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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 16:03:06 GMT 1
Marian had woken early, somehow not managing to keep her eyes closed for any longer. Stretching, she glanced over at Robin to see him asleep. That she had not expected, he always said that he barely slept.
The sun was barely up, and she quickly moved to the bowl of water she had gotten from the stream the night before, cleaning her face. Deciding it was best to keep herself occupied until the rest of the gang woke, she grabbed a bow and some arrows, heading out to a big oak tree a few minutes away from the camp.
Placing the arrows on the ground, she readied her bow, pointing the bow and arrow towards the centre of the tree. Taking a deep breath, she got ready to release it.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 16:20:23 GMT 1
Robin opened his eyes when he heard someone leaving camp, surprised to see that it was Marian. He had assumed it would be Much up this early, preparing breakfast. He always feigned sleep in those instances, Much's inevitable chatter would wake the others, and the thought of it that early in the morning did not exactly thrill him anyway.
He was amused to see Marian grab a bow, as well as a handful of arrows. Robin was hardly about to miss an opportunity to watch her practice, especially if she thought she was going to manage it without an audience.
Following, he kept out of sight and at a distance great enough that she would not hear him. She stopped a short distance in front of a tall oak that Robin himself had used as a target on more than one occasion. Smirking, Robin leaned casually against the side of a tree a little way behind her, crossing his arms.
Just as she was about to release the arrow she had prepared, Robin spoke, amusement lacing his words. "You know you're never going to hit the target that way, Marian."
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 16:24:49 GMT 1
At Robin's voice she jumped, the arrow releasing and skimming past the oak tree, hitting a tree further behind it. Turning to look at him, acting so casual, she could not help the glare.
"I am never going to hit it if you insist on doing something like that. I could have hurt you!"
She knew she was not as good a shot as Robin, but she also knew that if the occasion appeared she could easily shoot someone. She had done in the past, and Robin knew that.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 16:29:53 GMT 1
Robin simply grinned, unconcerned by her glare, and by her warning. "I doubt it."
Not moving from the tree, he nodded in the direction the arrow had gone. "If you were aiming for that tree all along, you have my sincere apologies. However, if that is not the case, perhaps you would like some help?" His tone was smug, and he knew she would be infuriated by it.
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 16:37:50 GMT 1
"I do not need help!"
Sometimes he really angered her, and she could not stand looking at this smug grin again. She knew she could do this, she had done a million times previously. It was only beacause he voiced his presence just as she was releasing the arrow that she missed.
Brushing her hair back, she bent down to pick another arrow up, placing it on the bow. Setting the target in her sights again, she pulled back the bow, ignoring Robin's presence.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 16:52:55 GMT 1
As she was about to fire, Robin spoke again. He simply couldn't stay quiet, not when it came to archery and someone doing something incorrectly. To him, it was simple. Find a target, aim, and fire. So when someone else struggled with it, it was impossible for him not to want to help. And to his mind, there was no reason why he shouldn't. Help from him should be a welcome thing.
"Honestly, Marian...that's never going to work."
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 17:05:29 GMT 1
Marian groaned when he spoke again, dropping her arm so the bow and arrow pointed at the ground. Turning to look at him, she looked far less than impressed.
"Robin I know how to shoot a bow. You know I do, you have seen it many times."
Watching him for a moment, she sighed, raising her eyebrow.
"So you are just going to stand and watch me then?"
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 17:10:02 GMT 1
He conceded on that one, to a point. "Yes Marian, I do. I also know when improvement can be made. And from the looks of that, you could use some improvement."
Robin laughed at her question, pushing away from the tree and coming to stand closer to her.
"Is that your way of asking for my help?"
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 17:11:39 GMT 1
"I am not that bad!"
When he walked closer to her, she could tell that he was in love with the prospect of her saying those words. Rolling her eyes, she looked to the ground. Would she say them? Would she admit to such things in a blunt way.
"Possibly."
Of course she would not!
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 17:33:46 GMT 1
"I did not say that you were bad, Marian. I said there was room for improvement. There is a difference, you know. Not everyone can be perfect." He finished with a smirk.
Looking at the tree, then down at her bow, he thought about how best to soothe her temper.
"You were not doing too badly, really. But, if asking for my help is too much of an imposition, then shall we pretend this is me forcing my suggestions upon you?" He held out his hands for her to pass him the bow. "May I?"
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 17:39:03 GMT 1
"Including you."
Sighing, she handed over the bow and arrow, her arms instantly folding at her chest. She really was not impressed that he had shown up and insulted her. She gathered from the way he acted that he did not mean to insult her, but he had.
"Go on then," she said, her lips pursed, clearly showing that she was annoyed with him.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 17:49:09 GMT 1
"I never said I was, Marian." Her implication annoyed him. He had never once tried to claim that he was perfect, or anywhere close to it.
Robin took the bow and arrow from her, ready to help, but then frowned upon seeing her body language. She was crossing her arms and scowling in that way he found so adorable, but that clearly signified her irritation.
In short, she was being stubborn, and ridiculous. "If you don't want my help, Marian, then by all means, keep doing things your way." He held the bow back out to her.
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 17:55:54 GMT 1
When he offered her the bow back, she pushed his hand back, signalling that he was to keep it. She would not admit it, but she really wanted to see what she could improve on. And if she told him such, she knew she would get that smug grin he got when he won.
"By all means, go ahead. Show me what I am doing wrong."
She knew he would take that as a plead for him to help her, but she did not care. At least she was not saying it out loud.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 25, 2009 18:20:14 GMT 1
He looked at her with a sigh. "Marian, you are too stubborn for your own good, you know that?"
Robin held the bow and arrow back out to her, yet again. "No, you take them. And do not think I am going to play your little game, Marian. If you want my help now, you can ask for it. You should learn not to insult people when they are trying to offer advice."
The last thing he wanted this early in the morning was to bicker with her, but she was hardly being fair. He was trying to help and she was biting his head off.
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Post by Marian Fitzwalter on Jul 25, 2009 18:27:23 GMT 1
"You should learn not to insult people when they are trying to practice."
Marian looked at the offered bow, shaking her head. She was not playing any sort of game, but knew Robin well. Knew that he would do anything to show off to her. Their childhood showed her that much.
"Take it. Show me what I am doing wrong. After all you are the Master of the Bow."
She raised her eyebrow, knowing that even though she had a hint of sarcasm in his voice, calling him 'Master' would only inflate his ego even more.
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