Chapter 11

"You do not have to be smug about it, but this is marvelous. It is unlike anything I have ever seen in my entire life." Alexander was amazed by what he had just witnessed.
"I just could not help myself because I have a strong feeling that it is not often when someone proves you wrong." Heather could not help but poke her tongue out, and Alexander, unable to restrain himself, let out a little laugh.
"You, Miss Heather Crown, are a true gem, but yes, it is quite rare when I am proven wrong or left astounded.” Alexander Crown's eyes were beaming.
Heather's eyes shone with happiness over there. She had never felt so liberated before, and Alexander Diadem was the only reason she could feel that way just now.
"So why don't you fire some more, and I will check to make sure the first shot wasn't an anomaly?" Heather said in an attempt to challenge him.
Alexander came close to falling prey to her remarks, but her eyes expressed a range of emotions, making him realize that she was setting a trap for him and an escape for herself.
"Well done, Heather Crown. |Killing two birds with one stone, are we? Both of us are aware that I am an exceptional shooter, and by challenging me, you will not be able to escape these teachings. Now, why don't you pick up the rifle and show me what you have got?"
Heather let out a dramatic sigh and looked at Alexander, who was now standing with crossed arms and raised eyebrows, waiting for her to demonstrate her abilities.
"I figured it was worth a shot." She spoke nonchalantly.
Alexander could tell she was having trouble gripping the rifle right. She was not even close to carrying it perfectly, which added to his worry. For a flawless shot, the statute must be right, if not immaculate.
For the first time in a long time, he knew what is to be done. He came up to her, standing close behind her, to show her how to handle and operate the weapon properly.
Alexander spoke softly but clearly enough for her to hear from behind her. "You need to hold your weapon precisely for a solid aim and for the bullet to hit the target at the chosen place," he added.
The simple fact that he was directly behind her made the back of her hair spring up. She could easily sense his presence, and his words were close to sending chills down her spine.
"Am I holding it correctly?" She inquired, the mood becoming solemn.
"Would you like me to show you?" Instead of validating her remarks, he requested her permission.
He did not wish to overstep his boundary.
Heather, though, hesitantly nodded. She did not trust her heart to not get affected by Alexander Diadem as he was not only standing close to her but also touching her.
Alexander Diadem, on the other hand, moved one step closer to her as soon as he had her consent to do so. With one small movement from either side, Heather's back would be entirely touching his front.
Alexander recognized the proximity they would be experiencing. So, he cautiously took another small step towards her.
"Keep in mind that since you will be standing while firing, your only source of support will be your own bodily strength. So maintain your balance. Second, the easiest method to grasp your position is to remember that you will be firing in a triangle."
As Heather gave a slight nod, he put his left hand on hers, gently elevating it above, aiming for the tree limb.
When he touched her, her breath stopped for a second. She loved the foreign feeling of having his hand on hers. It did not, however, assuage her uneasiness about her emerging feelings and keep her heartbeat calm. In fact, her pulse rate only rose when he resumed speaking, his lips now close to, if not totally touching, her ears.
“Triangles are the strongest shape. If you can grip it securely, you will not wobble, and the impact on your body after the fire will be minimal."
Heather's arms were, however, falling somewhat due to the weight of the gun, but Alexander kept her standing robust on her feet and her hands. He gently put his free hand against the handguard, slightly lifting it above its initial position. He then raised his hand to her shoulder on the gun stock.
He then lightly turned her head with his left hand so that her cheeks were pressed on the stock and her head was positioned behind the barrel. He then slid his arms to her stomach, causing her to shift perpendicular, before eventually resting his fingers on hers, which were pressing the trigger.
She was entirely engulfed in him, and she could tell that even he was as vulnerable to her as she was to him. The evidence was in his pounding heart.
“Now, are you able to target precisely where you want to fire?” He asked her, trying to keep his breath under control.
Having Heather Crown so close to him so no less than a dream come true, and he did not want to end it.
“Yes.” She whispered.
“Good.”
He squeezed her fingers without warning, which activated the weapon, and the bullet went directly through the foliage near to where she was aiming.
Heather's eyes sparkled at this, and she briefly forgot the position she and Alexander were standing in.
She exclaimed, slightly excited, "I did it!" She cried out, gazing in astonishment at the leaves where she had fired.
“Yes, you did it!”
Alexander maintained a faint grin on his face as he took pride in the little success she had achieved. But his eyes, though, were riveted on something else. He kept thinking about how close they were standing. The moment was intense, and he did not wish for anyone to break it. He was also not ready to alter their posture, but he felt compelled to take a step back as she turned around and faced him completely.
“That was fun!” She grinned as she said it.
"I genuinely hope that you simply shoot for pleasure, but you must learn to operate this without my assistance. So, shall we begin again?" He asked her.
“Would you help me?” She softly asked him while maintaining a little smile on her face.
Alexander's eyes become more lively at her request. She might not know it, but he would always want to help her,
“You don’t even have to ask.”
He fired a few more times with her in his arms before she was able to perfect her position without his assistance. She was not quite proficient at shooting the bullet correctly yet, but she was getting there. There was no doubt that Heather Crown is a quick learner. However, at present, he could also see she was exhausted, and they both needed a break, especially her.
"You are becoming better at it," Alexander stated.
“Well, I appreciate you teaching me, so thank you.”
“Always. If I get a chance, I would also love to show you how to use a proper gun. It is a lot more handy.” Alexander said, imagining the fun they would experience together.
“I would love that, but I still stand to think I would not need it.” Heather Crown stated.
Alexander arched an eyebrow at her words. "How are you going to defend yourself then?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" She inquired, her brow raised.
“Yes. I do.” He told her, keen on learning about her defence methods.
She then gave him a big smile before closing her eyes. When she opened her eyes, he saw her eyelids flame in crimson and turned to face the tree branch where she was previously practicing her shots. Then suddenly, without any explicit warning or before he could grasp anything, a stream of scarlet sparks sliced across the entire branch.
Alexander was astounded to witness the tree limb sprouting back to its original form and the earth absorbing the fallen branch.
“How was that?” Heather asked Alexander, who was startled at the sight in front of him.
“Balderdash!”