Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Please, please review. Thanks to all my reviewers, I can barely believe I have more than 100 reviews already for this story. Please continue to show your support for my writing =)
Tired again. Our Elf is now perfect for the first seven levels of the two towers game. Yah! Aragorn annoyed me since he failed to protect my favorite Elf; still debating whether I should do something nasty to him in the chapter.
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Chapter 9:
Gasps of awe arose from the camp as the Evening Star walked onto the field where the recruits were in line to receive their training weapons for the day. They would begin with sword practice in the morning. After lunch, the Elves would take a two-hour archery lesson where they shoot targets at different ranges. Finally, in the afternoon, the trainees would participate in an obstacle course where they must destroy hidden 'enemies' made from cloth and sand.
Most Elves had heard rumors of Arwen's beauty. But few had the good fortune of seeing it for their own eyes. She moved with a nobility and grace surpassing all Elves upon Middle Earth. Her raven black hair was a stunning contrast to her sea-blue eyes. Adding to her delicate face and rosy soft lips was a gorgeous figure that any Men or male Elf would gladly die for. To complete the enchanting package, the Lady wore a burgundy velvet gown with gold trimmings, which accentuated her sensuous curves. Most of the recruits were thanking Elbereth for this rare treat to their eyes. The others were wondering what could bring such an exquisite creature to their lowly encampment; there were, of course, two exceptions.
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"I don't know what they are gawking at. Any Dwarf lass is prettier than her. Even if we are just considering Elves, you are much prettier," said Gimli to his friend who was in line in front of him.
"Please don't say that. I am a male and it's NOT a good thing to be pretty," replied Legolas.
"It is if you are vying for the attention of a Man," argued the Dwarf.
"I am not trying to get Aragorn's attention. I wonder why she is here. What if she got word of the kiss last night? I have heard rumors that the Evening Star could be quite violent when slighted," commented the Prince.
"Don't worry, my friend. I don't think she looks angry. Besides, our commander kissed you, not the other way round. Aragorn will protect you. If he doesn't, I will," reassured Gimli.
"Thanks, Master Dwarf. You are a really wonderful friend," said the Elf with a brilliant smile.
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Arwen walked to join her twin brothers at their vantage point where they observed the progress of the line. She was rather annoyed to find that the Man had not yet arrived. The Lady wanted to surprise Aragorn with her little visit. She knew the Man would be ecstatic to see her; the joy of being in her company was the best way she could think of to thank Aragorn for rescuing her lost pet.
Being a little curious as to which recruit the Man had to kiss to recover her parrot, Arwen asked, "Is the one Aragorn kissed last night here?"
Elladan and Elrohir regarded each other nervously. Though the golden Elf was dressed very plainly in a simple brown shirt and green leggings, he remained very attractive. He was not as stunning as the night before when his long silken hair flowed freely and his golden light illuminated the small room. The twins could tell the new recruit had dressed down deliberately to hide his beauty for the day's training. But he was still pretty enough that once their sister saw him, they would all be doomed. No doubt, Arwen would come to the conclusion that the twins were lying and that Aragorn kissed the Elf out of his own desire. The poor recruit would suffer the most since he was prettier than the Evening Star.
"Well?" asked the Lady again. She was getting the distinct feeling that her brothers were hiding something from her.
The twins knew that if they lie, Arwen would know. The situation was indeed looking very grim for all of them, as they had no choice but to point out Lasgalen.
"The one at the front of the line," answered Elladan shakily.
But luck was on their side, for when the Lady moved her gaze to the front of the line, it was already Legolas' turn to get his weapons. Naturally, at the head of the queue was the one standing behind him, Gimli the Dwarf.
"Oh dear. This is worse than I thought. My poor darling Aragorn! No wonder you two were hesitant to say who it was," lamented the Lady in a highly exaggerated tone.
The twins had closed their eyes in anticipation of their little sister's wrath. When they re-opened them at Arwen's comment, they saw that a Dwarf had saved them all. They had always thought of Dwarves as inferior; the Elves would never imagine a day would come when they would be grateful to one. Elladan and Elrohir was so thankful for their narrow escape that they could go hug Gimli right then and there. But they knew that would be inappropriate; instead, they made mental notes to reward the Dwarf later during training session.
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Aragorn returned to camp with the Guardian of Lòrien by his side. Haldir had agreed to come and help with the recruits' archery training. When the Man saw his Lady at the camp, he closed his eyes and muttered a prayer before bravely walking to face his doom. What he did not expect was for Arwen to greet him with a passionate embrace.
