and she needs to catch up ... no pressure!

[haute ecole rider]

I agree with Daenlin that he should have spoken to Buffy after the qualifying rounds. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. But late is better than never, and Daenlin really shines here. I'm glad that he has lived up to my impression of him here.

BTW, lovely screenshot!

Now let's hope Buffy takes his words to heart and shoots her best in the next round!

[mALX]

GAAAAH! I've waited a year for this chapter! It is beautiful, touching; perfect! How in Nirn did you manage to get a screen of Daenlin at the waterfront? Must...know...GAAAAH!

[SubRosa]

For the most important shot of this round
This says a great deal about Buffy's thoughts. The most important shot to her is the one she pulls to avoid surpassing her godfather.

I then turned and allowed my stupid grin to fade as I sought Daenlin's reaction.
This here too, shows where half of her heart is.

The other half of heart is clearly shown as well, with her unthinking words of encouragement for Alanwen, and her smile and wave. In spite of how much her head might not know what to do, her heart certainly does.

Finally, Daenlin throws down and shows why he is the Master. As Haute said, he really shines in this segment. I cannot help but to think what a juxtaposition he makes with Reman Broder. Once upon a time they might have been equals - in bad judgment as well as skill. But here we see how Daenlin has surpassed the Imperial when it comes to wisdom and honor. As the old saying goes, good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. Daenlin has clearly learned from his mistakes, where Reman never has.

But of course there is more to Daenlin than that. His love for his craft goes beyond his ego. He loves the tournament not because it is his chance to show off, but because it is his chance to see the best archers in Cyrodiil in action. No matter who wins, he wins, because he has that opportunity. Of course he obviously puts a little bit of ego into the knowledge that his years of tutelage have blossomed into another champion archer, one who can take his craft beyond what he has done. More than his own contributions, this is his greatest legacy to his craft.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 24 2011, 07:41 PM

[Thomas Kaira]

I won't say "I told you so."

Fly away, butterfly! Fly!

Buffy's instincts have never steered her wrong once, and I am very glad she did not behave coolly towards Alawen. This, to me, proves that she knows that this is but a competition, and competitions for fame and glory are never as important as the friendships one may share.

Buffy in particular has no reason to behave in such a way, as she is already guaranteed at least second place. There is no shame in coming in second, as Daenlin has just discussed with her.

[King Coin]

Woohoo! The competition begins!!

Daenlin suffers in the quick shooting but otherwise does great!

Buffy! Quit worrying about out shooting your master and do your best. I'm disappointed! I hope Daenlin notices and talks some sense into you.

 I heard the words fall out of my mouth, "I'm here for you, my ranger. We can do this. You and I."

YAAA!!!!

my kindness to Alawen had sabotaged my master just as effectively as a drain marksman scroll

No, no, no, no, NOO!

Thank goodness Deanlin noticed Buffy's stunt. Buffy will be honest in the coming rounds!

Fantastic chapter! I am eager to see how this turns out!

[Zalphon]

He took my badly shaking hand into the steady comfort of his.

Strong emotional content

[Captain Hammer]

"What I am disappointed about is your shooting, young lady. Did I not teach you to do your very best? Despite my suspicions, I wanted to believe that you did not pull one of your shots during qualification. I see now that I was wrong, and my silence simply encouraged you to repeat your blunder today. We both know that you should be ahead of me right now."

I feel that there should be "And you're grounded for three weeks, young missy, no complaints!" somewhere in here.

Oh, don't get me wrong, it's not an editorial thing at all. Taken out of context, it's perfect character dialogue for a father-daughter discussion in any TV-family sit-com.

In-story, and with the rest of Daenlin's speech about the true nature of archery competition, it shows the soul of a saint of the bow, a man (or in this case, mer) that truly lives for his craft and skill, seeing as much more than the way to put food on the table or place an enemy under the earth. He's very philosophical about archery and himself, but he doesn't sound preachy. Rather, one gets the sense that as a master teaching a student, he regrets that he neglected this important lesson when there was an earlier opportunity and obligation to impart it.

Buffy might be the hero of this great story, but this installment is Daenlin being 100% awesome and 110% wise.

[Grits]

Whew! I’m so glad that’s out in the open now. I hope Buffy can feel that old joy and exhilaration in the next sessions, instead of the concerns she carried through the previous one.

Buffy was blinded by her good intentions, but I think that her belief that Daenlin would want to win was a discredit to his character. I’m glad he pointed that out to her, in his very kind and caring way. What a big step for Buffy, on several levels!

This post has been edited by Grits: May 26 2011, 03:42 AM

[Lady Syl]

Chapter 7.2 review

So sorry I have fallen behind on my reading. I have been so busy, of late!

