Finding Shay still in bed reading with a change of clothes, I smiled. Feeling more relaxed and happy than yesterday after the training, bath and breakfast with the hobbits.
"Whatcha reading?" I asked Shay, making him jump in surprise.
"I thought I would get more familiar with the history and the people here, so I asked lord Elrond for books for me to learn from." Shay answered.
"So what have you learned so far? Anything interesting?"
"Yeah I would say that reading about anything about war and different races is interesting. Did you know that elves are immortal?" Shay asked looking at me.
"What? They are? So they can't die?," I asked in disbelief.
"No they can die, from a wound or from a broken heart." Shay answered, looking back down at the book in his hands.
"A broken heart," I echoed, "what does that even mean?"
"It means that if their partner were to die they would also soon follow because of the pain. Elves are apparently very sensitive people," he explained to me.
"Wow that is just, wow," I said thinking of the elves I had met so far.
"So yes, it is an interesting read." he finished.
Before I could ask anything else Shay interrupted me.
"So I have meant to ask you, how are you coping with this whole Kai thing?"
When hearing his question I looked down at the stone floor feeling my good mood disappear and tears stinging my eyes.
Trying to blink away the tears I looked back at Shay.
"To be honest I haven't really thought much about it, or at least trying to." I confest.
Shay looked at me with pity in his eyes.
"I don't think this is your fault just so you know. I am sorry that I haven't been there for you as a good brother should, but I hope you can forgive me," he apologised.
"What? there is nothing to forgive," I said, with a lump in my throat from all of the emotions coming to the surface.
Taking my hand in his Shay pulled me closer to give me a big hug.
"So how are you feeling, are you in pain?" I asked after breaking apart from the hug and wiping my eyes dry with my sleeve.
"No, I have been given some sort of potion for the pain. It tastes like dirt, but what can you do?" He said, shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm happy you feel better,'' I said, feeling awkward all of the sudden.
"Well I need to go, apparently I need to learn archery and sword fighting before leaving." I explained to him.
"That is a great idea, I suppose they don't have any modern weapons here,'' Shay commented.
"No they really don't, the dwarf Gimli even has an axe," I said with a laugh.
"But yeah I need to go, I have an elf teacher waiting for me," I said taking my leave and waved goodbye to Shay.
Walking to the archery field I felt nervous, for what I was uncertain. Get it together Selena I said to myself. It is just training, you have been through this before.
Reaching the field I saw Legolas standing on one side with his bow out, aiming for a target so far away I could hardly make out the red target rings.
Releasing the arrow I saw it sailing through the air and struck the target in what appeared to be the bullseye.
Impressed, I looked at the arrow and was reminded of Enzo's ability to always strike his target. Though he could be an arrogant ass at times he was still my twin brother and I missed him.
Pulled back to the present by Legolas I looked at him.
"What? Sorry, what did you say?" I asked, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"I asked if you were ready to start our lesson," he said and gestured to a smaller bow standing on the side of the field.
"Yes of course," I said, stepping closer to the bow to inspect it. It was breathtaking with beautiful carvings along the wood.
Taking it in my hand I pulled at the string. Surprised by the amount of strength it took to pull it all the way back.
"This bow is smaller to suit your stature better."
Standing behind me he put his hand lightly on my hips positioning me in the way he liked. I could feel my legs slightly shake at his closeness and tried to shake out of it. Happy with my stance he backed away.
"Now pull the string back,'' he said. Coming up to me again he corrected my arms in the right position. "and don't let go," he whispered in my ear making goosebumps appear on my arms.
Hoping that he did not notice this, I looked back at Legolas and lowered the bow. "But what about the arrows," I asked.
"You need to develop strength in your arms. Show me how long you can hold this position." He said patiently.
After this explanation I took the same stance he had shown me and pulled back the string. It didn't take long before I could feel my arms starting to shake. Frustrated I let go of the string and turned to Legolas. "What now?" I asked.
"You do it again,'' he said to me with a smile that now only annoyed me.
After my first lessons I started getting into a routine and the first two weeks passed in a blur.
