Author's Note: Perian is the Sindarin word for hobbit or halfing, periannath the plural.

Disclaimer: Do not own.


To Make a Choice: Part 2, Hobbits & the Ways of War


"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend..."

-Faramir, "The Window on the West," The Two Towers


Almost two weeks after the Council, and about three weeks before Part 1
TA 3018, November 5
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"But you taught Pippin how to climb trees like a wood-elf just yesterday!" exclaimed the perian.

"I would not say that he learned how to climb trees exactly like a wood-elf," said Legolas with a smile, dropping to his knees so he sat on his haunches and was eye-level with the small perian. Ithildim, who stood beside him, laughed merrily.

Legolas and Ithildim were outside in one of Rivendell's many courtyards, the grass which would be green in the summer was brown now with the approaching winter, but the four periannath still enjoyed the green space, though they now wore warm jackets lined with fur that Elrond had had made for them as well as heavy woolen cloaks. The two youngest stood now in front of Legolas and Ithildim, and Frodo and Sam sat on a grey bench behind them, watching the exchange with interest; Frodo leaned against Sam on occasion, but he swung his legs and looked relatively at ease.

Peregrin stood close to his cousin, arms clasped behind his back as he rocked forward and back from his heels to the balls of his feet and looked up at Ithildim whose face was far above him. His cousin's arms were crossed in front of his body and he leaned into one hip so that the other leg was popped out, showing his consternation.

"Maybe not like a wood-elf, but you taught him still!" he said.

"Aye," said Legolas, "we did teach him, and we will teach you, too."

"But it is the blade I wish to learn," he replied, bringing his feet together and dropping his arms to his sides with such vigor that the curls on his head bounced. "No one else will teach me either!"

Legolas and Ithildim looked away from the two youngest periannath when they heard Frodo's voice cut through the tension. "Meriadoc, you musn't bother Masters Legolas and Ithildim. It is not their duty to teach you how to fight. And you needn't know how to fight yet, besides, Merry!"

"A Brandybuck is always ready to learn how to protect himself and his kin," said Merry, spinning around to look at Frodo. Pippin, too, turned with him in one fluid action, unconsciously mirroring Merry's movements.

Ithildim and Legolas caught each others' eyes at this and smiled. They recognized a well-attuned team when they saw one. Perhaps, Ithildim realized, Legolas would not win this battle of wills with the periannath.

"Yes," said Frodo, "as is a Took, and a Baggins, as we know from dear Bilbo. And a Gamgee will do anything to protect those he holds dear, as we also all well know."

Mister Gamgee blushed.

Pippin turned back around now to Legolas and Ithildim, so quickly that he almost slipped on the grass, wet as it was from melted morning frost. He would have fallen straight into Legolas' face if Merry—who turned back, too, as soon as he realized Pippin had redirected his focus—had not grabbed his cloak at the hood and yanked him up.

"Then why can't we learn? We want to be useful, you see," said Pippin. "In the coming war."

Merry stood now very close to Pippin, directly behind his right shoulder, tucked like a bodyguard as his cousin confronted the wood-elves.

Ithildim felt Legolas' demeanor sadden, and he decided to leave this conversation to Legolas in its entirety. He had always been best in mentoring or comforting the younger soldiers in Mirkwood, though there were not many born who joined the army after he and Legolas themselves graduated their training.

Legolas reached out a hand each toward Merry and Pippin, inviting them to take it. They both stepped closer to him, almost suspiciously, and met his steady grey gaze. Merry's hand reached out to touch Legolas' left hand, and he shuffled forward so that he stood shoulder to shoulder with Pippin, and then Pippin's hand followed a moment later to grasp Legolas' right. Before speaking, Legolas bounced slightly to readjust the pressure on his knees as he hovered at the height of the periannath; he felt the periannath grip his hands more tightly, and Pippin seemed to almost clutch for a moment at the sleeve of the green guard tunic at his slender wrist.

"It is not that people do not want to teach you, Mister Meriadoc and Mister Peregrin," said Legolas evenly. "It is that, I imagine, those that you have asked are loathe to see any as young as you so eager to hold a blade. It is a dark time we live in, and you are yet young and happy. You think maybe that holding blades will make you more strong and braver, but there is strength and bravery in many things besides battle—kindness, and intelligence, and love for one's kin. You are already both very strong and brave in these measures."