"You returned my offer of life with the threat of death. I shall not extend that offer should I encounter your kind again."

I LOVED this line!

That magical bag she found was a great addition. A girl could really benefit from such a bag, no matter what era she is from!

What a great conclusion to Buffy’s adventures inside of Vilverin. Her encounter with the necromancer was a good learning experience—shoot first, ask questions later! And I liked Superian’s reaction to her smelling different—animals always notice even the smallest change to our scents, so going through a corpse-infested ruin would definitely be noticeable!

[bobg]

I can't believe the knowledge of Alewan's parentage will just die without a whimper. It almost overshadows the suspense of the tournament. Too many cliffhangers.

BTW; those fish tacos drove me and my wife crazy wanting to partake of some.

[Acadian]

The tournament finalists completed their first of three rounds during Episode 110. Buffy continued to sabotage her own score, but found herself unable to behave with coolness toward Alawen. As a result, after the first round Buffy and Daenlin found themselves tied for second place, one point behind Alawen. Daenlin confronted Buffy, not over her kindness to Alawen, but for sabotaging her own shooting. The old elf made it very clear that he is not overly concerned with who wins, but he expects Buffy to fully unfurl her wings and shoot her best.

ureniashtram- Thank you. Buffy indeed learned quite a bit this last episode. Yes, the scroll culprit was Reman Broder, who apparently intended to discredit Daenlin and line his own pocket by betting on the expected number two finisher.

ghastley- Heh. Daenlin simply doesn't want Buffy to hold back. Nevertheless, plenty of pressure building!

Rider- Isn't it the way? Buffy and Daenlin are so close, yet neither understood what the expectations of the other were. In an odd way, it almost reminds me of the 'Gift of the Magi' story. I'm so glad they cleared the air between them. I'm glad you enjoyed the screenie and am so delighted that you are now able to bring us the occasional picture of Julian and Blanco!

mALX- Thank you for those kind words! Yes, it surely took us a long time to get here! I sent you a PM on moving NPCs around via command console, but the basic commands I used for the screenshot with Daenlin were 'PRID <RefID>' to tag Daenlin, 'MoveTo Player' to bring him to Buffy and 'TAI' to disable his AI and keep him from wandering during the photo shoot.

SubRosa- Thank you for pointing out how Buffy's actions showed her heart - even without conscious effort on her part. During Daenlin's chat to Buffy, I could not help but think of the old TV show Kung Fu, and an old master having a 'grasshopper' talk with his young apprentice. As you can tell, I love Daenlin just about as much as Buffy does.

TK- Thank you! I'm so glad that it looks like the old master sorted out his misguided but big hearted apprentice.

KC- It was great fun reading your comments as a running commentary of the episode! I'm so glad you were happy with the way it went (so far).

Zalphon- Yes, this episode surely was more about strong emotions than shooting. Thank you for your kind words drawing that out.

Captain Hammer- Hee, any reference that likens Buffy to a TV show makes my heart sing, for a long running TV series is exactly what I hope to accomplish. To say that Daenlin shows the soul of a saint with the bow says, beautifully and concisely, more than my own words ever could. I have always maintained that the bowgirl is at her very best when used as a vessel to draw out the best in others, so I'm delighted that you felt Daenlin stole the show here.

Grits- 'Whew' is right! Let's see what Buffy can do without the crushing (but self-inflicted) weight she has been laboring under. Yes, she learned much here as Daenlin showed once again why he is the master.

Lady Syl- Thank you for those kind words about Buffy's exploration of Vilverin in Episode 7. That was her first encounter with a necromancer and she remembers it well.

bobg- Yes, Alawen's paternity will remain unconfirmed during Book 1. Buffy wants to believe it is Daenlin; however, she is frightened to learn that it might not be. She is also loathe to betray the ranger's wishes. I'm so glad you both enjoyed the fish tacos!

* * *

111 The Tournament of Archers, Part 27- Majestic and Intimidating

Daenlin shot a good second round, allowing only two nines during rapid-fire and a third during his long range flight. I watched as his score of eighty seven was added alongside the eighty eight he had earned during the first round. As the red plaque beside his name moved down next to mine, I approached the firing line. When I passed Daenlin, he gave me a confident nod.

With Slayer in hand, I turned to face downrange and slid an arrow from my quiver. Okay, Buffy. Remember what Daenlin said and forget about the tournament. Just drill the dead center of your own target.

I did exactly that for the first flight.

After mentally rehearsing my rapid-fire, I looked at Sinia. She nodded, ready to turn her hourglass as soon as I touched the next arrow. My hand reached over one shoulder.

