Of Handsome Noble Idiots
Because of the recent Ogre attack, the village of Draste was abuzz with rumors that the Ogres would be making their way down the mountain to make a full frontal attack on the village. Curfews were inflicted upon the citizens and patrols were set up in the village and outlying Forest to make sure none of the villagers wandered far from the village. Sigyn cursed under her breath and she scouted the troop's movements in the Forest. They had set up camp in her favorite hunting and training clearing. She would have to venture farther beyond the village if she was going to get any practice in. She planned her way out of the village and past the troops carefully, leaving before dawn's first light when the guards would start to change their shifts.
Sigyn smiled to herself as she raided one of her weapons cache and headed upwards along the river that ran through the village. It was dangerous to be close to the river as it lead straight to the Ogres' caves. She was careful to venture far enough from the troops but not close to the caves lest she be responsible for the destruction of her village. She had a few small targets to practice on and a few live ones when the small hares and birds wandered near the river. After a while, Sigyn had killed quite a few hares that she could make a decent stew out of them when she returned home.
"You would make a fine hunter with a little improvement," A voice told her as a figure dropped down from a tree branch. Sigyn was startled to see it was the Lord Theoric of Asgard. She had assumed he would pass through Draste and return home after his ogre encounter but no, he stood before her with a smile.
"A little improvement, you say?" She asked him, retaking aim at a small target she had set up. Theoric moved toward her and she began to lower her weapon.
Thinking he would want to look over her bow and arrow, she held them out to him but instead he shook his head, "Your form needs inprovement. Aim at the target again." Sigyn raised an eyebrow at him, but took her stance as she aimed at the target. Her left hand gripping the bow hard enough that Sigyn thought it may break under the pressure she was exerting on it.
Theoric stepped behind her, "Your elbow needs to be lifted up so your shoulder does most of the work, not your arm." He pulled her elbow gently upwards and back. "The arrow should rest against both the bow and just a little bit away from the corner of the mouth when you take aim. It's a reference point and it'll make it easier when you shoot. If you are too relaxed or too taut, you risk your shots being off target or lose power." He explained and Sigyn nodded. "I know it makes it easier to hold, but if you remove your finger from around the arrow, it will fly faster unhindered by your finger."
"Like this?" Sigyn removed the finger wrapped around the arrow and gently placed the arrow atop the finger instead.
"Almost," he told her as he laid his hand atop of her bow arm and pulled it away from the bow just a little. "Those marks on your arm are caused by the string snapping into place. If you keep your arm from slapping the string, you are less likely be hit. When you're ready, aim and shoot at the target again." Theoric stepped back from her and waited for her to shoot.
Sigyn steadied her breathing as stared at the target. She kept in mind Theoric's suggestions and let the arrow fly toward the target. After the arrow flew straight through the target, Sigyn turned toward Theoric, who clapped his hands together at the impressive shot. "I guess I could use a little improvement. If Father wasn't so opposed to me leaving, I could come train in Asgard, become a warrior or a valkyrie."
"Why doesn't he want you to leave?" Theoric asked her as they walked to the targets and Sigyn began to pick them up.
"I'm his only child, first and foremost. He loves having me around so he can tell me what his heir is supposed to do. He's Captain of the guards here, yelling out orders is his nature and not even I am excluded from his demands." Sigyn explained to Theoric as she pulled her arrow out of a tree. "He doesn't approve of my training either. He wants me to clean and cook."
Theoric nodded his head slowly, "I know how hard it is to live up to your parents' expectations and the ramifications of defying them. Father thought this little trip across the realms by myself would toughen me up. The Ogre was a bit of a surprise to be honest."
"At least it wasn't the Dragon that devasted the village at the edge of the mountains on the other side of the river." Sigyn pointed out. "It came out of hiding during last winter and burned the village down. They spent weeks repairing what they could."
"A dragon's hide would be an exquisite thing to possess. They are quite a rare find nowadays." Theoric remarked as he helped Sigyn carry some of her targets to one of her hiding places for her weapons. "I apologize for my part in alerting the guards to the Ogre attack you helped to save me from. I didn't know it would make your training harder on you."
Sigyn shrugged her shoulders. "You've given my Father a better distraction so I can sneak away. An apology is not necessary. Thank you for your help. How long are you planning to be in Draste?"
"Until my Father sees fit to ask me to return home so far it's been a month on my own." Theoric informed her with a slight frown while they began to hide the cache inside a tree stump.
"Perhaps you would be willing to help me with some more training? While you're here, I mean." Sigyn suggested nervously. "Father thinks it is a bit impractical for a woman to want to learn how to fight but I think I may have a way to change his mind."