Ithildim smiled. Legolas was very good at this. His moods were maybe quicksilver, but so also did Legolas, in some matters, have a silver-tongue.

"But you are also young and happy, and you are in the Mirkwood army," Pippin said.

"We are not as young as we seem," said Legolas, falling back off of the heels of his feet onto the ground and crossing his legs in front of him.

He tugged Merry and Pippin's hands gently to invite them to join him. They too settled cross-legged in front of Legolas, dropping his hands and scooting closer to him so they were almost all knee to knee. Ithildim dropped to his haunches behind Legolas' right shoulder.

"And Ithildim and I perhaps learned to hold a blade too early," Legolas continued, "for our home had become dark when we were but children, and we had to learn to protect ourselves and our kin, whether or not we were old enough to know exactly what we were learning."

Merry and Pippin now looked at each other and then to Legolas, and their round eyes were wide and their faces cheerless.

"That is all we want, too, in this dark time," said Merry quietly; his voice trembled. "To know that we can protect ourselves and our kin, without being a burden to anyone around us."

"I know that is what you want, and it is why I will teach you, because I know the fear that you feel now in your hearts," said Legolas. "But I will only teach you with your kinsman's permission, for he is your elder, and wiser in your ways than I."

Frodo had slid himself off the bench and stood now behind Merry. "They may learn, Master Legolas, if you are truly willing."

"Of course, we are truly willing," said Ithildim with a smile.

"Very well, then," said Legolas. "But you must listen to Ithildim and I instruct, then, not only about bladework, but the ways of war."

"Anything, Legolas!" said Pippin. "We will learn anything that will help us defeat our foes and defend our people and bring honor to our kin!"

Legolas laughed and tilted his head back in his amusement. Ithildim saw the periannath start at Legolas' change in demeanor, and then they too began to grin widely.

"That is not exactly what I mean, periannath nith," said Legolas, leveling his eyes again to the periannath. But then he frowned, realizing his linguistic slip, and realizing also that he could not for some reason—in that particular moment—remember the words Gandalf had taught him in Westron for the periannath so many years ago, and that he had heard in the dining hall that very morning, less than three hours past.

Legolas looked up at Ithildim in a moment of panic, the likes of which could only be understood by one who has ever been lost in a secondary tongue, rendered suddenly and inexplicably incapable of communicating their desired meaning. Legolas' bright eyes implored Ithildim to give him the words.

"Pair - ree - uh - noth - nith?" asked Pippin.

Ithildim considered for a moment allowing Legolas to struggle, but decided after a beat against it.

"Hobbits," said Ithildim in response to Legolas' alarmed gaze, and then he laughed at the utterly lost expression on his friend's face, and fell off his haunches in mirth so he too was on the ground, rolling onto his side. "It's hobbits, Legolas," Ithildim said again, cuffing Legolas in good humor on the back of the head when he righted himself.

Then Ithildim also crossed his legs and moved himself closer to the three, so his left knee was pushed up against Legolas' right.

"Yes, we're hobbits, what about us?" asked Merry defensively, looking now from Ithildim to Legolas and back again, warily.

"Not about you, Merry," said Ithildim. "Legolas forgot the word for your race in the Common Tongue. Periannath is the word for hobbits in our language."

Legolas' face flushed momentarily, but he nodded.

"I did. It has been a long time since we spoke Westron so much, and about matters South or West of our own land. Please excuse my error," said Legolas. "Let me try again: That is not exactly what I mean, young hobbits," he said with emphasis, winking at Ithildim, who laughed again and slapped Legolas on the thigh.

"Not exactly what you mean what?" said Pippin.

Apparently he had forgotten what the previous statement referred to in all his excitement; he so reminded Ithildim of a child, and Ithildim realized that he did not know if maybe Pippin was still considered a child by his race. He thought maybe he was.

"I do not mean that we will instruct you in the ways of war insomuch as the best ways to defend yourself or slay your foes, which is what I understood you to imply in your response to my request previously," said Legolas.

"Oh," said Merry and Pippin together. "Well what do you mean?" finished Merry.

