Learning the Ropes/The Men Leave

Elmeraith pulled herself out of her bed and looked over at Legolas. He lay under the covers, deep in slumber. She smiled and went to pull on some new, clean clothes. She picked out a brown ankle-long skirt. Two slits in her skirt came up to the middle of her thighs to make it easier for her to move around. Her shirt was short and sleeveless with pretty designs on the ends. She slipped on light, flat shoes and pinned her hair to the sides with a braid hanging down.

She grabbed a water jug and hurried to a stream where she would collect water. Legolas slowly stumbled out of bed as she closed the door behind her. He popped his head through the curtains to look outside and gasped. It was nearly sunrise and his weapons were scattered. He quickly got his clothes when he heard someone outside calling his name. He would never tell anyone that he'd been staying in Elmeraith's room, so they must have wondered where he was.

"Legolas, where are you?" called one of his friends.

Legolas quickly walked out of Elmeraith's room once he was dressed. He looked from side to side to make sure no one saw where he had just come from. "Oh, there you are!" said one of his friends as he popped his head around a corner. "We've been looking all over for you! Gather your things, we are going."

"I will," Legolas nodded and hurried around the halls of his house to find his weapons.



Elmeraith entered her room. "Legolas, I—," she stopped. There was no one in her room. The bed was empty and left unmade. 'He left without saying goodbye?' she wondered. She sat down and slumped on the bed at the very thought. "Legolas?" she called out one more time, but she heard no answer. She sighed sadly and began to make her bed.

The door swung open and hit the wall with a bang. Elmeraith turned around to see Legolas thickly dressed, weapons already in his pockets. Elmeraith sighed with relief. "I thought you had left!" She hugged him. "No, I haven't, but the sun has already risen and I've fallen behind. Good-bye. I love you." She nodded, but didn't say anymore as he hurried out of her room.



Ellrolin cursed under her breath as she began washing the dirt of her favorite shoes. "Curse this place," she muttered. Elhenin came around the corner. She no longer wore her silky dresses, or her hair up, but she dressed in dark green leather with her hair down. A water jug was in her hand, full of water that she had drawn. "Maybe you wouldn't have so much trouble fitting in here if you wouldn't mind the dirt and have fun," Elhenin said.

"And do what?" snapped Ellrolin. "Swing in trees? Swim in ponds? Disgusting! What would the men think at home?"

"But we're not home. You should get used to the lifestyle here. You should be here for three months maybe. You wouldn't leave without father. You should see our scars from traveling alone, so you might as well get used to it here or have a horrible time!"

Ellrolin sneered, but she finally relaxed. "I do want to fit in here. This is not my way of life, but if you help me, I'd like to get used to it."

Elhenin smiled. "If you do not like their lifestyle, to the elves here, it's a dishonor to them, specially since you are a princess. It's how they are and if you do not like what they do, you do not like who they are."

Ellrolin frowned a little. "I understand. Now help me."

Elhenin smiled. "This is going to be fun."



Ellrolin scowled as her sister leaped from tree to tree, a vine in her hand. "I cannot do that! I know I cannot!" Ellrolin yelled to her. "I'd absolutely kill myself."

"You never know! You've never tried to climb trees, but with a vine it feels like your flying."

"Really?" Ellrolin asked. "Hand me a vine, then—if you think I could do it."

Elhenin laughed. "Anyone can!" she said, throwing her sister a thick vine. "All you have to do it pull it as far as you can and jump off the ground."

Ellrolin looked at the vine nervously in her hand as if it were a snake. "A-alright," she stammered. She pulled the rope back and then swung off the ground. She flew through the air, her brown hair trailing behind her and 'whoosh', she landed on a tree branch.

"I did it…whoa, WHOA!" she began to fall back, but Elhenin held grabbed her hand just in time and pulled her up. "It DID feel like flying."

"Yes, see? It's not that hard."

"And these clothes are not so bad. I feel so comfortable!" she said, looking down at her straight pants and white blouse.

"See? Isn't it nice here?" Elhenin asked.

Ellrolin looked down at her feet. "Elhenin, I'm really sorry for how I've been acting. I'm not used to being the one that's behind, while everyone else is learning the ropes and learning things so quickly."

Elhenin nodded. "I know it's hard, but you'll get the hang of it and you won't feel any bad vibes from anyone. Here, you have to learn to work."

Ellrolin shrugged. "Well, enough talking, I'm ready to do that again!"

Elhenin laughed. "Alright then, get going!" she said, pushing her sister towards the next tree. "Whoo hoo!" shouted Ellrolin, holding for dear life onto the vine.

Elhenin smiled as she watched her sister. Ellrolin only needed to try. 'She's not that bad once she's given a chance,' thought Elhenin. She leaped after her sister and laughed as she flew through the air.



Eldarion made his way next to Legolas as they were spying on orcs through the bushes. The orc's hoarse voices and heavy feet could be heard from a distance. "There appears to be more than we thought," Eldarion whispered. "Much more," Legolas answered glumly. "Still, I think we will be fine. It's defeat them now, or we get pushed out of Mirkwood. They've dwelt in our forest for too long."

Eldarion nodded. "Will the forest become more beautiful when they are gone?"

"I hope so. Once the orcs leave, I guess that some of the other creatures will leave also. It may become very beautiful."

"I sure hope it becomes more beautiful. I met a dark-haired woman here and I keep on hoping she doesn't want to leave," said another one of the elves that was hiding, Lenomial.

"One of my sisters?" Eldarion asked.

"I know not. Her name is Elhenin. I've never met an elf as herself and she's beautiful."

"Yes, they all are," answered Legolas. "I am marrying one of them in two months. I'm very nervous and hoping that I can return quickly."

Lenomial frowned a little. "So I've heard." He stirred a little. 'Girls of their beauty would only fall in love with the prince, of course,' thought Lenomial. 'Not a common elf boy like me.' He sighed sadly. He had loved being with Elhenin, but he couldn't help think that he had no chance with her. 'She must feel sorry for me. She must see that I like her, but she lets me kiss her on the cheek. She must feel sorry for me, for I cannot have her. I'm no kind of match for her,' Lenomial thought solemnly. He desperately tried to remove those thoughts from his mind so that he could concentrate on their strategy to defeat the orcs. Still, the thought wouldn't go away!



Does Elhenin really like Lenomial that much or does she feel sorry for him? Will all of them make it back alive to their village? Does Ellrolin fully change her attitude? What will happen if the boys need help? What are the girls going to do? FIND OUT!!! Mwa ha ha!

Lauren

~ Check out my Elf page and stuff. It's in my bio.