Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Please, please review. Thanks again Legolas' sweetie for being my beta =)
Chapter set 10 years after the last one. Estel's 26 now!!
************************************************************************
Chapter 7: Day of Discoveries
It was a hot summer day. The afternoon sun shone brightly over Rivendell. Creatures of the forest lounged lazily in the cool shade of the trees, wishing for a small breeze that would stir the stale oppressive air. A lone figure braved the heat and ran rapidly through the forest. He was tall and muscular with a broad chest and strong limbs. His shoulder length dark hair framed a ruggedly handsome face and intense steely grey eyes. He wore a dark brown shirt and matching breeches, the simple traveling garb of a ranger.
He stopped as he reached a small ravine, keen eyes scanning his surroundings for anything hidden in the trees. Without warning, a smaller hooded figure leapt out of a tree directly behind the man, tackling him to the ground. Before the man could react, he found a knee on his spine and a blade pressed close to his throat. Strangely enough, the man did not seem concerned by his helplessness. He started laughing. The blade was withdrawn and the smaller figure rose gracefully before helping the man up.
"You never ceases to surprise me, Shadow," Estel said, still laughing.
"I try. Besides, you have been getting so good with your sword that I figure soon the only way to beat you was an ambush," the Elf teased gently.
Legolas had been staying in this ravine for ten years now, since he came to Rivendell with Estel. The River Bruin would flood this entire area every rain season, so no one came here. The Elf mage had been secretly using his magic to control the river so that it only covered part of the gorge, giving him the perfect hiding place. His apprentice would come to him almost every day, at first to continue his lessons, now more to practice his skills and speak with him.
It was almost six years ago when the young man had beaten all the Elves in his class and was for want of a better sparring partner. That was when Estel became the youngest member of the elite troop of Rivendell. He had since then joined his foster brothers on Orc hunts and sometimes traveled north to assume his duties as a chieftain of the Dunedains.
Legolas had always gone with him, following his company in the shadows to ensure the young man's safety. On more than one occasion, the Elf had found it necessary to fire a few arrows at some unsuspecting Orcs that succeeded in approaching Estel unnoticed.
And there were the few times where his apprentice decided to be the heroic decoy for his companions, against entire Orc armies no less. Legolas had to actually join the young ranger in battle, as the enemies were so numerous that emptying his quiver would merely reduce their numbers by a small fraction. Any other two warriors would not have survived such overwhelming odds, but Estel and Legolas fought together in such perfect unison that despite their large superiority in numbers, their enemies could not find any opening.
First, Legolas would pick off all the archers with his arrows. Then, the two would run until the enemy had them cornered. Though they could not retreat, the Orcs could only rush them in a semi-circle and never from behind, which made defending much easier. The pair would fight in tandem; each knowing what the other would do before he made the move. When one attacked, the other defended or rested to regain his strength. With that strategy, they were able to outlast the onslaught of large Orc armies until daylight forced their foes to withdraw. Throughout these battles, the elf mage was careful not to use his magic. He had broken his vow once; he would not do so again. He would only lend Estel his strength as a warrior and not the powers of the Star of Earendil.
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"Guess what happened today?" Estel asked excitedly. He could not wait to tell his mentor what happened. He did not want to sound arrogant, but he really was so proud of himself.
"Let me see, a beautiful Elf maiden proposed to you?" the elf teased, receiving an icy glare from Estel. He continued jokingly and said, "No? Maybe another experienced and distinguished warrior sought your bed?"
"No! I beat Elladan today at sword practice!! Could you believe that? Elladan, my foster brother and the best swordsman in Rivendell other than Lord Glorfindel!!" Estel was screaming, but he did not care.
Legolas shook his head in mock exasperation and said, "And I thought you were actually going to tell me something surprising. I told you more than two weeks ago that if you could defend yourself against his thrust and slash combination, then feign right and attack left with your elbow, you would beat him."
Estel stared at his mentor. Shadow had just described the final part of his match against his foster brother, without even being there. He did not remember his mentor teaching him how to best Elladan; and he would never forget something like that. "When did you tell me that?"
"When I asked you to use your brother's moves against me in our match two weeks ago. Remember that was how I beat you? And I thought I had trained you well enough to notice little things like that," the Elf said, shaking his head at Estel again.