"Oh, my poor sweetheart. Thank you so much for getting my pet back. I know the sacrifice you made for me and if you meet me tonight after training, I will make it worth your while," said the Evening Star coyly as she laid a gentle kiss upon the Man's cheek before turning to walk away.
"What was that about?" asked a confused Aragorn. In return, he received a nonchalant shrug from the twins as they whistled and walked towards the recruits.
The Man expected Arwen to be furious, not grateful. The twins must have done something, thinking to help him. Except that whatever they did was not helping since the Man wished to break up with their sister. Aragorn knew the golden Elf cared about him; though he could not pursue Lasgalen now, he wanted to be free to do so once the new recruit became proficient at combat. That would only be possible if the Man ended his game of courtship with the Evening Star.
Though Lasgalen was not of noble birth like the Lady Arwen, he was very astute and wise. If he gained fighting skills through this training camp, the golden Elf would be a good candidate for his consort, making up for his lower social position with his abilities. Considering that Lasgalen managed to charm Halbarad within one week, the Man was sure his people would come to accept the Elf as their Prince Consort rather quickly. As for heirs, Aragorn was certain his foster father or Lady Galadriel would be able to help them.
Of course, his plan all hinged on Lasgalen becoming a capable warrior who could fight by his side in the near future. Despite Aragorn's initial reluctance to be the third commander of the army, he was glad he would be able to train the golden Elf in person. Having traveled with the Elf, the Man had noticed Lasgalen's strengths and weakness. He had spent the few hours before dawn formulating a regime that would benefit the Elf the most. The Man even went to greet the Guardian from Lòrien just so he could go over his special training plan with the platinum blond Elf. Being a good friend, Haldir had agreed to help Aragorn in his endeavors.
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The Lòrien archer recognized the Golden Prince from Mirkwood immediately upon walking into camp. The beautiful Elf could not hide despite his plain, non-descript clothes. As soon as Haldir received word from Luinil that the young Elf was going to be a spy for Thranduil, the Guardian of Lòrien had been trying to find a way to be involved in the Joint Army so he could be of help to the introvert Prince. He knew Legolas would require as much assistance as he could get to fulfill his first 'field assignment'. When Lord Elrond requested a master archer to help with training the new recruits, Haldir volunteered immediately.
If not for Legolas' intelligence and smooth tongue, the platinum blond would have been exiled from the Golden Woods for helping a wounded Elf. The Guardian did not realize the injured female was a fugitive from their lands, having bathed in the fountain where the water for Galadriel's mirror was drawn. By law, the fair-haired Elf should receive the same punishment as the one he assisted, expulsion from Lòrien.
Luckily for Haldir, the youngest Prince of Mirkwood was visiting the Lord and Lady of the Woods. Somehow, with his interesting logic, Legolas managed to convince Lady Galadriel that the Guardian was merely performing his duties and arresting the fugitive for proper sentencing. Instead of being exiled, Haldir was promoted to be the head of security in Lòrien. Ever since that day, the fair Elf had been looking for the opportunity to repay the Prince.
When Aragorn asked for his help in a special training designed by the golden Prince, Haldir was more than happy to oblige. He knew Legolas would not fare well if he just received training among the masses of other recruits, who already knew the basics of combat. The Guardian, however, was surprised that the Man had suggested such a thing. He thought Aragorn was courting the Evening Star; but from the Man's tone when he spoke of Legolas, Isildur's heir seemed enamored with the golden Elf.
The Lòrien archer wondered if the Prince returned the Man's feelings. If he did, it would be great news indeed. Legolas was far too old to be THAT innocent. Haldir wished for the younger Elf's happiness with his whole heart; the Prince was too wonderful a person to wallow in loneliness. He vowed that he would not only assist Legolas in fulfilling his mission, but also help the Elf find love in the form of Aragorn.
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It was quickly becoming clear that both Legolas and Gimli needed new sparring partners. Because of the height difference, the Elf was having trouble blocking the Dwarf's training sword, which kept hitting him in the shin. Though Gimli was holding back, getting repeatedly hammered by a blunt piece of steel was enough to cause a lot of bruises and an equal amount of pain.
"Ai," cried the Elf in pain.
"Sorry," replied the Dwarf for the thirtieth time of the day.
"If this goes on any longer, I will not be able to stand," complained the Prince.
