Missing Moments

Lesson's In Archery

They had been in the Enchanted Forest for a few months now. One day, Hope had seen a picture in Henry's old book of their Grandma with a bow and arrow.

"Can you teach me?" Hope asked her Grandma.

Snow smiled. "You want to learn to shoot a bow and arrow?"

Hope nodded enthusiastically. "It looks like fun."

Snow thought her granddaughter might be a bit young, but she insisted she wanted to try.

Snow had gotten a small bow and arrow for her granddaughter and took her outside to practice. She showed her how to stand and how to hold it.

"Now, pull back like this and release."

It had taken her a few tries before she was able to release the arrow. It took her many more tries before she hit anywhere near the target.

"I'm not good at it." Hope cried.

"Oh, sweetheart. Look at me." Snow said as she crouched beside her granddaughter. "I was a lot older than you when I learned to do this. Don't you worry, you'll get the hang of it. It takes time."

Hope nodded. "Can we try again?"

Snow smiled. "Of course! Now pull, and release."

It took Hope several months, but she got better with every arrow she shot. One day, she shot the arrow and hit the target right in the middle.

"I did it Grandma! I did it. Did you see?"

"I saw, sweetheart. That was amazing. You are most definitely a very talented little girl."

That night at dinner, Hope told the rest of her family all about how she hit the target.

"That's wonderful, Ladybug." Emma said.

"You're definitely Snow's granddaughter." Regina said.

"Now can I learn to sword fight?" Hope asked as she looked at her Grandpa.

Emma nearly choked. "What?"

"I want to sword fight." Hope said.

"But you're a girl!" Neal said.

Hope shot her uncle a death glare. "So? My mommy's a girl and she slayed a dragon."

Killian raised an eyebrow. "You did what? When was this?"

Emma blushed. "Before I met you."

"I'm just hearing about this now?" Killian asked.

"I didn't think to mention it before." Emma shrugged.
She turned to her daughter. "Who told you I slayed a dragon?"

Hope smiled. "Henry did!"

Of course Henry would tell her that.

"So, can I? Can I learn to sword fight."

David chuckled. "Tell you what. A few years from now, when you're a bit older, if you still want to sword fight let me know. I'll teach you then."

Hope seemed to accept this. "Okay! Then I can slay all the dragons, just like mom."

Everyone smiled.