He knew taunts like that can no longer hurt the young man; it only annoyed him a little. One of the things that had not changed was that the Elf still liked seeing the peeved Estel once and a while, especially since he had grown up to be so reserved and composed. In the prince's eyes, his apprentice was still young and should not have to bear the burdens of the world on his shoulders yet. Legolas wished he could do more to help his apprentice; but in his current form, the only thing he could give was his guidance and friendship for as long as Estel wished.
Legolas knew how many Elves and humans sought Estel's company. He had grown into a very handsome young man, a fine warrior who would one day be the King of Gondor. Though Estel loathed the attention he was getting, the Elf mage knew that the day would come when Estel would give his heart to another. The only reason the young man had not been interested in any of the offers was because they had come from those who had once looked down upon him. Some day, Estel would meet the right maiden and he would have no more time for his former mentor. Legolas had come to terms with that; the excruciating pain in his heart had long subsided into a minor ache. He was not foolish enough to hope that there would be a place for him in the life of the King of Men. He was just grateful for every minute that he could spend with Estel before that fateful day comes.
************************************************************************
The Elf was so caught up in his musing that he did not hear Estel came up behind him. The ranger, fuelled by his success against Elladan, decided he would test his skills at surprising the enemy against his mentor. With lightening speed, he tackled Shadow from behind. The Elf, having sensed the man's intentions at the last minute, spun around to shove at him; but Estel anticipated that and captured his mentor's wrists in his hands as they fell.
For the first time in his life, Legolas found himself pinned to the ground, with his arms held down by strong, callused hands over his head. He would be looking for a way to free himself if he was not so distracted by the man's closeness. The Ranger smelled of sweat and the great outdoors; it was a most attractive masculine scent. He could feel the man's hard hot muscular body against him, giving him butterflies in his stomach. Estel was so close that he could sense his soft breath on his face, taunting his resolve to not react to the man.
Estel was smiling smugly on top of him now. The ranger knew that though his mentor was more skilled and agile, he was stronger. He was going to tease the Elf for allowing himself to be caught off guard, but words were refusing to form. He was too preoccupied by the feel of Shadow's lithe body underneath him. He had dreamed about this moment for quite some time now, in a much less innocent context, but the reality of it felt far better than he could imagine. He had not forgotten that Shadow did not want him ten years ago; but that was when he was still a child. He could not help wondering if things would be different now that he has grown to be a man. The first lesson his mentor had taught him was that if he did not try, he would never know; with that in mind, Estel pressed himself harder into Shadow.
Legolas could barely stifle a moan of desire when the ranger pressed harder against him; nor could he control his body's reaction any longer. He could not allow this to continue lest Estel found out about his secret. He realized that his legs, though trapped between the man's, could still move. He hated to hurt Estel, but he had no choice. He shifted his weight and delivered a blow to the ranger's groin and sensitive inner thigh. The man cried out in pain and loosened his grip, giving Legolas the opportunity to roll on top of him and put an elbow to his throat.
Estel knew now that nothing had changed. The Elf still did not want him. It hurt, much more than the rejection ten years ago. He would cry, except that he was now a proud warrior and warriors would shed their blood before tears. Instead he hardened his eyes and schooled his features into an emotionless mask and stared at his mentor wordlessly.
Legolas rose and moved away from the man, returning his stare mutely. Why? Was that on purpose? Did he still want me, after all these years, despite how I look?
Part of him wanted to believe desperately that the man desired him as he was; that would mean that Estel cared, that he loved him. But the rational part of his mind kept citing reasons upon reasons why that could not be. He wanted to cry; to scream at the man to stop toying with him like this, to never touch him that way again.... Unless he truly meant it.
At that thought, he could not stop the small voice in his head from ridiculing him. Mean what? That he loves you? Look at him. Does he look hurt to you, as if he was just rejected by someone he loves? The man doesn't even look as if he missed that close contact at all. You know full well every Elf and human wants him and they are all better qualified to be his lover than you. You should be grateful that he is not disgusted with you.