Thirty seconds later, with my bow lowered, the target judge stepped in front of my hits to score and verify. He then turned toward Sinia and his voice rang out, "Ten, ten, ten."

As I eyed my long range target, I didn't count up points or care about the score. I was shooting because I was born and trained to it. What little breeze there was came from directly behind me, and the sun was nearly overhead. I was a sniper, and long range was my forte. This target did not detect my presence and I had all the time in the world to take out its heart. I nocked an arrow and drew its destination into sharp focus.

"Ten!" yelled the target judge while I fit the next arrow's tail to my silk bowstring. As I drew tension, there was only myself, Slayer, a perfect elven arrow and the target. Nothing else mattered as I sent the arrow toward the heart of my straw victim.

I was more surprised by an explosion of applause from the crowd than by the judge confirming another bull's eye. Lowering my bow, I looked around as the applause grew into a repeating chant of the word, 'ten'.

After a moment of confusion, I realized they were chanting in hopes of a perfect round. It had been three years since Daenlin had shot the tourney's last ninety, and I was potentially one arrow away from that feat. I could see my guild mates in their finery as they waved at me. There was Alawen, nodding at me with an encouraging smile. Looking up to the blue and white covered royal box, the nobles appeared to be chatting among themselves. They were drinking from silver goblets and seemed unconcerned with events on the firing line. Finally, my eyes fell upon my master. Daenlin was pointing sternly at my target. He was right. I needed to block all this out and just focus on the task at hand.

I nocked my last arrow for this second round and raised my bow. As I drew some tension to aim, the chanting died away to be replaced by a welcome hush. Satisfied with my aim point, I drew silk to cheek and loosed. I held my enhanced focus long enough to see the arrow blossom in the ten ring, touching its two predecessors.

The target judge raised both hands in the air with all digits extended as he yelled, "Ten!" The word was quickly devoured in an explosion of cheers and applause. My eyes immediately sought Daenlin. As I saw him beaming at me, a dam of tears burst to flow freely down my cheeks. My master was proud of me.

"You were magnificent, my scout!"

I dragged my eyes from Daenlin to those of a warmly smiling Alawen. If she thought less of me for my tears, it didn't show. "Thank you, my ranger. I guess I'd better get off the firing line so you can shoot." Thanks to Daenlin's latest lesson, my next words came easily and without guilt, "May your arrows fly true, my friend."

Alawen shouldered her bow for a moment and placed both hands on my cheeks to wipe the tears away. She quietly said, "You are always a wet mess. At least it is not urine and the green slime of a wraith this time." The taller elf then pressed her lips briefly to my forehead. She stepped back and reached for her bow as I turned to leave the firing line.

I got another kiss on the forehead as I joined Daenlin to watch the rest of the shooters.

Alawen's second round was as impressive as her first, amassing the same incredible score of eighty nine. The shooters that followed all shot well, but by the end of the session, Alawen and I were tied for first place, three points ahead of the current champion.

Daenlin and I decided to just sit in the reviewing stands and watch some entertainment for the hour between second and third rounds. I noted that at the end of the second session of competition, Alawen had headed directly for the nearest stand of trees, likely to have some time away from the crowds.

Two men took to the shooting field. Perched on the forearm of one was a hawk-like bird sporting a leather hood. The other man carried a length of light rope and positioned himself well away from the bird man. Daenlin leaned close and said, "The bird is a hunting falcon. At the end of the light line is a lure with some meat attached." Presently one of the men began twirling his rope, paying out more and more of it until the lure at the end was circling him at a good distance. The other man lifted the hood from his falcon and the bird immediately took flight.

I was amazed to see the aerial dance that followed. The falcon rose and dove at the lure, only to have it artfully change path at the last moment which enticed the bird to attack again. After almost a dozen spectacular passes that each earned applause from the crowd, the falcon caught the lure and was rewarded by a well-earned meal.

Envious of the bird's full belly and needing to pee, I excused myself. A short time later, I returned to Daenlin with a light meal of boar sausage wrapped in flatbread that we shared. Musicians and tumbling acrobats now filled the shooting field with sound, movement and bright color. A passing jester in outlandish garb and a painted face walked right up to us and, with great fanfare, slipped a short-stemmed red rose into my hair. That earned him a smile from me and a pair of coins from Daenlin.

At the sound of three short trumpet blasts, the music stopped.

"Gentlefolk, your attention please." My eyes swept up toward the royal box to see the author of the polished voice. Fathis Aren stood with the magical speaking trumpet raised to his mouth. "I have been asked to remind you that the pending final session of competition is not the end of the tournament. You are invited to join Count Bravil and the judges here at sunset this very eve, for an awards ceremony to be followed by demonstrations of archery prowess. Traditional bonfires will then mark the official end of this year's tournament and the beginning of an evening of song, dance and merriment."

