Crossbow Training
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 44358
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Henri led Astra to a cleared area just outside the fort, where four
archery targets had been set up at a range of about one hundred yards. The
targets were circular and about a foot in diameter. Each was marked with a
bullseye about two inches across, and around the bullseye was an "inner"
about five inches across. The zone making up the rest of the target was
referred to as the "outer".
A dozen or so soldiers were already there practising. Each one had three shots at a time, before letting someone else have a go. When Henri took his turn, he managed an outer with his first bolt, then adjusted his aim slightly and managed inners with his second and third. At such long range, this was good shooting, and few of the others could match it. After watching for about five minutes, Astra asked: "Could I have a go, please?" Henri smiled. "I don't see why not. Would you like me to cock the crossbow for you before you fire? It takes quite a pull." "I can manage, thank you," Astra replied. And so she did. Her first attempt missed the target altogether, and there was some ribald laughter from the soldiers who were watching, though Henri remained impassive. Astra cursed under her breath, and adjusted her aim to allow for the breeze. Her second shot was an inner, and with her third she achieved only the third bullseye that anyone had managed that morning. "Fluke," someone muttered.
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JH
8/13/2004 10:35:17 AM
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