Tancal walked slowly down to the edge of the flowing water. He had taken a
shortcut through the trees and across overgrown bushes and plants until he
was at the very end of the river, nearest to the Misty Mountains. He wanted
to try and get away so he could sort his thoughts. They were filled of his
encounter with Linteanna and the words that Nuinwath had spoken to him.
Compliment, not torment.
Deep down he knew he wanted to be kind to her, to tell her how he felt when he first saw her in the foyer. But instead he made her angry. In reality, he didn't want harm to come to her in any way, but he loved to see her face when she was caught by surprise by his comments or how her eyes sparked when she grew angry. When he saw her, it was as if he couldn't control the words that he spoke. Maybe he should apologize, but then again, he didn't want her to think him weak. He knew that she wasn't afraid of him. She had shown that already in the foyer. He didn't need her to think anything else that wasn't becoming.
"I hope you are prepared to finish what you started, sir."
The cold, low voice startled him, for he had not heard anyone come behind him. He drew his sword and turned around to see the person that consumed his thoughts.
"Do you truly wish to fight me, Linteanna? You do not know of my great training."
"I do not fear you and I wish you to know that for certain."
She had her dagger drawn and he could tell that she was tense, for her knuckles where white from her tight grip on the handle of the blade. He could tell she was not going to back away. He smiled at her, for in that moment he thought her completely stunning and her determination made him smile even more.
"Are you teasing me, Tancal?" she said through her teeth, as she felt the animosity rise inside of her. "Do you not believe me?! I will prove to you that I can defeat you. You will be sorry that you challenged me."
"Oh? Is that true? I do believe that you will regret your words, dear Linteanna. I will not show mercy just because you are a female."
"Do not insult me, dear Tancal. Come; show me your best skills. I shall show you mine."
With her last statement, she pointed her dagger at him and he swung his sword towards her. Their weapons clashed against each other and Linteanna moved swiftly and spun behind Tancal. With power and grace, she kicked his sword from his hand and placed her dagger at his neck.
"Fight? I believe that you need to reevaluate your definition of the word." She said, with a smirk on her face. Tancal felt the intense heat of her weapon against his throat, but it did not affect him as much as she would have liked. He smiled back and then grabbed both her wrists and threw her to the ground. Her dagger was knocked from her hand, and she scrambled to obtain it again. Before she could get to it, Tancal caught her by the waist and shoulder. He pressed his weight against her to keep her from moving and then he said in her ear, "I hope you do not mean this in all seriousness. You really should not try, you know that you cannot defeat me." When he spurred her anger on, he did not realize that he was making her even stronger.
For the next couple of minutes, the two elves were struggling on the ground in a fierce match of will and strength. Whenever she would start to get away from him, he would always catch her. It was becoming quite frustrating for her. She twisted and turned, and then she was pinned on her back. She tried to get an arm free, but this time it was only a distraction for Tancal. As he tried to reposition himself so she could not get away, she immediately kicked up, knocking him in his left side. He winced from the sudden pain and then with an incredible force, she shoved him with all of her might. He flew back and landed right by her knife. But he was too slow for her. She had already picked it up before he even reached for it.
Tancal felt a little uneasy with not having a weapon when she did. He decided to not give up though. She lunged forward and swung at him, but he swerved back and caught her arm. He quickly stepped forward and placed a foot behind hers and pushed her back which caused her to lose her balance. They tumbled to the ground once again. But this time Linteanna wasn't as strong. She was starting to become weary, and she was beginning to think how long this was going to go on.
Tancal had her pinned once again and he brought her own hand and knife against her throat. She pushed against him, but most of her strength was gone. She suddenly screamed with her last effort, and it was filled with hatred. His face was close enough to hers that he could feel her breath against his skin. Her face showed her surprise and the pain and discomfort that he was causing her by restraining her, but her eyes held her anger and defeat. Tancal was lost in those eyes. He knew at that moment that he regretted his actions. He just did not know how much.
All of a sudden Tancal felt something sharp whirl by his ear. The arrow clipped a piece of his hair as it flew by his head and landed directly in the center of the trunk of a large tree. Tancal seized the dagger from her hand and moved to turn towards the direction the arrow had been shot. Before he could turn all the way though, a sharp, metal blade found his neck. His face strained and his heart pounded as he moved his eyes to see who was holding the sword at his throat. He instantly was filled with fear for his life when he saw who it was.
