Chapter 10: Interlude
A/N: ok so I haven't really gotten all the reviews I wanted but I still love all those who did!! So please keep them coming!!
The morning dawned bright and early. Sunlight streamed through the open window and down on to Aerins face. There came a knock on the door and her eyes opened slowly. Sitting up she wondered who could be calling at this hour and rubbed sleep from her eyes, then she remembered. Training day! Today she would learn the basics of the art of fighting. The knock came again louder this time. She looked up and hopped out of her bed sprinting to the door, she flew it open to see Issa standing there with a bundle of clothing in her arms.
"Aerin!" she exclaimed, "I thought you would never answer!!"
"Oh, sorry Issa." Aerin replied breathless, " I was sleeping."
"That is apparent." Issa said grinning at her nightgown. "Are you planning to fight in that?" she asked entering her room and setting her arm full on a chair.
"Oh no!" Aerin cried, laughing, shutting the door behind her. "I was hoping you'd have something I could wear." She said pointing to the bundle on the chair.
Issa smiled and pulled the package apart and held up a pair of green breeches. "Do you think this will fit?" she asked impishly.
"Oh I think it'll do." Aerin said gravely, taking the garment and stepping behind the screen. Pulling them on underneath her nightgown she fastened them up and then something hit her in the head. Looking wildly she spotted a cream-colored shirt lying on the floor just behind her. She picked it up and pulled it over her head tucking it into her breeches as she stepped out from behind the screen.
"How does it look?" she asked Issa as she adjusted the pants.
"Marvelous darling!" Issa said not even looking at her.
"Oh thanks!" Aerin said sarcastically, coming to stand beside her.
"Here." Issa said handing her a green tunic, which she slipped over her head and smoothed it down. "Now time for the shoes!!" Issa said pointing at a pile of leather and cloth. Aerin sat down and began to pull on the stockings, while Issa brushed her long black hair back into a braid down the center on her back. "There." She said, when she had tied it off. "Your ready."
"You think so?" Aerin asked nervously standing up and brushing her tunic straight.
"I know so." Issa said steering her out the door, and shutting it firmly behind her. "Now come on…you don't want to be late!"
"Oh no…of course I don't." Aerin said happily bounding off down the hall.
"Wait!! You don't know the way!" Issa called, racing after her. Aerin just laughed and ran faster. Geez this girl can run thought Issa, sprinting after her. She rounded a corner and almost ran into Aerin, who was standing right in the middle of the hall staring out into a green field.
"Is that the training yard?" Aerin asked in awe.
"Yes." Issa replied a little breathless. "Come…you don't want to keep the others waiting." She began to descend down the stairs with Aerin following close behind.
* * * * * *
Legolas looked out across the vast green fields waiting for Aerin to show up. Sighing when he saw no sign of her he turned back to the small group of beings Elrond had assembled to help with the training of Lady Aerin. His Lady Aerin.
He smiled when he saw that Gimli was snoring softly on a bale of hay. He bent over preparing to wake him up when Aragorn said, "Here they come."
Legolas straightened and smiled at the ranger, when Aragorn didn't return his smile he said earnestly, "Aragorn, she will do fine, she is stronger than you think."
Aragorn sighed. "I know dear friend, but I just don't think its right teaching a woman how to fight with a mans tool." Legolas made no reply and stared out across the field his sharp blue eyes sighting Aerin and another woman laughing merrily coming towards the barn that they where in. Legolas smiled and turned to Aragorn, "Would you do me the favor of waking Gimli while I go and speak with Aerin?"
Aragorn sighed and shook his head smiling faintly, "Of course, Legolas. Go on." He said turning to shake gimli who just grumbled and rolled over.
"Have fun my friend." Legolas said smiling, turning he walked out of the door and into the bright sunshine. Shielding his eyes he looked out once more, only to find that the two women where running towards him. Aerin reached him first and threw her arms around his neck. Legolas laughed loud and clear wrapping his arms around her and spinning her around. She laughed and threw back her head and let out a cry of sheer delight.