"Let me be your sparring partner," offered the Man who could no longer bear watching the Elf he liked get clobbered by Gimli.
Legolas blushed and nodded. Soon, the Man was practicing with the Elf and Haldir had taken the Prince's place with the Dwarf. The golden Elf was slightly apprehensive when he saw the Guardian of Lòrien. He knew the archer would recognize him; but when Haldir winked and smiled mischievously at him, he knew the older Elf was here to help and would not betray his secrets.
"There are a few basic strikes in sword-play. Let us start with the upper- hand cuts. There are three possible variants, one from the left, one from the right and one directly overhead, like this. Now, you try," instructed Aragorn.
The Elf did as he was told, while observing the defensive stance assumed by the Man. "One, two, three. Good. Now try again, but move your feet with each strike. When you strike left, move your right foot forward; that way you are more balanced and will not fall over from the force of the swing.."
They practiced those strikes for a few more times before Aragorn said, "Good, now you learn now to defend against those attacks.."
"Don't tell me. Let me try," said the Elf with a smile.
The Man was a bit reluctant as he did not wish to hurt Lasgalen. But seeing the determination in the Elf's eyes, Aragorn decided to give his student a chance. "Okay, here I come. Left, right, center.."
The Man was pleasantly surprised when Lasgalen blocked all his strikes perfectly. The Elf was a very fast learner. Through observation alone, he had learnt the defensive maneuvers and was executing them with precise timing. Aragorn wondered how a gifted Elf like this could be so ill- trained in the arts of war.
"That was very good. Let us practice that some more before we move on to the next set of basic moves," encouraged the Man.
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Legolas could not believe he was actually doing well in swordsmanship. He remembered how those lessons always turned into a beating session from his classmates during his first experience with warrior training. Despite the progress he was making, he wished that Aragorn had not singled him out for private instructions like that. It would only confirm everyone's beliefs that he was their Human commander's pet. He hated to think what would happen during lunch hour when Aragorn was no longer with him. He was certain his fellow trainees were thinking of what pranks to play on him already.
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At the end of the session, Lasgalen was proficient in all nine basic strikes and defensive stances of swordplay. Aragorn was amazed at the Elf's progress. In one morning, his student had mastered what took Aragorn two full weeks of practice when the Man first started. Learning how to swing the sword was easy, but the timing of the footwork with the strike of the weapon was difficult to grasp. Through observation, the Elf had mimicked the Man's motions perfectly; giving Lasgalen's attacks the superb rhythm of those executed by a master swordsman. At this rate, within two weeks, the golden one's skills with the sword would surpass all the other recruits.
Aragorn realized also that swords were not best suited for the Elf's slight frame. Knives, much like the ones Haldir used, would be preferable. When Lasgalen was finished with his sword training, the Man would ask the archer to teach his student knife-fighting techniques. If the young Elf were as gifted with knives as he was with swords, Lasgalen would be an excellent fighter in no time. With a satisfied smile, Aragorn left the training field as the recruits broke for lunch. He might not have to wait long for his chance with Lasgalen after all.
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The Man entered the headquarters lunch area to find his foster brothers waiting for him. They wore identical puzzled expression as they watched him take his seat at the table. Apparently, Haldir had been 'volunteered' to get their food from the kitchens at Rivendell palace.
"What do you think you are doing? Do you WANT to DIE, Aragorn?" asked Elrohir in his most dramatic voice.
"We wrecked our brains and risks ours lives to save you from our sister's rage. And you repay us by giving that new recruit private lessons," accused Elladan.
"You know I don't really love Arwen. I am courting her only because she is a challenge and she will make a great queen. But I realize I don't want to be with her anymore. In fact, I am going to break up with her tonight," replied the Man.
"Are you crazy? You are going to get us all killed, including that Elf you fancied," retorted the younger twin.
"It is not like she is really cares about me either. She is in love with the idea that I am in love with her, since I am sought by lots of Elves and Humans. I am like a trophy to her, like she is a prize to me," reasoned Aragorn.
"That is not going to matter. You cannot possibly dump Arwen and expect to survive. No one ever had," said the older twin.
"Yeah, but no one ever tried. The Evening Star always broke up with her lovers when she tired of them. It's just that I am the first one to actively want to end a relationship with her," said the Man.
"Come on, think about this more carefully. Whether you admit it or not, you are risking your life over this. Is that Elf really worth it?" cautioned Elrohir.