"Give me one reason why I should not slay you at this very moment," Legolas said angrily and through gritted teeth. Tancal was intimidated by the tone in his voice. His answer was delayed because he was trying to decide whether or not to fight back.
"I do not believe you are involved in this manner," he managed to say.
"I certainly am now," he grunted and in one swift movement, he sheathed his sword and grabbed a handful of Tancal's hair. He also grabbed Tancal's wrist because he didn't want him to try anything with that dagger. "Drop it!" he growled.
Tancal cringed as Legolas's grip tightened on his scalp. It felt like he was trying to pull every single hair out of his head. He became frightful because of this elf's strength. He knew that he could not possibly fight back because he was far more powerful than he was. 'Where did he come from?' Tancal wondered, 'He must have heard her scream…' He finally did what he was told. The dagger made a loud clink as it hit the ground.
"Do you have any idea whom you were fighting? You fool! How dare you lay your hands on her. You shall be punished for assaulting a princess, and your punishment shall be far greater due to the fact that she is my sister!" Legolas acted as if he had complete control on the outside but inside his rage was beginning to take control. He had to leave before he actually killed him.
"You are fortunate this time, for I am not in the mood for killing today. But if this should happen again, you shall not live. Remember that." With his last words spoken, he released Tancal from his death grip and shoved him away. Legolas stared at Tancal with cold, hating eyes and then turned to Linteanna, who was still in shock at what had taken place.
"Come, Linteanna.You need not associate yourself with elves such as this." He said as he extended his arm to help her up. Tancal kept his eyes on her as she slowly got up and followed her brother. He could tell she usually was not defeated and she was still angry that he had pinned her. Suddenly, she turned back around with a flame in her eyes. She walked towards him with dignity and stared in his eyes the entire time. She came face to face with him and stopped. She stayed there for a few seconds and then suddenly bent down and grabbed her dagger from the ground. He didn't move. He knew Legolas was still watching and he didn't want to fight her anymore. He didn't want to hurt her or anger her anymore. He knew by the look in her eyes that he was not going to convince her easily.
Before she turned to leave, she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I will get you back for that."
As she turned quickly to leave, her hair swept over Tancal's face. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her hair on his skin. When he opened them, both Linteanna and Legolas were gone. He was left there alone and for the first time, he regretted being the winner of a fight.
Deep down he knew he wanted to be kind to her, to tell her how he felt when he first saw her in the foyer. But instead he made her angry. In reality, he didn't want harm to come to her in any way, but he loved to see her face when she was caught by surprise by his comments or how her eyes sparked when she grew angry. When he saw her, it was as if he couldn't control the words that he spoke. Maybe he should apologize, but then again, he didn't want her to think him weak. He knew that she wasn't afraid of him. She had shown that already in the foyer. He didn't need her to think anything else that wasn't becoming.
"I hope you are prepared to finish what you started, sir."
The cold, low voice startled him, for he had not heard anyone come behind him. He drew his sword and turned around to see the person that consumed his thoughts.
"Do you truly wish to fight me, Linteanna? You do not know of my great training."
"I do not fear you and I wish you to know that for certain."
She had her dagger drawn and he could tell that she was tense, for her knuckles where white from her tight grip on the handle of the blade. He could tell she was not going to back away. He smiled at her, for in that moment he thought her completely stunning and her determination made him smile even more.
"Are you teasing me, Tancal?" she said through her teeth, as she felt the animosity rise inside of her. "Do you not believe me?! I will prove to you that I can defeat you. You will be sorry that you challenged me."
"Oh? Is that true? I do believe that you will regret your words, dear Linteanna. I will not show mercy just because you are a female."
"Do not insult me, dear Tancal. Come; show me your best skills. I shall show you mine."
With her last statement, she pointed her dagger at him and he swung his sword towards her. Their weapons clashed against each other and Linteanna moved swiftly and spun behind Tancal. With power and grace, she kicked his sword from his hand and placed her dagger at his neck.
"Fight? I believe that you need to reevaluate your definition of the word." She said, with a smirk on her face. Tancal felt the intense heat of her weapon against his throat, but it did not affect him as much as she would have liked. He smiled back and then grabbed both her wrists and threw her to the ground. Her dagger was knocked from her hand, and she scrambled to obtain it again. Before she could get to it, Tancal caught her by the waist and shoulder. He pressed his weight against her to keep her from moving and then he said in her ear, "I hope you do not mean this in all seriousness. You really should not try, you know that you cannot defeat me." When he spurred her anger on, he did not realize that he was making her even stronger.
