"Concentrate, Twen!" His uncle's voice called. The boy panted, grabbing another arrow from the quiver strapped to his back and nocked it to the bow, running backwards as Jiishana, up in the tree above him, swung the target his way. Waiting until it was away from him, he loosed the arrow and heard it thunk into the target. He smiled with satisfaction, lowering the ebony bow. The next moment he had to duck as the cheeky elf maiden swung it at him again.
"That's enough, Jiishana. Good work, Twen. We'll work on it again tomorrow." Reschar called. The two younger elves nodded, and helped to pack up the target. As they were walking back, Jiishana looked at him, frowning.
"Twen, what did father tell you yesterday? When I came to find you, you looked like you had been shot or something." The little girl asked him, curiously. Twen gave her a weak lop-sided grin.
"Don't worry about it, Jiishana. You have more important things to think about, like staying out of trouble." He said, teasing her half-heartedly. The youngster rolled her eyes at him.
"But I haven't done much... I only hid father's bow for half a day. And mother wasn't that angry when I pulled out her flowers instead of the weeds..." Jiishana trailed off, and they both laughed. Everyone knew that the she caused trouble as often as an archer shot arrows. The subject of Twen's unhappiness was dropped, for the moment.
*~*~*~*
Comet stared in awe at what greeted her. There was her cousin Filamena, grinning and holding out to her a mahogany bow. She took it with trembling hands and looked it over. It was much better than her old ash one.
"Well, are you going to try it out?" Her cousin demanded lightly. The bow was already strung, and Comet caught the string with her fingers, drawing it back easily to her ear a few times. It bent beautifully, and she grinned.
"It's wonderful... thank you." She grasped the taller girl in a tight hug. The two cousins had been closer than sisters for longer than Comet could remember, and even now they told each other everything. Filamena smiled, and led her inside.
Later, they sat on the edge of the talan outside of their treetop home, watching the sun set. Filamena was restless, glancing at her cousin out of the corner of her eye every few minutes.
"What?" Comet asked finally.
"Nothing..." The older elf girl was quiet for a minute or two, then turned back to her.
"Mother told me that you caught her mentioning your brother, earlier." She said. Comet nodded, and waited anxiously.
"Well, I can tell you... about... well, you know... if you want me to." Filamena told her quietly. The younger elf's heart leapt. Finally! She nodded eagerly, and her cousin smiled half-heartedly.
"Well... your mother was my aunt, Cometwen. She birthed you and your brother, as twins, then died, leaving you both with her sister, my mother. The Lady called her, and told her to send your brother to Rivendell, to live with my father's brother. You stayed here with us." Filamena said, and watched the other girl's face. Comet didn't know what to say, or feel. Her mind was racing. Why hadn't anyone told her before? Why had she not asked before?
"Comet? Filamena?" Filamae called from inside. They got up and went in, Comet staring into space. Did her brother know about this? What if he didn't care? She went to a window and looked out at the stars, wondering if her brother in Rivendell was doing the same thing.
*~*~*~*
Twen gazed at the stars out of his window, thinking about his sister. Was she looking at the stars too, in the far away woods of Lothlorien, thinking of him? He sighed, wishing he could meet her. Maybe someday he would.
*~*~*~*
"That's enough, Jiishana. Good work, Twen. We'll work on it again tomorrow." Reschar called. The two younger elves nodded, and helped to pack up the target. As they were walking back, Jiishana looked at him, frowning.
"Twen, what did father tell you yesterday? When I came to find you, you looked like you had been shot or something." The little girl asked him, curiously. Twen gave her a weak lop-sided grin.
"Don't worry about it, Jiishana. You have more important things to think about, like staying out of trouble." He said, teasing her half-heartedly. The youngster rolled her eyes at him.
"But I haven't done much... I only hid father's bow for half a day. And mother wasn't that angry when I pulled out her flowers instead of the weeds..." Jiishana trailed off, and they both laughed. Everyone knew that the she caused trouble as often as an archer shot arrows. The subject of Twen's unhappiness was dropped, for the moment.
*~*~*~*
Comet stared in awe at what greeted her. There was her cousin Filamena, grinning and holding out to her a mahogany bow. She took it with trembling hands and looked it over. It was much better than her old ash one.
"Well, are you going to try it out?" Her cousin demanded lightly. The bow was already strung, and Comet caught the string with her fingers, drawing it back easily to her ear a few times. It bent beautifully, and she grinned.
"It's wonderful... thank you." She grasped the taller girl in a tight hug. The two cousins had been closer than sisters for longer than Comet could remember, and even now they told each other everything. Filamena smiled, and led her inside.
Later, they sat on the edge of the talan outside of their treetop home, watching the sun set. Filamena was restless, glancing at her cousin out of the corner of her eye every few minutes.
"What?" Comet asked finally.
"Nothing..." The older elf girl was quiet for a minute or two, then turned back to her.
"Mother told me that you caught her mentioning your brother, earlier." She said. Comet nodded, and waited anxiously.
"Well, I can tell you... about... well, you know... if you want me to." Filamena told her quietly. The younger elf's heart leapt. Finally! She nodded eagerly, and her cousin smiled half-heartedly.
"Well... your mother was my aunt, Cometwen. She birthed you and your brother, as twins, then died, leaving you both with her sister, my mother. The Lady called her, and told her to send your brother to Rivendell, to live with my father's brother. You stayed here with us." Filamena said, and watched the other girl's face. Comet didn't know what to say, or feel. Her mind was racing. Why hadn't anyone told her before? Why had she not asked before?
"Comet? Filamena?" Filamae called from inside. They got up and went in, Comet staring into space. Did her brother know about this? What if he didn't care? She went to a window and looked out at the stars, wondering if her brother in Rivendell was doing the same thing.
*~*~*~*
Twen gazed at the stars out of his window, thinking about his sister. Was she looking at the stars too, in the far away woods of Lothlorien, thinking of him? He sighed, wishing he could meet her. Maybe someday he would.
*~*~*~*