"I'm not much of a fighter, but I will teach you everything I know to the best of my abilities." Theoric smiled as Sigyn's face split into a grin. "We'll keep meeting back here each day. I'll bring a few weapons to show you how to use."
"Thank you so much." Sigyn couldnt contain her joy and gave the Lord Theoric a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you back here tomorrow." She turned and began to head back to the village, dodging the patrols of her father's guards. Theoric stood still for a moment watching her go, hand atop his cheek where she had kissed him.
Sigyn's good mood was knocked down a few pegs when her father returned home with the Lord Theoric. She mentally panicked for a second. Had he told her father about her training? Why was he here? She looked to her father, who was grinning happily for once. "Duckling, may I have a word with you for a moment?" He pulled her aside to the hall, but the both of them could still the Lord Theoric where they standing.
"So we have a guest..." Sigyn began slowly.
"Lord Theoric is the one who informed us about the Ogre attack. He's traveling through the realms and he's not sure how long he will be staying." Captain Vor informed her in a whisper.
"You invited him to stay with us, I presume." Sigyn crossed her arms in front of her chest, angry that he hadn't consulted her about having guests
"Lordship would suggest a rank in nobility." Her father whispered to her. "It could be beneficial to us to house the lad for a time." Sigyn cast a glance over to Theoric, who was examining the book shelf. "And perhaps, he could introduce us to more nobler families, ones with real connections you could marry into."
"I don't want to be married to some noble." Sigyn argued with him once more over this damned topic. "I want to marry for love. I want to be happy like you and mama."
Captain Vor sighed and set his hands on her shoulder, "Your mother and I were happy together, but we lived in hard times, duckling. I just want you to be well cared for and not have a single worry. Surely, you understand that?"
"I understand, Papa." Sigyn nodded slowly, "I just...I don't want to live unhappily in a place with great care for me. We'll take about this later. I've got to make sure we have enough food for our guest."
"Is everything alright? You looked a bit unhappy during supper when you stabbed your potatoes to mush." Theoric asked her after she had shown him to the guest room. Her father had retired for the night and she could hear his snoring from down the hall.
"It's...nothing. Just a small argument with my Father." Sigyn admitted reluctantly.
Theoric nodded his head slowly, "I couldn't help but to overhead bits and pieces. He wants you to marry."
"Yes, he married for love but he wants me to marry into nobility." Sigyn explained to him as Theoric sat down on the bed. "It's not fair that because of the hardships he suffered through with my mother, it means I have to marry unhappily into nobility. Just so I don't have to go through the same hardships."
"You don't think you could marry a noble you're happy to be with?" Theoric inquired and Sigyn shook her head.
"An idea like that is purely idealistic. A brave, handsome noble falling in love with a Captain's daughter?" Sigyn sighed dejectedly as she sat down next to Theoric. "It sounds like the plot to some cheesy romance novel."
"You're too hard on yourself." Theoric began to argue with her. "You are a beautiful, smart, wonderful young lady. You could marry anyone you like especially a brave and handsome noble. I would just watch out because all the brave and handsome nobles are all idiots." Sigyn began to giggle and Theoric laughed as well.
"Wouldn't that make you an idiot as well?" She asked him, unable to stifle her laughter after doing so.
"What do you mean I'm an idiot?" He asked her curiously with a grin.
"Well, you said that all the brave and handsome nobles are idiots, you are included in your slander." Sigyn pointed out to him.
"Oh? You mean I'm handsome and brave too? Lady Sigyn, you are too kind." Theoric grabbed her hand and kissed it. Sigyn felt her face burn with embarrassment, but still Theoric held onto her hand.
"Did you...Did you mean what you said?" She asked him, her voice cracking. "That I was beautiful, smart, and wonderful?"
"And kind and funny." Theoric added, nodding in agreement.
The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like ages with her hand still clasped in his. "You are an idiot," Sigyn told him. Theoric began to open his mouth to protest but was silenced by Sigyn's lips pressing against his. His free hand cupped the back of her neck, holding her mouth to his as they kissed again and again.
It wasn't until their lips were chapped and the two of them were out of breath that they pulled away from each other. Theoric wrapped a lock of Sigyn's blonde hair around his finger. "We should go to bed. We have a long day of training tomorrow." Theoric told her, letting his hand fall from her hair.
"Yes. It'll be hard sleeping tonight, knowing there's something to look forward to in the morning." Sigyn murmured, leaning forward she pressed her lips to his again before she stood and headed for the door. "Good night."