Have been writing the flashback scenes and they are going on forever, rather than just a chapter as I anticipated. Hold on there, something will happen (eventually!)

Legolas and Lóriel had been friends from a very young age. Legolas had been a young elf boy when a visiting elf had arrived from one of the larger dwellings in Mirkwood, bringing with him his young daughter. He had come to discuss administration of his settlement with King Thranduil, and had brought young Lóriel with him for a chance to see life outside home.

'And who's this young lady?' Thranduil asked kindly after Erindol had made his greetings.

'I…I'm…I'm Lóriel, your Majesty,' Lóriel said, awe struck at being in the presence of the King.

'Well Lóriel, I'm afraid your father and I are going to be along time discussing business, which I know you won't like, so I am going to ask my son, who is about your age, to take you with him so you can explore together. Legolas!'

A small blond elf boy sidled through the door, his eyes widening at the sight of visitors.

'Legolas, this young lady is Lóriel. I'd like you to look after her for the rest of the day. Lóriel, meet Legolas. He'll take good care of you. Now off you go.'

Legolas and Lóriel ambled towards the door and out into the palace courtyard, where they stood staring at each other. Legolas scuffed his foot in the dust.

'So, what do you want to do?' he asked finally.

'Um…' Lóriel wasn't too sure of herself, not in the great palace, and she felt dreadfully uncomfortable faced by a stranger. 'You don't have to come with me, you know.'

'No trouble,' Legolas said easily. 'Hey, do you do archery?'

'My father won't let me. Says it's undignified for girls.'

'Of course it isn't! Tell you what, I'll teach you. I'm still learning, but it'll give me some practice and you'll learn something useful…hopefully.' He whirled around. 'I'll race you there!'

'But…' But Legolas had sped off and Lóriel had no choice but to follow him and hope she didn't lose him in the maze-like palace.

They arrived panting at a small room just off the stable block and flung themselves down beside the door.

'Unfair!' cried Lóriel.

'Wasn't!' retorted Legolas

'It so was! You had a head start and you knew where you were going!'

Legolas grinned. 'We'll have another race later, to somewhere you do know and we'll see who wins!'

'You…you…' Lóriel burst out laughing at the impudence of her new friend. Legolas got to his feet and pulled her up.

'In here's where we keep the archery equipment. They've kept all the bows I learnt with.' He sized her up. 'Hmm, you'll need a slightly smaller one than the one I've got, we'll keep it light and easy to string.' He saw Lóriel's puzzled face. 'I want to teach you some technique rather than have you struggling to pull back the string. My new bow is harder to string than my old one, and it requires such a lot of effort to draw the string back.' He pulled a comical face, then seized two bows off the wall and motioned for her to pick up a quiver of arrows while he did the same. 'The practice court is just round the corner.'

The two young elves trotted out of the room and round the side of the building where there was a spacious glade. Lóriel looked round in bewilderment. There were some figures of elves painted on wooden boards. Legolas noticed her looking at them and grinned sheepishly.

'I made them. They're supposed to be my brothers and sisters. I've got three brothers and two sisters all older than me. They're such pains. So I made these figures of them and whenever I'm angry at them, I come here and shoot at them! Makes me feel a lot better, I can tell you!'

'I can't shoot at your siblings!' Lóriel pleaded.

'Oh they won't mind!' He looked at her, seeing how uncomfortable she was with this shooting practice. 'I've got some real targets over here. I can't let my archery instructor see these figures, you see.' He began dragging them away. 'Oh dear, here's the one of me!'

Lóriel came over and peered at it with interest. 'You shoot at yourself? That's weird.'

Legolas sighed. 'No my brothers caught on. Actually they found out, and after they finished shouting at me, they painted one of me too! This is also their practice field, so when I'm an annoying pest they come and shoot me full of arrows!'

Lóriel helped him drag the figures to one side and they set up the targets together. Legolas picked up his bow and motioned for her to pick up hers. He took two arrows from a quiver and solemnly handed her one.

'Right, I don't think I'm very good at explaining this, so follow what I do. String your bow…like this, put pressure on it to…yes, that's it! Okay, now place the fletch of the arrow on the string, so…hold the bow…hand firmly like this. Great! Right, your stance, left leg in front of the right, shoulder's width apart, just follow what I do. That's good. Now draw the string back and aim at the centre target. Aim for the bulls eye. Now loose the arrow like this…' His arrow thudded into the centre of the target with Lóriel's about an inch to the right.

'How was that?' Lóriel asked nervously. She could see that he was an excellent archer despite his youth and felt a bit ridiculous.

Legolas walked over to the target, and drew the two arrows out. Then he turned to her smiling.

'That was fantastic! Are you sure that was the first time you've ever done that? You're a natural! It's a pity women aren't allowed in the Mirkwood guard, we could train you up to be a deadly aim.'

'Do you really think so?' Lóriel asked.

'Course I do! Sadly they're never going to allow you to train, so I will train you myself. I still have a lot to learn, but what I learn, I will pass on to you.'

'But in a few hours I will return home and it may be many years before we see each other again.'

'Not if I ask your father if you can come back to play with me.' He put on a winsome voice, clasped his hands together and opened his blue eyes wide. 'Please sir, may I invite Lóriel to visit us again. It has been a great pleasure to have her company for this day.'

'Court speech, huh?' Lóriel said, but she couldn't help smiling.

'And if you're there playing exactly the same game, my father will agree, then what can your father do?' They laughed, then Legolas handed her an arrow. 'But in case, just in case that doesn't work, we'd better get some good training in now. Okay, as last time…'