Watching Estel, the Elf knew his mind was right. The man did not love him at all. Trying his best to keep the defeat and hurt from his voice, Legolas said, "I must congratulate you; you managed to surprise me today. I do not think you will be needing lessons from me any longer." That said, the Elf turned and walked away, leaving a heartbroken dumbfound Ranger on the ground.
************************************************************************
Lord Glorfindel's mind kept drifting back to the sword practice session earlier. The move Estel made to beat his foster brother was very familiar. The way the young man fought reminded him of the fighting style used by Arameius, the Numenor King who defeated Sarous 5000 years ago. But the Golden Prince of Greenwood who instructed him was lost in battle and there was no one else who had a mastery of the Ancient Arts to teach Estel.
Glorfindel had known immediately that someone had been training the boy when he returned to Rivendell ten years ago. His skills at tracking, archery and sword fighting had improved dramatically during his three months absence. Lord Elrond attested to an equally astounding improvement in the boy's abilities as a healer.
As in the past, each of the members of the household had duties and could find only little time to instruct Estel. Despite the lack of attention, it was evident that the boy's talents had continually developed in the time between lessons. Within the span of five years, the boy had gone from one who could not even defeat the youngest of novices to an accomplished Ranger and warrior. At twenty, Estel was made the youngest member of the elite fighters of Rivendell.
For most part, the Elf was just glad that someone was finally able to help Estel realize his potentials. But if the young man's mentor was indeed Prince Legolas, it would be very good news indeed for the free peoples of Middle Earth. Glorfindel had no doubt that if the star of Earendil still lived, Sauron would hesitate to wage war against them. The prince's powers were legendary, rumored to be greater than the Lady Galadriel. The times were pressing and he must act soon to cover the true identity of Estel's secret mentor.
************************************************************************
Estel did not sleep well that night. His mind kept wandering back the scene during the day, when Shadow rejected him. Finally, after much tossing and turning, the man's weariness from a hard day's training drove him into an uneasy slumber. When he opened his eyes the next morning, he found his entire foster family in his room. "What is it? Have I done something wrong?"
His foster father said, "No, my son. It was just that Lord Glorfindel wished to spar with you this morning."
Estel's eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets in shock. Glorfindel was the best swordsman in Middle Earth. The warrior defeated a Balrog and was the only Elf to return from the Halls of Mandos. Estel could not possible spar with him.
"I was very impressed with your skill yesterday in your match with Elladan. It had been a while since I had practiced and felt you a worthy opponent," Glorfindel said with a smile.
"Come on, little brother. Get up and beat Glorfindel so that I would not be alone in my shame," Elladan teased gently as he pulled the young man from his bed.
It was early morning. The courtyard was completely empty and eerily quiet. Not even the tress or birds made a sound. Training sword in hand, Estel knew he had no choice but to fight. He circled his opponent slowly, trying to observe his style. Shadow had taught him to never make the first move when facing an unknown but experienced opponent. He did not have to wait long for the elf to make his first attack. He was so fast that Estel could barely see him move. On instinct, the human had brought his sword up to block the blow, but he was unprepared when his opponent quickly shifted balance and lashed out with his foot. Caught off guard, Estel almost tripped and fell, but recovered just in time to duck and roll to avoid another strike. He could not believe how good Glorfindel was, he was might even be better than Shadow.
The human tried to keep a distance from his opponent as he attempted to catch his breath and think of possible strategies, but Glorfindel was not going to give him time to recover. He struck from Estel's right, and when the man moved to block with his sword, the elf spun left, delivering a blow to Estel's head with his elbow from the man's unprotected left side. The match would have ended if the man did not realize the Elven Lord's intentions in the nick of time. Though he did not entirely avoid the blow, he dodged fast enough to avoid the full force of it. This was a fight Estel knew he could not win.
The Elf attacked again. He raised his sword in an overhead strike, which Estel blocked easily. What the man did not expect was the elf to twist his sword down and hit the top of his head again with his right elbow. As he stumbled backwards, Estel thought the match was over for he saw the Elf readying to finish the match with one last strike.
