Page 2 of Twenty-One Arrow Salute

Since ancient times, the Twenty-One Arrow Salute had been a ceremonial way in which the Highland Regiment observed important state events. Each Honour Guard released three arrows, sending elaborate fireworks over the capital sky. The Asirhwÿnians loved the spectacle. They revered the chosen seven. In particular, the centre shooter, whose arrows marked the highest point in the mountain-shaped volley, a symbolic reference to the Highlands. As skilled an archer as Seinnés might be—and I didn’t argue against this point—he shot a regular, symmetrical bow, smaller and heavier than the ones favoured by us. To loose an arrow from a mountain bow correctly required the application of a different technique altogether. I couldn’t imagine anyone doing so safely without any previous experience and with the eyes of every inhabitant of the capital set upon him. The awareness that the arrows were enchanted with the purpose of exploding some twenty fucking seconds after being released didn’t help matters, I reckoned.

Achiah’s fruity mouth curled into a smile that showed off a dimple in her right cheek. “Quit having a fit. He won’t. Because that’s where you come in. You’ll teach him to shoot the mountain way.”

I snorted. “Like hell I will.”

“Oh, you will.” Her eyebrows came together in an impressive glower. “Or I’m marching myself to the Commander right now to have a little chat about your unhealthy bathhouse preoccupation. But don’t worry. I’m sure Yennés will take kindly to your enthusiasm for, um, hygiene. Won’t break your nose or nothing.”

I heaved a half-faked gasp. “Blackmail, Achiah? That’s nasty.”

“Thank you. I’m rather pleased with it, myself.” She gave a contented nod and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Glad you got the gist of it.”

I looked at the ground as if expecting to discover a solution to my predicament lying in the dirt. But given that I didn’t, I kicked a stone with my boot instead. “Fuck you,” I murmured under my breath.

“You wish, Verhan, but it ain’t gonna happen. Now go and find the lad. You have a week to shape him up.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. Truth be told, I had nothing against Seinnés or, for that matter, anything better to do right then. But the element of coercion in Achiah’s command had my stubbornness rearing like a wild, temperamental stallion.

“Come on, Verhan.” Achiah softened her voice. “A few quick morning sessions. Just to give him a head start until his rehearsals with the Honour Guard begin in a few days. Then we’ll call it quits. How bad can it be? Seinnés needs someone to show him the ropes, that’s all. He’ll catch on in no time.”

“No, thanks. He won’t want me to teach him, anyway.”

“How do you know? Have you exchanged one poxy word with him so far? Has anyone?”

That question made me pause. Had Seinnés felt alienated within his home unit? When I thought about it, I’d always seen him on his own. “He’s an arse,” I said, a little defensive.

“Is he now?” she asked with a tilt of her head. “Would that be because, I hear, he came close to beating your dear cousin in a shooting competition back at the training camp? Or because he’s an Asirhwÿnian and not a Highlander?”

“Both.” The answer escaped my tongue before I had a chance to think it through.

She jerked her head backwards. The movement swept her long, raven braid back over her shoulder. “That’s just sad, Verhan. I’ve never taken you for a racist tosser. I stand corrected.”

I felt the tips of my ears growing hot. She had a point. I bit my lip. “How did he take the news, then? Shitting his fancy little knickers, is he?”

“Well, I’ve been busy.” Achiah’s cheeks tinged pink. “Haven’t quite got round to telling him yet.”

“Of course you haven’t.” I rolled my eyes. “Why me, Achiah?”

“Because you’re stupid enough to get in trouble all the time? And I have no problem using that against you?” She shrugged. “But also—and don’t let it go to your head—I’ve seen you helping others, showing them tricks with the bow and such. If you took your head out of your arse, you’d make a decent hyoshie one day.”

I stared at her for a bit. “So what you’re really telling me here is that you want me, right? Because we could—”

“We really couldn’t.” The ice in her tone, reinforced with a derisive snort, would’ve bruised my pride if I had any. “Listen, what’s it gonna be? I’ve got no time to piss about with you. I’d train the lad myself—gods know he’s no eyesore—but I’m stretched thin as it is. So here’s your choice: do as I say, or spend a couple of days in the hole treating your injuries.” She buffed her nails on a sleeve of her woollen tunic and extended a hand to examine the result. “It’s all the same to me.”

“And there I went thinking you didn’t care for a minute.”

“Verhan, I’m getting old here.”

“Fine,” I snapped. “Gods, no need to go on and on about it. I’ll fucking do it.”

“Brilliant,” she chirped and twirled around to bugger off as soon as I managed to get the words out. “Who knows, you might even enjoy it,” she shot over her shoulder.

Sure, I would. As much as I enjoyed having a chafed cock.

I went to kick another stone but missed it, sending chips flying into the air instead. Determined to get this chore done for the day and forgotten as soon as possible, I broke into a jog and headed towards the training grounds, where most archers tended to flock during the free period between morning practice and noon meal. My boots crunched and pounded on the pebbles to the beat of the impromptu chant I cobbled together—fuck it with a spade, I need to get laid.

I followed the path around the bathhouse, past the main building and behind four one-story pavilions that contained our sleeping quarters. The tall walls of the bastion, carved from silver marble, shimmered with the radiance of reflected sunlight, forcing me to shade my eyes. It’d been a month since my arrival at Asirhwÿn, and I still caught myself gaping at the grandness of the garrison like a child at a pretzel stall in the market.

Judging by the clamour that hit my ears from some fifty paces away, the training grounds teemed indeed with activity. When I reached the outskirts, panting from the heat and exertion, I stopped to carry out a closer inspection.