A/N: Thanks for the reviews. To address a reviewer's question:
the comment about fading memories refers to what they read in Tolkein's books
about War of the Ring. They have a general idea of the history of Middle
Earth from reading LOTR, but no knowledge of the future (i.e. what happens
to the Fellowship). They were overwhelmed by the reality of being in
Rivendell, not because they have forgotten everything they knew about Middle
Earth. I hope that helps! Enjoy!
Ch. 11
Lunch passed uneventfully, then the lot of them gathered in the training yard: Amy, Pete and Beth, the four younger students, Legolas, even Gandalf and a couple Elves. Amy was wearing fighting clothing, but wasn't carrying a weapon. Legolas took Pete off to the side and started teaching him to shoot a bow, and two of the Elves got swords out. Someone got one for Mark, and they started sparring. Absorbed with watching them, Amy didn't see Elrond come out to join them. He came up quietly behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, startled, and almost stopped breathing when she found his face inches from hers.
"Turnabout is fair play, is that it?" Amy said weakly, breaking the moment. Elrond chucked, and she realized he wasn't wearing his normal robes, but a light tunic belted over leggings, much like the previous night. A sheathed sword hung at his side, and he was holding another one.
"I know you used to be quite adept at swordfighting, yourself. I was hoping I might test your skills."
Amy nodded weakly, and at that moment an "I yield!" came from behind them. Amy looked over to see Mark's sparring partner on his back.
"Mark has a few tricks up his sleeve." She turned from the downed Elf to Mark. "Good job, there. We'll have to have a go in a bit." Mark gave the Elf a hand up, then Amy spoke again. "Now clear out and give the old folks a chance."
Even Legolas and Pete left off their shooting, and Amy noticed Arwen had come out and was standing beside Mithrandir. Heart in throat, she turned to Elrond and saluted him with the sword. They started tentatively, but the sparring quickly grew intense. They were well matched, and neither could score any kind of victory. Soon both of them grew tired, but they continued. When Elrond was very winded, Amy suddenly redoubled her attacks. She'd been holding a little strength yet in reserve. Blocking a high strike, she spun and swept his legs out from under him. She came down with a knee resting lightly on his sword arm and her sword held just over his neck.
From the ground, Elrond chuckled. "Very good, Almare. It has been a long time since I've been beaten quite so soundly. I shall have to remember never to cross you." She stood up and offered him a hand up. He took it, and she pulled him up. Even though they were both sweaty, the touch of their hands was electric. Elrond felt it, too, but covered it as well as he could. The sparring passed to others, with both Amy and Elrond taking turns later, but not again with each other. A few of the watchers wandered off, including Beth and Arwen. Even Mithrandir got out and took a round with Mark, and another one with Amy. As old as he might seem, the wizard moved Glamdring with a speed that belied his age. After a bit, Mark also took a turn with Legolas training on the bow. Amy came up with a bow and fired a few well-aimed shots, but didn't engage with anyone in competition or training.
The training grounds cleared out after a bit. Amy collected her arrows, then turned to see Elrond watching her. They were alone on the grounds. Elrond fixed her with a piercing stare. "You held back with me."
Amy shrugged. "Experience counts. I could have fought dirtier. You held back, too. You didn't use nearly as much strength as you could have."
Elrond shrugged, copying her. "There was no need for injury. We both could have fought harder, and we would have against an enemy. I am fortunate not to have to face you as an enemy."
Amy looked down at the ground, suddenly sobered. "I have seen Elves kill Elves, and it is a sight I hope never to see again."
"Forgive me. I did not mean to remind you of that."
"There is nothing to forgive. It is when we cease to remember that we will repeat the mistakes of those days. I pray the Valar will prevent such a thing from ever happening again."
"As do I. Still, I regret reminding you of it."
Amy nodded. There was nothing more to say. She finished collecting her things, and handed Elrond the borrowed sword. He took it, but held it out in front of him.
"I would be honored if you would keep it. I know you have no need of a weapon here, but it would make the occasional sparring match all the more likely." His eyes were sparkling with amusement.
"And what if I take it, but refuse to spar?"