Several judges and city guards took to the field, encouraging entertainers and spectators alike to clear the shooting area. I gave Daenlin's hand a last squeeze as he rose and headed for the firing line.

Daenlin shot a magnificent round, dropping only one point during his rapid-fire flight. I watched as an eighty nine appeared on the scoreboard by his name. Three more plaques were then added to indicate his final total score of two sixty four for the match. By the time the red plaque was moved down beside my name, I was on my feet. A huge round of applause for Daenlin warmed my heart as he headed away from the firing line. Our callused bow fingers touched lightly as we passed each other.

I again focused only on my own shooting, placing all three arrows of my first flight into the target's center. During my rapid-fire, one arrow strayed into the nine ring. My long range flight was perfect. I had simply shot the best I could for this final round, just like Daenlin told me to.

Heading from the shooting area, I traded encouraging smiles with Alawen as we passed each other. By the time I received a big hug from Daenlin and was seated by his side, the scoreboard reflected both my eighty nine for this last round and my total score for the match of two sixty seven. I had dropped three points from a possible two seventy, and one of those points had been intentional.

Alawen nestled her first three arrows into the center of her target for a perfect first flight.

Once again, in less than half the time it would take Daenlin or I, she drilled her next trio into the bull's eye. She was like a flawless machine, majestic and intimidating.

The first arrow of her long range flight blossomed from the ten ring. Her second arrow impacted with a crack, as splinters showered the target judge standing nearby. The crowd went silent as Sinia signaled Alawen to cease fire. As the ranger lowered her bow, the judge flicked bits of wood from his tunic. He then carefully inspected the target. "Ten!" Alawen's second arrow had split and shattered her first.

The crowd ignited into cheers, caused not only by the feat of splitting an arrow but by the fact that Alawen now stood one shot away from a perfect score of ninety for this round. As during my second round, the sea of voices settled into a unified chant encouraging a final ten from Alawen.

I glanced at Daenlin and saw only admiration on his face. The elf truly lived and believed what he had taught me. And taught me he had, for I too was proud of Alawen.

The ranger's final shot and the judge's shout of "Ten!" brought the crowd to a pitch I had not heard that day. My hands were forced over my big ears as I watched the numbers crawl up to the pegs beside Alawen's name. The ninety she earned during this last round was then joined by her final score of two sixty eight - one point ahead of my score and four ahead of Daenlin's. Not even a perfect final round from one of the remaining shooters could wrest a well-deserved victory from my friend, the ranger of Anvil.

Having come to know Alawen, I could see her relief and even some of the nervous young girl emerge when she humbly lifted her bow to the crowd. As had happened several times during the tournament, her eyes then found mine and we exchanged smiles. She then made her way toward a small grove of trees. "Find comfort in the forest, sister wood elf," I whispered, "I will congratulate you tonight."

Daenlin and I remained in the stands to watch the rest of the finalists complete their last rounds. I studied the face of the old elf seated beside me as he cheered on each competitor with the full measure of his enthusiasm. I loved watching him revel in the majesty of archery. He was happy and he was proud of me; that was everything I had wanted, after all.

This post has been edited by Acadian: May 27 2011, 07:11 PM

[TrisRed]

I love this chapter!
I almost found myself cheering with the crowd when Buffy scored her ten! good on her!

"You are always a wet mess. At least it is not urine and the green slime of a wraith this time."

I couldn't help but giggle at this line. I love how Alawen is so honest an humourous with our Bosmerian Archer!

Envious of the bird's full belly and needing to pee, I excused myself.

Such a funny line! T.M.I would fit in here, but that's buffy for you! alway's sayingin exactly what she thinks

He was happy and he was proud of me; that was everything I had wanted, after all.

What a wonderful concluding line to an amazing chapter

[haute ecole rider]

It would have been cool if Buffy had won the tourney, but somehow a little on the trite side.

But having Alawen win, well - that's just perfect. It keeps our Buffy a little more human (mer-ish?) and not quite perfect as our hero. She did her master proud in the end, and really, that's all that matters. Daenlin was just as I expected - happy to be beaten by two Bosmer archers better than himself.

And I'm a little sad that the competition's over. But isn't any good - no, great - game like that?

[ghastley]

I like the way the final scores leave Buffy with the fact that she could have matched Alawen's total, if only she'd had her talk with Daenlin earlier. Not beaten it, just matched it, which is just about the right lesson for her. There is no better archer when she tries her best, but she's not the only one in that class.

It was a nice touch to know that Daenlin had scored a ninety at his peak. They're all part of the same club now.

Now to see how Alawen handles the victory, and what happens between her and Daenlin.