Issa stopped when she saw Aerin leap into Legolas' arms. Smiling to herself, she approached cautiously and when they didn't notice her she cleared her throat slightly. They stopped their joyous reunion and turned to look at her, Issa bowed low and said, "My lord, I have brought Lady Aerin for her training today," she looked up and smiled mischievously, "I am glad to see she will be in good hands."
"Oh she will, Lady." Legolas replied bowing slightly and wrapping his arms around Aerin's waist. "You need not worry…what is your name?" Legolas asked curious.
"My name is Issa, my lord, and I am Aerins Lady-in-waiting." She replied bowing once more.
"There is no need to bow, Issa." Aerin said frowning.
"Of course my Lady." Issa replied. "Now I really must be off to the kitchens, have fun my Lady." She straightened and smiled then turning on her heel she speed off in the direction of the kitchens.
"Nice girl." Legolas commented as they turned and entered the barn.
"Yes, one of the best people in this world." Aerin replied smiling up at him. "So, lover of mine what are we going to learn today?"
"You will find out soon enough, Mela en' coiamin. Love of my life" he smiled and kissed the tip of her nose, as they walked through the door way and into the semi-dark barn. There the rest of the fellowship greeted them. "When did all of you arrive? Legolas asked surprised, looking at the 7 beings that now filled then barn.
"The back way!" Pippin spoke up, coming to stand beside Aerin. "Hello Aerin! How are you?" he smiled up at her and without waiting for a reply he plunged into a lengthy story of his week. This went on for a while when suddenly Merry came up and placed a hand over Pippins mouth and said, "That's quite enough Pip."
"Thank you!" everyone said in unison. Pippin made a face but silenced himself when Gandalf gave him a hard look.
"Now then." Gandalf said turning to Aerin he smiled and said, "Are you ready for you first day of training?"
A/N: ok so it wasn't the longest thing in the world. I'm sorry…the next one will be very long!! Never you worry!! Please review!! I love them!! Thank you so much!! Until next time…Namaarie!!
A/N: ok so I haven't really gotten all the reviews I wanted but I still love all those who did!! So please keep them coming!!
The morning dawned bright and early. Sunlight streamed through the open window and down on to Aerins face. There came a knock on the door and her eyes opened slowly. Sitting up she wondered who could be calling at this hour and rubbed sleep from her eyes, then she remembered. Training day! Today she would learn the basics of the art of fighting. The knock came again louder this time. She looked up and hopped out of her bed sprinting to the door, she flew it open to see Issa standing there with a bundle of clothing in her arms.
"Aerin!" she exclaimed, "I thought you would never answer!!"
"Oh, sorry Issa." Aerin replied breathless, " I was sleeping."
"That is apparent." Issa said grinning at her nightgown. "Are you planning to fight in that?" she asked entering her room and setting her arm full on a chair.
"Oh no!" Aerin cried, laughing, shutting the door behind her. "I was hoping you'd have something I could wear." She said pointing to the bundle on the chair.
Issa smiled and pulled the package apart and held up a pair of green breeches. "Do you think this will fit?" she asked impishly.
"Oh I think it'll do." Aerin said gravely, taking the garment and stepping behind the screen. Pulling them on underneath her nightgown she fastened them up and then something hit her in the head. Looking wildly she spotted a cream-colored shirt lying on the floor just behind her. She picked it up and pulled it over her head tucking it into her breeches as she stepped out from behind the screen.
"How does it look?" she asked Issa as she adjusted the pants.
"Marvelous darling!" Issa said not even looking at her.
"Oh thanks!" Aerin said sarcastically, coming to stand beside her.
"Here." Issa said handing her a green tunic, which she slipped over her head and smoothed it down. "Now time for the shoes!!" Issa said pointing at a pile of leather and cloth. Aerin sat down and began to pull on the stockings, while Issa brushed her long black hair back into a braid down the center on her back. "There." She said, when she had tied it off. "Your ready."
"You think so?" Aerin asked nervously standing up and brushing her tunic straight.
