I awoke with a shake. It was Boromir. "You can have your target practice. Master Gamgee will take you to the field when you are ready. A few of father's kinsmen arrived this morning, so I must tend to them and hear the news from their lands. After that, I must go to the council. Master Gamgee is not waiting too long. And, please, stay out of trouble," he said, and strode quickly out of the room. I rose up out of bed and went to get my clothes. I hurriedly got my clothes on and practically ran to find Sam. I went to the common room and looked around. Then I went outside and scanned the grounds. The only halflings I saw Merry and Pippin.
"Merry! Pippin!" I called, "where's Sam?" They ran over to me.
"He had to tend to our dear friend Frodo. He told us to take you to the archery range," Merry said.
"Follow us!" Pippin added, and they turned off and skipped through the garden. I turned and followed them. When we got to our destination, I found there was already someone there. There was ample space or me to practice, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it with a strange person there.
"Are we needed here anymore?" Pippin asked, looking up at me.
"Oh, no. You can go back. Thank you," I said as I stood there, pondering what to do. I decided to just do it, who cares if someone is watching. I walked up and went to find a spot where I was comfortable. I put my hair up in a ponytail and then readied my bow. I paid no attention to the man a couple spaces down from me. Well, he wasn't a man; he looked to be an elf, and an excellent marksman. I took out an arrow and put it in my bow and drew back. I closed my left eye and started to aim. When I finally got it steady, I let go. THWACK! It landed right in the middle, as I intended it to be.
"Nice shot, sir," I heard a voice say from my left. I turned to its direction and saw it was the elf. "Sir?" I asked.
"Oh my apologies, Ma'am. I only assumed--," he said and shrugged.
"You shouldn't assume. But anyways, thank you. May I have your name? You're not bad yourself." I said, approaching him.
"My name is Legolas. And yours ma'am?" he held out his hand for mine. I grabbed it and gave a sturdy shake.
"My name is Erin. Nice to meet you." He looked somewhat surprised at my handshake.
"May I ask where you learned to shoot like that?" he asked.
"Well, my brothers introduced me to it, but I perfected it by myself," I said. I stepped back a step and straightened out my coat.
"I have never seen a woman shoot that well. Are you half-elven? Or full man?" he asked.
"I am full man, from the region of Gondor. Minas Tirith is my city. Are you here for the council meeting? Or do you live here?" I asked. He seemed nice, but of course. Everyone does when you first meet.
"I am from Mirkwood and yes, I am here for the council of Lord Elrond. Are you?"
"Oh, no. My brother is here to represent my father. I just came along for the journey. I do not wish to know about any of these matters," I answered and turned to walk up to the target to get the arrow I shot.
"Oh, but you will care. The matters discussed at this meeting are of great importance to all of Middle Earth. You will see," he turned and walked up to his target and pulled out his arrow. "The sun is up. I must depart to the council. Nice to meet you," he said as he collected his things and went off into the distance, back to the house. I thought about his words a little more and continued with my shooting.
"Merry! Pippin!" I called, "where's Sam?" They ran over to me.
"He had to tend to our dear friend Frodo. He told us to take you to the archery range," Merry said.
"Follow us!" Pippin added, and they turned off and skipped through the garden. I turned and followed them. When we got to our destination, I found there was already someone there. There was ample space or me to practice, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it with a strange person there.
"Are we needed here anymore?" Pippin asked, looking up at me.
"Oh, no. You can go back. Thank you," I said as I stood there, pondering what to do. I decided to just do it, who cares if someone is watching. I walked up and went to find a spot where I was comfortable. I put my hair up in a ponytail and then readied my bow. I paid no attention to the man a couple spaces down from me. Well, he wasn't a man; he looked to be an elf, and an excellent marksman. I took out an arrow and put it in my bow and drew back. I closed my left eye and started to aim. When I finally got it steady, I let go. THWACK! It landed right in the middle, as I intended it to be.
"Nice shot, sir," I heard a voice say from my left. I turned to its direction and saw it was the elf. "Sir?" I asked.
"Oh my apologies, Ma'am. I only assumed--," he said and shrugged.
"You shouldn't assume. But anyways, thank you. May I have your name? You're not bad yourself." I said, approaching him.
"My name is Legolas. And yours ma'am?" he held out his hand for mine. I grabbed it and gave a sturdy shake.
"My name is Erin. Nice to meet you." He looked somewhat surprised at my handshake.
"May I ask where you learned to shoot like that?" he asked.
"Well, my brothers introduced me to it, but I perfected it by myself," I said. I stepped back a step and straightened out my coat.
"I have never seen a woman shoot that well. Are you half-elven? Or full man?" he asked.
"I am full man, from the region of Gondor. Minas Tirith is my city. Are you here for the council meeting? Or do you live here?" I asked. He seemed nice, but of course. Everyone does when you first meet.
"I am from Mirkwood and yes, I am here for the council of Lord Elrond. Are you?"
"Oh, no. My brother is here to represent my father. I just came along for the journey. I do not wish to know about any of these matters," I answered and turned to walk up to the target to get the arrow I shot.
"Oh, but you will care. The matters discussed at this meeting are of great importance to all of Middle Earth. You will see," he turned and walked up to his target and pulled out his arrow. "The sun is up. I must depart to the council. Nice to meet you," he said as he collected his things and went off into the distance, back to the house. I thought about his words a little more and continued with my shooting.