That was when he recognized what he saw. It was one of Shadow's favorite moves! Though his mentor had taught him how to counter it, the man had never successfully block it; Shadow had always won in the end. At this moment, Estel really had nothing to lose, so he bind his time, waiting for the split second when the elf had to lower his guard on his left flank before striking the decisive blow. Time seemed to slow as Estel saw the opening and struck. The Elf left out a surprised yelp of pain, losing his balance, and fell. The man took advantage of the situation and stepped on Glorfindel's sword to keep it down while rising his own to his opponent's throat. "Yield."
Everyone was staring at him in disbelief. Even Estel could not believe he had just beaten Glorfindel. He knew he owed all this to his mentor, the one whom he had secretly loved for the past ten years, the one who would never return his love. All he could do now is make Shadow proud, hoping his golden Elf would stay by his side if he proved himself worthy.
Both Glorfindel and Elrond knew without a doubt that the Crown Prince of Greenwood was the young man's mentor. Estel knew the weakness of one of the most powerful attacks in the Ancient Arts of Elven Warfare. No, the man not only knew it, he had had practice in trying to defeat it. Very few could use the technique; among those only one knew exactly how to beat it and that was Legolas. They suspected the Elf mage had his reasons to hide from the world all these years. But given the circumstances, they did not have a choice; they must find the lost star of Earendil. Maybe his light could save Middle Earth from darkness once more.
************************************************************************
"Where is your mentor?" Elrond asked with quiet authority.
The euphoria from his victory vanished instantaneously. Had Shadow not warned me about the use his teachings except in battle with evil? How could I be so stupid? Estel knew how his mentor reveled in his solitude. He could not tell his foster family where the Elf was. He had no doubt Shadow would leave and he would lose him forever. Even if his mentor would never see him as more than a friend, that was a thought Estel could not bare.
"I don't know what you are talking about, Ada, [Father] " Estel lied.
"Lying does not become you, Estel. If you would not tell us now, I am sure that we would be able to find out by tracking you when you meet with him," said Glorfindel.
The man stared in horror at his foster family as his heart broke into a million pieces once more. He could never betray his mentor, and that meant he would not see Shadow again.
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Vanessa: Cannot say much without giving the story away, but do keep in mind that I AM in LOVE with Legolas, and like the idea of Aragorn and Legolas; or else, I really wouldn't be writing. Please interpret that as you may =)
Please, please review. Thanks again Legolas' sweetie for being my beta =)
Chapter set 10 years after the last one. Estel's 26 now!!
************************************************************************
Chapter 7: Day of Discoveries
It was a hot summer day. The afternoon sun shone brightly over Rivendell. Creatures of the forest lounged lazily in the cool shade of the trees, wishing for a small breeze that would stir the stale oppressive air. A lone figure braved the heat and ran rapidly through the forest. He was tall and muscular with a broad chest and strong limbs. His shoulder length dark hair framed a ruggedly handsome face and intense steely grey eyes. He wore a dark brown shirt and matching breeches, the simple traveling garb of a ranger.
He stopped as he reached a small ravine, keen eyes scanning his surroundings for anything hidden in the trees. Without warning, a smaller hooded figure leapt out of a tree directly behind the man, tackling him to the ground. Before the man could react, he found a knee on his spine and a blade pressed close to his throat. Strangely enough, the man did not seem concerned by his helplessness. He started laughing. The blade was withdrawn and the smaller figure rose gracefully before helping the man up.
"You never ceases to surprise me, Shadow," Estel said, still laughing.
"I try. Besides, you have been getting so good with your sword that I figure soon the only way to beat you was an ambush," the Elf teased gently.
Legolas had been staying in this ravine for ten years now, since he came to Rivendell with Estel. The River Bruin would flood this entire area every rain season, so no one came here. The Elf mage had been secretly using his magic to control the river so that it only covered part of the gorge, giving him the perfect hiding place. His apprentice would come to him almost every day, at first to continue his lessons, now more to practice his skills and speak with him.
It was almost six years ago when the young man had beaten all the Elves in his class and was for want of a better sparring partner. That was when Estel became the youngest member of the elite troop of Rivendell. He had since then joined his foster brothers on Orc hunts and sometimes traveled north to assume his duties as a chieftain of the Dunedains.
Legolas had always gone with him, following his company in the shadows to ensure the young man's safety. On more than one occasion, the Elf had found it necessary to fire a few arrows at some unsuspecting Orcs that succeeded in approaching Estel unnoticed.
