A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

Chapter 443 The Beginning of Something Powerful - Part 7

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.

"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.