At the prompt, Aragorn immediately turned dreamy-eyed as he listed off the Elf's good qualities. "Of course, Lasgalen is smart, beautiful, kind, innocent, understanding, sweet, open-minded, sympathetic, caring, sensitive, observant, a wonderful cook, an amazingly fast learner.. did I mention intelligent, already. To sum it all up, I guess I would just have to say he is perfect," finished the Man with a smile.
"In other words, too perfect. No one is ever that good, little brother. Take it from someone who has lived millennia longer than you. The Elf must be hiding something," commented Elladan.
"I bet that it is all an act to get your attention. He probably wants something from you and is using your romantic delusions to get it. If you don't be careful, the Elf will rip your heart out and throw it back at you in the blink of an eye," elaborated Elrohir.
Hand tight upon Anduril's hilt, Aragorn stood to face his brothers. "Do not ever insult Lasgalen again. I will not guarantee what I will do, even if you are my brothers," hissed the furious Man.
The twins decided that Aragorn in a rage was every bit as scary as their little sister in Arwen the destroyer mode. It was time to placate their foster brother while buying themselves some time to defuse the situation between the Man and the Evening Star.
"Sorry we spoke without proof. But give us two weeks to investigate the golden Elf. If we cannot find anything suspicious on him after that, we will not complain of your decision to break up with our sister. We will even help you protect your new lover from her wrath. We just don't want to see you act rashly and get hurt, Aragorn. You are our only little foster brother," pleaded the older twin.
The Man was still angry with the Elves, but he did not see any harm in waiting two more weeks. Especially since Lasgalen would need at least until then to become a warrior worthy of the Man's attention. Besides, it would be nice to have the twins back his decision to end the relationship with Arwen. Though Aragorn was sure he could protect himself, it would be valuable to have someone in the House of Elrond on Lasgalen's side. After all, they would need his foster father's approval for their binding and the Elven Lord's help in the matters of getting heirs. "Very well, you have two weeks. Unless you can convince me otherwise, I am breaking up with Arwen."
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Sorry, chapter not very funny. I ended up not doing anything bad to Aragorn. It just doesn't feel quite right to do it here... archery practice, now that's a different story..(evil grin)
Please, please review. Thanks to all my reviewers, I can barely believe I have more than 100 reviews already for this story. Please continue to show your support for my writing =)
Tired again. Our Elf is now perfect for the first seven levels of the two towers game. Yah! Aragorn annoyed me since he failed to protect my favorite Elf; still debating whether I should do something nasty to him in the chapter.
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Chapter 9:
Gasps of awe arose from the camp as the Evening Star walked onto the field where the recruits were in line to receive their training weapons for the day. They would begin with sword practice in the morning. After lunch, the Elves would take a two-hour archery lesson where they shoot targets at different ranges. Finally, in the afternoon, the trainees would participate in an obstacle course where they must destroy hidden 'enemies' made from cloth and sand.
Most Elves had heard rumors of Arwen's beauty. But few had the good fortune of seeing it for their own eyes. She moved with a nobility and grace surpassing all Elves upon Middle Earth. Her raven black hair was a stunning contrast to her sea-blue eyes. Adding to her delicate face and rosy soft lips was a gorgeous figure that any Men or male Elf would gladly die for. To complete the enchanting package, the Lady wore a burgundy velvet gown with gold trimmings, which accentuated her sensuous curves. Most of the recruits were thanking Elbereth for this rare treat to their eyes. The others were wondering what could bring such an exquisite creature to their lowly encampment; there were, of course, two exceptions.
************************************************************************
"I don't know what they are gawking at. Any Dwarf lass is prettier than her. Even if we are just considering Elves, you are much prettier," said Gimli to his friend who was in line in front of him.
"Please don't say that. I am a male and it's NOT a good thing to be pretty," replied Legolas.
"It is if you are vying for the attention of a Man," argued the Dwarf.
"I am not trying to get Aragorn's attention. I wonder why she is here. What if she got word of the kiss last night? I have heard rumors that the Evening Star could be quite violent when slighted," commented the Prince.
"Don't worry, my friend. I don't think she looks angry. Besides, our commander kissed you, not the other way round. Aragorn will protect you. If he doesn't, I will," reassured Gimli.
"Thanks, Master Dwarf. You are a really wonderful friend," said the Elf with a brilliant smile.
