Interlude twelve submitted 10-30-08.

ATTENTION!!!!! I am going to post another short story after this chapter. It is tentatively titled 'Samhain'. If you are interested, it will be posted either tonight or tomorrow.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!

Summary: Follow Legolas as he watches his brother grow, and learns many other lessons along the way. Rated G.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, the Silmarillion, or any related characters or works. They belong to Mister J.R.R. Tolkien.


PEACETIME ADVENTURES: AN INTERLUDE COLLECTION.
Book Three in the Iaur Min Series.
By GundamWingFanatic90.


INTERLUDE 12: BATTLE.

Legolas was a warrior. He had been a warrior since he was fifteen years old and had been deemed old enough to begin learning how to fight.

His teachers had often remarked upon how naturally fighting came to him.

His teachers had often told his father that it scared them that he was such an accurate shot with a bow.

His teachers had often told his mother that he was unparalleled with his white knives.

His teachers had often told tales of how he could kill someone bare-handed in eight different ways before they could hit the ground.

His teachers had often said that their Crown Prince was the gentlest, most merciful student they had ever had, if not the most dangerous at the same time.

And this was what made him special, for it was true. Legolas excelled in all areas of combat. He could fight bare-handed, was able to kill another being in seconds if they were less skilled than he, and he could kill them any way he wanted. He remained unbeaten in the realm of archery, and when fighting with his twin knives, he was only able to be bested by a select few. He could fight effectively with spear, sword, axe, hammer, and staff. He was a well-trained killer.

On the other hand, he had never hurt or killed another elf during any of the countless sessions. When someone was harmed during their training, Legolas was almost always the first one there to put pressure on the wound or swab a scrape or help the unfortunate elf hobble to the sidelines to nurse their broken limb whilst another prepared for transport to the Halls of Healing.

So it was that when Ecthelion asked if he could begin his warrior's training at age eleven, though Thranduil said that it would be fine, Legolas set his foot down with an emphatic 'no'.

The reasons that he gave were that Ecthelion should not be treated differently than other elflings, who all started their warrior training at age fifteen, and that, due to his smaller size, he would be either disadvantaged or doted upon. He also argued that, if they accepted Ecthelion into their ranks at age eleven, then the teachers would have to begin taking in students that were younger and younger. They were all valid arguments, but they hid his real thoughts.

Legolas did not give them the real reasons.

He did not tell his parents that he did not want Ecthelion to be able to kill another being in eight different ways before they hit the ground.

He did not tell his parents that he did not want Ecthelion to be able to put an arrow into an orc's eye at two-hundred yards without remorse.

He did not tell his parents that he did not want Ecthelion to be able to cut a body to ribbons, feel the blood drenching him, and not care.

He did not tell his parents that he wanted Ecthelion to have a few more years of childhood before entering the realm of blood and death.

He did not tell his parents that he wanted Ecthelion to be just his little brother for a little while longer.

He did not tell his parents that he wanted Ecthelion Thranduilion to not have to revert to Ecthelion of the Fountain just yet.

Thranduil and Andiach accepted the reasons that he gave. Ecthelion would wait until he was fifteen to begin the training, and though Ecthelion was upset at this, Legolas could not be more relieved.

He was glad that Ecthelion would be Ecthelion, just for a bit longer.

Legolas was not glad, however, that Ecthelion could completely pummel him in a battle of the pillows.

Abriel simply laughed when her best friend grumbled good-naturedly about it later.


Yes, Ecthelion kicks butt in pillow-fights.

A huge thank you to the three people who reviewed chapter eleven. These include The-Worlds-Naneth, Calenlass Greenleaf1, and Nessa Ar-Feiniel. I'm so glad you guys liked the last chapter, and I'm sorry it was so short!

Again, if anyone is interested, I am soon going to post a short story tentatively titled 'Samhain'.

On another note, please pray for me: I have a precalculus test tomorrow morning. I. STINK. At. Precalculus. Stink has a capital 'S', just so you know.

Next chapter will be posted 11-6-08. Have a good week, and a happy All Hallows' Eve and All Saint's Day!

-Fanatic