Alex gasped when he saw where Jeremy’s second arrow was heading. He called the wind to him and sent it toward the arrow to divert it but the arrow sailed over Cas and Soran’s head and landed in the water in front of them before the wind reached it. When he turned back to Jeremy he saw his third arrow smack into the side of the barn several feet away from the bullseye. Alexander let go of the wind and raised a shield instead which encompassed a circular area from a few feet behind the bullseye and the other targets he’d set up to just before the barn just encase Jeremy got off another wild shot before he could stop him. If he did the shield would prevent Jeremy from harming his companions of one of the animals. No one on the outside of the shield and nothing, such as a normal arrow or other normal weapons, could get throug. Alex was angry with himself for forgetting to take the one very important precaution of setting up a shielded area. And he was a little angry with Jeremy for not shooting where he’d been asked to shoot.
Reaching out, Alex grabbed Jeremy’s bow pulling it out of his grasp. He stood looking at Jeremy for several moments an angry expression on his face and in his eyes. He was struggling to get the anger he felt at himself and at Jeremy under control before speaking to Jeremy. His knuckles turned white from gripping Jeremy’s bow and he was breathing through clinched teeth. Finally he attempted to speak and found he could with with a certain amount of control, his normally even toned voice, gentle slightly clipped.
“No, Jeremy, you will not! Now listen and listen well! Archery can be fun yes but it’s not a game and it’s not to be taken lightly. And yes you may become a great archer one day but not by tomorrow. Becoming a great archer will take a lot of practice and work, a lot of time and effort and a lot of patience on your part. You will not be able to hit any of the targets I’ve set up with your eyes closed by tomorrow. Trust me on that. And it would be very dangerous to even attempt to shoot an arrow with your eyes closed unless you were an adept at archery. Which you, Jeremy, are not. And even then it would be dangerous to attempt such a feat.”
Alexander paused and drew in a deep breath trying to calm down a little more then resumed speaking.
“Never, ever, under any circumstance, aim at a person or people unless you have been given specific instructions to do so by someone in authority to make that decision or to defend your own life from someone who is attacking you. Now your shooting toward Cas and Soran could have been an accident. And if so I’m asking you to take your time and extra care in where you aim and shoot from now on. However, if, by any chance, your aiming and shooting at Cas and Soran was deliberate then you put both their lives in danger and could have wounded one or the other or worse killed either one. That is...bad. So, if your aiming at them was deliberate, then perhaps it would be best for both of us for me not to teach you archery. Jeremy, I will not teach anyone who cannot take learning what I am willing to teach serious and who will not pay strick attention to what I am teaching and do what I ask in the way of teaching. I will not teach anyone who will play around and in so doing endanger his life, my life and the lifes of our companions or anyone else for that matter. And that includes our horses or any animal not meant for food. I asked you to try hitting the target. I meant for you to try hitting the bullseye. I believe I made myself clear on that point. You seem to be an intelligent person and I figured you understood what I asked and meant. But perhaps not. Perhaps I should have been more specific. Now since it appears to me that you have not eaten a decent meal this evening I suggest you go do so right now. I also suggest you give what I’ve said some very serious thought and consideration and decide if you really truly want to learn archery and are willing to do what I ask in the way of teaching you. When you have decided exactly what you want and are willing to do then come speak to me be it one way or the other.”
Alexander gently and carefully set Jeremy’s bow on the ground at his feet then rose. He picked up his own bow and made sure all his arrows were in his quiver and out of Jeremy’s reach. Turning he began walking toward the bullseye to retrieve the rest of his arrows, not looking back at Jeremy. As he walked he dispelled the shield.
