Title: A Teacher's Duty

Chapter 1: Landed Into a Fix

NOTE: The title of this story has been changed from "The Terrors of Teaching Elven Teenagers" to "A Teacher's Duty" upon the advice of one of my reviewers.

…

"What?!" Legolas shouted in disbelief and horror.

Thranduil looked at his son appraisingly. He was actually taking this better than he would have expected. He decided to be optimistic.

"Excellent, Legolas, I knew you'd be pleased!"

Aragorn snorted; Legolas couldn't have looked less pleased if he'd tried.

"Pleased?" Legolas said in incredulity, "I am not, nor will I ever be pleased. I absolutely refuse, no absolutely not; and that is all that will ever be said about the matter."

His father drew himself up in pretend-anger, which only fooled the on-lookers who had gathered at the raised voices. "Dare you contradict me in my own court? I swear if you had not been my son, I would have had you adequately punished!"

 He paused impressively and tried to radiate anger and power in the general direction of his son. Inwardly he was trying not to laugh at the quizzical eyebrow, which Legolas had raised at him.

"Anyway," he continued, "you must at least agree that Mirkwood's army has been rendered extremely weak in these years of the War. All our good warriors are either dead or permanently wounded. It is imperative that the younger generation be trained. And who better than you to teach them? You're an experienced warrior, the best of the best of our entire military force. We need an excellent, strong army this time, one that will not fail us. So is it not logical that you teach them?"

Something in his father's gaze warned Legolas not to contradict him. He sighed, resigned to his fate. Behind him Aragorn was sniggering uncontrollably. Legolas turned and shot him a murderous look and then turned back to his father.

"It is as you command Your Majesty, but if you please, may I make a small suggestion? The first is that girls be allowed to my classes as well as boys so they may learn the art of self-defense, if, the Valar forbid, they ever need to call upon it."

"Yes, that makes sense," Thranduil said, nodding. "But I will have no women in my army, is that understood."

 "The second thing of course is that we need to raise an excellent army, and also to improve our ties with Gondor and the new King; isn't that right, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, yes; very true. Go on"

"So I propose that King Elessar undertake to teach them sword-fighting, twice a month; as a symbol of our complete unity. It would certainly improve our ties with Gondor, and be beneficial to both kingdoms. Isn't that right Aragorn?" Behind him there was a marked absence of the sniggering. In its place a shocked silence ensued.

"Yes, but-" Aragorn spluttered

"Excellent, excellent!" Thranduil said clapping his hands. "You will make the arrangements, I trust, Legolas?"

"Yes, ada. May we go and arrange for the proclamations now?"

"Yes, go," his father replied with a wide smile.

…

"What did you do that for?" Aragorn hissed as soon as they were out of the King's earshot.

"Do what?" Legolas asked innocently.

"You know what! Don't you give me that!"

"That," Legolas smirked, "Will teach you not to snigger at me. It's most undignified anyway, Elessar. Doesn't become a king."

 "Oh Eru, now we're both landed into this fix!" Aragorn lamented. "Teaching Elflings? Did I pass through war and fire, ash and dust, for this?! Legolas, one of these days I'm going to ki-"

"Oh just shut up, you idiot! The classes start in a week; we need to make arrangements. So will you just quit whining-"

"I DON'T whine."

"Oh, yes you do."

"No I don't."

"Yes you-"

And the two friends argued their way to the Hall of Proclaimers, to write the proclamation and inform the public of the King's decision. Perhaps it was a good thing they were oblivious of what was in store for them. If either of them knew what a teacher's duty entailed, they would certainly not have been so light-hearted.

…

TBC…

Well? What do you think? I wanted to write another story real quick and so I did. Please be kind; this is the first story I've ever written of this type. I'm still unsure of what genre to give it? What do you think?