Sword fighting in the early mornings with Boromir, though with many disapproval comments from him and curses from me, went relatively well, thanks to my previous training back home, and if I had to be completely honest, also thanks to Boromir being a good teacher.
My archery lessons with Legolas was an entirely different story though. After only just starting to actually shoot the arrows we discovered that I had absolutely no aim, at all!
Legolas being patient and encouraging told me many times that I would surely improve with time. As time was something we did not have, I was sceptical of me even taking the bow with me, wouldn't it just be dead weight if I couldn't wield it? I told Legolas as much but he only shook his head and said that we would practise on the road when we got the opportunity.
Between lessons I hung out mostly with Shay and the hobbits. After learning of Shay's ability the hobbits wanted to meet him immediately and see what he could do.
Shay with his broken leg and concussion could not turn back or forth in time because it would take too much energi from his body to make him a portal, energy he needed to heal. But not wanting to disappoint, Shay showed the hobbits how he could transport to other places in short distances in a blink of an eye.
Seeing Shay transport himself from the bed to the chair on the opposite side of the room, the hobbits were in awe and begged to hear stories from Shay of the missions he had been on with the rest of my brothers and sister.
So to summarise it, life in Rivendell wasn't so bad. Though I could not deny the weight of it all getting to me as time moved closer to our departure.
"My lady, Aredhel has been looking for you." she has requested that you shall meet her at the seamstress for a last fitting," an elf told me, making me come back from my musing.
I sigh as I did as instructed, not really wanting to spend the next hour being poked by needles. But it was after all necessary as I needed suitable clothes for the journey as all of my other clothes here were suited for beautiful long and skinny people.
Arriving at the seamstress I saw Aredhel holding up a pair of boots and inspecting them. "This will do, try them on lady Selena," she said while moving towards the table with the other clothes laid out.
Realizing that my sneakers would not make it through an entire journey in the wilderness I thanked her and accepted the boots and put them on. They were made of thick leather and had an inside of what I assumed to be sheep wool, making them really comfortable.
After making sure that the boots fit, Aredhel held up the tunic I had tried only yesterday. Changing into the tunic and seeing to it that my breast bindings were in place, Aredhel motioned for the semtresses to make the adjustments.
To my annoyance the whole ordeal took about an hour. Though being grateful, I longed to get out of there so I could do something productive with myself. For example making an actual plan of how I was supposed to stop Kai from taking the ring.
I didn't doubt the skill of my companions, but Gandalf being there with his magic made it possible for Kai to get the upper hand. I however knew that I could do something to stop him, the question was only how.
Many nights I lay sleeplessly in bed tossing and turning, wishing that I could just talk to him, change his mind. But to be honest I didn't know what this new Kai was capable of, and this scared me.
—-
The days passed and the day of our departure was soon upon us. Packed with my weapons and dressed in a green tunic, leggings and a thick cloak I stood with the others of the fellowship waiting for Aragorn, after I had already said a tearful goodbye to Shay with a promise to be careful.
Not being able to talk to Aragorn because of him being at the border or if not at the border being with lord Elrond and Gandalf planning our journey on which road to take, I knew next to nothing about him except what had been told to me.
Finally he arrived followed by a beautiful she elf with dark long hair. Upon seeing the looks between the two it was not hard to understand the origin of their relationship.
As lord Elrond approached, the fellowship stood up straight.
"The ringbearer is setting out on a quest of mount doom and you who travel with him no oath or bond is laid to go further then you will,'' Lord Elrond started.
Looking everyone in the eye lord Elrond said his farewell. As lord Elrond's eyes met mine I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but to no vain, so I settled for a small wave of goodbye instead, probably looking as awkward as I felt.
"The fellowship awaits the ringbearer" Gandalf said and turned to Frodo.
Finally! I thought in nervous anticipation.
"Modor Gandalf, is it left or right left?'' I heard Frodo nervously ask Gandalf.
"Left." Gandalf said as we followed close behind.
So this is how it feels like to go on a mission, to think that I had begged my family for years to accompany them, and here I was. I thought to myself with a slight smile. Set on a journey to destroy an evil ring and save the world with a wizard, four brave hobbits, a good looking elf, a grumpy dwarf and two big warrior men.
Seriously...what could go wrong?