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Arwen walked to join her twin brothers at their vantage point where they observed the progress of the line. She was rather annoyed to find that the Man had not yet arrived. The Lady wanted to surprise Aragorn with her little visit. She knew the Man would be ecstatic to see her; the joy of being in her company was the best way she could think of to thank Aragorn for rescuing her lost pet.
Being a little curious as to which recruit the Man had to kiss to recover her parrot, Arwen asked, "Is the one Aragorn kissed last night here?"
Elladan and Elrohir regarded each other nervously. Though the golden Elf was dressed very plainly in a simple brown shirt and green leggings, he remained very attractive. He was not as stunning as the night before when his long silken hair flowed freely and his golden light illuminated the small room. The twins could tell the new recruit had dressed down deliberately to hide his beauty for the day's training. But he was still pretty enough that once their sister saw him, they would all be doomed. No doubt, Arwen would come to the conclusion that the twins were lying and that Aragorn kissed the Elf out of his own desire. The poor recruit would suffer the most since he was prettier than the Evening Star.
"Well?" asked the Lady again. She was getting the distinct feeling that her brothers were hiding something from her.
The twins knew that if they lie, Arwen would know. The situation was indeed looking very grim for all of them, as they had no choice but to point out Lasgalen.
"The one at the front of the line," answered Elladan shakily.
But luck was on their side, for when the Lady moved her gaze to the front of the line, it was already Legolas' turn to get his weapons. Naturally, at the head of the queue was the one standing behind him, Gimli the Dwarf.
"Oh dear. This is worse than I thought. My poor darling Aragorn! No wonder you two were hesitant to say who it was," lamented the Lady in a highly exaggerated tone.
The twins had closed their eyes in anticipation of their little sister's wrath. When they re-opened them at Arwen's comment, they saw that a Dwarf had saved them all. They had always thought of Dwarves as inferior; the Elves would never imagine a day would come when they would be grateful to one. Elladan and Elrohir was so thankful for their narrow escape that they could go hug Gimli right then and there. But they knew that would be inappropriate; instead, they made mental notes to reward the Dwarf later during training session.
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Aragorn returned to camp with the Guardian of Lòrien by his side. Haldir had agreed to come and help with the recruits' archery training. When the Man saw his Lady at the camp, he closed his eyes and muttered a prayer before bravely walking to face his doom. What he did not expect was for Arwen to greet him with a passionate embrace.
"Oh, my poor sweetheart. Thank you so much for getting my pet back. I know the sacrifice you made for me and if you meet me tonight after training, I will make it worth your while," said the Evening Star coyly as she laid a gentle kiss upon the Man's cheek before turning to walk away.
"What was that about?" asked a confused Aragorn. In return, he received a nonchalant shrug from the twins as they whistled and walked towards the recruits.
The Man expected Arwen to be furious, not grateful. The twins must have done something, thinking to help him. Except that whatever they did was not helping since the Man wished to break up with their sister. Aragorn knew the golden Elf cared about him; though he could not pursue Lasgalen now, he wanted to be free to do so once the new recruit became proficient at combat. That would only be possible if the Man ended his game of courtship with the Evening Star.
Though Lasgalen was not of noble birth like the Lady Arwen, he was very astute and wise. If he gained fighting skills through this training camp, the golden Elf would be a good candidate for his consort, making up for his lower social position with his abilities. Considering that Lasgalen managed to charm Halbarad within one week, the Man was sure his people would come to accept the Elf as their Prince Consort rather quickly. As for heirs, Aragorn was certain his foster father or Lady Galadriel would be able to help them.
Of course, his plan all hinged on Lasgalen becoming a capable warrior who could fight by his side in the near future. Despite Aragorn's initial reluctance to be the third commander of the army, he was glad he would be able to train the golden Elf in person. Having traveled with the Elf, the Man had noticed Lasgalen's strengths and weakness. He had spent the few hours before dawn formulating a regime that would benefit the Elf the most. The Man even went to greet the Guardian from Lòrien just so he could go over his special training plan with the platinum blond Elf. Being a good friend, Haldir had agreed to help Aragorn in his endeavors.
************************************************************************
The Lòrien archer recognized the Golden Prince from Mirkwood immediately upon walking into camp. The beautiful Elf could not hide despite his plain, non-descript clothes. As soon as Haldir received word from Luinil that the young Elf was going to be a spy for Thranduil, the Guardian of Lòrien had been trying to find a way to be involved in the Joint Army so he could be of help to the introvert Prince. He knew Legolas would require as much assistance as he could get to fulfill his first 'field assignment'. When Lord Elrond requested a master archer to help with training the new recruits, Haldir volunteered immediately.