Ithildim leaned back now on the grass and folded his hands on his chest, stretching his legs in front of him to watch the heavy silver clouds of autumn skirt by across a brilliant blue sky. He heard Legolas shift beside him and knew he leaned in now toward the hobbits. Ithildim had heard him give this speech before, even recently to Saida's newest young novices.

"Misters Merry and Pippin," Legolas began, "It is important that you know some things about war, especially now that you have seen and survived some fighting yourself."

Ithildim heard Pippin wriggle, perhaps to edge even closer to Legolas, hoping for a story.

"There is not honor itself in bloodshed, for every creature in Middle-earth thinks his morals most pure and acts in his way accordingly," continued Legolas. "There is only honor in following through on your duty and protecting your charges, and if accomplishing those tasks requires bloodshed, then so it is. But it is not honorable to find joy in taking life simply because you have gained the skills to do so."

He paused here for effect, as he always did.

"So as you learn the ways of war, little ones," Legolas said, "you must always remember that glory does not come from the battle itself or from the blood of your enemies, but from what and for whom you fight. And that is how you keep going when you feel forlorn, and how you smile even in the face of evil."

Ithildim wondered if perhaps Legolas had been given this speech himself by Lieutenant Amonhir when he was young, for Amonhir had always thought Legolas rash and too emotional, and sometimes still did.

"I understand," said Merry. "Do you, Pip?"

"I think so," said Pippin, looking at his cousin. "I think he means that we will learn bladework for the sake of bladework itself, and only use it to protect ourselves and those we love when we must, and we must never take joy in using that knowledge to hurt another living creature for no reason."

Legolas smiled widely. "I think you understand very well. You are already good students! Would you like to begin to learn today?"

The hobbits exclaimed and scrambled to their feet. "Yes, Legolas! Yes, Captain!"

Legolas laughed, leaping to his feet. "Ithildim is your captain, young ones."

"Am I now?" asked Ithildim, sitting up and squinting toward Legolas' face, for the clouds had passed over and the sun was clear and climbing higher in the sky.

"You are now as you are always," said Legolas puckishly, winking at his friend before continuing in an almost inaudible voice. "I do not want responsibility for our charges' success, or whatever else they may achieve."

Ithildim stood and cuffed Legolas on the back of the head again. "You are intolerable."

"Go and find some sturdy sticks," Ithildim directed now to the hobbits. "Four of them. I know you have your own weapons, but we will not start learning with real blades or even with dulled training ones. It is how we teach and how we learned. If they are too long, we will cut them to the right length."

And with that Merry and Pippin had scrambled off in search of sticks that matched Ithildim's description, and Legolas walked now over to Frodo and Sam where they sat close together on the bench.

"If you trust us with your kinsmen, we will spend the rest of the day with them, should you like to go inside now for lunch and take some rest," Legolas said.

"We would appreciate it," said Frodo.

"Excellent! I will ask Ithildim to stay here with the hobbits, and I can escort you to the dining hall, if you desire; I would fetch a loaf of bread and cheese for a picnic out here with the young ones, anyway," said Legolas.

"Let's go then!" said Sam, blushing as he looked at the elf, for he was still in awe of elves and felt more confused by the wood-elves than he did by Elrond's folk in Rivendell. "I am always ready for a warm meal in this beautiful place!"

And so Legolas called to Ithildim and asked him to stay with Merry and Pippin, and Legolas put a hand on Frodo's shoulder as he and Frodo and Sam walked together toward Elrond's main house, where the hobbits would find their warm food and Legolas would fetch provisions for the younger hobbits.

Before they had walked even a few paces, however, Lord Elrond rose from a bench beneath a shadowed archway and intercepted them. Legolas wondered vaguely how long he had been seated there and what he had observed of his and Ithildim's foolishness as ranking officers in the Elvenking's army. Nevertheless, Legolas greeted the Lord of Imladris formally, and then Elrond was at Sam's side as they began to walk again, all the while asking the hobbits questions about their morning.

Legolas smiled to hear them recount it. He laughed merrily, even as Sam blushed, when Sam excitedly explained to Elrond exactly how he had learned a new elvish word: periannath.

Legolas decided he rather liked hobbits; he rather liked them a lot.


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