She places fourth

With Mara and Sara at your side you make you way down to the archery range. Each of the young women has taken your arm in hers and you notice more than a few approving looks from your men as the sudden appearance of these two attractive young companions. Once at the range Galion excuses himself and heads for the targets as one of the official judges. Prying yourself free from your lovely escort, you step to the front of the stands where dignitaries from Athenapolis, the United Armies and your forces all mingled as they waited for the first contest to begin. With all eyes upon you announce the prizes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to announce the Start of the Games with contestants from each of the Hellenic Cities vying for honor for their cities." The crowd claps politely as over a dozen archers including Alexia take their places in front of the stands. "The top archer gets one hundred gold coins and a masterfully crafted bow, second place 50 gold coins plus a bottle of fine wine from my collection and third 10 gold coins and a finely engraved silver goblet. The archers will take turns shooting six arrows and the winner will be the one with the shaft closest to the center," you pause increasing the drama of the moment.

"Now good luck to all the contestants, and let the contest begin!"

As the first contestant approaches the range, a young man with dark curly hair from Athenapolis, you take your seat next to Sara and Mara to watch the event. Once again you find your arm's captured by the sisters who take your calloused hands and clasp them between their soft hands. The girls recognize the archer and chatter easily about the young man and his family. They agreed that as handsome as the young man was, that he was irritating.

"They're so far. I can barely even see the bull's eye." Marvels Mara as the targets are set up at a distance of hundred and fifty paces, and you find yourself chuckling at her naïveté.

"It is not particularly hard to hit a stationary target, even at that distance." You tell the pair confidently, "I could hit the bulls-eye six out of six arrows." The statement is absolutely true, and you feel like bragging a little and are rewarded with Sara's soft cry of admiration.

"You are amazing, your Majesty. You should be the one representing Kalion."

"As the host of these games, it would be unseemly if I won all the contests, don't you think?" The pair giggle softly, and Mara presses the back of your palm firmly to her lips as she tries to keep from laughing aloud. You don't have time to think about how soft her lips are as the contest is just beginning. The archers begin to shoot you find it a little difficult to concentrate as first Mara and then Sara following her lead pull your hands tightly to their bosoms as the men fire one fine shot after another at the distant targets. When it is your spymaster's turn to take her first shot, Mara and Sara cheer her on. You can see Alexia's eyes narrow slightly as she sees how familiar the two sisters have become, but she turns with a shrug and nocks her shaft.

With Alexia's first shot you sense something is off. As you anticipated, all the archers are highly skilled, but you've seen Alexia shoot better than any of them. That is until today, she's not the worst of the archers, in fact she comes in fourth, but you know she could have won. First place instead goes to a long-armed bowman from Polares, second a scared veteran wearing the colors of Heliopolis and in third with a Corelian archer whom you remember from your days in the Coreli court.

With the end of the Archery tournament, you prepare to move to the arena for Wrestling and see Galeon avenge Kalion's first loss when out of the corner of your eye you see Alexia stalking away clearly upset with her poor performance.

"I should go see what is bothering her." You tell your guests and start to climb to your feet.

"It might be wiser, your Majesty," Sara's green eyes are somber in the midday sunlight as she raises her hand to stop you, "to let her be on her own for a while. A proud young woman like her probably doesn't want to be reminded that she let her king down." You've always been able to talk to Alexia even when you were both just children, but lately Alexia has been less forthcoming, and you wonder if maybe Sara is right. Perhaps sensing your indecision, Mara makes a suggestion.

"If you like, Sire," the young woman offers kindly, "I could go cheer her up." Sara smiles brightly at her sister's suggestion.

"What a wonderful idea!" She climbs to her feet and stands by your side with her soft breast pressing against your ribs. "That solves everything!"