If not for Legolas' intelligence and smooth tongue, the platinum blond would have been exiled from the Golden Woods for helping a wounded Elf. The Guardian did not realize the injured female was a fugitive from their lands, having bathed in the fountain where the water for Galadriel's mirror was drawn. By law, the fair-haired Elf should receive the same punishment as the one he assisted, expulsion from Lòrien.
Luckily for Haldir, the youngest Prince of Mirkwood was visiting the Lord and Lady of the Woods. Somehow, with his interesting logic, Legolas managed to convince Lady Galadriel that the Guardian was merely performing his duties and arresting the fugitive for proper sentencing. Instead of being exiled, Haldir was promoted to be the head of security in Lòrien. Ever since that day, the fair Elf had been looking for the opportunity to repay the Prince.
When Aragorn asked for his help in a special training designed by the golden Prince, Haldir was more than happy to oblige. He knew Legolas would not fare well if he just received training among the masses of other recruits, who already knew the basics of combat. The Guardian, however, was surprised that the Man had suggested such a thing. He thought Aragorn was courting the Evening Star; but from the Man's tone when he spoke of Legolas, Isildur's heir seemed enamored with the golden Elf.
The Lòrien archer wondered if the Prince returned the Man's feelings. If he did, it would be great news indeed. Legolas was far too old to be THAT innocent. Haldir wished for the younger Elf's happiness with his whole heart; the Prince was too wonderful a person to wallow in loneliness. He vowed that he would not only assist Legolas in fulfilling his mission, but also help the Elf find love in the form of Aragorn.
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It was quickly becoming clear that both Legolas and Gimli needed new sparring partners. Because of the height difference, the Elf was having trouble blocking the Dwarf's training sword, which kept hitting him in the shin. Though Gimli was holding back, getting repeatedly hammered by a blunt piece of steel was enough to cause a lot of bruises and an equal amount of pain.
"Ai," cried the Elf in pain.
"Sorry," replied the Dwarf for the thirtieth time of the day.
"If this goes on any longer, I will not be able to stand," complained the Prince.
"Let me be your sparring partner," offered the Man who could no longer bear watching the Elf he liked get clobbered by Gimli.
Legolas blushed and nodded. Soon, the Man was practicing with the Elf and Haldir had taken the Prince's place with the Dwarf. The golden Elf was slightly apprehensive when he saw the Guardian of Lòrien. He knew the archer would recognize him; but when Haldir winked and smiled mischievously at him, he knew the older Elf was here to help and would not betray his secrets.
"There are a few basic strikes in sword-play. Let us start with the upper- hand cuts. There are three possible variants, one from the left, one from the right and one directly overhead, like this. Now, you try," instructed Aragorn.
The Elf did as he was told, while observing the defensive stance assumed by the Man. "One, two, three. Good. Now try again, but move your feet with each strike. When you strike left, move your right foot forward; that way you are more balanced and will not fall over from the force of the swing.."
They practiced those strikes for a few more times before Aragorn said, "Good, now you learn now to defend against those attacks.."
"Don't tell me. Let me try," said the Elf with a smile.
The Man was a bit reluctant as he did not wish to hurt Lasgalen. But seeing the determination in the Elf's eyes, Aragorn decided to give his student a chance. "Okay, here I come. Left, right, center.."
The Man was pleasantly surprised when Lasgalen blocked all his strikes perfectly. The Elf was a very fast learner. Through observation alone, he had learnt the defensive maneuvers and was executing them with precise timing. Aragorn wondered how a gifted Elf like this could be so ill- trained in the arts of war.
"That was very good. Let us practice that some more before we move on to the next set of basic moves," encouraged the Man.
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Legolas could not believe he was actually doing well in swordsmanship. He remembered how those lessons always turned into a beating session from his classmates during his first experience with warrior training. Despite the progress he was making, he wished that Aragorn had not singled him out for private instructions like that. It would only confirm everyone's beliefs that he was their Human commander's pet. He hated to think what would happen during lunch hour when Aragorn was no longer with him. He was certain his fellow trainees were thinking of what pranks to play on him already.
