章 11: Lessons from hunting
Being awoken by the morning chill is a terrible way to start your morning, second to not even eating a nice warming breakfast, dried meat accompanied by cheese has got to be the driest way to eat breakfast, I guess quenching it down with crisp cold water is not bad but what I wouldn't do for some fizzy sugary carbonated drink.
Sitting on the saddle by my grandma's side, still embarrassing but I can't ride a pony much less a horse. I also didn't think looking for animals would take so long, the only thing encountered were birds and nobody could shoot one down, that reminds me, I should find a way to create rifles, even machineguns are feasible but I don't have any knowledge to help with that.
While I was in deep thinking on how to make war more brutal the hunting party found tracks of deer, a small herd, but nobody hunts the entire herd, it's the bucks everybody tries hunting.
Following the tracks led us to a nice pond, a place where a family can come have a nice chill picnic and enjoy a warming lunch. However, our goal to come here today is different
Unfortunately, for the local deer population, it seems they did not get the memento that a hunting party comprising of Russian Nobles, A Prince of Russia, and the current Empress of Russia were passing by. Of course, nothing was set in stone and maybe there wouldn't be any deer families ruined.
The hunting company dismounted 500 yards away from the target, my grandmother dismounted first and she yoinked me away from the saddle. You would think a seven-year-old would remain behind but my grandmother beckoned me to follow her, I groaned but still followed her.
I thought of a prick plan of trying to create as much noise as possible and scare off the deers but when I saw the excited expression on my grandmother's face I decided not to. Slowly moving to the herd my grandmother stopped and looked at the herd, she was looking for something then her scanning head stopped at a specific spot, I looked where her eyes stopped and I see it, a big buck, the bloody animal was monstrous, that or it looked big compared to my developing body.
We moved as close as the vegetation could allow us, I reckon the distance was 100-150 yards, if you ask me that's a long distance even the Preobrazhensky Guards didn't hit a target that far often when I watched their training and they are veterans.
However, my grandmother had something the Preobrazhensky Guards did not have, a rifle that is way more accurate than a smoothbore musket and she has a pistol by her side, which makes me confident that if the buck decides to charge us she can defend us.
My grandmother steady's the gun and Crack, the rifle sets off, I can't tell if she hit her target as there was smoke that blocked my vision but I soon heard the dogs barking and my hand was grabbed and I was swept away on a wild goose or the better word would be buck chase.
Weaving through the trees is very tiring for my young body, luckily the chase was coming to a close.
When we started slowing down I paid attention to my surroundings more, the path we are following has the stench of blood and the hounding of the dogs got ever louder the more closer we got, till we reached an empty space, well it would have been empty if it wasn't was the dogs and a bleeding wounded buck.
The dogs were pulled back, and the deer realizing that danger has still not passed defiantly stood on its legs, now my grandmother should shoot him and everything will be over.
Suddenly a hand was laid on my shoulder, "Paul, why don't you have the honors", I then was handed a pistol, "Don't worry I'll guide your hand but you are responsible for the trigger", man you would think giving a pistol to a kid would be crazy.
"I'm okay grandma, how could I deny your kill, I think it's better if you did this", just the stench of the blood made me a bit nauseous, although me telling myself that it being deer blood comforted me. However, a question was soon sent my way.
"Paul if you shy away from killing an animal how can you sentence a man to his death? The man passing the judgment should swing the sword, so hold the gun steady and come with me, it's not fair for the deer that you don't look it into its eyes when you kill it", my grandmother reprimanded me.
I took the pistol into my hand and with a heavy step I moved closer to the animal, the buck had fallen to the floor from its loss of blood or it just perhaps accepted its fate, its once cries of help had ceased and it looked into my eyes.
My grandmother directed my pistol to the buck and steadied my aim. A shot rang out, but what I didn't felt first was the sound but the recoil and although my grandmother helped absorb some of it, it still kicked into my shoulder and stung for a bit.
After the smoke cleared there lay the buck, the vitality leaving its life and some body jerks showing that it was freshly killed, killed by me, I felt nothing, perhaps it being an animal didn't affect but still doesn't change the fact this is my first time killing, both in my previous life and this one.
"Paul, don't feel too bad, you gave it a quick painless death, when you're older I'll have to introduce you to a human execution, it's good to get used to seeing human suffering and death" my grandmother consoled me, or an attempt to console me.
After the hunting trip, we made our way back to civilization and along the way, I had a question for my grandmother.
"Grandma, why are you teaching me lessons on how to rule? Shouldn't you be doing this with father?", I said while looking up at her as I was still riding on her horse.
"Well Paul, your father doesn't like spending time with me, he calls it, hmm what was the word Alexei?", "Boring and Distasteful Your Majesty", "Yes boring and distasteful and despite my discomfort, I've come to terms that Peter may not be able to rule and I will instead teach you the art of ruling, and God willing when you turn eighteen I will abdicate and name you Emperor", my grandma had a sad expression on her face when she mentioned Peter and I can't blame her, the dude will quite literally lose it all in 6 months. As for her plan for her to rule till I turn eighteen? Fate has other plans for her.
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