For the next couple of minutes, the two elves were struggling on the ground in a fierce match of will and strength. Whenever she would start to get away from him, he would always catch her. It was becoming quite frustrating for her. She twisted and turned, and then she was pinned on her back. She tried to get an arm free, but this time it was only a distraction for Tancal. As he tried to reposition himself so she could not get away, she immediately kicked up, knocking him in his left side. He winced from the sudden pain and then with an incredible force, she shoved him with all of her might. He flew back and landed right by her knife. But he was too slow for her. She had already picked it up before he even reached for it.
Tancal felt a little uneasy with not having a weapon when she did. He decided to not give up though. She lunged forward and swung at him, but he swerved back and caught her arm. He quickly stepped forward and placed a foot behind hers and pushed her back which caused her to lose her balance. They tumbled to the ground once again. But this time Linteanna wasn't as strong. She was starting to become weary, and she was beginning to think how long this was going to go on.
Tancal had her pinned once again and he brought her own hand and knife against her throat. She pushed against him, but most of her strength was gone. She suddenly screamed with her last effort, and it was filled with hatred. His face was close enough to hers that he could feel her breath against his skin. Her face showed her surprise and the pain and discomfort that he was causing her by restraining her, but her eyes held her anger and defeat. Tancal was lost in those eyes. He knew at that moment that he regretted his actions. He just did not know how much.
All of a sudden Tancal felt something sharp whirl by his ear. The arrow clipped a piece of his hair as it flew by his head and landed directly in the center of the trunk of a large tree. Tancal seized the dagger from her hand and moved to turn towards the direction the arrow had been shot. Before he could turn all the way though, a sharp, metal blade found his neck. His face strained and his heart pounded as he moved his eyes to see who was holding the sword at his throat. He instantly was filled with fear for his life when he saw who it was.
"Give me one reason why I should not slay you at this very moment," Legolas said angrily and through gritted teeth. Tancal was intimidated by the tone in his voice. His answer was delayed because he was trying to decide whether or not to fight back.
"I do not believe you are involved in this manner," he managed to say.
"I certainly am now," he grunted and in one swift movement, he sheathed his sword and grabbed a handful of Tancal's hair. He also grabbed Tancal's wrist because he didn't want him to try anything with that dagger. "Drop it!" he growled.
Tancal cringed as Legolas's grip tightened on his scalp. It felt like he was trying to pull every single hair out of his head. He became frightful because of this elf's strength. He knew that he could not possibly fight back because he was far more powerful than he was. 'Where did he come from?' Tancal wondered, 'He must have heard her scream…' He finally did what he was told. The dagger made a loud clink as it hit the ground.
"Do you have any idea whom you were fighting? You fool! How dare you lay your hands on her. You shall be punished for assaulting a princess, and your punishment shall be far greater due to the fact that she is my sister!" Legolas acted as if he had complete control on the outside but inside his rage was beginning to take control. He had to leave before he actually killed him.
"You are fortunate this time, for I am not in the mood for killing today. But if this should happen again, you shall not live. Remember that." With his last words spoken, he released Tancal from his death grip and shoved him away. Legolas stared at Tancal with cold, hating eyes and then turned to Linteanna, who was still in shock at what had taken place.
"Come, Linteanna.You need not associate yourself with elves such as this." He said as he extended his arm to help her up. Tancal kept his eyes on her as she slowly got up and followed her brother. He could tell she usually was not defeated and she was still angry that he had pinned her. Suddenly, she turned back around with a flame in her eyes. She walked towards him with dignity and stared in his eyes the entire time. She came face to face with him and stopped. She stayed there for a few seconds and then suddenly bent down and grabbed her dagger from the ground. He didn't move. He knew Legolas was still watching and he didn't want to fight her anymore. He didn't want to hurt her or anger her anymore. He knew by the look in her eyes that he was not going to convince her easily.
Before she turned to leave, she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I will get you back for that."
As she turned quickly to leave, her hair swept over Tancal's face. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her hair on his skin. When he opened them, both Linteanna and Legolas were gone. He was left there alone and for the first time, he regretted being the winner of a fight.