************************************************************************
At the end of the session, Lasgalen was proficient in all nine basic strikes and defensive stances of swordplay. Aragorn was amazed at the Elf's progress. In one morning, his student had mastered what took Aragorn two full weeks of practice when the Man first started. Learning how to swing the sword was easy, but the timing of the footwork with the strike of the weapon was difficult to grasp. Through observation, the Elf had mimicked the Man's motions perfectly; giving Lasgalen's attacks the superb rhythm of those executed by a master swordsman. At this rate, within two weeks, the golden one's skills with the sword would surpass all the other recruits.
Aragorn realized also that swords were not best suited for the Elf's slight frame. Knives, much like the ones Haldir used, would be preferable. When Lasgalen was finished with his sword training, the Man would ask the archer to teach his student knife-fighting techniques. If the young Elf were as gifted with knives as he was with swords, Lasgalen would be an excellent fighter in no time. With a satisfied smile, Aragorn left the training field as the recruits broke for lunch. He might not have to wait long for his chance with Lasgalen after all.
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The Man entered the headquarters lunch area to find his foster brothers waiting for him. They wore identical puzzled expression as they watched him take his seat at the table. Apparently, Haldir had been 'volunteered' to get their food from the kitchens at Rivendell palace.
"What do you think you are doing? Do you WANT to DIE, Aragorn?" asked Elrohir in his most dramatic voice.
"We wrecked our brains and risks ours lives to save you from our sister's rage. And you repay us by giving that new recruit private lessons," accused Elladan.
"You know I don't really love Arwen. I am courting her only because she is a challenge and she will make a great queen. But I realize I don't want to be with her anymore. In fact, I am going to break up with her tonight," replied the Man.
"Are you crazy? You are going to get us all killed, including that Elf you fancied," retorted the younger twin.
"It is not like she is really cares about me either. She is in love with the idea that I am in love with her, since I am sought by lots of Elves and Humans. I am like a trophy to her, like she is a prize to me," reasoned Aragorn.
"That is not going to matter. You cannot possibly dump Arwen and expect to survive. No one ever had," said the older twin.
"Yeah, but no one ever tried. The Evening Star always broke up with her lovers when she tired of them. It's just that I am the first one to actively want to end a relationship with her," said the Man.
"Come on, think about this more carefully. Whether you admit it or not, you are risking your life over this. Is that Elf really worth it?" cautioned Elrohir.
At the prompt, Aragorn immediately turned dreamy-eyed as he listed off the Elf's good qualities. "Of course, Lasgalen is smart, beautiful, kind, innocent, understanding, sweet, open-minded, sympathetic, caring, sensitive, observant, a wonderful cook, an amazingly fast learner.. did I mention intelligent, already. To sum it all up, I guess I would just have to say he is perfect," finished the Man with a smile.
"In other words, too perfect. No one is ever that good, little brother. Take it from someone who has lived millennia longer than you. The Elf must be hiding something," commented Elladan.
"I bet that it is all an act to get your attention. He probably wants something from you and is using your romantic delusions to get it. If you don't be careful, the Elf will rip your heart out and throw it back at you in the blink of an eye," elaborated Elrohir.
Hand tight upon Anduril's hilt, Aragorn stood to face his brothers. "Do not ever insult Lasgalen again. I will not guarantee what I will do, even if you are my brothers," hissed the furious Man.
The twins decided that Aragorn in a rage was every bit as scary as their little sister in Arwen the destroyer mode. It was time to placate their foster brother while buying themselves some time to defuse the situation between the Man and the Evening Star.
"Sorry we spoke without proof. But give us two weeks to investigate the golden Elf. If we cannot find anything suspicious on him after that, we will not complain of your decision to break up with our sister. We will even help you protect your new lover from her wrath. We just don't want to see you act rashly and get hurt, Aragorn. You are our only little foster brother," pleaded the older twin.
The Man was still angry with the Elves, but he did not see any harm in waiting two more weeks. Especially since Lasgalen would need at least until then to become a warrior worthy of the Man's attention. Besides, it would be nice to have the twins back his decision to end the relationship with Arwen. Though Aragorn was sure he could protect himself, it would be valuable to have someone in the House of Elrond on Lasgalen's side. After all, they would need his foster father's approval for their binding and the Elven Lord's help in the matters of getting heirs. "Very well, you have two weeks. Unless you can convince me otherwise, I am breaking up with Arwen."
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Sorry, chapter not very funny. I ended up not doing anything bad to Aragorn. It just doesn't feel quite right to do it here... archery practice, now that's a different story..(evil grin)