THE HEIRESS (Sample)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The people burst out laughing as the boy trembled in fright and shut his eyes tightly with the apple resting on his head.

When the arrow shattered the apple, piercing it, the boy opened his eyes and searched his body for any sign of injury. When he found none he leapt in joy and left the spot after a servant placed into his palm some money.

Robert took his place, standing against the trunk of the tree as still as possible. The last thing he wanted was risking being pierced by one of the mean-looking arrows.

One of servants of the Count’s son carrying a basket of fruits placed an apple on Robert’s head.
The count’s son who sat atop his horse, eating an apple with an amused smile on his face, enjoying the entertaining show as one of his archers aimed at the Robert's head.

He enjoyed coming to the market square every Wednesday to entertain himself on poor boys who were willing to risk their lives for a few shillings. Only brave boys however stood in for such and were paid as promised for each apple shattered atop their heads.

Robert closed his eyes in fright and waited as the archer pulled the string of the bow with the arrow fixed on it. He couldn’t bear the sight of watching the arrow dart towards his face, lest he move in fright and cause his own death.

The swishing arrow shattered the apple, sending bits of the fruit raining down on him. He left the spot with a great feeling of relief when the personal servant of the count’s son dropped some shillings into his hand letting another boy take his place.

They were four young boys including Robert, participating in the inhumane act of entertaining the count’s son and whoever cared to watch but there was always a crowd to entertain.

He had been roaming the market one certain afternoon when he stumbled upon this game. When he inquired about what was going on, one of the boys had explained to him. He decided to take the audacious risk by participating in order to raise any money he could get for his mother.

He did not really care if he was injured in the process. All that mattered to him was making his mother well. It got to the next boy’s turn, the arrow successfully shattered the apple, laughing loudly at the frightened boy who had peed on himself, the Count’s son picked another apple from his servant's basket and began to munch.

Robert was about to replace the third boy when a firm hand grabbed the back of his shirt close to his collar. He turned around and was shocked to see Aidan glaring down at him. ‘Aidan!”

With a brief displeased glance around, he asked. “What are you doing here?”

“I...i... huh...” He floundered for an excuse to give but couldn’t find any.

Aidan looked at an apple being shattered atop a boy’s head and returned his glare on Robert. “You’ve got to be kidding me! You can’t be participating in this, are you?”

Robert, knowing he was caught, gently shrugged off Aidan’s grip. “I had no choice. Besides it seems the easiest way to make some money.”

“This is preposterous, Rob!” Aidan snapped. “You choose to risk your life for this inhumane act all because of a few shillings? What if the Archer missed, do you think that haughty Berk cares if you bleed to death on that very spot?”

“Nothing of such will happen!” Robert barked.

“Besides I am doing just fine as you can see.” He pulled out a lot of shillings from his pocket and showed it to Aidan before returning it back into his pocket.

“Yea, I can see that and it also means you have had enough already, let’s get the hell out of here. I wondered what I would have told your mother if you had died.”