And there were the few times where his apprentice decided to be the heroic decoy for his companions, against entire Orc armies no less. Legolas had to actually join the young ranger in battle, as the enemies were so numerous that emptying his quiver would merely reduce their numbers by a small fraction. Any other two warriors would not have survived such overwhelming odds, but Estel and Legolas fought together in such perfect unison that despite their large superiority in numbers, their enemies could not find any opening.
First, Legolas would pick off all the archers with his arrows. Then, the two would run until the enemy had them cornered. Though they could not retreat, the Orcs could only rush them in a semi-circle and never from behind, which made defending much easier. The pair would fight in tandem; each knowing what the other would do before he made the move. When one attacked, the other defended or rested to regain his strength. With that strategy, they were able to outlast the onslaught of large Orc armies until daylight forced their foes to withdraw. Throughout these battles, the elf mage was careful not to use his magic. He had broken his vow once; he would not do so again. He would only lend Estel his strength as a warrior and not the powers of the Star of Earendil.
************************************************************************
"Guess what happened today?" Estel asked excitedly. He could not wait to tell his mentor what happened. He did not want to sound arrogant, but he really was so proud of himself.
"Let me see, a beautiful Elf maiden proposed to you?" the elf teased, receiving an icy glare from Estel. He continued jokingly and said, "No? Maybe another experienced and distinguished warrior sought your bed?"
"No! I beat Elladan today at sword practice!! Could you believe that? Elladan, my foster brother and the best swordsman in Rivendell other than Lord Glorfindel!!" Estel was screaming, but he did not care.
Legolas shook his head in mock exasperation and said, "And I thought you were actually going to tell me something surprising. I told you more than two weeks ago that if you could defend yourself against his thrust and slash combination, then feign right and attack left with your elbow, you would beat him."
Estel stared at his mentor. Shadow had just described the final part of his match against his foster brother, without even being there. He did not remember his mentor teaching him how to best Elladan; and he would never forget something like that. "When did you tell me that?"
"When I asked you to use your brother's moves against me in our match two weeks ago. Remember that was how I beat you? And I thought I had trained you well enough to notice little things like that," the Elf said, shaking his head at Estel again.
He knew taunts like that can no longer hurt the young man; it only annoyed him a little. One of the things that had not changed was that the Elf still liked seeing the peeved Estel once and a while, especially since he had grown up to be so reserved and composed. In the prince's eyes, his apprentice was still young and should not have to bear the burdens of the world on his shoulders yet. Legolas wished he could do more to help his apprentice; but in his current form, the only thing he could give was his guidance and friendship for as long as Estel wished.
Legolas knew how many Elves and humans sought Estel's company. He had grown into a very handsome young man, a fine warrior who would one day be the King of Gondor. Though Estel loathed the attention he was getting, the Elf mage knew that the day would come when Estel would give his heart to another. The only reason the young man had not been interested in any of the offers was because they had come from those who had once looked down upon him. Some day, Estel would meet the right maiden and he would have no more time for his former mentor. Legolas had come to terms with that; the excruciating pain in his heart had long subsided into a minor ache. He was not foolish enough to hope that there would be a place for him in the life of the King of Men. He was just grateful for every minute that he could spend with Estel before that fateful day comes.
************************************************************************
The Elf was so caught up in his musing that he did not hear Estel came up behind him. The ranger, fuelled by his success against Elladan, decided he would test his skills at surprising the enemy against his mentor. With lightening speed, he tackled Shadow from behind. The Elf, having sensed the man's intentions at the last minute, spun around to shove at him; but Estel anticipated that and captured his mentor's wrists in his hands as they fell.
For the first time in his life, Legolas found himself pinned to the ground, with his arms held down by strong, callused hands over his head. He would be looking for a way to free himself if he was not so distracted by the man's closeness. The Ranger smelled of sweat and the great outdoors; it was a most attractive masculine scent. He could feel the man's hard hot muscular body against him, giving him butterflies in his stomach. Estel was so close that he could sense his soft breath on his face, taunting his resolve to not react to the man.
