Withstanding Trials: Day 14

Word Count: 84,013

Summary of Events:

Aodhán had breakfast with his hosts, whom he learned were the settlement's blacksmith and his family, continuing to make small-talk with the blacksmith's wife before going with the blacksmith's son to the forge to watch him work. Saraid and her cousin were called on by Niamh, the blacksmith's wife, who apologised to Saraid for her accidentally having been left behind the day before, as well as filling Saraid and her cousin in on what she'd learned about Aodhán. Aodhán, meanwhile, was taken up to Conchobhar's home and introduced as a potential assistant to Conchobhar as he healed, prompting Conchobhar to give Aodhán a bow in order to test his skills outside…

Excerpt of the Day:

“You’ve already strung it,” the man said.

Aodhán startled, looking at the man, and then at the bow in his hands, whose string was enhancing the curve of the wood because Aodhán had set the other end in its place without even thinking.

“Unstring it, and do it again,” the man said.

Quickly, Aodhán did as he was told, unstringing the bow, releasing the tension, and restringing it.

The man nodded, then held out the quiver to Aodhán, who took an arrow from it and nocked it to the bowstring. Even though his fingers were still bandaged to protect his scraped knuckles, Niamh had done such a fine job that Aodhán felt like he was simply wearing gloves.

“I have a target set up over there,” the man said, gesturing with his free hand. “Fire where you wish.”

Aodhán identified the target easily and stood in the proper target-shooting stance before taking his aim at the exact centre of the wood and firing. The arrow shot through the air and landed squarely where he’d aimed.

“That is an impressive first shot,” the man said.

Taking a second arrow, Aodhán nocked it and fired, embedding it just above the first arrow he’d fired. Two more arrows beneath the first made a straight line, then he shot two arrows so that one was just to the right of the first arrow he’d fired, and the second to the left, forming the cross of the Aloneists — as he couldn’t create or hang a dying figure on it such as the Truists and Universalists had.

“That is a good show of precision,” the man said. “You are certainly capable with this weapon, and even with bandaged hands.”

Aodhán looked down at his hands. “It honestly feels like I’m simply wearing gloves.”

“What did you do to your hands?” the man asked.

“I used them to punch a young man who had used the most abominable language against his wife’s cousin, as well as taking her goods from her,” Aodhán replied, indicating the pastor, who’d joined them outside.

The pastor nodded.

“And you did not get beaten yourself?” the man asked.

“The young man put up a good fight, but there was no one else on the road aside from the two of us, and her,” Aodhán replied.

The man nodded. “Hopefully your actions won’t incite anything.”

“You don’t mean to say that you just stand by and let women get insulted with appalling language that should not even exist, do you?” Aodhán asked. “Sir?”

“I haven’t,” the man replied. “But at this time of year one should be ready for anything.”

“With the festival upcoming?” Aodhán asked.

“Yes,” the man replied.

“You think they might attack early because I incited them?” Aodhán asked, feeling a little worried.

“It can’t be said for sure,” the man replied. “They might simply be more violent when they come. It’s not like they won’t be coming soon anyways.”

Aodhán nodded, feeling badly. “I didn’t… mean to cause hardship. I just… I couldn’t stand by–”

“And I couldn’t have either,” the man interrupted. “It is better to suffer for having done what was right than to get simply deserved comeuppance.”