<strong>Name</strong>: Hildebrand Junker<br/><strong>Location</strong>: Outside the Knight's Shield<br/><strong>Time</strong>: Day 1, Noon<br/><strong>Tagged</strong>: Vera Hellatious, open<br/><br/>If Junker had been a fool, he never would have served his lord for five years now. He would have been dismissed before the end of the first winter. Thus, not a fool, he noticed the way this handmaiden's voice seemed to keep changing as she talked, ranging from cold arrogance to warmth. The slip of her tongue, didn't escape him either. His eyebrow started to arched, as a crazy idea came to his mind. They hadn't meet one of a princess's ladies-in-waiting but, could it be, a princess herself? He quickly covered his look of discover with one of consideration. Truthfully skill with a bow was not as highly prized among the nobility in the north, as were things like swordwork and skill with the lance but not unheard of.<br/><br/>"My lord" said the squire, "Is a skilled hunter, although I've not see him hunt with a bow. Up on the frontier, my lady, the taking of deer is left to huntsmen, while the nobles of the region go after more deadly prey. With special spears and small packs of dogs, they stalk the great boar or brown bears of the region and corner them. Provoking the beasts, they let animals charge down upon them, setting the spears and praying they can halt the charge. If they misjudge or fail to set the spear milady, they die."<br/><br/>"As to skill of archery" this time he was musing, "I cannot speak of his prowess. I do know my lord and his company carry and use short bows. The steppe nomads, when they ride down to raid or make war, they fight with lance and bow and are great horsemen. In battle, they ride against you under a hail of arrows and then smash into your line with lance and sword. Once you've seen them off and try to give chase, they fire their bows, trying to drive away the pursuit. My lord had grown tried of being unable to catch them and having arrows bounce off his armor without getting any of the foe, so he has order his company to use their bows when chasing steppe raiders. We squires ride in the back, so I cannot tell you how good they shoot."<br/><br/>"However" he added, "Sir von Ritter is fond of challenges and I believe I can speak in his stead, in agreeing to join your lady for a shoot...."