Estel was smiling smugly on top of him now. The ranger knew that though his mentor was more skilled and agile, he was stronger. He was going to tease the Elf for allowing himself to be caught off guard, but words were refusing to form. He was too preoccupied by the feel of Shadow's lithe body underneath him. He had dreamed about this moment for quite some time now, in a much less innocent context, but the reality of it felt far better than he could imagine. He had not forgotten that Shadow did not want him ten years ago; but that was when he was still a child. He could not help wondering if things would be different now that he has grown to be a man. The first lesson his mentor had taught him was that if he did not try, he would never know; with that in mind, Estel pressed himself harder into Shadow.
Legolas could barely stifle a moan of desire when the ranger pressed harder against him; nor could he control his body's reaction any longer. He could not allow this to continue lest Estel found out about his secret. He realized that his legs, though trapped between the man's, could still move. He hated to hurt Estel, but he had no choice. He shifted his weight and delivered a blow to the ranger's groin and sensitive inner thigh. The man cried out in pain and loosened his grip, giving Legolas the opportunity to roll on top of him and put an elbow to his throat.
Estel knew now that nothing had changed. The Elf still did not want him. It hurt, much more than the rejection ten years ago. He would cry, except that he was now a proud warrior and warriors would shed their blood before tears. Instead he hardened his eyes and schooled his features into an emotionless mask and stared at his mentor wordlessly.
Legolas rose and moved away from the man, returning his stare mutely. Why? Was that on purpose? Did he still want me, after all these years, despite how I look?
Part of him wanted to believe desperately that the man desired him as he was; that would mean that Estel cared, that he loved him. But the rational part of his mind kept citing reasons upon reasons why that could not be. He wanted to cry; to scream at the man to stop toying with him like this, to never touch him that way again.... Unless he truly meant it.
At that thought, he could not stop the small voice in his head from ridiculing him. Mean what? That he loves you? Look at him. Does he look hurt to you, as if he was just rejected by someone he loves? The man doesn't even look as if he missed that close contact at all. You know full well every Elf and human wants him and they are all better qualified to be his lover than you. You should be grateful that he is not disgusted with you.
Watching Estel, the Elf knew his mind was right. The man did not love him at all. Trying his best to keep the defeat and hurt from his voice, Legolas said, "I must congratulate you; you managed to surprise me today. I do not think you will be needing lessons from me any longer." That said, the Elf turned and walked away, leaving a heartbroken dumbfound Ranger on the ground.
************************************************************************
Lord Glorfindel's mind kept drifting back to the sword practice session earlier. The move Estel made to beat his foster brother was very familiar. The way the young man fought reminded him of the fighting style used by Arameius, the Numenor King who defeated Sarous 5000 years ago. But the Golden Prince of Greenwood who instructed him was lost in battle and there was no one else who had a mastery of the Ancient Arts to teach Estel.
Glorfindel had known immediately that someone had been training the boy when he returned to Rivendell ten years ago. His skills at tracking, archery and sword fighting had improved dramatically during his three months absence. Lord Elrond attested to an equally astounding improvement in the boy's abilities as a healer.
As in the past, each of the members of the household had duties and could find only little time to instruct Estel. Despite the lack of attention, it was evident that the boy's talents had continually developed in the time between lessons. Within the span of five years, the boy had gone from one who could not even defeat the youngest of novices to an accomplished Ranger and warrior. At twenty, Estel was made the youngest member of the elite fighters of Rivendell.
For most part, the Elf was just glad that someone was finally able to help Estel realize his potentials. But if the young man's mentor was indeed Prince Legolas, it would be very good news indeed for the free peoples of Middle Earth. Glorfindel had no doubt that if the star of Earendil still lived, Sauron would hesitate to wage war against them. The prince's powers were legendary, rumored to be greater than the Lady Galadriel. The times were pressing and he must act soon to cover the true identity of Estel's secret mentor.
************************************************************************
Estel did not sleep well that night. His mind kept wandering back the scene during the day, when Shadow rejected him. Finally, after much tossing and turning, the man's weariness from a hard day's training drove him into an uneasy slumber. When he opened his eyes the next morning, he found his entire foster family in his room. "What is it? Have I done something wrong?"
His foster father said, "No, my son. It was just that Lord Glorfindel wished to spar with you this morning."
