Trapped

chapter 36

The superintendent of the archery came toward Kyungsoo and King Jongin, carrying arrows in both his hands put together; they were two feet, four cun in length. Behind him were two men; one was a guard holding a bronze pot one foot tall, the other one seemed to be a music player.

"Pitch pot?" Kyungsoo asked in both surprise and disbelief. Playing a throwing game was not what in his mind when King Jongin said that he needed to improve his skill in archery.

King Jongin hummed in agreement, oozing in satisfaction.

"You summoned me to the archery park; I thought you are going to teach me to shoot arrows."

"I am." King Jongin tapped Kyungsoo lightly on the back. "I am merely simplifying things for you."

Kyungsoo looked at King Jongin, his eyebrow raised slightly. "If I didn't know better I would say that you just want to play. You should have told me earlier so I wouldn't have to wear this." Kyungsoo gestured at his attire. He was wearing outfit worn for practice, and his hair was tied, with a headband on his forehead to keep his strand of hair out of the way. He looked at King Jongin, who had changed his royal crimson court outfit into a simple robe gathered by a sash. The heat of embarrassment warmed his cheeks.

"I have my own teaching method," King Jongin said wisely, watching the superintendent of the archery measuring the distance of the pot from the mats, before ordering the guard to put the bronze pot on the ground. The base of the ornate canister had been filled with small beans to prevent it from tipping over when struck.

"I see you do," Kyungsoo agreed, looking at the pot, and then at the arrows that now was in the guard's arms.

"Do not question my way."

"I do not."

The guard lowered his head and stifled a chuckle.

King Jongin cleared his throat. "Let me earnestly beg you to try them," he formally said, signalling that the game was about to begin. He raised a hand and the royal guard gave him the arrows.

"I venture respectfully to obey you." Kyungsoo bowed twice, and also received twelve arrows. He walked a few steps to go to his mat for pitching.

Kyungsoo and King Jongin sat on their mats. They alternately threw arrows at the pot, to the accompaniment of zither music.

Kyungsoo tossed an arrow, which penetrated the mouth of the canister with a small thud sound. He thought he had done quite a good job; he only had a few misses, and sometimes, his arrows managed to fall into the ears of the pot.

Another throw from King Jongin made the superintendent of the archery who was counting the points raise his right hand. "One hundred and twenty points. His Majesty won."

Kyungsoo gave the remaining arrows he had to the guard on his side. "It was a good game," he lightly said.

"It ended too soon. I should have let you throw some more arrows before allowing myself to win." King Jongin laughed.

"What are you talking about? I got sixty points; that was an outstanding achievement, considering that I'm very new to the game. Tomorrow, I will get ninety, and the day after tomorrow I might even win," Kyungsoo confidently said. He got up from the ground and walked over to where the music player was sitting. "Give me your instrument, and you can take my place. I need to hold myself, for I'm afraid I will not need tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to win if I keep sharpening my outstanding pitch pot skill. I do not want to rush it. I shall give His Majesty two more victorious days."

King Jongin called the guard to ask more arrows. "You really don't like the game, do you?" He hummed.

"Regrettably so," Kyungsoo calmly answered.