#brightwindsbarony

She tries again, determined.

"Steady, confident, and when you feel ready, release and exhale"

Breathe, TWANG!

This one hits the target! the edge of it, but it counts!

"I hit it!" Well, Irene seems happy!

"You did!" A big smile "Nicely done. Did you feel the difference?"

"You gotta kiss the string, like this." Big pucker.

A light smirk "Careful how close you hold that to your face while it's taut, honey, if you aren't careful you could scrape your face"

"Gotcha." She aims again. Less pucker.

TWANG.

This one hits with more force, though gets no closer to the center "Hey, your arrow went deeper. See that?"

"Yeah! It felt nice."

"Now, you're hitting, and that's important, but notice how you're tending towards the left of the target? What's that tell you?"

"Aim further right?" She squints one eye and then the other.

"First, check your feet. Sometimes we 'aim' with our feet without realizing it"

A serious look and some shuffling.

"Good"

With Rose's guidance, Irene shows quick improvement - maybe not hitting the middle yet, but hitting the circle itself MOST of the time.

At least the childling doesn't seem too discouraged when she misses!

And Rose praises her when she hits, and assures her it's okay to miss, "That's why we practice to get better. If you were already the best you wouldn't need it."

"Now... how's your arm? too sore to work braids?"

"Nope! I am the Official Braider."

"Good. " A smile "Now, I promised someone a gallop if they practiced safety didnn't I?"

"You need Viking Amazon braids. OOoo! You did! I can hold on!"

"I'll reach back and make sure you do." And up the girl comes up on the Centauress back again.

"I bet you're fast as the wind!"

"Faster than some winds, yes. HANG ON!" And when she's sure the girl is ready, she shoots off, and Irene feels one of Rose's arms back there giving her something else to hold onto even as it helps hold her. Sure Rose's arm might be a bit sore later, but it's worth it

"Yeeeeehaw!"

It's like riding thunder , hoofs beating with power, wind rushing past, the land opening up!

Irene thrills!

Rose enjoys it as well, she tries not to smile too widely, but her eyes sparkle!

And she has to remember the girl on her back who is quite light.

Irene has a firm grip around Rose's waist, staying on!

(And laughing like mad)

"Want to try a leap?" The woman asks

As they race towards a small rise!

"Do it!"

And she does, leaping not over a cap, but just off something of nature's step for a drop that might be slight, if not for the distance of the leap itself! Just for a moment, a spectacular moment, both Centuar and her passenger know what it is to feel weightless, like they're flying

Oh, kids are LOUD. And high-pitched. But it's a happy scream!

And a woo hoo might slip from Rose as well.. they land , as mistress gravity takes charge again, and keep running for a bit, slower and slower now "Whew you okay? Still on?"

"I'm here! That was FUN!"

"it was" She agrees

And they head back towards the freehold, practice weapons and all. Redfang greets them "Nice show"

"I wonder if I'm the first person to ever get a centaur ride? Hello Mr. Redfang!"

"Look, I have a bow like Link!"

"You know, you might be" Rose admits

"Hello, irene and I see you do" Thane Redfang says

"And I hit the target, like, fifteen times!"

Rose makes a hand wavey gesture at that

"The target, not the circle?"