"I know so." Issa said steering her out the door, and shutting it firmly behind her. "Now come on…you don't want to be late!"
"Oh no…of course I don't." Aerin said happily bounding off down the hall.
"Wait!! You don't know the way!" Issa called, racing after her. Aerin just laughed and ran faster. Geez this girl can run thought Issa, sprinting after her. She rounded a corner and almost ran into Aerin, who was standing right in the middle of the hall staring out into a green field.
"Is that the training yard?" Aerin asked in awe.
"Yes." Issa replied a little breathless. "Come…you don't want to keep the others waiting." She began to descend down the stairs with Aerin following close behind.
* * * * * *
Legolas looked out across the vast green fields waiting for Aerin to show up. Sighing when he saw no sign of her he turned back to the small group of beings Elrond had assembled to help with the training of Lady Aerin. His Lady Aerin.
He smiled when he saw that Gimli was snoring softly on a bale of hay. He bent over preparing to wake him up when Aragorn said, "Here they come."
Legolas straightened and smiled at the ranger, when Aragorn didn't return his smile he said earnestly, "Aragorn, she will do fine, she is stronger than you think."
Aragorn sighed. "I know dear friend, but I just don't think its right teaching a woman how to fight with a mans tool." Legolas made no reply and stared out across the field his sharp blue eyes sighting Aerin and another woman laughing merrily coming towards the barn that they where in. Legolas smiled and turned to Aragorn, "Would you do me the favor of waking Gimli while I go and speak with Aerin?"
Aragorn sighed and shook his head smiling faintly, "Of course, Legolas. Go on." He said turning to shake gimli who just grumbled and rolled over.
"Have fun my friend." Legolas said smiling, turning he walked out of the door and into the bright sunshine. Shielding his eyes he looked out once more, only to find that the two women where running towards him. Aerin reached him first and threw her arms around his neck. Legolas laughed loud and clear wrapping his arms around her and spinning her around. She laughed and threw back her head and let out a cry of sheer delight.
Issa stopped when she saw Aerin leap into Legolas' arms. Smiling to herself, she approached cautiously and when they didn't notice her she cleared her throat slightly. They stopped their joyous reunion and turned to look at her, Issa bowed low and said, "My lord, I have brought Lady Aerin for her training today," she looked up and smiled mischievously, "I am glad to see she will be in good hands."
"Oh she will, Lady." Legolas replied bowing slightly and wrapping his arms around Aerin's waist. "You need not worry…what is your name?" Legolas asked curious.
"My name is Issa, my lord, and I am Aerins Lady-in-waiting." She replied bowing once more.
"There is no need to bow, Issa." Aerin said frowning.
"Of course my Lady." Issa replied. "Now I really must be off to the kitchens, have fun my Lady." She straightened and smiled then turning on her heel she speed off in the direction of the kitchens.
"Nice girl." Legolas commented as they turned and entered the barn.
"Yes, one of the best people in this world." Aerin replied smiling up at him. "So, lover of mine what are we going to learn today?"
"You will find out soon enough, Mela en' coiamin. Love of my life" he smiled and kissed the tip of her nose, as they walked through the door way and into the semi-dark barn. There the rest of the fellowship greeted them. "When did all of you arrive? Legolas asked surprised, looking at the 7 beings that now filled then barn.
"The back way!" Pippin spoke up, coming to stand beside Aerin. "Hello Aerin! How are you?" he smiled up at her and without waiting for a reply he plunged into a lengthy story of his week. This went on for a while when suddenly Merry came up and placed a hand over Pippins mouth and said, "That's quite enough Pip."
"Thank you!" everyone said in unison. Pippin made a face but silenced himself when Gandalf gave him a hard look.
"Now then." Gandalf said turning to Aerin he smiled and said, "Are you ready for you first day of training?"
A/N: ok so it wasn't the longest thing in the world. I'm sorry…the next one will be very long!! Never you worry!! Please review!! I love them!! Thank you so much!! Until next time…Namaarie!!