A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

There were several targets set down a range, varying distances away. Another few targets hung from ropes under trees, again at varying distances. He even saw hoofprints in the sandy soil where the snow had yet to reach – evidence that this range had been used on horseback as well.

The woman lectured about things the other students understood. Oliver felt his tiredness creeping up on him as he tried to listen, stifling a yawn. This class was more balanced than any of his other classes, with roughly half the students being male, and the other half being female. They were all dressed in tight-fitting clothing and high boots, just as the teacher was.

Oliver couldn't help feeling out of place in his normal attire.

He recalled the mention of a student shopping district, where students sold varying products, based on the expertise that they'd gathered in classes. He reminded himself to go and check it out, as soon as he was able. Lombard had given him a weighty pouch of coin, after all. It wouldn't hurt to have a replacement of clothes.

By the time he'd returned his attention back to the lesson, the students were already moving off down different ranges, to practise their bowmen ship. There were fewer students in this class than in the swordsmanship class. Around a hundred in total, so there were more than enough ranges for them to take their pick on. They seemed to choose based on some predecided order that he was not aware of.

"Patrick," the professor called out to him in her stern voice, as she strode over. He looked up at her. She was even taller up close than she had been lecturing. His head barely made it up to her shoulders. "What is your skill with the bow?" She asked.

He was relieved to hear that she was outright hostile. After his confrontation with Heathclaw, he realized he'd been on edge, expecting a similar level of hostility from the other professors that he had yet to meet.

"I'm… basically untrained, professor. I shot a bow a few times as a child, but I never properly trained it as I should have," Oliver said.

The woman tutted in what sounded like disappointment. "A shame. Though, your interest in learning other weaponry is commendable. I've heard that your father refused to attend any classes unrelated to the sword."

Oliver's eyebrow twitched. He'd heard Dominus' name spoken all too often in a negative light. This was one of the first time that he'd heard a solid reason why. "Ah… well… I think he grew to realize the importance of learning different weapons, later in his life. I remember him telling me that it would improve my perspective, and help me grow with the sword."

"Hm…" She looked at him studiously, like a cat eyeing a mouse. "Your father is correct in that. But I would not have you treating the bow as a mere side option. You will give it the respect it deserves if you wish to learn it properly. The bow eclipses the sword in the right hands."

"I've seen what it can do, when wielded well," Oliver admitted. "That is what sparked my interest in it."

"Hoh? Who showed you?" The woman asked, clearly expecting a noble title, some grand warrior that kept the company of the famed Dominus Patrick. Oliver had no name for her other than Nila.

"A… girl that I grew up with," he said.

The professor sniffed at that. "Then you have not seen anything. Many view the bow as a feminine weapon – though it has the potential for brutishness as well, if that is what you seek. A war bow in strong hands can punch through steel plates like paper. A master bowmaker could increase the draw strength of your weapon to suit you, as you got stronger.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

There's an advantage it has over the sword – the weapon grows with you."

She was trying to sell him on the weapon, Oliver realized. But the truth was, he was already sold. He wanted to see what it took to achieve what Nila had achieved, though he hardly dared to believe it was possible. What Nila did with a bow seemed like a miracle. It seemed like something that you had to be born with.

"You're strong, we could get you on the heavier bows already, if that's what you're looking for," she said. Oliver noted that she simply assumed his strength, without having tested it. His reputation preceded him.

"I worry for my accuracy, more than anything else, professor," Oliver said.

"Two at once," she said, before turning to her assistant, "Lauren, fetch him one of the heavier bows. Let's see… second from top?"

"Yes, mistress!" The energetic youth saluted, then sprinted across the snowy sand to fetch one of the larger bows from the rack. It was darker than the one he was currently holding, the wood a menacing colour. He noticed that on the rack next to it was one that was nearly a pure black.

Oliver's initial training bow was replaced with the darker brown one before he could even think to protest. He gripped it. It was an absolute monstrosity compared to the one that Nila used. It almost eclipsed Oliver in size.

"Test the draw," the professor said impatiently. Oliver was unused to the archery terms, but he drew the string back like was told to. "No, set your shoulders back, fall into your stance and pull it across your body, with the muscles in your back… There you go, that's full draw, how does it feel?"

"Fine?" Oliver said, a little hesitantly, as he held the bowstring by his cheek. The professor shared a smile with her assistant, as Lauren watched with bulging eyes.

"I think I'm going to have fun training you, young master Patrick," she said, "I really do."

Oliver wasn't sure exactly what she was so pleased with. He knew the bow was meant to be heavy, but he didn't know quite how heavy. He wasn't aware that no other student in the class could come even halfway close to pulling it. It was a bow reserved exclusively for those of the Second Boundary and above.