Estel's eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets in shock. Glorfindel was the best swordsman in Middle Earth. The warrior defeated a Balrog and was the only Elf to return from the Halls of Mandos. Estel could not possible spar with him.
"I was very impressed with your skill yesterday in your match with Elladan. It had been a while since I had practiced and felt you a worthy opponent," Glorfindel said with a smile.
"Come on, little brother. Get up and beat Glorfindel so that I would not be alone in my shame," Elladan teased gently as he pulled the young man from his bed.
It was early morning. The courtyard was completely empty and eerily quiet. Not even the tress or birds made a sound. Training sword in hand, Estel knew he had no choice but to fight. He circled his opponent slowly, trying to observe his style. Shadow had taught him to never make the first move when facing an unknown but experienced opponent. He did not have to wait long for the elf to make his first attack. He was so fast that Estel could barely see him move. On instinct, the human had brought his sword up to block the blow, but he was unprepared when his opponent quickly shifted balance and lashed out with his foot. Caught off guard, Estel almost tripped and fell, but recovered just in time to duck and roll to avoid another strike. He could not believe how good Glorfindel was, he was might even be better than Shadow.
The human tried to keep a distance from his opponent as he attempted to catch his breath and think of possible strategies, but Glorfindel was not going to give him time to recover. He struck from Estel's right, and when the man moved to block with his sword, the elf spun left, delivering a blow to Estel's head with his elbow from the man's unprotected left side. The match would have ended if the man did not realize the Elven Lord's intentions in the nick of time. Though he did not entirely avoid the blow, he dodged fast enough to avoid the full force of it. This was a fight Estel knew he could not win.
The Elf attacked again. He raised his sword in an overhead strike, which Estel blocked easily. What the man did not expect was the elf to twist his sword down and hit the top of his head again with his right elbow. As he stumbled backwards, Estel thought the match was over for he saw the Elf readying to finish the match with one last strike.
That was when he recognized what he saw. It was one of Shadow's favorite moves! Though his mentor had taught him how to counter it, the man had never successfully block it; Shadow had always won in the end. At this moment, Estel really had nothing to lose, so he bind his time, waiting for the split second when the elf had to lower his guard on his left flank before striking the decisive blow. Time seemed to slow as Estel saw the opening and struck. The Elf left out a surprised yelp of pain, losing his balance, and fell. The man took advantage of the situation and stepped on Glorfindel's sword to keep it down while rising his own to his opponent's throat. "Yield."
Everyone was staring at him in disbelief. Even Estel could not believe he had just beaten Glorfindel. He knew he owed all this to his mentor, the one whom he had secretly loved for the past ten years, the one who would never return his love. All he could do now is make Shadow proud, hoping his golden Elf would stay by his side if he proved himself worthy.
Both Glorfindel and Elrond knew without a doubt that the Crown Prince of Greenwood was the young man's mentor. Estel knew the weakness of one of the most powerful attacks in the Ancient Arts of Elven Warfare. No, the man not only knew it, he had had practice in trying to defeat it. Very few could use the technique; among those only one knew exactly how to beat it and that was Legolas. They suspected the Elf mage had his reasons to hide from the world all these years. But given the circumstances, they did not have a choice; they must find the lost star of Earendil. Maybe his light could save Middle Earth from darkness once more.
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"Where is your mentor?" Elrond asked with quiet authority.
The euphoria from his victory vanished instantaneously. Had Shadow not warned me about the use his teachings except in battle with evil? How could I be so stupid? Estel knew how his mentor reveled in his solitude. He could not tell his foster family where the Elf was. He had no doubt Shadow would leave and he would lose him forever. Even if his mentor would never see him as more than a friend, that was a thought Estel could not bare.
"I don't know what you are talking about, Ada, [Father] " Estel lied.
"Lying does not become you, Estel. If you would not tell us now, I am sure that we would be able to find out by tracking you when you meet with him," said Glorfindel.
The man stared in horror at his foster family as his heart broke into a million pieces once more. He could never betray his mentor, and that meant he would not see Shadow again.
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Vanessa: Cannot say much without giving the story away, but do keep in mind that I AM in LOVE with Legolas, and like the idea of Aragorn and Legolas; or else, I really wouldn't be writing. Please interpret that as you may =)