"Such is your choice. Still, I would like to give it to you."
"Thank you, but it isn't necessary. I brought my old sword back with me. I should have brought it this afternoon, but I hadn't intended to do any hard sparring. I'll have to get it out one of these days. For now, though, I suppose we ought to get cleaned up for supper. I'm a mess." She glanced down at herself. She was soaked with sweat and covered in dirt."
"You look beautiful."
Amy looked up at him sharply. Elrond stepped closer to her, then raised a hand to her cheek. Amy lifted a hand to rest it on his shoulder. She laughed dryly. "I've been telling you of sharing your burdens, and now I've piled my own on you, as well." She couldn't think of anything else to say.
"You said yourself that they should be shared."
"Yes, but I meant that you should share yours. I have dealt with my memories. The memories are difficult, but they no longer bring constant pain. Anyway, you're purposely twisting my words."
"I'm just pointing out that it works both ways."
"I suppose it does. There aren't a lot of people left who remember those days, and it's not something I could share with the younger ones. Even if I did, I don't think they would understand. They come from a world where Men slaughter Men with weapons far more brutal than any we possess. I was glad to spend time there, but I'm also glad to be back."
"I'm glad to have you back." Elrond turned Amy's chin up so she was looking directly into his eyes. Time seemed to stop. He leaned down to kiss her. Just before his lips could touch hers, a discreet cough sounded. Mithrandir stepped out from behind the trees. Elrond and Amy stepped away from each other quickly.
"I appear to have bad timing. I'm sorry for interrupting. I had just wondered what had happened to the two of you. Are you aware of the time? If you want to bathe before dinner, you'll need to hurry." With that, the wizard turned and walked away.
Amy turned back to Elrond and rolled her eyes. "Bad timing is right."
Elrond smiled wryly and nodded, then stepped close quickly and pulled her against him, cupping the back of her head with his hand and kissing her gently. Their arms wrapped around each other, and the two of them held each other for a moment before pulling apart.
Amy rested her forehead against Elrond's. "He's right. We should get going."
"Yes." Elrond stepped back reluctantly, then placed a hand at the small of her back as they turned to walk back together. They had to hurry, indeed, to get ready, and Amy ended up going to dinner with hair still wet from her bath.
Ch. 11
Lunch passed uneventfully, then the lot of them gathered in the training yard: Amy, Pete and Beth, the four younger students, Legolas, even Gandalf and a couple Elves. Amy was wearing fighting clothing, but wasn't carrying a weapon. Legolas took Pete off to the side and started teaching him to shoot a bow, and two of the Elves got swords out. Someone got one for Mark, and they started sparring. Absorbed with watching them, Amy didn't see Elrond come out to join them. He came up quietly behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, startled, and almost stopped breathing when she found his face inches from hers.
"Turnabout is fair play, is that it?" Amy said weakly, breaking the moment. Elrond chucked, and she realized he wasn't wearing his normal robes, but a light tunic belted over leggings, much like the previous night. A sheathed sword hung at his side, and he was holding another one.
"I know you used to be quite adept at swordfighting, yourself. I was hoping I might test your skills."
Amy nodded weakly, and at that moment an "I yield!" came from behind them. Amy looked over to see Mark's sparring partner on his back.
"Mark has a few tricks up his sleeve." She turned from the downed Elf to Mark. "Good job, there. We'll have to have a go in a bit." Mark gave the Elf a hand up, then Amy spoke again. "Now clear out and give the old folks a chance."
Even Legolas and Pete left off their shooting, and Amy noticed Arwen had come out and was standing beside Mithrandir. Heart in throat, she turned to Elrond and saluted him with the sword. They started tentatively, but the sparring quickly grew intense. They were well matched, and neither could score any kind of victory. Soon both of them grew tired, but they continued. When Elrond was very winded, Amy suddenly redoubled her attacks. She'd been holding a little strength yet in reserve. Blocking a high strike, she spun and swept his legs out from under him. She came down with a knee resting lightly on his sword arm and her sword held just over his neck.
From the ground, Elrond chuckled. "Very good, Almare. It has been a long time since I've been beaten quite so soundly. I shall have to remember never to cross you." She stood up and offered him a hand up. He took it, and she pulled him up. Even though they were both sweaty, the touch of their hands was electric. Elrond felt it, too, but covered it as well as he could. The sparring passed to others, with both Amy and Elrond taking turns later, but not again with each other. A few of the watchers wandered off, including Beth and Arwen. Even Mithrandir got out and took a round with Mark, and another one with Amy. As old as he might seem, the wizard moved Glamdring with a speed that belied his age. After a bit, Mark also took a turn with Legolas training on the bow. Amy came up with a bow and fired a few well-aimed shots, but didn't engage with anyone in competition or training.
The training grounds cleared out after a bit. Amy collected her arrows, then turned to see Elrond watching her. They were alone on the grounds. Elrond fixed her with a piercing stare. "You held back with me."
Amy shrugged. "Experience counts. I could have fought dirtier. You held back, too. You didn't use nearly as much strength as you could have."
Elrond shrugged, copying her. "There was no need for injury. We both could have fought harder, and we would have against an enemy. I am fortunate not to have to face you as an enemy."
Amy looked down at the ground, suddenly sobered. "I have seen Elves kill Elves, and it is a sight I hope never to see again."
"Forgive me. I did not mean to remind you of that."
"There is nothing to forgive. It is when we cease to remember that we will repeat the mistakes of those days. I pray the Valar will prevent such a thing from ever happening again."
"As do I. Still, I regret reminding you of it."
Amy nodded. There was nothing more to say. She finished collecting her things, and handed Elrond the borrowed sword. He took it, but held it out in front of him.
"I would be honored if you would keep it. I know you have no need of a weapon here, but it would make the occasional sparring match all the more likely." His eyes were sparkling with amusement.
"And what if I take it, but refuse to spar?"
"Such is your choice. Still, I would like to give it to you."
"Thank you, but it isn't necessary. I brought my old sword back with me. I should have brought it this afternoon, but I hadn't intended to do any hard sparring. I'll have to get it out one of these days. For now, though, I suppose we ought to get cleaned up for supper. I'm a mess." She glanced down at herself. She was soaked with sweat and covered in dirt."
"You look beautiful."
Amy looked up at him sharply. Elrond stepped closer to her, then raised a hand to her cheek. Amy lifted a hand to rest it on his shoulder. She laughed dryly. "I've been telling you of sharing your burdens, and now I've piled my own on you, as well." She couldn't think of anything else to say.
"You said yourself that they should be shared."
"Yes, but I meant that you should share yours. I have dealt with my memories. The memories are difficult, but they no longer bring constant pain. Anyway, you're purposely twisting my words."
"I'm just pointing out that it works both ways."
"I suppose it does. There aren't a lot of people left who remember those days, and it's not something I could share with the younger ones. Even if I did, I don't think they would understand. They come from a world where Men slaughter Men with weapons far more brutal than any we possess. I was glad to spend time there, but I'm also glad to be back."
"I'm glad to have you back." Elrond turned Amy's chin up so she was looking directly into his eyes. Time seemed to stop. He leaned down to kiss her. Just before his lips could touch hers, a discreet cough sounded. Mithrandir stepped out from behind the trees. Elrond and Amy stepped away from each other quickly.
"I appear to have bad timing. I'm sorry for interrupting. I had just wondered what had happened to the two of you. Are you aware of the time? If you want to bathe before dinner, you'll need to hurry." With that, the wizard turned and walked away.
Amy turned back to Elrond and rolled her eyes. "Bad timing is right."
Elrond smiled wryly and nodded, then stepped close quickly and pulled her against him, cupping the back of her head with his hand and kissing her gently. Their arms wrapped around each other, and the two of them held each other for a moment before pulling apart.
Amy rested her forehead against Elrond's. "He's right. We should get going."
"Yes." Elrond stepped back reluctantly, then placed a hand at the small of her back as they turned to walk back together. They had to hurry, indeed, to get ready, and Amy ended up going to dinner with hair still wet from her bath.